Hillsborough Co Neighborhoods Expo - Stephanie Agliano

Hillsborough County holds its annual Neighborhoods Expo Saturday morning (March 1st). It gives county residents the chance to meet with county departments and services. We speak with county neighborhood liaison Stephanie Agliano. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gordon Bird here with Beyond the News. Hillsborough County is
holding its Neighborhood Expo. It'll be an in person event
for the first time in several years. This is happening Saturday,
March the first, from nine am to noon at Feeding
Tampa Bay on Causeway Boulevard. It's a chance to connect
with county government and learn about county services. Stephanie Augliano
is Neighborhood Liaison for Hillsborough County and joins us on

(00:22):
Beyond the News.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Stephanie Aguliano, welcome, Thank you, Gordon, Thank you for giving
us the opportunity to come in and talk about the
Neighborhood Expo.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
Well, one of the purposes of the event, you say,
is connecting with people with their county government, and that
includes county leadership. Could you tell us who's expected to
be there and what kinds of questions they'll be able
to address from people.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Absolutely, we've got a host of about I would say
thirty different departments and other county agencies. You have your
constitutional offices, including the Clerk's office, the property appraiser, tax collector,
and departments that usually our residents will engage in. So
everything from library services to fire rescue, fire emergency management.

(01:08):
We also will have public works there. We will also
have homeless services. They do a lot out in the community.
We will have the Planning Commission. They are very instrumental
and doing a lot of community planning around. So we're
trying to get everybody together so people recognize here's an

(01:29):
opportunity for everyone to come and visit. Visit with each
one of them. They know how to make an event
like this a lot of fun. Get to know if
they can't answer or help you right there on the spot,
you know what you're ahead of it because you'll be
able to connect and then you'll know what your next
step is.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
In recent years, because of the pandemic and other factors,
you've been doing this get together remotely and what are
some of the advantages now that you're able to get
people together in person and face to face one on one.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Well, for me, there's nothing like face to face in person.
I know we've come a long way with technologies. People
are very used to hopping on conferences and learning that
way virtually, but there are some challenges. You know, you
don't see the person who's actually asking you a question.
There's not that connection. And also, you know, after every

(02:24):
one of our events and stuff, we do survey the
people we do survey, we want to hear from them,
and this has been something that we keep hearing. The
thing come back in person. We want you back in person.
So we're excited about it. We hope they are, and
we're looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Now. You mentioned several agencies just a moment ago, and
I understand they're goals. There also going to be putting
on exhibits and demonstrations to give people a chance to
see what they do, tell us about that.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
We've got some outside interesting We've got the fire department coming.
I think they're bringing the fire truck, so that's always
exciting for children. We've got Milo the library mobile unit
that will be there just to make sure people see

(03:13):
and understand that, hey, you know what we go around,
We do a lot with books and what to look
for when they see it. And then of course they'll
also be there in person to talk about the many
services that library Services provides. You'll also have an opportunity
or water resources. I think it's like a mobile unit

(03:34):
that provides a water and they are very visible at
different events. A lot of people ask them to come
out and talk about water and demonstrate and then you know,
provide water for an event that type of thing. And
then inside, of course we'll have pet resources. We're hoping
to have some animals that day and helpfully help them

(03:58):
with some adult options. But they do some wonderful work.
We've got, like I said, economic development, some programs that
we think people might be nice to hear. Our entrepreneur
Collaborative Center the ECC is wonderful. You know, we have
services like this anybody who's interested, and everybody's got an

(04:21):
entrepreneurial spirit. So what an opportunity to go and find
out how do I start? If I want to cook
from home and start selling something, how does that all
take place? A lot of people don't realize that the
service is here and is provided by the county to
help you put a plan together, work with people to
understand how to run that type of business.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
And that's one service that as you mentioned man, he
might not be aware of. And there will be the
opportunities to find out about others at this neighborhood event.
This is the Neighborhood's Expo again, happening Saturday, March the first,
and what's the location on that. It's from nine afternoon.
What's the location on that.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
We are going to be hosting this at feeding Tampa
Bay's new facility. It's a great opportunity to be to
have internal vendors as well as some of the bigger
items that can't fit inside to give them an opportunity
to be outside. And that location is a thirty six
twenty four Causeway Boulevard and.

Speaker 1 (05:21):
That's of course thirty six to twenty four Causeway Boulevard
in Tampa. And that's quite a facility that they've constructed there,
that's got a lot of space and a lot of
square footage.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, they've done an incredible job. Of course, they will
also be with us. It's an opportunity to learn about
their services and programs and the good work, the great
work they do for this community.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
Stephanie Auguliano, Neighborhood Liaison for Hillsboro County, talking about the
neighborhood's expo happening Saturday March. First, thank you for joining
us on Beyond the News