INDIAN ROCKS BEACH \u2014 The wounds caused by last fall\u2019s devastating hurricane season are still healing across Pinellas County one year later, especially in Indian Rocks Beach.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
But signs of healing all over town, including the recent reopenings of the post office and City Hall and the county\u2019s ongoing beach renourishment project, a $129 million effort to restore part of the Gulf Coast\u2019s eroding shoreline.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I want you to know that I don\u2019t take this role or this privilege lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the city manager business, we say you always want to leave a place better than when you found it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a big believer in community engagement and that words matter and how we use words really frame how we serve,\u201d Henderson said. At his previous job \u201cwe didn\u2019t have residents. We didn\u2019t have customers. We had neighbors. That’s how we viewed the public that we served.\u201d<\/p>\n
The choice of phrasing \u201cmay seem like a small thing, but it changed the perception of how the community viewed the organization and how the organization viewed the community,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve always loved the idea that we are here to serve neighbors. And I look at Indian Rocks Beach as a community of neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henderson said he has asked his new staffers to adopt the neighbor mantra because he believes \u201cit is a step forward in just (acknowledging) we\u2019re all in this together. We\u2019re all in here to preserve and keep Indian Rocks Beach a special place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Changes would start with \u201clittle things,\u201d like the \u2018Public Comments\u2019 portion of agendas becoming \u2018Neighbor Comments.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to start seeing this kind of campaign of a community of neighbors and really emphasizing that,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n
Following his remarks, Commissioner Hilary King told Henderson, \u201cWe\u2019re really glad you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the meeting, the new city manager elaborated on his mission to heal the fractured community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand the last year has been really tough, and there\u2019s been a lot of turnover in this community,\u201d Henderson told Tampa Bay Newspapers. \u201cBut 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henderson said he\u2019s eager to hit the ground running and knows he has work ahead of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m aware of the issues we face here, and I\u2019m eager to work together to find solutions,\u201d he said, citing the short-term rental ordinance and the pending paid parking issue, which is on the December agenda.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of cities try to be other communities. But Indian Rocks Beach is special. And that\u2019s what everyone wants it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
City scores victory in rental lawsuit<\/p>\n
City Attorney Matt Maggard announced one of the lawsuits over the constitutionality of the city\u2019s controversial short-term rental ordinance was dismissed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe judge ruled and entered an order dated today that granted our motion for summary judgement,\u201d Maggard said. The ruling \u201cdismisses the case against us with prejudice, meaning it can\u2019t be refiled and the jury trial that was scheduled for later this year has been canceled.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Vice Mayor Janet Wilson asked about the likelihood of the plaintiff filing an appeal, Maggard said, \u201cIt\u2019s hard to speculate. But I feel confident in our ability to win an appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maggard said the judge\u2019s ruling that the plaintiff \u201cdoesn\u2019t have a case for challenging the constitutionality\u201d of the ordinance \u201cis big, and I think it\u2019s gonna help us with some of the noncompliance issues from the storms and people waiting to see what\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the city is \u201cstarting to see a bit of voluntary compliance, with people seeking out how to get into compliance\u201d with the city\u2019s mandated registrations and regulations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re moving forward, and we\u2019re going to keep going down that rack with enforcement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Although each case represents \u201cdifferent challenges,\u201d Maggard said the state court ruling \u201cwas a good sign\u201d for the other suits.<\/p>\n
Ceremonial news<\/p>\n
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Denise Houseberg recognized local veterans in honor of Veterans Day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Veterans Day was yesterday, and I\u2019m sure you all did a little bit of celebrating,\u201d said Houseberg, an Army veteran who worked in military intelligence.<\/p>\n
The mayor also announced the city\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n