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Residents Can Plan Pasco's Future

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By GEOFF FOX | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 30, 2009

DADE CITY - With a $28.8 million drop in revenue expected in the next fiscal year, Pasco County officials are asking the public to weigh in on the county's future during a series of two-hour meetings beginning today.

The meetings will address ways to make local government more efficient, while touching on future planning, economic development and other issues.

"Some of these decisions are being heightened by the [property tax] shortfall," said Mike Nurrenbrock, director of the county's office of management and budget. "Some of the questions are: If we need to reduce services, which ones? And what affect will that have?

"The budgeting thing was not the initial thrust, it's just that all of these things are coming together at the same time. [The meetings] are more about a vision of what the county will be now and in the future. And where do we want it to be?"

Today's meeting, meant for east Pasco residents and businesses, will be 7 to 9 p.m. at Pasco-Hernando Community College, 36727 Blanton Road, Dade City.

A meeting focusing on growth management and economic development is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at PHCC's Performing Arts Center, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey.

"We work for the public, so we need input from our customers and stakeholders. That's the whole point," said MicheleBaker, chief assistant county administrator . "We're embarking on a strategic [plan] to decide how we want to grow and evolve over several years.

"That will involve business plans and prioritization of resources. It's critical that we know what our clients want and what they're willing to pay for what types of services and what types of growth."

A meeting for west Pasco residents and businesses will be 7 to 9 p.m. April 14 at PHCC's Performing Arts Center in New Port Richey.

Central Pasco residents and business owners are invited to an April 15 meeting at Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O' Lakes; that meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

A session for county commissioners, city council members, county school board members and other elected officials will begin at 7 p.m. May 4 at PHCC's Performing Arts Center in New Port Richey.

Each meeting is open to the public, but RSVPs are requested. To RSVP, call (727) 847-8115.

The RSVPs are important, Baker said, because hand-held electronic voting devices will be used to record input, and officials need to know how many devices are needed at each meeting.

Results of the outreach effort will be posted on the county's Web site, www.pascocountyfl.net, under the "Leap Into Excellence" link.

"We doing all this in conjunction with the International City/County Management Association, and as part of that we're also doing a survey being mailed to residents," Nurrenbrock said.

"It's a nationwide survey used around the U.S. and most of the questions are the same [no matter where you live], but we get to customize three or four questions" for Pasco.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 779-4613.

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