St. Petersburg, Florida - The City of St. Petersburg has passed a resolution changing its purchasing practices on electronics to favor products that are free of conflict minerals that are fueling the world's deadliest war in the Congo.

City Councilman Steve Kornell introduced the resolution that calls for the city to "favor verifiably conflict-free products" in its purchasing decisions.

The action is part of a growing movement by governments and institutions to steer away from products that use conflict minerals, including tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold, from mines in eastern Congo that are controlled by armed groups that perpetrate mass atrocities. Such minerals are commonly found in computers, cell phones, and other electronics.

St. Petersburg, FL --  Parking in Downtown St. Petersburg will now cost you more. The increase is part of the Fiscal Year 2012 budget.

City crews are changing meter stickers and programming for a $0.25 per hour rate increase to the on-street meters in downtown St. Petersburg.  The process is expected to be completed by Oct. 7.

This increase to $1 per hour is expected to result in increased revenues of $313,000 for the fiscal year.  That increased meter revenue will be used to maintain downtown's parking program and infrastructure as well as assist in balancing the general fund budget after property tax reductions.

The Board of County Commissioners will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 9:30 a.m. for a work session.

Those wishing to speak on an item of discussion may do so during the Citizens’ Comments portion of the work session.

The commissioners meet in the fifth-floor assembly room of the Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court St., Clearwater. View the meeting at www.pinellascounty.org/tv or on PCC-TV on Bright House Channel 622, Knology Channel 18 or Verizon Channel 44.