AUGUST 17, 2018

The City of Largo welcomes you to LARGO TODAY, News from the City Manager. Stay up-to-date on the superior service Largo aims to offer our residents, businesses and homeowners each week.

This Week in Largo
WATER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM  
Pinellas County Utilities will be conducting the routine bi-annual water system maintenance program to optimize water quality starting on Monday, October 1. The attached letter details the temporary change to chlorine disinfection, treatment time frame and potential customer concerns.
 
If you have any questions about this program, please call Pinellas County Utilities Customer Service at (727) 464-4000.
 
- Pinellas County Utilities 
464-4875 I www.pinellascounty.org 
 

SAFETYNET TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT
The Largo Police Department has been awarded a grant from the Pinellas Community Foundation for the purchase of ten SafetyNet tracking bracelets and a SafetyNet transceiver system. SafetyNet is a radio frequency technology that allows law enforcement to quickly and efficiently find and rescue a person wearing a SafetyNet tracking bracelet. This technology expedites search and rescue operations and has been proven to greatly reduce the time it takes to locate a missing person such as an individual with Alzheimer's or Autism. 

The formal grant award approval is set for the City Commission Meeting on September 4th and there will be a SafetyNet Training session hosted here at the Largo Police Department after the approval by the City Commission.

The goal is to have 2 - 3 Officers/FTOs/Sergeants/Shift Lieutenants from each shift attend this training as well as any others that are available. This will be a hands-on training where officers get a chance to use the tracking equipment in practical search and rescue applications.

- Jeff Undestad
Police Chief I 587-6707 I [email protected]


CITY OF LARGO'S AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM
The Recreation, Parks & Arts Department kicked off their new onsite after school programs at the Highland and Southwest Recreation Centers. Highland is transporting children from Fuguitt Elementary, Ponce de Leon Elementary, Belcher Elementary, Pinellas Preparatory Academy, Pinellas Academy of Math & Science and Plato Largo. Southwest is transporting children from Mildred Helms Elementary, Anona Elementary, Oakhurst Elementary and Plato Seminole.
 
Highland has exceeded the goal of 50 children with 61 children currently enrolled and Southwest is approaching the goal of 75 children with 63 children enrolled at the site.
 
 
- Krista Pincince
Assistant Recreation, Parks & Arts Department Director I 587-6720 I [email protected]

SCHOOL SAFETY ZONES
During this first week of school the Police Department is assigning patrol and traffic personnel in marked cruisers to sit near school zones around the City to draw drivers' attention to these safety zones during drop off and pick up.  This also provides a high profile presence during the busiest times.

-Paul Amodeo
Police Lieutenant I 586-7348 I [email protected]
PROJECT UPDATES
MANHOLE REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Effective Monday, 8/20/2018 - Friday, 8/31/2018

All traffic from Rosery/McMullen Road to Coronet Drive on Keene Road will be reduced to one lane north bound and one lane south bound. This is to replace a sanitary manhole located at Keene Road and Fairlane Drive. All side streets along the east side of Keene Road will be right turn only.  Fairlane Drive will be local traffic only from the neighborhood side. There will be no Access from Keene Road onto Fairlane Drive.
 
- Jerald Woloszynski
Engineering Services Department Director I 587-6713 I [email protected]
MEETING AND EVENT UPDATES
POLICE DEPARTMENT SCHOOL TRAININGS
In preparation for the new school year, officers from the Largo Police Department trained faculty from 12 local schools on how to respond to violent intruders. Between August 1 and August 10, our personnel trained a total of 12 schools (approximately 912 full time faculty members). We also trained approximately 740 substitute teachers and 12 Schools Police Officers. This training was very well received. It afforded us the opportunity to reinforce a positive image of the agency and the City, and cultivate meaningful partnerships with vital community stakeholders, the local teachers.   

Also, in preparation for the upcoming school year, day shift patrol have been conducting morning read-off training at the area's middle schools and the high school. Each member of the shift has toured Largo High School, Largo Middle School, Pinellas Preparatory Academy, and the Pinellas Academy of Math and Science. This provides officers with a better understanding of how each campus is designed and laid out should they need to respond for a minor incident or a significant event. Day shift patrol has also been in contact with school leadership from Indian Rocks Christian School and addressed some concerns they shared with us. 
 
- Paul Amodeo
Police Lieutenant I 586-7348 I [email protected]
UPCOMING EVENTS
FIRE CHIEF FINALISTS MEET AND GREET
Are you curious who the next Largo Fire Rescue Fire Chief will be? The City of Largo will hold a "Meet and Greet" opportunity to meet and speak with the finalist candidates for Largo Fire Chief on August 23, from 5-6pm in the Community Room at Largo City Hall. 
 
- Susan Sinz
Human Resources Department Director I 587-6717 I [email protected]
   
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