Last updated on July 15, 2023

Pinellas County Scrubbed Records

After Project ID# 001976A got postponed, I found something highly suspicious besides removing the project from the Pinellas County website. It was ‘scrubbed’ from the Internet and all Google searches. Is there a valid reason to do so? This highly unusual move makes all county/local records questionable and open to discussion.

On 3/2021, Mehlenbacher Project ID# 001976A got underway. Workers drive stakes, mark underground utilities, remove poles, and trim trees. I contacted Mr. Carpenter from Pinellas County Public Works. He was helpful and confident about the project. He emailed me the Mehlenbacher Road project constructed details and approved drawings by Kimley-Horns dated 8/18. The approved drawings Belleair reviewed in 2018 were in their possession when Mehlenbacher Project ID# 001976A began with a scheduled completion date of November 2021.

Mehlenbacher Project postponed

Because the county performed work right down the street, many believed it was part of the Mehlenbacher Sidewalk Project. It was, in fact, a Pinellas County Joint Project Agreement, ID 20-596A, with Belleair Bluffs, which continued and was completed. I’m sure when the Mehlenbacher Project was halted.

Even so, seeing no progress for months and could not find Project ID# 001976A on the Pinellas County website. I emailed Mr. Carpenter sometime in August. He replied that the project got delayed due to budget constraints from COVID-19 and a decline in gas taxes. Saying project 001976A was to start in the fiscal year 2022.

Therefore, the project’s construction will begin after October 1, 2022. That we now know was correct.
Being told the project was postponed. I found something highly unusual and incredibly suspicious. Not only was Project ID# 001976A removed from the Pinellas County website.

It was ‘scrubbed’ from the Internet and all Google searches. Links furnished by both County and Murphy had 404 errors.

A Google search showed File 20-596A, the JVP with the Bluffs, not Project 001976A. Even now, there are no Pinellas County Google search results. Removing content can be done by the webmaster. But it’s likely Pinellas IT people changed tags and submitted a removal request, and in many cases, they denied the request. But why would they go to all this trouble?