Meet Kathleen.
Kathleen Beckman was born and raised in Michigan, where her family was and is committed to public service. She earned a BS in Psychology and Marketing, Teacher Certification for English Education, and an MA in Educational Leadership. She and her husband, Bryan, are the proud parents of Joshua, Sarah, and Michael. Beckman raised her family in Northern Illinois where she was a public high school English teacher. She and Bryan moved to Clearwater in 2016.
Kathleen is a Guardian ad Litem with the Pinellas County Courts where she is a voice/advocate for children who have been removed from the home due to abuse or neglect.
Elected to the City Council in 2020, Kathleen’s work in the city and on the boards she serves on, represent her many passions including advocating for Clearwater residents and neighborhoods, our environment, small business innovation, housing solutions, and driving down costs for city operations, businesses, and residents.
As the next Mayor of Clearwater, Kathleen is committed to bringing real results to residents. Whether it’s reducing costs, improving neighborhoods, or ensuring transparency of tax dollar spending, she has shown that she can get things done and that's exactly who we need leading our city.
Kathleen has the record to prove it!
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Since Kathleen was elected
Boards and Councils
- Tampa Bay Estuary Program Policy Board
- First Vice President of the Suncoast League of Cities
- Chair of the Pinellas County Continuum of Care
- Leadership Board of Thrive by Five
- Barrier Islands Government Council, (The Big C)
- Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Council
- Pinellas Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board
Saving the City and Residents Money
- Successfully negotiated pay raises for staff to reward their efforts and maintain competitive salaries
- Implemented cost-saving measures, reducing the city’s energy bill by $500,000 annually, with a goal to reach $1 million
- Lowered taxes by lowering the millage rate by $1 million, directly benefiting residents
- Approved the most cost-efficient city hall in Pinellas at $31.5 million
- Voted against a 40% pay raise for the council, advocating for staff raises instead
- Created new city priority to improve city Resiliency Rating to lower insurance costs
Sustainability and Environment
- Launched Greenprint 2.0 initiative and introduced new Sustainability staffing
- Set and actively pursuing pollution reduction goals
- Created new no smoking policies on beaches and parks to protect public health and the environment
- Focused on protecting and enhancing green spaces, waterways, and parks
Transparency and Accountability
- Increased transparency across city operations – asking tough questions on how tax-payer dollars are spent
- Introduced the first-ever city/department dashboards on MyClearwater.com that show how tax-payer dollars are spent
- Exposed and addressed wasteful spending
Neighborhood and Business Development
- Completed and initiated new projects and investments to improve neighborhoods and increase economic opportunity in the N. Greenwood CRA, Coachman Park, Crest Lake Park redesign, East Gateway, Bluff redevelopment, and more
- Approved Drew Street safety improvements
- Allocated $2 million of ARPA funds for sidewalk repairs and supported a Tourism Innovation Business Incubator
- Enhanced neighborhood engagement through new department staffing initiatives
Strategic Planning and Innovation
- Developed a new Strategic Plan to guide staff and council decisions, incorporating Environment/Sustainability for the first time
- Approved Clearwater’s updated comprehensive plan – Clearwater 2045