Kathy Steele

Business Digest 05/30/2018

May 30, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Land O’ Lakes service center
Pasco County Utilities’ Customer Information & Services Department has opened a walk-in and drive-through customer service center at 19420 Central Blvd., Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County Utilities Administration Building (Courtesy of Pasco County Utilities)

“Our goal is to make each experience smooth and seamless across the board, and our new Land O’ Lakes Center expands that initiative,” according to a written statement from Sandra Anderson, the county’s utilities service director.

Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also, a drop box is available for after-hours payments.

New Port Richey also has a customer service center with walk-in and drive-through features. Dade City provides walk-in services only at 14236 Sixth St., on the second floor of the East Pasco Government Center.

Pasco County also has online services, including same-day bill payments, applications to sign up for service or cancel service, water conservation resources and more.

Customers without access to the Internet or available transportation can make payments through Bill Pay-by-Phone by calling (844) 450-3704. Or, they can sign up for automated withdrawals.

For information, visit PascoCountyUtilities.com, or call (813) 235-6012.

Spring mixer
The East Tampa Networking Group will have its Spring Mixer on May 31 at 6 p.m., at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Guest speakers will be Roxxy Geisenheimer, executive director of the Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills, and Rod Rehrig, former commander of the Marine Corps League.

There will be door prizes and a 50-50 drawing that will benefit the Samaritan Project.

Please RSVP to Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or ; Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1140 or .

Women of Wesley Chapel network
Women of Wesley Chapel (WOW) will meet June 1 from 7:30 am. to 9 a.m., at the Beach House Assisted Living & Memorial Care, at 30070 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

WOW is a women-only, networking event on the first Friday of each month.

Enjoy breakfast, networking and a guest speaker.

April Barra, a Realtor at Florida Executive Realty, is the sponsor.

The cost is $5 in cash, paid at the door.

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

Business breakfast
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly business breakfast June 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Guest speaker is Frank Morsani.

The cost is $15 in advance or $20 for walk-ins and non-members.

Please register, as space is limited.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Goodwill job fair
Goodwill Temporary Staffing will have a job fair June 6 from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Goodwill store at 1407 S. Highway 301, in Tampa, just north of the Selmon Expressway.

Goodwill’s full-service staffing, GTS, is recruiting sales associates, donation processing associates and warehouse positions at this store, and at the Brandon Goodwill store.

Applicants are encouraged to complete an application at SbsGoodwill.com before coming to the job fair. However, walk-ins are welcome. Employment applications also are available at the stores.

Goodwill offers a comprehensive benefits package, and is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, and a drug-free workplace.

For information, call GTS at (727) 577-6411, or visit Goodwill-suncoast.org.

Network breakfast
The Wednesday Morning Network Group will meet June 6 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 sponsor is Architectural Signage & Printing.

The cost is $7 for members, if preregistered by May 31; or $10 at the door for members or guests.

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

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly business breakfast June 7 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

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

For information, call the chamber at (813) 872-1913, or email .

General membership meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its general membership meeting June 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, 2155 Northpointe Parkway, at Northpointe Village.

Guest speaker will be Joanie Sigal, of SJS Associates.

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union is the sponsor.

The cost for members is $20 if paid by June 7. Afterward, the cost is $25 for members and non-members.

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

Smart Business Series
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a seminar on “how a video can change your business” June 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Overnight Success Studios, 17743 Hunting Bow Circle, Lutz.

The seminar will offer tips and advice on videos, whether made on a cellphone or by a professional studio.

The presenter will be Miroslav Beck.

The cost for early registration is $20 for members, and $25 for non-members.

Walk-ins will be welcome, if seats are available. Costs at the door are $25 for members and $30 for non-members.

For information, email Beck at , or email the chamber at NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Business seminar
Pasco-Hernando SCORE will have a free seminar, “Using the Internet for Your Business,” June 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City.

The internet will be demystified of much of its “gobbledygook” in an eight-step process of key activities to leverage technology, and show various roles that a website can play in enhancing your business.

Space is limited, so register early.

For information and to register, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

Donate new shoes and skate onto the Center Ice rink

May 23, 2018 By Kathy Steele

San Antonio resident Janet Chubinsky is skating her nonprofit Shoes4Schools onto the ice rink at Florida Hospital Center Ice.

The skating rink will be hosting a “SkateForShoes” fundraiser for the charity on June 1. The charity collects donations of new shoes every year to give to Pasco County schoolchildren who need them.

Thousands of new shoes are donated annually to help Pasco County schools who need them. The nonprofit, Shoes4Schools, began in 2013, and has given out about 7,000 shoes. (Courtesy of Shoes4Schools)

From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., individual admission to the rink will be the standard $10 fee, with discounts for seniors, veterans and active military. Anyone who donates a new pair of shoes, however, won’t have to pay the $5 charge for renting skates. Shoe sizes for children through adults are needed.

Volunteers with Shoes4Schools will have display tables. Cash donations also will be accepted. Prize drawings are planned.

On the same day, Pasco County school administrators, including principals and vice principals, also will be at the skating facility to kickoff a summer conference.

“This is the first event we’ve done as a (single) event for a charity,” said Morgan Novotny, of Florida Hospital Center on Ice.

Shoes4Schools has grown enormously over the years.

In total, the charity has distributed more than 7,000 pairs of shoes.

Chubinsky began the effort after she and her husband moved from Tennessee to Pasco County.

A quiet retirement wasn’t her style.

Her daughter suggested that she revive a shoe donation program she had initially started in Tennessee.

After a visit to Raymond B. Stewart Middle School in Zephyrhills, Chubinsky was off and running, or at least, tooling around in a 2000 model SUV.

She slapped a magnetic logo on the vehicle’s doors – a pair of sneakers. And, she delivered shoes, lots of them.

During Chubinsky’s first year, the charity gave away 36 pairs of shoes. By the second year, Shoes4Schools put 900 pairs of shoes on the feet of Pasco schoolchildren.

Chubinsky has been on the move ever since, and the shoes keep piling up.

“She’s a firecracker,” said Novotny. “She’s amazing.”

For information, visit Shoes-4-Schools.org.

Shoes4Schools fundraiser: “SkateForShoes”
Where: Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel
What: Fundraiser to collect donations of new shoes for Pasco County schoolchildren. Sizes children through adults needed.
Cost: $10 rink admission; $8 for seniors, veterans and active military, with valid ID; free skate rental for anyone who donates a new pair of shoes
Info: Call Florida Hospital Center Ice at (813) 807-7372, or visit FloridaHospitalCenterIce.com or Shoes-4-Schools.org.

Published May 23, 2018

Proposed homeless shelter for families stirs passions

May 23, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Efforts to aid Pasco County’s homeless population are shifting from a homeless shelter for single adults to a shelter for families only.

The goal is to place homeless families in permanent housing as soon as possible. That is a significant change from the initial focus one year ago on a “navigation center” with wraparound services for single men and women.

The effort now has a new name, too. It’s no longer being called a navigation center. Instead, it will be called the Housing Services Center.

Whatever it is called, some area residents still don’t want any shelter in their neighborhood. Others are unhappy with the change in focus.

Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County (File)

And, some are ready to welcome the shelter as a first step in the right direction.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 16 in New Port Richey to learn more about the new concept, and to offer comments.

Cathy Pearson, Pasco’s assistant county administrator for public services, and Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County, led the discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also attended.

She said she came to listen and learn. “This is not a subject I know a lot about,” she said.

Anderson defended the decision to operate a families-only shelter.

“We believe families are highly motivated to get into housing because of the number of children,” said Anderson.

The shift also would save the expense of hiring 24/7 security guards, he said.

The goal would be to place families in permanent housing within 30 to 60 days, with an average stay at the shelter around 45 days.

An additional six to 12 months of services would be provided after families leave the shelter.

Families are defined as one or two adults, with at least one child under age 18.

A year ago, another public meeting was held to discuss the initial proposal for a homeless shelter for adults.

“We felt it was time to update our citizens,” Pearson said.

The shelter, if approved, would be housed in one of two buildings at 8239 Youth Lane, off Little Road in Port Richey. The second building would become the offices of the homeless coalition, which currently operates in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood on Pine Street.

The Youth Lane address formerly was home to the Boys & Girls Club, which vacated the site in 2016.

The updated presentation included a video and a power point slide show. As many as 70 social service agencies and organizations are partners with the homeless coalition, and support the Youth Lane shelter.

Passions ran high
More than 40 people spoke during public comment.

Opponents who live near the shelter site said they worry about increases in crime and a loss of property values.

Ann Archer Corona found it troubling that the shelter plan seems to change “minute-to-minute. We all feel threatened. I find it to be a big threat.”

She said housing values would drop significantly, if the shelter was to open.

Some who supported the initial plan to aid single men and women objected to the new focus on families.

“We are losing out on all those opportunities for the chronically homeless who are at risk of dying on the street,” said Kassie Hutchinson. “We’re ignoring a huge part of our population. Once again, we’re reneging on something we promised.”

Anderson said the coalition and its partners planned to increase outreach efforts for homeless adults. While no single adults could stay at the shelter, he said efforts would be made to find housing resources for them. But, he added, “There are limits to what we can do.”

A two-building campus on Youth Lane in Port Richey is the proposed site for a homeless shelter for families.

Pearson said it is still a goal in the future to fund a homeless shelter for single adults. “They won’t be forgotten,” she said.

Other members of the audience supported the new concept as a step in the right direction.

“Housing is the only known cure for homelessness,” said Daniel McDonald.

Every homeless person is someone’s son or daughter, sister or brother, he said. Leaving people homeless, he added, costs taxpayers money for providing public services.

“This (the shelter) is a bargain for taxpayers,” McDonald said. “It’s money well spent.”

The homeless coalition’s new proposal also found support from a once skeptical source – owners of an adjacent retail plaza, anchored by Hobby Lobby.

Sarasota attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the shopping center’s owners, said, “We’ve been concerned about the project since it started moving forward last year.”

The budget for the initial plan didn’t seem adequate, and the space at the site too small to handle up to 75 adult men and women, Lincoln said.

Housing families seems to address most issues, including public safety, he said. “We’re continuing to work with the leadership (at the homeless coalition) to make sure we know who the families are,” Lincoln said. “They have been very responsive. We will continue to work with them.”

Starkey said the county should be compassionate but also tough on some issues, such as panhandling.

“I have to bring a hammer and I have to bring a heart,” she said.

Anderson said the cost to remodel the two buildings on campus would be about $700,000. The coalition has about $680,000 from a federal neighborhood grant, with an additional $100,000 from Pasco County’s United Way.

Annually operating costs are estimated at about $350,000. All but $145,000 is already funded, Anderson said.

Additional grants and private donations will be sought, he added.

The Pasco County Housing Authority has pledged 50 housing vouchers, which can be used anywhere in the county as part of the Section 8 housing program.

Pasco has about 2,600 homeless people, based on the most recent count. More than 700 are individuals, with more than 1,800 in family relationships.

Shandi Vargas was among a handful of people who put a face to the plight of Pasco’s homeless population. She escaped an abusive marriage, but ended up homeless. She currently lives in a rented room and has found an internship.

She is working toward living again with her three children.

“I’m a single mom trying to fight for her children,” Vargas said.

A homeless shelter for families probably would have kept her family intact, she said.

Even as she struggles with her own situation, Vargas said she volunteers to help other homeless people, and people at risk.

“Let us come together and figure out a solution, and stop thinking all homeless are criminals,” she said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations on land use issues, will review the proposal on June 6 in New Port Richey.

The final decision is up to the county commissioners, who will hold a public hearing on the matter June 19, also in New Port Richey.

Published May 23, 2018

Turning dirty trash bins into a thriving business

May 23, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Jennifer Trudel takes her work seriously.

If that means crawling inside a trash bin to scrape off that last bit of grunge, she’s there.

In fact, on first-time service calls, that extra scrubbing is a take-it-to-the-bank guarantee.

“I just want to get it clean,” she said. “I’m an A-type personality.”

Wesley Chapel resident Jennifer Trudel owns Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning, which provides trash and recycling bin cleaning services that are eco-friendly. (Kathy Steele)

She also is an entrepreneur in a cleaning service that’s so new that many people have never heard of it.

Her business, Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning, got rolling about four months ago. She has more than 120 clients who signed up to get their trash and recycling bins cleaned with an eco-friendly technique.

She rides up to the curbside in her blue truck, pops the bins onto rotating nozzles that jet sprays 190 degrees of very, hot water, and deposits the bins back onto the curb.

“That more than kills everything,” she said, except on first-time cleanings when bins can be a tougher challenge. Gum is the worst, Trudel said. But, she has a spray that freezes the sticky wads and that gets it off every time.

Her truck carries more than 500 gallons of water. It also has a storage container for the dirty water that is later recycled to the county’s sewer system for processing at a wastewater treatment facility.

As a final step, Trudel sprays a biodegradable disinfectant and deodorizer, and leaves a fresh, clean bin.

It’s a much more efficient, sure-fire method that uses less water than a garden hose, and doesn’t wash dirty water into storm drains, she added.

Word of mouth is helping her build a customer base in Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and Land O’ Lakes.

Trudel also sets up displays at community events, and is available to meet with neighborhood or homeowners’ associations to explain her service.

“A lot of people sign up because they see the truck driving by or when a neighbor sees me cleaning someone else’s bin,” Trudel said.

She also has a Facebook page and a website.

Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning came as a surprise to Trudel and her family.

She moved to Pasco County when her husband got a job promotion and transfer in 1996. The couple has four children. The youngest is heading to college.

Trudel had been a pharmacist for nearly three decades, but decided as empty-nest time approached that it was time to find something else.

“I didn’t enjoy it anymore,” she said. “I wanted to own my own business.”

Bin cleaning didn’t spring to mind.

Then, a Facebook friend bragged about her clean bins from a service in South Florida and posted a photo.

“It was this crazy-looking truck,” Trudel said. “We were all intrigued.”

Trudel dived into the research.

She found out that the city of London, some 20 years ago, mandated that residents keep their bins clean. Rodents were overrunning the city — feasting on a steady diet of smelly, household garbage.

Companies emerged in London to clean the bins, and developed the self-contained system of water storage and disposal.

Trudel said similar services are provided in South Florida and south Tampa, but she appears to be the first in Pasco County.

She ordered her truck from a company in Miami. After a four- month wait, she drove it up to Pasco.

“It’s a great thing to drive,” Trudel said.

She offers various pricing plans from one-time-only cleaning to special offers for quarterly, bi-monthly or monthly cleanings.

Trudel is having the time of her life.

“This to me is not a job,” she said. “This is my life. I’m so engrossed in it.”

For information, visit ScrubADubBins.com or Facebook.com/scrubadubbins/, or call (844) 727-8229.

Published May 23, 2018

Public meeting set on roadway connection study

May 23, 2018 By Kathy Steele

The city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and Pasco County remain at odds over whether Kinnan Street in New Tampa should connect to Mansfield Boulevard in Wesley Chapel.

A 450-page draft report, known as the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection Study, looks at that road project, as well as two other potential intra-county road connections in the Wesley Chapel and State Road 56 area.

The study says that Pasco County will face substantial costs to address traffic increases — with or without potential roadway connections.

Estimates for intersection improvements in the area, with no road connections, would be about $13.8 million. With road connections, the cost would be about $15.4 million.

A public meeting to discuss the study, and get public input, will be held on May 29 at the Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd.

This is part of a multiphase process taking place over several months.

The focus of the meeting is to get comments on the study, not to get a consensus on what should or shouldn’t be connected, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“We want to hear from people if something is missing and should be added,” Moore said, noting the study is quite detailed.

A power-point presentation will be made at the meeting. Afterward, people will be able to look at maps, and ask questions one-on-one with consultants and county staff members.

Residents can go online now to peruse all 450 pages, and make comments through June 15. An online survey will be posted in the future to get a consensus on which road projects residents want to see completed.

No decision on recommendations is anticipated from the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization until September. A final decision would be left to Pasco County commissioners, who also will need to identify funding sources for future projects.

The issue of establishing a connection between Kinnan and Mansfield resurfaced recently when developers of K-Bar ranch filed an application with Tampa to build more than 700 new homes, south of Mansfield.

The Tampa City Council postponed a vote on the project until June in hopes that an agreement could be reached regarding connecting Kinnan and Mansfield.

Hillsborough and Pasco have been at odds over the connection for more than a decade.

In 2017, the Hillsborough County Commission approved $250,000 to pay for the project.

The study presents four alternatives, including a no-build choice.

Potential road projects include linking Kinnan Street and Mansfield Boulevard, and building extensions of Meadow Pointe and Wyndfields boulevards from Pasco County into Hillsborough County.

If Pasco and Hillsborough elected officials are divided on where to link up their roads, so are area residents.

Nearly 140 people attended a public meeting in April 2017 to discuss opening roadways that divide the counties.

Oral and written comments gathered through the meeting showed Pasco residents split on joining Kinnan and Mansfield, with 36 people against it, and 37 in favor.

However, Hillsborough residents overwhelmingly supported the connection by a count of 63 for and two against.

Pasco looked with more favor on extending Meadow Pointe by a count of 40 to 6, and Wyndfields by 28 to 4. Hillsborough residents favored Meadow Pointe by 67 to 8, and Wyndfields by 50 to 18.

The study also took note of an agreement between the K-Bar ranch developers and the city of Tampa that says Wyndfields can’t be extended until Pasco allows Kinnan and Mansfield to be linked.

For information, and to view the study, visit PascoMPO.net.

What: Meeting to discuss the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection Study
When: May 29, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
Cost: Free
Info: Visit PascoMPO.net.

Published May 23, 2018

Business Digest 05/23/2018

May 23, 2018 By Kathy Steele

New cardiology office
Access Health Care Physicians announced the opening of a new office in Zephyrhills for cardiology services, at 7323 Green Slope Drive.

Dr. Vinod Raxwal will see patients at this address, as well as locations in Hudson and New Port Richey. Raxwal specializes in interventional cardiology and is board certified.

Raxwal has 22 years experience in cardiology. He also specializes in arterial and venous circulation. He completed an interventional fellowship and cardiology fellowship at Kansas University Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kansas.

He was a research fellow at Stanford University and completed a residency at Penn State University program at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He also completed an internship at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn.

He received his medical degree from Odessa State Medical University in the Ukraine.

He has authored 16 research-based publications and is director of the Heart Failure Clinic at Bayonet Point. He teaches basic life support classes three times a year.

For information, visit AHCPLLC.com/Dr-Vinod-Raxwal.php, or call (352) 688-8116.

Pasco’s vibrant places
The Suncoast Section of the American Planning Association Florida will host a seminar, “Putting the Urban in Suburban: Building and Connecting Pasco’s Vibrant Places,” on May 24 from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2155 Northpointe Parkway, off State Road 54.

Guest speakers will be Karen Kress, director of transportation and planning with the Tampa Downtown Partnership; Rodney Chatman, planning division manager with Forward Pinellas; and a representative from Newland Communities, which is developing Bexley.

Following the presentation, tethered hot air balloon rides will be available for the first 50 preregistered attendees who want a bird’s eye view of a portion of Pasco County. Time slots for the rides will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets cost $10.

To register, visit tinyurl.com/y6wqngsw.

Economic development briefing
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly economic briefing lunch May 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Ram Kancharia, vice president of planning and development for Port Tampa Bay.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

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

Central Pasco mixer
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppe will host a mixer for the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce on May 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., which is next door to the chamber.

The mixer will include networking, refreshments, a swag bag, and VIP access to shop for name brand items and new arrivals at the thrift shop.

Proceeds from the thrift shop help provide patient care for hospice recipients in Pasco County through Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care.

Gulfside Hospice is a nonprofit that serves more than 350 patients daily. Gulfside employs more than 250 professionals and has more than 500 volunteers.

Please RSVP to Neveen Walker at (727) 845-5707.

For information, visit GHPPC.org.

Keystone Place open house
Keystone Place at Terra Bella will have an open house on May 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at 2200 Livingston Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Keystone Place is a new rental complex for independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Refreshments will be served.

RSVP for yourself and a guest at (813) 388-2121 or (813) 695-6439, or visit KeystonePlaceAtTerraBella.com/OpenHouse.

New dental practices
Dental Studio 4 Kids and Oral Surgery and Implant Specialists will have a grand opening on May 31 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 4675 Van Dyke Road, Suite B, in Lutz.

Denisse Lasanta of Dental Studio 4 Kids will be the first pediatric dentist in Tampa Bay to use Solea dental laser, according to a news release from a marketing consultant with Coldwell Banker Residential.

Solea laser is needle-free and faster than traditional methods. It also can be used without anesthesia.

Alejandro Caribas of Oral Surgery and Implant Specialists will offer narcotic-free oral surgery. His practice avoids opioid prescriptions for pain relief, and relies on a three-day method of pain control without drugs. An All-on-4 technology can replace traditional dentures with new teeth implants in one session.

The grand opening will be hosted by the Carrollwood Area Business Association, or CABA.

The first 25 children under age 6 will receive a free ticket to the Glazer Children’s Museum, in Tampa. The first 25 children older than age 6 will receive a ticket to Xtreme Adventures Laser Tag.

There will be food, refreshments and a strolling magician for entertainment.

For information, call CABA, at (813) 591-2200.

Women of Wesley Chapel network
Women of Wesley Chapel (WOW) will meet June 1 from 7:30 am. to 9 a.m., at the Beach House Assisted Living & Memorial Care, at 30070 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

WOW is a women-only, networking event held on the first Friday of each month.

Enjoy breakfast, networking, and a guest speaker.

April Barra, a Realtor at Florida Executive Realty, is the sponsor.

The cost is $5 in cash, paid at the door.

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

Business breakfast
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly business breakfast on June 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Guest speaker is Frank Morsani.

The cost is $15 in advance or $20 for walk-ins and nonmembers.

Please register, as space is limited.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Network breakfast
The Wednesday Morning Network Group will meet June 6 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 sponsor is Architectural Signage & Printing.

The cost is $7 for members, if preregistered by May 31; or $10 at the door for members or guests.

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

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

For information, call the chamber at (813) 872-1913, or email .

Pasco schools adopt new safety measures

May 16, 2018 By Kathy Steele

An initiative to place school safety guards into Pasco County’s elementary schools attracted 125 applicants for 53 job slots.

Training for the safety guards is scheduled to begin in June, with a goal of having the guards prepared for duties by August. Some applicants were retired law enforcement officers.

“We’re excited about the level of interest and the caliber of people who are interested,” said Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services with Pasco County Schools.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services at Pasco County Schools, standing, and Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning, sitting to the right, led discussion on school safety at Wiregrass High School. (Kathy Steele)

The update on hiring school safety guards was part of a broader presentation on school safety, hosted by the Pasco County Schools public school district on May 7, at the Wiregrass High School cafeteria.

About 100 people attended, including parents, teachers, school board members and school bus drivers.

The presentation highlighted the school district’s response to a new state law requiring elementary schools to have armed security. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act is a reaction to the Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland when 17 people were killed.

Lawmakers approved some financial assistance for boosting school safety, and for mental health care. But, school officials said funding is inadequate, and won’t pay to place School Resource Officers, who are certified law enforcement officers, at every school.

The school district now has SROs at its middle and high schools. The security guards that will provide protection at elementary schools are a less-expensive option.

Before being stationed at schools, the guards will go through 132 hours of training with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Other topics discussed at the public meeting included the school district’s update to its Active Threat Plan; the highlights of the state’s new restriction on firearms; and mental health care services.

Making campuses safer
The school district began a review of its existing school safety plan in January. The updated version was implemented in August.

Priorities are on safety, prevention efforts and working collaboratively with the sheriff’s office.

An assessment of the district’s 90 facilities is underway. The final report will look at additional ways to eliminate vulnerabilities on campuses, Kuhn said.

“We want to make sure we remain vigilant as we get farther away from Parkland,” she said. “We’re looking at how we balance our facilities so they are welcoming to the community, but safe.”

That isn’t a balance everyone supported.

One woman during public comment said, “I don’t want my school open to the community. I want it closed.”

About a dozen people spoke during public comment. They talked about their fears, and those of their children or students. They also spoke about how the school district can improve safety, and do better at communicating to parents and school employees.

Rayomond Chinoy has two children who will attend high school next year. He has met privately with school officials about his concerns.

One issue he raised at the public meeting is how school officials would stop potential shooters from entering school buildings, once they have been identified as threats. He also worries about safety on school field trips.

“I don’t think they’ve figured out a balance yet,” said Chinoy, speaking after the meeting. “I want to know this is how we’re going to fix it. This is where the money is coming from.”

Some also wanted greater emphasis on prevention efforts, and mental health support.

Browning said, “This district works incredibly hard to identify those kids who need extra support.”

But, funding is an issue.

And, regarding the issue of identifying potential active shooters, Browning said, “I don’t know of anyone who is a clairvoyant who knows what’s in the head of every kid.”

Lt. Troy Ferguson, with the sheriff’s office, talked about law enforcement’s role in school safety.

“It’s a sad commentary on society that we have to have these types of meetings,” he said.

But, the sheriff’s office monitors threats on a daily basis.

Recently, a teenager who moved from Pasco to Ohio made a threat on social media. Ferguson said he was arrested in Ohio.

And, even if it means waking parents at 2 a.m., to ask about a tweet or Facebook post by their child, Ferguson said deputies will do what’s necessary for safety.

Active shooter situations generally last 6 minutes to 12 minutes, he said.

In those moments, response plans rely on a “mitigation strategy not a prevention strategy,” Ferguson said.

The goals are self-evacuation; communications and alerts for school lockdown and barricading classrooms; concealment; and, as a last resort, countering the attacker.
“It’s literally about defending your life and the life of a child, looking for a place to take refuge,” Ferguson said.

The sheriff’s office, similar to the school district, wants to strike a balance.

“We want to be inviting to the community,” said Ferguson. “We don’t want to think about building moats and putting in big dragons, just yet.”

There were divisions among those at the meeting on whether to arm school employees, including teachers, with firearms.

Browning said state lawmakers want SROs at every school, but they didn’t provide funding for that.

“We can’t afford true SROs on all of our campuses,” he said. But, he added, “I’m not ready to arm district personnel. I’m just not ready to do that.”

Browning said deputies responding to active shooters would have trouble distinguishing between school employees and the shooter.

One woman suggested that district personnel could wear badges or special vests, if they were armed.

Some parents spoke about building modifications that were needed. For example, they said many schools have doors with glass windows that can be broken for easy access into classrooms.

Once the campus assessment is done, Browning said the district will know more about additional expenses needed to boost safety measures. The next step would be to identify financial resources, which might involve local fundraising activities.

“This was an insightful evening,” Browning said. “We’re still working through the plan. We can do a better job of communicating. The conversation does not stop here.”

Published May 16, 2018

Cost rules out U.S. 41 underpass

May 16, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Even dropping the cost from more than half a billion to $250 million, an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 would be too pricey.

Members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization have opted not to add the underpass – also called a tunnel – to a list of recommended road designs to ease traffic congestion at U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “it’s worth looking at everything.”

But, the tunnel option is “cost prohibitive.”

Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization decided against building an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Finding a solution is important because the intersection is one of Pasco’s busiest with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

Members of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization in April got sticker shock from a study that estimated the underpass would cost $550 million.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano then persuaded the MPO board to delay its decision for more research.

He questioned the initial costs, suggesting that MPO staff search for existing, and shorter, underpasses in other municipalities.

“I don’t think they found what I was looking for,” Mariano said.

But, he added: “I feel better with these numbers as far as being realistic.”

The initial study considered an underpass of 6,000 linear feet.

The new data looked at costs for an underpass of 2,500 linear feet.

Building the tunnel would have used a technique known as “cut and cover.” This involves building a deep trench, with walls, and then covering over that.

Less expensive options for dealing with traffic at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 called for elevated lanes at the intersection. The most expensive of two alternatives presented to the MPO board cost about $159 million, including about $50 million for right of way purchases.

With the underpass eliminated, MPO board members approved four alternatives, including a no build solution, recommended by a volunteer task force.

The recommended alternatives include a flyover, express and toll lanes, an at-grade level system of parallel roads, and dedicated bus lanes.

Those recommendations came from the task force, after about two years of sifting through data and road designs.

The work of the task force is part of a three-phase study of the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west.

Most recently, the task force was asked to focus on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

For U.S. 41 and State Road 54, task force members whittled 18 alternatives, and no build, down to the four options approved by the MPO.

The next step is for the Florida Department of Transportation to dig deeper into the details, and costs of the recommended projects. That could take a year, according to MPO staff members.

Public comment also will be sought, but a time schedule hasn’t been determined yet.

Published May 16, 2018

Solar farm approval recommended

May 16, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Despite opposition from area residents, a proposed solar farm of Blanton Road in northeast Pasco County is a step closer to approval.

Pasco County’s Development Review Committee has recommended approval of an amended ordinance that opens the way for the project’s development.

Committee members agreed with the county’s planning department that the solar farm, located on agricultural land, would be consistent with Pasco’s land development code.

Pasco’s Planning Commission approved the project in April, in a 6-3 vote.

Tampa Electric operates a solar plant at Big Bend. The company is proposing to build a solar farm, on rural land, off Blanton Road, outside Dade City. (File)

The matter now goes before the Pasco County Commission for a public hearing in New Port Richey, set for May 22. The final vote on the issue is set for June 5 in Dade City.

Tampa Electric is proposing to install about 464,000 photovoltaic solar panels on about 350 acres, off Blanton Road and Frazee Hill.

The project is known as Mountain View Solar.

About a dozen people objected to the project during public comment at the development review committee’s May 10 hearing.

They cited the loss of scenic views in an area known for rolling hills and open spaces. They called for additional county study and workshops to give residents an opportunity for input regarding how and where solar farms should be approved.

County officials acknowledged that the code doesn’t specifically list where “solar electric power collection facilities” are permitted. Decisions were made based on a section dealing with uncertain classification rules.

As a result, solar farms were deemed suitable for agriculturally zoned areas, but they also need a special exemption permit. County officials said the approval process gives residents opportunities to raise objections and provide input on the project.

But, residents said the current process is insufficient.

“It’s almost a shotgun effect, instead of thinking and planning for it,” said resident Paul Boetcher.

Others agreed.

“This involves the whole county,” said resident Nancy Hazelwood. “It’s just not our area. How many solar farms are you going to put in each district? How are you going to control that?”

Resident Judy Geiger said the county seemed to be reacting, when there should be proactive measures.

“Hire a planner that knows solar,” she said. “Let’s do solar all at one time, instead of piecemeal.”

Electric company officials say, if approved, TECO plans to invest about $75 million in the solar farm, which is expected to produce about 53 megawatts of power.

Over the next decade, TECO plans to invest about $850 million in solar projects to produce energy for about 100,000 customers in Florida.

Revised May 17, 2018

Calls being made to widen Old Pasco Road

May 16, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Some Pasco County commissioners are now calling for the widening of Old Pasco Road before a proposed business park is built on the road.

“I don’t want to see anything built until the road is widened,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said during the board’s May 8 meeting.

“We need to make sure the entire road is widened. It will be a nightmare for a lot of residents who live across from the site or near it,” he said.

The intersection of Old Pasco Road and State Road 52 is scheduled for improvements. Some Pasco County commissioners want Old Pasco Road to be widened. (Kathy Steele)

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley also supported the road’s widening. “We realize…we have to look at the road and make sure (the widening) is built sooner rather than later,” he said.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano suggested that county officials apply for a federal transportation grant from the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program.

Moore and Oakley revisited the issue on May 10, at Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting in Dade City.

Moore said the widening project was removed awhile ago from the county’s long range transportation plan and should be put back on the list.

Commissioners have already approved a plan to spend $2.2 million to improve the intersection at Old Pasco Road and State Road 52. That project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

Work includes pavement reconstruction starting about 1,450 feet south of State Road 52, a sidewalk, storm water, pond construction, signage and turn lanes.

The Florida Department of Transportation currently is widening State Road 52, and installed a traffic signal at Old Pasco Road a few months ago.

When the business park proposal initially came up in March, area residents opposed the project. They said there were too many uncertainties about the businesses that would open there and how Old Pasco Road would handle the increased traffic.

County commissioners previously expressed general support for the business park, but have twice postponed a final vote. Initially named the Vibrant Sun Business Park, county commissioners asked for a name change to Overpass Business Park.

County officials cited the name change as reason for the most recent postponement. The public hearing will be re-advertised with the business park’s new name.

The new public hearing is set for May 22 at the board’s meeting room in New Port Richey. Board meetings begin at 10 a.m.

The Florida Department of Transportation currently is widening State Road 52, and installed a traffic signal at Old Pasco Road a few months ago.

Another project is slated for 2019 at Old Pasco Road and Quail Hollow Boulevard.

Published May 16, 2018