Joint Project Agreement

Last updated on July 15, 2023

Joint Project Agreement with Pinellas Count

Murphy’s Joint Project Agreement with Pinellas County was a smokescreen to correct file 15-0261 created in 2015 by TM Maxwell. The file created was so Belleair could replace their north-side water lines on the CR section of Mehlenbacher Road.

Mr. Maxwell stated proposal is for waterline replacement on Mehlenbacher Road along trail; is a Pinellas County project but the waterline is ours. Staff suggests designing the waterline; potential for an interlocal agreement with the County where replacement would be part of that project. Action: adopted Action text: Commissioner Shelly moved approval of the water line replacement engineering proposal from Deuel and Associates in the amount of $33,000; seconded by Commissioner Wilkinson.

The Deuel and Associates engineering proposal for the project is identical to the JVA. However, the JVA will cost Belleair $407,616.80 and a 5% fee to Pinellas County for construction administration.

Mr. Maxwell and Murphy were aware the Belleair’s waterlines on the north-side on Mehlenbacher needed to be replaced. With Belleair’s water situation, it’s unimaginable that Maxwell and Murphy would not have prioritized something else. Not inadvertently realize the mistake seven years later.

Deuel and Associates provided their proposal for file 15-0261. After this, both the file and the project proposal.should have been referenced in Belleair’s public records.

Maxwell recommended town Commissioners approve file 15-0261 and pay $33,000 to Deuel and Associates to engineer a proposal and drawings for Belleair’s north side water lines on Mehlenbacher Road so Belleair could replace them.

Maxwell emphasized that Mehlenbacher is a Pinellas County road, but waterlines are Belleair’s responsibility. At the time, assistant TM Murphy/staff suggested designing the waterline to have the potential for an interlocal agreement with the County.

File 15-0261 was Belleair’s only public record mentioning Mehlenbacher as a Pinellas County right-way road available on Belleair’s public records. Until 3/31/22, when Murphy created resolution 2022-05 that was passed on 4/5/22 creating JPA,