Belleair Beach Council Hears Cavalli Assessment on Gulf Oil DisasterBy Anne McKay GarrisBELLEAIR BEACH - Pete Cavalli, Community Services and IT Director, gave the City Council an emergency management briefing on the effects and impact of the oil spill in the Gulf at its meeting Tuesday night. Cavalli said that Belleair Beach and the area is likely to be impacted by oil sheen in the water and tar balls as well as injured wildlife, including birds and turtles. It was not in Cavalli's report, but some expert sources say that because of the loop current in the Gulf of Mexico a broadside impact of the oil on the west coast of Florida may not occur. That current comes up from the Caribbean Sea to the north Gulf then turns around and goes south and through the Straits of Florida out into the Atlantic in the Gulf Stream. Concern over the loose oil in the Gulf is at the maximum in the area. With Vice Mayor Rob Baldwin presiding in the absence of Mayor Lynn Rives the council gave the go-ahead to Reuben Clarson Consulting, Inc., to proceed with the design work and prepare a bid package for repairs to the 22nd Street Bridge. The Council discussed the question of speed limits on the new bridge-causeway with Councilmembers David Dumville and Stan Sofer favoring 35 miles an hour. Pinellas County is doing a traffic study and meanwhile the speed on the east side of the bridge, in Belleair Bluffs, is 30 miles an hour and reportedly officials there have no desire to change the limit. Marv Behm, a former a Council member, and Jim Corrigan were re-appointed to the Board of Adjustment. There was agreement by consensus to move ahead with the appointment of a charter review committee. Under charter provisions there is to be a review committee beginning in 2010 and every 10 years thereafter.
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