The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners reached unanimous decisions on most items on the July 22 agenda, approved a recommendation from the Tourism Development Council on event funding by a 4‑to‑2 vote, and opened the county’s 2026 budget process.

The board unanimously passed a range of routine and capital authorizations including grant acceptances, design services for a new government campus and multiple pavement‑preservation contracts. Commissioners also voted to accept a $15 million state remediation grant for the former Toy Town landfill and to advance an FAA application for construction administration at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport.

Why it matters: The budget introduction frames the county’s financial plan for the coming year and lists key pressures—hurricane recovery, retirement and health‑care cost increases, and federal/state reimbursement uncertainty—that will shape deliberations this summer. The tourism funding vote signals divided views among commissioners on event subsidies.

Votes at a glance (selected items)
- Item 18 (FAA grant application, St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport): Motion to approve application for federal funding to support passenger terminal construction administration. Motion: Commissioner Flowers; Second: Commissioner Nowicki. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Item 19 (Tourism Development Council elite-event funding recommendation): Motion to accept FY26 TDC recommendation to fund 49 events, total requested approximately $2.6 million. Motion: Commissioner Flowers; Second: Commissioner Latvala. Vote: 4 yes, 2 no (passes 4‑2).
- Item 20 (Declare county surplus property; conveyance to Housing Authority for Heritage Oak senior housing): Motion to approve conveyance. Motion: Commissioner Wicky; Second: Commissioner Flowers. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Item 24 (Professional design services agreement with HOK for new government campus): Motion to approve agreement; kickoff for campus design. Motion: Commissioner Wicky; Second: Commissioner Flowers. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Item 25 (Penny for Pinellas employment sites funding applications): Motion to approve multiple applications totaling roughly $8.8 million. Motion: Commissioner Latvala; Second: Commissioner Flowers. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Item 28 (State environmental-protection grant for Toy Town landfill remediation, $15,000,000): Motion to accept grant agreement. Motion: Commissioner Latvala; Second: Commissioner Nowicki. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Items 29–31 (2026 pavement‑preservation contracts, multiple work orders): Motion to award combined contracts. Motion: Commissioner Wicky; Second: Commissioner Reggers. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Items 35–37 (Beach erosion control/Florida Beach Management funding assistance, multiple segments): Motion to approve grant resolutions. Motion: Commissioner Wicky; Second: Commissioner Flowers. Vote: passed unanimously.
- Items 53–55 (Quasi‑judicial Tarpon Woods requests — FLU2503 and DMP2501): Motion to approve future land‑use map amendment and master‑plan modification to permit commercial neighborhood uses on a 1.16‑acre parcel (see separate coverage). Votes: both passed unanimously (FLU item 54 mover: Commissioner Wicky; DMP item 55 mover: Commissioner Flowers; second for item 55: Commissioner Latvala).

Budget introduction and context
County staff introduced the proposed 2026 operating budget of roughly $3.6 billion and the capital plan. The administration recommended a 3% general salary increase for employees and outlined major pressures including hurricane recovery costs (demolitions and lowered property valuations), state-mandated cost increases (law‑enforcement retirement), and uncertain FEMA reimbursements. Commissioners discussed reserve policy options and signaled requests for follow‑up workshops before September budget hearings.

What comes next
The board set maximum millage notices for the property-appraiser mailing schedule and begins scheduled budget workshops in August and September. Most grant acceptances and contract awards approved July 22 will proceed to procurement, engineering and implementation steps described in staff reports.

Ending
Most agenda items carried on unanimous votes, with the tourism event funding vote the main split decision. The board will continue budget deliberations and public hearings in the weeks ahead.