BELLEAIR BLUFFS – Due to budget cuts and low ridership, the beach trolley’s run through the city will end soon, Mayor Chris Arbutine said at Monday night’s City Commission meeting.
“The trolley was averaging less than five people per trip,” Arbutine said. “Budget constraints are affecting everybody at every level.”
The PSTA added Belleair Bluffs to its beach trolley run between Clearwater Beach and Pass-A-Grille five years ago amid great fanfare. At that time, PSTA president Roger Sweeney predicted the extension would bring tremendous benefits to the route as he spoke of all the new restaurants and shopping in the area.
The restaurants and shops have thrived, but the trolley route has long been plagued by a lack of riders. When a resident objected to a proposed extension of the route in November 2003, then-Commissioner Brett Nelson told her that with the trolley’s few patrons, “you won’t have to worry about it much longer.”
The service was discontinued for awhile in 2007, and low ridership was given as the reason.
As of early this week, the trolley was still running through the city, but Arbutine said following the meeting that its days are numbered.
“Its budget has definitely been eliminated,” he said.
Police budget increase lower than expected
The commissioners were cheered by news that the Sheriff’s Office policing costs are due to rise just 3.79 percent in the upcoming fiscal year. A 9.7 percent increase had been forecast by the Sheriff’s Office a year ago.
Police Commissioner David Shimkus said the department had done a lot of cutting.
“That’s a huge cut,” said Commissioner Hunt Brand.
Commissioner Troy Krotz said that he was “very surprised.”
Vehicle burglaries plague city
Shimkus reported that a rash of vehicle break-ins had spread from Indian Rocks Beach to Belleair Beach and Belleair Bluffs. There were three break-ins on Belmar Drive, all from unlocked vehicles, he said. One involved $1,000 taken from the cab of a truck.
Shimkus said the perpetrators appeared to be juveniles looking for cash.
“They are not smashing windows. They are going up and look to see if the doors are unlocked,” he said.
The thieves are taking money, often leaving expensive items behind.
Shimkus also mentioned the lack of street lighting in some areas as possibly contributing to the thefts, noting that some streets are pitch dark.
Commissioner Robert Russo cited Indian Drive as having an ongoing problem with lighting. The lights are expensive ($600-$700 a light, according to Public Works Director Robert David), but the issue is safety, he said.
Shimkus urged all residents to make sure their vehicles are locked at all times, even in driveways and carports.
Shower installation approved without bids
The commission approved a $4,000 expense to install a new shower at the fire department. The job was awarded to McGill Plumbing of Largo without obtaining competitive bids, as an “emergency situation.” City Clerk Debra Sullivan said the city had used McGill “over and over again” and determined the company offered the best service at the best price.
Russo voted for the measure with protest, saying he wanted to make sure bids are gotten for similar jobs in the future.
