Michael Hinman

Business Digest 06-25-14

June 26, 2014 By Michael Hinman

School district hosts job fair
The Pasco County school district is partnering with county agencies and local chambers of commerce to host a job fair July 9 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes High School.

The event will includes representatives from the school district, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco County government, the clerk of court, tax collector, United Way, the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

Some of the positions being sought include clerical and administrative support, accounting and finance, bus drivers and assistants, information services, food services, law enforcement and corrections, maintenance and skilled trades, and instructional and childcare.

The high school is located at 20325 Gator Lane, Land O’ Lakes.

For information, visit PascoSchools.org.

Lutz, Odessa attorneys honored for 50 years
Daniel N. Burton and Thomas Ayers Smith are among more than 200 attorneys honored by The Florida Bar for 50 years of law dedication on June 27.

Burton is a retired partner with Foley & Lardner in Tampa, and focused primarily on health law. He graduated from Stetson Law School in 1964, after getting his undergraduate degree from Rollins College in Winter Park.

Smith, who maintains a practice on Woodstock Road in Odessa, is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

The ceremony is sponsored by The Florida Bar’s young lawyers division, and will be June 27 in Boca Raton.

Goin’ Postal Dade City has new owners
Chris and Ailisa Starnes are the new owners of Goin’ Postal Dade City, located at 14247 Seventh St.

It is a franchise of the Zephyrhills-based Goin’ Postal, which now operates 250 stores.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pasco EDC wins three state awards
The Pasco Economic Development Council has received three promotional and marketing awards from the Florida Economic Development Council during its annual conference in June.

Pasco EDC won for best email campaign, best annual report design and best special event. These awards join six others the organization has received at the state and national level over the past four years.

“Marketing Pasco County to the business community locally, regionally and nationally is a big part of what we do, and it is wonderful to see our efforts recognized on a state level,” said John Hagen, president and chief executive of Pasco EC, in a release.

Monday Cup O’ News is Pasco EDC’s first and most successful email campaign, sending out a collection of news each week to nearly 1,300 people.

The Pasco EDC also was recognized for its annual report, designed to be a key part of the organization’s branding, as well as for its 12th annual NetFest, which provided an opportunity for business and community leaders to meet and get to know each other in an informal environment.

The Florida Economic Development Conference is the premier professional development event attended by economic, work force and community developers from Florida’s 67 counties, 400 cities, 24 work force regions, 12 universities and 28 community colleges.

Local CareerSource office wins incentive
After Gov. Rick Scott and CareerSource Florida challenged the state’s work force boards to double employer penetration rate in an effort to connect more people to jobs, the people with CareerSource Pasco Hernando knew they were going to succeed. And they did just that, earning more than $120,000 in incentives as a result.

“The governor’s support in our work force endeavors have helped job seekers and employers in Pasco and Hernando counties get back to work,” said Jerome Salatino, chief executive of CareerSource Pasco Hernando, in a release. “His challenge focused on the needs of connecting employers to job seekers.”

The challenge sought work force boards like the local one to provide services to just under 3,200 employers. CareerSource Pasco Hernando did that and more, making 3,663 employer contacts, and exceeding the goal by more than 115 percent. But even when the challenge ended, the local work force group didn’t stop, reaching out to an additional 485 employers.

The incentive was the highest given in the state.

For more information on the services offered by the group, visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com, or call (727) 484-3400.

Emerald Homes comes to The Champions Club
Bringing homes that begin in the $800,000-range, Emerald Homes is coming to The Champions Club in Trinity.

The Texas-based luxury homebuilder is looking to construct homes from just over 3,800 square feet, to a little more than 4,400 square feet, with the first model home expected in the fall.

Coach set to close 70 retail stores

June 23, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Coach Inc., the maker of high-end accessories, handbags, shoes and clothing, says it will close 70 retail stores, possibly by early next year.

Coach didn’t tell investors which locations they plan to close, but the company has a store locally at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Suite 160.

The closure is part of what the New York-based company has called a multi-year transformation plan that will be focused on a new global branding strategy centered on the concept of “defining modern luxury,” according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The overall plan could have up to a $300 million hit to the company’s bottom line through next year.

Sales over the last nine months leading into spring were down nearly 5 percent for the company, according to public filings, dropping to $3.7 billion.

Coach operates 351 stores in North America, according to its filings with investors. The closures would account for nearly 20 percent of its total retail outlets. Other locations in the greater Tampa Bay region include International Plaza in Tampa’s Westshore District, Countryside Mall in Clearwater, and Brandon Town Center.

Paperwork snafu costs Diaz chance for Tallahassee

June 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Danny Burgess no longer has to worry about a primary battle in his quest to succeed Will Weatherford in House District 38.

Former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess, left, joins Republican challenger Minnie Diaz in a political forum at the Wesley Chapel Republican Club last April hosted by county commission candidate Mike Moore. (File photo by Michael Hinman)

The former Zephyrhills mayor earned the Republican nomination Friday after his primary opponent, Minnie Diaz, failed to file part of her paperwork before the noon deadline to qualify. Diaz, an adjunct professor at Pasco-Hernando State College, said her inexperience in running a campaign caused her to misunderstand the deadline to file her financial disclosure forms, and it cost her the race before it even started.

“I assume full responsibility,” Diaz said. “I did not fully grasp the process of qualifying week, and I did not understand that it truly meant. There was a certain amount of confusion on my part.”

Diaz chose to qualify by petition, meaning she would need just under 1,000 verified signatures to help get her qualified — a feat she achieved last December. Most of her paperwork was filed a year ago when she first announced her candidacy, but did add an audit letter to the state Division of Elections on June 12.

What she was missing, however, was a financial disclosure form. Diaz said she understood the deadline for that form was July 1, but learned after it was too late that deadline is for incumbents, not new candidates, who instead must have it filed by the June 20 qualifying deadline. Burgess filed his financial disclosure form June 17.

Diaz might be out of this race, but she is not out of politics for good.

“I gave a good fight,” she said. “I am a first-time candidate, and I made them worry a little bit. It was a technicality. It’s a very serious technicality, but it’s still a technicality. But I am going to stay in East Pasco, I’m going to live in East Pasco, and I’m going to continue working for East Pasco, especially with women and veterans.”

Burgess did qualify for the race, as did his Democratic opponent Beverly Ledbetter. The two will face off in the Nov. 4 election.

Voters to decide between Wells, Wilson in August

June 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

There was not too much drama as the qualifying period for candidates seeking office this fall, except for the fact that one Pasco County Commission race will be decided in August after a last-minute write-in candidate decided to withdraw.

Commissioner Henry Wilson Jr. will defend his District 4 seat against Mike Wells Jr., during an open primary in August that will allow all voters — no matter what their party affiliation is — to decide between the two Republicans.

Wilson, who was first elected to the commission in 2010 after a major upset of incumbent Michael Cox, is working hard to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself. Wells — the son of current county property appraiser Mike Wells Sr. — has significant name recognition because of his family ties, and has already raised $45,600 in his short run so far, compared to just under $24,000 from Wilson.

But money has never worried Wilson too much. In his first race, he raised just $8,700 — pennies compared to the massive $163,000 campaign war chest collected by Cox, who at the time was the lone Democrat on the commission.

Typically, two Republicans in a race would prompt an August primary where only Republicans can choose who will go on to the November election. Instead, however, all voters will have a chance to decide between Wilson and Wells, the winner claiming the District 4 seat.

Grady L. Peeler Jr., a tax preparer in Trinity, filed early Friday ahead of the noon deadline to be a write-in candidate for the race. If he had qualified, the Wells/Wilson primary would’ve closed to just Republicans, with the winner on the November ballot to face Peeler. With the primary winner the most likely candidate to win against a write-in candidate, that would’ve left the decision on who represents District 4 to Republicans, leaving both Democrats and independents out of the mix.

Peeler, however, withdrew his candidacy almost as quickly as he filed it, reportedly because of residency issues.

The only other county commission race is District 2, the seat currently held by the retiring Pat Mulieri. Ken Littlefield, Mike Moore and Bob Robertson have all qualified for the Republican primary in August, with the winner facing Democrat Erika Remsberg in November. If Remsberg were to win, she would be the first Democrat to serve on the commission since the departure of Cox in 2010.

Suspicious backpack closes Dade City tax collector’s office

June 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

The tax collector’s office in Dade City has reopened Friday after a backpack left behind at the office prompted a call to the bomb squad unit.

Dade City police were called to 14236 Sixth St., Friday morning to check on a suspicious backpack, according to tax collector spokesman Greg Giordano. County tax collector Mike Fasano quickly decided to close the office while law enforcement dealt with the backpack as a safety precaution.

Just after noontime, Fasano released a statement that the Dade City office would be closed the rest of the day because of an “ongoing law enforcement situation,” but would reopened for business at 9 a.m. Saturday “assuming all is well.” He directed those who needed tax collector services to visit other area offices, including one in Land O’ Lakes.

However, Fasano reversed course 15 minutes later after police found the backpack wasn’t dangerous, and had been safely contained.

Law enforcement had evacuated a portion of the building, but has since returned to business as usual, Giordano said.

New stalemate could kill gas tax increase yet again

June 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Getting new county road projects underway, as well as maintaining the ones already built, is likely going to require an additional $8 million this coming year. But a new battle on exactly how to raise that money has put two Pasco County commissioners on opposite sides of the debate.

Henry Wilson is continuing a controversial stance he took last year, saying he won’t support raising the local gas tax, and instead wants to explore other revenue sources including an increase in property taxes.

Ted Schrader, however, has no interest in raising property taxes, and says a 5-cent increase in gas taxes will shift the cost of maintaining the roads to the people who are using them, and in most cases wouldn’t even be passed on to the consumer anyway.

It’s a battle where Wilson has an early advantage, not because of support from other commissioners, but from a caveat that any gas tax increase requires the approval of four of the five commissioners, while a property tax increase of this size would only require a yes vote from three.

“People buy gas periodically, but when they get their (property) tax bill, they remember that,” Schrader said during a recent meeting at the Historic Dade City Courthouse, interrupted several times from quick power blackouts caused by a thunderstorm outside. “When you start incrementally adding on all these different assessments, they are going to remember that.”

Wilson says the county needs to increase revenue by $8 million, but “not via the gas tax.”

The debate erupted at the meeting after County Administrator Michele Baker tried to lock down how much commissioners were planning to spend on roads this year. The additional amount of revenue needed ranged from $5 million to $8 million, with the lower number possibly forcing some future road building projects to be delayed or cancelled altogether.

Earlier in the meeting, county budget manager Dan Risola told commissioners that even if the gas tax increase was passed on to consumers, it would equate to $7.50 annually for every penny. A 5-cent increase would mean an additional $37.50 annually, or $1.56 more per fill-up on a typical car that’s fueled up twice monthly.

The recommendation to use the full 5 cents also came from a group of community leaders led by Heidt Design president Patrick Gassaway.

“We like user fees for things like transportation,” he said. “It puts the burden where it should be.

“To tell elected officials that their best route is to increase taxes is, of course, something we recognize as a difficult thing for you to do. It is a lot like saving for college, but it is a great investment, and we all benefit from it.”

Using all 5 cents available to the county in gas taxes could have other positive effects as well, Gassaway said. If the county looks to get state or federal funding for projects, officials can show they’ve done everything they can locally to raise money by using the tools available to them.

Gas stations are not adept to raising prices just because of increases in taxes because they are focused on selling a specific number of gallons, Baker said.

“It would translate to the folks that were buying beer and Slurpees and cigarettes,” she said. “It’s inside the convenience store where they truly make the profits.”

Also not fully convinced about looking at a full gas tax was Commissioner Jack Mariano, but his position has shifted a bit from last year when he voted against any gas tax increase.

“It is a very complex subject,” he said. “Developers are going to get mad at us for not using the gas tax, and then you look at the regular people who is going to pay the tax.”

Mariano, like fellow commissioners Pat Mulieri and Kathryn Starkey, are willing to explore a mix of gas and property tax increases to hit the $8 million mark, although Mulieri has indicated she would go a full 5 cents in gas tax if needed.

Schrader, however, would have to convince both Mariano and Starkey to raise the gas tax to 5 cents to get the four votes needed. But Mariano has hinted in the past that he likely wouldn’t go higher than a 2-cent increase at the pump.

If Schrader refuses to vote in favor of any gas tax increase below 5 cents, commissioners would not have enough votes to raise the gas tax at all. That would mean looking almost exclusively at a property tax increase.

“We have to stop fighting one another,” Mulieri said. “This has been a good board, but it deteriorated two weeks ago. I see that wind blowing, and nobody is going to change their mind right now.”

Published June 18, 2014

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Town hall reveals VA problems hitting close to home

June 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Whether it’s overburdened, improperly run, or a combination of the two, veterans are struggling to get the health care they need from clinics and hospitals run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The issue has led to the resignation of the department’s longest-serving secretary, Eric Shinseki, and has been fodder in political campaign ads and debates.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis listens to a veteran share his story about problems he had receiving medical care during a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo) — U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis listens to a veteran share his story about problems he had receiving medical care during a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

In his seat as vice chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, has earned national media attention in recent months as he digs into what’s causing delays at VA-run medical centers, and what can be done to fix it. The Palm Harbor Republican has since opened the door to hear from veterans themselves, inviting them to a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey to find out other struggles facing those who have returned home from war.

“We have an obligation to do whatever it takes to solve this problem,” Bilirakis said. “We must make sure that our veterans have access to a broad range of services that meet their specific needs,” he said.

Last month, Bilirakis co-authored a letter with U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, to then-Secretary Shinseki asking him to change internal policies at the VA to allow veterans easier access to programs like the Non-VA Care Coordination program that would allow veterans to seek subsidized health care from medical providers outside of the VA system.

Veterans who attended the recent town hall expressed some specific concerns with types of service they’ve received over the years — some dating back more than a decade — but many agreed problems are typically focused on routine care outside of the emergency room.

“The system has been broke for a long time, since I got out of the service in 1973,” said Michael O’Dell, who also is president of the Hillsborough County Veterans Council. The care he receives at the James A. Haley VA hospital near the University of South Florida’s main campus has always been good, as long as it’s been an emergency.

“This last time has not been an emergency, and they’ve been screwing around with my knees,” O’ Dell said. “When the doctors decided that I can’t take the pain anymore, they said it would take three or four months (for the surgery). Now with all this stuff going on (the controversy), they miraculously told me that they can operate in three weeks.”

One veteran, Peter Spatz, said he lives across the street from a VA medical center, and while he has had no problems with the care he receives once he gets there, where he really struggles is just trying to get in the front door.

“When I was hearing on the news all the problems with the VA, I didn’t really believe it,” he said. “I really felt that facility just ran like a Swiss watch, and I never had a single issue.”

However, Spatz has a condition that requires treatment, and he couldn’t see a doctor because they kept rescheduling him. He finally decided to reach out to the patient advocate line, but said no one was available to take his call.

“I was so frustrated, I didn’t know what to do,” Spatz said. “If you have a question you need answered, or a problem resolved on the phone, the fact that they have the audacity to (not man the lines) is just beyond belief. Something has to change on that.”

Bilirakis has been a sponsor of H.R. 4810, which passed the U.S. House last week unanimously, and has been sent to the U.S. Senate. If passed, the resolution would expand access to health care and other medical facilities for veterans outside of the VA system. It also requires the VA to conduct an independent investigation of its operations and create a plan of action to correct them within 120 days.

The Senate passed its own bill, which lawmakers say is similar to H.R. 4810, and both sides believe they can come together to finalize a bill to present to President Barack Obama.

Published June 18, 2014

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Raulerson bill changes who watches the watchers

June 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Gov. Rick Scott signed 94 more bills into law last week, including one from state Rep. Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, that has some government observers applauding.

H.B. 1385 shifts the management of inspectors general from individual department heads to the chief inspector general.

Inspectors general are typically responsible for maintaining the accountability, efficiency and integrity in a government department. However, many lawmakers said the positions were easy to influence, since each inspector general’s boss was the head of the department, and made it difficult to implement needed changes.

Integrity Florida, a nonpartisan government watchdog group, championed the bill.

“Inspectors general are the public’s watchdogs within state government, but they need more independence to do their jobs effectively,” Integrity Florida executive director Dan Krassner said, in a release. “This law should reduce the influence of state agency heads over the internal government watchdogs who audit and investigate their agencies.”

Before the new law, state agency heads could appoint and remove their own inspectors general, Krassner said, which created built-in conflicts of interest.

“Agency heads and their deputies should not be able to prevent an inspector general from conducting an audit or investigation,” he added.

Other bills recently signed into law from local lawmakers were:

S.B. 272 – Water Utilities
Introduced by state Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, this law now gives water customers the right to petition the Florida Public Service Commission if they feel their water quality is unsatisfactory.

Someone wanting to start a petition would have to first let the commission know of their complaint, and then wait 10 days for instructions. After that, the customer has 90 days to collect signatures from 65 percent of the customers in the affected area, specifically outlining the problems they have with the water.

Depending on the outcome with the commission, a water utility would then have to meet with the customers and outline immediate ways to resolve the problems. If the utility doesn’t work to correct the issues, it could be subject to fines, according to a staff analysis of the bill.

This bill passed the Senate 37-0 and the House 99-15 in late April.

S.B. 536 – Reclaimed Water
Also introduced by Simpson, this law requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the five water management districts — including the Southwest Florida Water Management District — to conduct a study and submit a report by the end of next year on how to expand the use of reclaimed water in the state.

It passed both the House and Senate unanimously in April.

S.B. 1070 – Fuel Terminals
Introduced by Simpson, this law would prevent local governments from outlawing existing fuel terminals.

Terminals, according to a staff analysis of the bill, are typically storage and distribution facilities that serve as nodes to deliver fuels throughout the region. Florida has 42 active fuel terminals, with 11 of them in the Tampa Bay area. The Port of Tampa alone receives approximately 500 petroleum ships a year, and 2.4 billion gallons of fuel.

The law also allows fuel terminals that were damaged or destroyed by natural disaster or other catastrophe to be rebuilt to their previous condition, whether a local government says they are conforming or not to its code of ordinances.

It passed the Senate 36-0, and the House 112-5 in April.

S.B. 1142 – Ticket Sales
First introduced by state Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, this new law increases the criminal penalties for counterfeit tickets and “multi-use tickets” at theme parks, in many cases upgrading the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony for repeat offenders.

It’s currently a first-degree misdemeanor to counterfeit, forge, alter or possess any ticket with the intention to defraud a facility, according to a Senate analysis of the bill. However, a second violation — or any violation that involves 10 or more tickets — would elevate the charge from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

Multi-use tickets can’t be transferred if part of the ticket has already been used. Penalties here have been increased from a second-degree to first-degree misdemeanor for the first offense, and a third-degree felony for later offenses.

The legislation passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

Published June 18, 2014

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Homebuilders want compromise on potential ban of feather signs

June 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Pasco County has strict ordinances against temporary signs, but the proliferation of tall advertising flags known as “feather signs” has some county commissioners looking to make those ordinances even more restrictive.

However, Pasco County commissioners said they would wait at least long enough for the homebuilding community to weigh in — an industry that heavily depends on such temporary advertisement.

Pasco County commissioners are looking to ban temporary signs like these, known as ‘feather signs,’ because of safety and aesthetic concerns. However, homebuilders have asked the commissioners if they can help craft a way to regulate the signs, while still allowing them to be effective advertising, especially for developing communities. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo) — Pasco County commissioners are looking to ban temporary signs like these, known as ‘feather signs,’ because of safety and aesthetic concerns. However, homebuilders have asked the commissioners if they can help craft a way to regulate the signs, while still allowing them to be effective advertising, especially for developing communities.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“We’re hoping that you’ll allow us to put together a policy that provides us a pathway for compliance,” said Jennifer Doerfel, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, which represents homebuilders locally. “We do not want to see blight, and we certainly don’t want to see tattered signs, and we’re part of this community, too. We want to make sure this looks great, because that’s what attracts buyers to our homes.”

The signs have become common in front of businesses, especially on U.S. 41 through the center part of Pasco, where retailers fight to grab attention from a heavily traveled highway artery. They are usually anchored into the ground like flags, and are noticeable by how they freely flap in the wind.

Pasco typically requires a temporary sign permit and a limit for how long they can be displayed. However, the signs usually addressed in that ordinance have been temporary banners, which are typically secured on all sides. Feather signs have been virtually overlooked by the ordinance, and county officials are suggesting implementing an outright ban on those types of signs.

“Feather banners have two key issues, one being the visual impact,” said Rebecca Stonefield of the county’s planning and development department. “There are also general safety concerns associated with them. If they are not anchored appropriately, they could fly out and become a hazard.”

The planning and development department recommended not including the feather signs with other temporary signs the county allows. However, that could create some legal problems for the county in how a court might differentiate between the types of signs.

“Do you believe that it’s defensible, to attempt to defend in court, the difference between a banner and a feather banner?” Commissioner Ted Schrader asked. “I see it as being the same thing.”

County attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder disagreed, however.

“They are two different styles of advertising, and there is a physical difference,” he said. “It’s easy to define.”

Pasco is a community with hundreds of new homes under construction, many in growing communities. The builders depend on attracting attention from the main road, especially since their product might not be as apparent because it is hidden inside a neighborhood, Doerfel said.

“The reason that you see as many feather signs as you do is that it is the last option that we have to be compliant with the sign ordinance,” Doerfel said, referring to the quantity and time limits for temporary banners. “We have to be able to attract people to our communities, and most of these communities are not even on the GPS. Most of the people are finding model centers through signs.”

Mike Southward, the local division president of Beazer Homes, said unlike standard retailers, homebuilders typically don’t jump onto the radar of someone looking for a new house until after they are inside a neighborhood they want to move to.

“If you look into the buyer’s psyche, they do a lot of research when buying a home,” he said. “They look for things like schools and shopping and lifestyle, and they will go and drive around.”

It’s not until they start driving the area that they start looking for builders and communities, and that’s where having good signage helps get their attention, Southward said.

“If we don’t have an opportunity to direct them into our communities, we lost an opportunity to gain a customer,” he said.

How the county handles signs in the near future is something the commission should explore slowly and deliberately, Commissioner Pat Mulieri said.

“We receive tons of email, and we’re pushing the idea that we want to be premier,” she said. “We don’t want to be shoddy looking, but we also want business, who are also applauding the fact that now we have people buying houses. I don’t know what the problem would be to put this off for a month or six weeks to get other ideas and work from there.”

The commission will look at a potential revision of the temporary sign ordinance again at its July 22 meeting.

Published June 18, 2014

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Southport Springs honors veterans with new memorial

June 19, 2014 By Michael Hinman

There has always been a strong connection between Zephyrhills and veterans who have served their country, dating right back to when its first cornerstone was laid as a retirement community for aging Civil War veterans.

The tradition of honoring the men and women who served continues to this day, now in Southport Springs off Chancey Road just outside Zephyrhills, where veterans — including more than 200 who live in the community itself — were honored with a new memorial.

A granite stone near the Southport Springs clubhouse says that ‘this place is dedicated to those men and women who have served honorably in the armed forces of the United States of America. May we always remember.’ (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Summer rains held off just long enough June 14 for local dignitaries and more than 300 people to dedicate the memorial, located next to Southport Springs’ clubhouse, that recognize the people who served both abroad and even at home over a century’s worth of conflicts.

“Thank you for your sacrifice,” said U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who attended the dedication ceremony. “We owe you so very much, our true American heroes.”

The memorial includes six service flags representing various branches of the military, as well as the American flag, and a second flag remembering prisoners of war. It is supported by a large brick wall with two benches, as well as flowerbeds to represent the red stripes on the nation’s flag.

“Look around, and you’ll see representation of the U.S.A. — past, present and future,” said Douglas Baulch, one of the people who led the way to build the memorial. “The wall was done for all conflicts of America. It will be a living memory for all of us.”

The monument is designed to recognize those who served in the armed forces, as well as those who supported the war effort from home.

“It’s really an honor and a privilege to represent this county,” Bilirakis said. “We all care so much, and I appreciate that very much.”

The memorial is located at 3737 Southport Springs Parkway in Zephyrhills.

Published June 18, 2014

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