Parent urges St. Pete Beach commission to keep recreation leader Andrea Nicholson

Joe Mladenich, a St. Pete Beach parent, told the City Commission on May 12 that he and other parents were upset by the reported resignation of Andrea Nicholson and urged the commission and city manager to take steps to keep her in the recreation department.

Mladenich described Nicholson’s leadership of after-school and summer-camp programs as "incredible," saying enrollment had grown to the point of a wait list and that the programs have become a "happy, healthy, safe" refuge for children after disruptions from recent hurricanes. "She's a self starter ... she ain't doing it for the money," Mladenich said, citing a salary lookup and arguing Nicholson represented excellent value to the city’s recreation services.

He asked the city manager to address any managerial issues that led to her resignation and noted that parents, staff and children value Nicholson’s work. The mayor thanked Mladenich and said staff would follow up. The city manager acknowledged receiving correspondence and indicated staff would investigate and report back in a follow-up communication rather than in open session.

Why it matters: Recreation programs are a visible city service for families and the testimony suggested Nicholson played a central role in program recovery and enrollment growth after storms; commissioners and staff were asked to consider retention steps and follow up.

What’s next: The mayor said the city manager had been contacted and staff would look into the matter and advise the commission outside the public meeting; no formal action was taken during the meeting.