The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kathy Steele

Decision delayed on Quail Hollow

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Pasco County commissioners, for a second time, pushed off a decision on the fate of the Quail Hollow Golf Course.

In a 3-2 vote, they opted to continue the issue until June 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Dade City.

The intent is to give the golf course owner and Quail Hollow homeowners more time to settle differences.

But, there is a wide gulf between an owner who wants to redevelop his unprofitable golf course, and homeowners who want to preserve their golf course community.

A sign advertises meal specials at the clubhouse for Quail Hollow Golf Course.
(Kathy Steele)

“They want to stop the project,” said Barbara Wilhite, a land use attorney representing the golf course owner.

Andre Carollo, of Pasco Office Park LLC, wants to close the golf course and build up to 400 single-family houses, 30,000 square feet of office/retail and 10,000 square feet of day care.

Quail Hollow homeowners packed the boardroom at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse to again plead their case on May 9.

The outcome of the meeting was the same as it was at the April meeting — without a vote on the project, and with a continuance.

Homeowners are challenging the project and the impacts of construction.

“The runoff from construction will affect the water, the wetlands and the basin to the Hillsborough River,” said Anna Spencely.

Homeowners also worry about a loss of property values, and increased traffic along inadequate roadways.

Homeowners also say they bought their homes based on long-ago sales pitches that they were buying into a golf course community.

Wilhite disputes that, saying the golf course was built prior to the subdivision.

Maureen Jones, a Sarasota-based attorney, is representing the Quail Hollow Neighborhood Citizens Group Inc. She raised questions about homeowners’ property rights in Quail Hollow, but also in an adjacent subdivision.

She sparred repeatedly with Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore and with Pasco County Attorney Jeff Steinsnyder, who told Jones not to stray from allowed topics of discussion.

Moore and Steinsnyder told speakers that comments had to strictly deal with the four additional conditions that had been added to the project’s site plan since the previous public hearing.

The new conditions include designing a stormwater management plan for 25-year and 100-year storm events of 24-hour duration, and hiring an inspector to oversee activity before and during construction.

Pasco County Commissioners Ron Oakley and Kathryn Starkey expressed support for the project, and voted against the continuance.

“These golf courses are going defunct everywhere,” Starkey said. “Something has to be done with them. This gentleman has property rights. I am definitely a property rights person.”

Oakley agreed that Carollo, under county codes, has the right to rezone his property.

But, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano responded, “These other people (homeowners) have property rights, too.”

Mariano also had a compliment for Wilhite.

“You’ve done a phenomenal job,” Mariano said. “I think I’d like to give you and the (homeowners) association one last chance, and bring it back.”

If the project is approved and a lawsuit is filed against the developer and the county, one stipulation is the applicant, not the county, would pay legal fees.

No additional public comment is expected on June 6.

Published May 17, 2017

Age 55-and-older community gets private road

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Developers and residents often clash when it comes to land issues.

But, on two issues involving roads relating to a proposed 55-and-older, gated community — there was a rare moment when both sides agreed.

And, the developers and residents got the response they wanted from Pasco County commissioners, too.

One issue involved eliminating the extension of Five Farms Avenue, that would connect Country Walk subdivision to the adult community planned in adjacent Wiregrass Ranch.

The other issue involves privatizing a public collector road to be gated and privatized, within the 55-and-older community.

Commissioners sided with the developer and residents on both issues.

In doing so, they voted 4-1 to overrule the county’s Development Review Committee recommendation regarding both roads.

The review committee wanted to allow the extension of Five Farms Avenue, which dead-ends in Country Walk, into the proposed Wiregrass neighborhood.

The committee also wanted to prevent the privatizing of a public collector road in the active adult neighborhood.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was the only commissioner who sided with the development review committee’s recommendations.

“I have always been supportive of our planning process to connect neighborhoods to each other,” Starkey said. “I just think it’s Planning 101 to connect neighborhoods.”

But, not in this case, said Bill Merrill, a Sarasota attorney representing Locust Branch LLC, the developer for the 55-and- older community.

Opening up Five Farms would create connections to Country Pointe Boulevard and then to Meadow Pointe Boulevard, Merrill said.

“This is going to be a speedway through the residential portion of the neighborhood,” Merrill said. “I think we need to pull back sometimes. What makes sense here?”

But, Kris Hughes, the county’s planning and development director, said the county seeks to increase connections between neighborhoods. Such connections help “to get people efficiently out of their homes” for public health and safety reasons, and reduce traffic on major roadways, Hughes said.

“The idea is to create some semblance of a grid pattern in these neighborhoods to provide inner movement internal to the system at appropriate scales and for significant relief from arterial (roads),” Hughes said.

County staff also has to look not only at neighborhood streets but the larger picture of how they impact the entire road system, he added.

Most county commissioners said they want to encourage more 55-and-older communities. And, Starkey said she isn’t opposed to gated communities.

“You’re not going to get one that’s not gated,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore. “They want their privacy.”

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said the Wiregrass project is a good one.

“Folks like to have gated communities,” Wells said.

Published May 17, 2017

 

Land O’ Lakes gets a bus circulator route

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Local buses will begin making stops along the first circulator route to serve Land O’ Lakes.

For the first week, from May 22 to May 27, rides will be free.

A ribbon cutting ceremony at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park at 5104 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., will take place May 18 at 9 a.m. Ceremonies will be in the pavilion by the southwest corner of the parking lot.

Riders can try out the first Land O’ Lakes circulator route for free, from May 22 through May 27.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

Buses will run hourly, but service to a few stops, such as the Florida Hospital at Connerton and the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, will be intermittent.

The route will circulate from County Line Road to Central Boulevard, and will follow State Road 54 to Collier Parkway. Passengers can transfer to the Pasco County Public Transit buses on Route 54 to reach other parts of the county.

Pasco County commissioners are committed to a strong transportation system that connects people with government agencies, parks, schools, shopping and jobs, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, in a press release from the county.

“The new Route 41 is another example of that commitment,” Moore said.

Stops along the way will include Walmart, the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the post office and Land O’ Lakes High School. A stop at the Target Super Store on North Dale Mabry Highway will allow passengers to transfer to buses operated by the Hillsborough County Area Regional Transit system, known as HART.

The Land O’ Lakes circular route is the third new route in 2017. Estimated costs were about $300,000 for annual operating costs, and a one-time purchase of a bus for about $110,000.

Two other new routes along State Road 54 and in the Moon Lake area of New Port Richey already are operating.

Published May 17, 2017

Moore-Mickens center may get new life

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Two years of negotiations, with a lot of hope and persistence from the community, appears to be paying off for the Moore-Mickens Education Center.

The center —historically tied to the first school for black students in Pasco County — was closed in 2015.

But, Pasco County School District officials and the nonprofit Moore-Mickens Education Center & Vocational Center Inc., are almost ready to sign a lease agreement to reopen the school’s campus, according to Keith Babb, the nonprofit’s chairman.

A nonprofit coalition of residents, community leaders and organizational representatives hope to begin leasing the Moore-Mickens Education Center from the Pasco County School Board.
(File)

The lease would be for $10 a year for 30 years, Babb said.

“We are extremely excited,” he said.

He anticipates the matter will be on the June 6 school board agenda.

Babb said a private donor made a significant contribution to the nonprofit. But, additional funds are needed.

A breakfast fundraiser is scheduled for May 20. The goal is to raise at least $5,000, Babb said.

Prior to its closing, the campus on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard offered classes for adults, teen parents and special-needs children.

School officials initially announced the school’s closing in 2014, but backed off when the community pleaded to keep it open.

That decision was reversed the next year, based on costly repair expenses.

The goal is to partner with other nonprofits and agencies to bring multiple programs to the community, possibly including a food bank, afterschool programs, and voluntary prekindergarten classes.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to start programs right away,” Babb said.

The first step is to get buildings open and ready for use, he said.

Plans are to use the administrative building, the building that formerly housed the Cyesis teen parent program, and a building where the Dade City City Commission once held its meetings.

A walk-through and inventory check was planned this week with Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, Babb said.

Gadd was not available for comment prior to The Laker/Lutz News’ deadline for publication.

Published May 17, 2017

Efforts continue for Ridge Road permit

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The long process of winning approval for a permit to build an 8-mile extension of Ridge Road could yield a decision from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within 14 months or less, according to a consulting firm hired by Pasco County.

The Army Corps identified one of 17 proposed routes as “the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative,” as stated in an April 27 letter to county officials and the Florida Department of Transportation.

Ridge Road dead-ends in west Pasco County at the intersection with Moon Lake Road and Decubellis Road. The county wants to extend Ridge Road from west Pasco to U.S. 41 for an evacuation route.
(Kathy Steele)

“That’s very important,” said Dwight Beranek, senior advisor at Washington D.C.-based Dawson & Associates. “(It) allows the county to focus all of its attention and energy on one project as opposed to 17.”

Beranek gave Pasco County commissioners an update on the status of the county’s permit application at the May 9 meeting in Dade City.

The proposed route would be a four-lane, partially elevated road cutting through a portion of the Serenova Preserve. It would link Ridge Road, which dead-ends at Moon Lake Road and Decubellis Road in New Port Richey, to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. The eastern portion would come out opposite Connerton Boulevard, the main entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton. An interchange at Suncoast Parkway also would be built.

Pasco County officials give high priority to the road extension as an evacuation route during hurricanes and other emergencies. But, a permit has eluded them for nearly 19 years at a cost of at least $15 million.

County commissioners on May 2 approved an additional $404,000 for a month-to-month contract with Dawson & Associates.

Environmentalists vehemently oppose the Ridge Road extension, citing potential harm to a conservation area, as well as flooding and water pollution worries. They also say the project is more about opening the Serenova to development than about providing an evacuation route.

A Facebook page, Save the Serenova Preserve from the Road to Nowhere, is a rallying site for opponents who have been meeting on the matter for the past months.

“We will fight this with every legal option at our disposal,” said Tim Martin, chairman of the conservation committee for the Suncoast Sierra Club. “We’re trying to organize resistance. I think a lot of people are frustrated and upset by the developments.”

Dawson & Associates will aid the county in the next months on documents that detail construction and environmental impacts to the route identified by the Army Corps. At the same time, a modification also is needed on a prior permit from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud.

“There’s a lot of different activities left to be done,” said Beranek. But, he added, that the county is “well-positioned” to move forward to what hopefully will be a favorable decision.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore pushed for a commitment sooner than 14 months to get an updated permit from Swiftmud and construction permit from the Army Corps.

“I don’t see it taking that long,” Moore said.

Published May 17, 2017

Industry awards banquet will have trade show

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The Pasco Economic Development Council will adjust the format for its annual awards banquet to allow more networking and showcase an industry trade show, according to a news release from Pasco EDC.

Bill Cronin, president and CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council, frequently gives talks about what makes Pasco County a great place for businesses.

The 2017 Annual Awards will be at Saddlebrook Resort on Aug. 31. The event will have a shortened awards ceremony, and a brief report on Pasco County’s economic development progress.

The awards recognize top companies in Pasco that excel in technology, innovation job creation, growth, capital investment and community development. The nomination deadline ended on April 28.

In evaluating nominees, the Pasco EDC looks at job creation, increased capital investment and contributions to the community through civic involvement between January 2016 and June 2017.

Industry awards are given in the following categories:

  • Small (1-20 employees)
  • Medium (21-100 employees)
  • Large (101 or more employees)
  • Startup/New within past 24 months

Pasco EDC has partnered with Pasco County government for more than three decades to attract businesses and create jobs in Pasco.

In the past year, Pasco EDC helped to expand or relocate 17 companies, employing more than 1,100 people. This includes nearly 850 new jobs and about $145 million in capital investment.

In other accomplishments, Pasco EDC:

  • Visited 69 Pasco companies and made presentations to more than 30 groups and organizations
  • Responded to more than 190 requests for business assistance through the Pasco Enterprise Network (PEN)
  • Increased the Pasco Microloan Fund capitalization up to $709,000
  • Held three CO.STARTERS classes for entrepreneurs
  • Started a new International Committee to set goals and expand into the international arena
  • Partnered with Pasco County Commission on Penny for Pasco programs, including Ready Sites and CEO Roundtable

About 600 community and business leaders attend the annual awards banquet.

Space is limited, and early reservations are encouraged.

Sponsorships range from $500 to $5,000, with five benefit levels.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/nybzrfw, or call (813) 926-0827, ext. 226. You also can email a completed sponsorship form to , or fax it to (813) 926-0829 by July 1.

Published May 17, 2017

Business Digest 05/17/2017

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Laura and Larry Liebler are owners of The Cleaning Authority.
(Courtesy of The Cleaning Authority)

The Cleaning Authority collecting food donations
Owners of The Cleaning Authority, Laura and Larry Liebler, won the company’s 2016 Franchisee of the Year Award.

The couple opened their franchise in Tampa about 11 years ago, and now have about 100 employees who provide home and apartment cleaning services in Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz and Land O’ Lakes. The Cleaning Authority provides environmentally friendly “green” cleaning, and does move in/move out cleaning services.

The company also places a high priority on giving back to the community.

The Lieblers participate in The Cleaning Authority CARES program by collecting food donations from their clients and giving it to the nonprofit Feeding Tampa Bay.

The food drive began May 1, and will continue over the next four weeks.

The Cleaning Authority started in the late 1977s in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, and began franchising in the mid-1990s. It has more than 215 locations in North America.

For information, call The Cleaning Authority at (813) 701-2190, or visit TheCeaningAuthority.com.

 

Pulte Homes opens Birchwood Preserve
Pulte Homes will have a grand opening of the Birchwood Preserve community May 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., off North Dale Mabry Highway, at Geraci Road.

There will be refreshments, live music and tours of the Millstone, a 3,400-square-foot model home, which boasts four stories and three-and-a-half baths.

Birchwood Preserve is a gated community, with nearly 170 new home sites, a resort-style beach entry pool, open-air cabanas and hammocks, a multipurpose space, and playground.

Homes range from three bedrooms to six bedrooms, with prices from nearly $318,000 to more than $460,000.

For information, visit Pulte.com/birchwoodpreserve, or call (888) 500-2107.

Bexley homebuilders win awards
The master-planned community of Bexley by Newland Communities won a Best in Class award and several Grand Awards at the 2017 Parade of Homes, hosted by the Tampa Bay Builders Association, according to a news release from Newland Communities.

The award haul was the most of any community in the Parade. Bexley is located on State Road 54, at the Suncoast Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes.

Judges looked at criteria including architectural detail, floor plan, master suite, kitchen and overall curb appeal.

Five Bexley model homes earned Grand awards.

David Weekly Homes’ Tangelo model earned Best in Class in the kitchen category, as well as an overall grand award. Other winners were ICI Homes’ Brooke model home; Homes by WestBay’s Bayshore II; CalAtlantic Homes’ Sandpiper II; and, Lennar’s North Carolina model home.

For information, visit NewlandCommunities.com.

Confidex partners with ADP
Confidex Payroll Solutions is partnering with ADP to offer additional payroll and tax solutions.

The Dade City-based company provides payrolls services, accounting and tax planning services. ADP, based in New Jersey, provides human resources management software and services.

The partnership with ADP will increase the level of services offered by Confidex Payroll Solutions to bring payroll savings to small and mid-size businesses.

For information, contact Rich Mackiewicz at (352) 458-4829 or .

Westcoast Landscape contracts
Westcoast Landscape and Lawn won seven new contracts with community associations in West Central Florida. The commercial landscaping company serves clients from Citrus to Charlotte counties.

Two of the seven contracts are for Wesley Chapel neighborhoods: Larkenheath and Wiregrass CDD (commercial development district).

Westcoast specializes in commercial landscaping for homeowner and condo associations, community development districts and business developments. Residential landscape design and installation also are provided.

For information, visit WestcoastLawns.com.

Holiday Inn Express award
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Trinity received the InterContinental Hotels Group 2016 Newcomer Award as one of the best properties to join the IHG system within the last year as a new development or a conversion property, according to a company press release.

The hotel is one of 10 properties selected from more than 5,100 of the company’s hotels, in recognition of overall quality excellence.

IHG is a global organization with a portfolio of hotels that include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, and Staybridge Suites.

For information, visit IHG.com.

Lunch n Learn
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host a Lunch n Learn luncheon May 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Don Porter boardroom at the chamber’s office, at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 105, in Wesley Chapel.

Guest speaker will be Steve Miller of Google Partner.

The cost is $15, including lunch. Space is limited so preregistration is recommended.

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

Central Pasco mixer
Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly mixer May 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, at 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, in Land O’ Lakes.

The event is free. All are welcome.

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

Pasco County begins budget review for 2018

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Pasco County officials anticipate an increase in property tax revenues, which in recent years have been on an upward trend.

But, that doesn’t mean the budget will be flush with money for fiscal year 2018.

Pasco County commissioners will be grappling with an $8.1 million increase in the Pasco County sheriff’s budget; a request to restore operating hours for libraries to 2008 levels; and, a parks system trying to keep up with population growth.

That’s a short list of anticipated budget requests.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano
(Fred Bellet)

Commissioners got a preview of the tough budget decisions for fiscal year 2018 at a May 2 workshop in New Port Richey. Final figures on revenues and expenses are evolving.

The Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office is scheduled to provide tax valuation data in June. Commissioners are set to review the budget in July and to have two public hearings before final approval. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

At the workshop, county projections pegged property tax revenues according to three scenarios – a 4 percent increase, a 7 percent increase and a 9 percent increase.

Even with the rosiest of scenarios, the county’s property tax revenues for 2018 will be less than where the county was 10 years ago, said Bob Goehrig, the county’s budget director.

The county also will be facing the potential loss in 2019 of as much as $13 million in property tax revenues. Voters will decide in a 2018 referendum whether to increase the current $50,000 standard homestead exemption to $75,000.

“That will make our decisions more difficult,” said Pasco County Transition Manager Michele Baker.

Baker is retiring as county administrator. Her replacement is Dan Biles, who started his new job on May 1.

One of the biggest ticket items for 2018 will be the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. A requested increase of $8.1 million would be used for pay raises, equipment and new job hires. About $5.5 million of the increase is for the last phase of a 3-year pay raise plan for deputies.

A somewhat smaller amount of about $4.8 million had been anticipated, said Goehrig.

Several other departments made presentations requesting budget increases.

Over three years, library officials want to restore operating hours to 2008 levels of 40 hours a week at each library, and to hire eight full-time employees. The total cost over three years would be about $985,000.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey

In the first year, the Land O’ Lakes Public Library and Regency Park Public Library would add hours and staff at a cost of about $325,000. In later years, service would increase at the Hudson Regional Public Library, Hugh Embry Public Library, New River Public Library, Centennial Park Public Library and South Holiday Public Library.

“We should be doing this,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley. “But, we’ve got to come up with a funding source.”

The county’s parks department needs about $15 million to pay for deferred maintenance and about $6.4 million to replace aging infrastructure. Based on a long-range master plan for parks, about $134 million is needed to provide amenities to meet population growth for the last 10 years and for the next 10 years.

At a prior workshop, county commissioners requested information on eliminating $2 parking fees at county parks, and $60 annual passes.

That would mean a revenue loss of about $332,000 a year, said

Kelley Boree, the county’s parks, recreation and natural resources director.

To cover the loss, general funds could be used or, Boree said, the county could end three programs – aquatics, horticulture at sports field and summer camp.

“I’m just totally against taking any money from parks,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

But, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said he wants to see fees eliminated and suggested a higher tax rate would save programs from being cut. “You increase access and quality of life; I think that’s great advertising for the county.”

Published May 10, 2017

National parks offer lessons in life, history

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The nation’s history is recorded in books and taught in classrooms — but, author Penny Musco recommends another path of discovery.

She suggests that you visit as many of the 417 properties in the U.S. National Parks Services as possible.

That list includes 59 parks, 87 monuments, 15 rivers, three scenic trails, four battlefield parks, 11 battlefields, 78 historic sites, and thousands of recreational areas.

Musco, who lives in Sarasota, summed it up like this: “It’s our history.”

Sarasota resident Penny Musco was guest lecturer at the Zephyrhills Public Library, where she discussed her book, ‘Life Lessons from the National Parks: Meeting God in America’s Most Glorious Places.’
(Kathy Steele)

She went on to say, “sometimes it’s more interesting to learn our history when you’re somewhere history occurred rather than in a classroom. That’s what makes it come alive.”

Musco is author of “Life Lessons from the National Parks: Meeting God in America’s Most Glorious Places.”

She was guest lecturer at the Zephyrhills Public Library on April 19.

She also is a former artist-in-residence for the National Park Service.

She spent six weeks in Nebraska researching the “exodusters,” blacks who migrated to Kansas and other states west of the Mississippi River after the Civil War. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided land grants of 160 acres to all Americans, including former slaves and women.

During her residency, Musco wrote “Steal Away,” a one-woman show on homesteaders and exodusters. She occasionally performs at events for Black History Month or Women’s History Month.

She wrote her book in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

The variety of properties operated by the park service often surprises people, who tend to only think of the national parks, such as the Grand Canyon or Yosemite.

There are many other properties to visit that are less widely known, Musco said.

For instance, the national historic site commemorating the Supreme Court desegregation decision in Brown v. Board of Education is in Topeka, Kansas.

“It has a lot of multi-media. It’s a really good place to go,” she said.

Another plus? The site is free, Musco said.

Another free attraction — which was the country’s most visited park property in 2016 — is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

About 15.6 million people visit that each year, Musco said.

The Grand Canyon ranks No. 8 for most visitors; Yosemite, No. 12; and the Lincoln Memorial, No. 6.

The Blue Ridge Parkway – No. 2 in visitors – follows a scenic route for more than 400 miles through the Shenandoah National Park within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Smoky Mountains became a national park in the 1930s — as automobiles became a popular mode of travel.

Park service officials wanted to have a national park located in a populated area, unlike the western parks that had far fewer, if any, residents.

“Most Americans wanted to go somewhere in their automobiles,” Musco said.

Donations from the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, average citizens, and John D. Rockefeller Jr., helped buy the land. The park’s creation came with controversy, as about 1,200 people were displaced.

“People lived in the hollers in the Great Smokies,” Musco said.

About 70 log-built structures remain.

Today, the Great Smoky Mountains is the largest protected land area east of the Rocky Mountains.

In Florida, a popular spot is the Hernando de Soto National Memorial, near the Sarasota-Bradenton airport. The site marks the spot where the Spanish explorer came ashore in Tampa Bay in 1539.

The Dry Tortugas National Park is an island fortress south of the Florida Keys, accessible by ferry or seaplane. Dr. Samuel Mudd, convicted as a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, served time on the island until his pardon in 1869.

Musco said Cuban refugees fleeing Castro would sail small boats to the island to seek asylum in the closest place to mainland United States.

It is one of the least visited parks but, Musco said, “It’s architecturally a magnificent place. The aquatic life is beautiful. It’s an all-day adventure.”

Her personal favorite is the Grand Canyon.

“It is so immense and so hard to wrap your mind around the scale,” she said.

Musco also loves the opportunities for free or reduced cost passes issued by the park service.

Seniors age 62 and older qualify for $10 lifetime passes. (There is a proposal to increase that fee to $80). Free passes are available to military; permanently disabled; and, fourth graders (age 10) and their families from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31.

Parks also are free on President’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and on Aug. 25 for the National Park Service’s birthday.

For information on parks, visit NPS.gov.

For information on Musco, visit PennyMusco.com.

Published May 10, 2017

Commission on Status of Women elects officers

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The Commission on the Status of Women met recently to elect officers and begin exploring issues that they want to pursue in coming months.

Pasco County commissioners established the 15-member commission in September 2016 as an advisory board. The commission will make periodic reports and recommendations on matters that promote women’s issues.

Members of the Commission on the Status of Women elected their officers at a recent meeting. Amanda Colon, president of the Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc., left, is chairwoman; Krista Covey, SMARTstart Business Incubator director with the Pasco Economic Development Council, is vice chairwoman; and, Kelly Mothershead, communications assistant at Pepin Academies in Pasco, is secretary.
(Courtesy of Amanda Colon)

Amanda Colon, president of the Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc., will serve as chairwoman; Krista Covey, SMARTstart Business Incubator director with the Pasco Economic Development Council, as vice chairwoman; and Kelly Mothershead, communications assistant at Pepin Academies in Pasco, as secretary.

Meetings are open to the public.

The next meeting will be June 5 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the county’s Utilities Administration Office, at 19420 Central Blvd., off U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

“The more public support we have in the community, the more it’s going to help us,” said Colon.

Commission members opted to focus on three umbrella issues of health and safety; education; and, economic prosperity and promotion.

Among health and safety topics are domestic and sexual violence, mental health, women’s health, veteran’s services, and the epidemic of drugs, pills and alcohol.

Education also will focus on drugs and alcohol, but also topics such as financial literacy, and the challenges facing single mothers and grandparents who are caregivers for their grandchildren.

Under economic prosperity and promotion, homelessness, affordable housing, affordable daycare, and promoting women in the political and government arenas are on the list.

Going forward, the commission will decide on priorities and set up committees.

The commission must meet at least six times annually, but can meet more frequently. Meeting dates are scheduled into February 2018, though no meetings are planned for July, September and January.

Efforts to create the commission began more than two years ago with discussions between Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Land O’ Lakes attorney Michele Hintson.

More women joined the conversation and took the matter to the county commission.

Research turned up an ordinance from 1979 that had established a women’s commission. But, it is unclear if its members ever met.

The county’s legal staff updated that ordinance to create the current commission.

County commissioners appointed five of the commission members, with 10 selected from area agencies, schools and nonprofits. They are African-American Club of Pasco County Inc.; Hispanic Professional Women’s Association Inc.; Metropolitan Ministries; Pasco Economic Development Council; Pasco-Hernando State College; Saint Leo University; Sunrise of Pasco County Inc.; United Way of Pasco County Inc.; and Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc.

Published May 10, 2017