The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kathy Steele

Business Digest 02/08/2017

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CABA Hall of Fame
The Carrollwood Area Business Association honored 10 inductees as the charter class for the organization’s CABA Hall of Fame, at a luncheon on Feb. 1 at Brunchie’s of Tampa, according to a news release from the business group.

An “After 5” mixer and ribbon cutting celebrated Brunchie’s as the home of CABA’s Hall of Fame and also the restaurant’s 10th year at 14366 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The charter Hall of Fame members are from the organization’s first decade, 1986 to 1996.

Brunchie’s owner Bill Kranich renamed his restaurant’s meeting room as the “CABA Room.”

All Hall of Fame inductees have been active CABA members for 10 years or more and have made significant leadership contributions for five years or more, according to Jeff Ryder, the group’s president.

Kranich attributes Brunchie’s survival and ongoing success to the support from CABA members during the past decade. A new Brunchie’s has opened at 24400 State Road 54 in Lutz.

The inductees were John Baumann, founding member of CABA; Robert Ahern, Ahern Insurance Services; Jim Keeper and Debi Ryan, Executive Massage Therapy; Percy J. Legendre II, Bashor & Legendre; Dr. Barry D. Shapiro, Carrollwood Chiropractic Center and Family Medical and Rehabilitation Center Inc.; Jim Kalameris, Kalameris Construction; Nancy Gordon, First Citrus Bank; Sandra Chewning, KohlerHaus; Don Coryell, Greenacre Properties; and, Noreen Klein, Premier Bookkeeping Services.

For information, visit UseCABA.com.

Anne Kibbe joins The Laker/Lutz News
Anne M. Kibbe, a long-time resident of San Antonio, has joined The Laker/Lutz News as the account manager for East Pasco County.

She has lived and worked in Pasco and Hernando counties for 25 years. Her husband, Curt, is a small business owner.

Anne Kibbe

Kibbe has a bachelor’s degree in public communication and graphic design from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. She also has a master’s degree in human resource development from Florida State University.

Her previous experience includes serving as the public communications manager for the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce; helping to develop a corporate brand identity and marketing plan for an architectural stone import company; and, writing copy, designing publications and handling media relations for St. Louis Community College and Wheelock College.

More recently, she was director of corporate training at Pasco-Hernando State College, and director of the Institute for Professional Development for Saint Leo University. Kibbe is an artist, too.

She joined The Laker/Lutz News to help small and large businesses with their marketing and advertising needs.

Kibbe can be reached by calling (352) 457-4464 (cell) or (813) 909-2800 (office) or by emailing .

New Wiregrass restaurant
St. Petersburg-based restaurant, Noble Crust, plans to open at The Shops at Wiregrass in late spring or early summer, according to Greg Lenners, general manager at Wiregrass.

The restaurant will be near Dillard’s and next to Pinchers Crab Shack on Paseo Drive.

“We’re continuing to look at restaurants to see what’s new out there,” Lenners said. “We thought this would be a good fit.”

Noble Crust will be about 3,200 square feet, with room for 170 seats.

The restaurant’s website says that Noble Crust partners Jeff Strouse, T.J. Thielbar and Tim Curci strive for a farm-to-table menu that blends Southern cooking with Italian flavors.

Lenners said the partners will rely on a prep-kitchen facility in Tampa to deliver fresh foods daily to their restaurants.

The St. Petersburg location earned a Golden Spoon award in 2015 from the magazine, Florida Trends.

Ribbon cutting for printing company
Architectural Signage & Printing will have a ribbon cutting on Feb. 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 6812 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The event is free.

For information, call the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce at (813) 909-2722, email , or visit SignByAsap.com.

North Tampa chamber meeting
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have a general meeting on Feb. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Iavarone’s Steakhouse & Italian Grill, 3627 Humphrey St., in Tampa.

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.

Breakfast meeting
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet on Feb. 14 at 7:30 a.m., at the Village Inn, at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Guest speaker will be Al Berry, Strawberry Festival director emeritus.

There will be door prizes.

For information, contact Chairman Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or , or Vice Chairwoman Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1149 or .

Mettler Toledo breaks ground for new plant

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Swiss manufacturer, Mettler Toledo, broke ground on a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant that will bring about 185 new jobs to Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was among dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s 250,000-square-foot plant in North Pointe Village, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

More than 300 people attended the ceremony on Jan. 14. Among those present were Viggo Nielsen, general manager of Mettler Toledo Safeline; Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey; Pasco County Planning and Development Administrator Richard Gehring; and, Bill Cronin, president of Pasco Economic Development Council.

Mettler Toledo is relocating its current facility from Town ‘N Country, in Hillsborough County, to Northpointe Village, off State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway.

The company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.

The new facility will be part of the product inspection division for Mettler Toledo Safeline.

Gehring said a substantial amount of work from Mettler Toledo and county staff members preceded the groundbreaking.

He updated the Pasco County Commission on the project at the commissioners’ Jan. 24 meeting in Dade City.

“It was a great performance to see the result and to see $25 million in (investment) is going into the ground,” he said.  “It’s a major, major, major effort. When you walk out there, and see smiling faces and kids of families who will work there, it’s a very positive reinforcement to that effort.”

In addition to the new jobs, the company anticipates about 320 current employees will transfer to the new site. Besides closing the Town ‘N Country location, Metter Toledo also will close a plant in Ithaca, New York.

Annual average salaries for all jobs created at Mettler Toledo are pegged at more than $51,000.

Dignitaries use golden shovels at the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s new plant at North Pointe Village.

Gehring said Pasco officials rolled out a welcome mat recently for some of Mettler Toledo’s employees who plan to relocate.

Pasco EDC staff members organized guided tours, with introductions to community leaders at area chambers of commerce and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as school district employees.

The county previously rolled out its own financial welcome mat to the company itself.

Pasco County commissioners approved a $7.6 million incentive package in September that includes a payout of about $1.9 million for creating nearly 500 jobs.

Mettler Toledo also will get a property tax break of about $1.7 million for 10 years, if 80 percent of its jobs are retained annually.

Pasco County will contribute about $3.5 million to build an extension of Northpointe Village Drive, through its Penny for Pasco program.

A reimbursement of about $1.2 million will be sought from state road funds. If that’s approved, the county’s incentive package then would be reduced to about $6.4 million.

Published February 1, 2017

Pasco approves digital billboards

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A 17-year ban on digital billboards in Pasco County has ended.

The Pasco County Commission has approved an ordinance to allow an illuminated, multi-image style of billboard advertising.

The ordinance allows digital billboards in exchange for fewer static billboards along the county’s highways.

Digital billboards will be restricted to the county’s major corridors, including segments of Interstate 75, U.S. 19, State Road 54, State Road 52 and U.S. 41.

The unanimous vote, at the Jan. 24 meeting in Dade City, concluded nearly two years of negotiation between the county’s legal staff and the outdoor advertising industry.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said residents can expect to see less blight on the roadway.

“Not that we don’t like billboards and people advertising on them,” he said. “Less is better for the county and the community. Some of these structures that are dilapidated will end up coming down. It will be good to see them go down.”

While voting in favor of the ordinance, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey had reservations.

“I worry they’ll take down all the little ones and leave these big monsters all around,” Starkey said.

The swap-out agreement is based on square footage of a static billboard’s face, or the surface area displaying the advertisement. A billboard can have more than one face.

The county’s ordinance would require removal of 4,032 square feet of static billboard advertising for each digital billboard permitted. That is the equivalent of six static billboards to every one digital billboard.

A cap sets a maximum of 37 digital billboards in the county, with more digital allowed in some areas than others.

More than 500 billboard structures are scattered across the county. Under the new regulations, county staff anticipates a maximum of about 190 static billboards could be removed.

“I’m not talking faces, but structures,” said Elizabeth Blair, deputy district attorney for Pasco. “So, that’s a huge difference.”

The swap out, however, is expected to take some time.

Other regulations also are in place.

Each digital advertisement, for instance, must be displayed at least 15 seconds before rotating to a new image.

In addition to limiting the digital billboards to major corridors, the county also has declared some sites off limits for the electronic signs. Those include: The Heart of Land O’ Lakes Vision Plan, Connerton New Town, the Villages of Pasadena Hills Stewardship District and the State Road 52 gateway into Dade City.

On U.S. 19, if a digital billboard is permitted, all of the static billboards within the highway’s targeted area must be removed. On other roads, as digital pops up, half of the removed billboards must be on that same road.

Outdoor advertisers were in general agreement with the negotiated ordinance.

“I know we’re going to hit some snags as we go through, but I think it’s a strong ordinance,” said Tampa attorney Marilyn Healy, whose law firm represents outdoor advertising clients.  “We’re very committed to helping the county realize its goals and still have a few digital billboards,” Healy said.

Published February 1, 2017

Connected City vote on Pasco’s agenda

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A final decision on an ambitious technology-driven community in eastern Pasco County – known as Connected City – is at hand.

The Pasco County Commission will have a final public hearing on the project on Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m., in Dade City.

The Meridian Autonomous vehicle, known as the World Bus by Mobi-Cubed, will be the first self-driving vehicle tested in the Connected City. The ‘city of the future’ is being developed by Metro Development Group in partnership with Pasco County.(Courtesy of B2 Communications)

The first public hearing on Jan. 24 offered a review of the project and an opportunity for public comment.

Pasco County and Metro Development Group are partnering on a 10-year pilot project, authorized by state law. About 7,800 acres were set aside for development projects that encourage advanced technology and high-wage jobs.

The area is bordered by Interstate 75, State Road 52 and Curley and Overpass roads.

Metro is the first to offer a development project for the area. More developers are expected to take part in Connected City in the future.

“This project arguably is one of the leading technology designs in the country right now,” said Kris Hughes, the county’s planning and development administrator. “It sets new standards for physical development. It makes Pasco highly competitive and attractive as a place to live and work.”

Several people spoke during public comment on Jan. 24. Most supported Connected City.

“I feel the benefits outweigh the concerns brought up,” said resident Dawn Newsome. “I’m excited to see the opportunities that Connected City offers us.”

Too many younger Pasco residents leave home to find good-paying jobs, but that could change with Connected City, she said.

Hope Allen, president of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, offered a letter of support from the chamber’s board. She said the project would bring jobs, new housing, economic development and entrepreneurship to Pasco.

Resident Jennifer McCarthy had concerns about property rights of people who have lived in the area for generations. She also worried about increasing traffic congestion.

At build-out in 50 years, Connected City is expected to have a population of about 96,000 residents, living in about 37,000 homes and apartments. About 7.2 million square feet of space will be available for job creation.

“At best, Connected City is going to generate jobs that aren’t just retail and construction,” McCarthy said. “At worst, it adds to the urban sprawl that already plagues the area.”

During a video presentation, Metro developers provided new details on their plans.

A groundbreaking for the manmade Crystal Lagoon at Epperson Ranch will be on Feb. 2. The mixed-use, master-planned community is within Connected City boundaries.

The 7-acre lagoon, with crystal blue waters, is creating a buzz with companies that want to locate within the Epperson community, said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro.

To meet demand, Metro now is planning a second and larger lagoon on the northern portion of the site, Goyani said.

Metro previously announced partnerships with Saint Leo University for an education center within Connected City. In addition, Florida Hospital and Tampa General Hospital plan to set up a new medical partnership in Connected City.

Meridian Autonomous Systems will provide support for self-driving and electrical vehicles.

“We are going to be at the forefront of this technology,” Goyani said.

Metro also is developing technology to operate street lights on solar and wind power.

The Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) will partner with Metro to integrate learning activities into Connected City. Goyani also said the nonprofit is planning a $1 million exhibit on Connected City in 2017.

And, job creation already is coming into focus.

On Jan. 30, Metro Places had a job fair at Pasco-Hernando State College where more than 400 jobs were available.

“We hope to make this an annual event,” Goyani said.

Published February 1, 2017

Business Digest 02/01/2017

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The Millstone will be a featured home design for Pulte Homes, which is building nearly 170 new homes in Birchwood Preserve, in the Lutz area.
(Courtesy of Pulte Homes)

New Birchwood Preserve homes
Pulte Homes will build nearly 170 homes in Birchwood Preserve, a new gated community in the Lutz area, off North Dale Mabry Highway and Geraci Road, according to a news release from Larry Vershel Communications.

Sales are underway for new energy-efficient homes, which will feature three bedrooms to six bedrooms, up to six bathrooms, and two- and three-car garages.

Pulte will offer 10 one- and two-story upscale home designs, priced from about $315,000 to $465,000. Features include granite countertops, maple cabinets, 8-foot interior doors and ceramic tile floors. Options include quartz countertops and hardwood floors.

The Millstone model home, at about 3,400 square feet, is estimated to open in late spring. The Millstone has four bedrooms to six bedrooms, up to 4 1/2 baths and a three-car garage.

Birchwood Preserve will have gated access, a private community swimming pool, cabanas and hammocks, a clubhouse, a shaded children’s playground and a multi-purpose activity room.

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

McDonald’s opening
A new McDonald’s restaurant has opened in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, at 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, off State Road 56.

The fast-food restaurant, with the Golden Arches, is now part of a “restaurant row” of eateries filling up outparcels at the entrance to the outlet mall. It joined Culver’s, Chick-fil-a, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Longhorn Steakhouse and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery.

A grand opening was held Jan. 28.

As part of its opening kick-off, it is offering its 10-piece chicken McNuggets for $2 until Feb. 19.

For information, visit TampaPremiumOutlets.com/tampa or Mcdonalds.com.

Women-n-Charge
Join the ladies of Women-n-Charge on Feb. 3 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, at 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa. The women share their talents and resources, and they build relationships with other women in business.

The guest speaker will be Sandra Miniere, a life and leadership coach. Her presentation theme is “Be Your Own Valentine: Self-love leads to lasting relationships and abundance.”

The cost is $15 for members and $18 for non-members.

To register, visit Women-n-charge.com.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

Business Link breakfast
Business Link will have its monthly networking breakfast on Feb. 8 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Scotland Yards Golf Club, at 9424 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

The monthly gathering, held at various locations, provides networking and an information-sharing platform for the small business community.

A complimentary breakfast will be provided.

RSVP to Rebecca Gaddis at (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Ribbon cutting for printing company
Architectural Signage & Printing will have a ribbon cutting on Feb. 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 6812 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The event is free.

For information, call the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce at (813) 909-2722, email , or visit SignByAsap.com.

Push is on for forensic training center

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A forensic training center – sometimes indelicately called a “body farm” – is being proposed for a site in Land O’ Lakes.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the University of South Florida, the Pasco-Hernando State College and Pasco County, in the quest for the facility.

The “body farm” label has stuck as a colloquial description for this type of facility after crime novelist Patricia Cornwell published “The Body Farm” in 1994.

The author detailed the forensic research done on decomposing bodies.

The proposed outdoor and indoor facility in Pasco would be built on about 5 acres of county land, next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center on Central Boulevard, off U.S. 41.

State funds will be sought for the approximately $4.3 million project.

State Sen. Wilton Simpson and State Rep. Danny Burgess are working jointly on a budget request for the 2017 legislative session.

At the behest of Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells, county commissioners signed a letter of support following their Jan. 10 meeting in Dade City.

“This is a big deal,” Wells said.

If built, the facility would be the first in Florida, and only the seventh in the nation.

The University of Tennessee in Knoxville started the first forensic training and research center in the 1970s.

Other facilities are at Western Carolina University, Sam Houston State University, Texas State University in Carbondale, Southern Illinois University, and Colorado Mesa University.

A 2015 effort by USF to pursue a forensic training center in Hillsborough County’s Lithia Springs met with stiff opposition from residents. University officials subsequently dropped the pursuit.

Chase Daniels, assistant executive director for Pasco’s sheriff’s office, said “we’re taking a very cautious approach. It’s not going to be in a residential area. It’s next to the jail.”

Fencing and other safety-related measures would be part of the facility’s design, Daniels said.

Forensic anthropology applies scientific methods to aid in identifying the human remains of individuals who often are victims of homicide or disfiguring accidents. Anthropologists also can help identify victims of genocide or individuals found in mass graves.

Anthropologists at USF, for instance, led the investigation on the Dozier project to identify missing children buried in unmarked graves at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.

The university also hosts an annual conference for law enforcement, anthropologists and medical examiners who share expertise in crime-solving techniques.

In 2016, the conference included artists who helped imagine and create busts or digital images of unidentified victims to aid several law enforcement agencies from around the nation, including in Pasco, with cold cases.

Pasco’s sheriff’s office has a longstanding partnership with USF’s anthropology department, frequently seeking advice and sharing information.

In working alongside researchers at the proposed facility, “investigators will become highly skilled at collecting, processing, and interpreting evidence in their cases,” according to a statement on the USF website.

The new partnership could open even more opportunities for students at PHSC as well, said Stanley Giannet, the college’s vice president of academic affairs and faculty development.

The goal would be to create an associate degree and certification program in crime-scene technology, Giannet said.

The college also could participate in or host conferences related to forensic anthropology, he added.

Other supporters of the project include Florida’s medical examiners and the state NAACP.

Published January 25, 2017

Master plan developing for Hercules Park

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Hercules Park is still in line to become the property of the city of Zephyrhills. But, an agreement to transfer the parkland from the Pasco County School District to the city remains a work in progress.

“We’re still on track to turn it over, and we will do that,” said Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools.

The Zephyrhills City Council received an update on the matter on Jan. 10 from the city’s planning department.

Consulting firm Kimley-Horn completed a master plan for Hercules Park, including trails, an outdoor event center and a trailhead for bicyclists.
(Courtesy of Kimley-Horn)

Site approval is nearly complete for a WaWa convenience store and gas station at the corner of Eiland Boulevard and U.S. 301.

The city also is preparing a site, south of WaWa, for marketing to developers, possibly for a restaurant or retail.

A master plan for restoring and reopening Hercules Park also is on the drawing board.

The approximately 15-acre park site is a historic relic that once was part of about 80 acres owned by the Hercules Powder Co. The company, which converted pine stumps into resin and turpentine, had been the city’s largest employer.

The site also eventually became home to the park, Zephyrhills High School and Woodland Elementary School.

Based on an agreement with the school district, Pasco County operated the site as a park for several years. However, the county closed the park more than six years ago to save money, and returned the property to the school district.

The Pasco County School Board agreed last year to sell about 2.5 acres to GH & G Florida LLC. A second parcel, south of WaWa, also will be developed.

However, several acres of parkland will remain for transfer to the city of Zephyrhills.

Consulting firm Kimley-Horn has completed a master plan for Hercules Park. It includes trails, a picnic area, a trailhead for bicyclists, an outdoor center, playground area, and connecting sidewalks to area schools and neighborhoods.

“Mostly the interest is to keep it a passive park,” said Todd Vande Berg, the city’s planning director.

Preserving trees and low-impact activities are what people seemed to want as opposed to building tennis or basketball courts, he added.

No decisions have been made on the future of the park’s aquatic center and swimming pool, he said.

But, he said, “Everything is moving forward for transfer.”

Published January 25, 2017

 

Connected City plans taking shape

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Metro Development Group is finalizing its team of partners for what is billed as “the city of the future.”

Florida Hospital and Tampa General will be setting up a new medical partnership in the Connected City called West Florida Health.

Meridian Autonomous Systems will be providing self-driving and electrical vehicles.

And, Saint Leo University will be creating a new education center.

Kris Hughes, Pasco County’s planning and development administrator (standing), addressed county commissioners during workshop on Connected City.
(Courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Connected City is a master-planned community in eastern Pasco County that promises the fastest Internet and WiFi speeds in the nation.

Over a year and a half, Metro developers and Pasco County have fashioned a public/private partnership for a 10-year pilot project, authorized by state law.

It sweeps in about 7,800 acres bordered by Interstate 75, State Road 52, State Road 54 and Curley and Overpass roads. Metro controls about 35 percent of land targeted for development.

On Jan. 17, Metro put its partners on display at a workshop for Pasco County commissioners.

Six speakers outlined plans to embed state-of-the-art technology into every feature of Metro’s initial development within Connected City.

“It’s all about trying to encourage entrepreneurship in the field of technology, and high-wage jobs in Pasco County,” said Kris Hughes, the county’s planning and development administrator.

During the presentation, both Metro and county officials acknowledged some details on the oversight of Connected City remain a work-in-progress.

County commissioners agreed to jettison a proposed special management committee. Its seven members, including three people appointed by Metro, would have replaced the usual pre-approval route through the county’s development review committee and planning commission.

“I didn’t really like that setup,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. “I think it’s probably good for us not having the committee.”

Pasco County Chairman Mike Moore suggested a future workshop to reconsider how to make the review process work fairly for everyone.

However, land use attorney Joel Tew noted that the state, in crafting the pilot program, had mandated an expedited review process for Connected City.

“I do think we’ll get in trouble if we don’t set up a new development review board,” Tew said.

The first public hearing for Connected City was scheduled for Jan. 24, after The Laker/Lutz News press deadline.

The final public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7.

Metro currently is constructing its first community within Connected City at Epperson Ranch, at Overpass and Curley roads.

A 7-acre, manmade Crystal Lagoon will be built there, along with thousands of homes, a town center, offices and retail.

Plans for the wellness district, operated by Florida Hospital and Tampa General, include advanced research facilities, an innovation center, and a medical hospital with a med-spa and a health and performance institute, according to details included in a news release.

Details and a name for the health care campus will be released at a later date.

“Our goal is to change the way we deliver care,” said Gino Casanova, director of administrative and governmental affairs at Florida Hospital.

Other Connected City partners include The Broadband Group and the nonprofit US Ignite.

“We’re looking forward to the growth and development of this project,” said Ed Dadez, vice president of continuing education and student services at Saint Leo University.

The university already operates about 40 education centers in seven states, Dadez said.

“An education center is like a small college,” he said. “Saint Leo would be the anchor institution on site (at Connected City).”

Matthew Lesh, Meridian’s chief commercial officer, said his company focuses on high-tech solutions for the development of self-driving and electrical vehicles, as well as robotics and automation.

For instance, Meridian did programming for Olli, a self-driving shuttle from Local Motors.

Asked if Meridian would bring manufacturing jobs to Pasco, Lesh said, “I think we’re wide open to that.”

Published January 25, 2017

 

Business Digest 01/25/2017

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Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley (File)

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast meeting on Feb. 2, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at Golden Coral, at 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker will be Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

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

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

 

January business breakfast
Guests and chamber members at the January Business Breakfast, sponsored by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, got the scoop on the upcoming Kumquat Festival, held on Jan. 28. The Pasco County Fair Association and the Heritage Park Health and Rehabilitation Center also hosted the breakfast mixer at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

It’s a busy festival season so everyone also got to hear about the annual Pasco County Fair, from Feb. 20 through Feb. 26, and Florida Ranch Days on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 at Little Everglades Ranch.

Ice rink opening
The Florida Hospital Center Ice will have a ‘Puck Drop Grand Opening’ on Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at 3173 Cypress Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The ice rink and sports complex is located off State Road 56 at the Interstate 75 interchange.

The event is free, but registration is required. To register, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

For information on the facility, visit FloridaHospitalCenterIce.com.

Economic briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host an Economic Development Briefing on Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The guest speaker will be Adam Myers, business development manager of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Council.

The $15 cost includes a buffet lunch.

For information, email , or call (813) 994-8534.

Job fair
METRO Job Fair Pasco-Hernando State College will take place on Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the college’s Porter Campus, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Metro Places is breaking ground on the nation’s first Connected City, a master-planned community centered around cutting-edge technology. New homes and two manmade Crystal Lagoons will be built in communities of Epperson and Mirada.

New jobs are anticipated. All are welcome to attend. Dress professionally and bring plenty of resumes to give to local employers with job opportunities.

For information, call the college at (813) 527-6725, or Maria Reza, business services consultant with CareerSource Pasco Hernando, at (352) 247-0281. Also, email Reza at .

Networking breakfast
The Wednesday Morning Network Group will meet Feb. 1 at 7:30 a.m., at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, at 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Each attendee will be able to present a 30-second pitch. The cost for members only is $7, if pre-registered by Jan. 26. Thereafter, the cost is $10 for members and non-members at the door.

The breakfast will be sponsored by Uphill Marketing.

For information, contact the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce at (813) 909-2722 or .

Health services relocating to Wesley Chapel

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Pasco County health clinics in Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes will close and their services moved to a professional office building in Wesley Chapel.

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s office is expected to take over the former building used by the Land O’ Lakes clinic.

County officials then plan to use the tax collector’s old space for County Development Services, which includes its permitting office.

Staff of the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office will move from the David ‘Hap’ Clark Jr. building into the vacated Land O’ Lakes health clinic, which closes in February. (File)

The new consolidated clinic in Wesley Chapel, at 33845 State Road 54, will open as of Feb. 15, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“The move will provide a broader range of services in the community,” according to the news release.

Services provided by the county health department clinics include family planning, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, immunizations, child and adult health services, and a nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

The Zephyrhills clinic currently operates in a trailer at 4717 Airport Road. The Land O’ Lakes clinic, at 4135 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., discontinued most of its health care services in late 2015.

The only program still operating at the site is WIC. County officials reassigned staff members to other clinics in New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills.

No jobs will be lost in the current consolidation, said Angela Babson, spokeswoman for the Pasco County health department.

The new clinic will be an upgrade to a better facility, she added.

It also is located on a bus line, and is near U.S. 301 and Interstate 75.

Health department data showed that about 1,600 people received clinical services from the Zephyrhills’ location in the past year. About 5,400 participated in WIC.

In Land O’ Lakes, about 5,600 people received WIC services.

Pasco County commissioners approved the purchase of the new clinic site – the Brookfield Professional Center – from Pilot Bank in October 2016, at a cost of about $422,000. They also agreed to spend about $235,000 to remodel the building, which has three lobbies, four bathrooms, three break rooms and multiple offices, according to county records.

According to information given to county commissioners, the majority of clients seen at the Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes clinics were from Lutz and the Wesley Chapel area.

The vacated Land O’ Lakes clinic won’t go unused.

Within the year, employees at the tax collector’s office anticipate moving one door over from their current office in the David “Hap” Clark Jr. building, at 4111 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano said the clinic building will be gutted and remodeled for about $1.2 million. Funding will come from the tax collector’s budget, not the county, Fasano said.

Renovations are expected to take about seven months, with an opening in October or November.

“It is very much needed,” Fasano said. “Our Land O’ Lakes office continues to see more clients from one month to the other, as the area grows.”

New homes, new buildings and new businesses are all in the mix, he said.

The Land O’Lakes’ office is the second busiest in Pasco after the New Port Richey office at 4720 U.S. 19.

According to data from the tax collector’s office, hundreds of customers are served daily at the Land O’ Lakes office. At times, people wait in long lines, spilling onto the sidewalk outside.

Fasano cited data showing that on Jan. 3, the office had 763 customers. On other dates in early January, customers ranged from more than 560 to more than 600 on a single day.

Fasano said Pasco is the only county in the state to open its tax collector’s offices for business half a day on Saturdays. On Jan. 7, records showed that 275 people stopped by the Land O’ Lakes office.

“We definitely need a bigger office to accommodate our Land O’ Lakes service area,” Fasano said. “This will do that.”

Published January 18, 2017