CAO-25-5151
Published agendaHeard once, at the Board of County Commissioners on Jun 17, 2025.
Official title
A Resolution By The Board Of County Commissioners Of Pasco County, Florida, Honoring Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer On His 100th Birthday
Every appearance1 of 1 are in a recording
TranscriptWhat was said at each appearance is below it. Machine transcription, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 70% of 94 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
- 113mKathryn StarkeyChair
Okay, we are on to R S one. Commissioner Oakley. Okay,
Kathryn StarkeyChairso we are going to honor Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer. So if he can come to the podium and his family can join him.
Okay, so this is resolution number 25-258, a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, honoring Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer on his hundredth birthday. Whereas Lieutenant Colonel
Okay, so whereas Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer was born on June 6th, 1925, in Haber Hill, Massachusetts, and celebrated his hundredth birthday on June 6th, 2025. And whereas Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer honorably served the United States as a member of the Army for 35 years, enlisting on June 3, 1943, and being stationed at various locations, including Fort McKellen, Camp Shelby, Cambridge,
Massachusetts. Red Bank and Fair Haven, New Jersey, Tucson, Arizona, South Korea, Shofield Barracks in Hawaii, and Reston, Virginia. And whereas he married Alma Sawyer on June 10th, 1951. June's a good month for you. Anyways. And together they raised their daughter uh Kendi Sawyer and now have two grandchildren and three great grandchildren. And whereas
after retiring from the military in nineteen seventy-nine, Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer continued his dedication to education by teaching calculus at the Florida Institute of Technology for four years. and as well as contributing to the community by founding the West of U Galley Association O Galley, and whereas Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer further demonstrated his commitment to service by volunteering at the fire department,
logging fifteen hours per week and assisting at the Sharing Center in Melbourne, Florida. Yeah. and whereas Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer served as the commander of VFW Post 3991 for over ten years, helping provide food pantry bags to those in need. and whereas Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Sawyer became an active and valued member of the Dade City Senior Center on september eleventh, twenty nineteen, enjoying
meaningful activities and the companionship of a supportive community. And whereas the pa the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County recognize this momentous achievement of one of Pasco County's citizens and wishes for Kenneth's continued good health and happiness in the years to come. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby honors Lieutenant Colonel Kennet
Sawyer on his hundredth birthday and commends his lifelong dedication to his country, community, and family, and expresses profound gratitude for his service and contribution. Done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present in voting this 17th day of June 2025.
Kathryn StarkeyChairSecond. All in favor? Aye. Wow.
Ron OakleyLieutenant Colonel
Kathryn StarkeyChairSawyer?
Ron OakleyWe're uh happy you're here with us today and uh if we could we could sing happy birthday I guess to him.
invocation speakerLet's go.
Lisa YeagerLet's go set the birthday.
Ron OakleyHappy birthday
invocation speakerto you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Kenny.
Jack MarianoVice ChairHappy birthday to you.
Unidentified speakerVoice AOkay.
Right.
Ron OakleyColonel Sawyer, uh I'm glad you're here today because uh that makes me not the oldest man in the room.
You happen to be uh
Unidentified speakerVoice Bhere because he's not the oldest man in the room.
Ron OakleySo you're actually twenty years and two months older than me. I'll in July I'll turn eighty, so But yes, I I need to start doing and taking the things you have over a lifetime that allowed you to reach a hundred years old. So We're very grateful that you're here today.
Unidentified speakerVoice BHe said he's very grateful that you're here today and he wants to take on some of the things you've done to get to one hundred as well.
Ron OakleyUh
You want to speak?
Kathryn StarkeyChairYep, Commissioner Weightman. Thank
you.
Ron OakleyWell, sir. It's it's an honor to to share birthday month with you. And uh June is a great month. Um I was an eighty six kid, so you've got me beat by a few more a few more decades, but a hundred year milestone to you and and your family. Um just amazing the things that you've you've seen and experienced in your life and watching this country evolve to where we are today. Um just can only imagine the story. and the memories that you have. So we're
very glad that that you're here with us in the board meeting today. I hope you have a great birthday month and a wonderful summer.
Kathryn StarkeyChairCommissioner Yeager.
Lisa YeagerHi. Well, first of all I wanna let him know that milk was twenty seven cents a gallon when he was born. Um, but to the family. Um I had a gr a great grandfather that lived to be a hundred and four and I know what a cherished gift that is. And I will never forget just asking my grandpa about things when he was younger. And you know, just you never get that knowledge and and those stories back. So So cherish every moment and happy birthday, and
thank you for your service to our country, and God bless you. Commissioner Mariano.
Kathryn StarkeyChairIs he hearing this? Or do you need to you go ahead tell them?
Unidentified speakerVoice BShe she said that her grandfather great grandfather lived to one oh four. Yeah.
Lisa YeagerYou
Kathryn StarkeyChairgot goals.
Unidentified speakerVoice BHer great grandfather lived to one oh four.
It was one hundred and two months ago we said one oh two. It's awesome. Yeah.
Kathryn StarkeyChairYeah.
Okay, Commissioner Mariano.
Jack MarianoVice ChairAnd uh Lieutenant Colonel, congratulations having such a great life, great family behind your and and a real tribute to your service, even after your service with the military, staying involved. Congratulations, and I think you can do it one hundred five.
Joanna CheshireYeah.
Unidentified speakerVoice Bto our country and afterwards as well.
Kathryn StarkeyChairAnd and lastly, I I would uh also say congratulations for a wonderful life, happy birthday, thank you for your service, and thank you again for your continued service. So um how do we we wanna do this? I don't think I should go down. I got the remnants of a cold.
down to give you a does wait, does anyone else want to speak? But the family?
Unidentified speakerVoice BOh yeah, I I can I'm always asked like what's the trick? And like what's the key? I don't know if I need the microphone or not. Um and honestly like his trap is his hearing.
Unidentified speakerVoice AHold on
Unidentified speakerVoice BJust wait a minute. He's always waiting for me to talk. You can ask Nori. I'm usually earlier this week he was shutting the door to let me know to stop my conversation. But um Really his hearing has been almost like a trap but a blessing. Um he continues to always work his mind and his body and stay away from mindless tasks. That was something he taught me as a kid. Like you can watch TV and enjoy a movie, but Avoid those those boredoms and those traps and things. Keep your mind as your strongest muscle
Kathryn StarkeyChairand keep always exercising it and learning and giving back. And he took his retirement as an opportunity to explore more of his passions. He rode a two-wheel bike until he was eighty-eight. Two weeks after we moved to Pasco County, it fell and broke his leg on it. Uh and he said, When her husband gets home, have him carry me inside. I'm like, I think we have to call the hospital. I'm standing with my neighbors and I said, You call nine one one to call nine one one, right? Um and after that he he kind of was like biking had been what he'd loved because
Unidentified speakerVoice Bhe really couldn't walk. Um So we got him an adult tricycle and he rode his bike until about a year ago. So we always kept trying to get on and move just a little bit every day. Keep trying to move, exercising, use your brain. The senior center's amazing for him. He goes twice a week and he plays um a game called Bridge. So it is a little bit longer, but it really works your mind. And and there's people that have come now that are still continuing to to learn, you know, and pick up on things and And enjoy that retirement that you give and you're given and giving back. He really
taught all of us to do that and our
Kathryn StarkeyChairAnd who who are the folks with you?
Unidentified speakerVoice BUm it's me and my daughter here right now and then the Senior Services Center. So he goes to the Senior Center out in Dade City. Dade City, okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah, so they're all here too. Um Um really doing that playing Sudokus and he's kind of always tried to keep up with technology but not let it take over. Like he's still got a tablet and sometimes I have to be like it's time to go to bed. It's midnight. But he checks checks in with people and does Sudokus and and keeps working his mind and things like that. So
Kathryn StarkeyChairVery awesome.
Unidentified speakerVoice BSometimes the thing he sees people kinda let go and and to keep using that thing that you're giving 'cause you can keep building that.
Kathryn StarkeyChairLove it. Thank
Unidentified speakerVoice Byou so much. Do you want to say anything? Oh
Ron Oakleythank you all. I'm
Kathryn StarkeyChairone. Oh thank you. I love it. Okay.
Kathryn StarkeyChairSo uh s thank you for sharing. Can you give your name for the record real quick? Holly. Thank you, Holly.
Kathryn StarkeyChairOkay.
Yeah. I'm curious where he rides his bike, Commissioner Oakley.
Unidentified speakerVoice BWe live in uh Watergrass over there, so all the paths have been good. He can ride around and now he can go to public. So we've got public like Caddy Corner. He can take a scooter over there and buy his lot.
Kathryn StarkeyChairWe got a hundred year old guy riding his tricycle.
Unidentified speakerVoice BSo
Ron Oakleyso if you have one and we meet at the bar if you don't bring a challenge coin, you have to pay.
Unidentified speakerVoice BIt's a challenge coin.
He said if we meet at the bar and you don't have it you have to pay. What? If you went to a bar. If the coca bell is going, then you have to pay. Where? Where?
Unidentified speakerVoice CIf you went to a bar.
Jack MarianoVice ChairDunsey love it?
Keep challenging Brian.
Ron OakleyNo he challenged me to be the hundreds, so I don't
Unidentified speakerVoice DThey're gonna take a picture?
Ron OakleyWe're gonna take a picture.
Unidentified speakerVoice ERight here we go. One, two, and three.
Perfect. Thank
Kathryn StarkeyChairyou.
Give it to the granddaughter. We I have my challenge coin as well. Thank you.
Unidentified speakerVoice BThis is Ms. Starkey, Commissioner Starkey's coin. This is Commissioner Starkey.
Kathryn StarkeyChairOkay. Yeah.
Ron OakleySo
Ron Oakleyyou get two coins.
Kathryn StarkeyChairThat's my coin.
Ron OakleyYou can use
Kathryn StarkeyChairthem
Ron Oakleyon the scratchers.
Kathryn StarkeyChairI won't make you buy me a drink though.
I would be honored to buy you a drink.
Unidentified speakerVoice BThis one? It's from Commissioner Starkey.
Kathryn StarkeyChairFrom me. And the other one's from Commissioner Oakley.
Unidentified speakerVoice BBoth of 'em you can keep 'em. You can keep both of them in the wrong.
That one's from her and the other one's from Commissioner Oakley. They gave you, yeah. Over for you to keep. Together. I think it's like what a doing panelist and how do you how do I play this? Thank you so much.