The purpose of this Commission is to promote public awareness of the existence of human trafficking within Hillsborough County; Establish, through relationship building within the community, educational programming opportunities for the public and key industries to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and learn to report suspected human trafficking; and Advocate strategies, financially and otherwise, to aid rescued victims of human trafficking; and Support local and statewide efforts to identify opportunities for positive impact and improved outcomes for victims and service providers through data collection, sharing, and analysis.
Membership
Members appointed by the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners.
Maximum membership
The membership of this Commission shall be comprised of 20 members representing the following:
- A member of the Board of County Commissioners
- Two representatives of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), with one being an officer with the Child Protective Unit, both designated by the HCSO
- A representative of the Tampa Police Department (TPD), as designated by the TPD
- A representative of the Temple Terrace Police Department, as designated by the Department
- A representative of the Plant City Police Department, as designated by the Department
- A representative of the Hillsborough County School District (HCSD), as designated by the HCSD
- A representative of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA), as designated by the (HCAA)
- A representative of the Port Tampa Bay, as designated by Port Tampa Bay
- A representative of the Office of the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (SA), as designated by the SA
There shall be seven individuals, each representing at least one of the following segments of our community:
- A representative of the Hillsborough County Public Defender for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (PD), as designated by the PD
- A representative of the Administrative Office of the Courts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, as designated by the Chief Judge or his designee
- A representative of the Hillsborough County Commission on the Status of Women, as designated by the Commission on the Status of Women
- Community/Victim Services, as designated by Redefining Refuge
- Tourism Industry, as designated by Visit Tampa Bay
- Hotel Industry, as designated by the Hillsborough County Hotel & Motel Association
- Hospital/Medical Profession, as designated by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
- Religious Institutions
- Human Trafficking Community Advocate
- Lived Experience Expert, as designated by Created, Healing Root and Victims 2 Survivors
The Commission may appoint non-voting participants and/or liaisons who may participate in meetings but may not vote.
Length of Term
Terms are initially staggered as follows, and all subsequent terms are for two years:
- Categories A – L, two year terms
- Categories M – S, initially one year term
Authority
Resolution 19-141 has been amended by Resolution 20-041 adopted, 05/20/2020.
Meeting Information
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Times
Quarterly; Last Thursday of the month at 1 PM, unless otherwise noted in the current schedule below
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Commission on Human Trafficking (COHT) Schedule
COHT Board
Board meetings take place at County Center - 26th Floor, Conf. Rm. A & B, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa.
- Meeting date: Jan. 26, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: 01/26/2023 Agenda
- Meeting date: March 23, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: 03/23/2023 Agenda
- Meeting date: June 15, 2023 at 1 PM (changed date due to restraints on location)
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Meeting date: Sept. 28, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Meeting date: Dec. 7, 2023 at 1 PM (changed date due to the holiday season)
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
COHT Subcommittees
Subcommittee meetings take place at County Center - 24th Floor, Conf. Rm. 2401, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa
- Subcommittee name: Steering Committee
Meeting date: Feb. 23, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Subcommittee name: Legislative &Judicial
Meeting date: Feb. 23, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Subcommittee name: Steering Committee
Meeting date: April 27, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Subcommittee name: Legislative &Judicial
Meeting date: April 27, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Subcommittee name: Steering Committee
Meeting date: July 27, 2023 at 1 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Subcommittee name: Legislative &Judicial
Meeting date: July 27, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Meeting type: Hybrid
Meeting materials: To be posted
- Meeting date: Jan. 26, 2023 at 1 PM
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Meeting types
- In-person meetings
- All participant must meet in person; there is no virtual participation
- For board meetings only, see accessing meetings if you want to view the meeting, but not participate
- Hybrid
- At least a quorum of the board meets in-person, all others can meet in-person or virtually
- Virtual participants and attendees must sign up ahead of time to receive information for access to the meeting
- In-person participants are encouraged to sign up ahead of time, but it is not required
- Virtual
- All board members and other participants access the meeting through virtual methods
- Informational only - no board business can be voted on
- In-person meetings
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Accessing Meetings
You can view the board meetings (but not subcommittee meetings) in the following ways:
Live
- Hillsborough County's YouTube Meeting Channel
- Our website's Live Meetings link, also found in our Newsroom
- The County's HTV channels on cable television: Spectrum 637 and Frontier 22
Recorded
The meeting will be captioned on the screen as well.
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Public Participation and Comments
To make public comment for virtual or hybrid meetings
- For both board and subcommittee meetings, sign up to participate virtually or in-person by sending an email to Lisa J. Montelione
- Include your name, phone number, and whether you will:
- participate virtually
- participate in-person (hybrid only)
- provide written comments
- attend virtually, but not participate (for subcommittee meetings only)
- If you are have chosen virtual, you will receive an email with a link that will allow you to participate (board or subcommittee) or attend (subcommittee)
- Include your name, phone number, and whether you will:
- You will be called on in the order that you have signed up
- If the meeting is hybrid, you may also attend the meeting and sign up on-site where your name will be added to the list at that time
To make public comment for in-person only meetings
- Show up at the appropriate time and location for the date listed and sign up to speak
- Send an email to Lisa J. Montelione if you wish to provide written comments only
- For both board and subcommittee meetings, sign up to participate virtually or in-person by sending an email to Lisa J. Montelione
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2022 Archived Schedule and Meeting Materials
COHT Board
- Meeting date: March 31, 2022 at 1 PM
Meeting materials: 3/31/22 Meeting materials
Meeting recap: 3/31/22 Meeting recap
- Meeting date: June 23, 2022 at 1 PM
Meeting materials: 6/23/2022 Meeting Materials
Meeting recap: 6/23/22 Meeting recap
- Meeting date: Aug. 18, 2022 at 1 PM (FY23 Budget Adoption Meeting)
Meeting materials: 8/18/2022 Meeting Materials
COHT Subcommittees
- Subcommittee name: Services & Resources
Meeting materials: 4/28/22 Services & Resources materials
Meeting recap: 4/28/22 Services & Resources recap
- Subcommittee name: Legislative &Judicial
Meeting date: April 28, 2022 at 2:30 PM
Meeting materials: 4/28/22 Legislative & Judicial materials
Meeting recap: 4/28/22 Legislative & Judicial recap
- Subcommittee name: Education & Outreach
Meeting date: April 28, 2022 at 4 PM
Meeting materials: 4/28/22 Education & Outreach materials
Meeting recap: 4/28/22 Education & Outreach materials
- Subcommittee name: Services & Resources
Meeting materials: 8/11/22 Services & Resources materials
Meeting recap: 8/11/22 Services & Resources recap
- Subcommittee name: Legislative &Judicial
Meeting date: April 28, 2022 at 2:30 PM
Meeting materials: 8/11/22 Legislative & Judicial materials
Meeting recap: 8/11/22 Legislative & Judicial recap
- Meeting date: March 31, 2022 at 1 PM
Contact Person
Lisa J. Montelione, Administrative Services Coordinator
Government Relations & Strategic Services
601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 24th Floor
Tampa, FL 33602
P: (813) 274-6936
E: MontelioneLJ@hillsboroughcounty.org
Member | Position/Appointed By | Dates of Service | |
---|---|---|---|
A | The Honorable Donna Cameron Cepeda | Board of County Commissioners | 11/22/2022 - 11/14/2023 |
B | Ms. Iris Corey-Dunaway | HCSO - Child Protective Unit | 02/19/2020 - 03/22/2024* |
B | Major Christopher Rule | HCSO Representative | 07/20/2022 - 06/30/2024 |
C | Deputy Chief Lee Bercaw | Tampa Police Department | 02/19/2020 - 04/05/2024* |
D |
Captain Chris Mills | Temple Terrace Police Department | 04/06/2022 - 04/05/2024 |
E | Sergeant William Lee | Plant City Police Department | 10/19/2022 - 10/31/2024 |
F | The Honorable Karen Perez | HC School District | 02/19/2020 - 04/05/2024* |
G | Detective Sergeant Kevin Durkin | Aviation Authority | 02/19/2020 - 03/22/2024* |
H | Mr. Charles Klug | Port Tampa Bay | 02/19/2020 - 04/05/2024* |
I | Ms. Courtney Derry | Assistant State Attorney | 04/06/2022 - 04/05/2024 |
J | The Honorable Julianne Holt | Public Defender for Thirteenth Judicial Circuit | 06/17/2020 - 06/30/2024* |
K | Chief Judge Ronald Ficarrotta | Administrative Office of the Courts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit | 06/17/2020 - 06/30/2024* |
L | Ms. Tempress Solomon | Commission on the Status of Women Representative | 10/19/2022 - 10/31/2024 |
M | Ms. Jennifer Glaister | Community Victims Services - designated by Redefining Refuge | 02/19/2020 - 04/19/2024* |
N | Mr. Santiago Corrada | Tourism Industry - designated by Visit Tampa Bay | 02/19/2020 - 08/30/2024* |
O | Ms. Beverly Mogelnicki | Hotel Industry - designated by the HC Hotel & Motel Association | 04/06/2022 - 04/19/2025* |
P | Ms. Mayra Espinosa | Hospital/Medical Profession - designated by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay | 01/19/2023 - 07/31/2024 |
Q | Ms. Claudette Graves | Religious Institution | 11/16/2022 - 11/15/2024 |
R | Ms. Deborah Laskowski | Community Advocate for Human Trafficking | 06/15/2022 - 06/30/2024 |
S | Ms. Constance Rose | Lived Experience Expert - designated by Created Healing Root and Victims2Survivors | 04/05/2023 - 04/05/2025 |
*Reappointed