Janelle Irwin Taylor
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has voted to extend the local state of emergency for another seven days.
The vote allows the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to remain active to coordinate countywide storm response and recovery.
Most county government offices are closed to focus on hurricane response, but some services are open and available.
The Pinellas County Utilities Payment Center, located at 14 S. Harrison Ave. in Clearwater, remains open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The county’s solid waste disposal complex, located at 3095 114th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg, is also open, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., a critical service as residents clean out flooded homes.
Pinellas County’s Building and Development Review Services building, located at 440 Court St. in Clearwater, is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
And the Animal Services Adoption Center, at 12450 Ulmerton Rd. in Largo, is open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Additionally, the County Information Center remains open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. by calling 727-464-4333. Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can receive assistance by chatting online.
Updates on county recovery efforts are available at disaster.pinellas.gov, on Facebook or X under the tag @PinellasGov, or by searching the hashtag #PCHelene.
Access to the county’s barrier islands will open beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Access had been limited to residents and essential personnel.
