How Can Dunedin Jump-Start Its Economy?

City leaders met last week to discuss Dunedin’s economic future, and how to protect the city from future downturns.

During the meting, Economic Development Director Bob Ironsmith presented commissioners with a "road map" for Dunedin's economy.

He outlined three goals for sustained economic vitality in the city:

1. Diversify the local economy.
2. Create a better housing-business environment.
3. Enhance Dunedin’s already strong quality of life.

Dunedin’s current economy is largely based on the retail and service industries. They account for roughly 70 percent of the city’s tax base, according to a city report.

City leaders want to expand, or diversify, the tax base to protect Dunedin from economic downturns. They focused on that strategy during the Dec. 6 meeting.

Four key suggestions came out of the meeting:

1. Attract entrepreneurs to Dunedin.
2. Nurture small business start-ups through counseling services, by finding lower-rent facilities or by creating equipment-sharing opportunities.
3. Retain businesses that are already in the city.
4. Bring in a small business headquarters.

The city also wants to focus on revitalizing core corridors in the long term, City Manager Rob DiSpirito said, including:

• Patricia Avenue
• the Dunedin Causeway
• Douglas Avenue
• Bayshore Boulevard
• State Road 580
• the Martin Luther King Jr. industrial area

DiSpirito outlined next steps should commissioners approve moving ahead.

Here's what leaders had to say on shaping Dunedin's economic future:

Mayor Dave Eggers: "Are we looking at enough aspects? Are we business friendly in people's garages? ... Are we trying to in our codes — are we allowing for people, as long as it's clean, as long as it's not disruptive, are we allowing that kind of thing? And do we want to allow that? Because I think that's where a lot of small businesses really start. And then, also the space in town; if we do some inventory, are there spaces in town where we can encourage small business owners to open up shop — take it from their house to their shop?"

Vice Mayor Ron Barnette: "A lot of economic development is people recruitment. ... To what extent are we working with neighboring communities who are also recruiting businesses that may have more land and more opportunity for that? After all, we can snag their employees who are coming in under these high wages because they don't want to live in Largo, but they may have a good business environment there. ... Not to pick on Largo ... but creative recruitment of people is another way of developing an influx to a community that has an economic payoff."

Commissioner Julie Scales: "I don't want to see us getting into spinning our wheels on something that, for instance, I would say for a company to locate here an issue would be transportation. We're just not in the best location from a transportation perspective. ... Let's make sure we have the features that those people (investors) are looking for."

Commissioner Julie Ward Bujalski: "Building a building and having inexpensive rent for a start-up, and where three or four businesses can use the same administrative staff and computer system and all of that stuff — which is a great idea — I see that more as something that happens later down the road. ... You focused in this plan, which I think is totally correct, on financial services, life sciences and technology. Those things are generally some things that don't need that constant transportation of interstate or an airport. Those are also high-paying jobs. ... I think those are the right businesses."

Commissioner Dave Carson: "We need to do a better job being government. I don't know what's best for someone else's piece of property. I think we should listen to the market. ... To sit up here and say, 'We want a doctor’s office or a dental office,' well, we can want that all day long, but if there’s not a market for it you’re not going to get it."