Odessa and Keystone-area residents will get a chance to question candidates for the Hillsborough County Commission and School Board at a political forum Thursday, July 23, at American Legion Post 147 on Gunn Highway. The event comes less than a month before Florida's Tuesday, Aug. 18, primary election.
The Keystone Civic Association is organizing the forum at 17383 Gunn Highway. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a meet-and-greet, with the formal forum beginning at 7 p.m. Barbara Alderhold will moderate.
The KCA reported at its Wednesday, June 25, general meeting that candidates had begun confirming attendance but did not name them publicly. The association mailed flyers to every resident and business in the Keystone community and advises attendees to prepare questions in advance.
Residents with questions about the forum can contact the KCA at [email protected].
Water restrictions extended through October
Separately, the KCA's July newsletter warns that the region remains under an "extreme" water shortage, according to the association. The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended its water restriction order through at least Thursday, Oct. 1, the newsletter states.
The restriction limits outdoor watering to one day a week and applies to all residents and businesses, including those on private wells. Hillsborough County residents can look up their assigned watering day at hcfl.gov/residents/property-owners-and-renters/water-and-sewer/find-my-watering-days-and-times.
The area is carrying a rainfall deficit of about 13.7 inches compared to the 12-month average, according to the newsletter published Friday, July 18. At a technical advisory meeting in March, a SWFWMD representative said 50% of the region's drinking water goes to lawn irrigation.
Whether the district has formally escalated beyond its earlier Phase 2 restrictions could not be confirmed; SWFWMD's water shortage orders page was down at publication.
What's next
The KCA has no general meeting in July but returns to its regular schedule in August. The next opportunity for residents to engage candidates in person is the Thursday, July 23, forum at American Legion Post 147.
