INDIAN SHORES – The Town Council decided on December holiday closings, employee holiday pay, town decorations and boat parade particulars during the Nov. 13 town hall meeting.
In addition to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the Indian Shores Municipal Center will be closed on Monday, Dec. 24 and the following Monday, Dec. 31. The town is allowing employees four hours off on Christmas Eve and four hours off on New Year’s Eve.
The Town Council approved the standard holiday pay bonus of $150 to each employee on the payroll.
“This is the same amount (of holiday bonus pay allotted) to the employees for the past 15 years,” said Mayor Jim Lawrence.
The town’s holiday decorations will start going up the day after Thanksgiving. There are approximately 50 decorations that will be displayed on every other pole or so in the town.
This year’s boat parade will be held on Dec. 23. Councilor Carole Irelan has application forms for residents wishing to enter their boats in the parade.
AshBritt contract extended
The town extended its contract for disaster debris removal and disposal with AshBritt, Inc. The extension will continue the existing contract through June 11, 2014.
A rotating vice mayor
Indian Shores bylaws currently allow for the annual selection by the Town Council of a new vice mayor annually after the municipal election.
The mayor’s suggestion that each year, “by gentleman’s agreement, we rotate a different councilor for the position of vice mayor,” was approved.
Newsletter mailings
Originally, the town newsletter was mailed out quarterly. Rather than mail out newsletters to all the residents four times each year, the Town Council cut the mailings down to twice a year in May and November with all four newsletters posted on the town’s website.
According to the mayor, when the town changed printing companies (to prison reform initiative), the cost of printing the newsletters was cut in half.
It was decided by consensus that the mayor’s informative email updates and website postings serve to keep the citizenry informed of events enough to limit the newsletter mailings to twice a year.
Vets fest a success
Indian Shores held its first Veterans Day Fall Festival on Nov. 10. Local vendors, food and beverages, and a Veterans Day ceremony were part of the festivities.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Explorers Post 900 was on hand to post the colors. A steel beam from the World Trade Center that will be used in the Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue District and Indian Rocks Volunteer Firemen’s Association 9/11 Memorial was on display.
“The program meant a lot to the veterans,” said Vice Mayor Joan Herndon.
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