{"id":140835,"date":"2026-02-02T17:18:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/140835\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T17:18:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:18:12","slug":"tampa-monitor-city-council-could-approve-up-to-5-million-for-parks-in-west-tampa-and-gandy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/140835\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa Monitor: City council could approve up to $5 million for parks in West Tampa and Gandy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ARey Park in Tampa, Florida. Credit: City of Tampa<\/a><\/p>\n

Tampa City Council sit this week for a regular meeting with a\u00a062 item agenda<\/a>; 50 requiring a vote\u201451 if you count item 58, the discussion about budget surplus from Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. Council will make their recommendations to the mayor on how to re-appropriate the funds that weren\u2019t expended the previous year. This year that number is around $5 million-less than 1% of the general fund. The significance is this gives council an opportunity to work with the mayor to fund some smaller projects or non-profits that weren\u2019t included in the FY26 budget. It also gives council an opportunity to think about the broader budget process and to start to consider their priorities for FY27.<\/p>\n

To that end councilmember Lynn Hurtak proposed and council approved at their January 22nd meeting setting a first of its kind special call workshop for March 3. A three-hour workshop for council, with their budget analyst and the public, to discussion priorities and their processes to achieve their goals. The mayor has stated she\u2019s setting up\u00a0\u201cproject launch pads\u201d<\/a>\u00a0for the next administration; council should be focused on the same\u2014regardless of any individual ambitions among its members.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say everyone\u2019s priorities will align. The mayor proposes a budget and needs four votes. Council can override any proposal with five.<\/p>\n

Looking at the items council will be voting on this week:<\/p>\n

Items 3<\/a>-8 are the mayor\u2019s nominations for the\u00a0Natural Resources Advisory Committee<\/a>. This appears to be another one of the boards\/committees that fell through the cracks during the pandemic and is being reconstituted to advise on the Urban Forestry Master Plan.<\/p>\n

Item 13<\/a>\u00a0is $500,000 for Axon drones that were approved in the FY25 budget but not purchased. Accounting requirements for the technology require a new appropriation for this fiscal year. Per staff \u201c\u201cThis financial resolution does not affect the unassigned fund balance that the Chief Finance Officer previously briefed Council during the January 8, 2026, Council meeting.\u201d Meaning the $5 million in funds from FY25 council will be discussing later in the agenda are not effected. We covered the\u00a0purchase of the drones<\/a>\u00a0in September.<\/p>\n

Item 27<\/a>\u00a0is approving $1.492 million for Gandy and Palonis Parks. If you didn\u2019t hear the news, part of the fishing pier at Picnic Island collapsed this weekend.\u00a0The RFQ for the Gandy & Palonis Park<\/a>\u00a0included \u201cComprehensive Specialty Design Services for a Multi-Use Dock\/Pier System to provide passive recreational, fishing, and daily boaters including small craft launching (kayak and canoe).\u201d The contract notes \u201cFloating Dock Kayak Launch are not included. Kayak & Canoe Storage Racks are not included. Docks and Fishing Piers are not included.\u201d What council is approving is a new parking lot, some drainage and water lines, a couple of sidewalks and prefab picnic shelters. Doesn\u2019t even cover fixing up the existing bathroom, just a new modular bathroom. Clarity on the long term plans for this park and what the cost to realize the original plan presented is needed.<\/p>\n

Item 37<\/a>\u00a0is a $1.6 million contract to purchase backup generators and automatic transfer switches for stormwater pumps. These have been planned after temporarily using rental generators last hurricane season.<\/p>\n

Item 51<\/a>\u00a0is a lease agreement with the county for The Free Library in Tampa Heights. When it initially appeared on the agenda in December the request was for 3 years. The contract has been modified to 2 years and either party can terminate the lease with 270 day notice.Tampa Heights Civic Association asked for only a 1 year extension and for the city to return the building back to public use.<\/p>\n

Item 52<\/a>\u00a0is approving a Design-Build services agreement with a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $3.5 million for Rey Park in West Tampa. This project has\u00a0origins in 2022<\/a>, was originally approved in 2023, amended in 2025 and now back for another approval.<\/p>\n

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This article appears in Jan. 29 \u2013 Feb. 04<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n