Belleair Shore offers three-year sheriff contract proposal; June patrol data reported

The Town of Belleair Shore commission voted July 15 to send the Pinellas County Sheriff an offer for a three-year law-enforcement agreement that the board described at the meeting in terms of year-one and year-two amounts and a CPI-based third-year increase.

Vice Mayor Storie moved to send Sheriff Gualtieri an agreement stating year one at $52,000, year two at $67,704, and that year three's increase be based on the Consumer Price Index; Commissioner Tolbert seconded and the motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

During the same agenda slot, Sergeant Bley reported enforcement activity for June: 163 directed patrols, 19 ordinance violations and 19 house checks. Commissioners asked about when the beach-access gates are being locked at night and noted increased activity on vacant lots where homes have been demolished; Sergeant Bley said he would coordinate directed patrol with Deputy Trump.

Commissioner Lally told the commission she had researched the matter and believes the proposed rate is fair and advised the commission to accept the sheriff's offer. Mayor Blume noted Sheriff Gualtieri had attended the previous meeting and that Vice Mayor Storie had negotiated the rate.

If the sheriff accepts the offer the agreement will guide contracted patrol and enforcement levels for the town for the coming years; if the sheriff rejects the proposal the commission agreed to adopt the first- and second-year amounts without the CPI provision.