From left are County Commissioner Neil Brickfield, Belleair Rotary President Karen Crown and Rotarian Nick DiCeglie.
BELLEAIR – County Commissioner Neil Brickfield spoke to Belleair Rotarians recently about the state of Pinellas County government.
Despite the fact that the county is receiving 38 percent less revenue as a result of lower returns on property taxes, Brickfield said the budget-control efforts of the commission have effectively reduced the general cost of government. Although staffing levels match those of 1981, the county government is still able to provide essential services in an effective and efficient manner.
The commission has been able to respond to these financial challenges by engaging in an exercise in fundamental strategic planning. The steps utilized in planning included:
1. Defining the core obligations of county government
2. Determining the most efficient methods to meet the core obligations
3. Seeking the assistance of expert service providers, where appropriate
4. Determining the areas of effective collaboration between the county and the various municipalities.
Brickfield closed with the fact that there is much to confirm the quality of life that we enjoy in Pinellas County: a record-setting year for tourism, more than 400,000 attendance at the Salvador Dali Museum, and beaches that are rated among the top 10 best in the world.
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