Owen Kohler, who has guided Clearwater's legal department through a Duke Energy franchise deal, Phillies spring training funding and a contested downtown road transfer, will keep the job permanently.

The Clearwater City Council voted unanimously Aug. 5 to select Kohler, 49, as permanent city attorney. He was one of four finalists interviewed during a special work session before the council made its pick.

Kohler has served as interim city attorney since February, when he stepped into the role after David Margolis submitted his resignation in December 2025. Margolis left amid a legal dispute between the city, the Church of Scientology and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier over ownership and potential sale of a downtown roadway. Before Margolis, Clearwater had the same lead attorney for 27 years.

"He's going into (it) with eyes wide open, as far as the challenges we face," Mayor Bruce Rector told Tampa Bay Beacons. "He's helped navigate us through many of those."

Vice Mayor Ryan Cotton praised Kohler's composure during his interim tenure, saying the attorney remained prepared and focused on providing clear legal advice across multiple high-profile matters.

Franchise Deal, Ballpark Funding Among Kohler's Recent Cases

Those matters included the city's new 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy, funding for renovations of the Philadelphia Phillies spring training complex at BayCare Ballpark and a citizen-led ballot effort to create an ordinance guarding sales of public rights-of-way downtown. We reported July 24 on the Duke Energy deal's $2 million in community commitments.

Kohler joined Clearwater's legal team in 2018 as assistant city attorney and was promoted to lead assistant city attorney in December 2019. Before that, he served as assistant city attorney in Hialeah and general counsel for the Tampa Police Benevolent Association, giving him more than two decades of legal experience.

Kohler Outlines Priorities as Two New Council Members Prepare to Join

During the work session, Kohler told the council his first-year priorities would be providing stability, keeping current city projects moving and helping onboard two new council members expected to join the dais after the 2026 elections. Council members David Allbritton and Lina Teixeira both have terms ending Nov. 20.

Employment Contract Still Needs a Final Vote

The selection is not yet final.

The council directed staff to draft an employment agreement with Kohler and must vote again on those terms. The next council meetings are scheduled for Aug. 6 and Aug. 20, both at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave. No agenda has been posted confirming which meeting will carry the employment vote.