Watch Meetings, View Meeting Calendar & Meeting Rules

City Meeting Schedule

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Council and advisory board meetings are generally held in the Clearwater Main Library Council Chambers, first floor, 100 N. Osceola Ave. Meeting locations may change, and some advisory boards meet at other city facilities. Check the meeting calendar before attending.

What To Expect at a Meeting

Clearwater City Council and advisory board meetings are open to the public. Before attending, review the meeting agenda for the date, time, location and topics scheduled for discussion. Meeting procedures vary depending on the type of item being considered. For example, City Council work sessions are also open to the public, but public comment is not accepted.

Share Public Comment

Members of the public may speak about an item on the meeting agenda or about city business that is not on the agenda. Select the appropriate tab below for instructions.

Submit Comment Electronically

You may submit written comments electronically in either of two ways:

Submit an eComment
To submit a comment electronically, select the eComment option within the published meeting agenda. The eComment period opens when the agenda is published and closes when public comment on the item ends during the meeting. You will be asked to create a user profile before reviewing an agenda item and submitting your comment.

Send an email
Email your comments to ClearwaterCouncil@myclearwater.com by 5 p.m. on the calendar day before the meeting.

Comments received within the deadline will become part of the official public record.

Submit Comment In-Person

  1. Upon arrival at chambers, complete a public comment card.
  2. List each agenda item you wish to address. You only need one card, even if you plan to speak on multiple items.
  3. Submit the card to the city clerk, located on the right-hand side of the dais.
  4. Wait until your name is called.
  5. Approach the podium, state your name and direct your comments to the mayor or City Council as a whole.

Each speaker may comment for up to three minutes. If you list multiple agenda items, you will be called when each item is heard.

If you arrive after an item begins or decide to speak during the meeting, reach out to the city clerk.

Speak on Behalf of a Group

A group may designate one person to speak on its behalf about an agenda item. The representative may speak for three minutes, plus one additional minute for each person who waives their right to speak, for a maximum of 10 minutes.

Before the item is presented:

  1. Upon arrival, complete a comment card.
  2. Have each person waiving their speaking time print and sign their name.
  3. Submit the card to the city clerk, located on the right-hand side of the dais.
  4. Wait until your name is called.
  5. Approach the podium, state your name and direct your comments to the mayor or City Council as a whole.

Each person waiving their speaking time must be present in the Council Chambers and remain in attendance while the item is heard. By signing the form, that person waives the right to speak separately on the same subject. Unused speaking time may not be transferred to another speaker.

Citizens To Be Heard

To speak about city business that is not listed on the agenda, sign the signup sheet at the beginning of the meeting and select “Citizens to Be Heard” on your comment card. Citizens to be Heard regarding items not on the agenda will be limited to 30 minutes. Individuals may comment on any matter relevant to the city that is not on the agenda. Speakers shall submit a completed comment card to the City Clerk and may speak for a maximum of three minutes.

 

What Happens After You Comment

Public comment is an opportunity to address the City Council or advisory board and is not a question-and-answer period. Members generally do not respond during public comment. Matters requiring follow-up may be referred to city staff. Comments, comment cards and contact information submitted to the city may become public records.

High-Capacity Meetings

In the event of a meeting with anticipated high attendance: 

  • Barricades and “Line Begins Here” signage will be in place to clearly establish where attendees should queue.
  • Capacity will be limited: 105 for council chambers and 60 in the downstairs overflow room. If space becomes available as attendees leave, staff will admit additional attendees.
  • Priority entry to both rooms will be given to speakers first, and any remaining seats will be filled by observers, until capacity is reached. There will be accessible seating available.
  • Due to time constraints, not everyone may get to speak unless the city council arrives at a consensus to allow more time.
  • Individuals who have spoken may voluntarily relinquish their seats to allow others a chance to speak, if council agrees to extend the public comment time and if previous speakers depart the chambers.

The city’s goal is to conduct an efficient meeting while protecting the safety of our residents, city council, speakers and city employees.

The city of Clearwater strongly supports and fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please advise us at least 48 hours prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations at (727) 562-4090. Assisted Listening Devices are available.

Other Helpful Links and Resources

 

City Council Chambers Rules of Conduct

At all times during regular and special City Council meetings, along with meetings of the Pension Trustees, the Council, staff and public shall conduct themselves in accordance with these Rules of Conduct.

Because the Council functions as a collegial body, with the Mayor serving as presiding officer, all comments, requests, displays on the overhead projector, and questions shall be directed toward the Mayor or the Council as a collegial body.

  • The Council has adopted a non-exclusive list of examples of behaviors that disrupt the meeting and will, in the exercise of reasonable discretion, be ruled out of order by the Mayor. Those disruptive behaviors include:
    • Interrupting another citizen, city staff member or council member when not recognized
    • Shouting or speaking in a manner that threatens or incites a criminal offense
    • Engaging in or displaying name-calling against a named individual who is present in the room, regardless of whether said individual is a fellow citizen, a city vendor or partner, a member of the media, city staff, or elected official
    • Broadcasting, displaying or verbalizing obscenity, as defined by the most recent decision(s) of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
    • Refusing to leave the podium once the allotted time to speak has expired
    • Preventing or attempting to prevent a member of the audience from seeing or hearing Councilmembers
    • Standing on chairs or tables or attempting to rearrange the city’s seating
    • Bringing signs or banners into the council meeting room, unless advance permission is obtained from the mayor and the sign or banner relates solely to an item on the agenda
    • Wearing any article of clothing or accessory that contains obscenity or expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a named individual for any public office or displaying such materials on the overhead projector
    • Verbally identifying oneself as a candidate for election or reelection to any public office while the person is speaking from the podium or the dais
    • Verbally endorsing a candidate for election or reelection to any public office while the person is speaking from the podium or the dais.

    When ruling a person out of order, the Mayor shall warn the person that compliance with Rule 15 is required. If the person refuses to correct their behavior, or if the person continues to violate the rule after having already been warned during that same meeting, then the Mayor may either, in the exercise of reasonable discretion, direct the individual to yield the floor, or direct the person to leave the City Council meeting.

    Upon request by the Mayor, the Clearwater Police Department shall escort the person from the Council Chambers. In such cases, the person shall not be readmitted to the same meeting, but shall be permitted to return to future meetings. The Mayor may also recess the meeting at any time during or after a breach of decorum in order to restore order. To facilitate an orderly meeting, the determination of the Mayor shall be final regarding all decorum matters unless appealed by another Councilmember in the manner and timing described in Robert’s Rules of Order, as amended from time to time.

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