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Forward Pinellas staff update board on regional MPO merger planning and consultant selection
Summary
Staff briefed the board on early regional MPO merger work, consultant procurement led by Hillsborough TPO and sustained business-community support for regional coordination.
Forward Pinellas executive director Whit Blanton briefed the board May 14 on early steps in regional MPO merger discussions and next steps for consultant support.
Blanton said local staff directors recommended selection of a legal and management consultant to advise on the next phase of regional MPO merger activities; Hillsborough TPO completed the procurement and is expected to approve the consultant at its June 11 meeting. The consultant, if approved, would begin work this summer to facilitate staff- and stakeholder-level conversations, present alternative governance models, and evaluate potential structures.
Blanton said the business community has been the most consistent voice advocating for stronger regional coordination, citing a letter from the Tampa Bay Partnership and chambers of commerce included in the meeting packet. He described the effort as early-stage and emphasized stakeholder engagement: "We're at the very beginning still of this, and we're gonna have a lot more conversations." Board members discussed board-size tradeoffs and representation; some participants noted that a 25-member board could be unwieldy compared with current membership.
Blanton also described related upcoming meetings: a Transportation Management Area leadership meeting and the Suncoast Transportation Planning Alliance meeting on May 23, and a planned consultant-led series of staff-level conversations if the consultant is approved.
