PUBLIC NOTICE                                                                 Applicants for Special Magistrate
Opportunities now exist for attorneys who are licensed in the State of Florida and meet the criteria to serve as a SPECIAL MAGISTRATE to conduct code enforcement hearings for Pinellas County, Florida.
1. Applicant may not be an elected or appointed official, an employee
of Pinellas County, the State of Florida, or any taxing jurisdiction of
the State.
2. Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar
Association.
3. Current membership, in good standing, of the Florida Bar
Association.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of administrative laws, land use laws, and local government regulation and procedures.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners invites qualified attorneys to submit applications and proposals to serve as Special Magistrates. Based upon review and evaluation of the application, a list of Special Magistrates will be established and approved.  The County Administrator shall appoint Special Magistrates to conduct hearings from the pool of candidates selected by the Board on a rotating basis.

Background:
Pursuant to Florida Statute Section 162.03, Pinellas County may adopt an alternate code enforcement system which gives Special Magistrates, as designated by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, the authority to hold hearings and assess fines against violators of the respective Pinellas County Ordinances. Special Magistrates shall conduct hearings regarding testimony and evidence on said code violations, and render orders of enforcement in accordance with Pinellas County Ordinance No. 07-05, adopted January 9, 2007.

Jurisdiction:
A Special Magistrate shall have jurisdiction over alleged violations of the provisions of the Pinellas County Code and Pinellas County Land Development Code.

Qualification:
To be eligible for service as a Special Magistrate, a person must have the minimum qualifications:
• Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar
Association.
• Current membership, in good standing, of the Florida Bar
Association.
• Demonstrated knowledge of administrative laws, land use laws
and local government regulation and procedures.

Term of Appointment:
Special Magistrates shall be appointed by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Special Magistrates shall serve a term of one (1) year from the date of appointment by the County Administrator. Special Magistrates may be reappointed at the discretion of the County Administrator. There shall be no limit on the number of terms a person may serve as a Special Magistrate.  The County Administrator shall have the authority to remove a Special Magistrate, with or without cause, at any time, upon ten (10) days written notice.

Compensation:
The compensation for Special Magistrate services may be authorized as specified in the appointing Board resolution. Candidates for Special Magistrate are to submit an hourly fee proposal at time of application.

Application:
Applications may be obtained by sending an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  Any questions may be sent to the Code Enforcement Division at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Application Deadline:
Original, signed applications must be received no later than March 1, 2017, to be considered. Please mail completed applications to Pinellas County Administrator, 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756

February 3, 10, 2017 17-00791N