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City, police reject request for service

By TIMES STAFF
Published April 18, 2007

CLEARWATER

The city of Clearwater and its police department have said "thanks but no thanks" to a request from Belleair Beach to provide service there. The town asked Clearwater late last month whether it was interested in submitting a proposal to police Belleair Beach. Clearwater leaders this week said they didn't. Police Chief Sid Klein said there was no advantage to supplying or paying for a small staff there because his force's current demands along the beach are already stretched. Said Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard: "I'm not interested unless we can make money." Belleair Beach voters in March approved closing the city's police department, asking to contract for outside services. Clearwater is one of several agencies Belleair Beach made plans to contact.

COUNTYWIDE

Budget meeting set for Thursday

Want a bigger say in how Pinellas County spends your tax dollars? The first of three county budget "recap" meetings is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court St., Clearwater. Residents are invited to share their thoughts as county officials get ready to work on the 2007-08 fiscal budget. Future opportunities for tax-payers who work during the day to speak to county officials are at 6:30 p.m. May 8 and June 7. To learn more about the county budget, visit www.pinellascounty.org or attend a workshop: 3 p.m. Thursday and June 7, and 9:30 a.m. to noon on April 26, May 3, May 8, May 17 and May 22 as well as 1 to 4 p.m. on May 17. Residents who attend the daytime workshops may speak at the end of the sessions.

LARGO

County delays court action

The future of the Terra Excavating site east of Largo remains in doubt after Pinellas County commissioners Tuesday decided not to take court action - yet - against developers who received a $3.4-million loan in 2004 to build affordable housing at the location but have not started work. The developers, who have missed deadlines to get started, face the possibility of the county foreclosing on the loan. But commissioners decided to stall any action for another week to allow for a settlement to be hashed out that could avoid a court battle. The 18.5-acre Terra site is at Trotter Road and 134th Avenue.

CLEARWATER

Psychologist to speak at temple

Psychologist Harold Shinitzky will talk at the Clearwater chapter of Hadassah meeting at 11:30 a.m. today at Temple B'Nai Israel, 1685 S Belcher Road. A dairy lunch will be served. Call 559-7818.

Libraries offer games, workshops

Events coming up at Clearwater libraries include:

- Cartooning workshop for children aged 4 and up with Leah Lopez, 2 p.m. Saturday at East Library, 2251 Drew St.

- Boca Beth, an interactive Spanish-English education class with music, 10 a.m. today at Countryside Library, 2741 State Road 580, and 10 a.m. April 25 at the East Library.

-Video gaming night at 6 p.m. Thursday at Main Library, 100 N Osceola Ave. Bring a controller, if you have one, and play video games including Xbox, Wii, Playstation and Gamecube on large screens.

The programs are free. Call 562-4970, ext. 5244.

[Last modified April 18, 2007, 07:05:22]