INDIAN SHORES — Vice Mayor Ellen A. Bauer and council member Michael P. Howard won reelection March 10 to the two available seats on the Indian Shores Town Council.

Mayor Diantha Schear announced the results at the opening of the March 11 town hall meeting, congratulating the winners and shaking their hands at the dais.

Michael “Mike” A. Petruccelli also ran for the two seats. Of 477 voters who cast ballots, Howard received 193 votes (40.46%), Bauer received 185 (38.78%) and Petruccelli received 99 (20.75%).

“I’m very grateful that so many citizens turned out for the election,” Howard said. Turnout was up sharply from last year’s municipal election, which drew 286 voters.

“I’m thrilled to be back on the council,” said Bauer, who was first elected in 2023 and has been chosen vice mayor by the council each of the past three years.

Howard first served on the Town Council in 2024 as an appointee filling an unexpired term after a council member retired.

Council members Nick Menchise and Mark Housman added their congratulations.

“The town made the right choice,” Menchise said.

“This team has done well during the crises of Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” Housman said.

“The town gave their support for our council by retaining our council members,” Schear said after the meeting.

A special Town Council meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, to swear in Bauer and Howard for their next three-year terms. The council will also vote to elect the vice mayor for the coming year.

The ribbon cutting for the new safety storage building, now in its final phases of construction, is scheduled for March 27. Next month’s Town Council meeting will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 14.

Town professionals recognized

Council member Mark Housman was selected unanimously to work with Pinellas County as the lead in identifying the customary use of Indian Shores’ beaches for the county.

Mayor Schear proclaimed March 16-20 as Government Finance Professionals Week. “I am happy to make this proclamation since we have an outstanding finance director,” she said. Director of Finance and Personnel Amy Lockhart received a round of applause from the council and attendees.

The council unanimously accepted Chief Lee Ann Holroyd’s proposal to reclassify two Indian Shores Police Department positions from hourly to salaried. Nadine Esposito was officially named executive assistant to the chief of police, moving from her previous role as records clerk. Officer Jeff Preising had been taking on additional responsibilities including fleet and equipment management, serving as the Local Agency Security Officer for FDLE, firearms instructor and point of contact for all FDEM and FEMA interaction.

The Indian Shores Police Department launched its Facebook page March 6.