By Kyle LoJacono
The Pasco commissioners are ready to upgrade the county’s website, phone system and other outlets to keep citizens better informed about their government.
Assistant County Administrator Michele Baker said the commissioners want to use several multimedia methods to reach more citizens. They include social media, teleconferencing, live video streaming and electronic town hall meetings.
“For people to hear and see a commission meeting they either have to take time off from work, come out on a Saturday or go after work,” Baker said. “It’s a hassle just to stay informed and we want to make it easier for our citizens.”
Baker said the commission is planning on creating a Facebook page, sending out mass e-mails and having the first town hall meeting via telephone.
“The plan is to try and have the phone town hall meeting in April to replace the usual budget meeting,” Baker said. “People are always interested in the budget, so the commissioners feel it’s a good time to break out that new option.”
Baker said most budget meetings have about 50 people mostly from special interest groups. The telephone option would allow thousands of people to listen in and will give about 15 the chance to ask questions.
Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand said the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, which she is a part of, had a similar telephone town hall meeting.
“It was very successful,” Hildebrand said. “We took calls for about two hours and got a lot of information out to the public.”
Commissioner Pat Mulieri also backed the telephone town hall option.
“We say we want to reach as many people as we can and this would be a good way to have people easily tune in,” Mulieri said. “We have the meetings at different times and on different days and people still don’t come and see us. This would let them do it from their homes or from wherever.”
Commissioner Jack Mariano said he will push to have the meetings streamed on the Internet as soon as possible.
“I think that would get more people involved than teleconferences,” Mariano said.
Baker said they are unequipped to stream the meetings now, but that could be a goal for next year.
Pasco Chief Information Officer Jim Cerny recently gave the commissioners a list of technology upgrades his department will be focusing on in the next few years. They include:
–New radios for police and fire rescue personnel that will allow them to communicate with local and state agencies.
–Using Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP, to reduce cell phone costs.
–Using more video conferencing to reduce transportation costs. Cerny estimates the county spends $54 in gas and wages each time one employee drives between the two government centers in Dade City and New Port Richey.
For more information on the Pasco County government, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.
