INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — The City Commission recently met at City Hall for the first time in more than a year due to major renovations needed after hurricanes Helene and Milton decimated the barrier island last fall.

On Oct. 14, city officials and a handful of residents entered the remodeled auditorium, greeted by new floors, stormproof doors and other improvements.

Shortly after the meeting began, the city’s finance director, Dan Carpenter, said what was on everyone’s minds.

“It’s good to be home,” Carpenter said.

During the past year, the commission convened in hotel dining rooms and church meeting halls. So having the meetings again at City Hall offered some much-needed comfort and familiarity for storm-weary islanders, Mayor Denise Houseberg said.

“It just kind of feels like a new beginning,” Houseberg said after the meeting.

She noted the commission recently filled the city attorney and city manager positions following the departures of Randy Mora and Gregg Mims, respectively, from those posts.

“The hurricane cleanup is mostly behind us, we’ve got the new officials in place, and it feels like we’re moving in the right direction,” Houseberg said.

Paid parking

Soon after the newness of the return to City Hall subsided, the board dove headfirst into what’s long been a hot button topic on the island — paid parking.

“Pre-storms, we had a discussion on parking,” Carpenter said. “This is the next discussion, and we’re looking for a few areas of consent and direction.”

According to Carpenter, staff conducted extensive research on the subject since the last discussion. It revealed that Indian Rocks Beach is the only barrier island community in Pinellas County that does not charge for public parking, he said.

“The only (paid parking) we have is the county-owned lot across from Guppy’s, where we charge $2.50 an hour, and we maintain it and give the county 40%,” Carpenter said.

He then asked whether the commission wanted to charge a fee for all 376 public parking spots around the city. Commissioner Jude Bond was quick to respond.

“I think we should do them all at $4 an hour,” Bond said.

His fellow local lawmakers agreed with the suggestion, leading the discussion to the question of hours of enforcement and resident parking.

Based on the feedback, the board wants to explore allowing residents with parking decals to park for free all over town; charging to park in the business district only; and cutting off the fee enforcement after dusk.

Public concerns included from opposition to charging to park at City Hall and Kolb Park.

The city’s preferred parking app also drew criticism.

“I’m not a fan of ParkMobile,” Kelly Cisarek said of the app, adding she would like to see “a cash alternative.”

Despite the qualms, there was notable public support for implementing paid parking.

“I think it’s a great idea to have paid parking,” resident Bob Copeland said.

“I don’t think anybody thinks that’s a horrible idea,” Houseberg said of asking visitors to pay to park.

“I think they think that as long as we do it the right way, and charge reasonable fees, it will be okay,” the mayor said. “But I’m sure as we go through the process of crafting and implementing legislation over these next few months, the community will let us know their thoughts on the subject and we will be happy to listen to them.”

Other matters

Commissioners unanimously approved allowing beer and wine sales by Gulf Market, located in a new Shell gas station at 500 Gulf Blvd.

Commissioners said they were happy to see the long vacant spot revitalized.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Commissioner John Bigelow said of the planned Nov. 1 reopening.

The meeting was the last one for Carpenter. The longtime finance director has been pulling double-duty as interim city manager since Mims left in July.

A city employee since 2012, Carpenter recently accepted a position with the town of Belleair.

“I’m going to miss it here,” he said.