By Brad Stager
As the year 2022 kicks off, the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) recently prepared for the upcoming year of governance by assigning members to the various boards, committees, councils and commissions that serve residents and businesses.
Commissioner Kimberly Overman was named chair of the BOCC and Commissioner Mariella Smith is now the vice chair, while Commissioner Stacy White continues as chaplain.
Outgoing BOCC Chair Pat Kemp thanked the other board members and county staff for their support during her tenure, during which the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was a major issue.
“Everyone in this organization, I think, has done incredible work that we need to be very, very proud of,” said Kemp.
The assignments are as follows:
Harry Cohen, District 1 – Hospital Authority, Value Adjustment Board, Transportation Planning Organization, Tampa Bay Water Board of Directors, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Port Authority.
Ken Hagan, District 2 – Expressway Authority, Hospital Authority, Tampa Sports Authority.
Gwen Myers, District 3 – CareerSource Tampa Bay, Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, Florida State Fair Authority, Hillsborough Transit Authority, Juvenile Justice Board, Transportation Planning Organization.
Stacy White, District 4 – Agency on Bay Management, Aviation Authority, Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Policy Board, Transportation Planning Organization (alternate).
Mariella Smith, District 5 – Arts Council Division of Hillsborough County, Environmental Protection Commission (chair), Hillsborough Transit Authority, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (alternate), Tampa Bay Water Board of Directors, Transportation Planning Organization, Florida Aquarium Board of Directors.
Pat Kemp, District 6 – Environmental Protection Commission (vice chair), Hillsborough Transit Authority, Museum of Science and Industry, Southwest Florida Water Management District Liaison, Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, Transportation Planning Organization, Election Canvassing Board.
Kimberly Overman, District 7 – Affordable Housing Advisory Board, Commission on Human Trafficking, Department of Defense GTCOC-MacDill AFB Support Committee, Hillsborough Transit Authority, Public Safety Coordinating Council, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp, Tourist Development Council.
At the conclusion of the organizational meeting, Overman anticipated the challenges ahead and expressed appreciation to the board members for their hard work.
“I think we all have our work cut out for us over the next year, and thank you all very, very much for serving our citizens so well in Hillsborough County.”