Mayor Mary Gaddis urges continued negotiation on interlocal agreement with Belleair Shore amid heated public comments

Mayor Mary Gaddis opened a lengthy discussion on April 27 about a proposed interlocal agreement with neighboring Belleair Shore that would formalize maintenance, parking and access arrangements for three beach‑access lots (lots 21, 43 and 66).

Gaddis said the city has repeatedly heard that the existing interlocal (in place since 2003) was "unfair, poorly written and full of holes," and that the council had previously directed legal staff to prepare a new draft to resolve recurring disputes and avoid future litigation.

City attorney Tom reviewed the historical deeds for the three lots, reading portions recorded in 1944 and 1948. He told the council the deeds repeatedly use the term "license" and described the rights as perpetual, irrevocable nonexclusive licenses for beach and bathing purposes rather than exclusive deeded property rights. "They're not deeded rights — they are nonexclusive licenses," Tom said, explaining why the redraft replaces the phrase "deeded right" with "nonexclusive license."

Tom summarized the draft changes proposed by Belleair Shore and shown in a redline package: Belleair Shore offered to pay the cost of a boundary survey (where the city previously proposed splitting costs); the draft clarifies that pedestrian access shall be available to residents of both municipalities; the draft reallocates routine maintenance duties (raking, irrigation, vegetation, trash pickup, towing) to Belleair Shore in several paragraphs while preserving reimbursement options for the city; the town proposed taking on seawall inspection and repair at its cost; and the draft changes indemnification language to a mutual, shared litigation‑cost approach for some categories of disputes.

Council members queried how the city could enforce performance if Belleair Shore failed to meet maintenance obligations; Tom replied the agreement permits termination on 60 days' notice and that, absent contractual enforcement language, the city's primary practical remedy is termination and negotiation. Several council members said they preferred the city retain control of maintenance or at least ensure clear performance triggers and reimbursement mechanisms, and one council member recommended a 50/50 cost‑sharing approach for some items.

Public comment grew heated. Multiple residents urged the council not to "give away" maintenance, benches and platforms that have been managed by the city for decades, and warned that removing the erosion control line (ECL) at the state level could change access in ways that would harm nesting sea turtles and public use. One speaker made an unverified allegation about the other municipality's negotiator, referencing purported criminal conduct; that allegation was not substantiated or addressed with evidence during the meeting.

Council members and staff responded by urging calm and by promising transparency: they agreed to post the original 2003 interlocal agreement on the city's website so residents could compare current and proposed language, and directed staff to compile council redline edits and return an updated draft to Belleair Shore for further negotiation. No formal action or vote was taken; the council framed the discussion as a step in an ongoing negotiation process.

Next steps: staff and city counsel will assemble edits, post the original agreement and the redline draft online for public review, and prepare a revised draft to send back to Belleair Shore. The mayor said residents may also pursue or respond to state petitions regarding the erosion control line; the council did not commit to any litigation or petition at the meeting.