DON'T WAIT .... REQUEST A BALLOT TODAY
Why stand in line for the same ballot you can have mailed to your home?
Consider these facts:
All registered voters in Florida will be required to vote a paper ballot whether voting by mail, at an early voting site, or at the polls on Election Day. Voters will not receive a paper receipt after voting. Any registered voter may vote by mail. Florida law requires ALL accepted mail ballots be included in the official final results. You will automatically be mailed ballots, but can be cancelled at any time. You can mail your ballot OR drop it off at one of the many drop sites throughout the county.
TO REQUEST A BALLOT BY MAIL, CHOOSE A METHOD
THAT IS EASIEST FOR YOU:
Call the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office at 727.464.6788. Visit the SOE website at www.votepinellas.com. Email the SOE at absentee@votepinellas.com. Visit one of their three office locations, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m: St. Petersburg Office, 501 - 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 33701; Election Service Center, 13001 Starkey Rd., Largo, 33773; or Clearwater Office, 315 Court St., Room 117, Clearwater, 33756.
Voting has never been easier. Don't wait! Request to have a ballot mailed to you so you can take advantage of voting in the comfort of your own home. All requests must be received no later than six days prior to the election.
ATTENTION FLOOD POLICY HOLDERS
Effective in May 2008, FEMA is changing its rules and will no longer offer the Town's 20% premium discount on certain flood insurance policies. For details, click on FLOOD INFORMATION, then ARTICLES, then select and read the articles entitled "2007-2008 Winter NFIP CRS Update" and "2008 FEMA Discount Policy Update".
RECLAIMED WATER CONNECTIONS
The Town has been advised that it is being projected that connections to the reclaimed water system will be coming available near the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009. Look for a Reclaimed Water Pre-Connection Workshop around November or December 2008 for more details.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT TOWN HALL
BUDGET HEARINGS: The Indian Shores Town Council will hold Budget Workshops on the following dates: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 3 P.M. and Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 3 P.M. Both workshops will be held in the large conference room. A Special Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7 P.M. in auditorium for the purpose of adopting the tentative millage rate for Fiscal Year Budget 2008-2009.
PUBLIC HEARINGS: Mark Tuesday, July 15, 2008 and Tuesday, August 5, 2008 on your calendar. Meetings will be held on the above dates in the Indian Shores Town Hall at 7 pm, for the purpose of informing the public regarding the Florida Communities Trust Florida Forever Grant Program. The Town of Indian Shores has submitted a Florida Communities Trust grant application for the acquisition of several parcels of land within the Town. A copy of the proposed project site map and conceptual site plan are available at Town Hall. The focus and vision for this park is restoration and rehabilitation of as much natural habitat as possible while offering public access to the beach and Intracoastal Waterway. The parking area will follow the new greener model of Pinellas Country Parks and will be comprised of crushed shell or some other pervious surface with parking stoppers only to delineate parking spaces. These parcels present a valuable opportunity to expand beach access and other recreational opportunities to the residents of Indian Shores and Pinellas County. This project will also add facilities to the portion of the National Recreation Trail that we host here in Pinellas County – the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail. (This trail is affectionately known as the saltwater version of the Appalachian Trail.) Public acquisition of this land would also ensure preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of native vegetation including mangroves along the shoreline of Boca Ciega Bay and the dune system and sea oats on the Gulf side of the project. These measures will help to stabilize the shoreline on both the Gulf side and the Bay side. With the majority of the Gulf Beaches being built-out, this is a unique opportunity to acquire land that would be used to further the goals of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan as well as the Recreation, Open Space and Culture System Master Plan for Pinellas County. Pinellas County has agreed to consider providing match monies that will provide critical points in scoring our application. Partnering with the County will significantly increase the competitiveness of our grant application and assist us in taking this project all the way through to completion.
Internet Access: Available at the Town Hall, (not in the library). You will need to purchase a $5 annual library membership card to use the computers. Reserve your ½ hr. time period Monday thru Friday between 8:30 am and 3 pm., by signing up in the Town Hall lobby.
Library Hours: Open Mondays & Thursdays, 1 - 4 pm, and Saturdays 10 am – 1 pm, 595-4020 x 23. Entrance is on the north side of the Town Hall Building under the green canopy. Membership is only $5 per year.
Yoga Class: Meets on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 9 am in the Auditorium. Call Tom Meagher at 365-4901. Cost is $6 per class.
Senior Exercise: Meets Tuesdays & Fridays @ 11 am in the Auditorium. Call instructors Cindy Brauer at 430-2756 or Sheryl King at 481-4950 for more information. Cost is $4 per class.
Council Meeting: Meets 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 7 pm in the Auditorium.
ACBL Duplicate Bridge: Meets Wednesdays, 12:30 – 3:30 pm, in the Auditorium, directed by Nora Harvey, 733-7138. $5 per game, includes snacks. Come alone or bring a partner. We guarantee you will have a partner.
Ballroom Dance Lessons: Meets Wednesdays, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm in the Auditorium. Stay and practice until 9 pm. Lessons conducted by Carol Baker, 727.798.3660. Cost is $8.00 per person per lesson. No Partner necessary. Series I: On July 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th learn the beginner/intermediate Hustle. Series II: On August 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th, learn Nightclub Style slow dancing.
Tai Chi Class: Meets Thursdays @ 10:30 am in the Auditorium. Call Deb Marzani @ 397-2826 for more information. Cost is $2 per class donation to the Taoist Tai Chi Society.
GULF BOULEVARD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT: Construction of the Gulf Boulevard Reclaimed Water Project continues on schedule and many residents have inquired about when reclaimed water will actually be available for hookup. With the current rate of progress, it is anticipated that customers can begin joining the reclaimed system as soon as late January 2009.
Prior to system connection, residents will be contacted by postcard notifying them of an upcoming public information pre-connection workshop. This workshop will provide information about how to go about applying for connection to the reclaimed water system, options for connection, inspection and testing requirements, cross connection/backflow prevention requirements, as well as fees associated with reclaimed water service.
Pinellas County Utilities looks forward to providing this valuable conservation resource which will save significant volumes of drinking water. They will continue to provide project updates on their web site at PinellasCounty.org/GulfBlvd as well as through special newsletter mailings and on-site help from the “Green Vest” team.
PRIMARY ELECTION: Tuesday, August 26, 2008, is the date for our Primary Election. Indian Shores Town Hall is the polling place for this Election. Polls will be open from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Election Day.