PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Some Pinellas County families spent their final day of summer vacation surrounded by nature. 

“Yeah, we’re going to go out kayaking for a couple hours here, see if we see some dolphins, some fish, some mangroves. It’s fun going through the little mangrove, little forests that they have and everything,” said park-goer Josh Neitz.

“So, just getting out and join the nature and everything we’re lucky to have here in our fingertips.”

For some, spending time at Weedon Island Preserve is a family tradition.

“I’ve been coming out here just with my mom and family since I was a kid, and it’s really beautiful,” said Reid Taggart.

But budget cuts could affect how residents enjoy that beauty.

Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Director Paul Cozzie sent a letter to stakeholders of Weedon Island and Shell Key Preserves detailing potential cuts, which reads in part:

“For Parks and Conservation Resources, our proposed budget for FY27 eliminates funding for the Weedon Island Preserve and its Cultural and Natural History Center, as well as Shell Key Preserve effective January 1, 2027.”

“We chose these to prioritize maintaining and staffing property, which is owned by Pinellas County over state-owned properties,” the letter continued. “For the 7.7 positions which would be impacted if this reduction is approved, we will work to place staff in vacant positions within the Parks and Conservation Resources Department or elsewhere in County government.”

The letter said there is a proposal to end the seasonal lifeguard program at Fort De Soto and Sand Key Parks.

Some residents are wrapping their heads around the proposed cuts.

“I think that would suck, definitely for the people who love to come out here,” said Reid Taggart. “And I know, like a lot of people live around here too, so I don’t know how that would impact them. And I wonder about, I know mangroves are really important to the habitat.”

The county said that if the proposed budget is approved, leases with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would end and the lands would be returned to the state.

Weedon Island is in County Commissioner Kathleen Peters’ district. She says these decisions are difficult.

“We’re starting this year with an additional $12 million unfunded mandate from the legislature, and so we have to start looking,” said Peters. “And not only are we looking at cutting Weedon Island, but we’re looking at cutting maybe 50 positions, staff positions, the lifeguard program at Fort de Soto which is very near and dear to my heart as Weedon Island is.”

County leaders recognize that cuts could affect residents.

“Weedon Island is a $740,000 cost annually,” said Peters. “The state runs Honeymoon Island, and they do an outstanding job at managing Honeymoon Island, and it’s a great location. And they keep up the park,” said Peters. “And maybe this will just be a swap where, you know, the county will stop spending the $740,000 to operate it, and then the state can come in and maybe operate it the exact same.”