General public comment
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Dec 5, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Dec 5, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 26m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 85% of 101 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Okay. We we will now go to um public comment. Um This is a time that Can you see I better instead of just repeating it as I know it, but
I don't see it on here.
I'm back at Page. All right. Now it's time for public comment. So we're given the opportunity to comment on any Uh current or future agenda item. Uh coming before the Board of County Commissioners. Um
that's not.
And any other business according to the board's purview. Today's comment. Public comment will be handled as Folllows first we will take public comment from those here in person. Then we would take comment from those On um The WebEx link. And then are currently on queue. We request that when you address the board you uh Um Keep your comments or not. directed toward a board member or against a board member.
but rather to the issues at hand. This Uh provides mutual um respect between board members and the public. after stating your name and address for the clerk, you have three minutes. With a timer. After two minutes you will be you sound a beep. Then you'll have one minute to finish. When your time is up. Uh beep sound and you will have to close your comments. Webex. Um
persons will actually be cut off on the WebEx. Madam Clerk, do we have anyone signed up for public comment?
Um yes we do, Mr. Chairman We do have no one signed up for WebEx this morning. Okay. Um we do have six individuals signed up and um we'll start with I'll just announce the first three if you could uh proceed to the podium. We have Leonard Lord followed by Aisha McTowells. Followed by John. Hedon or Hedon.
Greetings. Uh Leonard Lord. I live at [address removed]. Uh been here for seventy-three years. It's a honor. Just want to say I thank you for the opportunity to share with you. And uh just before I forget, may you have a great Merry Christmas. And remember, Christmas is not a stress to spend money. It's when God sent His Son to bring us peace and goodwill on earth. Amen. And so we do have a group that are hear and really concerned about and appreciate y'all that believe that
Man doesn't live by bread alone, but every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, and that's where order comes. And so we do pray for y'all. Uh we meet every uh twice a week. and pray seeking God for how we can help and serve. And so I'm just thankful to be here. Um I wanna read a letter that was sent out and I know if you you you're probably like me and get more emails than I do. You can't filter through all of them. But this was an email that was sent out uh that Pastor Jerry and I sent out. And so I'd just like to read uh this letter to you. I
know some didn't get to get it. It says uh uh dear Chairman and Commissioners If you desire as directors of somebody cures PASCO, we would like to make ourselves available to lead in prayer at commission meetings on the west side of the county and make available the many ministries in our association to share in this as well, that they may have godly leadership and pastors who have a heart for you and PASCO lead in seeking God's wisdom. And Peace. For
your meetings and for Pasco County. We've been praying for Pasco County for years personally and holding weekly prayer for Pasco meetings each Tuesday morning for years, 9 a.m. at Oasis Coffee Spot. You have each been prayed for by name regularly. We have been organizing the National Day of Prayer at the Government Center since 2006 and participating in it even. Yeah. We represent a wide cross section of the Christian faith in Pasco that has also
characterized our nation. uh since his inception and continues today. If after starting with meetings on this side of the county you wish to encourage uh pastors spiritually stockholders to do their part on the east side we'd be confident that we could organize that. We have uh been doing this in Port Ritchie for years. We have a couple of chaplains there. So we're able to go in and pray, encourage, and meet with them. And so we would
be honored that as you see scripture rise, the priests and the kings, you represent the kings doing the governing, and we should be the priests that pray for y'all, help hear what God says, and encourage you, cover your backs and make a way that the Lord goes before us. So may God bless you. You. May His wisdom fill you. This next year be a great year of making decisions that'll take Casco County where it's never been before. God bless you and thank you.
Thank you, Pasco. Thank you. Thank you, Pasco. Merry Christmas.
I shimmer towels. Followed by John Heedon.
Good morning, guys. Well, congratulations on the shift in positions. Um, I just want to tell you it's an honor to be here and to speak on behalf of um Pasco County um as a residence. My name is Aisha M. Towes at [address removed]. And I just wanted to um piggyback off of Pastor Leonard in regards of the positions of authority. Um Just as things have been shifting, you guys have been called based on your area of expertise. I think it's very important that we have
our leaders that God has called to cover you guys and take our five our positions to be the voice for what the Lord is doing in this season. We all have different places of authority, different places of relationship and wisdom. And I think that for us to go forward as a community, as a county, We need to make sure we're all in position and to be covered in prayer. Um, by one name, Jesus, we can speak very broadly in certain conditions, but there's no power in that. We can speak to a generic God, but
we know there's no logic in that. So I'm just praying for the wisdom because as we see on the news, as we see in the the media, as we see, you know, we gotta look past our little areas. Of our neighborhood, our gates, our fenced-in homes, it's greater and bigger than that. And it's gonna take all of us in our positions. Whether it's spiritual, it's needed. Whether it's natural, it's needed. So I just pray that we come outside of the four walls and we begin to look in a broader spectrum and see what will work. There's
power in prayer. My personal life has been impacted great because of the need. Name of Jesus. I've been able to speak to mountains in my way and they've been removed. I've seen healing in the land of the broken and the sick, and they've been delivered. But it's only one name, and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess under the name of Jesus. So I just sound the alarm to all of us, whether we're on the podium or whether we're sitting in the back. We need to be in prayer and authority and In real belief that
Jesus is Lord. And I know that I know we will see a difference in the minds of people, in the hearts of people, and in the lives of people. So I encourage you in the good fight of faith, with all love for all mankind, we can bring the change if they see it in the hearts of the people by the actions. Be blessed in Jesus' name. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Thank you. John Hidden, followed by Nick. Mirendo followed by Pastor Troy Peterson.
That's right.
Thank you for the opportunity to address you briefly. Uh I did not know that I was gonna be doing this. I came to the meeting. Didn't realize I was gonna be speaking to you. Uh my name is John Hedden. Uh my last name is H E D I N. Uh do you want me to give my address for the record? Yes. Uh [address removed] Um New um [address removed]. Uh [address removed]
[address removed].
Thank you.
Okay.
So I'm gonna keep this very brief because it was very unexpected. Um Uh I have been following uh Jesus for about forty years and Uh in the time that I have been walking with him. Uh he has done many things on my behalf and worked many situations out, worked through me. And um You know, I consider it real privilege to um intercede for uh all of you. Um
I just started doing that recently, praying for each of you and for uh all of the uh different agencies, um including you know social service agencies, social service interest infrastructure. Um And just have a real desire to serve and to um To pray for each area of society. And So that Pasco County will be a shining, you know, light upon a hill. uh that uh people
of faith uh can work together uh to see uh everything that God would like to see uh as a part of this community. Uh and um I'm very excited about the expansion of the community, all the um Um I'm praying for the the development of um kind of a convergence of new technological things. Um, you know, the Moffitt Cancer Center. And Um You know, um I've
just been researching it recently, you know, just out um the property on highway uh between uh Um five eighty nine and Um uh forty one uh just south of uh highway fifty two. Um looks like an amazing um oh looks looks like my time is up.
No, you have another minute. You have one more minute. What was that? Yeah, one more minute.
Oh, okay. I didn't realize. Oh no. Anyway, that looks like an amazing. I've just been doing some research on it. Um It's uh development, you know, Moffat Pra uh Cancer Center and Um you know, it's like a like a a technology and healthcare um like complex and um It I'm looking forward to seeing the property for the first time and the development of it. Um
I I don't even know if it's open yet, but I have just been reading about it online. So um Anyway. А I just believe that many people are gonna come to Pasco that do not now reside here. Um in a moving from other states of the country. Yeah, that there's gonna be an economic and spiritual revival.
Thank you
very much. Thank you.
Um I think it's Nick Morendo. Followed by Pastor Trife Peterson, followed by Mike Haddock.
Good morning, Chairman. Good morning. Merry Christmas. I'm on I'm here and I I wanna first thank you for You're ruling on the LGBTQ? on the supporting the library For that. I thank you for your
Name and address.
Name and
address.
[address removed].
Okay.
And I'm here on behalf of uh Pasco County, somebody cares chaplains in the leading of the invocation.
And I have a docket here from the town of Greece versus Galloway. The docket number is twelve six nine six, the second circuit, ruled on May 5th, 2014. holding the town's practice of opening the town's board meetings With prayer. offered a members of the clergy does not violate the establishment clause when the practice is constant consistent
with the traditions long followed by Congress and the state legislatures. The town does not discriminate against m minority fates. in determining who may offer a prayer and a prayer does not turn Coerce the participations with non adherents.
Prayer offered made members by members of the clergy does not violate the establishment clause of the United States Constitution. In an opinion by Justice Kennedy On may fifth, twenty fourteen, Justice Calia and Justice Thomas joined the majority opinion. And so we have this case here that's That's
that shows that we could we could have the right to do the prayer before opening, have our leaders in faith do it. And so we just ask that you recognize it and do you consider that we speak in the name of Jesus and That we pray with power and might through Christ, Jesus who strengthens us. We know that. And y we know why we're where we're at because we took God out of everything. So we need to bring him back into
the public, the arena of government. And so we need to stand for for Christ and for the season is the reason. I mean, this is why we celebrate Christmas, is because of the Lord who come and give us freedom and and mercy and just So we just thank you. I wanna thank you again, wish you a Merry Christmas and And thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Pastor Troy Pearson, followed by Mike Haddock.
Good morning, Chair, New Chair, Commissioners, Troy Peterson, [address removed]. Um You know, often I come here and and I just appreciate uh Uh Commissioner Mariano and Commissioner Weightman um The last time we did the National Day of Prayer Resolution I came across that video out on YouTube and uh I shared it all over. And
you know what happened? I got blocked off Facebook. And my account got locked out. So that tells me we're hitting the bullseye. That tells me we're doing what God has called us to do. You know, and as I reached the easy I gotta laugh about that. You know, as I reached out to Anthony Verdugo Christian Family Coalition, you know, working with our with our governor in Tallahassee, and you know, one of the comments was uh was made uh uh by one of our commissioners uh that
if uh the somebody case pastor uh somebody cares pastors can pray uh you know in the State House, you know, with our governor, and we can pray in uh Port Richey. Why can't we pray here? You know, and it was said that we're gonna get with our attorney and and take a look at this. Well, you know, and I understand you guys get a lot of emails. Okay, and uh so I apologize if I didn't press into that more and you didn't Didn't get the email. But basically, uh I I'll send it out again. And
so what we're looking at according to uh rule of law, town of Greece versus Galloway, docket number twelve point nine or point six nine. 6, Second Circuit of the United States Supreme Court. Citizens are entitled to the constitutional protection and cannot be disputed. That the Constitution, the government said in seeking the refute that
argument, refute argument does not allow the creation by government of of of a foreman a forum of private prayer. And so what this is recommending uh and what we are recommending is that this section um of this law of government docket would suggest that governing uh uh that government bodies should take the steps to clarify a reasonable and informed observer and that would be Somebody
cares Pasco leading in the invocation. So I'll resend that email out to you guys and you can. Uh uh Jeffrey you can you can take a look at that and uh we trust that uh you guys will make the right decision. Merry Christmas and thank you for your time.
Okay. Thank you. Abigail gonna say something to us today or um Merry Christmas Abigail. Go from
C sixteen to C twenty five.
Sir. Name and address for the record. Not on the paper.
My name is Mike Haddock. I live [address removed]. And I'm here with a number of our uh residents to represent the 532 residents of Seaforest Beach Club. Just to ask you to approve R 46. Or 64 and 65, the annexation of the misnamed town and country villas. into New Port Richey. We would really appreciate the opportunity
to allow the city to make the changes needed in that area, add the s the streets, the lights, and so forth for much higher level of security. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
No clapping.
Uh my oh we got one more? Okay.
Name and address. I'm not sure where this falls on your agenda today, but this has to do with the uh uh land use on uh the estates in Beaconwoods East. My name is Gordon Warren. I live at [address removed] uh in Beaconwoods East. Been there for 30 years. I'm very familiar with the Lynx Golf Course and the H O uh OA that Uh Resides there
also?
Sir, that is a public hearing this afternoon.
You can speak
at that, right? Yeah. I mean the the appropriate place to speak to that item is the public hearing. That's Uh item seventy eight. I if you wish to make your comments You can take public comment now and do that, but the the actual hearing where they will be voting is a public hearing and it's at the end of the agenda today.
All right, very well. All right. Come back. Thanks for your time. All right, thank
you.
So Mr. Chair, there I have no one else signed up. No one is on WebEx. I don't know if you want to do just one more call out.
Anyone else in the audience wish to speak to any item in our peer review? Okay. Come forward, state your name and address for record.
Good morning, Commissioners. I'm John Michael Morin, the president of the Pasco County Professional Firefighters, and we reside at [address removed]. Firefighters are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, and suicidal ideations. Coupled with the stress of normal life, my members endure long work hours, sleepless nights, tragedies of death and dismemberment in an overall high stress work environment. To overcome these challenges, our organization
has established the IFF Peer Support and CISM programs. to facilitate proactive education about early recognition of mental and behavioral health crises. We provide initial diffusing at the crew level following certain call types and such as the death of a child or those emergency calls that involve great bodily harm. We collectively have changed the culture within the fire rescue department that instigates open dialogue about the risk factors we face as first responders and encourage our members to seek professional help
proactively. In collaboration with the Fire Rescue Leadership, we continue to develop a leading edge framework from which to build upon. Where we need your help is before you today on consent is item C 54 with the contract award to Tampa-based Psychology Associates. This award will provide a singular, focused, and comprehensive third-party plan for first-responder-centric professional mental health counseling for our members and is the vitally important next step of the program design. By approving this
item, you will be sending a clear message to your firefighters that your public safety priority is their well-being, both on and off the job. Thank you in advance for your continued support of the men and women of Pasco County Fire Residents.
Thank you.
I'd just like to thank our firefighters, uh the uh the Chiefs and the Union guys. Uh you guys you guys do a fantastic job. Uh I see around zipping around the streets and the highways is fifty four and I just want you to appreciate. Uh you're prayed for the right-of-way. And uh
Excuse me. And what you said about the mental health issues is is very, very true. Get help. It is important. Thank you.
Thank you. Does anyone else wish to speak at the public hearing now? Thought I saw some.
Okay. When you get to the podium, please state your name and address.
Thank you, Commissioners. My name is Bernie Chilton. This is my wife Valerie Chilton. Reside at [address removed] here in [address removed]. Okay.
Thank you very much for letting us speak. We are here also on behalf of the initiative to encourage that we have prayer, opening prayer at the beginning of our meetings. We are with Full Gospel Bible Teaching Fellowship. I am a chaplain with the PASCO community. We have served this area since 1978. We come alongside with somebody cares PASCO, and we also pray and we lift each of individually often because we know how important it is. Just as this fellow was speaking about
the mental issues of the fire service, I was of Pasco County Fire Service many years ago and served. And I just want to let you know that we want to read something from James 317 to understand what wisdom from above is. You are faced with chaos often. You even amongst you Are you trying to find peace and the right solution? You serve from the small to the tall, from the young to the old, from the rich to the poor, from the weak to the strong. And it's difficult at
times, but Father God, He sees it all for you to prevail upon you that wisdom from above. You're you don't seek for your own growth or your own uh lifting up. You're seeking for the needs of the the county. You're seeking for the needs of the people. And the county grow here, these people, they will flourish and move in the state and they'll move up into they will move up into the national level. We come alongside each and every one of you. We serve also on the National Day of Prayer. Many of you we have come up alongside of you to to
to reach out, to give a hug, right, Commissioner Yeah. I mean some of you do recognize us. But we just I just want you to all understand, even in the building here and even here, we lift you up. You've been placed here under authority by God Almighty, but we need to lift you up and keep you strong so you can make the right decisions for all. He'd like m Bernie, we'll go ahead and speak.
As it says in the book of James in uh chapter three. The wisdom from above is first pure and peaceable. Gentle. And easy to be entreated. full of mercy and good fruit. Without partiality and without hypocrisy. Thank you very much.
And thank you. Mm-hmm. Is anyone else here to speak to public hearing today? If you are coming forward now.
See a no one? Um Mr. Cabal, I have uh I have a time certain for uh R sixty three for ten ten which were passed.
That's didn't
we already do
that?
That's a women's, isn't Yeah.
Yeah, that was the original with Lacucci. Oh, that was the
presentation.
Okay. Uh this time instead of going to uh Res one, we're going to start with res three. Are you a group here? Jack? Yes. Okay.
Mr. Chairman officially closed public comment.
Okay. Uh this time we'll close public comment. And we'll move on to res one.
Res three.
Rest three. Excuse me.