The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Winter Storm Elliott causes disruptions here; deaths elsewhere

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Winter Storm Elliott spared Florida from its brutally frigid temperatures, whiteout conditions, massive power outages and major vehicle pileups on slippery roads — experienced in many parts of the nation.

The precise death toll resulting from the unrelenting cold, snow and dangerous conditions was uncertain, as The Laker/Lutz News went to press. But the number of dead continued to mount in the days following Christmas, based on national news reports.

Tampa escaped the harshest effects but it experienced one of its coldest Christmases in recent memory. Temperatures of 31 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded on both Christmas Eve and Christmas mornings, according to the Tampa Bay Office of the National Weather Service.

Those temperatures were much higher than the 20 degrees recorded in Tampa on Christmas Day in 1983. The weather also was chillier on Christmas Eve in 1989, when the low reached 24 degrees and there were snow flurries, according to the weather service.

Still, by Tampa standards, it was cold.

National television news reports showed images of airports across the country crowded with people waiting for their flights to be rescheduled, as well as a huge backlog of luggage at Tampa International Airport (TPA).

Initially, the harsh weather caused cancellations at major hubs, creating a domino effect at other airports around the country.

Tampa’s airport experienced a significant number of flight cancellations and delays around the holiday weekend because of deteriorated weather conditions around the country, according to Emily Nipps, director of communications at TPA.

After the weather improved, however, Southwest has continued canceling flights. Thousands have been canceled around the country, including hundreds at TPA.

For instance, of TPA’s 115 canceled flights on Dec. 28, all but eight were Southwest flights, Nipps said.

“All of the airlines are now back on track, for the most part, except for Southwest,” she said.

The massive disruptions caused by Southwest cancellations across the country enraged passengers, many expressing their anger and frustration in television interviews.

Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded by telling NBC News that his department will be looking into Southwest’s scheduling system.

Buttigieg told NBC: “This has clearly crossed the line from what’s an uncontrollable weather situation into something that is the airline’s direct responsibility.”

In a video, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan apologized for the disruptions and said “we’re doing everything we can to return to normal operation.”

Jordan also pledged that improvements would be made to prevent this from happening again.

Aside from travel disruptions, the cold weather also prompted local governments to open shelters to help those in need to stay warm.

Both Pasco and Hillsborough counties responded to chilly conditions by opening cold weather shelters to provide a warm place for people to spend the night.

Pasco County’s shelters were open on Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, and Hillsborough’s partners provided shelter on Dec. 23, Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 26.

Published January 04, 2023

Pasco County ranks 25th on 2022 Florida Child Well-Being Index

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The results are in for the Florida Policy Institute’s 2022 Florida Child Well-Being Index, and Pasco County is ranked 25th out of the state’s 67 counties.

Hillsborough County ranked 18th.

Florida Policy Institute (FPI), which is the state’s KIDS COUNT partner, provides the index to measure performance across 16 indicators, in four major categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community.

Pasco ranked 23rd in economic well-being; 13th in education; 43rd in health; and 28th in family and community, according to the index.

The rankings for Hillsborough were: 12th in economic well-being; 28th in education; 13th in health; and 35th in family and community.

“These snapshots of Florida counties can help us pinpoint which areas of the state are in greatest need of resources,” Sadaf Knight, CEO of FPI, said in a release from the organization.

FPI is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing state policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians.

“Fostering strong public schools, bolstering the state’s safety net, and investing in a Working Floridians Tax Rebate to help boost income for Sunshine State families are all ways to reduce county-to-county child well-being disparities. We look forward to working with lawmakers to prioritize Florida children in the upcoming legislative session,” Knight added.

According to the index, St. Johns, Seminole and Broward were ranked highest overall for child well-being, while Hendry, DeSoto and Madison were ranked lowest.

However, Hendry, DeSoto and Madison did see improved graduation rates and fewer children living in poverty, the index shows.

“Counties with higher rankings are generally well-resourced places, where families can afford to invest in things like high-quality child care, education, and other opportunities for their children,” according to the FPI news release.

“Counties with lower rankings are regions that have borne the brunt of the state’s disinvestment in public services and where people face historic barriers to economic opportunity,” the release added.

“We want to recognize counties that are making the investment in their children and communities. The ultimate purpose of the Child Well-Being Index is to inspire all counties to ensure that children are able to grow and thrive,” Norín Dollard, PhD, senior policy analyst and KIDS COUNT director at FPI, said in the release.

The rankings were developed using KIDS COUNT data.

KIDS COUNT is a registered trademark of The Annie E. Casey Foundation in the United States and/or other countries and is used with permission of the Foundation.

Published January 04, 2023

Business Digest 01/04/2023

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New KFC in Land O’ Lakes
Kentucky Fried Chicken has a new location at 17750 Aprile Drive, in Land O’Lakes, according to a news release. “We are excited to open a new KFC restaurant in Land O’ Lakes to serve the interests of the local community,” Tonya Mangels, vice president of marketing activation, KBP Brands, said in the release. This is KBP Brands’ 21st KFC restaurant in the greater Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg metro area and its 52nd KFC location in Florida.  KBP Brands plans to hire 50-plus new team members. Apply at KFC.com/careers.

SCORE.org is redesigned
SCORE.org has redesigned its website, with the aim of creating easy access to its resources. With the new website, users can select the stage their business is in to find training, resources, and mentors for assistance. SCORE.org offers an extensive library of small business how-to resources. It also has 227 chapters across the county, offering local mentors, business resources and events. To check the local website, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

Florida’s unemployment rate
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Dec. 16 that Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.6% — the lowest among the nation’s top ten largest states and 1.1 % lower than the national rate.

Hooters gives back
The 11 Tampa Bay area Hooters locations helped spread the joy this holiday season by giving back to local charities.

The restaurant donated to several local organizations including The Arc Tampa Bay, Children’s Cancer Center, Pasco County Foster Adoptive Parent Association, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Metropolitan Ministries and Children With A Vision, according to a news release.

“Our employees like to get involved and make a difference in our community year-round especially during the holiday season. We have many longstanding partnerships with local organizations that help many children and brighten their holiday. Being an active partner in the community is a priority to our company,” HMC Hospitality Group Chief Marketing Officer Denise Williams said, in the release.

EōS Fitness opens
EōS Fitness, a gym chain, has opened a new location in Land O’ Lakes, at 2194 Argosy Drive. This is the company’s sixth location in Florida, according to a news release.

Its offerings support members throughout the entire warmup/workout/recovery cycle, including EōS Smart Strength equipment and The Tank. EōS Smart Strength’s seven-piece equipment line is a uniquely personalized experience using smart technology, empowering members with fitness solutions customized for their goals and needs, taking the guesswork out of strength training.

The Tank is an innovative new recovery space where members can properly recover from their workouts using percussion massagers, compression pants and professional-grade stretch tables.

“We are eager to share our passion for health, fitness and wellness and introduce a comprehensive fitness experience unlike any other to the community of Land O’ Lakes,” Richard Idgar, COO of EōS Fitness, said in the release. “No matter where our members are in their fitness journeys, EōS has something for everyone.”

Kat Brat Studios launch
Kat Brat Studios is hosting its company launch on Jan. 12 at 1 p.m., at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce office, 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A, in Lutz.

A RSVP is required through the chamber’s website. Those attending will have a chance to learn about the company’s aerial drone services, gamification marketing strategies and be introduced to its S.T.E.A.M. Expo 2023. To find out more about the visit, visit KatBratStudios.com, or email .

Chamber orientation
New members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber are invited to attend a new member orientation on Jan. 4 at 8 a.m. Visit the chamber’s website, at NorthTampaBayChamber.com, to register.

Networking Group meeting
Paul Conley, the district executive director of the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA, will be the featured speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group’s Jan. 20 breakfast meeting. The group meets at the IHOP in Dade City, 13100 U.S. 301, in Dade City. Meetings begin at 7:30 a.m. For more information, contact Nils Lenz at or call 813-782-9491.

Pasco Fire public information officer hits milestone
Corey Dierdorff, public information officer (PIO) for Pasco County Fire Rescue, has been deemed a Master Public Information Officer, the highest certification awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Corey’s experience, combined with his newfound knowledge from the MPIO course, will benefit the Pasco County community as we continue our efforts to keep the public safe and informed,” Fire Rescue Chief Scott Cassin, said in a Pasco County news release. “His approach to sharing our news is strengthening our relationships with the community and our media partners – and will bolster close relationships for years to come.”

Dierdorff’s experience include public information work in television news and six years as PIO for two Tampa Bay area fire departments. He has served in the joint operations center for several significant events, including natural disasters, the College Football Playoffs in Tampa, Super Bowl LV and the Florida State Fair.

The certification he achieved is held by 137 people across the country.

New ‘Angeline’ school to offer unique options for Pasco students

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Angeline Academy of Innovation is set to open in the fall, ushering in new education choices for middle and high school students in Pasco County Schools.

The magnet STEM program is scheduled to open in August 2023. Initially, it will serve grades six through 10, but the school will add grades 11 and 12 in coming years.

JoAnne Glenn, the school’s inaugural principal, provided details about the school in a video carried on Pasco County Schools’ YouTube channel.

She explained the school’s philosophy and mission, while also providing some nuts-and-bolts details about what to expect.

JoAnne Glenn is the first principal of Angeline Academy of Innovation, a new magnet school slated to open in August 2023. (File)

“Angeline Academy of Innovation represents our district’s realization of our theory of action,” Glenn said in the video. “The theory of action says that if we move as a system to create an environment where our students and our schools have the support that they need, then we can expect to see the best outcomes for our students.

“Angeline Academy represents a new approach to realizing this theory of action, and we’re excited to change and test some of the new ways that we can deliver education,” she continued.

The school’s planning will be intentional, to make its “learning experiences exciting and engaging, and connected to the real world to prepare our students for their lives after high school,” Glenn said.

“Our key levers to support this work include rigorous instruction; a compassionate school environment that ensures that our students feel cared for and supported; equitable instructional practices, meaning we believe in having an open door; and, allowing students to feel supported in taking academic risks and trying new things,” she said.

“These three levers are actually the foundation that we believe are essential to ensuring that our students leave our system prepared for college, career and life,” she added.

Beyond talking about the philosophical underpinnings of the new campus for middle and high school students, which is at 8916 Angeline School Way, Glenn showed renderings of what the new building will look like.

The floor plan includes workspaces for each of the school’s career academies, as well as collaboration spaces for students and teachers.

The high school will feature four primary career academies and will offer opportunities for students to merge some fields to create a more personalized track, Glenn said.

It will have a Biodesign Academy; a Computer Science and Applied Cybersecurity Academy; an Engineering and Applied Robotics Academy; and, an Entrepreneurship Academy, which will be woven through the other pathways to enable students to leave to become their own bosses and open their own businesses.

At the middle school, there will be two primary magnet pathways that are broad and intended to support the work in each of the high school pathways, Glenn said.

“From ninth through 12th grade is a highlighted progression of coursework that emphasizes engineering. These are the courses that define the engineering path, and an exciting thing about these courses is that each one of them offers the opportunity for students to earn an industry certification and/or college credit, as they go,” Glenn added.

“In our Biodesign Pathway, we will begin with emphasis on biomedical applications. That is growing, in part, because of the partnership that will be forged with the Moffitt Cancer complex that will be across the street. We’re excited about the opportunities for our students to be able to do internships, externships there, as that complex develops, and the opportunities for them to be able to work directly with practicing experts, scientists and doctors, and learn about some of the ways that Moffitt is tackling the challenge of cancer.

“Our high school Cybersecurity Pathway, you can see, is a pretty solid course of study here, and represents not just cybersecurity, but a strong grounding in computer science, as well. 

This is a rendering of what Angeline Academy of Innovation will look like. The new magnet school, being built in Central Pasco, is expected to provide a wide array of new opportunities for students. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“So, you’ll see that there are many courses tailored to students building their cybersecurity knowledge, as well as their computer science or programming skills, along the way.

“Additionally, we have an Applied Robotics Pathway, which includes a significant number of courses that are shared with the engineering and/or cybersecurity track, and so, our students will have a sequence of robotics courses and the opportunity to plug in courses in either the Engineering or Cybersecurity tracks, depending on where their interests lie and what future course of study or work they would like to pursue,” she said.

“As a district, we’ve made a decision to brand our elementary STEAM schools, with that label, emphasizing arts.

“As a secondary administrator, I believe the arts actually power innovation in our secondary STEM programs. Angeline will have solid arts offerings. However, as a magnet school, one of the things that we try to do is bring something new, or innovative or unique that helps distinguish our programs from other schools. So, you’ll see the emphasis on more technology-grounded experience in our visual arts and music offerings.

She also said that the actual high school course offerings may vary from the presentation.

“In high school, our courses are driven by what students sign up for and what they are interested in,” Glenn explained.

Initially, no sports program had been planned for Angeline, Glenn said. However, she said, the community made it clear it felt that students would be best served if the district included athletics.

Angeline’s site isn’t large enough to accommodate an athletics program, but the district plans to partner with some other organizations and to provide a shuttle service from the school property to a piece of land the district owns at U.S. 41 and Tierra del Sol. There are plans for an athletic facility there.

At this point, Angeline is expected to have these athletic offerings: boys and girls cross country, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls golf, girls volley, boys and girls wrestling, competitive cheer, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, girls weightlifting, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls tennis, and boys weightlifting, according to Pasco County Schools’ information page about Angeline.

There are no plans for football and sideline cheer, baseball or softball.

The school selection process for middle school students will be based on a lottery system. High school students will need to meet some entry requirements, established for magnet and innovative programs, Glenn said.

Those who are interested in attending Angeline can make their interest known during the School Choice window, which opens on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m. and runs through Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Glenn noted: “It is possible through the School Choice Portal in My School to select three options. Families may choose all three options to be different academic programs at Angeline.

“For example, one could submit a first choice request for Cybersecurity, a second choice request for Engineering and Applied Robotics and a third choice request for the BioDesign Academy.

“So that would be something to know, so you don’t feel like you can only select one option at Angeline,” Glenn said.

The notification and acceptance window is from Feb. 27 to March 8.

To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us and click on the Pasco Pathways tab.

School Choice opening soon
What: Pasco County Schools’ school choice application window for all school choice options will be open from Jan.  9 at 8 a.m. through Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.
Applications will be accepted for all choice programs: STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB) and the Cambridge Programme.
Applications for the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application are available via the school district’s myStudent parent portal.
The notification and acceptance window is from Feb. 27 to March 8.
To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us and click on the Pasco Pathways tab.

Published January 04, 2023

Pasco school construction adds options, addresses growth

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As 2023 approaches, Pasco County Schools is working on projects to add two new schools and to expand an existing one.

The new construction projects involve Kirkland Ranch K-8, at 33137 Innovation Drive, in Wesley Chapel, and Angeline Academy of Innovation, at 8916 Angeline School Way, in Land O’ Lakes.

The expansion project involves Starkey Ranch K-8, at 12200 Lake Blanche Drive, in Odessa, where a classroom wing is being added.

The Pasco County School Board heard an update on the Kirkland Ranch K-8 project during its Dec. 13 meeting. 

This rendering shows what the new Kirkland Ranch K-8 is expected to look like, when construction is completed on the new school in Wesley Chapel. The scheduled completion date is in June 2024. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools/Hepner Architects)

Peter Hepner, of Hepner Architects, gave the board an overview of the design.

The new K-8 school will be built on the east side of the Kirkland Academy campus.

Details, according to Hepner’s presentation,  include play courts and a covered play area outdoors, as well as parking lots for staff and visitors and a drop-off area for students.

The first floor will have spaces for administration, prekindergarten, primary classrooms, and elementary art, music and skills labs.

The student dining area includes a stage and there will be outdoor dining, too.

The second floor includes primary and intermediate classrooms, a media center and a teacher planning area.

On the third floor, there will be middle school classrooms, art and music areas, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Center and science labs.

Creative Contractors is the construction manager for the Kirkland Ranch K-8 project.

During the Dec. 13 meeting, the school board approved a guaranteed maximum price for the Kirkland K-8 project at $38,388,098. That price includes the construction manager’s fee, plus the cost of the work.

The project’s notice to proceed was issued on Dec. 13, and the date for completion is set for June 7, 2024.

In addition to building a new K-8 school on the campus, which is off Curley Road in Wesley Chapel, the school board has entered into a partnership with Pepin Academies, which is planning to operate a charter school on the same campus.

The partnership is unique in the state, according to Pasco school officials.

When the arrangement was announced on Nov. 8, Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent, told the board: “This is an exciting partnership — a lot of learning ahead of us to figure out how to navigate some of the rules and regulations that the state puts on us, relative to our relationship, but really looking forward to it.”

While those projects are on the horizon in Wesley Chapel, there are other projects that are coming in Central Pasco.

Work continues on the Angeline Academy of Innovation in emerging community of Angeline, in Land O’ Lakes. The school is about 1 mile east of the Suncoast Parkway at exit 25 off Ridge Road.

The STEM magnet school is expected to open with grades six through 10, with plans to become a 6-12 school.

The four-story building — the tallest school in the Pasco district — is under construction near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned campus.

Moffitt’s planned development is the centerpiece of Angeline, a massive development, which is expected to attract cancer researchers and life science companies from around the globe.

Angeline’s plans also call for an extensive trail network to promote wellness, the latest in internet connectivity and diverse housing products — from apartments to luxury homes — to provide something for everyone.

Angeline Academy of Innovation is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023. Representatives of the school district and Moffitt have long been engaged in discussions over potential partnerships.

In another action on Dec. 13, the school board approved a contract with the Williams Company Tampa for a guaranteed maximum price of $9,587,997, to cover the construction cost and construction manager fees for the addition of a classroom wing at Starkey Ranch K-8, in Odessa.

The work is expected to be substantially completed by Dec. 11, 2023.

When the school district opened Starkey Ranch K-8 in the fall of 2021, it knew that the development would continue to grow, Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district told The Laker/Lutz News in a previous interview.

But it turned out that in addition to the growth within Starkey Ranch, the magnet school also attracted students who had been attending private schools and charter schools — speeding up the need for expansion, Williams said.

Published December 28, 2022

County wants zoning applicant to make self-imposed limits

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The applicant for a general commercial zoning says the intention is to develop a day care and a restaurant on an 8.39-acre site on Catfish Lake Road, north of off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.

But the commercial zoning being sought would allow a broader range of uses, which prompted questions by members of the Pasco County Commission.

Area residents also brought forward their own concerns, based on a site plan submitted by EG3 Development.

Jason Glaser, representing the applicant, told the county board the intention is to develop a 12,000-square-foot day care, that would be a franchise, operated by a local Pasco resident.

A restaurant also is proposed at the front of the site, Glaser added.

The applicant submitted a site plan to show its intention, and revised it based on neighborhood feedback, Glaser said.

The original site plan had three buildings and two exits on Catfish Lake Road. The revised plan shows two buildings and one exit onto Catfish Lake Road.

The drop-off times at the proposed business are spaced out, based on the age of the children — so traffic backups wouldn’t occur, Glaser said.

Plus, he added that parents won’t be lined up in their cars.

“You have to physically park and walk your child into the property,” he explained.

Glaser said the project will be connected to a sewer system and stormwater retention will be provided.

“We do believe it is a use that will provide a benefit to the whole community,” Glaser said.

Some speakers who addressed the county board during the Dec. 6 public hearing said they don’t object to a day care because it would serve the community.

But they raised concerns about potential impacts.

Veronica Sanchez, of 2316 Reserve Court, Land O’ Lakes, put it this way: “Our community is not against rezoning. We’re very open to having a place for children.”

Their big concern is safety, she said.

“The first conceptual  (site plan) was very concerning for us, because it was showing two entrances on the back side. We are much more comfortable with the new conceptual.

“We would like to request that that back entrance remain approximately 350 feet away from Camp Indianhead,” she added.

She also requested buffering between the new development and the existing neighborhood, to provide separation.

Plus, she asked that directional lighting be required to prevent “a big spotlight” going into people’s homes.

Other residents raised concerns about a lack of sidewalks and the difficulty of turning into the neighborhood from State Road 54, and getting out onto State Road 54, as well.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the site plan the applicant submitted is not binding.

The application is for a straight commercial Euclidean zoning, Steinsnyder said. That means, unlike master-plan unit developments or development agreements, the zoning doesn’t come with any additional restrictions.

So, anything allowed in the type of zoning being sought would be allowed on the parcel, provided it complies with provisions within the county’s land development code, Steinsnyder said.

Brad Tippin, the county’s development manager, reiterated that point. He told area residents that there’s no requirement that the applicant follow the site plan the neighborhood saw.

If the board wants to put limits on the types of uses, it can request the applicant to voluntarily comply to that through deed restrictions or a development agreement, Steinsnyder said.

Deed restrictions are used more commonly because the process is quicker and less expensive, said David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano told the applicant: “The people are bringing up a lot of good points.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told area residents: “Anytime you have commercial up against residential we have a buffer requirement, so those would kick in.

“We already have a dark sky lighting ordinance. Any lighting has to go down and can’t spill onto your property.

“I think a day care is a great use here,” she added.

But Starkey said: “I worry about fast-food. That’s the only thing I worry about coming in there because it just generates so much traffic.”

Mariano asked Glaser if he would agree to delaying the request to allow him to add deed restrictions.

Glaser asked if the delay was for the zoning, or for the deed restrictions.

Steinsnyder said the delay was to enable Glaser to pursue deed restrictions, which the board indicated would be needed to gain its approval.

Goldstein noted that the board had made it clear it doesn’t want to see a fast-food restaurant on the site.

“Unless there’s a deed restriction, you can put a Chick-fil-A there,” Goldstein said.

Glaser agreed to a delay.

The board delayed the request until its Jan. 24 meeting.

Published December 28, 2022

He was behind the scenes, seemingly everywhere, in Pasco County

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Rudy Jones was the man who kept the county’s generators, alarm systems and elevators running.

He would come to work early and stay late, as needed — to make sure that the daily business of government was not disrupted.

He often worked behind the scenes, but his work was not unnoticed.

And, when Jones recently wrapped up his 32-year career with Pasco County, he was lavished with praise from  the Pasco County Commission and from Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles.

Rudy Jones is surrounded by supporters after he receives recognition from the Pasco County Commission for his 32-year career with the county. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Jones joined the county on May 21, 1990 working for the parks and recreation department. He concluded his career on Oct. 7, 2022, with his final role being a maintenance technician four in the facilities management department.

“During his career with Pasco County, Rudy has earned respect from all county departments, including Fire/Rescue, Court Administration, the Property Appraiser and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office,” Alvarez-Sowles said, reading from a resolution of appreciation adopted by the county board on Dec. 6.

The resolution lauded Jones’ proficiency in different trades and his diligence to ensure that Pasco County team members worked in a safe and healthy environment.

He dedicated himself to making “sure that any issues within the county facility were resolved safely and efficiently,” the resolution adds.

Jones was hailed for his professionalism and friendly nature.

If there was a maintenance issue in the clerk’s office, Jones was there — ready to tackle it, Alvarez-Sowles said.

“He has just been so amazing to work with, in my office,” she said.

She characterized him as being calm and steady, and able to come up with creative solutions.

Commissioner Ron Oakley said he noticed how Jones took care of problems when they arose in the county board’s chambers.

“They call you the king of the boardroom,” Oakley told Jones.

When the board members concluded their remarks, Jones got a standing ovation from the crowd.

And, when it was his turn to talk, Jones turned the attention to others.

He singled out Erik Breitenbach, assistant county administrator for internal services.

Jones told the crowd that Breitenbach had once shared a conversation with him, regarding some words a wise man had told Breitenbach. That man said there are essentially two types of people in authority; one, you have to salute; the other, you want to salute.

“On behalf of facilities and Pasco County, we all want to salute you and say ‘Thank you for your hard work,’” Jones told Breitenbach. “Mr. Erik has been a blessing to Pasco County, especially facilities.”

Jones also asked for Vito Tambasco, facilities maintenance supervisor, to step forward.

“Vito, I just want to say that I think, over the period of years we’ve worked together, we had, what, 36 people in your position?”

Tambasco responded: “Thirty-four, 35.”

Jones continued: “Of all that, you’ve been the awesome and the best supervisor that a person could ever have, on my behalf and facilities, I think. I just want to say, ‘Thank you and I love you like a brother.’”

In response, Tambasco opened his wallet and pretended to pay Jones for the compliment, eliciting laughter from the room.

When Jones went to pose for a photo with the commissioners, the facilities team stepped forward, in a sign of support.

It was quite a crowd.

Jones was obviously touched.

He thanked his colleagues.

“That means a lot,” Jones said.

Published December 28, 2022

Pasco needs more ways to get places, officials say

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A request for a rezoning in East Pasco sparked concerns about a lack of road connections between it and an adjoining neighborhood.

The issue came up during consideration of a request to rezone 38.29 acres zoned for agricultural uses to the Deer Springs master-planned unit development (MPUD) allowing up to 115 detached dwellings or 100 detached dwellings and 5 acres of office uses.

The new development is planned next to the Cobblestone MPUD, but there are no planned road connections between the two neighborhoods — because the county approved a waiver for the requirement.

Attorney Shelly Johnson, representing Deer Springs, told the county board: “There’s no place to connect to the north.”

County planner Tammy Snyder said it’s not possible to make road connections between the two developments because of Cobblestone’s development plan.

“It (Cobblestone) has platted residential lots and a great big stormwater pond abutting their southern boundary. So, there’s nowhere for this project (Deer Springs) to connect directly north to Cobblestone,” Snyder said.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey questioned the planning that would allow that to happen.

“Why is there not connectivity to the neighborhoods around it?” Starkey said.

“I think there should be multiple ways to go north and south,” Starkey said. “There should be stub out connections,” she said.

“I just think we should be connecting,” she said. “If we don’t have a grid, you’re going to be bottlenecking.”

She added: “I just don’t like all of these neighborhoods that we’re building that don’t connect to anything, and I think we’re going to get ourselves in trouble.

“I just want to make sure we’re not making mistakes that we’ve made in the last 10, 15 years,” Starkey said.

She told county staff: “We need to be sure that going forward, that everybody is connecting.”

Despite those concerns, the request received recommendations for approval from both the Pasco County Planning Commission and from county planners, and it ultimately passed on a 5-0 county board vote.

Starkey’s not the only one who has raised concerns about the lack of connectivity.

Back in June, Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein raised the same issue during a discussion of the update of the county’s long-range plan.

Goldstein said the county has a tool, in its land development code, requiring connections between neighborhoods but said that it allows the requirement to be waived too frequently.

The interconnections are intended to give motorists additional ways to get around, without routinely being forced onto main roads to reach their destination.

The county has made progress in creating walkable communities, Goldstein said, but it needs to be more consistent in requiring interconnectivity between neighborhoods.

Published December 28, 2022

Pasco halts new applications in its Paving Assessment program

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a series of steps to prepare the county to switch from its Paving Assessment (PVAS) program to a new municipal service unit tax (MSTU) for road improvements.

For decades, improvements to local roads have been made through PVAS, a program that required the owners of the majority of the property that would benefit an improvement to agree to proceed with the paving. Once that majority was achieved, the county board would consider the application, and, if approved, all property owners on a street would be assessed for the improvement, whether they agreed with it or not.

Pasco County plans to institute a Municipal Services Taxing Unit tax to pay for local road improvement projects. The system will replace the decades-old Paving Assessment (PVAS) program. Details are being worked out, but the goal is to send tax bills out with the new assessment beginning November 2023. (File)

The program often pitted neighbors against neighbors, sometimes growing contentious. Neighbors sometimes disagreed on the need for the project, or some said they simply could not afford the cost.

Sympathetic to the difficulty of reaching consensus on such projects, the county board directed staff to proceed with projects that have been approved by neighborhoods — to the point that the county has adequate funding in its budget to cover the county’s share of the costs.

Any projects that are already approved by neighborhoods, but are not constructed under PVAS, would get a high priority under the new MSTU system, county staff said.

The county’s goal is to proceed with the new system in time to include the MSTU assessments on November 2023 tax bills.

Making the transition from the PVAS system to a MSTU is a complicated process.

The county must define who’s in and who’s out of the MSTU program; set the rates for the MSTU; and, determine how to ensure the rates are fair for all participants.

In a previous presentation to the county board, Justin Grant, public infrastructure fiscal and business administration director, said the new system is needed.

For one thing, the PVAS program doesn’t collect sufficient revenues to sustain itself, he said. So, it requires continuous support from the board’s road and bridge fund, or other county funds.

Plus, the PVAS assessments do not contemplate incremental maintenance to avoid high-cost repairs, he said.

The PVAS system also lacks an effective option to transition dirt roads into paved roads, Grant added.

Once it takes effect, the Residential Local Road Paving MSTU will provide a consistent, stable source of funds, Grant said. Those living within the MSTU’s boundaries will pay an annual millage rate tax, which will be assessed on their tax bills.

Areas that already are receiving services by a municipality or Community Development District, which owns and maintains its streets, are not being recommended as part of the MSTU, Grant said.

In the Spring of 2023, staff plans to present more detailed findings and options to the county board. That discussion will include a proposed tax rate for the local roads MSTU and how it will be calculated.

Other parts of the discussion will involve how to unwind PVAS, a system that’s been around for 30-plus years.

County Administrator Mike Carballa said the county is still working out how to make the transition from PVAS to MSTU.

One issue involves how the county will retire the PVAS debt and transfer over to the MSTU, Carballa said. “We’re still working those details out,” he said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman said he’ll want a detailed discussion once specific rates are recommended.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano assured Weightman there will be a full discussion before the board decides how to proceed.

“This board is going to listen to the public before we make that decision. All of the input for all of the various things, dirt road, drainage, timing of a previous assessments. All of that has to be factored in, and we, as a board, make a decision on how to go forward with it,” Mariano said.

Initially, county staff had proposed halting construction on any PVAS that had been approved, except for those that already had received a notice to proceed.

But county board members pushed back.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said, “I think of what these neighborhoods went through, to get through this approval process. It was a lot. I know later today, we’re voting on one of my neighborhoods.

“There’s a road, Buena Vista, that’s undrivable. And, to put it on pause — I’m not OK with pausing, really.”

Mariano agreed: “Keep the construction going, as best you can.”

The chairman added: “If the money is there, get the job done.”

Starkey said the change is long overdue.

Just two counties in Florida still use a PVAS system, she said.

“It’s an archaic, inefficient process.

“Our staff spends a lot of time going out and assessing some of these neighborhood roads.

“People, they get pitted against each other in neighborhoods, and then sometimes, many times they fail.

“It’s a horrific waste of your taxpayer dollars. And, at times, it is very, very contentious.”

“To keep filling potholes because people don’t want to pay for their roads to get fixed, it’s money out the window,” Starkey said.

“There’s a reason why everyone does it this way and we’re just very late coming to the table on this,” she added.

Commissioner Ron Oakley said the county adopted a PVAS program because the growth had all been occurring in New Port Richey and property owners in East Pasco didn’t want to pay for road projects that were all being built in West Pasco.

Now, though, growth is happening all over.

“We’ve got growing pains and we need our roads repaired. This will put us in the right place,” Oakley said.

But Ken Dabbs, who lives in Gulf Harbors, opposes the shift.

“I’ve paid for several PVAS (improvements) in the past, at different houses that I own. I didn’t have a problem with it. We looked at our street. We voted on it. It needed fixed. We petitioned and assessed ourselves, basically. It worked out fine.

“Why are we going to an MSTU and complicating this? The only thing that’s happening that I see, with this MSTU, is you’re taking the choice away from the owners on that street and putting it in your hands.

“We’re going to have no control over anything. I don’t see that as a benefit,” Dabbs said.

Published December 21, 2022

Pasco supports local CareerSource

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The Pasco County Commission has passed a resolution requesting that CareerSource Pasco Hernando be kept in its current configuration.

The board adopted the resolution as part of its consent agenda on Dec. 6. Items on the consent agenda are approved in a single motion, without discussion, unless someone pulls an item off to be considered as a regular item.

The REACH Act, signed into Florida law in 2021, seeks to achieve a more coordinated approach in delivering and using workforce development resources and services through alignment and accountability, according to background material in the board’s agenda packet.

But Pasco is resisting any move for CareerSource Pasco Hernando to be absorbed into a larger workforce board.

The board’s agenda background materials assert that “the Pasco Hernando workforce region, region 16, is not only growing, but is thriving.”

The resolution asks state officials to allow CareerSource Pasco Hernando “to remain in its current form.”

It notes that “CareerSource Pasco Hernando has developed partnerships within the community that are not only essential to the growth and economic success of Pasco County, but are also an integral part of creating a business-friendly environment which promotes job creation.”

In its resolution, the board said it feels “it is of the utmost importance to maintain a locally developed and driven system where the local workforce board operates and performs its duties with the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness.”

As the state continues to evaluate the workforce system, Pasco is asking it to “give consideration to existing workforce regions that are functioning optimally.”

The county board does “not support a consolidation effort through realignment that would absorb Pasco County into a larger area and believes this will diminish the success and effectiveness of the local workforce board and will negatively impact Pasco County’s economy,” according to the resolution.

In other action during the Dec. 6 meeting, the board:

  • Selected Coastal Design Consultants Inc., to design bus shelters countywide, along with a related professional services agreement, for a three-year contract term and two optional one-year renewals.
  • Amended a lease agreement with Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., regarding office spaces in the Stallings Building, at 15029 14th St., in Dade City. The agreement is for an amount not to exceed $1 per year, plus Pasco EDC’s pro-rata share of utilities, which is $3,424.02 per year beginning Feb. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024. There are two remaining one-year renewal options, through Sept. 30, 2026.
  • Acknowledged and accepted United State Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Grant Funding for $500,000. The grant will be used to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop cleanup plans, conduct public health monitoring, and support community outreach activities. Assessments will focus on the main north/south commercial corridors, including U.S. 19, Community Redevelopment Areas and the Lacoochee-Trilby industrial area.

Brownfield assessments are expected to stimulate the cleanup and redevelopment of abandoned and underused sites along regional transportation corridors.

  • Approved spending $186.285 for annual dues for membership in the Tampa Bay Regional Council. The region’s six counties — Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas — are required by law to exercise regional cooperation through the membership of the Council, i.e., Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC). These counties and several other incorporated municipalities within the Tampa Bay Region are governments represented on the council by elected officials appointed by their local boards, and the governor appoints additional members representing the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Enterprise Florida.
  • Approved a bid award to Will-B Enterprises LLC, for debris and noxious materials removed, mowing and/or property cleanup for $36,000 a year for three years, for cumulative amount of $108,000.

Published December 21, 2022