INDIAN SHORES – The office of the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections advised Indian Shores Town Clerk Freddie Lozano just two hours before the town’s regular 5 p.m. meeting Dec. 9 that municipal elections scheduled for March 10 will proceed. Three candidates qualified to run for the two seats up for election.

The three candidates are all well-known in the town. Vice Mayor Ellen A. Bauer and council member Michael “Mike” P. Howard are incumbents running to maintain their current seats on the council. Michael Petruccelli is a former council member who resigned his seat on the council in 2024 to run for mayor when former Mayor Patrick Soranno retired. Petruccelli lost his bid for mayor to current Mayor Diantha Schear.

Bauer was elected to serve on the Town Council since 2023, is a retired business owner, and was active on a number of town boards prior to being elected into office. Bauer has been reelected vice mayor each of the past consecutive three years by the Council.

Howard has served on the Town Council since 2024 to complete an unexpired term following a council member’s retirement. Howard retired from the Tampa Police Department as a sergeant after 24 years of service, and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of South Florida.

Petruccelli is a Broker Associate Realtor for Plumlee Gulf Beach Realty handling both Indian Rocks Beach and Indian Shores beach rentals. Prior to resigning his seat on the council, Petruccelli had served 10 years.

The Supervisor of Elections contract, and accompanying invoice for just over $3,000 were unanimously approved at the Dec. 9 meeting. Of the three candidates running, the two with the most votes will win the two available seats.

Police Department makes presentation to Santa’s Angels

Police Chief Lee Ann Holroyd, along with the chief’s executive assistant Nadine Esposito, made a presentation to Mike Brown, Jeff Preising and Eve May of the Board of Directors of Santa’s Angels. The ISPD’s presentation was a partial delivery of toy and monetary donations to date to the nonprofit to make this year’s Christmas happier for local children in need. The balance of collected funds and toys still being collected will be tallied and presented to Santa’s Angels for distribution to children over the holidays.

Ordinance limits height for condominiums and cooperative buildings

An ordinance was amended to limit condominiums and cooperative buildings three stories or more in height to comply with the requirements of Florida Statutes as amended in the 2025 legislative session by House Bill 913. Building Official Brian Rusu explained that the changes will include parking levels. The ordinance passed unanimously on its first reading.

Post 2024 hurricane season damage and replacement determinations continue

Two interlocal agreements passed unanimously for services within the geographic area of Pinellas County. One was regarding the removal services and disaster debris monitoring and management services, and the other was for the designation of collection and removal responsibilities. The agreements include pre-negotiated rates for future disasters.

Council unanimously ratified a $56,000 purchase to replace turtle-safe bollard lights that were lost during Hurricane Helene.