myregion.org Communication Committee members from Lake and Osceola counties met in their counties Thursday to share community news, perceptions and issues as part of the myregion.org exploration. The Communications Committee, composed of key communicators from throughout the region, is charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive communications plan for myregion.org.

Over coffee, project team members were treated to Lake County’s vista of citrus tree-covered hills while Patti Michel, Public Information Officer for the Lake County Commission and Ann Dupee, Clermont City Councilwoman discussed current and future growth issues and trends occurring west of Orange County.

Former newspaper owner turned elected official, Dupee stressed the importance of developing a regional vision and perspective to manage the virtual explosion of residential and business growth throughout the county. Dupee noted the increase in sports-health related and medical facilities, golf courses and schools that is impacting the area. She stressed the importance of accepting and planning for growth with a significant concentration on preserving the quality of life for which Lake County is renowned. “Regionalizing can’t be accomplished without establishing communication locally,” she said.

Patti Michel discussed the fact that the county is addressing transportation issues as well as environmental concerns, particularly in water conservation, as they are planning to “grow smart.”

In another part of the region, committee members from Kissimmee and St. Cloud met over coffee and shared some of their area’s significant successes in handling the rapid growth that began affecting Osceola County during the Walt Disney World development days. Clare Sheaffer, formerly a high school teacher and who also served on the St. Cloud City Council for almost a decade, praised the progressive behavior of the different government entities in Osceola. In recent years, the county commission, Osceola County School Board along with Kissimmee and St. Cloud’s city councils have held regular joint meetings several times a year to keep informed of each others’ activities and plans.

Shaeffer attributed the joint participation of government and business leaders to the community’s sophisticated philosophy of preparing for significant changes due to increases in populations and changes in commerce.

As in Lake County, transportation is a key concern in Osceola County, along with utilities management and development, according to Shaeffer, who added that the community has worked hard and successfully erased the image of being a less than “savvy” community. Committee member Emily Clemente, who frequently travels throughout the seven-county area regularly, echoed Sheaffer’s comments about transportation issues.

Also participating in the discussion was Wayne Larson, who has worked for the City of Kissimmee for ten years. Committee members reached consensus that a commitment to sharing knowledge and communication will determine what levels each county in the region will be able to incorporate and implement a regional vision.