Mayor Kriseman Signs Executive Order Establishing Sustainability Polices
On Tuesday, August 18, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman signed an Executive Order, his first, establishing policies consistent with the City of St. Petersburg Sustainability Initiatives.
Said Mayor Rick Kriseman: "St. Petersburg will be a model for sustainable practices and this is our biggest and boldest step yet toward that goal. Every city department will play an important role addressing a myriad of issues related to sustainability and climate issues. This is more than just a guide. It's a directive."
These Sustainability Core Values based upon community collaborations and partnerships, and have set forth a series of ambitious Sustainability Goals, including: net zero energy, zero waste, protection and enhancement of natural systems, the protection and promulgation of shade and green space, sustainable built environmental practices, safe and efficient multimodal transportation networks, improvement of our local economy, and a healthier community.
Said Council Member Darden Rice, Chair of the City's Environment and Natural Resources Committee: ""The Mayor's Executive Order sets the tone of leadership for one of our century's greatest and urgent challenges: sustainability and climate change. Across the world, cities must begin to address land use, consumption, energy use, and transportation issues that have evolved over decades. Here in St. Petersburg, we need to make sure we leave our city more resilient and better prepared for the challenges that face us.
This is an exciting step and the work has only just begun. I look forward to working with our citizens and helping our Mayor in this very important mission for a Sustainable St. Petersburg. "
Eleven specific policies and procedures will take effect immediately.
To read the Executive Order, click here [PDF].
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A Message from Mayor Kriseman
The article in the Tampa Bay Times about our schools in Pinellas County, specifically the failing schools in St. Petersburg, is deeply troubling. Like you, I am concerned about many of the details in the article. And while education administration and policy are not under the purview of City Hall, the success of our schools and the children who attend them is everyone's concern. It affects everything we do.
Despite this report, good things are happening as well. I support the work of Superintendent Grego and others who are making a positive difference.
In St. Petersburg, in partnership with the Pinellas Education Foundation, we've provided more than $2 million in scholarships to low-income children in 2014-2015. More than $100,000 of it was raised through our City of St. Petersburg employee giving program.
We've also initiated a service-learning mini-grant program and a comprehensive curriculum-based service learning pilot is being created and is scheduled for launch this school year. Virtually every St. Petersburg-area public school has one or more partner businesses assisting with tutoring, mentoring, classroom grants, or school service projects.
In October, following City Council's final approval of our recommended budget, I will be adding a Director of Education and Community Engagement to our city team to lead our public education efforts and to liaison with and assist our education leaders, partners, and parents.
Our young people are the future of the Sunshine City, and I will do all I can to help ensure their success.
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Play Ball!
Throughout the month of August, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is joining with Major League Baseball in initiating "Play Ball" activities in cities across the country. Play Ball focuses on the sport of baseball and encourages sustained youth participation in America's Pastime. Mayors will be engaging citizens, families and their respective city departments to organize individual and community events centered on baseball. These activities will not only create a renewed sense of enthusiasm, but will also serve as an opportunity to strengthen family and community bonds.
Learn more about the Play Ball initiative here.
On August
10, youth from across St. Petersburg joined Mayor Kriseman to play, celebrate, and honor the great game of baseball.
Read about the St. Petersburg celebration here.
Watch the video of the event by clicking the image above, or here.
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Public Highlights for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and the Sunshine City
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August 22 through August 29, 2015
| Saturday, August 22, 7:00 pm |
BLOOM Art Show - Legendary, BLOOM Art Center
Learn more here.
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| Saturday, August 22, 6:00 pm |
Mayor Kriseman: Speak, Evening of Tribute for Deacon Lionel Roberts,
St. Pete Country Club
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| Monday, August 24 |
Back to School! Please use caution while driving.
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| Monday, August 24, 7:30 am |
Mayor Kriseman & Deputy Mayor Tomalin: Back to School event, Shore Acres Elementary
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| Wednesday, August 26, 4:30 pm |
Mayor Kriseman: Ribbon-Cutting, Train Station, 420 22nd St. South
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Thursday, August 27, 6:00 pm
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This is my city: St. Pete Stories, Lake Vista Recreation Center
Learn more here.
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| Friday, August 28th |
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| Saturday, August 29, 12:00 pm |
Paint Your Dream, St. Pete! North Straub Park
Learn more here.
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Tampa Bay Times: Raymond James chairman to open an arts museum in downtown St. Petersburg
Tom James' idea for an art museum has been a dream for years and the subject of speculation for months, but now it's an official plan.
"This will be a major addition to our arts, cultural and economic development community," St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose office has been working with James, wrote in an email. "I thank him for his generosity."
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FOX 13: Demolition of St. Pete Pier underway
After 42 years, a Tampa Bay icon is coming down. Demolition of the outer portions of the St. Pete Pier began Tuesday, marking the beginning of the end for the inverted pyramid.
The structure has been a fixture of St. Pete's waterfront since 1973, the latest incarnation of a pier that dates all the way back to 1889.
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WWSB: Demolition of St. Petersburg Pier now underway
After a decade of planning and four years of delays, workers have begun tearing down St. Petersburg's downtown, inverted pyramid-shaped pier.
Local media outlets report that the demolition started on Tuesday, as outer portions of the city landmark began to be destroyed. The work marked the beginning of the two-month demolition of the inverted pyramid, which opened in 1973, as well as the start of its $46 million redevelopment as Pier Park.
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Creative Loafing Tampa: Pier dismantling begins; Friday event will honor the pyramid
The inverted pyramid, constructed in the early seventies, is still there, mind you, so those of the opinion that the building is an icon can go pay their last respects. Mayor Rick Kriseman's office on Wednesday announced an event that will honor the structure before it's rendered unrecognizable.
The event will take place Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Spa Beach, which is at the base of the Pier.
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Tampa Tribune: Event offers chance to say goodbye to St. Pete Pier
As The Pier's inverted pyramid begins to come down piece-by-piece, Mayor Rick Kriseman today will gather people there for a final goodbye ceremony to the 42-year-old icon.
Kriseman will make a presentation at 6 p.m., and City Council members and the Pier Selection Committee will be honored with a commemorative, etched glass block from The Pier. The event begins at 5 p.m.
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Tampa Bay Times: St. Petersburg says goodbye to its landmark pier
Its funky shape stole hearts and wore down doubters. Its concrete pilings lasted nearly nine decades before salt water intrusion undermined them. Utility was never its strong suit, but the Pier on St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront more than made amends with pelicans, ice cream cones, fishing lines, bicyclists, skaters, rooftop bands, a tall ship, dolphin tours, Segway tours, aquarium creatures, 1905 salads, salsa lessons, aerial shots, postcard silhouettes, night-time city views, prom dates, wedding celebrations, field trips, sunrises, lightning storms and the warm comfort of sweat on a cool November jog.
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Tampa Bay Times: Kriseman unveils sustainability initiatives
Mayor Rick Kriseman announced a plan to make St. Petersburg a far greener city Thursday, unveiling an executive order to develop a climate action plan to address sea level rise, retrofit city-owned building of more than 10,000-square-feet for energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
The document reads like a wide-ranging mission statement of 11 sustainability goals with promises of performance metrics and monitoring.
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TBN Weekly: LocalShops1 announces Best in Biz Awards
More than 40 local businesses were honored Aug. 6 during LocalShops1's seventh birthday bash and annual Best in Biz Awards, presented by C1 Bank.
This year there were five categories - Most Community-Minded, Best in Grassroots Marketing, Best New Business, Best Established Business and Best Nonprofit. Winners were chosen through an online poll - in which more than 2,500 people participated - and by a panel of independent judges including local journalists and business professionals
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Bay News 9: Public invited to say goodbye to the St. Pete Pier Friday
Here's your chance to say goodbye to the St. Petersburg Pier - officially.
The City of St. Petersburg is celebrating the iconic 42-year-old inverted pyramid as its demolition gets ramped up.
The public is invited to attend the "Celebrating the St. Petersburg Pier: Honoring the Past, while Pursuing the Future" event Friday at 5 p.m.
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Tampa Bay Times: Praises for Catholic deacon's pioneering work in African-American community
Lionel Roberts moved to St. Petersburg more than 30 years ago bringing the life experience of a northern transplant and a Caribbean immigrant.
Before long, he was immersed in church and community life and organizing everything from a tennis academy for inner city youth to a Tampa Bay West Indian Association.
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