Temple Terrace City Council Celebrates Achievements and Welcomes New Leadership

In a meeting rich with transitions and celebrations, the Temple Terrace City Council recognized outgoing Vice Mayor Meredith Abel, welcomed new council member Eric Kravitz, and adopted an ordinance for the city’s future development. The session highlighted the city’s accomplishments, addressed public concerns, and set the stage for continued progress.

The meeting commenced with notable recognitions, as the city’s achievements in planning and community projects were celebrated. Temple Terrace received two prestigious awards from the Tampa Hillsborough Planning Commission. The first award honored the Temple Terrace Pedestrian Master Plan, which aims to enhance community walkability and quality of life. The second accolade was for the regional canine memorial outside City Hall, which pays tribute to canine law enforcement officers.

The council meeting also acknowledged the service of outgoing Vice Mayor Meredith Abel. Abel reflected on her tenure, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve and recalling her initial nerves at her first council meeting. She noted the rewarding aspects of her role, and her contributions were commemorated with a scrapbook filled with photos and notes from her time in office. The council and audience applauded Abel for her dedication and service.

In conjunction with farewells, the council welcomed Eric Kravitz as a newly elected member. Kravitz, after being sworn in, expressed gratitude for the support he received during his campaign and emphasized his accountability to the public. He provided his contact information to maintain open communication with constituents, signaling his readiness to engage with community members and address their concerns.

The meeting also saw Andrew Ross being sworn in as Mayor. Ross acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the city council, charter officers, and employees, highlighting the progress Temple Terrace has made in recent years. He noted that the city had reduced its debt from approximately $30 million to about $10 million and increased its reserves from less than a million to over $40 million. Ross attributed these financial improvements to strategic planning processes undertaken with the University of South Florida, which led to clearly defined goals and funding priorities.

Public engagement was a recurring theme throughout the meeting, with residents bringing forth concerns and suggestions. Charles Lo, a resident of Terrace Park, raised issues about the lack of public transit projects in the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Schedule (CIS). He noted that none of the 307 projects included public transit, despite the involvement of HART in the ordinance. Lo urged the council to consider transit infrastructure, especially with upcoming developments like the opening of a new stadium and the Fer Avenue Vision Study. He advocated for exploring partnerships with Sunshine Bus Network to provide transit services for the city’s centennial event, emphasizing the need for a shuttle system to enhance access.

Further discussions on transportation arose from public comments about the community’s transit needs, particularly in light of major upcoming events. Suggestions were made to establish designated pickup points for public transit, such as at City Hall, to increase attendance and reduce traffic and parking issues. Council members expressed hope that the council would consider enhancing transit options, particularly with new members joining.

The council also addressed the Capital Improvement Schedule, with Erica Larson from the Planning Commission providing an update. The ordinance concerning the modification and updates to the CIS was adopted unanimously, incorporating long-term improvements for the multimodal transportation district. Council members emphasized the adaptability of the plan.

Connectivity to the University of South Florida (USF) was another topic of interest, as council members discussed the need for improved pedestrian and bicycle access to the new stadium. Concerns were raised about the dangers of crossing Fowler Avenue, and ongoing dialogues with USF about noise and traffic impacts from stadium events were acknowledged. The city manager shared that meetings had taken place with USF officials to address these concerns, including the potential for trails and pedestrian pathways to improve safety.

As the meeting progressed, Council Member Chambers proposed granting city employees Christmas Eve off, a motion that was approved without opposition.

The meeting concluded with announcements from Leisure Services Director Carl Langfield about upcoming community events, including the annual Angel of Hope Candlelight Vigil and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Ultimate Run. Langfield also mentioned family-oriented events such as “Selfies with Santa” and the Florida State Senior Games Swimming events, encouraging public participation.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Mayor:
Andy Ross
City Council Officials:
Meredith Abel (Vice Mayor), James Chambers, Alison Fernandez, Gil Schisler

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