The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Efforts being made to speed up project on U.S. 301

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has agreed to a request by the Florida Department of Transportation to merge two transportation projects on U.S. 301, to speed up work on the planned improvement.

Combining two segments of the U.S. 301 roadway widening will allow the state transportation department to meet design-build criteria for the project, which means the project will be built sooner.

The existing project segments are from the Polk County line/County Road 54 to Old Lakeland Highway; and from Old Lakeland Highway to U.S. 301/State Road 53/State Road 39 and State Road 700.

The combined project will extend from the Polk County line/CR 54 to US 301/SR 53/SR 39/SR 700.

The Pasco County MPO approved a change to its Transportation Improvement Plan to accommodate the change during its Jan. 12 meeting. The MPO is the lead transportation organization for Pasco County and includes elected officials from Pasco County, Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Jensen Hackett, of the Florida Department of Transportation, told the board: “There’s no financial increase for this part of the project in the TIP amendment.”

“These are the two segments that are between the county line of Pasco and Polk County and U.S. 301 and U.S. 98, just to the south side of Dade City.”

Published January 25, 2023

Pasco needs to plan ahead for trail connections, elected officials say

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s passion for providing more safe ways for people to get around, and to enjoy nature, is no secret.

Virtually every time a request for a rezoning comes before the county board, she wants to know how the new development will connect to others around it, and she also advocates for trails to tie in to  existing ones, and/or that new multi-use paths be created within the proposed project.

But Starkey recently learned that no trail was included in the project to widen Clinton Avenue, from Curley Road to U.S. 301, and she wasn’t happy.

She brought up the topic during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Jan. 12 meeting.

“I want to apologize to St. Leo, San Antonio, Zephyrhills and Dade City,” Starkey said. “I did not know this was happening.”

This 10-foot wide multi-use path runs along the south side of the State Road 56 extension, between Meadow Pointe and U.S. 301. (File)

Starkey said she thinks Tina Russo, the MPO’s planner for pedestrian and bicycle safety, also was unaware of the situation.

To make sure her MPO board colleagues understood the issue, Starkey explained: “You know, we’re widening Clinton Avenue. It’s going to become the new road State Road 52.”

When the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) builds new roads, its practice is to add a sidewalk on one side of the road and a multi-use path on the other, she said.

“Sadly after our last (county) board meeting, I drove on some of the new Clinton Avenue extension and I came down Prospect (Road). When I came down Prospect and I headed west, I noticed that there was only a sidewalk on the north side and a sidewalk on the south side.”

The multi-use trail didn’t show up until she reached Curley Road, Starkey said.

So, she began looking into it to find out why.

She discovered that someone on the county’s staff had decided not to build a trail on the road because, Starkey said, in the staffer’s opinion: “it wouldn’t connect to anything.”

Starkey said she reminded county staff that there is a trail that’s been open for years that goes from Dade City to Zephyrhills, and is planned to extend beyond that.

Russo told the MPO board: “We’re looking at ways of correcting that situation. We’ve reached out to (Florida) DOT.”

She said efforts will continue to find the best way to correct the situation, from Curley Road east to U.S. 301.

It’s still a current project, but we’ll find out the best way to correct that situation, from Curley east to (U.S.) 301.”

Starkey added: “It is super frustrating to me because it is a multimillion dollar hiccup.

“I’ve talked to our county administrator about this because this isn’t the first time we’ve messed up. This is the biggest one that I know of, in the county. In my opinion, it’s a mess-up. Others may not think so, but I think it’s a huge mess-up.

“It’s just that we are disjointed in our trails planning. We need to have someone looking at the big picture because we have the engineering department making trail decisions. We have parks and rec making trail decisions. We have MPO making some. And they’re not talking to each other.

“Tina did not know that that trail was not being constructed. And, you couldn’t tell until they laid the sidewalk.

“She didn’t know until I called her.”

Russo explained: “We saw the piece already done, basically west of Curley. In fact, we got a tour of that piece. A beautiful facility. We kind of made the assumption that the typical was the same through the whole project.”

Russo also noted that the project was approved years ago.

“Moving forward we’re going to see what we can do to correct that situation and keep these from happening again,” she said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano asked: “So, the way the MPO approved it was with the trail, correct?”

Russo: “Again, that project was approved going back to (Florida) DOT back in ’18, that was before I was here for sure.”

The project is a county project, as well as a state project, Russo said.

Starkey added: “I talked to engineering. They made a conscious decision to end it at Curley.”

“That’s what bothers me,” Mariano interjected.

Justin Hall, with FDOT, said when the project was approved, it would have been as a widening realignment with sidewalks.

He confirmed that Pasco County staff made the decision not to include the trail further to the east.

But, Hall said that FDOT could commit to doing a feasibility study to see what it needs to build the trail.

“If there’s available right of way, we can make a revision,” Hall said.

“If there’s not available right of way, or if it’s spotty, it probably would be better to have them finish the sidewalk and then have them come back.

“If not, we’re leaving a gap in the sidewalk, for whatever time it takes us to acquire the right of way, so I think it would be better for us to finish the sidewalk.

But Mariano said he didn’t want the sidewalk to be poured, just to have it ripped back up.

Hall told the MPO board: “I think we can come back next meeting with what we would need for right of way. I don’t think that’s a very big lift.”

Oakley said he thinks the county can work with FDOT, and then asked Hall to look into it and come back. In the meantime, Oakley said he would talk to the county’s engineering staff.

The idea, Oakley said, is to work together.

Pasco MPO Board Chairman Lance Armstrong agreed with Starkey that the county needs to be taking a look at the big picture.

“If we’re trying to create a trail network and we have a new road that could be a vital part of the network and we missed it, we’ve got an issue.”

Starkey agreed: “And that was such an important connection for Dade City and Saint Leo and Zephyrhills.”

Smith added:  “You know what, we all need to pay attention. We really need to have our eyes open.”

Adding the trail between Curley Road and U.S. 301 is one issue, Armstrong said.

“The second one is making sure it doesn’t happen in the future. That’s a totally different issue.”

“We can’t miss a connection,” Smith said.

Published January 25, 2023

Efforts continue to find safe ways for kids to get to school

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Whether it is adding sidewalks or extending public bus routes, elected leaders are seeking more ways to help students get to school safely.

The issue came up during the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Jan. 12 meeting, where Jensen Hackett, of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), touched on planned sidewalk improvements in the county.

A new funding source that came out of the infrastructure bill that was passed by the federal government is expected to yield about $2 million for sidewalks across Pasco County, Hackett said.

He said the FDOT will be working with the MPO staff to prioritize sidewalk gaps across the county that are on the state road network.

Additionally, the City of Zephyrhills has set aside a million dollars in the current budget year to address sidewalk needs within the city.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano said he’d also like to see the county’s public bus system, GoPasco, see if it can expand routes in some areas to give public school students who live within 2 miles of school an opportunity to ride a bus to get closer to school.

The increased attention on sidewalks and public transportation stems from a decision made by Pasco County Schools to end “courtesy” busing for sixth- through 12th-graders living within 2 miles of school.

The decision prompted parents to express concerns that they are worried about their children walking to school when it’s dark, on streets that often lack both sidewalks and streetlights.

Elected officials have responded by trying to identify additional funding sources to address the issue.

In deciding to end the “courtesy” busing, school district officials cited a shortage of both bus drivers to provide the service and money to pay for it.

Published January 25, 2023

Shining a spotlight on a century-old lumber business

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Long before most of Pasco County’s residents settled here, the San Antonio Lumber Company was meeting customer’s needs for building supplies.

The Pasco County Commission took a few minutes on Jan. 10 to congratulate members of the Schrader family, whose members have been involved in the business since 1923.

Tom and Sarah Schrader, and some other family members were there, when the county board passed a resolution honoring the company’s 100th year.

Originally, Herman Schrader was involved in the business with J.P. Lynch in 1929, but Schrader bought out Lynch and ran the lumber company until 1937, according to the county’s resolution.

Members of the Schrader family pose with the Pasco County Commission and other county officials during the county board’s Jan. 10 meeting, where the Schrader’s company, San Antonio Lumber, was honored for its century of business operations. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Next, Arthur Schrader took over and remained at the helm for two decades. Then, Arthur Schrader Jr., took over in 1957.

Arthur Schrader Jr., is credited with expanding the store and its business operations, by heading up regional agriculture pilot programs and forging an alliance with the Purina Chow Company.

When Arthur Schrader Jr., died in 1994, his son, Thomas Schrader, took over the company, and now, Thomas Schrader’s daughter, Sarah, is the lumber company’s president. She joined the family business in 2012 after graduating from Stetson University and working several years in other industries.

“We are the largest independent lumber company in East Pasco County, and the only one, by the way,” Thomas Schrader told board members.

“We’ve had a lot of great customers over the years. A lot of good employees — some have been there 40, 50 years. All of the family has been involved with the business, at one time or another.

“My grandfather is over on the wall,” he said, pointing to photographs of former county commissioners, whose portraits line a wall in the county board’s chamber on the second-floor of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse. “Teddy (Ted Schrader) is over on the wall. They were both county commissioners.

“We’re just glad to still be here. We have about 22 employees now. They’ve all been there many, many years,” he said.

Sarah Schrader added: “We just want to thank you for acknowledging our business. We appreciate it.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, whose district includes San Antonio, said his relationship with the lumber company spans 40 years.

“I built my first home buying material from San Ann (San Antonio) Lumber, back in the ’70s. I’m building my last home, right now, finishing up, buying materials from San Ann Lumber.

“And, I’ve done other homes and other projects for my company and my family — over the years, so many different ways we’ve been able to use your company and get what we need, as far as building construction needs,” Oakley said.

“I congratulate you. Not many companies last 100 years. They don’t have anybody to take over, they’re sold, or gone. Thank you, for all that you’ve done for our community and for East Pasco and for working with us.

“It’s been a joy to do business with you all, and your family. You’ve been a great asset to the community,” Oakley said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman noted one thing he thinks that’s unique about San Antonio Lumber is that Mr. Schrader has been known to write personal thank you notes to customers.

“That’s something unique to the business, that I thought was pretty special,” Weightman added.

Commissioners Kathryn Starkey marveled at the company’s staying power.

“Any business that can survive that long, that’s fantastic,” she said.

Commissioner Gary Bradford added: “I can appreciate the longevity of your business, so well done.”

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano told the Schraders: “Congratulations on 100 years. That’s a great accomplishment. Your family has done a great service for this county — made it better and better.”

Published January 25, 2023

Improvements planned on Suncoast Parkway

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The five-year tentative work plan for the Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) includes $40 million in major projects for Pasco County, according to Siaosi Fine, of the turnpike enterprise.

The tentative work program covers fiscal year 2024 through fiscal year 2028.

Two resurfacing projects on the Suncoast Parkway are in the plan, with one project from mile post 17.5 to mile post 28.5 funded for construction in fiscal year 2025, and another project calling for resurfacing from mile post 28.5 to mile post 37.3, funded in 2026.

The plan also calls for a project development and environment study (PD&E) involving the widening of the Suncoast Parkway, from Van Dyke Road to State Road 52.

“We will be evaluating the widening of the parkway and potential improvements to interchanges, like State Road 54 and State Road 52; we’ll be evaluating the need for new interchanges, like Tower Road,” Fine said.

He added: “We’re close to kicking off the PD&E study and we’ll be coordinating closely with Pasco County and the MPO.

Fine gave a presentation on tentative work plan at the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Jan. 12 meeting.

Published January 25, 2023

Pasco Board wants better design

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Pasco County Commissioners are eyeing the future and they want to make sure that the county’s burgeoning growth today doesn’t create a multitude of problems later.

County board members are pushing for tighter controls in residential development.

It’s not a new discussion, but two new members recently joined the board and they appear to be keenly interested in these issues.

During commissioner comments at the board’s Jan. 10 meeting, all five commissioners shared thoughts of how the county should proceed, as new residential zoning requests roll in.

Key desires board members expressed include:

  • Eliminating 40-foot-wide and 50-foot-wide lots in new residential developments
  • Requiring stronger development standards for Built-to-Rent housing communities
  • Improving connectivity between neighborhoods
  • Proving greater certainty about the county’s regulations and expectations
  • Providing more visible public notice posting master-planned unit developments (MPUD) requests

Chairman Jack Mariano and Vice Chairman Ron Oakley don’t want to approve 40-foot-wide and 50-foot-wide lots in new residential developments.

They want yards to be large enough for kids to play and driveways to be long enough, to keep sidewalks clear.

The Pasco County Commission has signaled that it wants to ensure that the county takes the long view, when it considers current requests for residential rezonings. (Mike Camunas)

Recently elected Commissioner Seth Weightman said the Build-to-Rent single-family housing communities should follow the same development regulations as new owner-occupied single-family subdivisions.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wants greater connectivity between neighborhoods.

More connections will provide more options, helping to alleviate congestion on major roads, she said.

She also wants more trails, to provide safe ways for people to get from place to place and to offer more recreational options.

Commissioner Gary Bradford wants the county to provide certainty to developers and residents about the county’s regulations and expectations.

Mariano is calling for larger, double-sided signs to alert the public to new MPUD requests. He also wants them to be posted in highly visible places.

The board chairman also wants county staff to hold applicants accountable, as they make their way through the county’s process.

“If you don’t have the paperwork (from the applicants) the way it’s supposed to be done, you put the brakes on until it’s done the way it’s supposed to be done. If it’s not done the right way, then it’s got to wait until it is done the right way, then it can proceed,” Mariano said.

The board’s discussion came during the board member comments’ portion of the meeting.

Weightman raised the issue involving standards for Build-to-Rent communities and Bradford asked what design standards are currently being used by county staff.

Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development for the county, recapped the history of  residential standards being applied to MPUDs.

“Last year, the board of county commissioners worked with the development community to craft a memo, a policy memo, that would direct staff to include conditions of approval within a master plan unit development zoning district that would regulate the appearance, or at least establish architectural monotony controls for single-family detached houses.

“This was particularly related to a case involving 40-foot-wide lots and also 50-foot-wide lots.

“Since March or April of last year, we’ve been implementing those conditions of approval in the MPUDs.

“Then, there was a discussion with the Aug. 24 board of county commissioners’ meeting, which I think was the first time the Built-to-Rent question rose from the (county board’s) dais. And, so, a similar draft memo has been worked on since then,” he said.

The memo:

  • Creates a definition of what constitutes Built-to-Rent
  • Establishes similar architectural and monotony controls for that Built-to-Rent product. These standards include how these communities should be designed, what kind of landscaping is needed, parking standards and so on.

Pittos said that memo has been circulating with stakeholders since November.

“In various conversations we’ve had with developers, the question has been raised about the appearance of the Built-to-Rents and the general concerns, as Commissioner Starkey has noted — the tensions between parking and landscaping and these product types.

“And so, they have acquiesced to certain types of demands and/or cautionary statements from the planning and development department to change their products a little bit to make sure that what they build is not going to be monotonous or what they build is going to include a healthy amount of landscaping.

“However, there isn’t a clean directive to do that,” Pittos said.

Bradford said the sooner the county can get to a place of certainty, the better.

“The sooner we get this done, the better it’s going to be for our county. I think we really need to make this a priority,” Bradford said.

County Administrator Mike Carballa said county staff can work on that memo, with an aim of coming back to the board for further discussion at its first meeting in February.

It’s unclear, however, how soon the board will be pursuing changes, if any, to minimum lot sizes, length of driveways and other issues that were discussed.

It appears certain, however, that the board wants greater control over the appearance and livability of future residential developments.

“With two new commissioners, it’s time to say: OK, what do we want to see, for the long run?” Mariano said.

Published January 18, 2023

Interchange at Overpass Road and I-75 expected to open soon

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The new Interstate 75 interchange at Overpass Road, in Pasco County, is expected to open by the end of January.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley shared that news during the county board’s Jan. 10 meeting.

The new interchange is about 3.5 miles south of State Road 52 in Pasco County.

The new diamond interchange will include a flyover ramp for westbound Overpass Road access onto southbound I-75, according to information about the project included on the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 7 website.

Ridge Road will eventually be extended east, all the way to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, and go through the planned town of Angeline. (Mike Camunas)

To accommodate the new interchange, Overpass Road has been widened from two lanes to four lanes between the interstate and Old Pasco Road, and six lanes between the interstate and Boyette Road. Blair Drive has been realigned to connect with Old Pasco Road. McKendree Road has been realigned to connect with Boyette Road.

At the same meeting, County Administrator Mike Carballa told board members that the bid for the next phase of the Ridge Road extension could go out as soon as this winter or spring.

That project will extend the transportation corridor from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The first leg of the extension now carries traffic from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. The second leg, which is slated for completion in 2025, will extend Ridge Road over to U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

County officials have pushed for the Ridge Road extension for decades, but encountered legal challenges from environmentalists and faced permitting delays.

Pasco officials persisted in the quest to get the new road, describing it as a critical hurricane evacuation route and as another needed east-west transportation corridor for Pasco motorists.

Officials also have noted that the extension will improve accessibility to a rapidly growing area in Pasco County, as plans move ahead for Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco campus, which is expected to attract life science companies and researchers from around the globe.

The campus is in the center of a newly emerging area, known as Angeline, which will feature diverse housing styles, an extensive trail system, the latest in internet technology, schools, a community farm, wetlands and other features.

On other topics:

  • Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told her colleagues that the county needs to have an enforcement plan to respond to illegal used car dealerships and storage facilities. She’d also like the board to have a discussion on the issue of short-term rentals. Plus, she informed them of a planned celebration for international business at the board’s Feb. 21 meeting.
  • Commissioner Gary Bradford also informed the board that he had spoken at a groundbreaking ceremony for Fire Rescue Station No. 20, on Little Ranch Road. The old station had two bays. This one will have four.

In addition to hearing those updates, the county board:

  • Approved an agreement with Asphalt Paving Systems Inc., for the Lacoochee Industrial right of way improvements, segments one and two, for nearly $2.17 million
  • Approved a contract for $730,246 with Daikin Applied Americas Inc., to replace the chiller system at the East Pasco Government Center. The 22-year-old chiller HVAC system has outlasted its expected 15-year life cycle and for the past year a rented, temporary exterior chiller system has been used to cool the build. The price includes a 10-year warranty for parts and labor.
  • Approved spending up to $69,000 for a Staff Development Day appreciation celebration ceremony for all county employees, planned for Feb. 20
  • Approved a contract with Sunbelt Sod & Grading Company for a total of $1.75 million, for as-needed sod over fiscal years 2023 through 2025
  • Approved a contract with Daikin Applied for $304,490 for the purchase and installation of five energy recovery ventilators and the installation of a safety railing system in the Charlie Barracks of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center

Published January 18, 2023

Setting the stage to remember fallen law enforcement officers

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Crews cut trees last week to prepare for the construction of the Pasco County Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial.

That’s just one step needed to erect the planned memorial on the front law of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in downtown Dade City.

It’s a project that’s been a longtime coming — but now that the money has been raised to pay for the permanent tribute, it won’t be too much longer before the vision becomes reality.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley gave his colleagues an update on the project during the county board’s Jan. 10 meeting.

This is a rendering of what the Pasco County Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial will look like, when construction is completed in coming months. (File)

He expects construction of the memorial to be complete within the next three months to four months, weather permitting.

“We hope to see that memorial out on the front lawn, on the corner, next to Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street,” Oakley said, during the meeting, held in the board’s second-floor chambers in the historic courthouse.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano reacted enthusiastically to the news: “Looking forward to that!”

Oakley added: “Yeah, it’s been a long wait. We’ve been waiting like nine years to get that done.”

Mariano expressed the county’s gratitude to Oakley for the commissioner’s private efforts to raise the money for the project.

Oakley thanked others who were involved, as well.

The project was started almost a decade ago.

Tim Hennigan, who has been involved in the efforts since the beginning, recapped the history during a groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial in October.

He told those gathered about the event that inspired the effort to pursue a permanent memorial.

It was windy and rainy one year during the Pasco Sheriff’s annual memorial ceremony for fallen law enforcement office, recalled Hennigan, who is president of the board for the Pasco County Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and Benefit Foundation Inc.

Photos of the fallen officers began blowing away, he said.

Hennigan said his wife encouraged him to put together an organization to pursue the construction of a permanent memorial, so he did.

Hennigan enlisted his friend, Skip Stone to get involved and they sat down with an accountant to get the ball rolling.

Fundraising efforts began small, but others joined in, including Craig Laporte, an attorney who is a former Pasco Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Oakley, his friend Randy Blankenship, and others recently helped push the fundraising effort for the memorial over the finish line.

When the memorial is completed, Pasco will join the state’s other 66 counties that already have permanent memorials to their fallen law enforcement officers.

“We have a lot of citizens that look forward to that being placed there, in support of our law enforcement,” Oakley said.

Published January 18, 2023

Pasco approves about 400 new residential entitlements

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The Pasco County Commission has set the stage for an additional 240 single-family homes, near an area known as the Villages of Pasadena Hills in the southeast part of the county.

The board voted unanimously on Jan. 10 to approve a request to change the county’s long-range plan to increase the development potential on 61 acres of land, at 59430 Billmar Road, in Wesley Chapel.

The land previously was designated for up to three dwellings per acre, but the county board changed the category to allow up to six units per acre.

However, the applicant has agreed to a maximum of 240 units, which works out to be an average of 3.93 units per acre.

County planners and the Pasco County Planning Commission each recommended approval of the request.

The development is perceived as a transitional land use between the Villages of Pasadena Hills and surrounding higher density residential land uses. The request also is considered to support the mission of the county’s South Market area, according to materials in the county board’s agenda packet.

The site abuts the Chapel Crossing master-planned unit development (MPUD) to the west and Avalon Park West, formerly known as the New Rivers MPUD, to the south.

The access to the site is on Billmar Road, a 13-foot-wide private residential dirt road. There is a proposed trail that will bisect along the south side of the project site named the Eiland Boulevard Trail.

There also is a proposed arterial roadway identified on the highway vision road map as Zephyrhills Bypass extension planned for future development that will provide additional access south of the proposed project site.

There are no roads or access located to the east side of the subject site.

A rezoning request for the Hamilton Oaks MPUD is associated with the land use change.

In another action the county board approved a rezoning to change an agricultural-residential zoning to a medium density multifamily district, allowing the development of 158 townhomes.

The 30.2-acre site, at the intersection of Chancey Road and Diana Drive, historically has been used for timber and grazing.

Published January 18, 2023

Pasco shines spotlight on evil of human trafficking

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Human trafficking and modern-day slavery are problems that people tend to think wouldn’t happen where they live, but the Pasco County Commission wants the community to know that those crimes do happen locally, and they need the public’s help to combat them.

The board passed a resolution during its Jan. 10 meeting declaring January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and Jan. 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Pasco County.

The board’s resolution explains that human trafficking occurs when an individual “is compelled to work or engage in a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion, thereby being stripped of his/her rights and humanity.

Efforts to prevent human trafficking and modern-day slavery were spotlighted during the Pasco County Commission’s Dec. 10 meeting. Shown here are members of The Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, members of the county board and other county officials. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

“Traffickers typically use multiple means to control their victims, including beatings, rape, isolation, forced drug/alcohol dependency, withholding of documentation, and psychological and emotional abuse,” the resolution adds.

It also cites some statistics gathered by the International Labor Organization, which estimates there are more than 49.6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide.

The crime, the resolution says, “is second only to the illegal drug trade in terms of the speed of its growth and the profits that it generates as human beings can be sold repeatedly.”

The resolution also notes that “human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states,” with Florida consistently ranking third among the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH).

In fact, according to the resolution, hotline statistics reveal there were 3,587 human trafficking reports to the NHTH from Florida between 2016 to 2020.

The Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking is working to prevent the crime and to help survivors.

It enlists the aid of a broad array of people to help in the effort, including representatives of law enforcement, schools, child welfare, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations and survivors, too.

After the resolution was read, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey commented: “You know, it’s just unbelievable that we’re talking about slavery — slavery and human trafficking, in this day and age, and to know that’s occurring here in Pasco County. It’s just heartbreaking.

“I’m really glad that we’re bringing attention to this important issue. Everyone needs to be vigilant and keep your eyes open for someone who is being trafficked,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley served on the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking for four years.

“It was an eye-opener to me all that goes on in our community,” Oakley said. He noted that he’s certain the situation would be worse, if it weren’t for the work of the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking.

Commissioner Gary Bradford, a new member on the county board, has been appointed to serve on that commission.

Bradford is eager to help attack the problem.

“There is no more vile crime than human trafficking. It’s a vile, hideous disease that our society can’t seem to fix, until now.

“We have to make a difference in Pasco County.

“In a previous life, in a previous career, I was out there fighting that fight. One victim at a time. One situation at a time,” said Bradford, a former Tampa Police officer.

“God blessed me with a different role, hopefully I can make a difference here, in that exact same fight,” Bradford said.

Also last week, Pasco County announced that the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking is partnering with the county’s public transportation system, GoPasco and the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) to help bus riders and drivers recognize the signs of human trafficking and to help those who are potentially being exploited to get to safety.

This campaign will reach 45,000 riders a month through:

  • Placards and pamphlets for GoPasco bus riders
  • Tips for bus drivers to identify trafficking
  • Protocol for bus drivers who suspect trafficking
  • Providing USIAHT victims Safe Way Out cards

If you suspect or are a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.

Published January 18, 2023