BELLEAIR — Park maintenance, tree trimming, response times to residents’ service requests — even the town’s readiness for emergencies — could suffer if voters approve Amendment 3 in November, Public Works Director Ryan Womack told the Town Commission on Aug. 19.
Womack’s presentation was the latest in a series in which department heads have laid out what the property tax measure, which needs 60% approval to pass Nov. 3, would mean for a small town that leans heavily on ad valorem revenue.
“I promise this won’t be as emotional as last month,” Womack said, a nod to the July meeting at which Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Bonefas and others were brought to tears while outlining the cuts her department would face.
He was right about the tears. He was no less blunt about the stakes.
Public Works is made up of four divisions, Womack said. Two of them — water and solid waste — are enterprise funds supported entirely by user fees. The other two — parks and streets — are funded entirely by the general fund, which is fed by ad valorem, or property tax, revenue.
“So, any change to the general fund could affect the level of service,” Womack said, noting that the divisions are intertwined. “Any change to one part of public works will have an effect on the rest of the operations. That’s just how it works. The work we do in one part of public works often affects the others.”
The department’s projected budget for the 2027 fiscal year is $926,551 — $601,641 for personnel and $324,910 for operating expenses. Because parks and streets draw entirely on the general fund, Womack said, any hit to that fund would land hard on the department and on the town.
“The level of service that we provide is directly connected to the resources available to support it,” he said. “The majority of what we do depends on the employees.”
Some of those employees have more than 40 years on the job, he said.
“That kind of experience makes the department as strong as it is.”
Womack then listed the services that could be scaled back: preventive maintenance; response times for residents’ service requests; park maintenance and landscaping frequency; athletic field upkeep and facility conditions; tree trimming and urban forestry; beautification of town entrances and public spaces; and staffing for daily operations and after-hours calls.
“Even our ability to stay prepared for emergencies” could be affected, he said, reiterating that the town faces “some tough decisions” if the amendment passes.
“Public works is a big part of what makes this town what it is,” Womack said — a claim residents, officials and commissioners backed up with stories of their own dealings with the tight-knit crew.
No one cried this time. The presentation drew applause from the audience and praise from the dais, where Town Manager Gay Lancaster singled out Womack and his staff.
“I do want to say that these guys are certainly heroes in our town,” Lancaster said. “They are unseen and unsung heroes, and I salute Ryan and his team for all they do for this community.”
Commission approves permit for November LPGA event
The commission voted 5-0 on Aug. 19 to approve, on first reading, a special event permit for The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, the LPGA tournament set for Nov. 12-15 at Pelican Golf Club on Indian Rocks Road. The item drew no objections.
It was not always so. The tournament’s permitting once filled Town Hall with residents after they learned the Doyle family planned to host an LPGA Tour event at their newly refurbished course beginning in 2020. Noise, traffic, delivery truck access and parking on side streets all drew complaints from neighbors.
Seven years on — and bolstered by the addition of Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam in 2022 — the tournament has become a point of pride for the town, thanks in no small part to organizers’ willingness to take on every neighbor issue and logistics problem head-on.
“The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican has become a mainstay, a player and fan favorite on the LPGA Tour,” said Ryan Dever, tournament director for event promoter Outlyr. “And we are excited for this November when we host the seventh installment.”
Dever thanked town staff, the commission and the police, recreation and public works departments, “and the entire community. You have been an integral part of our success and have provided great support year after year.”
The Doyles’ work to improve the event, on the course and in the community, has made it a preferred stop on the tour, Dever said.
“Players were recently polled on their favorite stop on the LPGA Tour, and our three-time champion, Nelly Korda, said the town of Belleair was her favorite stop to visit throughout the season,” Dever said of the world’s top-ranked player.
That effort continued this year, he said, with a new way in and out for spectators.
“With each side of Poinsettia Road at the intersection of Hibiscus (Lane) acting as our main tournament drop-off and entrance, we are excited to add a formal secondary entrance gate for patrons at the west end of Poinsettia Road,” Dever said. The gate will make it “easier for admittance for those walking in from the west. So, it will be a nice benefit.”
After the vote, Mayor Mike Wilkinson thanked Dever and Outlyr for doing “a great job.”
“I can sit here all night and sing the praises of you and your staff, because your staff truly understands the mission in Belleair,” Wilkinson said. “And all of us up here appreciate it, the residents appreciate it, and we thank you.”