Community Leadership & Civic Engagement
by Susan Slater
EPRC opened its meeting in its usual way with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Colonel Jeffrey Harrington of Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Jacob Alexander, a St. Leo University junior, spoke first about launching a Young Republicans Club in East Pasco to engage younger generations and strengthen patriotism.
The EPRC will be visiting them and help in any way they can.
Commissioner Seth Weightman highlighted accomplishments while in office including four tax reductions through millage cuts, protection of funding for first responders, fire and rescue and law enforcement, preservation of more than 4,000 acres of land, $123 million in road improvements, and $22 million for school-area sidewalks.
The members also heard from Colonel Jeffrey Harrington of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office who has recently submitted paperwork to Governor DeSantis to be considered for appointment since Sheriff Chris Nocco is pursuing Senator Ed Hooper’s seat. Appointed by Nocco as Chief Deputy with the rank of Colonel, Harrington now serves as second in command with a strong law enforcement background.
Colonel Harrington discussed increasing traffic challenges and the expansion of the agency’s K-9 unit from seven dogs to 55 teams. The dogs perform a variety of duties including narcotics detection, bomb searches, comfort services, and locating missing persons.
Another guest speaker, Joshua Tolk, Heritage Action’s Gulf of America State Director, spoke about the organization’s Sentinel program and its mission to advance conservative public policy through grassroots engagement.
Covering Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, Tolk works with lawmakers, coalition partners, and grassroots citizens to advocate for conservative laws and policies.
Heritage Action, the sister advocacy organization of The Heritage Foundation, works to turn conservative ideas into bills and bills into law. It provides citizens with policy information, legislative updates, advocacy training, and opportunities to engage with elected officials. Heritage Action also works to advance statelevel solutions found in its model legislation library, which covers issues such as education, election integrity, economic policy, life and family, national security, and medical freedom.
The model policies can be viewed at HeritageAction.com/modellegislation.
Several club members shared highlights from a recent Sentinel Summit in Orlando, where they heard presentations from an Angel Mom, the whistleblower of Texas Children’s Hospital transgender scandal, and experts in education, economics, and public policy.
The Summit equipped participants with policy knowledge, practical activist training, and strategies they could take home and use in their communities.
Tolk explained that Sentinel
Members receive weekly Briefings, issue-specific Talking points, activist Resources, and access To a network of engaged Citizens working with state And federal lawmakers.
Through its Sentinel Program, Heritage Action Equips citizens with the tools And knowledge needed To participate effectively In the legislative process And advocate for policies They believe will strengthen America.
Those interested in Joining the Sentinel program Can learn more and register At HeritageAction.com/ About-sentinel.♥
