When does a Surfside resident actually need a beach chair at the Community Center? Last November, the Town Commission's answer was the morning. That is when the chairs go out all at once, and by then the service sometimes filled up and started a waiting list. This October, the town's fix arrived: 30 more chairs. The fall lifeguard schedule is moving the whole service day earlier at the same time.
What Changed on October 1
On September 3, 2026, the Commission voted 5-0 to extend its contract with Beach Time Max, LLC through September 30, 2027. Beach Time Max has run the residents-only beach furniture service at the Community Center at 9301 Collins Avenue since January 2023. This is the third extension.
Most of the contract is the same as before. The new part is a short list of add-ons:
- Lounge chairs go from 50 to 80, at $400 a month.
- More weekend staff, four hours a day at $23 an hour, which comes to $800 a month.
- Hospitality services, which the resolution lists without spelling out.
- Water service. The town provides the water, and the contractor pays to supply it.
- Hours that match the lifeguard stand. The chair service now opens and closes with the tower.
The add-ons cost $1,200 a month, or $14,400 for the year. The base service is $154,992.40, which includes the contract's 3% annual increase, so the total for FY2027 is $169,392.40. That means 30 more chairs, weekend help and water add about 9.3% to the cost of the base service. In the October Gazette, the town summed it up as more chairs, longer hours and cold water for residents.
The Problem the Extra Chairs Were Bought to Solve
The clearest account of how the service actually works comes from the Commission's November 12, 2025 meeting, when it voted on the previous extension. According to the minutes, then-Vice Mayor Paul said chairs turn over during the day because some people come in the morning and others come later. She also said the chairs sometimes fill up and a waiting list starts. Then-Mayor Burkett described the work in three parts: a rush in the morning when the chairs go out, steady monitoring through the day, and another busy stretch in the afternoon. Commissioner Vildostegui called it a very popular service.
So the bottleneck was a full row of chairs at certain times of day, not the length of the service day. That is the problem 80 chairs are meant to solve. The town has not given its own reason for the exact number. Still, the add-ons line up with the complaints: more chairs for the times they run out, and more weekend staff for the days most likely to bring a waiting list.
The Fall Day Starts Earlier Each Month
Tying the chair service to the lifeguard tower matters more in the fall than any other time of year. The tower's hours change every month, and between now and New Year's they keep moving earlier. The town's published aquatic schedule shows it:
| Month | Beach tower and chair service | Main pool, recreational | Tot Lot pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. |
| October | 10:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. | 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. |
| November | 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| December | 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
The service day stays at about eight hours, but it moves. In October the chairs come out at 10:30 a.m. In December the tower opens at 9:00 a.m., 90 minutes earlier. The afternoon gets cut back. Closing time drops from 7:00 p.m. in August to 5:30 p.m. by December, and from January through April the tower closes at 5:00 p.m.
Put that next to last year's minutes. The morning was the crunch, and every month this fall the chair day leans further into the morning. On a December weekend, the 80 chairs fill up during a window that starts at 9:00 a.m. and leaves less of the afternoon for the second wave of arrivals Vice Mayor Paul described.
How a Chair Day Works
The basic rules come from the Town Manager's August 11, 2026 report:
- Check in at the Community Center front desk. The service is only for Surfside residents.
- Each household gets two chairs and one umbrella per day.
- The service follows the tower. This month that means 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The contract signed under the prior extension says attendants check proof of residency. A Florida driver's license with a Surfside address works, and so does a Community Center ID. That contract also says the furniture cannot block pedestrian or emergency access or disturb native plants, sea turtle nesting areas or wildlife. We could not find any published fee for residents. The town's current materials also do not say whether chairs can be reserved ahead or go first-come, first-served at the desk.
Two hours a day can catch people out. The service shuts down when the tower does, so an afternoon plan that worked in August, with the tower open until 7:00 p.m., ends an hour earlier this month. Mornings are a little more forgiving. The tower opens at 10:30 a.m. in October, but the main pool opens for recreational swimming at 9:00 a.m. and lap swimming starts at 7:00 a.m. Lap lanes require registration during all operating hours.
What Else Is Happening at the Community Center Right Now
The pool next to the beach is also in the middle of work. The August 11 Town Manager report scheduled tile replacement to begin in September. The pool keeps its S-shaped design, and the work is being done in sections so the pool can stay open. We found no town update confirming the work has started, so a closed section of deck this month would fit the plan but is not confirmed. The September Gazette reported separately that the pool had equipment problems and that pumps and motors were being replaced.
Behind the chairs, the dune and beach walking path is open. The October Gazette describes it as underway and open, and the town invites residents to walk it.
Where the Day Goes After the Tower Closes
As the beach day shortens in the afternoon, the town's fall calendar fills the evenings, mostly at 96th Street Park at 9580 Bay Drive. The park is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Commission ratified $32,240.65 in September to resod its athletic field.
- Weekends, starting today, October 3: The 96th Street Farmers Market is back at the beach entrance, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., running through May 29, 2027.
- October 10, 7:30 p.m.: "The Nightmare Before Christmas" screens at 96th Street Park, with free popcorn and refreshments for residents and hotel guests.
- October 11, 5:00 p.m.: The "Azucar!" Hispanic Heritage Month Concert brings salsa and cafecito to the beach. It starts while the tower is still open.
- October 23, 6:00–9:00 p.m.: The Spooky Spooktacular takes over 96th Street Park, and the maze opens at 7:00 p.m.
- November 7, 7:00 p.m.: "Space Jam" plays at the same park.
The concert is the one event on the list that overlaps with the chair service. Every other evening event starts after the beach tower has closed for the day.
At Allen Davoudpour, we track how Surfside's resident amenities change from season to season, including the contracts and schedules behind them. If you own a home here or are thinking about one and want to know how amenities like the Community Center beach service factor into your plans, please schedule a consultation with our team.
