After eight years, this is my last week as a Pasco County Commissioner. It is time for reflection and to share my appreciation of my time in office.

First, I want to say thank you to the citizens of Pasco County for electing me twice. The trust from our citizens was something I always remembered before every meeting and vote.

Early on, we took the steps to make sure Pasco County was somewhere public safety professionals wanted to spend their career, not just be trained, and move on. We worked closely with the Sheriff’s Office and Pasco Fire Rescue to increase their budgets so they had the resources and personal needed to keep the citizens of Pasco County safe and secure. The first ordinance I worked on was increasing the distance sexual predators must live from schools, playgrounds and churches. I’m grateful to have worked on several other public safety issues with Sheriff Chris Nocco over the last eight years.

I’m proud to have earned the support of my fellow Commissioners to have been Chairman of the BOCC twice, in 2017 and 2020 and Vice Chairman in 2016 and 2019.

We’ve worked hard to improve our infrastructure over the last eight years. Most of the major roads in Pasco County are state roads, we have an incredible partner at the state level in FDOT District 7 Secretary David Gwynn and his team. We accomplished the connection of State Road 56 from Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills, a major undertaking with many people involved. State Roads 52 and 54 are under construction and making great progress. Not long after I leave office, a new interchange on I-75 at Overpass Road will open. This was paid for by Pasco County with an appropriation to help from the Florida Legislature. Our partners in the Florida Legislature have been wonderful at understanding the needs in Pasco and providing support, whether for roads, stormwater, and many other projects.

The Ridge Road Extension is now partially open with more to come. If you live or travel through west and central Pasco, the parts already open have improved your travel. If a major hurricane were to come up the Gulf, the Ridge Road Extension will make a major difference for not just west Pasco, but for Pinellas residents as well.

I’ve also spent last eight years focusing on economic development issues to help bring more high-quality jobs to Pasco County. We wanted to make sure Pasco was not just a bedroom community for our neighbors. We have made great progress towards this goal even with more to do! We sold a former County sprayfield that is now being developed into an industrial complex. Many other projects are happening around the county, from Class A office buildings, to a strong medical manufacturing community, it is great news for Pasco.

I’ve been able to work closely with the Pasco EDC and Office of Economic Growth on these economic development efforts. A recent major policy win was a change made at the October 25^th Commission meeting to remove entitlement caps on industrial and targeted businesses in Central Pasco Employment Village area. This will make it MUCH easier for anyone that wants to bring more good jobs to Pasco to do so!

I cannot wait to see the development of the Moffitt Cancer Center research campus in Pasco County. This will be transformation for our community with the jobs it will bring. One day, we may be able to say that the research to cure and prevent cancer happened in Pasco County!

Tourism is also an important part of economic development. I’m proud to have served for last 5 years as Chairman of the Pasco County Tourist Development Council. In Fiscal Year 2014, Pasco County collected $800,000 in TDT revenue, paid by visitors staying in overnight accommodations. In Fiscal Year 2021, we collected $3.6 million.

Our rebranding to Florida’s Sports Coast was not because we like sports or sports are fun. It was a business strategy to bring people and their families here to stay in Pasco hotels, spend money in Pasco stores, and eat in Pasco restaurants. We have seen venues like AdventHealth Center Ice, Pasco County-owned Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center open in last few years along with the return of scalloping season on our west coast. Adam Thomas and his team at Experience Florida’s Sports Coast office do an amazing job. I look forward to watching their continued success!

When you become an elected official in Florida, you expect a hurricane or other disasters to be part of the response. What you don’t expect is a pandemic. I was Chairman of Pasco County Commission when COVID first arrived in 2020. I convened the first regional meeting of BOCC Chairs and major city mayors to discuss the possibilities of what could happen. I was proud to work with the Pasco Emergency Management team. Along with their normal responsibilities, in last 6 months they have gone to Kentucky to help with flooding and southwest Florida to help with Hurricane Ian recovery. The Pasco Emergency Management team has some of the best professionals in the state and country.

One of my proudest accomplishments as a County Commissioner came in 2019 when I led the charge for a public-private partnership for universal inclusive playground, designed for people with disabilities at Wesley Chapel District Park. This was a specially designed playground we needed our community’s help with fundraising, and they came through big time. $125,000 was donated by Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and the Lennar Foundation that allowed the County to build this.

While Pasco County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the state and the nation, I’m proud to say 24% of land mass in Pasco County is in conservation easements and will never be developed. This is higher percentage than many of our neighboring counties. I’m proud to have supported the ecological corridor ordinance that made sure we connected sensitive lands for our wildlife.

There are many other successes, big and small, over last eight years: ordinances to protect our animals to parks to libraries, supporting our local businesses and much more. There are challenges still, as there will always be, but I am fulfilled from my time in office. I’m grateful to my family for allowing me to serve for these eight years. My successor in District 2, Seth Weightman, will be sworn-in on November 22^nd. I wish him and fellow incoming Commissioner Gary Bradford all the best!

I am so appreciative of my fellow Commissioners, County team members, Constitutional officers, and citizens for your support and input over the last eight years.

Thank you, Pasco County!

About: Commissioner Mike Moore represented District 2 on the Pasco County Commission from 2014 to 2022. He lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife and three children.