The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Run with the Bobcats 5K

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Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host its annual 5K Run with the Bobcats on Nov. 7, at the college’s West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

The 5K race start is 8 a.m., followed by a 1-mile Bobcat Trot at 8:10 a.m.

The event is sponsored by Dr. Rao Musunuru, vice chairman of the PHSC District Board of Trustees.

A brief ribbon-cutting ceremony will dedicate the newly completed Mrs. Prameela Musnuru Health and Wellness Trail in honor of Dr. Musnuru’s wife.

The paved, wheel-chair accessible path rims the campus’ tree-lined perimeter road, also to be dedicated as Rao Musunuru, M.D. Circle Blvd. All walkers and runners are welcome to participate in either race, regardless of fitness levels.

The 5K and Bobcat Trot registration fees begin at $25 and $10, respectively. There is no charge for children ages 12 and under to take part in the Bobcat Trot. Middle school and high school students, as well as PHSC faculty, staff and students, can register for the 5K race at a discounted rate of $15.

All registered participants will receive medals, T-shirts and PHSC swag. Free refreshments also will be available.

For more information and registration, visit tinyurl.com/2zby7av8.

Run for Justice 5K

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Saint Leo University’s Social Justice Committee is sponsoring the inaugural Saint Leo Run Toward Justice 5K to benefit local organizations that promote social initiatives throughout the community.

The virtual 5K race is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17, 2022). Participants may run, walk or use any mobility assistance device to complete the 3.1 miles.

All skill levels and abilities are welcome. The goal is to complete the 3.1 miles in one session, and participants will monitor their own completion time.

Participants may use a watch or any timekeeping/race-tracking app on their phone. Participants must send their completion time to , after completing the race.

Registration fee is $30 through Oct. 31, then increases to $40 beginning Nov. 1. Participants will receive a Saint Leo Run Toward Justice 5K T-shirt and certificate of completion.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the Hillsborough County Public Schools Migrant Education Program, which provides services to migrant students and their families.

Visit SaintLeo.edu/runtowardjustice5k for more information.

Zephyrhills passes $75.3 million budget

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The City of Zephyrhills has adopted a budget of nearly $75.3 million for fiscal year 2021-2022.

The figure represents about a 24.5% increase over this past year’s budget, which was roughly $60.5 million.

The newest budget also comes in significantly higher than the 2019-2020 and 2018-2019 fiscal years, which were approximately $66.3 million and $59.4 million, respectively.

The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved the 2021-2022 budget at the second and final reading during its Sept. 27 meeting.

No citizens spoke during a public hearing on the matter.

The city’s balanced budget is based on a rate of 6.35 mills, which will generate about $5.7 million in ad valorem taxes based on a citywide property valuation of nearly $946.7 million.

The city’s millage rate has been the same since 2016, according to Zephyrhills Finance Director Ted Beason.

The 54-page budget is broken down into the following categories:

  • General fund: $15,655,783
  • Special revenue fund: $13,154,724
  • Community Redevelopment Agency fund: $879, 814
  • Impact fee fund: $6,143,835
  • Utility impact fee fund: $6,292,000
  • Utility fund: $22,766,563
  • Airport fund: $8,440,931
  • Sanitation fund: $1,963,030

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe highlighted major projects in the upcoming fiscal year in a memo to council members. The fiscal year runs Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

Notable projects include:

  • Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center multi-purpose indoor facility: $4.655 million, with 100% of the funding coming from the state
  • Simons Road Phase II: $2.3 million, funded by transportation impact fee
  • Park improvements: $1.1 million, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • Sidewalks: $1 million, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • Eiland Boulevard/Simons Road intersection: $800,000, funded by transportation impact fee
  • Dairy Road/Kossik Road extension: $800,000, funded by transportation impact fee
  • County Road 54 improvements, east of Hercules Park: $581,907, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • Seventh Street milling and restoration: $575,000, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • City yard design: $350,000, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • Gateway development project: $350,000, funded by transportation impact fee
  • Hercules Park design: $300,000, funded by Penny for Pasco
  • Jennifer Lane design and construction: $120,000, funded by transportation impact fee

Meanwhile, the new budget calls for several additional personnel, including three police officers (detective, patrol officer, K-9), a human resources specialist, senior maintenance mechanic, water utilities service worker and wastewater utilities service worker.

Also on the city staffing front:

  • Total employee health care costs increased 1.4%
  • Pay increase of 3% for employees and 41 cents per hour to work toward the upcoming $15 state-mandated minimum wage increase by September 2026

Poe shared other citywide updates in his city manager’s report:

  • The 2021 Zephyrhills Economic Summit is scheduled for Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St. Featured presentations will take a look at an aviation cluster study, growth, expansion and development, workforce initiatives, and various updates throughout the state and Pasco County.

• The City of Zephyrhills will host a stormwater master plan public workshop on Nov. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall. “It’ll be a workshop where citizens can come in, look at a map, and have a conversation about their property or their areas of concern,” Poe said.

City of Zephyrhills fiscal year 2021-2022 budget
Total balanced budget: $75,296,680

  • General fund: $15,655,783
  • Special revenue fund: $13,154,724
  • Community Redevelopment Agency fund: $879, 814
  • Impact fee fund: $6,143,835
  • Utility impact fee fund: $6,292,000
  • Utility fund: $22,766,563
  • Airport fund: $8,440,931
  • Sanitation fund: $1,963,030

Published October 13, 2021

Stanley Cup visit scores big in Wesley Chapel

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The Stanley Cup trophy has made countless appearances across the region since the Tampa Bay Lightning have won back-to-back National Hockey League (NHL) titles.

It’s been on display for area police and fire departments, county commissions, mayor’s offices, hospitals, colleges, and nonprofit organizations, to name a few.

AdventHealth Center Ice staffers pose for a group photo with the Stanley Cup. The prestigious trophy was on display for about an hour in the afternoon on Sept. 27. (Kevin Weiss)

It was at one of its final stops — before the start of the Lightning’s 2021-2022 campaign — in Pasco County, at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel.

The appearance was impromptu on a Tuesday afternoon in late September, coordinated by longtime Tampa Bay Lightning team chiropractor Dr. Tim Bain.

Bain’s sports medicine and interventional pain practice — B3 Medical — is adjacent to the Center Ice complex.

Moreover, Bain is actively involved in Center Ice programming. He helps to run an in-house performance training center that primarily caters to the facility’s Global Prospects Academy.

His son, Josh, also is a member of the facility’s Tampa Bay Juniors Hockey Club.

As a contracted Lightning employee, Bain was able to spend a day — Sept. 27, to be exact — with the Cup, which the Lightning won in July after defeating the Montreal Canadians in five games in the best-of-seven series. (The Lightning also won the trophy during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, defeating the Dallas Stars in six games.)

Bain felt it fitting to share his coveted Cup time with others — allowing Center Ice staffers, members, and adult and youth guests to soak up the prestigious trophy and all its glory.

For roughly an hour, dozens upon dozens of people viewed the trophy, admired its history and snapped countless photos.

They were obviously having a great time.

Bain especially wanted the facility’s younger hockey players to get an up-close look at the Cup, which stands about 35 inches tall, weighs 35 pounds, and is made of silver and nickel alloy.

“It’s inspiring,” Bain said of the trophy. “The ultimate goal for any kid that’s ever picked up a hockey stick and put on a pair of skates is the Stanley Cup, right? I don’t think there’s any trophy in sports that is that iconic, and it’s just a really interesting way to be able to give back to the community, and it’s what I want to do.”

Center Ice owner Gordie Zimmerman echoed the “awesome” experience of having the Cup on hand at the facility, albeit for only a short period.

Members of the Tampa Bay Juniors Hockey Club pose for a group photo with the Stanley Cup at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel.

He pointed out many non-hockey fans visiting or working at the complex also were awed by the championship trophy that’s not only awarded annually to the NHL playoff champion, but is the oldest existing trophy (commissioned in 1892) to be awarded to a professional franchise in North America.

“It’s amazing how even people that are not hockey-related, how much attention it grabs,” Zimmerman said. “It just goes to show you the recognition it gets, even when you’re not related to hockey, so it’s pretty exciting.”

Lightning alumni relations coordinator Rachel Kilman was among the NHL officials who helped chaperone the careful movement and interaction of the Cup, at Center Ice.

Every stop around the community with the trophy has been “super, super special,” said Kilman, adding many people are in disbelief upon viewing the Cup in person.

“Everybody’s very, very excited that it’s there,” she said. “There’s nothing like it, there’s only one of them.”

Center Ice facility operations director Rory Mushlin was given short notice that the Cup would be making a special appearance to the 150,500-square-foot complex — the largest ice rink in the southeastern United States.

Mushlin has worked in facility operations for two-plus decades, including stints with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and New York Islanders.

The New York native grew up on the ice sport, quipping, “I learned to drive a Zamboni before a car.”

While his work experiences have allowed him to view the Cup several times, he’s quick to note every chance to do so is quite memorable.

“Look, I think that is the hardest trophy in all of sports to win,” he said, “and I think that when you have the opportunity to see it up close and personal, it’s always special, no matter how old or how many times you’ve done it in the past.”

That particularly is the case for the younger generation of hockey players who practice and play at Center Ice, he said.

“For the youth hockey generation that we have now, it’s just more and more important for people to get that opportunity (to see the trophy),” he said. “Just like when you get a young kid that wants to be a firefighter, every time a fire truck drives up the street, their eyes light up — I think it’s the same thing for hockey players.”

Gearing up for another Lightning season
Bain has been the Lightning’s team chiropractor since 2011.

Tampa Bay Lightning team chiropractor Dr. Timothy Bain shows off his jewel-encrusted Stanley Cup ring at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. Bain also brought the Stanley Cup to the facility for a brief period.

He assists Lightning players on injury prevention and body maintenance.

The scope of work includes neurological-based adjustments, post-concussion therapy, craniosacral therapy, plus other exercise therapies to help improve muscle tissue on extremities, such as feet and ankles.

Now, as the franchise begins its run for a Stanley Cup three-peat, Bain is upbeat the team can have yet another successful season — despite having to replace its entire third line, among other roster changes.

The Lightning begins its 2021-2022, 82-game regular season on Oct. 12 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Amalie Arena.

“They’re a good team,” Bain said. “I think they’re a really solid group and returning a lot of guys…so it’s going to be a fun year. It’s always hard, these (championships) are super hard to even think about, so, the fun is in the chase.”

As to why the Lightning has been one of the model franchises in pro sports in recent years, Bain credits the organization’s “really, really good culture” that promotes teamwork over individualism.

“Everybody buys in, everybody’s part of the team,” Bain said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the lowly chiropractor or the guy that brings in the food at night; we’re all part of the team and they’ve really embraced that.”

Published October 13, 2021

Executive director to retire

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Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) executive director George Tomyn has announced that he plans to retire following the 2021-2022 school year.

George Tomyn (Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

Tomyn has spent the past four years in the top leadership role for the FHSAA, which is headquartered in Gainesville and serves as the official governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida.

Before that, he worked for the Marion County school system for 26 years, including a stint as school superintendent from 2012 to 2016.

Serving as the organization’s chief executive officer, Tomyn is tasked with supervision of FHSAA staff and office; interpretation of bylaws, guidelines, regulations, policies and procedures; and corporate sponsorships, among other duties.

“Serving as executive director of the FHSAA has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience,” Tomyn said, in a release. “I look forward to continuing the role for the 2021-22 school year.”

Moving forward, the FHSAA’s board of directors will outline a timeline for choosing Tomyn’s replacement and make that hiring decision, following the succession process.

The FHSAA supervises and regulates interscholastic athletic programs for high school students at member public, private and charter schools.

The organization also recognizes and honors academic achievement among student-athletes at almost 800 middle, junior and senior high schools statewide.

Dade City Commission renews administrative contracts, other business items

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The Dade City Commission tackled a number of business items during a Sept. 27 regular meeting at City Hall.

This included finalizing administration-level employment contracts for its city attorney and finance officer, among other actions, respectively.

Commissioners approved a one-year agreement with Thomas Thanas, through the Bradenton-based firm of Dye, Harrison, Kirkland, Petruff, Pratt & St. Paul, PLLC to provide legal services for Dade City.

Dade City Attorney Thomas Thanas (Courtesy of Dye, Harrison, Kirkland, Petruff, Pratt & St. Paul, PLLC)

The action extends an agreement with Thanas, who has served as interim city attorney May 2019.

The annual contract for Thanas’ services will increase from $84,000 to $92,400, with the designated interim tag also removed.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez described Thanas as “a beacon of light” and “always helpful and always there,” while discussing the action item with commissioners.

Thanas has been an attorney since the 1980s.

He spent much of his career serving as a city attorney and a private practitioner representing municipalities primarily in the Chicago, Illinois area.

He also once served as city manager of Joliet — the third-largest city in Illinois — from 2008 to 2013.

The veteran lawyer shared positive words about working for the East Pasco County small town, addressing the commission.

“I really enjoy working with the (commission) and with the city staff,” Thanas said. “You have a lot of good things going on with this community, it’s a great community, and I enjoy being part of the time,” he said.

“…I’ve learned a lot by being around all of you, so I do enjoy it. We’ll continue on. I really do enjoy working here, and I’d like to continue it.”

Commissioners also approved an agreement with Tampa-based Aclarian LLC to provide accounting and financial services.

Dade City Finance Officer Andrew Laflin (File)

The move makes the Aclarian’s president, Andrew Laflin, the city’s contracted finance officer and removes the designated interim tag.

Laflin has served as the city’s interim finance officer since July 2020. His annual contracted rate with the city will now increase from $78,000 to 84,000.

Laflin’s duties have entailed assisting with the budgeting process, preparing for year-end audits, reviewing and approving payroll and non-payroll transactions, leading various projects such as fee studies, and providing leadership and guidance of the city’s finance and utility billing divisions.

Laflin’s firm provides similar consulting services to the City of Madeira Beach and City of Starke.

He expressed gratitude to city leadership for showing confidence in him to continue to provide financial consulting services, mostly in an off-site or virtual capacity.

“I think we’ve done some good, positive things in the finance group,” he said. “Faced some adversities and challenges, not only with COVID, but the cybersecurity incident and having limited access to our network and files and system, but we’ve persevered and look forward to seeing improvements in the future. And hopefully, being able to use technology and innovation in order to streamline business processes further and just make this a more efficient operation.”

In other action, commissioners:

  • Approved a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the police sergeants of the Dade City Police Department through the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association. Among the notable changes include new starting salaries for a sergeant being $50,000; and a pay step plan that creates a 2% increase for every year of service between years one and 14, along with a 5% increase at year 15 and another 5% increase at year 20.
  • Approved changes to the city’s personnel leave policy, including the addition of Juneteenth to holiday observances; increased notice for reporting out sick from 30 minutes to an hour before the shift; and incorporated some updates to the Family and Medical Leave Act provisions, showing inclusion of qualified exigency leave and military caregiver leave.

Dade City Human Resources Director Patty Coram summarized the various personnel leave policy alterations to the commission.

“It’s kind of streamlining what everyone else is doing out there,” Coram said. “It seemed like a lot of entities were moving forward to celebrate Juneteenth; they jumped on that federal holiday, so we’d kind of like to move forward to enact that for our employees, also.”

Published October 06, 2021

Dade City’s budget approaches $25 million

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The City of Dade City has finalized and adopted its fiscal year 2021-2022 budget — with the price tag coming in at nearly $25 million.

The figure represents an increase of about $7.25 million — or nearly 41% — from this past year’s budget.

The Dade City Commission unanimously approved the second, and final, reading of the new budget, during its Sept. 27 meeting at City Hall.

No residents spoke about the budget during the public hearing.

The fiscal year commences Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2022.

Slightly more than $1.74 million of the budgetary increase is due to a change in budgeting special revenue and impact fee funds, according to the city’s final operating budget book and other documents.

In prior years, impact fee revenues were minor, due to limited growth in the city; beginning with fiscal year 2022, all impact fees funds will be included in the budget.

Also, in prior years, the local option gas tax was treated as a special revenue fund; now, this activity will be included in the general fund.

Capital outlay and debt service represent the largest chunk of the 2021-2022 budget, anticipated to total $13.74 million (55% of the total budget) and up about $5.92 million from this past fiscal year.

Major capital projects include construction of the Dade Oaks retention pond, Howard Avenue stormwater improvements, Tank Hill well and booster station, Morningside Drive extension, wastewater force main and lift station projects, and sidewalk/road improvements.

Personnel costs are expected to be roughly $6.43 million, or nearly 26% of the total budget, and an increase of $626,446 from the last budget.

The increase in personnel costs is a result of:

  • Funding new positions
  • Increased health care premiums
  • The adoption of a new pay scale and associated increases
  • A 3% salary adjustment for individuals not affected by the new pay scale
  • Increased wages and benefits through the negotiation of the police union contracts, and associated retirement costs.

Lastly, operating costs came in at $4.73 million — up about $706,000 from this past year’s budget. They represent about 19% of the latest budget.

Changes in operating costs include:

  • Funding for a comprehensive plan update
  • Development of a disaster recovery plan
  • Additional IT security costs
  • Election year costs
  • Increases in solid waste collections and utilities
  • Additional funding of the city’s utility renewal and replacement fund, as per recommendations from a rate study

The 2021-2022 fiscal year budget is based, in part, on a 7.14 millage rate, assessed on taxable value of property within the city.

The city’s certified taxable value is about $340 million.

At the rate of 7.14 mills, ad valorem tax revenues in the city’s general fund are anticipated to levy an estimated $2.3 million, an increase of slightly more than $262,000 from the prior year’s $2 million for general fund expenses.

The breakdown of ad valorem revenues comes from the assessed value of the city’s 1,857 single-family homes, of which 1,231 have at least one exemption, according to city records.

Commissioners held eight budget workshops between June, July, August and September to hammer out myriad details and considerations.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez thanked city administration and staff for “lots of hard work” during the budgetary planning process.

“A lot of things on the table,” Hernandez said of the latest budget. “Hopefully, we are bringing Dade City forward with some additions we’ve made, and certainly some adjustments we’ve made with salaries and staff, and all that…and hopefully only great things ahead.”

Dade City Manager Leslie Porter summarized the city’s financial picture in the finalized 87-page budget book.

Her statement in the budget book reads, “This budget will enable Dade City to begin the path to grow with the demands for services while protecting our thriving and safe community that cherishes its location, unites in its diversity and evolves to meet the continuous challenges that success brings.”

City of Dade City fiscal year 2021-2022 budget: Total: $24,961,790

Expenses by category

  • Capital outlay and debt service ($13,744, 893)
  • Personnel costs ($6,433,788)
  • Operating costs ($4,783,109)

Published October 06, 2021

Midseason review of area prep football

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It’s about the midway point for the 2021 Florida high school football regular season.

Here’s a closer look at some of the developing storylines involving teams and players from schools in The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area, within Hillsborough and Pasco counties:

The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs remain an area powerhouse, as they’re off to an impressive 5-0 start under sixth-year head coach Nick Carroll. (Fred Bellet)

Zephyrhills continues dominant ways
The Zephyrhills High Bulldogs have once again solidified the team’s place among the upper-echelon programs in Pasco County and the greater Tampa Bay area.

The Bulldogs are off to a 5-0 start, under sixth-year head coach Nick Carroll.

Outside of a narrow 16-12 road win over Lakeland Kathleen in its season opener, Zephyrhills’ other victories have been lopsided affairs over Hernando (43-2 win), Fivay (42-0 win), Wesley Chapel (34-9 win) and Weeki Wachee (48-0 win), respectively.

The Bulldogs have exhibited strong play in all three facets of the game — offense, defense and special teams.

Momentum-shifting takeaways also have been a calling card, as the Bulldogs have nine fumble recoveries and five interceptions to date.

Among the team standouts are senior tailback Jaylin Thomas, senior linebacker Theotis Smith and senior defensive end Maguire Neal, among others.

Zephyrhills is out to improve on its 8-3 mark from last season, which included a string of eight consecutive wins.

Land O’ Lakes enjoying turnaround season
The Land O’ Lakes High Gators strategically opted to go independent this year, rather than play a large-school Class 7A slate.

At 5-0, the Land O’ Lakes High Gators are off to its best start since 2013. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School athletics department)

The decision was made, in part, to give a youthful roster chock-full of freshmen and sophomores more opportunities to have success and compete game-to-game, rather than become discouraged by a daunting large-school schedule.

The move is paying dividends, as the Gators are off to a 5-0 start under second-year head coach Trac Baughn, a longtime college and high school coach mostly throughout Mississippi.

The Gators haven’t been undefeated this far into a season since 2013, when the team got off to a 6-0 start under then-coach Brian Wachtel.

This season has included a nail-biting 28-26 road victory last month over Sunlake High in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ rivalry game — something the Gators program hadn’t done since 2018.

One of the many bright spots has been sophomore quarterback Kyle Horvath, who’s completing nearly 62% of his throws for 1,023 yards, 16 total touchdowns and no interceptions.

Also of note: Land O’ Lakes junior varsity squad is off to a similarly impressive 5-0 campaign.

Gaither better than record shows
The Gaither High Cowboys entered the 2021 campaign with quite lofty expectations.

The Gaither High Cowboys appear better than their 3-3 record indicates. (Courtesy of Gaither High School athletics department)

After all, last season’s team won 10 straight games before falling to Lake Minneola High in the Class 6A regional final.

And many key contributors from that banner squad returned this year, including a slew of NCAA Division I FBS recruits and national ranked prospects like defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas, defensive end Mario Eugenio, and inside linebacker Kobe McCloud.

Not to mention the impact transfer of South Carolina high school quarterback Brooks Bentley, who has Division I FCS offers and comes from a legacy football family of three brothers who played college football.

But the Cowboys have somewhat stumbled out of the gate, now staring at a pedestrian 3-3 mark.

Their slate has been anything but a cakewalk, however, with multiple close defeats against fellow area powerhouses in Armwood (22-19 loss), Tampa Bay Tech (28-14 loss) and Mitchell (17-14 overtime loss) high schools.

The Cowboys should have a much more manageable schedule down the stretch, against the likes of Steinbrenner, Sickles, Leto and Hillsborough high schools, respectively.

The Pasco High Pirates have had a tough year thus far with a difficult schedule and mounting injuries. (Courtesy of Pasco High School athletics department)

These teams need a rebound
As some local teams have endured surprising — or expected — achievements on the gridiron, other programs are still trying to find their footing entering the second half of the season, be it tough scheduling or otherwise ineffective play.

These squads include Bishop McLaughlin (0-3), Freedom (1-5) Pasco (0-5), Sunlake (1-5), and Steinbrenner (2-4) high schools.

Pasco has had arguably the most challenging go, as they’ve yet to score a point this season, being outmatched by a 156-0 margin.

Moreover, Pasco’s season has faced more turmoil.

Due to mounting injuries, it forfeited its Oct. 1 contest against Ocala Vanguard High and canceled its Oct. 8 game versus Lake Gibson High.

The cancellation against a district foe (Vanguard) means the Pirates will now have to go independent for the remainder of the season, per rules from the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA).

COVID-19 still impacting play
The COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head in the early portions of the 2021 prep football season, with a number of cancellations and postponements across the Tampa Bay area and state as a whole.

Local programs impacted include:

  • Wiregrass Ranch High was unable to play its first two football games of the season because of coronavirus outbreaks from their would-be opponents. It was a flipped script from 2020, when the Bulls missed out on the playoffs after its last game was canceled due to virus issues within its own program.
  • Wharton High was forced to cancel multiple games amid coronavirus concerns, be it contract tracing or positive tests, within its own program. This included a highly anticipated matchup against nationally ranked Tampa Jesuit in early September.

High school football programs in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (4-2)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (1-5)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (3-3)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (2-4)
  • Wharton High School Wildcats (4-0)

Pasco County

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (1-4)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (0-3)
  • Cypress Creek High School Coyotes (2-3)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (5-0)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (0-5)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (1-5)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (3-1)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (3-1)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (5-0)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (4-1)

Published October 06, 2021

Dade City approves new pay scale for employees

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The City of Dade City is set to ring in fiscal year 2021-2022 with a slew of new positions and increased employee wages.

The updated employee pay plan incorporates the greater of the following: 3% cost of living, new minimum pay rate and new minimum pay adjusted for years of service (1.5% per year of service greater than one year) in an attempt to help with wage compression issues.

The pay plan has 19 salary steps, ranging from part-time crossing guard, which has a salary range of $23,400 to $35,100, all the way up to police chief, which has a range of $80,931.06 to $121,396.59.

Dade City Manager Leslie Porter (File)

The pay plan also includes funding for 14 new positions, within the proposed budget, including the following:

  • Four police officers
  • A deputy city clerk
  • An executive assistant to the city manager/public relations specialist
  • A groundskeeper
  • A utility service worker
  • An engineering inspector
  • A utilities electrician
  • An assistant code enforcement officer
  • Three wastewater treatment plant operator trainees

Other notable changes include bumping up paygrade levels for the city’s utility billing supervisor to be commensurate with other assistant crew leaders; upping the executive assistant to the city’s police chief to the same grade as executive assistant to the city manager/public relations specialist; and, adding paygrade classification levels for fiscal assistants based on experience and duties.

The new plan will increase personnel costs, and benefits, by an estimated $626,446 compared to the current year’s budget, according to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter.

Dade City Commissioners approved the pay scale plan on a 5-0 vote during the commission’s Sept. 13 meeting. The plan is effective Oct. 1.

Porter had outlined the city’s need to add staff and to budget additional money for payroll during a commission workshop last month.

She explained that more employees are needed to help manage the rapid growth and development planned throughout the municipality.

About 6,500 new rooftops and several commercial properties have been approved to be built over the next two decades.

Porter and Human Resources Director Patty Coram conducted an in-house salary study using pay information from seven comparable local governments, including Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Pasco County.

The City of Dade City has adopted a new pay scale to address salary compression issues and to bring on more staffers.

The pay plan will make the city more competitive when it comes to attracting applicants, hiring candidates and retaining quality personnel, officials say.

Moreover, officials say beginning to raise wages now will make for an easier transition to Florida’s $15 per hour mandatory minimum wage, which takes effect in 2026.

Mayor Camille Hernandez voiced support for the justification of the comprehensive pay plan. She said it rewards long-term employees and will attract more qualified job-seekers, to ensure the municipality is fully and adequately staffed across all departments.

“I do hope and pray with these new positions that we are adding, that we’re stepping it up a notch,” Hernandez said, addressing her comments to the city manager. “You’ve asked for things, we’re giving it.”

The mayor also emphasized that expectations are high for city administration and supervisors on down to entry-level employees.

“As we raise the bar and we provide this system, we expect certain things. The expectations are pretty high now,” Hernandez said.

Commissioner Normita Woodard agreed that with more resources in place, there’s a greater responsibility and scrutiny in terms of serving residents and following through on outlined citywide goals and initiatives.

Woodard put it like this: “I just want to make sure that I do say it in this forum that the money matches the work efforts, and that the supervisors are going to be doing what they need to do to make sure that it is accountable.”

The city’s last classification and compensation study was conducted in 2015, according to a city commission agenda memo.

The city adopted a proposed pay plan then, but was not in a financial position at that time to address compression issues included in that plan, the memo states.

In lieu of that, the city had been providing 3% salary increases each year, in an attempt to keep up with cost of living and rising wage environment, the memo reads.

In other business, commissioners approved the Rolling Hills residential planning development annexation, comprehensive plan and zoning amendment, on a 3-2 vote.

The development is approved to build up to 700 homes on slightly more than 151 acres, located west of Opportunity Way, south of State Road 52, and north of Roberts Road.

Commissioners Scott Black, Knute Nathe and Hernandez voted in favor, while Woodard and Jim Shive, who is mayor pro tem, voted against.

Published September 29, 2021

Pasco facing apartment shortage, commissioner says

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey tackled a number of key topics as the featured guest speaker of the East Pasco Networking Group’s breakfast meeting earlier this month at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills.

She first addressed one of the more visible happenings — the county’s surging population growth, and its residential and commercial development.

“Obviously, you know, the county is on a tear,” Starkey opened to the group of a dozen-plus citizens during the Sept 14 gathering. “Florida’s No. 1 engine for growth is getting people to move here, and you see that happening in our county.

“We’re growing like crazy,” said Starkey, whose district seat includes southwest and south-central Pasco. “Every month we’re breaking the record on the amount of permits that we’re giving, compared to last year.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was the featured guest speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group’s Sept. 14 meeting at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, in Zephyrhills. (Kevin Weiss)

The commissioner said she regularly receives calls from landowners who want to know if the county plans to approve their land to build apartments.

The commissioner said that Pasco is actually facing an apartment shortage, despite the many Class A luxury apartments that have gone up in recent years.

Yet, the commissioner emphasized that county leadership and decision-makers are becoming “very, very picky” on where new apartments will be placed in the area.

“We do not want to give up commercial and industrial property for apartments,” she said.

The Pasco County Commission currently has a mortarium in place for new applications for multifamily development, which includes a portion of the county that’s essentially in Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes.

Starkey said county leaders have instead encouraged would-be developers to build multi-family housing in more needed areas, such as Hudson, Holiday and along U.S. 19.

It has been a challenge, as Pasco’s apartment shortage is leading to steep rent increases, Starkey said.

The county needs to have affordable housing, particularly for first responders, public servants and working-class residents, Starkey said.

“Where are our policeman and our nurses and our teachers going to live? Because when this cycle comes around again and they go to sign a new lease, they’re going to be moving out.

“They’re going to be moving to Hernando (County), they’re going to be moving to Citrus (County), and they’re going to be driving down here, and I really worry about that, so there needs to be a balance,” she said.

The apartment development industry is having trouble keeping up with Pasco’s population surge, too.

Starkey noted experts in that field all but say they build only about 1,500 units per year in the county due to the equipment and logistical hurdles.

Besides being a bedroom community for many Hillsborough County workers, the county also has experienced an influx of people moving in from the Orlando area, Starkey observed.

She believes the Orlando influx can be attributed to that region’s hospitality industry taking a hit during the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Orlando is sending us people like crazy,” she said. “I’m thinking when all the hospitality stuff closed up, people left and came here.”

The commissioner also touched on various county road construction projects, including the delayed Diverging Diamond Interchange project at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 in Wesley Chapel.

This work stoppage was a result of contractor D.A.B. Constructors defaulting, and ultimately filing for bankruptcy and going out of business.

The diverging diamond project has since been assumed by a bond company and awarded to Superior Construction Company Southeast LLC.

“I was very glad to see, driving up here, that they were at work on the diverging diamond,” Starkey said. “It’s going to be at least a year behind, but it is moving again.”

The new estimated date of completion is the summer of 2022, according to the Florida Department of Transportation’s website.

Published September 29, 2021