MPO staff updated the board on Oct. 9 about work on possible regional MPO governance changes, peer exchanges and upcoming workshops for elected officials.

"We do have a consultant with Whitehouse Group that is helping us, work through some of these merger options of the governance board, staff, and some of the legalities that we have to walk through," Tania Gorman, Pasco MPO staff, told the board. She said the MPO has held peer exchanges with merged MPOs in Connecticut, Virginia and Texas and plans to host peer representatives in Florida for follow‑up workshops.

Gorman invited elected officials to a principals workshop scheduled for Nov. 14 to discuss governance structure, voting models, transitions, timelines and frameworks for public engagement and interlocal coordination. She also noted an elected‑official visit to the MetroPlan Orlando area on Oct. 27. The staff update emphasized that the Orlando trip is arranged separately and that the principals workshop is focused on the governance board perspective.

Why it matters: MPO mergers and governance changes affect voting representation, staffing and regional coordination. The peer exchanges aim to inform Pasco elected officials about practical experiences and governance models adopted elsewhere.

No board vote was taken; the meeting served to inform elected officials and to invite participation in the planned workshops.