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Highlands Today

AP Citizen Advocate Believes In Helping Others

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

"I've always wanted to help people," Patricia Austin said. "My father bestowed that in me and I looked up to him."

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: January 5, 2009

Editor's note: This year Highlands Today is starting a Person of the Year that the newspaper will name in the new year. The criteria was choosing someone who makes a big difference for citizens in Highlands County and/or who has had a big impact on our area. Picking our first Person of the Year was difficult, with so many good nominees to consider.

AVON PARK - Can one person make a difference?

Ask the people who Patricia Austin has helped over the years and they would likely say "yes."

"A lot of people have helped me out and I'm very grateful for them and they see the need, too," Austin said. "If we can get more people involved we can help a lot of people in their time of need."

One of the people Austin helped was Jean Claude Meus, a semi truck driver who was convicted in 2003 on two counts of vehicular manslaughter.

Many, including Austin, believed Meus' 15-year sentence for the accident in Hardee County was unfair especially when compared to similar cases that resulted in much lesser consequences.

In March, a Hardee County Judge overturned Meus' conviction and ruled that he should be granted a new trial.

Speaking by phone from Knoxville, Tenn. on Friday, Meus noted that his fiancee, Rebecca Chenoweth, and his family and Austin, were helpful in organizing people to protest his situation at the Hardee County Courthouse.

"She's a very nice person," he said of Austin. "She was very helpful."

Chenoweth said Austin also organized a fundraiser to kickoff Meus' defense fund.

"She's been helpful in trying to keep the awareness out there about the case because a lot of people think the case is finished and it's not finished," Chenoweth said. "She's always helping out everywhere in the community and focusing on who needs help."

A year-and-a-half effort to obtain a passport finally ended for Lucio Anaya when he received his passport with Austin's help.

With a call to a congressman, Austin said, Anya got his passport in two weeks.

"She's one of the nicest persons in Avon Park," said Anaya, who owns a large produce stand on U.S. 27 in Avon Park.

Austin is currently working with a woman who has a similar passport situation.

"I hope to get that resolved here soon, too." Austin said.

People who don't know where else to turn seek out Austin because of her reputation of getting involved.

"They talk to me because they know I care about them and I try to get something done about it," she said.

Austin felt the call to take action when then Avon Park Mayor Tom Macklin introduced the Illegal Immigration Relief Act in 2006 that proposed to fine businesses who hire illegal immigrants and landlords who rent to them.

The city council approved the ordinance by a 3-2 vote on the first reading, but it failed by a 3-2 vote on its second reading.

"We had the rallies and marches ... and did what we could to not get that passed," Austin said. "I think right now if that had passed, we'd be a ghost town now."

There's a right way and wrong way to do things and the former mayor tried to do it the wrong way, she added.

Another instance of Austin getting involved was when fellow citizens informed her last year about the actions of two Avon Park police officers.

"I went to the police chief about it and he really got on to it; he and the FDLE Florida Department of Law Enforcement did a very good job on that," she said.

The FDLE started an investigation after receiving complaints from Hispanic Avon Park residents that officers were taking money from them during traffic stops. Two Avon Park police officers were arrested as a result of the investigation.

Born in Jackson, Tenn., Austin moved to Avon Park with her family in 1960.

"I've seen it grow and seen certain things come and go," she noted. "I want to see our city grow. The growth in Lake Placid and Sebring is unreal and I want to find out why we are not growing because growth would create more jobs and stuff for everybody."

Austin said she has seen some positive changes in Avon Park.

Main Street is looking better, but she wants to know where the grant money comes from and how the city can make improvements.

Austin has worked in the trucking industry as a dispatcher, operations manager and driver; has worked in restaurant and retail management and also owned her own business.

"One of my best experiences of my life was going to Iraq in 2005 as a contractor with the Army," Austin said.

She doesn't let criticism or negative comments affect her.

"I know that whenever I go out to do something, I do something that I know is right in my heart or what I feel like I need to do," she said. "There's always something in the making because I don't think a person can do too much to help better their community.

"It's just the feeling you have within knowing that you've helped somebody that makes me feel very good. I'm just a people person."

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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