February 10, 2026
UPDATE FROM THE MAYOR
As we kick off the new year, I wanted to provide an update on a few topics that the City is working on.
Governing Body. The new City Council was seated in January, following the elections in November. Our governing body has 6 members, the Mayor and 5 Councilmembers. We are on a 2 year off setting cycle for elections. Mayor and two Councilmembers during one cycle and three Councilmembers on the other cycle. The governing body now consists of;
Mayor
Burt Ussery (2024 – 2027)
Councilmembers
Justin Shore (2024 – 2027)
Samantha Warkins* (2024 – 2027)
Shirley Palmer-Witt (2026 – 2029)
Dalton Chambers (2026 – 2029)
Jason Gordon (2026 – 2029)
*Samantha has been elected by the governing body to serve as President of Council.
Improvements to the Sports Complex. Through a cooperative effort of the Clearwater Recreation Foundation, USD 264, and the City, improvements are being made at the Sports Complex. This includes installation of pitching lanes on fields #1 and #2, updating the existing batting cages, and adding a new set of batting cages.
Construction on Diagonal and Tracy. It is anticipated that the on going project to change the intersection at Diagonal and Tracy will be completed March 15th , weather pending.
Senior Center Expansion. With the consistent growth of participation at the Clearwater Senior Center, plans are underway to expand the facility, adding about 1,500 sq ft of space. This will accommodate a larger common area and the ability to sub-divide the space for multiple purposes at the same time. The site plan maximized the use of the existing lot to create two additions. 739 sq ft to the South and 606 sq ft to the West. The South addition would be additional dining/lounge area with a partition wall. The West addition would create new office space, storage and seating, if needed.
Thank you,
Burt Ussery, Mayor