Are Belleair Residents Receiving Equal Levels of Service

Last updated on August 19, 2020

Are Belleair residents receiving equal levels of service?

Around 8/19/2019, I reported our flooded culvert, an ongoing problem, to The Town of Belleair. I was requesting help to unblock an open culvert. That was overflowing with wastewater.

The water had already washed away our landscaping and was nearly at our front door. Only the second time in 20 years, the storm water level got that high, and the first time in 20 years. We requested any assistance what so ever, from the Town of Belleair.

Political integrity is created on promises that they don’t make and promises that politicians keep. So, please reflect before making promises.

Much to my surprise. Town Manager, Mr. Murphy, informed me that Mehlenbacher Rd was a county right of way road, and Belleair could not legally perform maintenance work or even help. I was in a state of total shock. I had lived in Belleair for 20 years and was not aware Mehlenbacher was a Pinellas County right away roadway.

I experienced a moment of hope.

When Town Manager, J. P. Murphy said “Background notwithstanding, I’ve asked our public works folks to see if they can reach an agreement with the County to either perform maintenance on the same regular schedule as the Town or to allow us to perform additional maintenance so that our residents are receiving equal levels of service.

Additionally, I’ll forward this request onto Pinellas Country so they can address the culvert issues.”

Adding “By way of Background, this stretch of road is Pinellas County’s Right of Way. Pinellas County does perform regular maintenance on both the road and related sewage and drainage systems. I know that they sweep it with some regularity, although not likely monthly, as is the case with The Town of Belleair Rights of Way. I’ve ordered a sweeping of this stretch while our contract provider, The City of Largo, is outperforming the sweep this week. The Town is not permitted by Pinellas County to perform regular maintenance on any of Pinellas County’s infrastructure, including the trail.”

“Finally, to complicate the matter further, the Country has engineered plans to provide drainage enhancements shortly and maybe differing maintenance until that project begins. I will leave the issue open until I can provide some more definitive timelines.”

My moment of hope turned into despair!

So, are Belleair residents receiving equal levels of service? No! After countless calls and numerous emails. It was not till 11/20/2019 county workers addressed the problem nearly three months to the day after requesting help.

Remembering J. P. Murphy saying… “that our residents are receiving equal levels of service.” Promises are like offspring: painless to make, hard to deliver. It will be a year since I was promised help from Belleair and Pinellas County.