INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – City Manager

Indian Rocks Beach is a vibrant coastal treasure (population 3,618) nestled along the beautiful barrier islands of Pinellas County. Renowned for its breathtaking sunsets and lush natural surroundings, IRB’s two miles of white sandy shoreline draw visitors year-round, but it’s the laid-back lifestyle that keeps residents here for good. From bird sanctuaries to kayak-friendly waterways, nature is woven into daily life.

Indian Rocks Beach is home to a tight-knit community; the residents take pride in their neighborhood, which is reflected in numerous small businesses and family-owned establishments. The City of Indian Rocks Beach is an engaging community that boasts neighborly values, civic participation, and celebration of local culture through events and festivals. A successful candidate must have a proven track record in consensus building and working through community issues.

The city is situated 15 minutes from Clearwater and 30 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg, and 45 minutes to downtown Tampa (hosting the Lighting Hockey team) and Buccaneer NFL Stadium. It is also conveniently located near two major airports (TPA and PIE), offering easy access to top-tier healthcare, education, and cultural amenities and presents a great quality of life for its residents. Tampa Bay is an amazing place to live and work, with USF a major presence in the region.

Of note, Residency in the city, is not required for the City Manager, because of the overall density of Pinellas County and the high number of cities located in the County. The Current City Manager is well respected and has served for ten years. He will be leaving at the end of July for a position with the County. There are not any in-house City Manager candidates identified at this time.

Indian Rocks Beach, as ALL gulf coastal communities from Charlotte County, north to Taylor County, was impacted by hurricanes in Fall 2024. City staff and its residents have been resilient in their quest to return to their homes, and city facilities. The City Hall, Library (reciprocal borrowing privileges at other Pinellas Libraries) and Arts Center will be reopened by the fall.

Florida coastal county or city experience would be preferred as the City Manager will be dealing with continued hurricane recovery and future preparation, FEMA reimbursements, flood insurance, permitting and building code issues, and code enforcement, as well as a Pinellas County beach restoration project in 2025 and dune restoration along the gulf beaches.

On a very positive note, Indian Rocks Beach only has a tax base decrease of 1%projected for FY 2025-26; in comparison to other beach cities which range up to8% decreases in tax bases related to hurricane damage to structures. The city has a thriving commercial core of restaurants and shops coming back strong as well. The city has been a beach destination for generations of Floridians, as well asout of state visitors as is well known for its residential and visitor amenities.

The city has contracts with the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office for law enforcement, as well as a local Fire District for Fire Protection. Both contracts are subject negotiation and daily coordination with the providing entities by the City Manager.

The city has active recreation facilities (baseball, basketball, tennis, pickle ball) as well as award-winning nature parks, and beach access points to maintain. There are two miles of beaches and “pre-hurricane” 26 public beach access points in the city. The Commission has discussed at past meetings “pre-hurricane” paid parking, so a successful candidate could have experience with municipal parking systems.

City departments consist of City Clerk, Code Enforcement, Finance and Human Resources, Library, Planning & Zoning (the 2021 Comprehensive Plan is on the City’s website) and Permitting (Pinellas County Building Services since March2020) , Parks and Recreation Facilities (37 acres of parkland),and Public Works(stormwater, facilities, city Street maintenance, and solid waste collection).

In 2025-26, the City will continue hurricane recovery through rehabilitation of City facilities, supporting residential and commercial property restoration, and facilitate beach renourishment and dune restoration provided by Pinellas County. In addition, the City Manager will continue to implement the Commission’s policies on vacation rentals, and provide support to the City Attorney, as needed, in addressing related issues.

Article V of the City Charter addresses the qualifications of the City Manager, as well as the powers and duties of the City Manager. It is available on the City’s website, as well as the City Manager position description, with the Advertisement for the position.

Minimum qualifications include extensive knowledge of laws and policies of municipal operations; Ability to work with the public with tact and professional courtesy, ability to maintain an effective organization, and to prepare and present to the Commission, and residents’ data and programs. Graduation from an accredited 4-year college with a BA in Business or Public Administration and a minimum of five years’ experience in a responsible local government admin/mgt position. Should be a member of FCCMA and/or ICMA to ensure non-partisanship and adherence to the ICMA Code of Ethics.

Salary will be up to $175,000/annually based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. A full benefit package is available to City employees, and for the City Manager it would be negotiated with the City Attorney for an early September presentation to the City Commission.

Interviews are scheduled to be held on August 11and12th with the City Commission.

Resumes are due to the City Clerk by July 18th at Ms. Lorin Kornijtschuk, City Clerk Indian Rocks Beach, 1507 Bay Palm Blvd, Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785.Email [email protected]