Dunedin’s Community Redevelopment Agency convened Nov. 20, excused two members from attendance and took reports on multiple downtown redevelopment projects, including an impending bid award for Old City Hall and a competitive procurement process for a new parking garage.

Mayor opened the meeting and requested an excused absence for Commissioner Walker, noting Walker was attending a VFW ceremony where “Mr. Robert Boulet is being honored posthumously by the French consulate general with the French Legion of Honor for his service in the liberation of France.” The board moved, seconded and voted unanimously to excuse Walker. The board also unanimously excused Vice Mayor Gao after the mayor said Gao is dealing with “the loss of his daughter.” The board then approved draft minutes from the Sept. 18, 2025 meeting by unanimous voice vote.

In the director’s report, staff member Carolyn (filling for Director Bob) said the commission is scheduled to consider awarding the low bid for the Old City Hall restroom structure on Dec. 18. “If approved, it takes 8 months to install the restroom structure and we’re on budget — it’s approximately $1,000,000 part of that CRA,” Carolyn said. Staff named Malley Contracting of Tampa as the apparent low bidder and said the commission will be asked to confirm a piggyback award for a second item at the same Dec. 18 meeting.

On the parking garage, Carolyn said the selection team reduced the field to three contractors — Finn Frock, Jay Kokalakis Contracting and Creative Contractors — and that the commission will be asked to approve those three firms before staff issues RFPs to narrow to a final proposer. “We’ve done a design criteria package… then we essentially put on an RFP and narrow it down to the three companies that we want to work with,” the city manager added during discussion.

Staff also updated the board on Skinner Boulevard work: FDOT staging for the Skinner project has ended, Duke Energy must complete undergrounding and staff are working on easement agreements with private property owners. Carolyn said several easement responses were late but communications are ongoing. The board learned that streetscape construction carries an ARPA-related deadline requiring work to be finished by Oct. 1 (finance staff communicated the requirement), which staff described as an incentive to complete the project on schedule.

Additional project notes included that Tapas El Turco is reconfiguring parking with its architect, Main Street Exchange will go before ARC in December and LPA in January with commission hearings to follow, and staff met recently with Rock House ownership about parking. Carolyn said some development proposals — including a mixed-use concept behind Casatinas involving right-of-way infrastructure — require further coordination so utilities and right-of-way needs are preserved.

Staff introduced new hire Matt Jackson, who said he will join the city’s economic development and housing team Dec. 10 after serving as planning manager in Oldsmar and previously working in Pinellas County and Clearwater. “I’m very excited to be here tonight… I’m excited to start and join the team,” Jackson said.

The next formal step on several items is the Dec. 18 commission agenda, when the Old City Hall bid award will be brought forward. With no further business the mayor adjourned the meeting.