Kathryn Starkey Named Commission Chair; Redistricting Approved

PASCO COUNTY, FL — The Pasco Board of County Commissioners reorganized at its regular meeting Tuesday, finally giving Commissioner Kathryn Starkey the chair after passing her over last year.

In December 2020, the majority of the board voted to elect Commissioner Ron Oakley to serve as board chairman, despite a long-held tradition to rotate the chairmanship, which would have given Starkey the position.

Last year, Commissioner Jack Mariano, who joined the meeting virtually after testing positive for the coronavirus, nominated Starkey for the chairmanship but was outvoted by the rest of the commission.

Instead, Starkey was named vice chair.

Starkey took offense to being passed over for the chairmanship.

"I don't understand this slight," she said. "I just think this was disrespectful."

This year, there was no debate as the commission unanimously elected Starkey to serve as the chair for the 2021-22 year while Mariano was named vice chair.

“It’s an honor to have been appointed the new chair,” Starkey said. “I’m proud of what the board has accomplished so far and look forward to continuing our work to make Pasco County the best place to live, work and play.”

The BCC consists of the following members:

• Commissioner Ron Oakley, District 1 Email Ron Oakley
• Commissioner Mike Moore, District 2 Email Mike Moore
• Chair Kathryn Starkey, District 3 Email Kathryn Starkey
• Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick, District 4 Email Christina Fitzpatrick
• Vice Chair Jack Mariano, District 5 Email Jack Mariano

There was also little controversy when it came to adopting new county commission districts, often controversial because it involves balancing populations while maintaining the community's diversity, including ensuring that communities of color have a fair chance of electing a representative of color.

But Commissioner Mike Moore notes this issue isn't a problem in Pasco County since there are no single-member districts. Voters have the opportunity to vote for candidates for all five county commission districts.

“The great thing about Pasco County is you get to pick every one of the commissioners, each and every one of you," Moore said. "Everybody's at large here."

"I think this serves the citizens much better," Starkey said, noting that the former boundaries placed Wesley Chapel in the same district as Holiday on the opposite side of the county.

"We serve everybody. We don't have to worry about the resident commissioner if someone has a problem," Mariano said.

The commission approved the new districts unanimously.

The redrawing of county commission districts is required every 10 years following the U.S. Census. The new districts went into effect Tuesday.

County Commission meetings are usually held every other Tuesday, alternating between the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey and the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City. All Pasco BCC meetings are streamed online and broadcast on Pasco TV.

See related story: Pasco Commission Chooses Ron Oakley As Chair Over Kathryn Starkey