The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kathy Steele

Business Digest 12/27/2017

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SMARTstart business wins award
The team of Tracy Ingram, a SMARTstart business entrepreneur, won an award of $15,000 for a prototype of wearable technology that monitors an individual’s vital life signs, according to a news release from the Pasco County Economic Development Council.

The funds will be used in 2018 to advance the technology.

A team of SMARTstart entrepreneurs were award winners at the ‘Hacking the Human Element’ competition. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The team, which included David Hirschberg, Natalie Concors, Asia Hall, Alex Thurman, Brian Meredith, Steve McCalmont, Yves St. Laurent, and Terry Shaw, participated in the “Hacking the Human Element” competition, held Dec. 1 to Dec. 3.

Hosts of the event were SOFWERX and MD5.

SOFWERX is an Ybor-based organization that develops technology for the United States military. MD5 is a U.S. Department of Defense public/private partnership that works with national research universities in developing civil and military technologies for national security.

“Success stories like this are why we offer the programs we do,” Bill Cronin said in a written statement.

“We want to help provide space for entrepreneurs to create ideas and grow, just like Tracy and his team,” said Cronin, who is president and chief executive officer for the Pasco EDC.

For information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Overchievers named new chapter of BNI
Business Network International named Overachievers as its 50th chapter in the Tampa Bay region.

BNI is a networking organization with more than 8,000 chapters worldwide.

The Overachievers meets every Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the banquet room of the Plantation Palms Golf Club, at 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The chapter invites local business owners and professionals to its next meeting on Jan. 3 at no charge. Only one person per profession can be a member in each chapter. Please check ahead to find out if your profession is already represented.

To RSVP, contact Joey Zani of Keller Williams Tampa Properties at (727) 742-0811 or email .

Zephyrhills breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast Jan. 4 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

The cost is $8 for chamber members and $10 for non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913, or email .

New artists in town
Artists Bernard W. Brooks and Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks have opened an art studio at 5242 Riva Ridge Drive in Wesley Chapel.

The retired couple relocated from Washington D.C.

Bernard Brooks worked as chief medical dental illustrator and graphic designer at the Howard University College of Dentistry, and Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks taught art in the Washington D.C., public schools.

They have held freelance workshops for the Prince George’s County, Maryland Department of Recreation, and the Washington D.C., Commission on the Arts.

Several of Bernard Brook’s artworks have been displayed on television programs, including “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “The Parkers” and “The Bill Cosby Show.”

Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks is a doll maker with creations featured in Doll Magazine. She also is a quilt maker, and is represented by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi of The Women of Color Quilters.

For information, call (813) 618-0916, or email .

Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick joins Pasco EDC
Attorney Michele Hintson, of Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick law firm, joined the board of directors of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, or SLK Law, joined the Pasco EDC as a corporate council-level investor.

“Michele has been a valuable member of numerous committees at the Pasco EDC, so we are very excited to now have her on our Board of Directors,” said Bill Cronin, in a press release.

Cronin is the president and chief executive officer of the Pasco EDC.

SLK Law began in 1925. It has more than 260 lawyers, 50 paralegals and 500 employees in its five offices, located in Ohio, North Carolina, and in Tampa and Sarasota.

The council’s board is responsible for governing the organization and guiding its economic strategy. It works in partnership with Pasco County in promoting economic growth in the county.

For information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Anytime Fitness food drive
Employees of Anytime Fitness of Dade City had a food drive for several weeks at 14570 Seventh St., in Dade City, to collect donations for Love One Another.

The outreach ministry is supported by its partners First Baptist Church of Dade City, St. Rita Catholic Church, The Dade City Youth Council, Dade City Christian Church, Calvary Assembly and Dade City/Metropolitan Ministries/Restored Hope/Men of Integrity.

Anytime Fitness employees delivered the donations to the Pasco County Community Services Nutrition Center, where a hot meal, toiletries, dog and cat food (from Dog-Mania & Cats, Dade City Animal Clinic and Farmers Feed), and clothing are provided each Sunday. Anytime Fitness owner Barry Jackson also made a matching donation.

Other churches, including St. Mary’s Episcopal and First United Methodist Church of Dade City, as well as schools and community organizations also are supporting these efforts.

For information on Love One Another, contact Lucy Avila at (352) 424-4972.

Central Pasco general meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its general membership meeting Jan. 9, at its new location, the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, at 2155 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

Guest speaker will be Steven Roberto, director of development for The Diversity Initiative (TDI).

Members and guests are welcome.

The cost for members is $20 if you RSVP by Jan. 4, and $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or email .

Doggy dining now legal in Pasco County

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Pasco County now has an ordinance to permit doggy dining in outdoor areas of restaurants.

The Pasco County Commission adopted the new measure unanimously at its Nov. 28 meeting in New Port Richey.

A $50 permit fee was later approved on Dec. 12 in Dade City.

The commission’s action, however, is news to many area restaurants that already have been allowing patrons to enjoy a meal on their patios, with a tail-wagging companion lounging nearby.

It’s standard company policy at a number of restaurants. Yappy hours are popular as special events.

There are websites, too, that are devoted to marketing area restaurants that are dog-friendly, including BringFido.com and PascoPetFest.com.

BringFido provides information on dog-friendly hotels, as well as restaurants nationwide.

That site lists 17 Wesley Chapel restaurants that are dog-friendly, including Applebee’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill, PDQ, Texas Roadhouse, Tijuana Flats, GrillSmith, and Panera Bread.

Dog-friendly restaurants on PascoPetFest.com include The Breakfast Nook, The Garden Café, Crab Shack Port Richey, and Pinchers Crab Shack.

Patrons at doggy dining spots throughout the county didn’t know anything was amiss, including Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

“We’ve been taking our dog out for six months,” Starkey said, adding, “I’m glad to be legal.”

Melanie Armstrong, owner of The Garden Café in Dade City, is among those who hadn’t heard of the new rules put in place.

“I’d like to know the details on what I need to do to be compliant,” she said.

Her restaurant has a large outdoor patio. On average, Armstrong said one or two patrons a day dine with their dogs, and servers keep things sanitary.

The dogs have been well-behaved, and it’s never been a problem, she said. “We have such a big patio. We try to capitalize on that. We get regular customers that bring their dogs.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano initially raised the issue at the Aug. 15 commission meeting in Dade City. He said a couple of restaurant owners in Port Richey had inquired about doggy dining, and about getting a permit.

Now, those who are adding doggy dining and those who have already been offering it, must get the required $50 permit or face fines.

During the August discussion, Mike Moore, who was commission chairman at the time, called for a low fee.

“We don’t want to overcharge for a permit they’re going to hang on their wall,” Moore said.

Paperwork for the permit requires a drawing of where the doggy dining will take place, though it doesn’t have to be professionally done.

Commission members gladly approved the new ordinance.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Moore said. “You see it in a lot of cities and surrounding counties. It’s about time we get in the game.”

Just one person spoke against the ordinance during the public comment portion of the hearing.

“You have servers who are busy. They pick up dishes. The family has allowed the dog to eat off the dish,” said Port Richey resident Richard Wilkey.

The dogs could have fleas, and they might urinate or defecate, he said. “It’s just totally unacceptable.”

That prompted Mariano to ask an assistant county attorney for a recitation on the regulations in place to address Wilkey’s concerns.

The county’s permit follows the state’s lead on the issue. The state requires:

  • Servers who touch or pet a dog to wash their hands
  • Dogs to stay at ground level and be on a leash
  • Dogs to stay off chairs and tables, and to refrain from eating off plates
  • Provision of a sanitizer station, and cleanup kit for dog waste
  • Posting of the permit and explanatory signs in a public place

Commissioner Mariano also noted: “Food establishments have a choice to allow it or not.”

Published December 20, 2017

Development for Gower’s Corner is one step closer

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After more than a year of back and forth negotiations, an application to rezone property at the historical crossroads known as Gower’s Corner got the approval of Pasco County’s local planning agency.

The rezoning application has been continued repeatedly since late 2016.

But, on Dec. 14 in Dade City, members of the Development Review Committee voted in favor of a project to build up to 215,000 square feet of retail/office and a maximum of 40 apartments. The committee also approved a variance related to U.S. 41 right-of-way that will be used to widen the two-lane highway to four lanes, with the potential for six lanes.

A commercial and residential development slated for the intersection of Gower’s Corner, at State Road 52 and U.S. 41, is expected to transform what has been a generally rural area of Land O’ Lakes. (File)

As part of its five-year work plan, the Florida Department of Transportation is slated to begin construction in 2020 on a segment of U.S. 41, from north of Connerton Boulevard to south of State Road 52. There also are plans to realign the intersection.

The approximately 44 acres of vacant land, identified in the rezoning as Tibbett’s Land at Gower’s Corner, is located at the southwest corner of State Road 52 and U.S. 41.

Clearwater attorney Jerry Figurski represented the property’s owners.

Construction on the proposed project likely is a few years off, and might not begin until the road widening, he said.

“It’s not clear if the Tibbetts will develop it or sell the land.”

Pasco County commissioners approved a land use amendment on the property in 2016, which was then followed by the rezoning application and the series of continuances.

Although the Development Review Committee has recommended approval, the rezoning application still needs to go before the Pasco County Commission for final approval.

The name of Gower’s Corner dates back to lumberman William Arthur Gower, who at one time owned land at all four corners of the intersection. In the late 1930s, he operated the first gasoline station and convenience store in the area.

County records show the St. Petersburg-based Tibbetts Land LLC, controlled by the Tibbetts, is owner of the southwest corner of the intersection.

Tibbetts Lumber was founded in 1949 by Linton Tibbetts. The company has five locations in Florida including its Land O’ Lakes location at State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Published December 20, 2017

Adventist Health System to buy Bayfront Health in Dade City

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Adventist Health System, which is the parent company of Florida Hospital, signed an agreement to buy the 120-bed Bayfront Health Dade City Hospital, according to a news release from Adventist Health System.

The deal is expected to close in early 2018.

Details on the sales price weren’t disclosed.

The sale will include the hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road, as well as physician clinic operations and outpatient services.

“Finding a partner to allow a seamless medical care experience for our patients is important,” said Linda Stockton, in the news release. “Florida Hospital can bring their experience to build on our history of service and success.”

Bayfront is owned by Community Health Systems.

The sale is the “best plan for the future of Bayfront Health Dade City, according to the news release.

“Bayfront Health is a valuable asset to Dade City and its residents, and we want to continue the long history of providing essential care in that facility,” Mike Schultz, chief executive officer of the Adventist Health System West Florida Division, said in the release.

In recent years, Community Health Systems has struggled financially, and has been selling its hospitals.

A new release from Community Health System issued in November previewed “additional planned divestures,” based on $110 million loss in the third quarter of 2017. That was an increase over losses last year.

According to a news release, Bayfront Health in Dade City was one of those divestures.

About $40 million in losses for 2017 resulted from complete or partial shutdowns of some hospitals in Texas and Florida during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, according to the company press release.

Published December 20, 2017

Business Digest 12/20/2017

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YMCA expansion
The Bob Sierra YMCA, at 4029 Northdale Blvd., in North Tampa, had a ribbon cutting Dec. 7 to celebrate a $2.2 million renovation and expansion project.

(Courtesy of Bob Seirra YMCA)

The project included a renovated and expanded welcome center, wellness floor and Kid Zone. The project’s completion follows the YMCA’s introduction of new group exercise, cycling and mind & body studios.

The larger wellness center provides new state-of-the-art strength training equipment, and an expanded Max Results room for individual and group training.

Other upgrades included cardio equipment with Internet connections, Olympic lifting equipment, bumper plates, faster WiFi speeds and a “ninja-style” training zone, called MoveStrong.

The YMCA offers many programs and services for adults and children that focus on preventing chronic diseases. Programs include the Y Diabetes Prevention Program, Y Weight Loss Program, Pedaling for Parkinson’s, SilverSneakers and LIVESTRONG at the YMCA cancer survivor wellness program.

For information, visit TampaYMCA.org.

New retail
Mellow Mushroom is planning a January opening at the Cypress Creek Town Center, off State Road 56. The town center is across the road from Tampa Premium Outlets.

The pizza restaurant is in a strip mall inside the town center, on Sierra Center Boulevard, off Grand Cypress Drive. Other shops at the site will be Noire Nail Bar, Aspen Dental and Mattress One.

Next door, Taco Bell and Wendy’s have opened, joining current restaurants of Pollo Tropical and Ford’s Garage, also along Sierra Center Boulevard.

Disaster loans
Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most nonprofit organizations that suffered losses from Hurricane Irma.

Pasco County is one of several Florida counties declared as eligible for federal assistance for hurricane relief. Economic injury applications must be submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration by June 11, 2018.

The disaster loans are meant to help meet working capital needs caused by the hurricane, and cover financial and physical losses. The loans can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the hurricane not happened.

The loans don’t replace profits or sales that were lost due to the hurricane.

Examples of eligible industries include bait and tackle shops, charter boats, commercial fisherman, crabbers, fishing guides, hotels, marinas, owners of rental property, restaurants, retailers, souvenir shops, travel agencies and wholesalers.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of about 3.3 percent for small businesses and 2.5 percent for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Amounts and terms are set by the small business administration based on each applicants’ financial condition.

Free assistance in preparing the loan application is available from Florida Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, Women’s Business Centers and Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers.

Applicants may apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov/ela.

For information, call the Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, email , or visit Flvbeoc.org.

Applications also can be downloaded from SBA.gov/disaster.

Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76155.

7-Eleven coming soon
7-Eleven is moving into a gas station/convenience store owned by Tampa-based Radiant Group LLC, at 22826 State Road 54.

The station, at the intersection with Collier Parkway, closed in October. It had been operated as a Radiant gas station/convenience store.

According to county permits, work is underway to remodel the store’s interior, install 7-Eleven signs, and to remove and replace existing car wash equipment. The permits were issued beginning in October, with additional permits applied for in late November.

Radiant Group representatives weren’t available for comment.

New U-Haul opens
U-Haul of Florida announced that Local Wraps, an automobile customization business, is now a U-Haul neighborhood dealer for the Land O’ Lakes community, according to a news release from U-Haul International Inc.

Local Wraps, at 7727 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is now part of the U-Haul Company of Florida family. The business will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pickup for boxes.

Company owners are Alana Harris, Harry Wilkins and William Wilkins.

U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 is now available at all U-Haul locations, including Local Wraps. Customers can access trucks and vans at any hour through the self pickup and self-return options on a Uhaul.com account. An Internet-connected mobile device with camera and GPS is required.

For information, call Local Wraps at (813) 527-9488, or visit Uhaul.com.

Block Advisors ribbon cutting
Block Advisors Tax Preparation will have a ribbon cutting on Jan. 4 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 19054 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

There will be beverages, wine and snacks.

For information, email .

Women-n-Charge
Join Women-n-Charge Jan. 5 from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive, in New Tampa.

The women share talents and resources, and build relationships with other women in business.

Guest speaker will be Sandra Miniere, who will share three mindfulness strategies for business and life.

The cost is $15 for members and $18 for guests.

Register at Women-n-charge.com.

For information, call (813) 6000-9848, or email .

Toys for Tots
Pure Hair is collecting toys for Toys for Tots through Dec. 23, at its location, at 23608 State Road 54 in Lutz.

Anyone who brings a donation will receive a complimentary deep conditioning treatment, worth $25.

For information, call Pure Hair at (813) 909-2927.

Dade City poised to adopt anti-corruption code

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Dade City is on track to become the first municipality in Pasco County to embed an anti-corruption measure into its city charter.

The Dade City Commission and members of the Charter Review Advisory Committee met Dec. 5 to discuss recommendations on charter revisions.

Plans are to let voters decide on at least some of those recommendations during the April 2018 city elections. Other items might be handled through an ordinance instead.

Details on which charter items to include on the ballot will be determined in coming weeks.

A handful of residents attended the Dec. 5 meeting at City Hall, including members of the nonpartisan citizens’ group, Representing Pasco.

The activists are part of a growing anti-corruption movement in Florida.

Tallahassee and Cocoa Beach have been at the forefront of approving ethical standards for elected officials and government employees.

Locally, Representing Pasco wants the county and other cities in Pasco to follow Dade City’s example.

“We think people are basically protected through ethics provisions (in the charter),” said Land O’ Lakes resident Elyse Mysles.

She told committee members and city commissioners that Representing Pasco plans to actively educate the public about the charter’s ethics measure.

The charter committee has recommended that the city fund its own educational outreach effort.

The citizens’ group also had a request.

“It is our hope you’re including at least one citizen as part of the board to investigate complaints,” Mysles said.

The charter review is routinely completed every 10 years. Committee members began meeting last summer and presented their final report in November.

Committee members were Judge Lynn Tepper, Steve Hickman, Julie Hale, Dr. Bernice Mathis, Pablo Vela-Guerrero, Mattie Jones and Jim Ward.

Marilyn Crotty served as facilitator. She is the director of the Florida Institute of Government at the University of Central Florida.

Crotty said there is an anti-corruption trend statewide. Some cities have ordinances, or they designate someone as an ethics officer who investigates complaints, she said.

However, using a charter to establish ethics standards is rare, she added, and it has more permanency that an ordinance.

The amendment, if adopted, would require a code of ethical standards for elected officials and employees. The city commission would have six months to establish a local ethics code once the amendment passed.

“You can establish how strong you want it to be,” Crotty said.

Other recommendations from the charter review committee include:

  • Banning former city commissioners from doing business with the city for one year
  • Removing a city commissioner from office for a misdemeanor conviction for dishonesty or making a false statement (The current standard is conviction for a felony)
  • Making the finance officer a charter position, which is appointed and removed by a simple majority vote of the City Commission

The charter review committee also discussed some issues that are not included in the charter revisions.

Members suggested an ordinance that would cap local finance campaign contributions at $250 per individual per election.

Crotty said several cities, including Tallahassee and Cocoa Beach, have adopted limitations.

“This would remove the possibility of someone trying to buy a seat,” she said.

However, Dade City Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon wondered how that would work in races where one candidate could afford to fund his or her own campaign. The cap didn’t seem to address that, she said.

“I feel like that hurts the candidate who is not, as an individual, as well-funded,” Newlon said.

Committee members also didn’t include a recommendation that the city manager live within city limits. Some favored that, but there wasn’t a consensus.

“I do feel he or she should be fully invested in the city and its goings on,” said Hale.

Others said there should be some flexibility, and it should be an issue addressed in contract negotiations.

There also were differences on whether hiring or firing a city manager should require a super majority vote, rather than the simple majority required now.

“When you have a super majority, it does give job security,” said Dade City Commissioner Scott Black, who favors the switch. With a simple majority, he said, a qualified candidate might hesitate to apply.

Tepper observed: “Making it stable should be the goal.”

Published December 13, 2017

Residents discuss potential funding options

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Pasco County commissioners want to know if residents enjoy their parks and libraries enough to pay higher taxes for “quality of life” services.

Three community forums, in Hudson, Dade City and Land O’ Lakes, were held to get public input on the matter. Residents also have an opportunity to complete a 45-question survey on how to pay for parks and libraries.

A series of survey questions, for instance, ask if residents would be willing to pay monthly increases in property taxes of $6, $8 or $10 to pay for those amenities.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Land O’ Lakes Branch Library. The library celebrated the restoration of Monday hours. County commissioners will consider a property tax increase to help boost budgets for parks and libraries. (File)

About a dozen residents attended the forum at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Nov. 29.

There were mixed reactions.

Joel Jackson moved from Hillsborough County to Pasco about six years ago. “I was a little bit shocked at how little in services there were,” he said. “By all means, if we need to spend more money, absolutely.”

But, a couple from Gulf Harbors, Mitch and Diane Kobernick, weren’t convinced. “It seems we’re being nickeled and dimed to death on our taxes,” said Diane Kobernick.

At a workshop in October, Pasco County commissioners discussed one option to direct more tax dollars to parks and libraries. They could create a special tax district, known as a municipal services taxing unit.

Based on a set millage rate, the county would collect property taxes to fund those departments. Estimates range from a low of about $71 a year to a high of about $97 a year per household.

Or calculated in another way, the cost to a family living in a house valued at $100,000 would range from about $5.92 a month to about $8.12 a month.

No decision on the taxing district was made.

Most county commissioners leaned toward putting the matter on a referendum in 2018. The results wouldn’t be binding, but would give commissioners guidance in reaching a decision.

They have authority to create a taxing district now, if they choose. Instead, they asked county staff members to report back after reaching out to the public for comments.

At each forum, residents get information on the financial plight of parks and libraries, and scenarios on how to increase funding to each department.

Those scenarios include the taxing district but also other options, including increases in funding from general revenue sources.

“The goal is to get as much input as possible,” said Keith Wiley, acting director of the parks, recreation and natural resources department.

In past years, parks and libraries had significant budget cuts as a result of the 2008 economic downturn. Neither has fully recovered, though some additional funding has been approved.

Parks, for instance, received about $1.5 million to aid in deferred maintenance costs for 2018.

Pasco County commissioners “have been very supportive with a limited pot of money,” said Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services.

The financial picture for parks and libraries isn’t rosy.

The total in deferred maintenance is about $14 million. The parks’ annual budget is about $9 million.

“At the current rate of funding, we’re never going to catch up,” Wiley said.

The library spends about $13 per person annually for its services while the state average per person is about $26.

Based on state library standards, Pasco needs about 170,000 square feet of additional library space, and another 40 employees. The next library slated for construction, at Starkey Ranch, would be in 2021.

There are more budget stresses on the horizon.

The county’s overall budget could take a significant dip, if voters approve a $25,000 increase in homestead exemption in a November 2018 referendum. County officials estimate losing about $8 million in property tax revenues.

Still, some residents, including the Kobernicks, aren’t prepared to take on a tax increase. The Gulf Harbor couple, and others in their community, already face an assessment based on the county’s $1.2 million purchase of the former Gulf Harbor golf course. The property went into the county’s Environmental Land Acquisitions and Management Program.

The cost would be split between the county and about 1,700 Gulf Harbor residents. However, Diane Kobernick and Susan Levine have filed a lawsuit challenging the sale.

Others, though, are open to a property tax that would give parks and libraries a dedicated funding source.

Every year, those departments compete with other departments, including public safety, for general revenue funds, said Joan Clarke, president of the Land O’ Lakes Friends of the Library.

And, they struggle each year to provide residents with services they need, she said.

Even with all the growth in Pasco, she said, “They still have no library in Wesley Chapel.”

To take the survey, visit PascoCountyFl.net or https://goo.gl/J96J3K.

Published December 13, 2017

Residents get preview of Curley Road project

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New development is changing the landscape in northeast Pasco County.

And, road projects – both state and local – are seeking to address road widenings and intersection improvements to handle a growing volume of vehicles along State Road 52, and its offshoots.

Residents check out proposed road improvements in northeast Pasco County. (Kathy Steele)

Residents had a chance on Dec. 6 to review proposals for road work on Curley Road, including its intersections with State Road 52, Prospect Road, and the future Mirada Boulevard.

New developments along Curley include Epperson, with its Crystal Lagoon, the future Mirada master-planned community, and the Villages of Pasadena.

Pasco County officials were available to answer questions about Curley. Residents also could leave written comments.

Pasco County commissioners are expected to get a report on the study in January. However, no funding is available for either design or construction of the project.

Work is not likely for several years.

“There may be further appropriations for improvements, but we don’t know yet,” said Panos Kontses, a Pasco County project manager.

The Curley Road Route Study Re-evaluation is an update of a study done in 2005, before new development began sprouting along Curley Road.

The original study reviewed Curley Road, from north of Wells Road to north of a realignment of State Road 52 that will link with an extension of Clinton Avenue. The new focus looks at one segment of the study from north of Tindall Boulevard up to the realigned state highway.

Pasco officials also sought comments on whether residents preferred traffic signals or roundabouts at intersections.

“I hate seeing (development), but you’re not going to stop it,” said area resident Jimmy Smith. “I’m just here seeing what they’re offering.”

In general, Smith said road plans seem to come too late and can’t keep up with growth.

“They’re always backwards, the cart before the horse,” he said.  “I just don’t have too much faith in how they’ll do the engineering,” he added.

Longtime resident Margaret Beaumont worried about where the county would take right-of-way. They should do so where there is more vacant land, and fewer businesses and homes that would be displaced, she said.

She also added: “I don’t like roundabouts.”

Resident John Gassler is worried that the Knights of Columbus building on Curley Road could lose frontage to right-of-way, or possibly even lose the building itself.

But, as a former Hollywood (Florida) resident, he doesn’t object to the roundabouts. Hollywood had three of them, and he became accustomed to driving through them, Gassler said.

According to county data, 27 parcels to 30 parcels would be affected by the project, with one business or two, and between four to seven homes needing relocation.

Estimated construction costs range from about $32 million to more than $35 million.

Before the county gets to Curley Road, the Florida Department of Transportation will begin construction on about 7 miles of the realigned State Road 52. That work should begin in fall 2019 and be completed in 2021.

The project will build a new four-lane road from Uradco Place to Prospect Road/Happy Hill Road, with two additional lanes added from Prospect and Happy Hill to west of Fort King Road. New traffic signals, a 7-foot bicycle lane, 6-foot sidewalk and 10-foot multi-use trail extending to Curley Road also will be built.

Pasco County is expected to contribute more than $4 million toward right-of-way purchases for a total project cost of more than $107 million, according to county records.

Published December 13, 2017

Business Digest 12/13/2017

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Steven Whiteside

New associate at Century 21
Steven Whiteside is a new sales associate for Century 21 Professional Realty. He will specialize in residential and luxury property sales in the central Florida area, according to a news release from Century 21.

Whiteside recently completed training and licensing through Real Estate Express and Century 21 University.

Whiteside’s passion is meeting new people and helping others. He also loves architecture, music, staying active, traveling and advocating for his clients.

For information, call Whiteside at (352) 398-2391, or email .

 

Toys for Tots
Pure Hair is collecting toys for Toys for Tots through Dec. 23, at its location, at 23608 State Road 54, in Lutz.

Anyone who brings a donation will receive a complimentary deep conditioning treatment, worth $25.

For information, call Pure Hair at (813) 909-2927.

Gingerbread house contest
Vitis Realty is sponsoring its inaugural Gingerbread House Fundraising Contest for households and businesses. Donations will benefit Meals on Wheels of Pasco.Gingerbread House contest

The winning business entry will get bragging rights as the mayor of Gingerbread Village for 2017. There will be bonus points for designing the gingerbread house to reflect the design of your business.

Businesses are invited to submit donations and gingerbread house entries on Dec. 9 and Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon, at Vitis Realty, at 37915 Heather Place in Dade City.

Entries will be judged by a panel of chamber directors from Dade City and Zephyrhills.

Entry rules require a minimum $25 donation to Meals on Wheels; one gingerbread house entry per business; gingerbread houses must be mounted on 12-inch-by-12-inch or 18-inch-by-18-inch base; homemade or store-bought gingerbread kits are allowed; except for the base and hidden structural elements, such as toothpicks, popsicle sticks, etc., the entire visible display must be made of edible materials.

Sponsorship levels are $25 to $99, for bronze; $100 to $499, for silver; and more than $500, for gold.

Another contest, with no entry fees, also is being held for households. Rules are somewhat different from those required of businesses. Gift certificates will be awarded to the top three winners.

For entry rules on households and businesses, visit VitisRealty.com/gingerbread.

For information, email , or call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769.

Coldwell Banker Top Realtors
Coldwell Banker F.I. Grey & Son Residential Inc., announced the following Top Realtors for the month of November.

Top listing agent by units is Michele Christmas; by volume, is Kristy Thurber. Top selling agent by units is Carolyn Hill; by volume, is Kristy Thurber. Top producing agent by units and volume is Kristy Thurber.

Business advice
The Pasco Enterprise Network, or PEN, is a countywide partnership that offers free guidance, assistance and resources to help small businesses get started or to expand.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs can connect with a network of professionals who can provide consultations, education and technical assistance in a variety of areas and subjects.

The PEN website also offers quick access to the most requested business information and resources.

For information, visit PascoEnterprise.com, or contact John Walsh, vice president of the Pasco Economic Development Council, at (813) 926-0827, ext. 223 or .

A toll-free number, (888) 607-2726, also is available.

Wesley Chapel mixer
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly mixer on Dec. 14 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Parks Alpha Romeo Fiat of Wesley Chapel, at 28647 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Electronic violinist Jared Burnett will perform.

There will be wine, beer and appetizers at this free event.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 994-8534 or .

Salon on 7th ribbon cutting
The Salon on 7th will have an open house and ribbon cutting on Dec. 14 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 13960 Seventh St., Suite 1, in Dade City.

The ribbon cutting will be at 5 p.m.

Chef Mark Goldstein will grill pork, Mexican rice and beans starting at 1 p.m., so bring your appetite.

There will be prizes and drawings (must be present to win).

Gift certificates also will be available.

For information, call the salon at (352) 437-3907, or visit Facebook.com/neiddyandaida/.

North Tampa luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its December 2017 Momentum Thursday on Dec. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Brookdale of Lutz, 414 E. Chapman Road, Lutz.

The guest speaker will be Lee Harang of Galloway Johnson.

For early-bird registration, RSVP online with credit card or to the chamber office at by 5 p.m., Dec. 13, at the discounted rate of $20 (whether you eat or not).

After that date, the cost is $25 (whether you eat or not), payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 563-0180, or visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

Pasco-Hernando Score can help business owners
If you’re an entrepreneur and you need help with business issues, Pasco-Hernando Score has lots of potential ways to help.

The organization has a website with information about workshops, ways to connect with a mentor and a library chock full of information on a wide array of topics.

To find out more, visit PascoHernando.Score.org.

Legislative forum covers wide spectrum of issues

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Dozens of speakers signed up to draw attention to topics they think are important at Pasco County’s annual legislative delegation meeting.

The topics ranged from fracking to Medicaid; the opioid epidemic to immigration; medical marijuana to homelessness; and, scores of budget requests.

Some requests were for items vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott last year.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, for instance, asked legislators to renew his request for $4.3 million for the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Education and Research.

From left: State Sen. Tom Lee, Rep. Richard Corcoran, Rep. Danny Burgess, Sen. Wilton Simpson and Rep. Amber Mariano
attend the Pasco County legislative delegation’s annual meeting to hear from local constituents about issues they’d like lawmakers to address during the 2018 legislative session. (Kathy Steele)

The Adam Kennedy Forensics Field, also known as a “body farm,” opened in May on land next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, off U.S. 41. The facility is the seventh of its type in the nation.

Construction money is needed for the indoor forensic center. The complex is planned jointly with the sheriff’s office, Pasco County, Pasco-Hernando State College, and the University of South Florida’s Institute for Forensics and Applied Science.

“It is a critical piece for us,” Nocco said.

The sheriff also noted that there already are international inquiries regarding training opportunities.

The city of Zephyrhills also had a big-ticket request. It’s asking for $3.25 million to help build the Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center.

The planned tennis center includes eight soft courts, two hard courts and nine pickle ball courts.

The city of Zephyrhills already has hired Pennsylvania-based Tennis P.R.O. LLC to operate and manage the complex.

A pro shop, a multipurpose community room and two offices also are planned.

“It’s gaining a lot of momentum,” said Todd Vande Berg, the city’s planning director. “It will bring in players from around the world, and Zephyrhills really will be a destination in the sports arena.”

The complex is named for Vande Berg’s daughter, a tennis scholarship student at University of South Carolina, who died in a car accident.

The annual legislative delegation meeting is a ritual that gives lawmakers a chance to find out what is on the minds of their constituents for the coming legislative year.

This year’s session was on Nov. 27 at the Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts, at Wesley Chapel High School.

More than 60 people signed up, with each allotted three minutes to address the legislators, who were seated at a table on the arts center’s stage.

Rep. Danny Burgess, the delegation’s chairman; Rep. Amber Mariano; and Sen. Wilton Simpson attended the entire meeting. Sen. Tom Lee and Rep. Richard Corcoran attended portions of the meeting. Sen. Jack Latvala was absent.

Afterward Burgess described the meeting as a fact-gathering session to help legislators deliberate on issues during the 2018 legislative session in Tallahassee.

“It’s important — with a state this big and statute books so voluminous —it’s impossible to know every issue,” Burgess said.

He also said people’s presence and participation are important.

“It’s a truly collaborative thing,” he said, noting, lawmakers will have more information “because people from our areas decided to take the time to come here.”

Along those lines, Debra Golinski asked lawmakers to provide funding for screening programs at Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation Inc.

She said about $750,000 is needed for a program to help hearing-impaired children, ages 3 to 6 years, “begin to listen and talk.”

Golinksi also asked legislators to support a bill to provide hearing aids for children.

Timothy Beard, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, said the college is expanding rapidly and needs about $3.7 million in additional funding for operations.

He said school enrollment has increased from about 1,800 three years ago to about 4,000 students now.

“The growth there has really been phenomenal. We really, really need the dollars,” Beard said.

Other agencies and nonprofits seeking state funds included the Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services, the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc., the Reach program with Pasco’s PACE Center for Girls, and the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, or ASAP.

Hot button political issues also came up.

James Brown, of the nonprofit Farmworkers Self Help, sought support for “DACA kids”, the children who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The federal program could be ended soon, leaving these children subject to deportation. They and their families harvested crops for years, Brown said.

“They did nothing more than work hard. We need to give these longtime families a place in the county. We’re not asking for budgetary concerns. We’re just asking for your compassion,” Brown said.

Several people also spoke on fracking, asking legislators to ban the practice in Florida.

Fracking is a process for pumping chemically treated high pressure water into a drilled pipeline to break through rock formations to tap into oil or natural gas reserves.

“Our message is simple,” said Brooke Errett, of Food & Water Watch. “Fracking doesn’t make sense.”

Legislators also got updates on initiatives under review at the federal level by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

His aide, Summer Robertson, told them that Bilirakis is seeking

a balanced approach toward addressing the opioid crisis.

He wants an approach that helps people with opioid addiction but still gives people “with legitimate pain” access to medications, Robertson said.

Published December 6, 2017