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Regional MPO merger discussed; Pasco director invites Zephr Hills to Nov. 17 principals workshop
Summary
Pasco MPO executive director Tina Gorum Gorman briefed Zephr Hills council on a consultant-led study exploring a three‑MPO merger, saying a larger regional MPO could improve federal grant competitiveness and urging city participation in a Nov. 17 principals workshop to shape governance and representation.
Tina Gorum Gorman, identified as the Pasco NPO executive director, presented a consultant-led examination of a potential merger of three metropolitan planning organizations and invited the council to a principals workshop on Nov. 17. She said the White House Group is compiling data and governance options and that the process aims to make the region “stronger, faster, and efficient.”
Gorman told the council the study grew from a December 2024 exploratory report and that federal discretionary grants — including large transportation projects such as interchanges and port access — were a key rationale for considering consolidation. She said apportionment would follow the decennial census, and that the proposed regional board could grow to about 25 members, with cities potentially receiving a rotating seat and a separate cities layer to preserve municipal input.
Council members asked about the risk that Pasco’s smaller cities would be marginalized. Gorman said there are several governance models and cited Metro Plan’s approach, which keeps a cities layer and subcommittees to preserve local voices. “We just want to hear from the staff, the board, our host agencies, elected officials on how we can move this merger forward,” she said, inviting councilors to a peer visit on Oct. 27 and the Nov. 17 workshop.
The presentation emphasized process issues — data gathering, board apportionment and committee structures — rather than final decisions. Gorman said the consultant will report feasible governance options and that the region’s cities will have opportunities to comment before any formal action.
The council voiced interest and asked staff to consider representation alternatives such as rotating seats and alternate members to ensure city voices when board representatives cannot attend. The council did not take any formal action on the merger at the meeting; staff and the director encouraged participation in the November principals workshop as the next step.
