A state ethics investigation has cleared Pinellas Property Appraiser Jim Smith and other county officials of wrongdoing in a controversial land deal between Smith and the county. The report by the Florida Ethics Commission, released Wednesday, also cleared former Pinellas County Attorney Susan Churuti and County Commissioner Ronnie Duncan. ...more

October 23, 2008

Almost 20 years after leaving Pinellas County government, Bob LaSala is returning as chief executive. ...more

September 10, 2008

Almost 20 years after leaving Pinellas County government, Bob LaSala is returning as chief executive. County commissioners voted 6-1 today to approve a contract to hire LaSala and replace interim Administrator Fred Marquis on Oct. 12. ...more

September 9, 2008

Pinellas County commissioners are reaching to the past for leadership into the future. ...more

August 7, 2008

Pinellas County commissioners are reaching to the past for leadership into the future. Commissioners agreed Tuesday to offer the county administrator position to Robert LaSala, a former assistant county administrator from 1979 to 1989. They are set to meet on the contract Sept. 2, and LaSala would begin in November. ...more

August 6, 2008

Pinellas County Property Appraiser Jim Smith is calling it quits. Smith, 67, said Tuesday that he will not seek a sixth four-year term next year, even though he thinks he would have "a pretty good chance of getting re-elected." His term expires in January 2009. ...more

November 14, 2007

Pinellas County Property Appraiser Jim Smith is calling it quits after 20 years. ...more

November 13, 2007

Two employees of the Pinellas County public works department involved in a grand jury investigation into a controversial land deal were demoted Friday. ...more

October 20, 2007

CLEARWATER - Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Former Pinellas County Administrator Fred Marquis, a fixture at the county courthouse for decades, is the county commission's unanimous selection to temporarily replace County Administrator Steve Spratt. Spratt, the county's top appointed official for nearly six years, is resigning at the end of this month amid political fallout over the county's controversial purchase of land from Property Appraiser Jim Smith. ...more

September 25, 2007

Pinellas County Administrator Steve Spratt, on tenuous political footing since he was mentioned in a grand jury report on a county land purchase, has resigned, effective Sept. 30. ...more

September 12, 2007