by Joe Potter
Dade City Commissioners approved on second reading during their Aug. 11 meeting an ordinance to establish a “School Zone Child Safety Initiative.” No one spoke during a public hearing held before the five Commissioners unanimously approved the ordinance. Four schools within the city limits—Rodney B. Cox Elementary, Pasco Elementary, Pasco Middle, and Pasco High School—would be affected by the ordinance.
Some elements of the initiative include installing cameras at the schools that could transmit information to the Dade City Police Department about vehicles that pass through school zones at excessive speeds. Individuals monitoring the feeds could identify a vehicle owner using the license plate number, and that owner would receive written notification. If someone other than the owner was driving at the time of the speeding, the owner could inform police of who was behind the wheel.
The responsible party would then be scheduled for a hearing before a special magistrate, who would determine whether the person sped in a school zone, and the individual would be given access to video evidence of the alleged violation. Those found guilty would be assessed a $100 fine, with $40 going to the State of Florida; the remaining $60 would be directed to Dade City, though the camera vendor would receive $20, meaning Dade City would receive $40 from each violation.
Dade City City Manager Marieke vanErven will present a contract at a future meeting outlining which vendor would supply the cameras and the initial cost, and Commissioners must approve the contract before the cameras can be installed.
In other business on Aug. 11, Commissioners agreed to schedule the Community Redevelopment Agency’s 2026–2027 fiscal year budget for a vote during a meeting on September 10. Mike Barthle was also honored for 40 years as an employee of Dade City, with vanErven describing him as “an invaluable asset” and “One of the easiest people to work with to move projects forward.” Barthle received a certificate of appreciation recognizing his four decades of service to the city. ♥
