Council approves Tropicana Field cleanup amendment and expands subsidy for low‑income transit users

The City Council on March 26 approved two items aimed at operations and access: a second amendment to the remediation/cleanup contract with BMS CAT for additional services at Tropicana Field and an increase in the city subsidy for the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) program to expand free transit passes for low‑income St. Pete residents.

Beth (city staff) and other city officials described the BMS CAT amendment as a relatively small change to cover additional post‑mechanical startup cleaning after earlier damage; staff said the original contract was approximately $3.9 million with a prior amendment of about $1.6 million and that the second amendment asked for "just under $26,000," to be offset by savings elsewhere in the project budget. Council members praised the contractors and staff for meeting opening‑day project deadlines and approved the amendment unanimously.

Separately the council approved a resolution to raise the annual city subsidy for the PSTA‑administered TD program from $175,000 to $250,000. Transportation Director Evan Morey said program enrollment and utilization have grown well beyond initial estimates and that the extra funding would allow the city subsidy to cover roughly 500 additional individuals per year — each receiving a full year of bus passes under the program. PSTA staff said the change has already driven significant increases in take‑up and ridership and that outreach through nonprofit partners is helping enroll eligible residents.

Both items passed by unanimous vote with routine absences noted in the roll calls. Staff said the TD subsidy uses a mix of enterprise and dedicated transit funds so it will not reduce general‑fund capacity.