TREASURE ISLAND â In a surprise announcement he called bittersweet, City Manager Garry Brumback told city commissioners April 6 he would like to retire by June 1.
Brumback, who started in the position in December 2017, told commissioners itâs been an honor to serve the community and work with a great staff and commissioners. âI want to first thank all of the three mayors, and all of the commissioners, who gave me the honor and privilege of being a part of this amazing organization and this great community. It has been an honor to serve, and I also want to extend my gratitude to the staff that has truly been a spectacular organization with which to work.â
TREASURE ISLAND â City commissioners soundly rejected a planning staff recommendation to deny new owners of the Tahitian Resort two variances that would allow them to remodel the 60-year-old hotel and construct a raised pool deck and tiki bar.
The Tahitian Resort property comprises a hotel consisting of three structures with a total of 44 units at 11320 Gulf Blvd, and another hotel building consisting of two structures with a total of 10 units at 11275 Gulf Blvd.
In order to renovate the hotel and add a raised pool and tiki deck, city staff told the applicant they require a parking variance and another variance to meet a minimum open space requirement.
TREASURE ISLAND â Mayor-elect Tyler Payne vowed to have the City Commission play an active role in ensuring all city departments provide the best customer service taxpayers and businesses can ask for, while improving the cityâs communication skills.
In the March 9 municipal election, Payne beat incumbent Larry Lunn by 634 votes to become the cityâs next mayor.
Mayor-elect Payne was elected to the City Commission for a two-year term in 2020 representing District 2, which encompasses Isle of Palms and Sunshine Beach. He resigned to run for mayor, and his commission seat will be filled March 16 by John Doctor, a former Bright House/Spectrum executive who was unopposed.
TREASURE ISLAND â The city has strengthened its coastal lighting standards to protect sea turtle hatchlings, by specifically going after the violator rather than just the property owner.
During a Feb. 16 City Commission meeting, City Manager Garry Brumback said the city worked rapidly to take action âthat would enforce lighting standards and protect turtles.â
At an earlier workshop, Assistant Public Works Director Stacy Boyles told commissioners that over the past two years the city has had a high number of marine turtle disorientations, âand a lot of it is due to artificial lighting that can be seen from our beach.â
She advised the city will strengthen its ordinance though heightened and pinpointed enforcement of regulations that restrict artificial lighting from reaching the beach during nesting season.
TREASURE ISLAND â An ecological mural program that would adorn walls of public buildings with creative images drew unanimous support from city commissioners during their first workshop of 2021.
However, staff now has to design a way to acquire grants and pay artists for their creative masterpieces.
Public art is a goal in the cityâs Master Park Plan, Assistant Park Director Justin Tramble told commissioners at the Jan. 5 work session.
For several months Mariah Kaylor, a recent graduate of St Petersburg Collegeâs Public Policy Program, worked with the Recreation Department to assess residentsâ desire for the city to focus on providing public art that promotes ecological education, Tramble said.