Pinellas County Solid Waste is seeking feedback from residents, businesses and business partners about its existing solid waste operations, programs, facilities, technologies, and countywide recycling and diversion programs, as well as ideas for future projects through a new online survey. Citizen and customer feedback is vital to ensure that the County’s award-winning integrated solid waste management system aligns and sustains its existing programs to meet current needs, while evaluating, planning, developing and implementing new programs and technologies that will attend to the needs of residents and businesses for the next 30 years. The Solid Waste Master Plan Survey is currently available online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/pinellascountymasterplan through the end of February.



- Laura Thomas

Sustainability Coordinator I 586-7424 I lthomas@largo.com

The Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) today announced the 12 winners of the fifth annual “Community Policing in Action” Photo Contest. The Largo Police Department was selected as one of the winners with a photo of Sgt. Cusumano and Ofc. Lynch helping a man clear his roof of debris after Hurricane Michael.

The COPS Office invited state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies to submit one photo that best depicts community policing in action. Almost 150 agencies participated in the contest. 

The 12 winning photos will be featured on the COPS Office website and social media accounts monthly during the 2019 calendar year. In addition, the winning agencies will be featured in articles in the COPS Office e-newsletter, The Community Policing Dispatch. See the other winners here:  https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/02-2019/2019_pc_winners.html

- Randall Chaney

Lieutenant I 586-7462 I rchaney@largo.com

As an ongoing effort to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows in the City of Largo, t he City of Largo performed smoke testing on the sanitary sewer system located within the area between Betty Lane to Keene Road and Belleair Road to 8th Avenue NE. That testing was completed in December of 2018 and it revealed potential defects at a few locations within the area.

The City’s contractor will be conducting follow-up inspections at the potential defect locations on February 15th and 16th. The follow-up inspections will include dye testing to determine the nature and exact location of the defect.

All properties affected by this testing have been sent a letter from the City notifying them of the testing. Door hangers will also be placed at those properties prior to the testing. The schedule is weather dependent.

-Joshua Carlsson

Asset Management Data Coordinator I 587-6713 I jcarlsso@largo.com

To make intersections safer, Pinellas County in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation is installing backplates with retroreflective yellow borders on traffic signals throughout the county. Citizens will notice the new backplates at intersections along West Bay/East Bay Drive/Roosevelt Blvd from Indian Rocks Road to 46th Street, near St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. More than 200 signalized intersections in Pinellas County will have the backplates with retroreflective borders once the project is complete.

Backplates improve the visibility of traffic lights by providing a controlled-contrast background. A retroreflective border makes the signals even more conspicuous in both daytime and nighttime conditions. A 7-year Federal Highway Administration study showed they reduce crashes at intersections by 15 to 24 percent. Backplates with retroreflective borders have been shown to aid motorists with navigating intersections during power outages and low visibility conditions. They are particularly helpful to older and color vision-impaired drivers, enabling them to better recognize which signal light is illuminated.

-Barry Westmark

Senior Engineer I 587-6713 I bwestmar@largo.com

Synapse Florida is a state-wide movement to connect innovation communities together across the state. On January 23rd and 24th they held their second Summit at Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. The two day event had over 5,800 participants and more than 300 exhibitors to celebrate, educate and inspire through showcasing some of the top talent and companies from across Florida. Thanks to Pinellas County Economic Development for allowing Largo and three other municipalities to be a part of their booth space at the event.

-Carol Stricklin

Community Development Department Director I 586-7490 I cstrickl@largo.com