Postponed: The Community Forum scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7, has been postponed due to the funeral of Palatka High School student Baylee Faith Holbrook. Commissioner McCaskill and the City of Palatka wish to express our condolences to the family and friends of Baylee.

Palatka Commissioner Tammie McCaskill will hold a community forum on Saturday, October 7, to discuss and find solutions to the problem of violence in our community. The meeting is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the C.L. Overturf District Center auditorium, 1100 South 18th Street, Palatka.

The forum is very personal for Commissioner McCaskill, who lost her sister and son to violence in 2018.

She invites all City and county residents to join together at the event to have an open and frank discussion on the causes of the problem of violence in Palatka and what steps the community can take to address the issue.

The forum will include discussions led by community and faith leaders and elected and law enforcement officials. The event will also include small group breakout sessions.

"If we save one life and one family from grief, it will all be worth it," Commissioner Tammie McCaskill said.  

Violence has been a persistent issue impacting communities nationwide, and Palatka is no exception.

The City of Palatka is committed to addressing this issue by fostering collaborations with local officials, clergy, law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and residents. Through open dialogues, such as this forum, we aim to unearth the root causes of violence in our community and develop comprehensive, sustainable solutions.

Commissioner McCaskill encourages organizations in the community that would like to be part of the forum to contact her at mccaskill@palatka-fl.gov, tlmccaskill01@yahoo.com