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Belleair budget ax to start swinging
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/080608_bee-02.jpg) |
| Photo by HARLAN WEIKLE |
| Fire Chief Patrick Competelli is introduced at Belleair’s Town Commission meeting Aug. 5. Competelli is the recently appointed chief of Belleair Bluffs Station 43, which serves Belleair Bluffs, Harbor Bluffs and Belleair, including the Belleview Biltmore. |
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BELLEAIR – With Amendment 1 pervading the landscape, town officials aim to make 2008-09 a frugal year.
Given that last year’s budget seemed suspended between mandated legislative rollbacks and a declining economic environment, town officials approaching this year’s budget process have a difficult task before them. That became apparent during Tuesday’s preliminary presentation by Town Manager Micah Maxwell.
Maxwell summed up the staff’s budget proposal with a dramatic cut of $159,200, resulting in a budget that although rising slightly over last year falls short of the allowable millage rate of 5.2781. Maxwell’s proposal to keep the millage rate at 4.5605 however suggested that the town could lose some near and dear services, including cutting back annual tree trimming to bi-annual for a savings of $18,000, saving another $14,000 by transferring part of Saturday and Sunday police emergency dispatch services to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and dropping the annual library fee allowance of $50.
“It’s at the pleasure of the commission,” Maxwell said.
Commissioners Tom Shelly, Stephanie Oddo and Karla Rettstatt in turn led the charge to reconsider those cuts and leave them in the budget. They shifted attention to the savings from a $15,000 cut to the Dimmitt Community Center budget for special events, merit raises for town employees, $47,800, and $6,000 for employee relations, which fund considerations for the retirement or death of a town employee; the savings reduced from $159,000 to $107,000.
Increases, notably $40,000 added to the town attorney’s budget in anticipation of a costly defense against three petitioners over alleged mishandling by the commission of the quasi judicial hearings regarding the Belleview Biltmore variance requests, $10,000 for election costs, a $35,000 increase for fire protection and additional sheriff’s services, add to the town’s bottom line.
Maxwell’s proposed savings would have brought the budget in at about $50,000 above last year’s number of $4.32 million but it’s just the first round of discussions. The next hearing will be held at the regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 19.
On the job just three months, fire Chief Patrick Competelli was introduced at the meeting. A former Dunedin District Chief, Competelli commands a detachment of 12 out of Station 43 serving 9,000 citizens. Competelli was born and raised in Brooklyn. He has 20 years of career experience in EMS and fire service.
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Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
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