B.C. Manion

Another Pasco deal expected to yield 2,400 jobs

June 28, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has approved another economic incentive deal — this one expected to yield 2,400 jobs when completed.

The county board approved a $6.3 million incentive package for the project, to be funded through property tax rebates.

In a separate action, the board approved a substantial modification to a previously approved master-planned unit development for the site, increasing its size as well as its permitted industrial development.

The approximately 225-acre site is near the northeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52.

The planned industrial project is a 1.4 million-square-foot build-to-suit distribution center, according to David Engel, director of the county’s office on economic growth.

Northpoint Development LLC, which will build the project, is the “largest privately held industrial developer in North America,” according to attorney Clarke Hobby, who represents Northpoint.

In briefing the county board on the economic development incentive, Engel said: “Originally, it (the site) was smaller, but the developer has acquired an additional 56 acres to the north to accommodate a larger building footprint.

“The developer estimates the building and land development improvements will total $205 million and the equipment in the building will be approximately $100 million,” Engel said.

“There is discussion of putting in a 500,000-square-foot mezzanine, bringing the build-to-suit building up to approximately 1.9 million square feet in floor area,” he added.

The project will necessitate $9.9 million in road improvements, Engel said. The developer has requested $6.3 million in assistance.

“We’re proposing to pay the developer back in ad valorem taxes over 20 years, which will amount to 33% of the tax flow that goes into the general fund.

“In the event that the project with the build-to-suit does not come to fruition, the developer will default back to the original entitlement of 1,150,000 square feet,” Engel added.

“It’s still a very cost-effective proposition for the county because the incentive comes at a minimum of $5.50 a square foot versus the other spec buildings that we’ve done in the past, which range from $9.60 a square foot to $10.”

“The general fund projected revenue over the 10-year period will be $19.1 million, so when you net out the $6.3 million ad valorem assistance, the general fund will capture at least $12.8 million in revenue,” Engel said. “The annual gross county product contribution is $282 million.

“The current return on investment is $1 gives us $195,” Engel said. “This is a completely performance-based deal,” he added.

Hobby told the board: “This is an exciting project. I can’t talk about the end-user here, but the project is being designed and will be constructed for a major regional distribution center that will include a significant number of jobs.

“If for some reason the end-user went away on this project, no money will be advanced, unless my client goes out and builds this enormous building anyway.

“It’s a huge net benefit to the county even if the end-user didn’t come.

“I’m happy to say that my client is so confident in the deal happening that we’re planning on starting construction in late August, to early September,” Hobby said.

Commissioner Ron Oakley expressed enthusiasm for the project.

“District 1 in East Pasco is starting to grow more and more, with Pasco Town Center (a recently approved economic incentive deal nearby) and then this project, too. A lot of great things happening, a lot of jobs being created for our citizens, in East Pasco,” Oakley said.

Hobby added: “This is a big deal. This building is almost a half-mile wide.”

Engel said the floor area size is comparable to two football fields.

Hobby told the board: “Coming from Dade City, it had such a huge employment base, it really made a wonderful town, a lot of middle-income earning opportunities. So, for me, the jobs are really key to creating a community. That’s why I’m so passionate about it.”

Published June 29, 2022

Above-average Hurricane Season predicted

June 28, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Activity in Hurricane Season 2022 is expected to be above-average, said Andrew Fossa, director of emergency management for Pasco County.
“Based on the forecasts, and talking to the local meteorologist and the state meteorologist, it’s going to be an above-active season, and they’re also predicting that with this above-active season that the storms are going to be more intense.”

“This year spun up a little, I’ll say it like this, ‘a little wonky,’” Fossa said, referring to severe thunderstorms “at a time of a year that we never get severe weather.”

Typically, that type of weather doesn’t start here until sometime near the end of June through mid-July, he said.

Hurricane Irma caused major disruptions. It toppled trees, shredded billboards, caused flooding, and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands in Pasco County. Hurricane Season 2022 is expected to be above average. (File)

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.

NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms in the 2022 season, with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those, six to 10 could become hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or higher. Three to six of those could be become major hurricanes, in categories three, four or five, with winds of 111 mph or higher. NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence, the website says.

The Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project team is predicting 20 named storms in 2022. Of those, researchers expect 10 to become hurricanes and five to reach major hurricane strength.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

One of the big changes in Pasco County this year is the opening of a new hurricane evacuation route.

County leaders have been pushing for decades to extend Ridge Road from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey eventually over to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The extension has been completed to the Suncoast Parkway and is expected to reach U.S. 41 in 2025.

This year’s hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity. (Courtesy of NOAA)

The opening of the four-lane road provides a new route to help move people away from the county’s coastal areas.

If evacuations become necessary, the county will use all four lanes of Ridge Road, to help motorists travel to the east. Since the road is under the county’s jurisdiction, it will be in charge of its directional flow.

On another matter, the county plans to return to its pre-COVID-19 setup for hurricane shelters.

For the past two years, the county’s shelter capacity had been significantly reduced because of space required for social distancing due to potential risks during the pandemic, the emergency management director said.

“This year, we pretty much went back to a normal status,” Fossa said, with the same square footage allotted per family, as it had provided before COVID’s threat.

“One of the biggest things we kept in place are the masks, even though they’re not mandated. They still will be recommended for people who have health issues, or (who) just feel safer wearing the mask in a building that’s going to be full of people,” Fossa said.

If pandemic concerns resurface, the county will adapt, he said.

The emergency management expert also noted that Pasco is in a better position now to respond to rescue people trapped by high water.

During Irma, in 2017, the Anclote River, in Elfers, flooded.

“We had no available equipment to put in that area, to get people out of their mobile homes that were stranded. So, we were dependent on Hillsborough County’s swift water rescue team to come out and try mitigate those waters to get people out. It’s a very fast current,” Fossa said.

Now, Pasco County Fire Rescue has a swift water team and a technical rescue team.

So the county can depend on its own team, instead of needing to reach out to other municipalities and counties, he said.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office also has a boat and high vehicle units that can help with disaster response, Fossa said.

The county also has pumps it can use to address flooding situations and has contracts to secure additional equipment, when needed, Fossa said.

A look at this year’s list for named storms. (Courtesy of NOAA)

Don’t underestimate potential hazards
One challenge that can hinder effective emergency response is a tendency by some to disregard potential dangers, Fossa said.

“Floridians are very complacent when watches and warnings go up. They have that mindset, ‘It’s not going to happen to us,’” Fossa said.

He’s concerned that nonchalant attitude is spreading to new residents.

“They’re not used to seeing a tropical storm or a hurricane,” he said, noting many are more accustomed to dealing with winter storms.

“They really don’t heed the warning, and they actually wait until the last second to try to get a plan together and try to evacuate. Eighty-five percent of the time that is not going to work out,” Fossa said.

If you are planning to evacuate, Fossa recommends you plan on staying “tens of miles away” not “hundreds of miles away.”

Going long distances contributes to congestion, slowing evacuation for everyone, Fossa said.

Also, before returning home, find out what the conditions are where you live, he suggested.

“People like to rush right back to their houses. A lot of times disaster crews are out there trying to do cleanup. You don’t know if you have power to your house.”

Watch news reports and check local alerts — don’t complicate matters by going home too soon, Fossa advised.

Published June 29, 2022
Revised on July 5, 2022

Prepare now, to avoid being sorry later

June 28, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Of course, no one knows when or where the next hurricane or tropical storm will hit — but wherever you live, it’s a good idea to know whether you’ll need to evacuate, or whether you’ll stay in place.

There are a lot of practical things you can do to increase your chances of weathering whatever storm comes our way.

Here’s a list of pointers — compiled from numerous local and national sources — intended to help you before, during and after a disaster strikes.

These signs guide motorists to evacuation routes. Before a hurricane threatens, find out if you live in an evacuation zone, and if so, make a plan of where you will go if you need to leave. Experts say public shelters should be a last resort. They recommend making a plan to stay with other family members or friends who don’t live in an evacuation zone.

BEFORE THE STORM
Know your vulnerabilities

Know your hurricane zone. Be aware that areas of special concern include coastal areas, areas with known flooding problems, mobile homes and homes not secured to their foundation.
If you live in a mandatory evacuation zone, prepare an evacuation plan that includes transportation routes and destinations, and one that considers all family members and pets.
If you will need to evacuate, reach out to family or friends now, to see if you can stay with them. Think in terms of going to a safe place that’s “tens of miles away, not hundreds of miles away.”
If planning to use a public shelter, know where it is and whether it can accommodate you, if you have special needs.
Be sure your evacuation plan includes your pets. Create an emergency kit for your pets.
Whether you are sheltering in place, or evacuating, be sure to share your plans with someone outside of the danger zone.
For those new to the area, find out the area’s history. Is it prone to flooding? Are you in a mandatory evacuation area?
Stayed tuned in. Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or other radio or TV stations for the latest storm news.
Follow instructions issued by local officials. If ordered to leave, do so immediately.

PRACTICAL POINTERS

Keep your gas tank at least half full during hurricane season.
Have a go-bag ready. It should include items such as protective clothing, medications, important documents, food, water, fresh batteries, a flashlight and cash.
Create an at-home kit: Include 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for up to seven days; nonperishable foods; a non-electric can opener; hygiene items.
Stock up on paper plates, plastic utensils, plastic cups, a grill, fuel and charcoal.
Have a phone charger that doesn’t require electricity.
Have books and games available, to help pass the time.
Check your emergency equipment: Do you have flashlights with fresh batteries? Does your generator work? Do you have tarps?

High winds can snap giant trees as if they were toothpicks.

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY

Take actions to reduce potential damage from hurricanes or tropical storms. Have trees trimmed. If high winds are expected, stow unsecured items, such as lawn or pool furniture, wind chimes, potted plants, garbage cans and other objects that can become projectiles in high winds.
Review your insurance policies to be sure you have adequate coverage. Do an inventory of your valuables and take photos of your jewelry, electronics and other big-ticket items.
If you have a boat, be sure to secure it.
Clear out clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
Secure your home. Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8-inch exterior grade or marine plywood, built to fit and ready to install. Buy supplies before a hurricane threatens to get the needed supplies and avoid the pre-storm rush.

DURING THE STORM

Take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level during the storm. Put as many walls between you and the outside as you can. Stay away from windows, skylights, and glass doors.
Close all interior doors. Secure and brace exterior doors.
Fill bathtubs or buckets with water to use for cleaning and toilet flushing.
Don’t be fooled by a lull in the storm. It could be the eye of the storm and the winds could resume.
Stay informed by listening to a NOAA Weather Radio, local news reports and notifications on emergency apps.

Generators enable people to keep their refrigerators and other appliances going when the power goes out, but they must be operated carefully to avoid potential dangers. Do not operate them in enclosed spaces, such as homes or garages. Be sure to read the operating instructions with your unit to avoid potential hazards. (File)

AFTER THE STORM

If you evacuated, return home only after officials say it is safe. Check the local news and local government emergency apps to find out when it is safe to return to your home.
Once home, drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges. If you must go out, watch for fallen objects in the road, downed electrical wires, and weakened walls, bridges, roads, and sidewalks that might collapse.
Walk carefully around the outside of your home to check for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage.
Stay out of any building if you smell gas, if floodwaters remain around the building, if the structure was damaged by fire or if authorities have declared it unsafe.
Never use a portable generator inside your house or garage. Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death after storms.
Use battery-powered flashlights. Turn on your flashlight before entering a vacated building. The battery could produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present.
Don’t drive into water when you can’t see the bottom of the road. Heed the advice: Turn around, do not drown.
Don’t walk through flooded areas. Fast-moving water could carry you away. The water also could be contaminated with oil, gasoline, raw sewage and other harmful toxins. Also, it is possible that it’s electrically charged from a downed wire.
Be careful about the foods you eat. If the power is out for a prolonged period, your food may have spoiled.
Do not burn charcoal in your house or garage, the fumes can be deadly.

If you’re using a generator, do not plug it into a building’s wiring. This can cause generator back feed, which is extremely dangerous for utility workers and for anyone in the public who comes into contact with a downed electrical wire.

IF YOU HAVE DAMAGE

Call your insurance agent.
Take photos of the damage.
Make emergency repairs to avoid more damage and keep receipts for tarps, lumber and so on.
Use licensed contractors to make repairs. Be wary of potential scams.

For a considerable amount of regarding emergency preparedness, check out the disaster guides available through Pasco County and Hillsborough County. Also, sign up for their alerts. To access those, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org and https://www.pascocountyfl.net.

Published June 29, 2022

Dayspring Academy is planning a school in Angeline

June 28, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board and Creation Foundation, doing business as Dayspring Academy, plan to work together on a new elementary charter school to serve an emerging community in Central Pasco.

The Pasco County School Board approved an agreement at its June 21 meeting, which sets the stage for a new elementary school for 600 students to be built in Angeline, in an area just south of State Road 52 and west of Sunlake Boulevard, according to an agreement in the board’s agenda packet.

Dayspring and the school board have agreed to fund the project through impact fees. The school will serve kindergarten through fifth grade students.

“Dayspring and the school board desire to partner with each other in this endeavor and as such will work to blend the charter school program and curriculum with the future board STEM 6-12 magnet,” the agreement says. The objective is to open the school in 2024.

The agreement also spells out how construction should proceed, how payments will be made, and so on.

Angeline is a new development spanning 6,200 acres, which is south of State Road 52 and east of the Suncoast Parkway. The new 6-12 magnet school already is under construction in the heart of a town center that is near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

That campus is expected to become a magnet for world-class cancer researchers and life science companies.

The board approved the agreement as part of its consent agenda, meaning it was approved with a number of other agenda items without board discussion.

Published June 29, 2022

Model homes expected soon in new ‘city’ of Angeline

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Crews are busy at Angeline, a new 6,200-acre master-planned community in Central Pasco.

A recent tour of the property, given by Vaike O’Grady, vice president of marketing and communications for Metro Development Group, provided an early glimpse of the emerging development.

Fabric banners proclaim Angeline, on a portion of Sunlake Boulevard, just south of State Road 52.

Angeline is a massive community that’s in the early stages of development. It is being likened to a small city, built from the internet up, by Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

A welcome center is under construction.

Some street signs already are posted, including Banyan Breeze Boulevard and Anchor Dune Drive.

Vibrant signs proclaim some of the community’s values: Thrive. Nourish. Learn. Connect.

Lennar will build the first homes in Angeline, from its Active Adult Collection, with model homes expected to open this summer.

A multimillion amenity center and clubhouse will be constructed within Lennar’s gated neighborhood — featuring a resort-style swimming pool, fitness center, tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts, and more.

“We are currently launching with four (builders). Just like in any of our large communities, we would expect to have a very diverse mix — anywhere from eight to 10 builders, over time,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group.

“We like to create multigenerational communities, so everything from townhomes, villas, entry-level single-family homes, move up, luxury, for rent, multifamily apartments.

“Our goal is to be able to offer a very diverse product mix, so there’s something in it for everyone,” he said.

Angeline will be massive
When completely built out, Angeline is expected to have about 35,000 people, Goyani said.

The community will be home to H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County 775-acre campus, which is entitled for up to 24 million square feet of planned clinical and research facilities.

Plans include a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

Its footprint is larger than downtown Tampa.

“It’s super exciting. We can’t more thrilled to have an anchor like Moffitt Cancer Center here,” Goyani said.

Recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $20 million in funding for Moffitt, which would have been recurring for 30 years. At the same time, he left intact $106 million in funding for infrastructure for Moffitt.

Goyani said the governor’s veto will have no impact on Metro Development Group’s plans in Angeline.

Moffitt issued a statement following the recent legislative session, thanking the governor and legislative leadership for their support of Moffitt’s efforts.

In part, that statement says: “The new funding approved will help accelerate Moffitt’s expansion efforts in Pasco County to better serve more patients, increase our research and education efforts, create new jobs and make our vision to build a global destination to live, work and cure cancer a reality.”

Not far from the planned Moffitt site, Pasco County Schools is building a 6-12 STEAM Magnet School, focusing on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Goyani said the school is significant.

This depicts the 6-12 STEAM Magnet school under construction in Angeline. It’s on a site near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County research and medical campus. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

“That’s an integral part of our town center. It’s the first of its kind, not only from an educational standpoint, but from a place-making standpoint that we’ve integrated a four-story school, right within the heart of the town center,” Goyani said.

Angeline also will feature the latest in technology.

“We’re creating an entire city, from the internet up,” said Goyani, obviously passionate about what that will mean to the people who live and work there.

“Angeline is going to have the fastest connectivity in the Tampa Bay area at over 2 gigs —included for everyone who moves into the community.

“At a very fundamental level, we see technology as the great connector and the great equalizer, especially in today’s world.

“Technology is the only thing that can bridge the digital divide.

“So, you could be a school student, you could be a CEO high-level executive, you could be an hourly laborer — but guess what, one thing in common to everyone is technology.

“When I’m looking for a restaurant, I’m connecting to the same level of connectivity. I’m using the same maps, I’m using the same websites that a CEO or an executive or someone else would do, if you bring the same technology to everybody, regardless of where they live.

“They rent an apartment, the live in a townhome, or they live in a multimillion dollar home — we want them to be able to connect, learn, stay healthy, by getting access to the same technology,” Goyani said.

Angeline promotes wellness
The new community in Central Pasco is designed to promote good health.

It will have a professionally managed working farm. It will have a regional park.

An extensive trail network will weave throughout Angeline and will have connections to the Starkey Preserve, the Connerton Preserve and the Crossbar Ranch Preserve.

“We want to create the healthiest zip code in the country,” Goyani said.

For one thing, people who want to do telehealth appointments are unlikely to encounter problems with the strength of their internet connection.

Besides encouraging good health, the trails provide easy connections between people and the places they want to go, he said.

“You could go on a bicycle, golf cart. You can take an e-bike, you could take a scooter; (or) autonomous golf carts, when they arrive eventually. Or, you could just bike and run,” Goyani said.

“You should be able to get to anywhere within the community without hopping in your car,” Goyani said.

Angeline also promotes sustainability, he said.

It will have state-of-the art battery- and solar-powered streetlights that are completely off-grid and are dark-sky compliant.

It also will retain much of its natural beauty.

“Preserving the natural area is part of our sustainability goal. More than half of the Angeline project is conservation and preserve areas,” Goyani said.

“The way we do that is basically bending our building footprints and subdivision phases around the existing natural areas, and respecting what’s out there that came before us.

“It’s obviously harder. It’s also expensive. But we think that’s the right way to do it,” Goyani said.

One manmade amenity that’s expected to be popular is Angeline’s planned crystal lagoon. The development group established the first lagoon in Florida in Epperson in Wesley Chapel, and another one is under construction in its Mirada development.

This aerial shows the welcome center for Angeline that’s under construction near Sunlake Boulevard and State Road 52. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

The lagoon sparks interest, Goyani said.

“So, you’re in California, you’re in New York, you want to move to Florida. Or, you’re living in South Tampa, and you say, ‘OK, why would I go up to Angeline?

“The lagoon provides that visual ‘Wow,’” Goyani said.

He also noted: “What we saw during Covid was that it was just a great way for people to safely gather outdoors, continue with their life.

“It just provides for good, all-around family enjoyment,” he said.

Metro Development Group’s involvement in Angeline began in 2018, when it acquired the property.

“Originally, Lennar had it under contract, and based on what they saw what we’d done at Connected City, the ability to transform an entire region, they approached us to see if we would be interested in taking over Angeline. That’s how we got involved,” he said.

The property’s size and its access to the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52, as well as the Ridge Road extension running through it, made Angeline appealing to Metro Development Group.

“We want to create something that is of this size and scale, that can also handle traffic for the next 50 years,” Goyani said.

Angeline, a 6,200-acre master-planned community, one day will be like a small city.

Plans for the area, which is south of State Road 52 and east of the Suncoast Parkway, include:

Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, a 775-acre life sciences and research park, expected to attract researchers and companies from around the world
A diversity of residential options, expected to appeal to be people of all ages in different stages of life
A community farm
A 6-12 STEAM Magnet School (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).
3,600 acres of green space and an extensive trail system
A MetroLagoon
The fastest internet in the nation, accessible to all within the community
Access to State Road 52, the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road. An extension of Ridge Road will run through the property, ending at U.S. 41.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco Schools seek solutions for disrespect, disruption

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

An increasing number of fights in Pasco County Schools prompted Superintendent Kurt Browning to issue a warning to students and parents in March.

In essence, that message was: Fighting will not be allowed in district schools. If it happens, principals should refer students engaged in fighting for expulsion.

In a videotape announcing the crackdown, Browning said it’s not that the district wants to exclude students from school but that it simply will not tolerate that type of behavior.

Browning said the increasing number of fights indicated that the district had been too lenient.

At the Pasco County School Board’s June 7 meeting, Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong asked Browning: “Was our crackdown on fighting effective?”

The superintendent responded: “Yes, it was. I don’t have the exact numbers, but I do know our numbers dropped significantly for the fourth quarter, after I made my announcement: I wasn’t playing.

“Staff has asked me: Is that going to be in place for next year?

“The answer is yes. It’s going to be in place next year, and we’re going to continue pushing it out and letting parents know that we’re not playing and you need to have conversations with your children about what appropriate behavior is, in a public setting.

“One fight and you will be put up for expulsion. It’s that simple.

“Harsh? Maybe. It depends on if you are a parent or a student or the teacher that is having to deal with, or the administrator that’s having to deal with it.

“For our teachers and administrators, it may not seem harsh enough.

“I do believe that it takes kind of a drastic step to get the attention of families and kids, to let them know that we are here to educate children. We are not here to referee fights.

“Unfortunately, where society has placed us, we often times play the role of a parent and that’s with the help of the state Legislature because they continue to require schools to do so many things that I believe ought to be being done at home, but they’re not. That’s another story, for another day.”

School board member Megan Harding said she understands there are tougher rules in place regarding fighting, but she wants to know how the district will address other behaviors that also are unacceptable.

“There are a lot of behaviors that need to be addressed, not only at the secondary level, but the elementary level, as well,” Harding said.

“I’ve heard stories of children throwing chairs, yelling, screaming and causing disruption. I’ve also seen students who are upset and leave the classroom, and support staff and admin are having to follow that child around.”

Megan asked if the board could have a discussion on that topic.

Armstrong agreed that the issue needs attention. “I think that’s a topic that we’re all interested in and it’s certainly a concern of the teachers and parents,” she said.

Browning responded: “Discipline continues to be a challenge. I will continue to say that it all starts in the home. It doesn’t start in the school. It starts in our homes. It manifests itself in our schools, and yet we’re the ones left to deal with the behaviors of these kids. Not all of our kids are ill-behaved. It’s usually a smaller group of kids that tend to consume the majority of time of our administrators and teachers,” he said.

“We continue to work on that. I will tell you, finding solutions is like nailing Jello to a tree. It’s near impossible to do that because the problem is so big, it is so complex and there’s not one single answer to it,” he said.

Browning noted that dealing with fighting it is easier mete out discipline.

“You have videos, in almost every school. You can see it. There’s no shadow of a doubt who hit whom,” Browning said.

But when it comes to disrespect, to cursing, to bad behavior — it’s difficult, Browning said.

“Our goal is not to place kids outside of school. It does not serve the child well. It does not serve the family well. It does not serve our community well, when we put kids out of school.

“But, we’ve got to make sure for those children who are disruptive, there’s some consequence for their behavior, so we can educate the ones who want to be in school,” Browning said.

The superintendent told the board that staff would provide an update when it had some firm ideas for addressing the issue.

Published June 22, 2022

North Tampa Bay Chamber in running for being the nation’s best

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The North Tampa Bay Chamber is a finalist in the 2022 Chamber of the Year award, an honor presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).

The ACCE, based in Alexandria, Virginia, has members affiliated with more than 1,600 chambers of commerce, and related business and economic development organizations. In total, it represents more than 9,000 professionals in the industry.

The award recognizes the leadership role chambers of commerce have in their communities.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber is one of 12 from across the country that has made it to the final round. There are three finalists in each of four divisions, which are based on annual revenue, membership, area population and other factors.

The winners will be announced on July 27, during the Awards Show at ACCE’s Annual Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hope Kennedy, CEO and president of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, and Javan Grant will be heading to Indianapolis next month to see if the chamber is named the nation’s best, in its division. (B.C. Manion)

Hope Kennedy, president and CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, and Javan Grant, the chamber board’s chairman, said they are delighted and gratified by the chamber’s recognition.

Kennedy, who has been a chamber executive for about two decades, said this is the first time that a chamber she’s affiliated with has been named a finalist for the national honor.

“This is like the Academy Awards for chambers of commerce,” Kennedy said.

When she found the chamber was a finalist, she said: “I made sure I read the email three times.”

Chambers are invited to compete for the honor, based on data they already have submitted to the organization. Once invited, they must submit a detailed application, she said.

Initially, Kennedy wasn’t sure if the chamber could put together a competitive application, within the available time frame.

“They had an informational webinar, and I will not lie, I was extraordinarily intimidated,” Kennedy said.

But Grant told her: “Hope, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

So, she and Grant enlisted some help and divvied up the duties to compile the necessary information, create the desired presentation and meet the deadline.

The exercise, Grant said, reminded him of the chamber’s many accomplishments — which he said are easy to forget about in the moment, but add up over time.

This isn’t the first time the North Tampa Bay Chamber has been singled out for excellence.

It was named the 2019 Chamber of the Year for the state of Florida.

That award was based on work accomplished in 2019, Kennedy said. The national award covers the years 2020 and 2021.

As part of its 31-page entry, the chamber submitted a synopsis of two specific programs for the judges to consider.

One program involved the chamber’s work to help its members during COVID-19 to get the word out that they were open for business.

One way it did that was through a Chamber Road Show that Kennedy put together. She visited companies to talk with business owners about their services and how they were managing to stay open during the pandemic. The stories were shared through videos posted on the chamber’s social media channels.

Another way it helped its members was by partnering with a chamber member, ACME on the Go, which is a digital billboard company. The digital billboards were placed in front of companies to spread the word that the business was open.

In another initiative, the chamber reimagined its annual awards ceremony.

It conducted the ceremony virtually, with scattered watch parties. And, it based its awards on the chamber’s core values of integrity, innovation, collaboration and inclusion. It also recognized people who served as community heroes during the pandemic.

The chamber’s submission for the national award covers everything from how it generates income, to how it identifies its key advocacy issues, to how it positions itself to address future challenges.

Forward thinking has served the chamber well in the past, Kennedy said, explaining how its ability to harness technology enabled it to adapt quickly when COVID-19 shut everything down.

The chamber’s move away from a reliance on events to generate income also proved prescient, when the pandemic forced cancellations of big public gatherings.

By that time, the chamber had already shifted to a membership-fee based organization.

Now, 85% of its revenue comes from membership fees, and the remainder comes from rental income, events and sponsorships.

Its rental incomes come from subletting office space.

The leases are for a year and when someone moves out because they require a larger space, that’s a reason for celebration, the chamber’s submission says. So far, four businesses have moved up to bigger spaces.

Grant said the North Tampa Bay Chamber works to be a catalyst for change in the region.

Currently, one of the biggest challenges is getting the business community re-engaged, both Kennedy and Grant said. Before COVID hit, the chamber was a vibrant organization with enthusiastic and engaged members. Now, it is working to revive that level of engagement.

“Our challenge is getting those individuals who are in their PJs, or whatever they’re wearing, out and recognize the benefit of mingling with others,” Grant said.

Plus, it’s not enough to focus on the needs of today, Kennedy said.

“We have to be planning for our future. What’s next? What’s next for our community? What’s next for their business? What’s next for us to tackle?”

“What does the workforce of the future look like? Now, more than ever, that’s going to play such a pivotal role in what we’re doing here at the chamber,” she said.

Still, the recent recognition feels good and is energizing, Kennedy said.

It would be great to walk across the stage, carrying a shiny piece of hardware, she said.

But in one sense, the chamber already is a winner.

“There is no other Florida chamber in any of the other finalist categories,” she said.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco is expected to gain 6,000 jobs

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

A new development planned for 965 acres at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52 is expected to generate 6,000 jobs.

The Pasco County Commission approved an incentive deal on June 7 to help pave the way for the development.

The Pasco Town Center, as the proposed development is known, is expected to include 4 million square feet of industrial space; 725,000 square feet of office space; 3,500 housing units, 400,000 square feet of retail and 300 hotel rooms.

The agreement with Columnar Holdings includes a $55.8 million incentive package, funded mostly through property tax rebates, as specific milestones are met.

The development company also will install key roads and utility connections beyond the Pasco Town Center Property – providing $70.1 million in public infrastructure, with no direct cost to taxpayers, according to David Engel, the county’s director of the office of economic growth.

The infrastructure includes sanitary sewer, potable water, reclamation lines and roadways, Engel said.

“The project completion of all of this $70 million worth of infrastructure is in three phases, with a terminating target date of Dec. 31, 2028.

That public infrastructure “will expedite and attract job-creating industrial and employment center development” in the area, according to details in the county board’s agenda backup.

“We’re proposing to provide $46.2 million in ad valorem equivalency grants. That’s (in) the form of a rebate. The developer pays taxes in Year 1 and he gets rebated a portion of the taxes in Year 2, which is 33% for most of the development and 20% for the multifamily,” Engel said.

The agreement also provides $9.6 million in cash reimbursements to the company toward constructing the master utilities within the employment center area of the master-planned unit development. That will be paid for with $2 million in Penny for Pasco proceeds and the rest through county funding.

Laying the groundwork for employment growth
Engel noted the developer has requested assistance because the county wants “to accelerate creating a development-ready environment in the employment center,” Engel said.

“Because of the pressures in the marketplace and our lack of inventory, we do not have suitable space for companies to come in to that area right now, and we have tremendous demand for that.

Engel also noted: “We’ve requested — and the developer has agreed — to increase the industrial entitlement from 1.8 million square feet of industrial to 4 million square feet of industrial.”

Pasco Town Center is within the Employment Center area of Connected City.

After incentive rebates, the new development is expected to generate over $300 million in revenue for the county over the next several decades, Engel told the county board.

The agenda memo notes that “all the described incentive payments will be deferred and accrued in a county escrow account for the benefit of the company until 1 million square feet of industrial and/or office space is built, which may include occupied or ‘spec’ (speculative) building space.”

Based on the development phasing schedule provided by the company, the county estimates the project will yield aggregate ad valorem revenue totaling $386,581,404 during the 40-year ad valorem rebate payment period, the memo says.

It also is expected to create nearly 6,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, at build-out, the memo adds.

Engel’s office forecasts a 10-year return on investment equaling 35 times.

“The benefits of the project, related to economic growth, are profound because we’re focusing on installing all of the public master roadway and utility infrastructure in the Connected City employment area,” Engel said. “That will be on the developer’s property and off-site, to serve the entire area.

“This is the most productive agreement that I’ve brought forth to date to the board,” Engel said. “The Rooker project, for example, which we provided Pads and Pours funding, was $9.80 a square foot. This is $9.60 a square foot.

Once the project is complete, $1 contribution by the county will give us $100 in return to the local economy,” Engel said.

Michael Wolf appeared on behalf of Columnar Holdings, which plans to develop the site.

He told the board that the company is part of Traylor Construction Group, which helped to build the Howard Frankland Bridge back in the 1990s. Traylor is a third-generation company, run by four brothers today, Wolf noted.

“We buy raw land, entitle it and do these infrastructure improvements. We also have construction arms for doing vertical construction, as well.

“We’ve had a very strong presence in the Orlando market for the past 15 years, developed almost 5,000 lots there in major master-planned communities, largely adjacent to Disney World,” he said.

The company is “very experienced in the space — construction, development.

“We’ve also got horizontal development going on in Austin, as well as in Denver, as well as southwest Florida.

“We’ve got experience in all asset classes, from residential, industrial, multifamily, single family and so on,.” Wolf said.

Developer will pay attention to design
Wolf assured board members that the developer won’t “just lay out large industrial buildings, but ( will) work on place-making, as well.”

It is collaborating with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on creating a sustainable design, including fitness components, he said.

It also wants to create dining and entertainment options for employees and residents of neighboring master-planned communities, he added.

The agreement won’t take effect until after the site receives the county board’s approval of a master-planned unit development rezoning request.

That approval appears highly likely, based on enthusiasm expressed by county board members.

“I think it’s a win-win for the county and for our developer,” said Commissioner Ron Oakley, noting the project is located within his district. “I appreciate you being here and building this kind of product for us.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano added: “This is a very exciting project.”

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Wolf: “This looks really fantastic. I’m really excited we’re getting this quality of development at (I) 75 and (State Road) 52. I’m sure you’re going to be very successful there.”

In keeping with her persistent advocacy for trails and for making it easy for people to get around, Starkey asked the developer to pay attention to that issue.

Wolf agreed with Starkey: “We just think it’s so important to really, truly get that activation, to have folks be able to run, bike, golf cart, what have you. If we don’t have those components, we won’t be able to activate that space.”

As he reiterated his support for the project, Oakley noted that when he left Pasco to go off to college, he was able to return to work in the citrus industry.

Others that left for college were unable to come back for jobs in their professions. Projects like this increase job opportunities and help to change that picture, Oakley said.

Wolf told board members that the proposed rezoning for the project is working its way through the process.

Wolf told commissioners that the developer hopes to get a shovel on the ground this year.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco County still aiming for October takeover of jail

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County is continuing the process necessary to pave the way to transfer operations of the jail from the Sheriff’s Office to under the county’s control.

The Pasco County Commission approved a resolution on June 7, enabling it to stay on track for a potential Oct. 1 takeover.

“We have a draft interlocal (agreement) that we are reviewing internally,” County Administrator Dan Biles told the board.

A representative for the clerk’s office also informed the board that a firm has been hired to complete transition accounting that was authorized by the board and the work is expected to be completed on schedule.

Biles also informed board members that he’s “trying to make sure that the county has enough in the current budget to capture the costs that will be out there, when the county takes over the jail, on or about the first of October.”

The county administrator added: “The first of October is kind of an important date because that’s when all of the benefits are set in place for the year. That’s the easiest date to do the transition from an employee/employer relationship. We’re still targeting that date.”

On another matter, Biles reported that the county’s bond rating improved on its half-cent sales tax.

“Our new bonds are going out soon. We actually got an increase from Double A to Double A-plus, which probably will save us over $400,000, over the term of those bonds.”

In other action, the board:

Approved additional purchasing authority for as-needed cremations and/or burial services with Dignity Funeral Services Inc., d/b/a Michels and Lundquist Funeral Home (Dignity Funeral Services), in the amount of $80,000, resulting in the new Not to Exceed (NTE) amount of $263,225 for fiscal year 2022, and a new cumulative total not-to-exceed amount of $629,675 for the three-year contract ending Sept. 30. The county’s Human Services department requests additional funding to prepare for the increase in cremations and burials that are anticipated.
Approved the appropriation of $50,000 to begin the planning phase of the Villages of Pasadena Hills Super Park. The county’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department I is nearing the final phase of the land acquisition for the park. To prepare for the planning of the park site, the department will be conducting a study with Pasco County Schools to identify if the site is adequate to co-locate the school, with the park.
Approved an agreement related to the county’s housing program to spend $100,000 to renovate a single-family residence. The residence will be used to provide safe and affordable rental housing for a family at, or below, 80% of the area median income.
Approved the appointment of Lee Middleton to the CareerSource Pasco Hernando board.
Approved a budget amendment to a Cares Act contract with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas to increase funding by $30,608 and to extend the term through Sept. 30.

Published June 22, 2022

Business Digest 06/22/2022

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Vistra celebrates 15 years
Vistra Communications, a Lutz communications and marketing company, is celebrating its 15th anniversary and has been marking the occasion by giving back to the community.

The company was conceptualized and launched in the Lutz home of CEO and President Brian Butler, a U.S. Army Veteran.

Though Butler is a combat decorated career military officer, his communications career also began as he served his country, and then catapulted those skills into an award-winning, full-service integrated marketing, communications and consulting agency.

His early clients, including Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School and Positive Spin, a local nonprofit, were instrumental in helping the company get its start, according to a news release from Vistra.

It built on its early successes and now the agency has nearly 120 employees and serves nonprofits, small businesses and corporate clients, including some of the largest brands in the nation and more than a dozen federal agencies.

To mark its 15th anniversary, Vistra recently contributed $10,000 worth of books purchased through Diversify the Classroom and donated the books to the Hillsborough Education Foundation for schools most in need. The company also donated $15,000 to Mort Elementary School to provide each of the nearly 1,000 students with a $15 online shopping experience as a class project, via Walmart gift cards for school or household items. Contributions also are being made to the Laundry Project by Current and Positive Spin, two of Vistra’s initial clients.

“I owe much of Vistra’s success to the Tampa Bay community who entrusted me and my team to partner with their organizations and help tell their companies’ stories. We have always put our clients first and that has served all of us well,” Butler said, in the release. “We can’t just live in this community, it’s important for us to be a vital part of this community, and giving back is just part of our DNA.”

Walmart Health opens
Walmart Health, at 28500 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel, had a grand opening on June 7 for its new neighborhood health destination. The location offers full-service primary, urgent and preventative health services. Those services include: primary care, labs, X-ray, behavioral health, optical, dental, hearing, community health and education.

Suffolk names general manager
Suffolk, a builder and real estate enterprise, has named Jim Scarpace as general manager of its Tampa operations. Scarpace brings more than three decades of experience to the role, including the management of large complex projects and start-up growth of offices in markets including New York, Florida, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi. Most recently, he served as senior vice president for Strategic Property Partners, the developer of the Water Street Tampa development.

Pasco EDC seeks nominations
The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., (Pasco EDC) is seeking nominations for its 34th annual awards.

The event is regarded as Pasco County’s premier business event, generally attracting more than 400 business and community leaders, including state legislators, county commissioners, city officials and business leaders.

The event includes Pasco EDC’s annual Industry Awards, which honor local companies that demonstrate exemplary growth in job creation, capital investment, technology, innovation and community service.

The economic development organization is looking for nominations in these categories: Innovation in Business; Economic Excellence Recognition; and, People’s Choice.

This year’s event is Sept. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, at 8657 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel.

To find out more about submitting a nomination, as well as the annual event, visit PascoEDC.com.

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its business breakfast for July 7 at 7 a.m., at the Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. There is a $10 admission. The guest speaker is Santa Scotty Claus.

PowerGals meeting
PowerGals of Zephyrhills meets on the first Friday of each month, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Shell’s Killer Bakery Inc., 5718 Sixth St., in Zephyrhills. The group’s chapter leader is Rosie Paulsen and its co-leader is Monica Young. This group is about empowering women in business, to help them thrive and to help each other.

SMARTstart programs
SMARTstart is the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s, capstone program, aimed at engaging entrepreneurs and creating job opportunities in Pasco County. It has a suite of programs intended to benefit benefits of all sizes, from start-up to existing local companies. It also has incubator and microloan programs. To find out more, visit SMARTSTARTPasco.com.

Free business advice
Pasco Hernando SCORE offers free individual, confidential small business mentoring. It also provides a wealth of free, practical help for businesses. To request a mentor or find out more, visit PascoHernando.score.org.