ZEDC Mission
The Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition seeks to stimulate economic growth, promote business diversity and cultivate and enrich the vitality of the greater Zephyrhills community.
ZEDC Vision
The ZEDC provides leadership and excellence in delivering economic development services for our clients, prospects, investors and partners.
The 6 objectives of our economic services are:
- Market and promote the greater Zephyrhills community by conducting and providing market research and business analysis.
- Facilitate the retention and expansion of existing business and industry.
- Create opportunities for advancement and education of the workforce.
- Create a healthy environment for the growth and expansion of existing business and new development.
- Advocate for policies that attract and retain a diverse workforce.
- Secure and enhance private/public leadership and investment.
Steering Committee
The ZEDC Steering Committee is a working group of economic development practitioners that includes, at a minimum: City of Zephyrhills: City Manager, City Planner, Public Information Officer; Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce: President, Econ Devt/Govt Affairs Chair; Pasco Economic Development Council; and Main Street Zephyrhills, Inc. The purpose of the Steering Committee is to provide coordinated implementation of local economic development plans and initiatives, to provide additional economic development expertise and administrative support with respect to the Stakeholders Advisory Council and the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, and to provide propulsion and continuity between meetings of the volunteer committees.
Structure: The Steering Committee will be chaired by a prominent volunteer member of the business community who commands the respect of the four participating organizations. Formally speaking, he or she will be appointed or reappointed annually by the Chairman of the Board of the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce.
Meetings: The Steering Committee will meet in a private setting and operate largely by consensus. A key purpose of the committee is to harness the energy of the member organizations toward a common set of goals and to build a more robust economic local economic development program.
Frequency: The Committee meet every other month on the second Wednesday from 8:30-10:00pm.
Agenda: The Committee agenda will typically consist of the sharing of information on the initiatives and plans of the participating organizations, discussion of progress on joint initiatives and activities, consensus-building on new community issues and priorities to present to the Stakeholders Advisory Council, and coordination of work regarding economic development prospects and projects. Stakeholders are invited (but not required) to attend meetings of the Steering Committee.
Stakeholder Advisory Council
THE STAKEHOLDERS ADVISORY COUNCIL is a voluntary committee comprised of business and community leaders in the Zephyrhills area who share a common goal to create a sustainable and vibrant local business and economic climate. The members of the Stakeholder’s Advisory Council serve at the invitation of the ZEDC and are given periodic opportunities to remain on or remove themselves from the Stakeholder’s Council, but otherwise do not have fixed terms of service. The Council will bring together resources, expertise, and wisdom to fulfill the community’s need for the following:
- Advisors: Provide sound business counsel with respect to local economic plans, activities, initiatives, and strategies.
- Stewards: Help conserve precious community assets and utilize them in the most efficacious way
- Experts: Utilize personal credibility to advance Council plans by validating, endorsing, and establishing their soundness
- Resources: Provide resources or wherewithal to acquire them from others
- Champions: Demonstrate leadership in the pursuit of community goals and continuously raise the bar with respect to its future and its capabilities.
Structure: Legally speaking, the Advisory Council acts in an advisory capacity to the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition and Steering Committee. Members of the Advisory board are not appointed by elected officials and the Advisory does not report directly to any governing body or agency or have fiduciary responsibility over ZEDC funding. The ZEDC Advisory Council may hear from government and economic development practitioners on issues relevant to the area and provide input and feedback on such issues or initiatives.
Formal recommendations will be made to the requesting agency’s primary administrator, and not to the elected official or board unless the ZEDC is acting of its own accord or initiative and deems it imperative to directly address elected officials or government / agency representatives.
The ZEDC Advisory Council will elect a Chair and Vice Chair from its members, as well as other leadership positions, as appropriate. The Chair and Vice Chair will serve for a minimum one year term beginning January 1st and ending December 31st of each calendar year. There is no term limit. At the last regularly scheduled meeting of the year, the Advisory Council will discuss and determine by simple majority of members present an individual deemed qualified and willing to serve as Chair and Vice Chair for the next calendar year. The Chair will be responsible for coordinating and leading meetings of the Advisory Council. In the Chair’s absence, the Vice Chair will assume the role of Chair.
Meetings: As a result of its relationship to the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Coalition, the Advisory Council is a private entity and not subject to Florida Sunshine regulations and other constraints that inhibit public sector organizations. From time to time, at its discretion, the Advisory Council may schedule public meetings or presentations and, with proper notice, invite elected officials, members of the press, and citizens to attend.
Frequency: The Advisory Council will meet on the second Wednesday of every other month from 8-9:30am.
Agenda: The Advisory Council’s meeting agenda will focus on high-level issues of relevance to Zephyrhills area business and economic development. The Advisory members will be asked to contribute their respective expertise to bring light to issues or opportunities that may be the subject of Council’s interest. The objective for each meeting will be to formulate strategies and action plans, make formal recommendations, and offer resources or support for those recommended actions.
