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Shop owner, Clearwater reach deal

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

jpoltilove@tampatrib.com

Published: July 24, 2009

A bait and tackle shop owner who sued the city of Clearwater over his fish mural has reached an agreement that will let him keep the artwork on his building, though the agreement still needs city council approval.
City spokeswoman Joelle Castelli said Thursday that the city will pay Herb Quintero $55,000, Quintero will drop the suit and the city will allow the painting to stay without citing him.

Council members will discuss the agreement early next month and potentially approve the agreement Aug. 6.
City officials had fined Quintero, owner of The Complete Angler at 705 N. Fort Harrison Ave., saying that the mural violated city code. The American Civil Liberties Union represented Quintero in federal court, arguing the city was violating his First Amendment rights.

Quintero said he bought the building in December 2007 and invested more than $500,000 in renovations. Just after opening in February 2008, he commissioned a mural.

Quintero said he was trying to improve a blighted area of the city. Within a couple of months, city inspectors cited him.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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