TREASURE ISLAND – City commissioners passed a resolution June 15 approving a license agreement with a businessman who wants to provide a delivery service for food and alcoholic beverages to patrons on the beach.
After a lengthy discussion, Treasure Island Commissioners voted unanimously to allow a renewable one-year contract to Edwin Barquet, owner of Treasure Island Marketplace at 245 107th Ave.
Barquet will pay the city $85 per month for the right to deliver products on the beach using a Polaris Ranger 750 utility vehicle. Either party can cancel the agreement with a five-day notice.
Barquet must purchase $1 million in liability insurance for the vehicle and name the city an additional insured.
City Attorney Maura Kiefer suggested increasing the liability level to $2 million but her proposal didn’t gain the support of the commission.
Commissioner Alan Bildz said he was in favor of removing alcoholic sales from the agreement unless it is in connection with a food purchase.
This, too, did not receive the support of his fellow commissioners.
“This is the first time we’ve tried something like this,” said City Manager Reid Silverboard. “We’re trying to create more business and make the beach more fun out there.”
According to the agreement, beach deliveries may be done from Gulf Front Park, 10400 Gulf Blvd., to Sunset Vista Hotel, 12000 Gulf Blvd.
The delivery person will be allowed to enter and exit the beach at the beach access points at the Buccaneer property, 10800 Gulf Blvd., and Treasure Sands, 11000 Gulf Blvd.
In other action:
• Andrea Henning, executive director of Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College, reported that a strategic planning session with the city’s Vision Steering Committee on May 28 resulted in the adoption of 16 priorities for the city to pursue. The top priorities include revision of the city’s land development regulations, encouraging new business to locate in Treasure Island, redevelopment of the Beach Trail, downtown redevelopment and begin doing a redevelopment of the central beach area. Other items included an increase in public parking and the undergrounding of power lines on Gulf Boulevard.
• Gulf Beaches Public Library Director Maggie Cinnella reported that 57 percent of her budget has been used through the first six months of the budget year. Total circulation over that period was 85,000 items. The door count for that period was about 59,000. She said the library board of directors recently approved a $441,805 budget for 2010-11, which is a small increase over the current budget due to increased unemployment compensation premiums and insurance costs. The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative reserve fund will fill a $59,000 void in the new budget. The city of Treasure Island’s contribution will be $86,200. Without the reserve funds, it would be $25,000 higher, Bildz said.
• Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing Silverboard to renew the facilities agreement through July 1, 2015 for a backup emergency operations center with Pasadena Community Church, 112 70th St. S.
• Approved the application of Kathy McCreary to the city’s Vision Steering Committee. She replaces Parker Lilya who resigned.
• Selected Commissioner Gail Caldwell to represent the city at the Florida League of Cities Conference Aug. 19-21 in Hollywood.
