Mayor's Message
Dear Indian Shores Residents and Visitors,
Stay safe and God bless all of you and God bless America!
* * * * *
Town Hall Administration and Building Department operations will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2020, for the Fourth of July holiday. The Police Department will be on patrol as normal.
* * * * *
Pinellas County Coastal Management is offering Sea Oats for coastal municipalities to aid in the health of our beach infrastructure. Please submit your name, address, phone number and email along with a planting map with dimensions to dstockfisch@myindianshores.com by noon on Monday, July 6. The Town will apply for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection permits required on your behalf.
* * * * *
I want to publicly thank and commend the entire staff of Indian Shores and their families for the efforts over the last challenging months.
In my lifetime, I have not seen the confluence of problems we are confronted with every day as both Americans and as public and police employees of the Town of Indian Shores.
As an optimist, I believe we will weather the storm together and emerge all the stronger for it!
I know our residents and our elected officials appreciate the difficulties and stress you have in your personal lives as well as the added stress involved in supporting and protecting our residents.
Thank you for your dedicated service and stay safe.
* * * * *
Stay safe everyone!
Mayor Patrick C. Soranno
* * * * *
State of Florida
Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation 
DBPR issued an amended bar closure order this morning—see attached. It is better than the original order and helps clarify who can sell for on premises consumption and who has to suspend sales. Simply, all “vendors” (businesses) that are licensed for on-premises consumption of alcohol have to suspend sales unless they have a food license. If they have a food license they can serve alcohol to people seated at a bar or table. This takes care of the “cigar bars,” arcades and pool halls. They all have to close unless they have a food license and then everyone has to be seated and otherwise comply with the order.
This is due to a one-day record spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida. Find details on the Emergency Order here - Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation Emergency Order.
* * * * *
Pinellas County
Pinellas County Emergency Management
Residents and visitors with questions about Pinellas County’s emergency face covering ordinance can call the County Information Center (CIC) at (727) 464-4333, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. until noon. The operation began on Friday, June 26.
Staff are available to answer questions about the new ordinance and other COVID-19-related issues. Those with a hearing impairment can chat online at www.bit.ly/PinellasChat.
Residents and visitors can also find information about the COVID-19 emergency by visiting https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/.
* * * * *
Pinellas Emergency Ordinance 20-14
Pinellas County’s COVID-19 Response & Recommendations
Pinellas COVID-19 Data Dashboard
* * * * *
Chief’s Beat
Chief of Police Richard "Rick" Swann
As everyone is fully aware the tourist traffic has been in full gear for the past few weeks, and our beaches are packed. We fully anticipate even greater beach and business activity throughout the holiday weekend and over the next couple weeks.
We have a plan in place. We have staffed up, especially over the holiday weekend. We also have Detective Bittrich conducting compliance checks at local bars and restaurants and will do our best to ensure the CDC and social distancing guidelines are being followed on the beaches.
Have a safe and healthy Fourth of July weekend.
Respectfully,
Chief Richard "Rick" Swann
* * * * *
Audubon Florida
Holley Short, Project Manager
The Black Skimmers have finally settled down! There are about 200 of them in a small colony behind the Beach Cottages next door to Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. We’re up to 15 nests now! There will be stewards out during the weekend, and there will be a small group of us during the July 4th evening from about 5 - 10 p.m.
We’ve installed some signage but please help us get the word out.
Beach Renourishment
Indian Shores and Pinellas County Coastal Management 
We have 75 easements out of the 159 we need to get this project finalized. Please help us get these easements in!
The long-term management of the county’s coastline involves shore protection programs, monitoring and extensive partnering with state and federal agencies.
Again, to those of you who received Beach Easements to sign, please help us out and sign them and submit them. By doing so, you are helping to maintain our critically important beaches. You may be contacted by one of our resident Beach Champion volunteers who will answer any questions you may have about the easement and what it means.
You can monitor in real-time different aspects of the Pinellas County Beach Performance by each beach community by clicking here and clicking on the "Easement" tab then "Indian Shores" on the left menu to see our progress.
* * * * *