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Residents urge review of police contracting options and dog park hours at Largo commission meeting
Summary
During public comment residents asked the commission to consider contracting policing services with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office to save money, and asked parks staff to restore earlier opening hours at Dorothy's Dog Park; staff said Parks and Rec would follow up and the commission acknowledged the policing question.
Two residents used the public-comment portion of the July 1 meeting to raise community concerns: one urged the commission to consider contracting with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to provide police services, and another asked the Parks and Recreation Department to restore earlier morning access hours at Dorothy’s Dog Park.
Matt Faustini of 1015 Lake Palm Drive argued the city should examine whether contracting with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office could save substantial dollars compared with maintaining a municipal police force. Faustini cited per-position cost estimates and presented multi-year projected savings in the millions should the city contract for services; he said the county’s headquarters is located in Largo and urged the commission to undertake “serious debates” over the city budget and policing alternatives. Faustini prefaced his remarks by saying his comments were not intended to criticize the police department’s work.
During the meeting no formal staff report or analysis was presented on contracting options; commissioners did not take action during the meeting but Faustini’s remarks were entered into the record. The commission did not direct staff to perform a specific study on contracting during the meeting; any such direction would require a subsequent agenda item or explicit motion.
Separately, Carol Wasinger addressed the commission about Dorothy’s Dog Park, saying recent rule changes have shifted opening hours and that longtime early-morning visitors find the new 7:30 a.m. access time inconvenient. She said park-goers use the area as a small community space and asked Parks and Recreation to return to previous hours; Parks and Rec staff were in the chamber and the mayor noted Parks and Rec would follow up with Ms. Wasinger.
Neither public comment produced formal commission action during the meeting, but both issues were acknowledged by staff and will be subject to staff follow-up.
