The Commission on the Status of Women is ready to begin drilling down into issues that affect women and their families.
The task force met on Aug. 7 to finalize appointments to three task forces that will spend the next months on fact-finding and prioritizing issues.
The task forces will study health and safety; education; and, economic prosperity and its promotion.
Commission members will meet again in October to hear reports from the task forces and decide where to focus their efforts.
In its first year, the women’s commission likely will narrow issues to one or two that are manageable.
The goal is for the women’s commission to make recommendations to the Pasco County Commission on actions it can take to improve women’s lives.
“We have to be realistic about our focus,” said Amanda Colon, chairwoman of the group. “We won’t accomplish much if we spin off into 80 different directions.”
Pasco County commissioners created the 15-member Commission on the Status of Women in 2016 as an advisory board.
Some issues raised at prior meetings include domestic and sexual violence, mental health, financial literacy, grandparents as caregivers for grandchildren, homelessness, affordable housing, and the epidemic of drugs, pills and alcohol.
County commissioners appointed five of the women’s commission members, with 10 selected from area agencies, schools and nonprofits. They are African-American Club of Pasco County Inc., Hispanic Professional Women’s Association Inc., Metropolitan Ministries, Pasco Economic Development Council, Pasco-Hernando State College, Saint Leo University, Sunrise of Pasco County Inc., the United Way of Pasco County Inc., Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc.
Meetings are open to the public.
The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 2 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the county’s Utilities Administration Office, at 19420 Central Blvd., off U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.
For information on the women’s commission, visit PascoCountyFl.net.
Published August 16, 2017
