INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — The wounds caused by last fall’s devastating hurricane season are still healing across Pinellas County one year later, especially in Indian Rocks Beach.
Dozens of homes and businesses remain shuttered, and many longtime residents have either moved away or died, leaving gaping holes in the fabric of the tight-knit, barrier island community.
But signs of healing all over town, including the recent reopenings of the post office and City Hall and the county’s ongoing beach renourishment project, a $129 million effort to restore part of the Gulf Coast’s eroding shoreline.
Inside City Hall, changes have also taken place besides the major refurbishment required after Hurricane Helene flooded the building in September 2024. During the Nov. 12 commission meeting, newly hired City Manager Ryan Henderson was sworn into office.
“I want to thank all of you for the confidence that you have in me and say it is a privilege to serve as the city manager of this amazing community,” Henderson said during his first monthly report since being selected to replace longtime City Manager Gregg Mims from a pool of four candidates in late August.
“And I want you to know that I don’t take this role or this privilege lightly.”
Henderson, who previously held several positions in Fort Lauderdale’s municipal government before serving as city manager of Anna, Texas, said he met many residents and staff since moving here three weeks ago.
“In the city manager business, we say you always want to leave a place better than when you found it,” he said. “It’s evident that Mr. Mims has left a mark on this organization and this community by the number of things he achieved in his years of service, but also in the amazing staff that he put together here.”
Henderson also praised former Finance Director Dan Carpenter for preparing him for the position before Carpenter left for a similar job in Belleair last month.
“I’m a big believer in community engagement and that words matter and how we use words really frame how we serve,” Henderson said. At his previous job “we didn’t have residents. We didn’t have customers. We had neighbors. That’s how we viewed the public that we served.”
The choice of phrasing “may seem like a small thing, but it changed the perception of how the community viewed the organization and how the organization viewed the community,” he said. “And I’ve always loved the idea that we are here to serve neighbors. And I look at Indian Rocks Beach as a community of neighbors.”
Henderson said he has asked his new staffers to adopt the neighbor mantra because he believes “it is a step forward in just (acknowledging) we’re all in this together. We’re all in here to preserve and keep Indian Rocks Beach a special place.”
Changes would start with “little things,” like the ‘Public Comments’ portion of agendas becoming ‘Neighbor Comments.’
“You’re going to start seeing this kind of campaign of a community of neighbors and really emphasizing that,” Henderson said.
Following his remarks, Commissioner Hilary King told Henderson, “We’re really glad you’re here.”
After the meeting, the new city manager elaborated on his mission to heal the fractured community.
“I understand the last year has been really tough, and there’s been a lot of turnover in this community,” Henderson told Tampa Bay Newspapers. “But this is a great, fantastic community with a highly professional staff. And they live here, too. So, I think we have a lot in common.”
Henderson said he’s eager to hit the ground running and knows he has work ahead of him.
“I’m aware of the issues we face here, and I’m eager to work together to find solutions,” he said, citing the short-term rental ordinance and the pending paid parking issue, which is on the December agenda.
“A lot of cities try to be other communities. But Indian Rocks Beach is special. And that’s what everyone wants it to be.”
City scores victory in rental lawsuit
City Attorney Matt Maggard announced one of the lawsuits over the constitutionality of the city’s controversial short-term rental ordinance was dismissed.
“The judge ruled and entered an order dated today that granted our motion for summary judgement,” Maggard said. The ruling “dismisses the case against us with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled and the jury trial that was scheduled for later this year has been canceled.”
When Vice Mayor Janet Wilson asked about the likelihood of the plaintiff filing an appeal, Maggard said, “It’s hard to speculate. But I feel confident in our ability to win an appeal.”
Maggard said the judge’s ruling that the plaintiff “doesn’t have a case for challenging the constitutionality” of the ordinance “is big, and I think it’s gonna help us with some of the noncompliance issues from the storms and people waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
He said the city is “starting to see a bit of voluntary compliance, with people seeking out how to get into compliance” with the city’s mandated registrations and regulations.
“We’re moving forward, and we’re going to keep going down that rack with enforcement,” he said.
When Wilson asked about other pending lawsuits, Maggard said some are in federal court and on hold, with one involving AP6, a limited liability company that owns short-term rentals, in active litigation.
Although each case represents “different challenges,” Maggard said the state court ruling “was a good sign” for the other suits.
Ceremonial news
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Denise Houseberg recognized local veterans in honor of Veterans Day.
“I know Veterans Day was yesterday, and I’m sure you all did a little bit of celebrating,” said Houseberg, an Army veteran who worked in military intelligence.
The mayor also announced the city’s upcoming holiday events: the Christmas Tree Lighting at 12th Avenue Park on Friday, Dec. 5 starting at 7 p.m.; the annual Christmas Street Parade through the finger neighborhoods on Sunday, Dec. 7 beginning at 1 p.m.; and the Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 20, starting at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Harbourside.
For more information, visit indianrocksbeach.com.