Pasco commissioners authorize negotiations with New Port Richey over service boundary, aquatic-center funding and CRA issues

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners on April 21 approved an initiating resolution (R-31) directing staff to enter negotiations with the city of New Port Richey over an interlocal service boundary agreement.

County staff reported the city has asserted that its recreation and aquatic center provide substantial benefits to unincorporated residents in adjacent service areas and sought county participation in support. Staff recommended the county respond by asserting its own parks and recreational service contributions, seek negotiations on fiscal responsibility for surrounding natural-resource parks, and raise the city’s participation in the parks MSTU as a negotiation topic.

Commissioners discussed membership origins for the aquatic center (a 2012 consultant report cited an estimated 80% of members from the city), past county investments (the county reinvested $6–7 million into Pine Hill Park after taking it over), and CRA funding issues. Chairman Mariano and others supported broadening negotiations to include CRA boundaries; the resolution was amended to include CRA boundaries and passed by voice vote. Staff were authorized to proceed with formal negotiations under the state-law process for interlocal agreements.