The Citizens Advisory Committee used its Aug. 7 meeting to review outreach, recruitment and upcoming community events.

Secretary Caroline Gonzales delivered several announcements: the City of Port Richey’s CRE residential improvement grant program is not available for the current fiscal year; the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, 2025, and the city is accepting applications for fiscal year 2025–26. Gonzales provided a contact for the CRA resiliency coordinator, Derek Smith, and listed his phone number as read during the meeting.

Gonzales also listed vacancies across municipal boards: one vacancy on the Board of Adjustment; four vacancies on the Citizens Advisory Committee; one vacancy on the 2025 Coastal Resilience and Restoration Committee; two vacancies on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Committee; two vacancies on the Historic Preservation Commission; one alternate vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Board; and three vacancies on the Port Richey Events Committee. The city clerk, Ashley McDonald, was named as the contact for committee applications.

Other deadlines and event planning announced included:
- An open City Council seat: today (Aug. 7) was the last day to turn in the special council appointment affidavit; potential candidates must attend the Aug. 12 council meeting in person or via Zoom. (As stated at the meeting.)
- Business tax receipt renewals for 2026 are due Sept. 30, 2025; businesses must also provide an updated Pasco County business tax receipt to city building services.
- The county-aligned community cleanup is scheduled for March 17, 2026; the committee encouraged volunteer participation.
- The committee discussed “meet your neighbor” events including a proposal to hold a boat tour to the sandbar, line-dancing lessons with Arts North, and other activities intended to boost participation. Members favored scheduling events on different days and months to increase attendance.

Committee members also discussed producing a welcome packet for new residents and planning a Veterans appreciation event in November; members suggested not holding a ceremony on Nov. 11 because of competing events and discussed alternate dates and locations for a commemorative flag or plaque. The committee asked volunteers to help finalize the welcome packet and agreed to seek pamphlets and materials from Pinellas County Solid Waste and other partners.

Members framed these activities as part of a larger effort to increase civic engagement, noting social media reach but limited comment participation and that residents typically become active during contentious city issues.