The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Pasco Extension gets a new home

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Pasco County Extension is operating out of a new building at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

The organization, which operates under a partnership between the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Pasco County, also has adapted its programming to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whitney Elmore enjoys her new office at UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County. She said most programming is being done online now, but things will change once the threat from COVID-19 subsides. (B.C. Manion)

Dr. Whitney Elmore, director of UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, recently provided a tour of the new office to a reporter from The Laker/Lutz News.

The 6,400-square-foot facility is a massive upgrade from the Extension’s old office. It features a large, open classroom area — with the potential of adding a sliding wall, to convert the space into two rooms. It also has a small kitchenette and several offices.

“It’s a fantastic new opportunity, not only for the team, but for the citizens — to be able to come here and enjoy it —  a very functional space,” Elmore said.

The new office, which opened in June, was about five years in the making.

It was constructed through a $1.1-million state grant combined with $244,000 in funding from Pasco County and $197,000 from the Pasco County Fair Association. The fair association applied for the state grant, which required local matching funds.

“Now, we have this nice, new facility that really meets our needs, and again, is an excellent educational facility,” Elmore said.

Though the doors are open, people aren’t streaming in yet — as Extension takes precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, following UF/IFAS and Pasco County protocols.

Like other operations throughout Florida, the Extension office closed when Florida went on lockdown.

Then, Extension pivoted.

“We went virtual, quickly. It’s not a surprise, because that’s what Extension is, anywhere — we adjust, we’re flexible, we’re adaptable.

“Honestly, I can’t be prouder of this team. I’m not surprised, but I can’t be prouder of the team.

Receptionist Michelle Jedych loves Pasco County Extension’s new office, at the Pasco County Fairgrounds. She said it provides an inviting venue for people who are coming there to receive services.

“They just, literally, overnight, said, ‘OK, we’re not in person — which has been the standard for 100 years for Extension —  we’re going to make the best of this, we’re going to adjust and we put everything on line.

“So, they just picked up and ran with it,” she said.

Even those who were not particularly comfortable with technology made the switch.

“They knew this is what had to be done. There was not one complaint. There was not one grumble from this team,” Elmore said.

The staff stays focused.

“We are very mission-oriented. We have servant’s hearts. The public needed us in so many ways, and that shifted some, especially with what we call ‘pandemic’ gardening.

“The horticulture questions went through the roof, with people working in our community gardens. Our community gardens employees were considered essential because that’s food systems related and those continued on, not missing a beat.

“We set up dozens of online learning opportunities. We partnered with the Pasco EDC, the Sheriff’s Office, you name it, to offer a wide variety of learning opportunities,” Elmore said.

The efforts received a tremendous response.

“Just our social media engagement went up about 4,000%, in a month,” the Extension services director said.

“We had people from other countries that were tuning in. Definitely, other parts of the state. They learned about us and they also learned about Pasco County,” she said.

Extension and the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., also work together at a facility, called the One Stop Shop, on Lock Street in Dade City. The facility has a commercial kitchen and Pasco EDC offers programs aimed at helping entrepreneurs to establish businesses, and to help existing businesses thrive.

“We had people wanting to come from Miami to use our commercial space, at our One Stop Shop, because of some of the learning opportunities. It put a spotlight on Pasco County, and not just on Extension,” Elmore said.

Concerns about COVID-19 have caused a significant reduction of in-person classes and events.

“We do have some very small, in-person, teaching events. Those typically revolve around people needing to get a license, a certification, to continue or get new employment,” she said.

The University of Florida UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County now has a new facility at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

Some changes made to remain safe during COVID-19 will become permanent.

“At the end of the day, it’s been in a lot of ways, very beneficial,” she said.

Online programs are not only safer, they’re more convenient, Elmore said.

Extension has introduced new programming, which Elmore expects to continue on — even after in-person activities pick up.

“It opened up lines of creativity and collaboration, across program areas that we never really explored before, that just make sense now,” Elmore said.

Despite valuable changes that have resulted from COVID-19, there have terrible consequences, too, Elmore said.

“There are tremendous negatives to what has transpired. Economics. Jobs. People getting sick and dying.

“We have experienced that loss in our Extension family. Dorothy Moore, she was one of our master gardeners. She passed away in July, in Dade City.

“That was a hard hit for us. Emotionally, that took a toll,” she said, plus it required Extension staffers who had been in contact with Moore to quarantine for 14 days.

Published October 07, 2020

Mom and Pops may get help with landscaping costs

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Pasco County commissioners recently directed the county’s staff to find a way to ease the burden of landscaping costs for small businesses, when they redevelop.

Commissioner Ron Oakley raised the issue, noting that a small Dade City restaurant wants to add a porch, but found itself facing expensive county landscaping requirements.

“They have no place for people to wait. It’s a small restaurant. If the restaurant is at full capacity, there’s no place for people to wait, so that’s part of why they were going to do like a porch, or something, out in front of it, so people would have a place to sit and wait to have breakfast or lunch,” Oakley said.

The commissioner added:  “It seems like the cost of upgrading their landscape is just very, very expensive, and makes it prohibitive.”

Oakley said he’s not advocating that the restaurant do nothing, but that the requirements be less extensive and thus less expensive.

“When you take into consideration — a Mom and Pop restaurant — if that landscaping is going to cost them $40,000 or $50,000, they’re forever trying to earn that money, just to stay open.

“So many of them are having a hard time, now, so we need to look at that,” Oakley said.  “Some of these businesses, right now, are closing down. They just can’t make it. It’s a shame.”

Commissioners Jack Mariano and Mike Wells said they’ve also noticed the problem.

“I agree with Commissioner Oakley,” Mariano said. “That (landscaping requirement) is causing a problem. I think it has really hurt redevelopment along (U.S.) 19.”

Mariano suggested using funds from the county’s tree mitigation fund to provide an incentive for landscape improvements.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey concurred: “I like Commissioner Mariano’s idea of maybe helping them more. We don’t know the facts, here. I want to make sure that they know that right off the bat, there’s $10,000 that we can help them with their landscaping, Commissioner Oakley.

“But, let’s look to see if there’s some way we can help them more. We don’t want it to be a disincentive and not let these businesses expand,” Starkey said.

On the other hand, Starkey said she doesn’t want things to go back to the way they were when an entire site was covered with a building and parking, without landscaping.

County Administrator Dan Biles said “landscaping reimbursement out of the tree fund is capped at $10,000. We could look at increasing the cap. I think that cap has been there for a while. Inflation happens to landscaping, like everything else.”

Biles said he believes the fund now has more than $1 million.

“We could look at maybe bumping that cap up, to cover some more of these costs. Let’s take a look at that,” Biles said.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore said he’d like a more detailed discussion of what triggers the landscaping improvements and more information about landscaping reimbursements from the tree mitigation fund, when Biles bring the issue back to the board.

Wells said he can think of two projects in his district where exceptions were made and they received reimbursements exceeding the cap, with the board’s approval.

“I think if you’re not adding to the square footage, it shouldn’t necessarily trigger it. That’s why we matched these folks with the funding,” Wells said.

“It’s tough for these businesses, not only now, but for the last several years. We need to help them to expand, move, hire more people and so forth.”

Mariano also would like to see if the process could be set up for the landscaping companies to be paid directly by the county, instead of having the business owner pay the landscaper and then be reimbursed for their payment.

“A lot of them can’t float that,” he said.

“I think most of your landscaping companies would probably be comfortable to work that way,” Mariano added. “We’ve just got to be flexible.”

Biles said he will take a look at increasing the cap for reimbursements, and at streamlining the process to get approvals more quickly — and then will bring it back to the board.

Published October 07, 2020

Chambers in East Pasco considering merger

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Chambers of commerce representing the business communities in Zephyrhills and Dade City are beginning to explore the possibility of merging into a single chamber.

The boards for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce have approved the formation of a task force to look into the logistics and possible benefits of merging the two organizations.

Melonie Monson, the CEO of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, and John Moors, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, recently told The Laker/Lutz News that it is unclear how long it will be before a merger, if one occurs, will happen.

“All we’re looking at is the opportunity to be able to put options on the table,” Moors said.

The idea of a merger is not new.

He explained why combining forces is being considered.

“(The) No. 1 reason is that we feel that a larger chamber — in my perspective, in any case — would better represent businesses in the eastern Pasco area,” Moors said.

“With the influx of residential, we know that commercial is following that, that this area continues to grow and grow and spread, as we’ve seen in Wesley Chapel. We’re not suggesting that’s a great thing. We’re not suggesting it’s not,” he said.

However, Moors added: “We would be better prepared as a chamber, to service our business members, if we were somewhat prepared for that growth.”

Monson noted: “We’ve seen successful mergers of other chambers in Pasco County and the strength that that can bring in numbers. So, we felt that this was the opportune time, to look at this more closely right now.”

She also noted that impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the timing of the discussion.

“With all that everyone is going through, due to the pandemic, we felt that it was time to revisit it,” Monson said.

The task force will be made up of people from both communities, including businesses and larger organizations.

The task force will look at such things as: “What are the benefits of this? Will it strengthen each community? Will it strengthen each chamber? Will it expand advocacy?” Monson said.

The task force also will consider potential obstacles, as well as how to preserve the identities of each community, if a merger occurs, she added.

It also will explore: “Is this something we need to do?” she added.

Zephyrhills is among the largest municipalities in the county, if not the largest municipality, and Dade City is the county seat, Monson said.

Does it make sense to join forces to come together with one voice for advocacy and economic development, she asked.

Once the task force completes its due diligence, it will bring a recommendation to the boards.

Input from members will be sought, too, she said.

Moors said he has no speculation of the future structure of the chamber because that would come out of the task force.

“There’s really nothing for sure. All we’re really doing is forming a task force and looking at the combination, and at what best practices there might be, in a joint chamber,” he said.

One question that will be asked is: “What should the focus of the organization be?” Moors said.

The effort is being made to make sure the chambers are doing the best they can to remain sustainable and continue serving their members, he said.

Besides creating a more powerful voice, by merging memberships, there also might be a reduction in overhead, both chamber leaders said.

“There’s an economy of scale,” Moors said. “If there’s an opportunity to be able to maximize their economies of scale, then in most cases, businesses will do that. It’s only good fiduciary responsibility,” Moors said.

“Primarily, people join a chamber of commerce because they want to network and they want to interact with people of like minds, from a business perspective. And, they want to have a voice in initiatives that are moving forward in their area both from a political point of view and from business associations, and that sort of thing,” Moors said.

Work is expected to get started on naming a task force and studying the issues, Monson said.

It’s hard to say how quickly that work will be done, the recommendations will be made and whether the chambers will decide to move forward with a merger — or drop the idea.

A merger between the Zephyrhills and Dade City chambers would be the third merger of its type among Pasco County chambers.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber is made up of chambers that previously represented Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Trinity and Odessa.

The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce resulted from a merger between the West Pasco  and Central Pasco chambers.

Published October 07, 2020

Pasco plans to hire two lobbyists

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The Pasco County Commission has directed County Administrator Dan Biles to take steps necessary to prepare to hire two lobbyists to represent the county’s interests.

One lobbyist would pursue federal dollars, while the other would focus on funding opportunities at the state level.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey raised the issue at the board’s Sept. 21 meeting.

She had mentioned the need for it in the past and brought it back again.

“Frankly, I think we’re shooting ourselves in the foot by not having an outside lobbyist,” Starkey said. “I’ve talked to commissioners in other counties and we might be the only county this size, I think we would be the only county this size, that doesn’t have at least one outside lobbyist. The other ones have multiple.”

She said it’s especially important “at a time when money is going to be even tighter in Tallahassee,” and added, “we need to be looking out for the best interest of our citizens.”

Hiring a lobbyist, she said, “is going to bring back dividends to the county.”

She thinks the county can do better than it did last year, in terms of obtaining state funding for local projects.

“I think Ralph (Lair, the county’s lobbyist) does a great job, but there is a difference between an internal lobbyist and an external lobbyist, and we are better served, if we have both,” Starkey said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed. He thinks the county is in a good position to attract funding for projects in the coming year, but said the county needs to have a strong advocate in Tallahassee.

He recommended bringing Shawn Foster, from Sunrise Consulting Group, back to represent the county.

“I think we should bring him back on. If he only gets one thing for us, we’re way ahead of the game,” Mariano said.

It’s important to have someone working on the county’s behalf up in Tallahassee.

“You’ve got to be up there. You’ve got to be in their face. You’ve got to be pushing to get these things through,” Mariano said.

Commissioner Mike Wells agreed. “The school board has their internal person and their external person. They work great together as a team. And, in the past, Shawn (Foster) has worked great for us as a team.”

Starkey also noted that both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties received “$10s of millions” from Washington D.C., this year.

Starkey made a motion to hire a lobbyist.

Wells asked if the motion includes hiring a federal lobbyist, as well as a state lobbyist.

Starkey replied: “I would love that. We are really missing out. We never would have got that Ridge Road project without that (lobbyist) help. I agree that we should have a federal lobbyist help us with this whole coastal effort.”

But, Commission Chairman Mike Moore asked: “On the federal side, what was our return on investment. How many bills were passed on our behalf? How much funding did we receive from the group we had previously hired on, as federal lobbyists?”

Starkey countered: “We have to be smart about what we ask for, and we haven’t used our lobbyists right. ‘Cuz we haven’t had a project, besides our Ridge Road one, that we went up there and asked them for. Although I did ask for help in changing some of the labor laws, and we did get that.

“Even Martin County, the little Martin County over there, they have two lobbying firms in Washington. They bring back millions and millions of dollars. We have to be more savvy about what we’re asking for. I think there’s transportation money. I think there’s possibly this dredge money. We should look at what other counties have done and mimic that,” Starkey said.

“We have to have a plan. We have to have an ask and then we have to go work it. And, we can’t expect it in a year or two, but you have to build those relationships,” Starkey added.

Wells asked if Starkey wanted to use a solicitation procedure to fill the positions.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said that the county didn’t have the option to bypass that process.

Mariano asked if the board could extend Foster’s former contract.

“You can’t just go with Mr. Foster. It has to go out for bid,” Steinsnyder said, adding that Foster’s contract had long since expired and could not be resuscitated.

Commissioner Ron Oakley asked where the funding would come from, for the two positions.

County Administrator Dan Biles said: “I don’t know. This discussion is new to me.

“There’s not funding for either one in the budget. If the board wants to do that, we obviously will amend the budget to add money into the budget to do that, and then we will do the solicitation process for both contracts,” Biles said.

Moore said he thinks there is money available for the positions this year from funding that was returned to the county, that would cover the positions for this year — without dipping into reserves. But that would be for this year only.

Political Agenda 10/07/2020

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Republican women’s group endorses Trump
The Florida Federation of Republican Women has announced its support for the reelection of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the 2020 Presidential Election. The women’s political group also endorsed that ticket during the 2016 presidential election, according to a news release from the organization.

Randy Maggard endorsements
Randy Maggard is running for reelection in District 38 of the Florida House of Representatives. His campaign has announced the following endorsements:

  • The West Central Florida Chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association
  • Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning
  • Richard Corcoran, former speaker of the Florida House and current state education commissioner

East Pasco Democrat Club
The East Pasco Democratic Club will meet remotely, via Zoom, at Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will feature supporting the Democratic candidates locally and nationally. All members and friends of the Democratic Party are invited to attend. Email , or call (813) 383-8315 for details. Socializing begins at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting.

Democrat Club meeting set
The Central Pasco Democratic Club will meet Oct. 21 at 6:45 p.m., remotely on Zoom. The meeting will feature supporting the Democratic candidates locally and nationally. All members and friends of the Democratic Party are invited to attend. Email , or call (813) 383-8315 for details. Socializing begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting.

Kathy Lewis endorsements
Kathy Lewis is running for the District 20 seat in the State Senate. She has received these endorsements, according to her campaign:

  • Tracey Kagan, Democratic candidate for the Florida House
  • Florida State Sen. Victor “Vic” M. Torres, Jr.

Polling place changes in Pasco
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley announced the following polling place changes for precincts 15 and 55, for the 2020 General Election.

New locations
• Precinct 15: Cornerstone Community Church, 5708 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey, 34652
• Precinct 55: Zephyr Shores Estates POA Clubhouse, 35143 State Road 54 W., Zephyrhills, Florida 33541

Former locations
• Precinct 15: Ashbury United Methodist Church, 4204 Thys Road, New Port Richey
• Precinct 55: Crystal Lakes Clubhouse, Zephyrhills, Florida 33541

Sample ballots
Pasco County will mail sample ballots to voters on Oct. 9. Voters who have requested vote-by-mail do not receive sample ballots.

Some vote-by-mail reminders
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections’ Office provides these Vote By Mail reminders, on its website:

  • Don’t forget to sign your Vote By Mail envelope before returning it.
  • Make sure you have a current signature on file with your Supervisor of Elections Office. You can update your signature by completing a printed or online voter registration application. (An online application will add your most recent Florida Driver License or Florida State ID signature to your voter record.)
  • Be consistent when signing your mail ballot return envelope. Signatures are compared to those on file with the elections office.
  • You may mail your ballot back or drop it off at your local elections offices or Early Voting sites (during Early Voting).
  • Check with your local elections office for more information on drop-off locations.
  • If you mail the ballot back, make sure to allow plenty of time for it to be received. It’s a good idea that you allow at least a week for your mailed ballot to reach your elections office. If your ballot isn’t in your county’s elections office by 7 p.m., Election Day, it will not be counted.

Business Digest 10/07/2020

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Live2Lead 2020
Pick up ideas, get inspired and learn from widely known presenters with a broad range of experiences at the Live2Lead 2020 program on Oct. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Wiregrass Sports Campus of Pasco County, 3021 Sports Coast Way in Wesley Chapel.
Speakers are John Maxwell, a leadership expert and best-selling author; Kat Cole, COO and president, FOCUS Brands; Steve Harvey, comedian, businessman, show host and entertainer; and Alan Mulally, former CEO Boeing Commercial Airplanes and former CEO and president, Ford Motor Company.
Tickets are available for in person and virtual attendance. Tickets cost $85, $75, $65 and $55, with discounts available for North Tampa Bay Chamber members.
Go to NorthTampaBayChamber.com, for more information.

In-person brochure exchange
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is hosting an in-person brochure exchange networking event/exchange on Oct. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hungry Harry’s, 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, out by the Lake House. This will be an outdoor event, with social distancing. You can place your order, pick it up and meet the group at the tables by the Lake House. The event is sponsored by Architectural Signage & Printing. Call (727) 842-7651, if you plan to attend.

YogaSix New Tampa opening
YogaSix New Tampa announced its grand opening, with a series of special activities, food, music, vendors, giveaways and discounts. The business is at 8602 Hunters Village Road in Tampa. For more information, call (813) 499-9503.

Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping ribbon cutting
Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping announced its ribbon cutting on Oct. 3, with a complimentary protein snack, Reign Energy drinks, a studio tour, class demo and a chance to meet the owners.
There also was a drawing for a free 10-week membership package. The business is at 19651 Bruce B. Downs, Suite E6, in Tampa. Those visiting the business are asked to wear a mask and help to maintain social distancing. To find out more, call (813) 600-3742.

Job fair
CareerSource Tampa Bay and Commissioner Sandra Murman are presenting the ninth annual Hillsborough County Job Fair on Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
About 50 employers with a variety of positions are expected to participate.
This year, the job fair will be conducted in a virtual format.
For more information, call Maginda Montero at CareerSource Tampa Bay at (813) 532-7539, or email .
To download a flyer for the event, go to bit.ly/2ZWpDYs.

UrgentVet opens Odessa location
UrgentVet has expanded its presence in the Tampa Bay area by opening a clinic at 12307 State Road 54 in Odessa.
The clinic, which opened on Oct. 1, is UrgentVet’s third location in the Tampa Bay area, according to a news release.
Officially named UrgentVet-New Port Richey, the clinic, at the intersection of State Road 54 and Trinity Boulevard, offers easy access from New Port Richey, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and throughout northern Hillsborough County.
Its physical location is at the entrance to the Starkey Ranch master-planned development, making it particularly accessible for residents of the booming community.
“Pasco County has some of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in all of Tampa Bay, and we’re excited to open a clinic right in the heart of that growth,” Dr. Jim Dobies, founder of UrgentVet, said in a release. “We feel that this new site allows us to serve a huge population of pet parents who may never have had access to a clinic like ours before.”
The new clinic is UrgentVet’s fifth nationally. It also has clinics in Westchase and Brandon.
All UrgentVet clinics have adopted new processes to ensure the safety of both pet parents and employees, in light of COVID-19, the release says.
UrgentVet-New Port Richey will be open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday; and noon to 8 p.m., on holidays.
To find out more, go to UrgentVet.com.

Pasco County is ‘stable and secure,’ administrator says

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles gave a briefing on the county’s current rating to the Pasco County Commission at its meeting on Sept. 21.

“Both Fitch and Moody’s did a new credit rating on the county, as part of its bond offering that’s going out shortly,” Biles said.

Both of the ratings held constant, with Moody’s giving the county’s an Aa2 rating and Fitch giving the county an AA/Stable rating, Biles said.

“Fitch’s rating included a stable outlook, which puts the county in a very low credit-risk category,” Biles said. “Keep in mind that we’re right in the middle of a pandemic. Local governments and state governments across this country have had significant financial distress.”

The county administrator added: “Our unemployment rate in Pasco County is down to 6.7%, which I’m not sure I was expecting to see that number until after the turn of the calendar. Not only that, when you actually dig into the numbers, 10,000 more people are working in August than were working in July. That’s a pretty substantial number. Still a little less than where we were last August, but getting there and getting there pretty fast. That’s good for Pasco County. That’s consistent across the Tampa Bay region. Those kinds of numbers.

“That puts us in a pretty stable and secure position,” he said.

After an afternoon recess, commissioners came back at 5:15 p.m., to hold the final public hearing on the county’s $1.5 billion budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

No one spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing, and the board adopted the budget without discussion. The board had discussed budget issues at previous meetings and workshops.

The new budget takes effect Oct. 1.

Some highlights of the budget include a 3% raise for county employees and increased spending for the county’s library system, and its parks and recreation department.

Many initiatives the county had been considering for next year, however, were not brought forward because of negative economic impacts from COVID-19.

In other action, commissioners:

  • Approved a request to allow the Zephyrhills Volunteer Fire-Rescue Squad to operate as a support services entity in Zephyrhills. The fire department in Zephyrhills is merging with Pasco County Fire Rescue.
  • Approved a resolution proclaiming Sept. 25 as Disabled American Veterans Day, celebrating the DAV’s 100th anniversary, and recognizing the organization for its assistance to service-disabled veterans, and their families and survivors.

Published September 30, 2020

Pasco County retains masks, for now

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After a briefing from the director of the county’s health department, the Pasco County Commission has decided to continue its mask mandate — at least for now.

Mike Napier, director of the Pasco County office of the Florida Department of Health, told commissioners at their Sept. 21 meeting that positive COVID-19 cases had been trending in the wrong direction recently.

“I wish I had better news as far as what our cases have been over the last several weeks,” Napier said. “We’ve started to see some increased number of cases,” Napier said.

Mike Napier, director of the Pasco County office of the Florida Department of Health (File)

Pasco County’s cumulative number of cases he told commissioners was 8,834 cases, as of Sept. 21, the health director reported.

“The concern here really is, we were doing pretty well back in the early part of September, averaging about 3%, as a rolling average on our positivity. Last week, it was the first time in almost a month that we got almost a 6% positivity rate and we had 1,300 cases.

“The number that should be a little bit alarming to you is that in this past week, we’ve had a 61% increase in cases in the last seven days. So, we’re headed in the wrong direction at this point,” Napier said.

“At the low mark, the county was averaging 29 cases a day — to where we are today, where we’re averaging almost 50 day, and that’s over a two-week period,” Napier said.

“I know that schools were a big question.

“We had a total of 79 students and 26 staff that have tested positive, for 105 total cases (as of Sept. 18),” he said.

“There’s a lot of criteria that goes into the determination of whether or a not a student has to be excluded or not,” Napier said.

Out of the nearly 1,400 exposures at school, there are 857 students and staff currently quarantined, but also 542 people have been released, Napier said.

The public health officer said he knows there’s a lot of interest on when it would be appropriate to lift mask mandates and social distancing restrictions.

“From public health standpoint, I have to tell you, when we have a vaccine or when we have medication to treat COVID,” Napier said. From a practical standpoint, the number of positive cases needs to be lower. “We’re at 49 averaging a day.”

“We’re trending higher in our positivity rate. We were at 3%, we’re at 4% right now. That 1% does matter,” Napier said.

He said he’s on regular conference calls with health officers and county officials around the region.

“We’re all getting the same questions, right? We’re all trying to come up with that answer.

“We are looking at a regional approach for face coverings,” Napier said.

They’re trying to reach a consensus on the numbers and benchmarks to use.

“We’re actually looking to the academics, to be able to come up with something from a regional standpoint. We know that we have a community that moves from Pasco to Pinellas, and from Pinellas into Pasco. Hernando. Hillsborough — all of those counties.”

Initially, the increase in cases stemmed from the virus spreading within families, the public health official said. But now, there’s community spread.

Labor Day could have affected the spread. It’s too early to tell whether the recent opening of bars has had an impact,  he added.

COVID-19 remains a threat
“The pandemic is not over. I understand that face coverings are inconvenient and uncomfortable, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association continue to support the use of face coverings to reduce the exposure of COVID-19,” Napier said.

He continued: “Just as recently as last week, the CDC director Robert Redfield said, “The best defense that we currently have against this virus are the important mitigation efforts of wearing a mask, washing your hands, social distancing and being careful around crowds.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley said most of the people he’s heard from favor continuing the requirement for masks.

“I’d say that 80% to 85% of the citizens think it’s too early to remove masks, which is good to hear because I think they realize that it’s not over, and they still need to be taking precautions,” Oakley said.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said steps that have been taken to reduce the spread have been working.

“The county has seen a decrease of about 72%, in its seven-day rolling average, from its peak,” Biles said.

Commissioner Mike Wells said he’s not a big fan of wearing a mask. But, he added: “I wear a mask when I have to. It could possibly save lives.”

At the same time, he has empathy for business owners who are trying to impose the mandate.

“I’ve seen businesses get in arguments with folks. It’s just tough,” Wells said. “I’ve been in WaWa, people yelling. I’ve been in Walmart. I’ve been in Target. Folks yelling. ‘You’ve got to wear a mask. You’ve got the wrong mask,’” Wells said.

But, Wells told Napier that he respects him, and added: “I support it (the mask mandate) until you tell us otherwise.”

Napier said if the numbers were trending down, he would be in a different position.

As it stands now, he told board members he wouldn’t lift the requirement before getting another update, which is expected in October.

Published September 30, 2020

DeSantis says businesses can reopen to full capacity

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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state has reached Phase 3 of its reopening plan, essentially lifting state restrictions that had been imposed on businesses because of concerns regarding potential spread of COVID-19.

DeSantis made the announcement on Sept. 25, in St. Petersburg.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that businesses are free to reopen at full capacity. (File)

The governor spoke about the impacts his executive order will have on restaurants, in particular, and on Florida businesses, in general.

“We are today moving into what we initially called Phase 3,  and what that’ll mean for the restaurants is that there will not be limitations from the state of Florida,” DeSantis said, in a video of the announcement shared on YouTube by NBC 6 South Florida.

“The order that I’m signing today will guarantee restaurants operate, will not allow closures. They can operate at a minimum of 50% regardless of local rule, and then, if the local restricts between 50 and 100, they’ve got to provide the justification and they’ve got to identify what the costs involved in doing that are.

“This is a very difficult industry to succeed in. The margins aren’t great,” the governor said, in a video that was shared by various news outlets.

“If you go back to March, we were told 15 days to slow the spread.

“In Florida, we followed that. No dining in restaurants. The bars. The gyms. No elective procedures, some of these.

“They said, ‘You know what, we need another 30 days. So 30 days to slow the spread. So we did that, as well.

“And yet, you have some people who say, ‘Well, you know, what you want to do until there’s a vaccine.

“Now, people are saying, ‘Even if there’s a vaccine, it’s still going to take another year before you can operate appropriately.’ I don’t think that’s viable. I don’t think that’s acceptable.

“I think this is going to be very important to the industry, and it also will be a recognition that they have worked as hard as anybody to create safe environments.

“In fact, the idea of government dictating this is better than them making these decision so that their customers have confidence, I think, is misplaced,” DeSantis said.

“We’re also saying in the state of Florida everybody has an opportunity to work, every business has the right to operate.”

“You can’t just say ‘No.’ You can’t say no after six months and have people twisting in the wind,” DeSantis said.

Published September 30, 2020

Business Digest 09/30/2020

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From left: Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano, North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Hope Kennedy, F45 Training Wesley Chapel owners Kim and Bob Balfe, and Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore. (Courtesy of Andrew Taylor/Pasco County)

New gym opens at the Grove at Wesley Chapel
Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore spoke during a socially distanced ribbon-cutting ceremony at F45 Training at 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 102 in the Grove at Wesley Chapel on Sept. 10.

The new fitness venue offers quality equipment, the latest scientific techniques and a friendly staff, according to its website.

To find out more, visit F45training.com.

Professional women take a field trip
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s Professional Women in Business is planning a field trip to the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village.

The tour is set for Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The cost is $25 and includes a boxed lunch (three choices), plus water or tea. It also includes two museum passes per visitor, a chocolate tasting, a wine tasting and water throughout the tour.

The event is capped at 25 participants, to meet COVID-19 guidelines.

Register online at tinyurl.com/y59ouflx.

‘Catch the Buzz’ spelling bee
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Council will be conducting the 18th annual “Catch The Buzz” Spelling Bee in a virtual format this year.

There are many ways to be involved, including sponsorships, competing or donations.

All monies donated by the Ambassador Council from this annual event will be matched by the Florida Department of Education.

This annual event helps to raise awareness and funding for Take Stock in Children of Florida, a nonprofit organization established in 1995. It provides an opportunity for low-income youths and students to escape the cycle of poverty through education.

To find out more about the spelling bee, call the chamber’s office (727) 842-7651 or (813) 909-2722.

FALA works with Hilton
The Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA), working with Hilton, will help secure housing for assisted living facility (ALF) residents in the event of an emergency evacuation. The association has compiled a list of more than 60 Hilton hotels across the state that have the resources necessary to meet ALF requirements and may be available to provide shelter during a natural disaster or other event that requires an evacuation or makes a facility uninhabitable.

For a list of participating Hilton hotels, visit FALA.org/emergency-displacement-hotels.

Incumbent worker training program
CareerSource Tampa Bay has announced open enrollment for its Incumbent Worker Training program (IWT) for the fiscal year 2021. Employers can qualify for $50,000 in matching funds for Incumbent Worker Training. There is a total of $500,000 available.

To get program specifics, visit CareerSourceTampaBay.com/iwt.

Job fair
CareerSource Tampa Bay and Commissioner Sandra Murman are presenting the ninth annual Hillsborough County Job Fair on Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

About 50 employers with a variety of positions are expected to participate.

This year, the job fair will be conducted in a virtual format.

For more information, call Maginda Montero at CareerSource Tampa Bay at (813) 532-7539, or email .

To download flyer for the event, go to bit.ly/2ZWpDYs.

Primerica office expands in Lutz
Rob Smith Jr., has announced that John “Jay” Clifford Jr., has been promoted to regional vice president and has qualified to have his own office. Clifford’s office will be housed with Smith’s office, at 278 Crystal Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

The company offers term life insurance, mutual funds and mortgages. The office number is (813) 333-2321. The website is Primerica.com/robsmithjr, and Smith’s cell phone number is (913) 598-3402.

Vommaro McManamon Group adds agent
Clearwater-based Vommaro McManamon Group, brokered by eXp Realty, has added real estate Broker John Rurkowski to its team serving greater Tampa Bay.

John Rurkowski will primarily specialize in residential transactions in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties, while simultaneously growing his organization, Alliance Group brokered by eXp Realty. Rurkowski has been a license real estate agent since 2001.

Two Maids & A Mop
Two Maids & A Mop, at 1927 Passero Ave., in Lutz, is a residential cleaning company that serves Dade City, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Land O Lakes, Cheval, Odessa, San Antonio, St. Leo, Connerton, New Port Richey, Hudson, Trinity, Keystone and others.

Owners Sterling Birdsong and Sherman Milton III are local to the community and are graduates of Saint Leo University.

They offer one-time and recurring cleaning options.

Through a few simple steps online or over the phone, Two Maids & A Mop evaluates the needs of the customer to provide an accurate quote prior to scheduling the service. For more information, call (813) 683-4300.