Could Pinellas County soon have a county mayor? Proposal would create new top office

Bay Area county could establish countywide mayor

Leaders in Pinellas County are considering a proposal that would create a county mayor’s office, but the idea still has a long way to go before becoming official. FOX 13’s Mariah Harrison reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Pinellas County commissioners are weighing a proposal to establish a county mayor's office – and while it's not a done deal, a countywide mayor could take office in less than three years.

Leaders discussed the idea during last Thursday's county commission meeting.

Image courtesy: Pinellas County Government.

How would a county mayor change its government?

Big picture view:

If the position is established, the county mayor would replace the county administrator – a position currently held by Barry Burton – and would be elected instead of appointed, with the first election taking place in November 2028.

What they're saying:

Commissioner Chris Latvala proposed the change, saying voters should have more of a say in who holds the top job in Pinellas County's government.

"This has nothing to do with Barry's performance," Latvala said. "If you've looked at the two or three reviews I've given him, they're very high. Barry does a wonderful job as our county administrator. And, but I believe philosophically that in a county such as ours, the person that makes the day-to-day decisions should be elected, should be somebody that's accountable to the voters."

Pictured: Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala speaks at a county commission meeting on April 3, 2025. (Courtesy: Pinellas County Government.)

Latvala also said the commission should take time and "be deliberative" in weighing the proposal before deciding to take that path.

What's next:

In order for the mayor's office to be established for the 2028 general election, five of the county's seven commissioners have to agree to a ballot referendum for 2026. County residents would then vote on the referendum.

For now, commissioners say they're planning to check state statutes and get a clearer idea of how a mayor would affect other officials' duties.

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Dig deeper:

If Pinellas County creates a mayor's office, it would not be the first county in Florida to do so. Miami-Dade and Orange counties have mayors elected by voters, while Palm Beach County has a mayor who's elected by the Board of Commissioners.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Mariah Harrison.

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