Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agency Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Forward Pinellas approves budget reallocation, $14,000 market study add-on and website redesign contract
Summary
Forward Pinellas approved a budget reallocation tied to hurricane reimbursements, authorized a $14,000 supplemental waterborne-transit survey for southern Hillsborough and Manatee areas and approved a website redesign contract not to exceed $54,861; all votes were unanimous.
Forward Pinellas voted unanimously April 9 to approve three related consent items: a budget reallocation, a supplemental market‑demand survey for potential waterborne transit connections, and a contract to refresh the agency's website.
The budget amendment is not an overall increase but a reallocation of resources tied to reimbursements from hurricane response work and timing delays on several projects and grants, Forward Pinellas staff told the board. Staff said some hurricane‑related reimbursements have arrived and some planned projects were delayed by procurement or staffing changes, so money was shifted to match current program timing.
The board also approved a $14,000 supplemental scope to the waterborne‑transit market demand study. Staff said earlier rounds of the regional demand assessment had poor response rates from southern Hillsborough County and northern Manatee County; the consultant will perform additional sampling and outreach there, working with chambers of commerce and the Bay Area Apartment Association to better gauge interest in potential ferry or waterborne commuter connections to downtown St. Petersburg.
Finally, Forward Pinellas approved a website redesign contract, described by staff as a refresh of a site last built about eight years ago when the agency merged the MPO and planning council brands. The board authorized a not‑to‑exceed amount of $54,861 to update technology, improve public access to technical documents and modernize the agency’s public “front door.” Staff said the amount is hourly‑billed and could come in lower.
All three items (budget reallocation; supplemental waterborne study; and website redesign) were moved and seconded on the floor and carried unanimously. Staff said the market survey will begin in April if the board’s approval stands, and the website work will proceed on an hourly, not‑to‑exceed basis.
What this means: the budget reallocation keeps reimbursable hurricane work aligned with spending; the waterborne study effort aims to test demand from growing commuter corridors in southern Hillsborough and northern Manatee; and the website contract is intended to improve public access to plans and data.
Board action: Motion to approve the three consent items passed unanimously. The items were described on the record as (a) a reallocation of budgeted funds tied to hurricane reimbursements and project timing, (b) a $14,000 supplemental outreach/survey to the waterborne transit demand study, and (c) a website update contract not to exceed $54,861.
