Town of North Redington Beach

August, 2006

Commission OKs Pay Referendum

North Redington Beach voters will be asked to approve a pay increase of $100 a month for the Mayor and Town Commissioners at the November general election.

The Commission completed action to put the referendum on the ballot at its regular August meeting. There will be two separate issues. One raises the Mayor’s salary from $400 to $500 a month. The second raises the salary of the four other Commissioners from $200 to $300 a month.

Voters last approved a raise for Commissioners in 1999; and for the Mayor in 2000.

The proposed increase would bring the stipends more in line with other beach communities, even though it would keep the town on the lower end of the comparative wage scale.

Budget Hearing Set

The Town’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2007 will get its first reading and public hearing at a special meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, August 31, at Town Hall.

The budget, which was developed by the mayor and staff and reviewed by the Commission at a special workshop, calls for an increase of some 15 per cent in the General Fund. The proposed total allocation in the General Fund is $864,778.

By keeping the Town’s millage rate at one mil, the second lowest among all Pinellas County municipalities, revenues will be sufficient to cover the General Fund. In recent years, the town had to tap special funds to meet basic operating expenses.

Maintaining the millage rate also assures the Town that it will be able to meet its share of future capital improvement needs, including the burying of utility lines and beautification of Gulf Blvd without going into debt. The Town is unique in that it has no current debt.

A second special meeting and public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, prior to a final Commission vote.

Beach Renourishment Completed

Beginning this month, beach lovers were enjoying a wider, smoother beach along the North Redington Beach shore.

The county’s renourishment program for the beaches from Sand Key through North Redington was completed on schedule, except for some touch up required at Indian Rocks beach to repair damage from the season’s first tropical storm.

Veteran observers, including Mayor Bill Queen, noted that this year’s project has resulted in a beach that is unsurpassed by anything in recent history.

Gulf Blvd Speed Stays At 35 mph

The state Department of Transportation has decided to maintain the speed limit on Gulf Blvd at 35 mph. This followed a trial period and analysis of traffic patterns.

The state report did not show major changes in accidents over the study period, but indicated the lower speed promised a safer environment for pedestrians while not impeding traffic flow.

Communities along the route are continuing to take special steps to enforce the speed limit as well as to crack down on motorists who fail to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

Marilyn Hall Honored

The Commission in August honored Marilyn Hall, formerly of the Yacht Club in the Villages of North Redington Beach and currently a resident of Palm Harbor, for her service as a member of the Planning & Zoning Board.

Mrs. Hall was appointed to the Board in 2002 and resigned earlier this year upon moving.

Mayor Queen said her service was representative of the volunteer spirit that allows the Town to man a variety of Boards and committees with public-spirited citizens.

In accepting her plaque, Mrs. Hall said she appreciated the opportunity to give back to the community.