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Hernando Today

County Focuses On Standing Committees

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: January 9, 2009

Hernando Today

BROOKSVILLE - Comedian Milton Berle once quipped a committee is "a group that keeps minutes and loses hours."

But the decision this week by county commissioners to form two standing committees to address two major economic concerns facing Hernando County was anything but a joking matter.

It's a way of positioning Hernando County to meet the challenges of the future, they believe.

Plans call for the creation of two standing committees - one that will address the budget, the other economic development.

At Commissioner Dave Russell's urging, the committees will consist of two county commissioners and three citizens. Commissioner Rose Rocco will chair the budget committee and Commissioner John Druzbick will chair the economic development committee.

They will meet monthly to review current conditions and make recommendations that will eventually be brought back before the board. The board will discuss those recommendations and give them to county staffers for modification or implementation.

Russell stressed the only way these groups will work is if they stay narrowly focused and small in membership.

He alluded to the 25-member citizens advisory committee county commissioners formed about three years ago to address the funding of capital infrastructure improvements.

"That was an example of where a committee went wrong," Russell told Hernando Today recently. "It was far too diverse, not as focused as it should be and had too many personalities."

"The key is to keep a narrow focus on the objective and these committees, due to their smaller size, will do that," Russell added.

So will the creation of these standing committees lead to results?

This latest board thinks it will, especially if it keeps on task. And apparently the idea of standing committees is spreading.

Citrus County is in the beginning stages of forming small groups that will meet regularly to discuss items of concern, according to Citrus County Communication Resources Director Jim Hunter.

"They will look at where they want to take the county and come up with recommendations to give to the commission," Hunter said.

Citrus County does not have a vision of where it wants to be in the next 20 years and it is hoped these committees "will build a new plan for the future," Hunter said.

Hunter said the leading proponent of the standing committee idea there was County Commissioner John Thrumston.

Citrus County has seven standing committees composed of varying members depending on the focus.

The committees range from budget and economic concerns to space needs and quality of life.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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