During the budget planning and workshop for Fiscal Year 2023, city leadership identified the need to create a position to play a more active role in managing the sandy beaches of St. Pete Beach.
The new position is serving as a liaison between one of the City’s most valuable assets and the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, Code Enforcement, Hoteliers, Vendors, Residents and visitors. The Beach Manager, Ayoko Ruckdeschel, also is overseeing the dune system, maintenance of the beach and the adjacent waterways.
St. Pete Beach is one of the first beach communities in the area to designate a specific job to protect and enhance the beach/dune system along the Gulf of Mexico coastline.
“There are so many policies that are in place to protect the wildlife, preserve the dune system (which is very important for sand retention) and over all beach experience. Developing this position on staff is going to help provide the long term sustainability of our beaches.” stated Ayoko Ruckdeschel, the Beach Manager.
The work week for this position is a ten hour day, Friday through Monday. This is the most active time on the beaches, so this is when she will have her feet in the sand to help inform and monitor for code infringement.