This is the same article you sent earlier — here's the AP-style version again with descriptive subheadings:
Clearwater residents get final chance to weigh in before council votes on 30-year Duke Energy deal
Clearwater residents who want a say in who powers their city for the next three decades have a final formal opportunity: a public hearing Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m., before the City Council votes on a proposed 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy Florida.
The deal, which includes a $24 million resiliency fund and money for downtown development, would end months of debate over whether Clearwater should drop Duke and create its own municipal utility.
Duke Energy makes its case
Duke Energy Florida President Melissa Seixas pitched the agreement to council members during a work session Tuesday, July 14, framing it as a long-term investment in the city's growth. She told the council the extended term lets Duke put more money into Clearwater.
"I think it allows us to invest more in many ways, having that long-term investment," Seixas said in response to Council Member Mike Mannino, who questioned why locking in for 30 years serves taxpayers' interests.
Most council members held their comments ahead of Thursday's hearing, according to Tampa Bay 28.
How the city got here
The franchise agreement caps a debate that drew a grassroots "Dump Duke" movement from residents pushing for a publicly owned utility. The council previously voted unanimously to commission a feasibility study on dropping Duke altogether. That study preceded the current proposal, which is structured as a memorandum of agreement tying Duke's continued service to specific investments in the city.
What's in the deal
The agreement directs funds toward two priorities: downtown development and resiliency projects. Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported the resiliency fund totals $24 million. The full memorandum has not been posted publicly; the city's website returned an error when accessed for this story.
What residents are saying
Clearwater resident Meghan Panek told Tampa Bay 28 she sees potential upside. "I think it could be good for citizens and the city, they could beautize the city, they could take the opportunity to bury the lines," she said.
Ed Best, another Clearwater resident, took a simpler view, saying if Duke isn't broken, there's no reason to fix it.
How to weigh in
The public hearing takes place Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. at Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave. The library will close at 5 p.m. that day to prepare for the meeting. A special work session is also scheduled for 10 a.m. at the same location.
The council is expected to vote on the agreement Thursday night. The Clearwater Sentinel will report the outcome once the vote is taken.



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