TREASURE ISLAND — More than 4,000 employees from 200 bay area businesses will dash to the Treasure Island beach next spring to participate in the 38th annual Tampa Bay Corporate SportsFest.
During an Aug. 17 city commission meeting, Justin Tramble, assistant director of parks and recreation, told commissioners he hoped it could become one of Treasure Island’s yearly signature events, promoting the beach, its businesses and bringing thousands of tourists to the city.
With Bilmar Beach Resort as host site and sponsor, a variety of athletic events will take place on April 30, 2022 on the city’s public beach from the 104th Avenue beach access to 107th Avenue. The event organizers will be required to maintain adequate walking lanes to allow beachgoers to access the beach, Tramble noted.
Contests include volleyball, tug-of-war, dodgeball, corn toss and surf-and-turf relays. Opening ceremonies kick off the event at 9 a.m., with action taking place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Event organizers told city officials the event may include up to 10 vendor booths including food and non-food vendors. Each event sponsor is entitled to a 10×10 tent and booth. The event proposal notes city businesses that wish to become a vendor will receive a discount. The Bilmar Beach Resort is the event host resort and sponsor. The Bilmar will provide alcoholic beverage sales on the beach.
Tramble said Florida Corporate SportsFest held its first Tampa Bay event in 1983 on Clearwater Beach and has been coordinating this annual team-building tradition on Pinellas County’s beaches for the past 38 years. Previous events have taken place on Clearwater Beach and most recently St. Pete Beach, where the size of the crowds and participants outgrew that venue.
Competition does not require athletic prowess, organizers note, just team spirit and company pride.
Tramble told commissioners fundraising opportunities exist for local organizations. SportsFest enlists local organizations to staff event competitions on the day of the event. In turn, these organizations receive a $1,200 donation for each competition staffed. Each competition requires a staff of 18 to 25 members to efficiently and effectively officiate and coordinate the games.
Event executive director and founder Dave Baughman told commissioners, “SportsFest traditionally sells out the host community’s hotel and resort accommodations, packs restaurants, and substantially increases the volume of business at downtown stores and businesses.”
Commissioners unanimously endorsed holding the event on Treasure Island Beach with Mayor Tyler Payne saying he hopes it becomes an annual event.
Library cooperative amenable to contract changes
The consortium of cities that fund the Gulf Beaches Library, at 200 Municipal Drive in Madeira Beach, appear amenable to making contract changes requested by Treasure Island in May, City Attorney Jennifer Cowan told commissioners.
Under a new agreement, there would be reciprocal yearly budget deadlines for both the library and cities. Under the current agreement cities did not have a deadline for providing the library with its intended budget, making it difficult for library staff to schedule projects and improvements.
As part of the revised agreement a city would have to provide 90 days’ notice to terminate its membership in the library consortium, rather than 30 days.
The library will have to keep what amounts to at least 10 percent of its budget in reserves, rather than a dollar amount. Some city members felt the library amassed too large of a reserve in the past, as part of a building expansion initiative no longer in its capital improvement plan.
The change and a revised contract will have to be approved by the library Board of Trustees and each individual city.
The library is supported by the towns of Redington Shores, North Redington Beach and Redington Beach and the cities of Madeira Beach and Treasure Island.
Recycling contracts approved
Commissioners unanimously approved new residential, multi-family and yard waste recycling contracts recommended by city staff.
Stacy Boyles, assistant public works director, explained that while city staff performs waste and yard waste collection, it uses a contractor for residential recycling collection services. The residential recycling contractor also services the city buildings, lots and street ends.
Since 2012, the city has contracted with Republic Services for single family residential recycling services. The most recent contract with Republic Services expires at the end of the current fiscal year. Republic informed the city earlier this year that they were not interested in renewing the contract for another term at the preset renewal rates.
A search for a new vendor resulted in staff recommending Waste Pro be approved for a three-year contract with two, two-year optional renewals. The contract pays Waste Pro $15,619 per month.
Boyles said a mailer will be sent to residents in single family homes to notify them of the vendor and schedule changes, acceptable materials that can be recycled, and to provide information on how to use the new Treasure Island Collects app.
City commissioners also approved the first two-year renewal with Conex Recycling for multi-family recycling collection services.
The City initiated its multi-family recycling program for properties of five units and more in November 2019. Previously, the only municipal options available for multi-family properties were large, expensive, multi-material dumpsters strategically located throughout the city, the assistant public works director explained.
“Despite the fact that these containers were used, they were most often contaminated with non-recyclables that had to be dumped as waste. The former recycling centers cost approximately $11,500 per month to operate, while the current multi-family program currently costs about $12,300 per month and provides a higher level of service to the City’s residents,” Boyles said.
In another solid waste contract, Assistant Public Works Director Mike Munger reported the staff recommended the city execute an agreement with Consolidated Resource Recovery for the processing of yard waste.
Using the vendor will divert that biomass from ending up processed with regular garbage at the Pinellas County Resource Recovery Facility, he explained.
Expenses for this contract are budgeted and reflected in the Solid Waste Fund’s Refuse program in the amount of $24,442.
Commissioners unanimously approved the new contract with Consolidated Resource Recovery.