The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kathy Steele

Business Digest 04-15-15

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Hispanic chamber mixer
Celebrate tax day – April 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. – with the Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and with a mixer at Synovus Bank at 2145 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, on the north side of State Road 56, east of Interstate 75.

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 435-1499.

Business forum
A Lunch N’ Learn Business Forum will take place April 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105.

The guest speaker will be Ali Walter, chief success driver at Ali Ann & Co. Learn how to target your market and build your business.

Cost is $15 including lunch. RSVP required as maximum of 15 seats are available.

For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, or call (813) 994-8534.

Zephyrhills chamber mixer
Humana will sponsor a chamber mixer for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce on April 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy appetizers, drinks and live music at the Humana Guidance Center, 7920 Gall Blvd., next to Staples.

For information, contact Jennifer Fogarty at (813) 780-7300.

Rotary meeting
The Rotary Club of Dade City will meet April 20 at noon at the Dade City Business Center at 15486 U.S. 301 Hwy., in the Hornbuckle Room on the third floor. 

Manufacturers job fair
The Pasco-Hernando State College TRADE Grant Office will host the Florida Manufacturing Career Fair on April 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the college’s Spring Hill Campus, 450 Beverly Court. Career Source Pasco Hernando, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Manufacturers Association of Florida and the Upper Tampa Bay Manufacturing Association also are sponsors.

The fair will bring job seekers together with representatives of the manufacturing industry.

Employers and job seekers should contact (727) 816-3345 or email , to register for this free event.

For more information, visit PHSC.edu/mfg.cf.

Incubator program receives award
Pasco Economic Development Council’s Smartstart incubator program received honorable mention at the 23rd annual Future of the Region Awards ceremony in St. Petersburg on March 27. The awards are hosted annually by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to single out achievements in the public and private sectors for resource planning and management in the Tampa Bay region.

The incubator program mentors emerging and startup companies. Pasco County also received first place awards in the categories of development and infrastructure and going green, and second place award in community service.

Economic briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly economic development briefing on April 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Hoosier Grille, located within Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club, 10630 Plantation Bay Drive.

The guest speaker is Chris Alvarez, chief financial officer of the Florida Medical Clinic. He will discuss plans to open an 80,000-square-foot medical facility on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, next to the Florida Hospital.

The cost is $15 including lunch. Register online by 3 p.m., April 22. Please pay online, as no credit cards will be accepted at the door.

For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, or call (813) 994-8534.

Learning center opens
Bricks4Kidz will host a ribbon cutting on April 23 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the office of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd.

The learning center will operate at the New Tampa YMCA Meadow Pointe clubhouse and Seven Oaks. It will provide a unique hands-on interactive curriculum focused on STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering and math). Technology and engineering-based camps will be available. More locations will be added.

For information, visit Bricks4Kidz.com/florida-wesleychapel/, or email .

New dry cleaners
Pristine Dry Clean & Alterations is open for business, and also hiring. The store is at 23388 State Road 54, just down from Panera Bread. Pristine Dry Clean & Alterations is family-owned.

Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Grants for businesswomen

Are you a businesswoman who could use $1,000?
Women-n-Charge is offering two $1,000 grants this spring. The grants can be used toward business-related equipment or services and continuing education. The nonprofit’s mission, in part, is to support and assist professional women in managing their businesses more effectively.

Learn more about the grants at Women-n-Charge.com. Applications are available online and are due April 15.

For information, contact Judy Nicolosi, treasurer of Women-n-Charge, at (813) 600-9848, or send an email to .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet April 28 at Rose’s Café at 38426 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Mike Wells Sr., Pasco County’s property appraiser, is the guest speaker.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or send him an email at .

Business seminar
The Pasco Hernando State College will host BizGROW2.0 on May 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass. The half-day conference and entrepreneur exchange is for entrepreneurs, start-up business owners and established business owners, and will include panel discussions, advice and inspiration on growing your business and lots of networking.

The cost is $30 per person, or $35 per person after May 12. Registration is required. The deadline to apply for a sponsorship is April 15.

For sponsorship information, contact Suzanne Renczkowski at ; call (813) 926-0827; or visit PascoEdc.com/events.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

 

Citizens Academy connects the dots

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The class kicked off with a “show-and-tell” display of Pasco County’s firefighting and rescue vehicles in the parking lot outside of the county’s Emergency Operations Center. It ended with an up-close look inside the command center of the county’s 911 operations.

“It was fascinating,” said Nancy Menendez. The Land O’ Lakes resident expressed surprise that the 911 center wasn’t larger. Blinking red lights mounted at each cubicle signaled a call in progress.

Pasco firefighter Michael Tomlinson, right, explains the uses of fire suppression equipment to Port Richey resident Jeromy Harding and Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves. Harding and Graves are students of the county’s Citizens Academy. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Pasco firefighter Michael Tomlinson, right, explains the uses of fire suppression equipment to Port Richey resident Jeromy Harding and Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves. Harding and Graves are students of the county’s Citizens Academy.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Menendez noticed the even-keeled, calm tones of call operators and dispatchers as they answered nearly nonstop calls in rapid-fire succession.

She is one of about 20 students chosen from about 50 applicants to attend the county’s third Citizens Academy. The first academy was in 2014.

There are two semesters a year, in spring and fall. Anyone who lives or works in Pasco, and is 18 years of age or older, can qualify. Students in each semester come from all five of the county’s election districts.

The goal is to inform residents about local government as well as their roles as participants. The hope also is that students who come to the academy will want to be ambassadors, sign up for advisory boards or find other ways to volunteer.

“Most of the folks learn something,” said Randy TeBeest, assistant county administrator for public safety. “I’m betting they learn a lot. This really gives them an idea of where tax dollars go to and why and how we decide to spend those precious dollars.”

Menendez found herself in the academy after discovering the program on a random search through the government website.

“It really sounded interesting,” said Menendez who at age 59 is beginning to think about retirement.

“I’m not going to sit home and watch TV,” she said. “I’m going to get involved. I want to see what I want to do in my future life. I’ve been enjoying this. It’s an experience I’ve not expected.”

Each class focuses on a specific area of government such as constitutional officers or planning and development. Last week’s class was about public safety and included briefings on the departments of misdemeanor and probation, and emergency management. The Office of Tourism Development was on the agenda, too.

Organizers try to include an interactive element in each class, such as the 911center tour.

In March, the academy convened at the Dade City courthouse for a mock public hearing with students playing the roles of county commissioners and the residents who took sides on a proposed housing project.

New Port Richey resident Marilyn Shaw played a resident who opposed the development. “It’s so fun,” she said.

Though she has done public speaking before, the retired registered nurse said, “You find out what your skills are. I felt very honored (to be selected for the academy). I wanted to be more active in government and understand what department does what.”

Some students want to hone existing skills and knowledge.

Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves is on the board member for the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Her chamber connection was partly her motivation for signing up for the academy.

But she also said, “I think it’s important we all learn to work together. Local government is where it affects you most.”

She has a new awareness of the many levels of government.

“I didn’t know it was that complicated,” Graves said. “Bureaucracy tends to do that. There are so many times you don’t know who it is to call or what they do.”

Trilby resident Richard Riley is a retiree and an activist in the Dade City area.

“I feel it’s necessary to know what’s happening and how it’s happening in the county. This (program) is on-site, hands-on.”

The academy is meeting his expectations. “I’m learning who to contact, and who to thank,” he said. “We pay taxes for these people. It’s necessary to see how well things are running.”

Jeromy Harding, 24, owns an insurance business in Port Richey. He ran in the Republican primary for State House Representative, District 36, the seat vacated by Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano.

“I’d do it again,” Harding said. “I’m very active politically in west Pasco.”

The academy is a chance to learn more about the county commission, voting issues and the budget process, Harding said.

At an upcoming class, students will learn about how budgets are put together and participate in an exercise similar to the mock hearing in Dade City.

Learning the nuts and bolts of county government is the motivation for Julian Ford. The 39-year-old is an entrepreneur, spiritual leader and owner of a business in Dade City. He grew up in Pasco and lives in Lacoochee.

“I want to put myself in a position to make a more valuable contribution not just to me, but to my (community),” said Ford.

When the academy is over, Ford said he wants to be in a position to explain to other people how government works.

“It’s doing exactly what I want it to do. It’s connecting the dots, answering the why,” he said. Later on, he said, “I can be the why.”

Published April 8, 2015

Famous Tate buys land near Walmart on U.S. 41

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Pasco County’s third Famous Tate is planned for an outparcel, in front of Walmart Supercenter, off U.S. 41 in Lutz.

An architect is working on the design of the 14,000-square-foot appliance and mattress store, but a groundbreaking likely is months away, according to John Horst, the company’s president.

Famous Tate plans to open a new store in Pinellas County before it opens its new Pasco County location. The Pinellas store could open within the next four months.

Horst is eager to get started on the Pasco site, but design and permitting could take as long as a year.

The company generally prefers to be conservative and opens a store a year, Horst said.

“It will be an attractive building,” Horst said. “We just want to be a player in Lutz as it grows.”

Plans in Pinellas are to reopen and re-brand former Apsco Appliance Centers, which were acquired in a bankruptcy.

Famous Tate of New Tampa Inc., purchased the 1.5-acre vacant lot by Walmart in March from Tarpon Springs-based Hagman Properties for slightly more than $1 million, according to Pasco County records.

The company, which was founded in 1954, has nine current locations including stores in Pasco at 5419 Village Market in Wesley Chapel, and at 8010 Grand Blvd., in Port Richey. There are about 250 employees.

Walmart and the County Line Commons shopping plaza are located in a pie-shaped plat of land between U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway, with entrances off both roadways. Horst said a vacant lot on the North Dale Mabry side was considered, but the entry from U.S. 41 seemed the better option.

“It seemed easier to get in and out,” Horst said. “It’s busier and has more local traffic.”

Published April 8, 2015

Javic Homes showcases Southern Living

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The outside wrapping is pure traditional white.

A pair of rocking chairs sits on the front porch. The metal roofing atop a bay window brings a touch of Craftsman bungalow.

Inside, traditional gives way to modern. There’s an open floor plan, colors that pop in purple and copper next to grays and beiges on interior walls, and state-of-the art connectivity and technology.

A paved walkway leads to the front porch with a pair of rocking chairs. The scene evokes the traditions often featured in Southern Living magazine. (Provided by Javic Homes)
A paved walkway leads to the front porch with a pair of rocking chairs. The scene evokes the traditions often featured in Southern Living magazine.
(Provided by Javic Homes)

Out back, two covered patios, a fire pit, a waterfall and a flat-screen television add charm to a spacious, deep lawn.

“We call it the ‘wow’ lawn,” said Jon Solomon, president of Javic Homes. The company built this luxury 2015 Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home in the Brookside subdivision in Wesley Chapel.

The tree-lined streets and manicured landscape within this gated community evoke the homey feel of neighborhoods of the past.

“I always think it’s a Norman Rockwell neighborhood,” said Solomon. “You just don’t see this anymore. It’s a really nice family neighborhood.”

During March, the showcase home, at 29318 Chapel Park Drive, drew between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors. Proceeds from ticket sales benefited two local charities, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Operation Finally Home.

Visitors still have a chance to see the home during the 2015 Tampa Bay Parade of Homes, from April 11 through April 26.

Nearly 150 model homes from 35 builders in 82 communities in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus and Marion counties are on this year’s tour. That makes it the largest new-home showcase in the Tampa Bay area, according to the sponsor, the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

The association is based in Tampa and has more than 750 members including local builders, developers, suppliers and architectural firms.

Homes will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 pm., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., on Sunday, during the parade. A panel of industry professionals will judge the homes based on site plan, curb appeal, design, materials, outdoor living spaces, architectural details and workmanship.

The sales price for the four-bedroom, 4,100 square-foot home in Brookside is $895,000. Planning, design and construction took about a year. About a dozen open lots remain in the subdivision, which is adjacent to Saddlebrook Resort, off State Road 54.

This is the second time Javic Homes has been included in Southern Living’s Custom Builder Program for showcase homes. Last year’s home was in South Tampa.

“I think it’s a great way to highlight our work,” said Solomon. Making it a charitable event is a plus. “We like to give back to our community,” he added.

Southern Living’s custom builder program is by invitation only, and includes about 100 of the nation’s top builders. Magazine representatives review homeowner and business references, and make site visits before adding a homebuilder to the group.

Showcase homebuilders can choose from more than 1,000 design plans in Southern Living’s database, but can modify plans or do their own.

Southern Living representatives have to approve the plan and the interior finishes, Solomon said.

“So we can coordinate everything with Southern Living designers,” he added.

Javic Homes was founded in 2001 and has built about 300 homes in the Tampa Bay area.

For its 2015 showcase home, Solomon said, “We had inspiration from one of (Southern Living’s) plans. It’s a little more open. It’s what people want these days.”

The two-story home opens to a grand foyer, flanked by a den and formal dining room. The master suite is off the great room, which flows into the kitchen and a breakfast nook. There also is a powder room, mudroom, laundry and a two-and-a-half car garage. On the second floor, there are three bedrooms, a bonus room and a balcony.

Local artists such as Sarah Hull, Francine Bauer, Lori Starkey, Debra Radke and Sharon Britton display their artwork throughout the house.

Personal tastes in homes vary, but Solomon said trends generally are for clean lines and interiors that are not ornate, but have simple styles.

Homebuyers also want durability and energy efficiency. Technology is an integral part of new homes with devices that operate televisions, garages, sprinkler systems, alarm systems, lights and sound.

Lifestyles, budgets and personal tastes are part of the decision making when building a custom home. “You always try to balance lifestyle needs with decorating and design details,” Solomon said.

Published April 8, 2015

 

Dade City and Zephyrhills pool their water

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Zephyrhills and Dade City will connect their water systems as a hedge against emergencies and future development along U.S. 301, the highway that runs between them.

City commissioners in both cities recently approved a 25-year interlocal agreement to turn their spigots on if either city is in need. Each city would pay whatever the going rate is at the time.

The first step is installing about 3 miles of 12-inch water pipes and fire hydrants along the east side of U.S. 301 from Phelps Road to somewhere near the highway’s intersection with U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City.

“The water will be used on an as-needed basis, mainly for emergencies,” said John Bostic, Zephyrhills’s utilities director.

But city officials want to prepare for more rooftops and shops that could one day populate the highways and byways of Zephyrhills and Dade City.

A $2 million grant awarded to the City of Zephyrhills by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will pay for construction. The project’s design, by Jones Edmunds & Associates, is nearly completed. The construction contract will be bid this summer, with an anticipated completion date of summer 2016.

Bostic said the initial plan to route the water pipes along the west side of the highway changed when the Florida Department of Transportation decided to install 10-foot wide multi-use trails on the west side of the road as part of a repaving project.

Construction on that project is under way.

The dividing line for maintaining the new water lines and serving customers will be Centennial Road.

Both cities rely on multiple public wells to supply residents and businesses with drinking water drawn from the Floridan aquifer system. Zephyrhills draws most of its water supply from wells permitted within the Hillsborough River Groundwater Basin, with some water also from a small portion within the Withlacoochee River Basin.

The Southwest Florida Management District is the state agency that issues water use permits. Currently the Hillsborough River basin is on the agency’s list of “areas of water resource concern.”

Dade City’s permitted wells are within the Withlacoochee basin.

“Hillsborough is definitely more restricted,” said Gordon Onderdonk, Dade City’s utilities director.

The long-range strategy of a unified water system traces back to the East Pasco Water Coalition, which was founded in 2009 through an interlocal agreement with Zephyrhills, Dade City, St. Leo and San Antonio. Onderdonk said the group meets about twice a year.

Predictions then were for demand to exceed water supply within 20 years. Swiftmud records show demand is high, but municipalities have reduced overall water usage in the last five to 10 years. Water restrictions, including limited lawn watering, and reclaimed water programs are among reasons for the decrease.

But as the economy recovers, developers are eyeing new projects that could add to water demand.

“There’s a lot of talk about (development) along U.S. 301,” Bostic said.

If it materializes, Zephyrhills and Dade City officials say linking their water systems will be a good backup.

Published April 8, 2015

Business Digest 04-08-15

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Mercedes Benz opens
Mercedes Benz of Wesley Chapel is open for business, though an official grand opening will come later. The 47,000 square-foot show room was built by AutoNation at 2383 Willow Oak Drive, off State Road 56 near the Interstate 75 interchange. Operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 6 pm. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For information call the dealership at (813) 200-7788.

Achieva open house
Stop by Achieva Credit Union for food, drink and merriment on April 8 at 5 p.m., at 2115 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes. Membership in Achieva is not required. The event is open to the public.

For information call (813) 448-2786 or email .

Business appreciation
Business Appreciation Night will be held April 8 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kafe Kokopelli at 37940 Live Oak Avenue in Dade City. Appetizers will cost $4 and the first domestic beer or house wine will be free.

For information call the restaurant at (352) 523-0055.

Two-day career fair
Pasco Hernando State College will host Opportunity 2015 Hernando County Career Fair from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on April 9 and from 9 a.m. to noon on April 10 at the North Campus, Building B Conference Center, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville. On April 9, there will be free seminars on resume writing, interview skills and proper attire and etiquette for interviews. On April 10, local employers will be present to accept resumes and do on-the-spot interviews. Dress professionally and bring lots of resumes. The event is free but pre-registration is required at www.hernancocountycareerfair2015.eventbrite.com.

For information contact Nicole Miller at (352) 7907-5174 or Steve Wilson at (352) 293-1123.

Rotary Club needs bee sponsors
The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon needs sponsors for the third annual “BEE Part of the Buzz” adult spelling bee.

The spelling bee will be April 10 at 6:30 p.m., at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio. The event helps raise funds for the Pasco Education Foundation. Donations range from $1,500 for a Queen Bee sponsorship to $150 for a four-person team.

For information, email Erin Meyer at .

Chamber meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will hold its general membership meeting on April 14, with networking at 11:30 a.m. and lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. The meeting will be at Harbor Terrace Restaurant at Heritage Harbor at 195012 Heritage Harbor Pkwy., in Lutz. Guest speaker will be Gordie Zimmerman of Z-Mitch, which is building the ice and sports complex near the Interstate 75 and State Road 56 interchange.

The cost including lunch is $20 with an RSVP the Friday before the meeting. The cost after and at the door is $25. Pre-register online. For information call the chamber at (813) 909-2722.

Women networking
Women of Wesley Chapel, or WOW, will hold a breakfast meeting April 10 from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Health & Wellness Center of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, in the second floor conference room. Guest speaker will be Allison Alvarez Hendrick, vice president of communications at radio station WEDU. The sponsor is Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

WOW offers networking, education, women supporting women and professional growth. The 2015 annual WOW membership fee of $10 will be due at the meeting, and will cover the entire 2015 calendar year (for WOW members only). The fee doesn’t include chamber membership. Cash or check only at the door.

For information call Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce at (813) 994-8534.

Dade City open house
Wilson’s Tractor & Supply will hold a special open house on April 10 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 12410 U.S. 301 in Dade City. Special prices and discounts will be available along with drawings and goodies all day – and sweet tea.

For information call the company at (352) 567-5002.

Rotary meeting
The Rotary Club of Dade City will meet on April 13 at noon at the Dade City Business Center at 15486 U.S. 301, in the Hornbuckle Room on the third floor.

Optimist meeting
The Optimist Club of Dade City will meet April 14 at 6 p.m. at the First National Bank of Pasco at 13315 U.S. 301. The event email is .

For information call (352) 206-9370.

Manufacturer’s Cafe
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host an employers’ café at Zephyrhills Water Factory on April 15, with networking and a light lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. The “Manufacturer’s Cafe” will be from noon to 1 p.m.

A VIP tour of the plant will be from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The company is located at 4330 20th St., Zephyrhills.

Come learn about the Pasco-Hernando State College TRADE grant; a state-wide Florida Manufacturing Career Fair that is scheduled for April 22; Career Source training grants for your company and AMSkills, the American Manufacturing Skills Initiative.

The April 15 event is free to chamber members, but there is limited seating so RSVP by April 10 to .

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

Grants for businesswomen
Are you a businesswoman who could use $1,000?

Women-n-Charge is offering two $1,000 grants this spring. The grants can be used towards business-related equipment or services and continuing education. The nonprofit’s mission, in part, is to support and assist professional women in managing their businesses more effectively.

Learn more about the grants at Women-n-Charge.com. Applications are available online and are due April 15.

For information, contact Judy Nicolosi, treasurer of Women-n-Charge, at (813) 600-9848, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet April 14 at Rose’s Café at 38426 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Jeanette Hall, Pasco Shopper advertising representative, is the guest speaker.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Tampa Premium Outlets wants a 90-foot sign

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Tampa Premium Outlets won approval from a development review panel for a wide-range of internal signage that will brand the retail complex.

But a 90-foot pylon sign beckoning to motorists as they whiz down Interstate 75 is one landmark the mall’s developers might have to redesign or do without.

Developers of Tampa Premium Outlets want to build a 90-foot sign near Interstate 75 to catch the attention of passing motorists. (Courtesy of FRCH Design Worldwide)
Developers of Tampa Premium Outlets want to build a 90-foot sign near Interstate 75 to catch the attention of passing motorists.
(Courtesy of FRCH Design Worldwide)

It is well above the county’s 30-foot height limit. And Pasco Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein said the sign also wouldn’t meet regulations of the Florida Department of Transportation and could affect Pasco’s share of highway funds.

“Our office is going to object,” he said.

Goldstein did, however, suggest that developers explore a compromise of a smaller, clock tower.

It is not clear if that type of structure would clear state department of transportation hurdles or fit in with Pasco’s new ordinance to encourage developers to create unified signage for their projects that enhances architectural styles and establishes a sense of place. The outlet mall’s application is an early test of the county’s new sign plan.

The Pasco County Commission will have the final word.

Visibility is a critical issue for the outlet mall, said John Dionis, senior director of development for New-Jersey-based Simon Property Group.

“We’re looking to have a national advertising marketing campaign to draw people to the center,” Dionos said. “We like to dovetail that with visibility, with branding so people know how to get to the center from the outside.”

As a regional mall, about 75 percent to 80 percent of customers are expected to come from outside the area, Dionos said.

It is too easy for motorists, especially those unfamiliar with I-75 and State Road 56, to zip past the off ramps funneling traffic toward the mall, he said.

Developers are in the process of seeking the state transportation department’s approval for identifying signs at highway ramps, but Dionos said, “I don’t think that solves it entirely.”

Interstate drivers would have about two seconds to read the signs, he said.

“They’ll forego the trip and say ‘well, maybe next time’, “ Dionis said. “They’ll get generally frustrated.”

Members of the review panel were sympathetic to the developer’s concerns but skeptical about the pylon sign’s appropriateness.

“The overall plan, with the exception of the pylon, is attractive and is something we can be proud of,” said Carol Clarke, Pasco’s zoning administrator.

Dionos described the sign as “tasteful” and mimicking the Florida cracker style of architecture throughout the outlet mall.

County Administrator Michele Baker said the county wants to help developers find a path to success. But she also said, “If you haven’t gotten the gist yet, Pasco does not like pylon signs, and we don’t like billboards.”

Published April 1, 2015

Pasco 911 center needs improvement

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The merger of 911 operations between Pasco County and the sheriff’s office is a work-in-progress, and no one would say it has been without problems.

But County Administrator Michele Baker and Sheriff Chris Nocco say they will try to mend what Nocco describes as a “broken partnership.”

That could mean tweaking the nearly two-year-old agreement that brought the emergency call center under the county’s supervision.

“We’ll sit down immediately and go through the interlocal agreement and bring something back (to the commissioners),” said Baker in response to criticisms about the call center’s operations.

Nocco would like management hires for the center to be shared equally between his office and the county, with each having a veto. His immediate concern is hiring a director. The position has been vacant since the resignation of its first director in September.

Nocco also wants a lieutenant from his office to be named assistant director. Baker said she supports the request, calling it “brilliant.” She also assured Nocco he would be consulted on the director’s selection.

The sheriff brought his concerns about the call center to county commissioners at their March 24 meeting. First responders, including deputies and firefighters, filled the boardroom.

“That’s all we want is a partnership,” Nocco said. “The reason we are speaking up is because the partnership has failed.”

Among complaints were a lack of leadership, training, quality control and urgency in responding to 911 calls.

Nocco and some of his deputies cited troubling incidents.

They said a deputy was sent to the wrong address. A dispatcher delayed passing along a resident’s tip that might have led to the arrest of a murder suspect. A dispatcher advised a woman caller to step outside her house to see if a man armed with a knife was still present. A dispatcher ignored a deputy’s request for backup at a crime scene. And residents have complained about unanswered and dropped calls.

“Those are unfortunate situations, and our operators were wrong,” Baker said

But she defended the overall progress and operations of the call center.

It meets industry standards with more than 99 percent of calls answered within 20 seconds, she said.

“The staff who work in that communications center are great people,” Baker said. “They are feeling a little maligned right now because they are struggling.”

Prior to the merger, Baker as then-assistant county administrator participated in a study of other call centers that dealt with consolidation. Generally the process took three years to four years, Baker said.

Pasco opted to accelerate that time frame and is now a year-and-a-half into the merger, she added.

On March 31, eight new hires were scheduled to begin working at the call center. New dispatching software also is ready for use. And she said 100 percent of staff members are cross-trained in working with law enforcement, medical and fire rescue calls.

“Are they really experienced yet? Not so much,” Baker said. “But it takes time to become comfortable.”

Nocco said training for new hires is insufficient, and some basics, such as drug testing, are overlooked.

Commissioner Mike Wells Jr., said he found the hiring and training process for the call center “alarming. We need to relook at these things. We need the best of the best.”

Published April 1, 2015

Local computer whiz spins success

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Friends and family knew about his geeky side long before he took the leap into computers and web design as a full-time job.

As a teenager, Thomas Giella Jr., built his own computer.

“I always helped out people on the side with their computer issues,” he said.

Thomas Giella Jr., is building his businesses, Gear Spinners, i-gent, and Techsoft Academy, at SMARTstart’s incubator site in the Dade City Business Center. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Thomas Giella Jr., is building his businesses, Gear Spinners, i-gent, and Techsoft Academy, at SMARTstart’s incubator site in the Dade City Business Center.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

He launched his web design and marketing business, Gear Spinners, more than a year ago. Now he has two offshoot companies, Techsoft Academy and i-gent, and a $1,000 check pinned to a calendar in his office with a paper clip.

“I plan to get a frame for it,” Giella said.

The check is his prize for winning third place in the inaugural SMARTstart Business Challenge on Jan. 29. The Pasco Economic Development Council, the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the New Port Richey Economic Development Department and SCORE sponsored the contest to celebrate Business Development Week.

The SMARTstart incubator program is an initiative of the Pasco EDC, with locations in Dade City and New Port Richey.

About 20 businesses, both on and off site, are members of SMARTstart. They include technology companies, sales and marketing, and new attorneys. One company completes personal assessments to reduce company turnover.

“We have a pretty diverse membership,” said Krista Covey, the managing program director at Pasco EDC and director of SMARTstart.

Giella competed against about 20 companies to earn one of five spots in the finals that were held at the SMARTstart incubator site in New Port Richey. Judges included representatives from Pasco’s business and academic community.

First place winners were Brian Anderson and Janel Norton of Veterans Alternative Therapy Center in Holiday. Second place went to Greg Smith of Savealator in New Port Richey.

The competition was modeled after Shark Tank, the television show where contestants make a pitch to a panel of investors.

The pitch can be a nerve jangling trial, but Giella kept it simple.

He had 10 minutes to “sell” Techsoft Academy to a panel of judges including representatives from Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative and Pasco-Hernando State College. Judges then had 10 minutes to quiz Giella.

“I tried to think like a customer,” he said. “I thought about all the stories I’ve heard from my clients. It was an awesome learning experience.”

Giella earned office space at SMARTstart’s incubator site in Dade City about five months ago. He works out of a small office at the Dade City Business Center, at 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103.

His services with Gear Spinners include web design, development and web hosting. Techsoft Academy can help bloggers and businesses go a step further by offering classes that teach more advanced skills. And i-gent caters to Realtors who need website management.

“Some people are go, go, go,” said Giella, and they likely don’t have time to spend on a website. But others, he said, want to do more of the work themselves.

Giella also helps organize Tampa Bay Word Camp, a group that offers conferences to teach skills in Word Press for blogging, business and social media.

Recent clients include the owners of the Yeoman’s Cask & Lion, a British-style pub that will open soon on Morgan Street in downtown Tampa. The pub is a new location and a rebranding for the former Yeoman’s Road Pub on Davis Islands, south of downtown Tampa.

His contest prize money will help buy new equipment to enhance his business, including a DSLR camera and microphone.

Giella started working on a business plan in 2013 to turn his hobby into a brick-and-mortar reality. A few months ago SMARTstart approved his application, and he moved into the business center.

Membership fees for on-site businesses start at $100 a month with tiered increases based on profitability. In return, fledgling entrepreneurs get office space, mentors, seminars and classes.

“They want to see what you’re up to, how much you’re making, is it going to create jobs,” Giella said. “It’s great the amount of stuff we talk about. It’s not common that you can talk about business in front of others and actually get good advice back.”

Giella graduated from Saint Leo University with a degree in business management. He launched a profitable business selling LED lighting for motorcycles, but sold the company two years ago.

“Everyone kept wanting me to build websites,” he said.

Gear Spinners and Techsoft Academy are gaining traction. Giella has a handful of proposals that could increase his client portfolio. If business picks up, he could be hiring his first employees in the next months.

“I can’t wait until I can hire people,” he said. “But I’m taking it one step at a time.”

He credits SMARTstart with giving him a chance to prove his new business has potential.

“My confidence level is boosted,” Giella said. “That’s key. People can see that.”

For information on Gear Spinners, contact Giella at (813) 235-0554, or visit GearSpinners.com. For information on SMARTstart, contact Covey at (727) 478-0670, (352) 437-4861, or visit SmartStartPasco.com.

Published April 1, 2015

Sunlake extension offers new route for drivers

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The blockades disappeared a few weeks ago, and suddenly Sunlake Boulevard was no longer a dead-end street at the construction site of Long Lake Ranch, the master-planned community south of State Road 54.

Motorists slowly are beginning to realize they can travel in a mostly straight line from State Road 54 in Pasco County to North Dale Mabry Highway in Hillsborough County, with a bonus of bypassing the traffic-clogged intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Portions of the approximately 3-mile stretch provide a smooth, four-lane road for drivers, with a roundabout in the middle.

The road narrows to two lanes soon after passing Long Lake’s entrance. Varying speed limits are posted along the journey toward Hillsborough County, with the slowest speed of 20 mph through the roundabout.

At the southern end, Sunlake Boulevard enters Sunlake Park, a mature tree-lined neighborhood of 36 single-family homes, built in the 1960s. A series of three speed bumps and a speed limit of 25 mph keep speeders at bay.

“It’s convenient to drivers,” said Melissa Greene, commenting on the Sunlake Boulevard connection. She recently was waiting in mid-afternoon at the intersection of the boulevard and Evergreen Oak Drive for a Hillsborough County school bus to drop off her son.

But Greene and other parents at the school bus stop say they also worry about speeding motorists, increased traffic especially during rush hours, and confusing speed limits that change from one side of the road to the other.

They would like speed bumps similar to those in Sunlake Park.

“I don’t know if that would happen because there are no houses on every section of road,” Greene said. “It would be nice. It would slow people down.”

She also would like to see school buses drive into the subdivisions dotting the boulevard, but Greene said that might not happen.

Still Greene said, “We see drivers fly by here.”

The roundabout also is troublesome to some who worry about accidents as motorists approach and leave the traffic circle.

Heading south toward the roundabout, speed limits drop from 35 mph to 30 mph. On the opposite side on the same stretch of roadway, heading northward, speed limits bump up from 35 mph to 45 mph.

It’s confusing to drivers,” said Jennifer Todd, who waited with Greene for the school bus.

The sequence of speed limits meets national standards for road design for roundabouts, said Deborah Bolduc, Pasco County’s program administrator for engineering services. “It’s for safety reasons,” she said. “It’s supposed to do that.”

Hillsborough and Pasco signed off on the project, but Amprop Development Corp., did the road design and construction to extend Sunlake Boulevard. The company developed the Shoppes at Sunlake Centre on the north side of State Road 54, at Sunlake Boulevard. It also sold land to T. Rowe Price at the southwest corner of the intersection. However, the financial investment firm backed away from plans to build a campus there.

Making Sunlake Boulevard into a connector route has been part of long-range planning for decades, said Hillsborough County engineer Mike Williams. “As you make additional connections, it helps facilitate the distribution of traffic in the area.”

Heavily traveled North Dale Mabry Highway and U.S. 41 are expected to see some traffic diverted to the boulevard, but area residents say traffic congestion in their neighborhoods will only get worse — especially at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard, and at the left-turn lane off North Dale Mabry Highway, near a 7-Eleven convenience store.

“That backs up pretty far, “ Greene said, describing the traffic at those intersections.

Published April 1, 2015