NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Pasco County commissioners are considering changes to their meeting schedule to give more residents a chance to participate in local government.
Twice a month, residents line up at Pasco County Commission meetings to speak directly to commissioners about issues affecting their communities.
Stephanie Vazquez has been among them.
“Having the public come and give their opinions and concerns and raise their voices is actually what the job is and I think it’s great. I think we should have more of that,” Vazquez said.
But attending a meeting can be difficult for people who work during the day. Commission meetings typically begin at 10 a.m., with public hearings generally starting at 1:30 p.m.
Vazquez, who is running for a seat on the commission, said she hears from residents who cannot attend during those hours.
“They feel ignored. They feel their voice doesn’t matter and they are tired of it,” Vazquez said.
Commissioner Seth Weightman said he has heard similar concerns.
“We hear folks all the time, hey, I wish I could come to the meeting, but you start at 10 o’clock in the morning,” Weightman said.
Weightman asked county staff to look at options that could make meetings more accessible.
“Our job, I like to think, is to be as accessible as possible and allow folks the due process to be able to speak to an item that impacts them,” Weightman said.
Pasco County already alternates its commission meetings between New Port Richey and Dade City, giving residents on both sides of the county a chance to attend meetings closer to home.
Now commissioners are considering additional changes.
One option would be moving some meetings into the evening, similar to what is done in Pinellas and Citrus counties.
Another possibility is adding a third commission meeting each month, similar to Hillsborough and Hernando counties. That meeting could focus on public hearings, particularly land-use issues that often attract significant public attention.
Vazquez said she believes residents should have a say in what changes are made.
“I would ask the people what would work best for them. I don’t know if adding a third meeting is going to be helpful. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I know that the people say holding them in the evening after work hours is helpful,” Vazquez said.
Supporters of evening meetings believe the change could lead to more public participation.
“That would be ideal is to have people participate. I think the crowd would be larger. More issues that would be discussed, and accessibility for the people,” resident Jospeh Rego said.
There are potential drawbacks.
Evening meetings could result in additional overtime costs for county employees. Commissioners also noted that when the county held night meetings in the past, some stretched past midnight.
Commissioners hope to finalize any changes to the meeting schedule by the end of the year.
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For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors from New Port Richey to Dade City solve problems and celebrating those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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