The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Long-range plan should spell out costs for priorities, planning board says

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Pasco County and its consultant have held a series of public meetings around the county to help assess where the county is, where it wants to go and how to get there during its visioning process for its Pasco 2050 plan.

It turns out that participants have had a lot to say, and some of those thoughts were shared with the Pasco County Planning Commission at a meeting in September.

Hayat Mazili, the county’s project manager for the Pasco 2050 planning effort, and Nicholas Hill, a consultant from Inspire Placemaking Collective, covered many high points in a session with the Pasco County Planning Commission.

Priorities that have been identified include:

  • Stronger tree preservation regulations
  • Cultivating wildlife corridors
  • Protecting productive aquifer recharge areas
  • Increasing efforts to monitor and increase the county’s water supply system
  • Increasing transportation efficiency, by improving crossings over U.S. 19
  • Identifying opportunities to increase the interconnectedness of Pasco’s roadway systems
  • Fostering greater transit, sidewalk and trail connections

Hill also noted: “Whether or not they were in the rural area, or the urban area, we also heard tons of folks say, ‘Protect rural lands and character.’”

Participants offered ideas to achieve that, too.

Those include:

  • Limiting increases in maximum permitted densities within the rural areas
  • Maintaining the Northeast Rural Overlay
  • Working with agricultural property owners to develop incentives for placing portions of their property in conservation
  • Evaluating and refining standards for solar farming

“They also wanted a robust park system by 2050,” Hill said.

Their suggestions for making that happen include:

  • Identifying land acquisition opportunities for new parks
  • Requiring the provision of on-site parks and recreation facilities for new large-scale developments
  • Increasing the connectivity of multi-use trails
  • Expanding programming catered to the county’s most vulnerable populations.

Other suggested priorities include:

  • Working to eliminate regulatory barriers for redevelopment
  • Seeking to strategically reduce minimum living areas
  • Allowing additional housing types within select residential zoning categories
  • Working with developers to make sure our most vulnerable populations have housing

A desire for vibrant and walkable spaces was expressed, as well.

Planning participants recommended:

  • Working with developers to establish town centers
  • Permit limited commercial developments close to neighborhoods
  • Refining landscaping standards to match the character of the surrounding community

Planning process participants also shared scores of other priorities and strategies.

But, so far, the vision plan fails to identify costs for the various priorities.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey noted: “Oftentimes, what the public wants doesn’t merge with what the public is willing to pay for.”

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, asked the planners: “Is there a reason you didn’t ask the question, ‘Which of these would they be willing to spend taxpayer money on?’

“It seems like you’ve got a group of people over here saying, ‘We want all of these things,’ and to the chairman’s point, they all cost money. But unless you know which of these things they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is, I’m not sure how helpful it is.

“Are they willing to pay additional taxes to grow the park system?

“Are they willing to pay for transportation efficiency?

“Santa’s wish list can be 20 pages long, but there’s only so many things that Santa can afford.”

Planning board member Derek Pontlitz asked the planners: “Is there any reason why you couldn’t have a rough projection for costs for these things?

“One thing might be completely cost-prohibitive. Another thing might be pretty easy.”

Hill said there is an exercise that can be done that assigns values to different types of improvements and seeks public participation on setting priorities for expenditures.

Goldstein said it’s a good idea to plan for the costs: “Somebody needs to put a monetary reality check on our comp plan.”

Planning board member Jon Moody said the county needs to assess its resources, decide how it can better use them and then determine what infrastructure is needed to support them.

“We have to work with the resources that we have, not the resources we wish we had,” Moody said.

Planning board members noted that some desires that have been expressed are contradictory.

As planning board member Jaime Girardi said, “There’s a lot of competing interests. Someone will tell you that they want affordable housing, but they want big lots.”

Pontlitz noted: “A lot of the people who want to preserve the character are people that live here already, whereas the 40-foot lot buyers are people who are moving in from out of the area.”

It’s also important to recognize the natural growth of communities, Moody said.

Towns typically spring up around major routes of transportation, such as ports, rails, airports and highways, he said.

“Planning doesn’t happen just because we say, ‘This should be here because we said so.’ That’s not happening in the real world,” Moody said.

The planning board’s discussion was just one of many that are expected between now and the adoption of the 2050 plan.

The public will be invited to participate throughout the process, Mazili said. 

“This is an ongoing conversation with the public,” Mazili said. “The comprehensive plan is for the community and by the community. We want them to be involved every step of the way.”

You can find out more about the process, planning efforts to date and to get involved by visiting Pasco2050.com.

Published October 25, 2023

Union leader says pay improvements in Pasco schools among best in state

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The leader of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) said the county’s school system could be held up as a model for other districts in the state — in terms of pay improvements for teachers and non-administrative personnel.

“We feel that this has been one of the better two-year salary improvements in the state. Thank you to the board for allowing us this opportunity,” Don Peace, USEP’s president said during the Pasco County School Board’s Oct. 17 meeting.

Improved pay for district bus drivers may be helping the district to turn the corner on the shortages. It still reported 27 vacancies last week, but had seven people enrolled in training, the largest number it had in a class in over two years. (Mike Camunas)

“Thanks also to the staff’s negotiating teams, negotiators and superintendent for allowing this to happen,” Peace added.

Peace reported that the negotiating teams for the district and the union have completed the negotiations process on economic issues early in the year for the second year in a row.

“We were able to come to terms on a 3.5% across-the-board increase for all qualified employees,” Peace said.

The settlement, coupled with proceeds from a voter-approved referendum stipend plus last year’s 5.4% increases, combined to create an average increase in compensation to instructional employees of 17.8% over the last 14 months, Peace said.

He characterized that as “an exceptional amount compared to other districts around the state.”

The district’s School Related Personnel, also known as SRPs, saw significant increases, too.

Voters approved a referendum to pay higher taxes to improve the pay for Pasco County Schools’ teachers and non-administrative personnel. The improvement in pay for teachers and school-related personnel over the past two years is among the best in Florida, according to Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco. He thinks the Pasco district could become a model for other districts in the state. (File)

“All told, with the 8.9% average referendum money, combined with the newly negotiated 3.5%, along with last year’s increases, SRP employees have seen salary increases from anywhere from 17.3% to a staggering 41.4% over the last 14 months.” Peace said.

“The economic settlement also included long-awaited athletic and academic supplement increases as well,” Peace said.

As a former coach, he said he knows those supplement increases are long overdue.

“They haven’t been changed in probably 20-something years,” Peace said.

The district also agreed to cover higher costs for employee health insurance, agreed to pay increases to the Florida Retirement System benefits, and to cover the cost of fingerprinting employees. It also will pay a health and wellness incentive for qualified employees.

The district also agreed to preserve a fund to pay teachers who voluntarily give up a planning period to deliver instruction. That fund addresses the void created by a lack of qualified substitutes to teach those classes.

The district also has improved its pay for bus drivers, in its quest to address a shortage of drivers that has been felt across the nation.

Bus drivers and relief drivers each have been moved up a pay grade, plus they received a $1-an- hour wage increase negotiated earlier in the year and a return-to-work incentive due to bus drivers being deemed a critical shortage area.

Peace said that Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, reported that improved pay had reduced the number of unfilled positions this year.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent of support services, said the district has 27 bus driver vacancies right now, which is an improvement over the past. She also said seven people are enrolled for bus driver training — the most the district has had in a single training class during the past two years.

Published October 25, 2023

Pasco MPO discusses road projects and long-range planning

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Anyone who has spent any time in Central Pasco is all-too-familiar with the frequent traffic backups at State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

The intersection marks the coming together of two major roads.

State Road 54 carries east-west traffic through Pasco County and U.S. 41 is a north-south thoroughfare.

The roads get congested — forcing motorists to frequently wait through multiple light cycles before they can get through the U.S. 41/State Road 54 intersection.

The traffic quagmire has been a source of irritation for commuters for years, and the District 7 office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has been studying potential solutions.

Traffic backs up heading east on State Road 54, waiting at a traffic signal at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

At the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Oct. 12 meeting, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked for an update on what’s being done to address the issue.

Brian Hunter, an FDOT transportation planning manager, told Starkey: “So, we’re still in the evaluation process, figuring out what the final configuration of that is going to be.”

Starkey responded: “Why are we evaluating for years? Why aren’t we moving to action?”

Hunter replied: “There are a lot of environmental concerns that we have to look at, make sure we’re accommodating.”

The state transportation agency planning manager also noted that Pasco’s significant growth in the past couple of years has caused FDOT to take a closer look to be doubly sure that whatever it does, it will be the right solution.

“We don’t want to propose something that in five years, we look at it and say, ‘There were this many extra residents that came into the area. So, we’re just making sure. We’re going back through and reevaluating and making sure we’ve incorporated all of the growth.

“I don’t think any of us could have seen three years ago, when we started really looking at it, the growth that has happened here in Pasco County. It’s been immense in the last couple of years.

“When we go back to our office down U.S. 301 and turn on (State Road) 54, you can see all of those houses that are going to be popping up, and when we came off of (State Road) 52, off the interstate.

“We’re just making sure that we’ve got the appropriate solution out there.

“Because once we do it once, it’s going to be a really long time before we go back and make it better,” Hunter said.

Starkey responded that once the evaluation is done, she hopes there will be fast action.

“I hope we do get moving on something,” she said.

The county board member also alerted her colleagues on the Pasco MPO board that there’s no time to waste on making improvements to Tower Road.

A recent cooking oil spill on State Road 54, which closed down the state highway between Gunn Highway and the Suncoast Parkway, underscored the need.

A valve broke spilling cooking oil on State Road 54, she said.

“(There were) cars slipping and colliding into each other,” Starkey said, forcing the State Road 54 closure.

“That is the only east-west road we have. We have one road. We are doing a study now on Tower (Road), which we’re going to call Rangeland,” she said.

The shutdown of State Road 54 immediately “escalated” the importance of improving Tower Road, in Starkey’s view.

She said Tower Road currently goes from the edge of Starkey Ranch, but FDOT is studying an on-ramp onto the Suncoast Parkway.

“And, I hope we do that,” she said. It would create another option for east-west traffic other than heading south into Pinellas County or Hillsborough County, to get around.

On another issue, Dade City Commissioner Scott Black and Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley told Hunter that it’s important to keep traffic flowing in both directions at an intersection of River Road, near the U.S. 98/U.S. 301 improvement.

There were plans to eliminate the capability for left turns, Black said. That would be a hardship on the area and something must be done to preserve the ability to go both ways, he said.

Hunter said one option would be to just allow right turns, but then provide a nearby opportunity for U-turns that would accommodate trucks.

Oakley reiterated that a solution must be found.

On another item, Scott Ferry, a Pasco MPO planner, briefed the board on the status of an update to the 2050 transportation plan.

He said that Kimley-Horn, general consultant to the Pasco MPO, has been assigned the job of developing the 2050 socioeconomic forecast data for the plan.

That task aims to establish accurate base year population, dwelling units, employment, hotel/motel units and school enrollment data, and then to use that data as well as future land use data to develop a reliable county socioeconomic forecast for 2040 and 2050, Ferry said.

That data “will be incorporated into the regional travel demand model, which will be used to enable us to forecast future transportation needs in the county,” Ferry said.

The county transportation planning agency also assigned Kimley-Horn to develop the public involvement plan for developing the 2050 transportation plan.

Kimley-Horn’s plan will guide public involvement activities, including public workshops, meetings with Pasco MPO committees, key stakeholders and the board.

“The schedule for the completion of the plan is on a very accelerated schedule,” Ferry said, noting the work is being done on an eight-month timeline, rather than the usual 18-month process.

The deadline for adoption is Dec. 11, 2024, he said.

The Pasco MPO is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Zephyrhills. It is the lead transportation planning agency for Pasco County. 

Published October 25, 2023

Land O’ Lakes to get a new K-8 public school

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The Pasco County School Board has approved the construction of a new K-8 public school, on a 22-acre site south of State Road 54 and east of Skybrooke Boulevard.

The school, which has a guaranteed maximum price of $68,670,132, was designed by Zyscovich Architects. Ajax Building Company LLC is the construction management firm overseeing the project.

Jose Murguido, of Zyscovich, provided a presentation to school board members on Oct. 17.

“It’s truly a very exciting moment,” he told board members, before he began describing details of the new school, which is designed for 1,800 students.

A rendering of the new K-8 public school to be built, approved by the Pasco County School Board. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“This is like none other in Pasco County. I’m very, very excited to share this with you,” Murguido said.

The school will be a single building, of two and three stories. It also will have an enclosed gymnasium.

There will be ample parking, as well as “a very, very generous drop-off queue making sure that we keep the traffic on Skybrooke moving smoothly,” he said.

The school also has a track, a multi-purpose playfield, basketball courts and a courtyard that can be used for outdoor learning.

The school is being built in an area where Pasco is experiencing explosive growth, he said.

“It is a school that’s urgently needed,” he said.

“The school basically divides the parking from the athletic playfields and the basketball courts,” he said.

“The way that the school is designed recognizes the learning needs of each of the grade levels that are in here,” he said.

The youngest children will be on the ground floor, along with the school’s administration, the media center and the gymnasium.

There’s a commons area in the center of the school.

“I call it the heart of the school — this is where the dining room, but also the celebrations are. You’ll see the stage in that location there, as well as ample dining facilities.

“It has a breakfast outdoor area, off to the left-hand side and a dining porch on the right-hand side, not only to promote outdoor dining, but also outdoor learning.

“The kitchen is right behind that,” he said.

The school has “a very, very robust music program,” Murguido added, and features art labs, as well.

The second floor is designed for children in second grade through fifth grade.

A map of the area where a new K-8 public school was approved to be built on a 22-acre site south of State Road 54 and east of Skybrooke Boulevard.

“They’re arranged in neighborhoods, so the age cohorts are kind of together in those areas.

“Then, of course, on the top, you have basically your middle school component — sixth, seventh and eighth. It has all of the science labs in that area,” he said.

He added: “It’s a very handsome building. It’s civic. It’s a public institution, so it makes a statement to the community.”

The single-building approach also promotes safety, Murguido said.

A single building, he said, “is the safest school that you could design. We design schools for the U.S. military and that’s the way you do it. So, this is an exceedingly safe facility.”

The school also is set up for ample bus service, he added. Plus, there is more than 4,600 feet of queuing, which will keep traffic off the area streets.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong complimented the architectural firm.

“I know this is your first project here. Thank you for coming up with such a great plan,” she said.

Murguido responded: “Thank you, (we) appreciate the opportunity, greatly.”

Armstrong also applauded the firm’s ability to fit all of the necessary components onto a small site, while also leaving ample queuing room for parents to pick up and drop off children.

The neighborhood also will appreciate that, the school board member said.

Board member Alison Crumbley added: “Less calls, less emails, less problems. And, I like all of the arts.”

Assistant superintendent Betsy Kuhn said the plan is to use the school to relieve crowding in area schools, but there also will be some spaces reserved to serve magnet students.

Primary spaces include administration, media, band/music, dining/kitchen and classrooms.

The school board’s approval provided a notice to proceed on the project, effective Oct. 17.

The project is scheduled for substantial completion as of April 24, 2025, with final completion slated for June 2, 2025, according to materials in the school board’s agenda packet.

Published October 25, 2023

Business Digest 10/25/2023

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Veteran Symposium
Pasco-Hernando State College will host a Veteran Symposium and grand opening of the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (ESHIP) on Oct. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., at its North Campus, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., in Brooksville.

The ESHIP provides training and development solutions for organizations in Hernando County. As part of the Corporate College, the center will present solutions for the growing industry and high demand business needs in Hernando County.

In honor of National Veteran’s Small Business Week, the event will supply veteran entrepreneurs with the support and resources for opening a business:

  • 4 p.m.: Reception, networking veterans entrepreneur symposium (B104)
  • 4:30 p.m.: Presentations
  • 4:45  p.m. to 6 p.m.: Table discussions, entrepreneur resource event (B104)

In addition, there will be a ribbon-cutting in honor of PHSC’s Makerspace at 3:30 p.m.

For information, contact Aaron Ellerman at 727-816-3259 or .

Pasco EDC hauls in nine awards
The Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) garnered nine awards during fiscal year 2023, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

The awards were bestowed to the group from five economic development organizations, for work involving multiple marketing initiatives and strategic partnerships,

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) honored Pasco EDC with four awards in category population over 500,000 at its annual conference in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 19.

A gold rank, the highest honor, was awarded in the Innovation in Economic Development Week category for the Economic Development Week Social Media Campaign. Pasco EDC created a robust campaign sharing its mission and day-to-day activities during IEDC’s Economic Development Week from May 8 through May 12.

In the five-day period, the campaign generated over 1,600 engagements across Pasco EDC’s social media channels and reached more than 15,000 people.

The organization received a silver award in the Digital Media category for the Workforce Wednesday social media campaign, which was created to promote the workforceCONNECT program. Within a year, from November 2021 to November 2022, the number of engagements increased by 334%.

A silver award also was received in the Multimedia/Video Promotion category for the 10 Years of SMARTstart campaign that promoted the SMARTstart program’s 10-year anniversary supporting local entrepreneurs.

Plus, a bronze rank was awarded in the Magazine & Newsletter category for Pasco EDC’s Program Newsletters, a yearlong email marketing campaign specific to each program with different audiences.

The Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) also honored Pasco EDC with two awards at its annual conference in Orlando, on May 9.

Turner Arbour, senior economic development manager, received the 2023 Toni Jennings Workforce Development Professional Award. Arbour is the youngest recipient of the award, which has been bestowed to a total of 16 people since 2007.

The Innovative Partnership Award recognized the partnership between SMARTstart and the Santander Consumer USA Foundation (Santander). 

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the National Association of Counties also honored Pasco EDC with two partnership awards for the East Pasco Incubator Kitchen (EPIK) in collaboration with the Pasco County UF/IFAS Extension and the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners.

150 new jobs coming to Pasco
CAP Realty brokers have sold two Pasco County office properties, and the new owner of one of the buildings expects to bring 150 new jobs to the area, according to a news release.

The former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office at 9912 Little Road was purchased by 9912 Little Road LLC.

The 45,594-square-foot building, which had been occupied for 20 years as an outpatient clinic,  sold for $4.4 million.

Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker-owner at Commercial Asset Partners (CAP) Realty represented the seller, Orion New Port Richey FL LLC, in the transaction. The buyer, an affiliate of BoldAge PACE, will operate a state-authorized Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly center from the space, according to the news release. 

In addition, a 30,731-square-foot office building at 5642-5652 Meadowlane St., in New Port Richey, has sold for $2.75 million. 

Tuttle-Beisner represented the seller, Doyle Farm Family Limited Partnership, in the transaction. Deanna DeCubellis with Paradise West Realty represented the buyer, which is doing business as Bayonet, a plumbing, air conditioning and heating services company that will operate from this location. 

The move includes consolidating four properties Bayonet had previously leased or owned in Hudson, Port Richey and New Port Richey, to this one location on Meadowlane Street. 

Check permits before rebuilding
Those making repairs in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia are reminded by state and national government officials to be sure to consult with their community’s building or planning department to see if permits are necessary before work can commence, according to a news release.

Officials with the Florida Department of Emergency Management’s office of flood plain management and officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency urge consumers not to rely solely on the contractor’s opinion as to whether permits are required or not.

The property owner is responsible for ensuring that all necessary permits have been obtained – including, if necessary, complying with any flood plain regulations that apply.

Construction must adhere to the Florida building code and to the local flood plain management ordinance.

To find local building contacts, check with your city or county officials.

Consumers also are advised to hire contractors who are licensed and insured.

Residents can look up contractor license information at MyFloridaLicense.com/wl11.asp.

Ribbon-cutting & relaunch
The North Tampa Bay Chamber announced the recent ribbon-cutting and relaunch party of  Prepense business solutions, which was held on Oct. 19 at SmartStart at the Grove, 6013 Wesley Grove, Building 2, Suite 202, in Wesley Chapel. The company shared its vision. The event also featured refreshments and networking opportunities.

Homes by WestBay’s two new divisions
Tampa Bay’s largest, privately held homebuilder, Homes by WestBay, has introduced two new divisions in support of its continued growth. 

The move will position the homebuilder and its subsidiary, Casa Fresca Homes, for increased market share and expansion throughout Central and Southwest Florida, including sub-markets of Hillsborough and Pasco Counties with expansion to Polk, Hernando, and Marion Counties to the North, and the luxury markets of Manatee and Sarasota to the South with further expansion to Charlotte, and Lee Counties in the next few years, according to a news release.

One big project gets a green light; another begins construction

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Some sizable projects are heading to Pasco County.

One of the developments — known as Abbey Crossings — is a master-planned unit development (MPUD) that includes 800,000 square feet of light industrial, 400,000 square feet of office, 400,000 square feet of commercial and 1,000 multi-family dwellings.

A rendering of a future view of the massive DoubleBranch development, planned on 965 acres at Interstate 75 and State Road 52. (Courtesy of Dona Loncar/via Pasco Economic Development Council)

The Pasco County Commission cleared the way for the project by approving a rezoning request on 245.24 acres on the south side of County Road 52, intersecting with McKendree Road.

The land had been zoned for agricultural and commercial uses, until the county board changed the designation during its Oct. 10 meeting.

The project is within the boundaries of Connected City, specifically within its business core.

The Connected City corridor consists of about 7,800 acres in a state-approved development district meant to foster residential communities and employment centers that are the wave of the future. Its borders are roughly Interstate 75, State Road 52 and Curley and Overpass roads.

The area is meant to feature cutting-edge technology, including gigabit Internet speeds and innovation, and it is supposed to be easy to get around for pedestrians, cyclists, golf carts and vehicles.

The county board’s Abbey Crossings vote came just days after some commissioners joined in a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 5, hosted by Columnar Land to celebrate the beginning of DoubleBranch, on a site formerly known as Pasco Town Center.

Mike Wolf is senior vice president of Columnar/DoubleBranch. He was one of the speakers at the Oct. 4 groundbreaking ceremony.

Columnar has invested more than $60 million to date and is providing another $75 million in Phase I infrastructure, according to a news release issued by the Pasco Economic Development, Inc. (Pasco EDC).

“DoubleBranch has been anticipated in Pasco County for nearly two decades,” Daniel Traylor, managing principal of Columnar/DoubleBranch, said in the news release. “Today marks the beginning of the first phase of development for a project that will have a tremendous impact on generations of Pasco County residents.”

The project will feature 4 million square feet of industrial development, 725,000 square feet of offices, 400,000 square feet of retail, 3,500 housing units and 300 hotel beds on a 965-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52, the release says.

At its completion, DoubleBranch is expected to have more than $600 million in long-term economic impact on an estimated $2 billion buildout for the surrounding area. Over time, the development is anticipated to be home to 6,000 jobs including many in the logistics, life sciences and healthcare target industry sectors, the release adds.

These are just some of the people who have played a role in making the idea of DoubleBranch a reality.

“Our team is proud and excited to get this project started,” Mike Wolf, senior vice president of Columnar/DoubleBranch, said in the release. 

“Since purchasing the land in 2021, we set out to intentionally create a desirable town center development where Pasco gathers to work, live and entertain while creating jobs and economic development for the county,” Wolf added.

Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco EDC, also weighed in.

“Pasco County leadership is very cognizant of creating opportunities for smart, strategic development,” Cronin said, in the release. “This is one of the largest master planned development projects we have had here, and it has taken tremendous effort by Columnar, county officials, and stakeholders alike to make sure it is done right. I was honored to be a part of the celebration yesterday.”

David Engel, economic growth director for Pasco County, provided additional perspective on the project’s importance and impacts.

“The DoubleBranch project is an excellent example of the benefits of a public-private partnership,” Engel said, in the release. “The developer is installing over $70 million in on- and off-site primary roads and utility connections to complete core infrastructure for the entire Connected City Employment Center area. Pasco is providing an Ad Valorem Equivalency Grant to fund a portion of the infrastructure cost, and when this project is complete, over $9.5 million in ad valorem taxes will come into the county each year.”

Regional MPO study gets green light from Pasco MPO

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has approved a memorandum of understanding involving  a study to examine a potential merger of individual county MPOs to create a regional transportation planning board for Tampa Bay.

Currently, Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties each have a transportation planning body, which sets priorities for transportation projects within their counties.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey thinks Tampa Bay would be better served by a regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, rather than three independent county MPOs.
A study will be done to study the benefits and disadvantages of merging the independent boards.

But the Florida Legislature has mandated a study outlining what would be the benefits and drawbacks of shifting to a single regional MPO.

On one hand, creating a regional MPO would harness the political power of a region of more than 3.5 million people, and expectations to grow by 1 million more over the next 20 years.

On the other hand, representatives of areas with fewer people are worried priorities for their communities could be lost in a big regional shuffle because they would not have a big enough voice to be heard.

The issue has been debated on and off for months, but the deadline for complying with the legislature’s mandate is approaching, so members of the Pasco MPO agreed to support a memorandum brought before them at their Oct. 12 meeting.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency for Pasco County. Its board is made up of elected leaders in Pasco County, Port Richey, New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills.

Pinellas and Hillsborough counties also have transportation planning boards.

Historically, there have been issues in getting all three boards to agree on how to resolve regional transportation issues.However, not everyone is sure combining the three into a regional board is the best approach, either.

The Pasco MPO technical advisory committee raised concerns about language in the memo of understanding. They said verbiage within the memorandum creates the impression all of the MPOs are on the same page regarding the need for a regional MPO.

The committee said it would prefer more neutral language.

Some Pasco MPO board members also wondered if the language should be changed.

But David Goldstein, Pasco’s senior assistant county attorney, said the memo is not legally binding. 

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, a proponent for a regional approach to transportation planning, said acting as a region would create a much better opportunity to attract federal funding for regional transportation needs.

Starkey said she understands small communities may worry about not being represented, but she believes David Gwynn, secretary for the District 7 region of the Florida Department of Transportation, would make sure no one is overlooked.

Pasco Commissioner Ron Oakley, who has argued for and against the regional approach during previous discussions of the issue, said he believes creating the regional MPO will bring more to the area to address transportation issues.

He’s also confident funding will continue to come into individual counties for projects. Banding together, however, will give the region a much stronger position to compete for federal funds, Oakley said.

Dade City Commissioner Scott Black said he understands the concept of strength in numbers, but said it’s important to ask questions before merging the MPOs.

Starkey said she’s sure there will be considerable discussion before a final action occurs.

Published October 18, 2023

Pasco school officials voice concerns over charter schools

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Pasco County School Board members and Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning are raising concerns involving issues regarding contract compliance of some charter schools operating within the district.

The item regarding the charter school reports was presented for information only, on the school board’s Oct. 3 agenda.

But school board member Colleen Beaudoin pulled the item for discussion.

Pasco school board member Colleen Beaudoin raised questions about some of the district’s charter schools being out of compliance with their contracts.

“I have some questions and concerns with regards to some of the charter schools.

“I notice that Pinecrest and Innovation Prep are out of compliance with the contract, and it appears they didn’t respond to the district’s review or provide clarification or comments,” Beaudoin said.

“And, also there are schools with net deficits, the most significant being Union Park, with the net deficit position of over $1.6 million, so what’s the district’s plan of action to address this?”

Browning said that he, too, had planned to discuss the item.

“I did want to draw attention to three schools. One was Union Park Charter Academy, which is experiencing a $1.6 million net deficit position, as Miss Beaudoin said. That is a concern for us.

“You will also find that there were a number of governance standards they had not met and they did not comment, return any comments at all to Mr. (Jeff) Yungmann (who reviews charter schools) and his staff to answer their deficits.

“In addition to that, Innovation Preparatory Academy, a number of governance standards were not met. Five of the 11 finance and operations standards were not met.

“Again, there were no corrective comments from Innovation Prep Academy .

Browning said Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel also had not met a number of standards and had not provided comments in response to the district’s concerns.

The superintendent went on to say: “I will tell you that this process is incredibly frustrating to me, because quite honestly, I think the school board has a perfunctory role when it comes to charter schools. Generally, if charter schools don’t get what they want from local school districts, they go to Tallahassee and the department generally grants what they’re asking for.

“I don’t know why they even have us as part of the approval system or even require us to have the reviews, when the reviews really don’t amount to a hill of beans.

“I think all it does is shine a light.

“But it’s frustrating because these are our kids that they are educating.

PPasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning says school boards play a ‘perfunctory role when it comes to charter schools.’

“I’ll tell you, we have standards we have to meet. We will get whacked, as a school district, if we don’t meet those standards. It’s not necessarily the same case for our charter schools.”

Yungmann said the school district, which sponsors charter schools, must monitor them for compliance in areas such as governance, finance, human resources, insurance, facilities, food and nutrition services.

“As part of the review, we do highlight certain areas, and of course, we give the opportunity for the schools to provide school comments.

“Five of the schools did not provide school comments. We even gave them two opportunities. “One was to provide documentation by a certain deadline and the other was to provide school comments,” Yungmann said.

Union Park, which was showing a net deficit of $1.6 million, is now showing one of $1.9 million, Yungmann said.

“To me, as a layman for finance, that’s signal-signs for distress,” he said.

While school districts have little authority when it comes to charters, the school board does vote on charter school extensions.

He pointed out to the board: “these are the same schools that are going to come back to this board, asking for a 10-year or 15-year extension, when their contracts are renewed.”

School board member Alison Crumbley expressed frustration regarding the situation.

“What do we do about a $1.9 million deficit?” she said.

Megan Harding, the board’s chairwoman agreed: “That’s huge.”

Crumbley added: “That’s ridiculous.”

Yungmann said if a charter school is being operated by the same governing board in other counties, they can share funding across the counties.

He also said that a recent state law requires charter school renewals to be granted for at least five years, unless they are deemed to be operating at a Double F status.

Browning told board members: “in large part, your hands are tied.

But he added: “‘We’re just bringing this information to your attention. Your action will come into play when they come back for contract renewals.”

Published October 11, 2023

Improving school safety is a never ending job, district security chief says

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The Pasco County School Board held a closed-door session on Oct. 3 to discuss the district’s security risk assessment and actions to improve safety in the district schools.

Annual assessments of safety on each school campus must be completed by Oct. 1, under Florida law requiring school safety plans.

The law was adopted after 17 people were killed and 17 were injured in the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland.

Those shootings spurred a public outcry and persistent student protests. Ultimately, state legislators mandated a series of new steps intended to reduce threats on campuses across Florida.

Michael Baumaister, Pasco County Schools’ district chief of safety and emergency operations, said there are always ways to improve school safety, and, he added, it’s everyone’s job to help. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The state law also requires that every three years, local school districts must conduct the annual risk assessments in consultation with local law enforcement, fire and emergency management.

The school board held a workshop to discuss findings of those assessments and suggested actions before its regular meeting on Oct. 3.

The meeting was closed due to the sensitive nature of security issues.

At the board’s regular meeting, Michael Baumaister, the school district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, reported: “This year we conducted public safety tours with our partners from the sheriff’s office, fire and emergency management.”

“We reviewed every school.

“Our walk-throughs did identify some areas, small areas, that we can improve upon and we’re making those improvements,” he said.

The security chief also noted that the district’s security efforts are widespread.

“We collaborate with a lot of different departments, not just the schools themselves, but we do reach out to the sheriff’s office, some of our municipal agencies, and within our school district,” he said.

The collaborations also include working with various departments within the school district, such as the facilities, construction and planning teams, as well as others, he said.

“School security is not just my job. It’s everybody’s job. We have an obligation to be part of it,” the safety expert said.

Baumaister thanked the school board for its level of funding support to enhance school safety. He said that’s not true in every school district.

“Most of our recommendations are just to continue what we’ve been doing,” he said.

He asked for the board’s continued support.

“Keep us funded where we need to be, so we can keep moving forward and be where we need to be,” Baumaister said.

“I don’t think there’s ever a sunset on school safety. I think school safety always has to be at the forefront and we always need to continue moving forward. 

“Even if you think your school is as safe as it could be, there’s probably other things you can do to make it safer,” he said.

He also noted: “We have to keep that balance, to keep our schools (as) education centers, not prisons.”

Published October 11, 2023

Business Digest 10/11/2023

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Amanda Buffinton is now managing partner of Shutts & Bowen LLP’s Tampa office. (Courtesy of Shutts & Brown LLP)

Managing partner named
Amanda B. Buffinton has been named managing partner of Shutts & Bowen LLP’s Tampa office.

Shutts & Bowen is a full-service business law firm with approximately 270 lawyers and with eight offices across Florida.

“We are excited to welcome Amanda as Tampa Office Managing Partner,” Firmwide Managing Partner Jack C. McElroy, said in a news release. “Her passion for the firm, combined with her knowledge of the Tampa community, is the ideal combination we look for in a leader. We are certain that under her leadership, the Tampa office will continue to grow and thrive.”

The firm’s Tampa office had previously been led by R. Alan Higbee, who is stepping aside after 17 years in this role in order to devote more time to his leadership position on Shutts & Bowen’s firmwide Executive Committee.

Buffinton, a partner in the Construction Litigation Practice Group, is board certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar and focuses her practice on the litigation and arbitration of complex construction claims on behalf of owners, contractors and design professionals.

“It is a privilege to step into the Tampa Office Managing Partner role,” Buffinton said, in the news release. “I look forward to continuing Alan’s tremendous work in establishing and expanding the Tampa office for the past 17 years. We have an amazing group of lawyers and staff members and I am excited to be at the helm while we continue to grow into the future.”

Committee members announced
The Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) has announced the 2024 executive committee for its board of directors. They are: Michele Hintson, chair, Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick; Staceyann Jibbison, vice chair, Rasmussen University; Paul Manuel, secretary/treasurer, Coastal Design Consultants; and Mike Ross, immediate past chair, Ardurra Group, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

The executive committee meets throughout the year to provide guidance and support to the Pasco EDC, which has the mission of stimulating balanced and diversified business growth.

Pasco EDC has 85 investors and 33 board members. 

East Pasco Networking Group
Madonna Wise will be the featured speaker for the next East Pasco Networking Group (EPNG) meeting on Nov. 14 at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City. Wise is a local author and retired educator. For information contact Nils Lenz, at  813-782-9491, 813-997-3903 or .

Land O’ Lakes brochure exchange
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have a Land O’ Lakes Brochure Exchange on Oct. 12 from 11:30 to 1 p.m., at New Beginnings, 18935 Michigan Lane. The venue is one-fourth mile north of State Road 52, along U.S. 41.

Admission is free (plus the cost of food) for chamber members and $10 (plus the cost of food) for non-members.

If you are not a member but would like to give the event a try, call the chamber office to arrange a one-time free entry. Call 727-842-7651 or 813-909-2722.

GeoPoint ribbon-cutting
GeoPoint Surveying has set its ribbon-cutting event for Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting scheduled for noon. The event will take place at 6735 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Professional Women in Business
The October meeting of Professional Women in Business is set for Oct. 18 from 11:30 to 1 p.m., at HCA Florida Trinity Hospital, 9330 State Road 54 in Trinity. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month.

Trinity Brochure Exchange
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its Trinity Brochure Exchange on Oct. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Seven Springs Golf & Country Club, 3535 Trophy Blvd., in New Port Richey. The cost is $13 for lunch. Registration is free for Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce members and $10 for non-members. The event happens on the third Thursday of each month.

If you are not a member but would like to give the event a try, call the chamber office to arrange a one-time free entry. Call 727-842-7651 or 813-909-2722.

Emergency bridge loans
The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that more than $6.4 million in emergency bridge loans have been awarded to small businesses in Florida that were affected by Hurricane Idalia.

The state’s announcement says that 161 businesses were approved to receive the funds to bridge the gap while waiting for other long-term funding such as insurance or FEMA funding.

More applications are being approved every day, the state news release says.

The program, administered by FloridaCommerce, provides short-term, no-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Idalia. Interested applicants can apply now through Oct. 25, or until all available funds are expended.

Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more and to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program.

Business owners needing more information can call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.