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Pasco MPO director outlines multi-county merger study, schedules principals workshop
Summary
Tania Gorman, director of the Pasco MPO, told Port Richey City Council the Pasco–Pinellas–Hillsborough MPO merger is under study, consultants are drafting governance options and a principals workshop is scheduled for Nov. 17 to solicit local input.
Tania Gorman, director of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization, told Port Richey City Council on Oct. 14 that Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties are studying a proposed regional MPO merger and are contracting a consultant to evaluate governance, staffing and operating procedures. Gorman said the study was requested by the Legislature in 2024 and that the consultant work will explore how a merged MPO could set board seats, staff structure and a prioritization process for federal discretionary transportation funds.
Gorman said Pasco is the smallest of the three counties and that a merged MPO would compete for larger discretionary grants but could dilute Pasco’s local board representation unless seats or subcommittees were structured to preserve city influence. She said current discussions have left a proposed 25‑member governing board as an initial concept and that Pasco might receive four seats under some proposals.
Gorman described a schedule of peer workshops and site visits to agencies that have merged or operate multi‑county MPOs, including MetroPlan Orlando on Oct. 27, and said the MPO principal’s workshop for elected officials and stakeholders is set for Nov. 17 to gather input on how any merger would affect city representation and local priorities. She said implementation timelines discussed with the Legislature estimate a possible effective date of July 1, 2027, but added that full operational integration would take additional years.
Councilmembers raised familiar concerns about local representation and the apportionment of discretionary funds; Vice Mayor Chris Mayer and others asked about the number of seats and how cities’ voting power would be preserved. Gorman said options being studied include rotating city seats, subcommittees and weighted votes, and said the MPO is working with peer agencies and the Federal Highway Administration to learn best practices for preserving local voice while seeking larger funding pools.
Gorman asked city leaders to attend the Nov. 17 principals workshop and to submit feedback to the MPO and consultant so the county and participating cities can make an informed recommendation to their elected bodies.
The discussion was informational; council took no formal vote on MPO membership or governance during the meeting.
