The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Michael Hinman

Third attorney opinion: Drumm’s contract ends May 18

By

One of the last actions Jodi Wilkeson championed before being voted of the Zephyrhills City Council was convincing her fellow city leaders to get a third legal opinion on whether or not the city can end the tenure of City Manager Jim Drumm.

Heather Brock, an attorney with Fowler White Boggs in Tampa, agreed with two other legal opinions the city already received in recent weeks. In a letter to the city dated April 10, Brock confirmed Drumm’s employment ends May 18 when his contract expires. The only way he can continue past that is if four out of five council members renew his contract or offer him a new one.

The May 2011 contract, Brock said, is for a specific term, and there are no “evergreen” provisions that would allow the contract to automatically renew at the end of its term.

“If the city wishes for the manager to remain its employee, it will need to undertake action to renew the agreement, negotiate a new agreement, or to agree to some form of ‘at-will’ employment,” and to have four out of five council members agree, Brock said.

In forming her legal opinion, Brock said she reviewed the Zephyrhills city charter, Drumm’s contract, the employment agreement of former city manager Steve Spina, and audio recordings of two May 2011 council meetings where Drumm’s contract was discussed.

If the council had tried to terminate Drumm before his contract expired, that also would’ve required a supermajority, or four out of five council members, to make it happen.

The charter, Brock said, requires the city manager to be appointed with a four-fifths majority, and to be terminated with a four-fifths majority. However, “the charter is silent as to the expiration of an agreement with a manager for a specific term,” Brock wrote.

This almost certainly means that the council will cut ties with Drumm, and may make it official as early as Monday’s meeting. Even without the majority decision by the council, Brock pointed out Drumm was required to to notify the council 180 days before the expiration of his contract — or just before Thanksgiving last year. She had no evidence that was done.

In recent meetings, three council members — Lance Smith, Ken Burgess and Charles Proctor — said they would not support retaining Drumm. Kenneth Compton and Wilkeson wanted to explore options further before making a final decision, and pushed for the third opinion.

Outlet mall property will be built in seven phases

By

Five months after working out its differences with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Simon Property Group and its development partners have submitted preliminary plans for the long-awaited Cypress Creek Town Center Premium Outlets Mall to Pasco County officials.

The developers — JG Cypress Creek LLC and Tampa Premium Outlets LLC — are planning to build the property in seven phases, the first one engulfing the largest chunk of the 57 acres off Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56. It’s on the western-most portion of the property, just off Interstate 75.

The outlet mall itself will be comprised of nine buildings with 482,000 square feet of retail, and nearly 2,400 parking spaces.

The total project is expected to offer 1.1 million square feet of retail.

The project got back on track after years of delay last November, located just north of the Hillsborough County line.

“We are very excited to be moving forward on this project, and are commencing meetings with the county to determine approvals and a schedule,” Danielle DeVita, senior vice president for development and acquisition at Simon, said in a statement five months ago.

The east indigo snake almost killed the deal, with the Sierra Club claiming the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers improperly examined the project’s impacts to wetlands and waterways.

After an agreement was reached with the government agency, Simon officials said the mall could open as early as the end of this year. However, County Administrator Michele Baker later put that timeframe somewhere around the summer of 2015.

Burgess invites Tampa mayor to rediscover Wesley Chapel

By

Danny Burgess has just a few more days as mayor of Zephyrhills before he goes full-time into a state House campaign. But before he goes, he has a message for Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn: Wesley Chapel is no longer a “bedroom community.”

Burgess and Republican challenger Minnie Diaz were the featured speakers at a forum hosted by the Wesley Chapel Republican Club Thursday night. Neither were happy to hear reports from some of the group’s members that Buckhorn referred to Central Pasco County as a place where Tampa workers went to rest their heads at night.

“I have a lot of respect for the mayor of Tampa, but we are absolutely not a bedroom community, and I would like to invite him here in the coming years to spend some time in Wesley Chapel and see then if he still believes we are a bedroom community,” Burgess said. “He would be surprised to know that there is so much good going on here, and you can read about it every day in the paper.”

Although Wesley Chapel is growing with business and jobs, it is still clear that many people who live in Pasco County travel to Hillsborough County to work each day. U.S. Census figures from last year put that number at 49 percent of the county’s population heading to Tampa and the surrounding area every work day. At the same time, however, 21 percent of Pasco’s work force comes from places like Hillsborough and Hernando counties.

Yet, a lot of why leaders and even businesses in Hillsborough might look down on Pasco could be psychological, Diaz said.

“It’s like the rivalry among three kids,” she said, referring to Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. “Pasco, being the youngest, was always dictated to by the older and bigger Hillsborough and Pinellas. That has an effect on the culture and the people, but we’re rising up and saying we’re not going to take this anymore.”

Hillsborough and Pinellas leaders have to use terms to minimize Pasco because they don’t want to see Pasco rise up, Diaz said.

“They are trying to hinder us in one way or another, through words or actions, for us to remain and put us in our place as Pasco County,” she said.

Buckhorn’s office was reached late Thursday after-hours for comment, which is still pending Friday morning.   

To read more about the first forum involving the two Republicans seeking to replace Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, in Tallahassee, read the April 16 edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

Big Storm offers big brew as beer operations ferment

By

It all started simple enough.

Mike Bishop and Clay Yarn wanted to escape their stuffy office jobs, so they leased some industrial space in Odessa with the hopes of brewing a little bit of beer, and sharing it with anyone who happened to discover their operation.

Mike Bishop, co-founder and head brewer at Big Storm Brewing Co., displays some of the tanks used in producing four different brews of Big Storm beer from his Odessa location. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Mike Bishop, co-founder and head brewer at Big Storm Brewing Co., displays some of the tanks used in producing four different brews of Big Storm beer from his Odessa location.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Instead, a 200-barrel operation exploded into a 5,000-barrel one in the span of two short years. And it might not be long before Big Storm Brewing Co. hits the 100,000-barrel mark.

“I never thought when we started that we would ever need anything more than this little shop,” said Bishop, who lives in Land O’ Lakes. “We just thought we would make boutique beers, and make enough to pay the bills and give us a little money on the side. But that was not our destiny. People just wanted our beers.”

In a short time, Big Storm grew from two employees to 16. Once they find bigger quarters somewhere in central Pasco County — they are looking for up to 50,000 square feet — they could grow 50 to 75 employees.

Big Storm already is available in many bars around the state, recently expanding into South Florida where brews like Wavemaker Amber Ale, Palmbender Pale Ale and Arcus IPA are sold as drafts. This week, Big Storm becomes available for the first time in Orlando.

Big Storm doesn’t necessarily compete with big names in beer like Budweiser or Coors, but instead with other craft beers — many brewed in Florida — looking to get a foothold on the market.

“None of them want to admit that we’re competing against each other, and they talk about our craft beer community and how tight it is,” Bishop said. “Nobody wants to talk about the dirty word of competition, but we put people on the street and we believe in relationships. Otherwise, we keep our heads down and focus on our product, and let the consumer decide.”

Bishop also listens to what customers have to say, especially those who come right into the brewery. Big Storm has a taproom open every evening where anyone who can find it off State Road 54 can stop in and drink a mug or two, or maybe three.

Many of those customers come in through a bay door, and sit literally feet away from large brewing tanks that make the very product they’re sipping.

“We are an approachable, friendly brewery, and we’re happy that locals come up here and have a pretty good time,” Bishop said. “It’s a cool hangout in the middle of an industrial park right inside a garage.”

Unlike many bars, the taproom is designed to be social. There are no televisions, and the music is just low enough to keep conversations flowing.

Beyond needing larger space and more employees, Bishop has a lot to focus on, including plans to start putting Big Storm in cans to sell in stores.

It’s not exactly what he had envisioned just two years ago when the doors to Big Storm Brewing Co. first opened, but that’s perfectly fine with Bishop.

“I don’t have much time anymore to be excited, but I am very fortunate,” he said. “I’ve made a profession that I have a passion for and that I enjoy. And I’m proud that I have employees that feel the exact same way.”

The taproom is open at 4 p.m. on weekdays, 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 1 p.m. on Sundays.  The brewery is located at 2438 Merchant Ave., in Odessa.

To learn more, visit BigStormBrewery.com.

Published April 9, 2014

Political Agenda 04-09-14

By

Mike Wells Jr.
Mike Wells Jr.

Wells challenges Wilson for commission seat
Mike Wells Jr. has a name that is quite familiar to Pasco County residents, thanks to his father, longtime property appraiser Mike Wells Sr.

And now the younger Wells wants to make a name of his own by challenging Pasco County Commissioner Henry Wilson in the Republican primary. In making the announcement, Wells doesn’t share a lot about his platform, except that he knows being a commissioner “demands hard work as well as leadership skills attuned to citizens’ needs.”

“With the blessing of my family and friends, I am committing myself to do all that is necessary to run a positive and informative campaign,” Wells said, in a release. “For most of my life, I have seen government at work. I am now ready to participate in the democratic process by doing what it takes to earn the job of representing the citizens of District 4.”

Wells will have to start by raising money, and lots of it. Wilson, who was first elected in 2010, already has a running start with more than $17,000 raised and at least $16,000 in the bank, according to election records, through the end of February. Wilson’s biggest month was in January when he hauled in $8,735, at least half of it coming from builders and developers.

Wells’ father served on the county commission himself in the 1980s, and was elected the county’s property appraiser in 1996. The younger Wells said he’s been active in political campaigns since he was 12, and has worked in both sales and management for Enterprise Rent-A-Car for 17 years.

Primary elections are set for Aug. 26.

Health care group supports Ross
Healthcare Leadership Council has named U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, a “Champion of Health Care Innovation.”

The advocacy group is a collection of chief executives from various companies in the health care field. It said Ross was dedicated to new developments in health care technologies, treatments and practices.

“Innovation is a necessity, not an option, in addressing the challenges facing our health care system,” said HLC president Mary Grealy, in a release. “We applaud Rep. Ross’ leadership, dedication and vision in advancing the quality and cost-effectiveness of American health care.”

Ross is set to face Democrat Alan Cohn in the November general election.

Poll workers needed for August, November elections
Energetic? Service-oriented? Then the Pasco County supervisor of elections may be looking for you.

Poll workers are needed for both the primary election Aug. 26 and the general election Nov. 4. Positions are paid, but potential candidates will need to be able to stand, bend, stoop, lift approximately 30 pounds, and have normal vision and manual and physical dexterity.

Applicants also need to write and read English, have an email address, and be able to work the entire day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All positions receive mandatory paid training the month preceding both the primary and general elections.

For information, call (800) 851-8754, or visit PascoVotes.com.

Ross wants to curb federal unions
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, is once again going after federal employees who spend work time conducting union business, asking the Personnel Management director in Washington for a report on such practices.

“Since taxpayers pay the salary of all federal employee, they have a right to know how much of their money is used for conducting union business while on the clock,” Ross said in a release. “We are more than $17 trillion in debt. I believe in fair representation. However, we must ensure that we are spending the people’s hard-earned money wisely.”

Federal employees spent roughly 3.4 million hours doing union work in 2012, according to Ross. Those lost hours cost $155 million.

Groups like the National Federation of Federal Employees disagree, however. They say that federal unions exist solely to “address crucial workplace issues and defend employees from adverse actions.”

If such meetings were moved to nights or weekends, it would still require managers and such, who would then have to be paid for additional time.

Ross is so far facing Democrat Alan Cohn.

Burgess, Diaz to speak at Republican club
Republican Florida House candidates Danny Burgess and Minnie Diaz are set to speak at the Wesley Chapel Republican Club April 10 beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Hyundai, 27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd.

For information, email Mike Moore at .

U.S. Chamber endorses Ross
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce officially endorsed U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, and thanked him for his support of free enterprise and job creation.

“Too many of our neighbors are still unemployed and left suffering by our stagnant economy,” Ross said in a release. “I’m committed to continuing the fight to get the federal government out of the way of business owners so they can create jobs and we can unleash the power of the American economy.”

Ross is set to face Democratic challenger Alan Cohn in November.

Business Digest 04-09-14

By

Animal hospital, gym set to move
Wesley Chapel continues to grow along the State Road 56 corridor between Interstate 75 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, with members of the Pasco County Development Review Committee set to give its blessing this week on a 22,600-square-foot shopping center.

Tentatively known as the Dr. Reddy Commerce Center, it will be located at 27029 State Road 566, east of Mansfield Boulevard. The center is slated to become home to an animal hospital, a martial arts center, and the new home for CrossFit 14, which right now is located just down the road at 27233 State Road 56.

The commerce center will be two buildings located on just under 3 acres of land purchased by Sree Reddy DMV PA last June for $795,000. Dr. Sree Reddy runs Seven Oaks Pet Hospital, also located just blocks away.

Reddy’s animal hospital is only expected to take up 4,500 square feet, while CrossFit 14 will need more than 12,000, according to documents filed with Pasco County.

The development review committee is set to make a final decision on the preliminary site plan when it meets April 10.

Housing recovery proven by Connerton success
Connerton is trumpeting evidence of a housing recovery in Florida after selling 70 new homes in the past year, and projecting to do 120 more in 2014.

The reason for its success has come from moves its developer, Hayman Woods, did during the housing crisis, according to a release. And it started with protecting the investments of the 300 families already living there, while at the same time preparing for new buyers.

Among the things the Dallas-based developer did was:
• Pay subsidies to the homeowners association, which allowed club amenities to continue to operate at a high level throughout the downturn.

• Made what it called a substantial investment in the community development district to make sure landscaping, security and infrastructure were maintained.

• Provided incentives to bring quality homebuilders into the community and restart construction in early 2013. Those companies include Ryland Homes, M/I Homes, Taylor Morrison, and Homes by WestBay. There are six furnished models available from these builders.

Houses at Connerton are priced between $192,000 and $525,000. The community is located at U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, and features two miles of nature trails, a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse and miles of winding roads and walkways.

PHSC hosts manufacturing jobs events
Pasco-Hernando State College and Career Source will host two manufacturing events, which includes opportunities for on-the-job training programs.

The first event takes place April 9 at Alumi-Guard, 2401 Corporate Blvd., in Brooksville, beginning at 8 a.m. The second takes place April 16, also at 8 a.m., at the SmartStart Dade City Incubator, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103, in Dade City.

For information, email Margie Burnham at , or call (727) 816-3227.

Lawn Doctor opens in Lutz
Jonathan Player and Rodney McClain are the newest franchise owners of Lawn Doctor, opening their business for the North Tampa-Lutz area as well as Northeast Tampa area.

The two, according to a release, plan to continue expanding their business to all the open areas of the region, heading south toward Bradenton.

Lawn Doctor is a lawn care company founded in 1967 that works through more than 450 franchises across the country.

For information, call (813) 433-1222, or visit LawnDoctorNorthTampa-Lutz.com.

Women-n-Charge meet in May
The next meeting for Women-n-Charge takes place May 2 beginning at 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The meeting includes lunch, speaker Kelly Mothershead from A Focus on Fitness, and time to network.

Cost is $15 for members, and $18 for guests and those who don’t pre-register by April 29.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or visit Women-n-Charge.com.

Seminars to provide info on trusts
Two free seminars will take place in April discussing trusts and how the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 will affect it.

The first seminar takes place April 22 beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Independent Financial Services, 20635 Amberfield Drive, Suite 102, in Land O’ Lakes. The second will take place April 24 at 5:30 p.m., at First National Bank of Pasco, 13315 U.S. 301, Dade City.

To register in advance, call (813) 908-2701.

Black wins in landslide while DeWitt, Wilkeson ousted

By

Being a woman in politics was not easy in East Pasco County Tuesday night.

It was man against woman in races in Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills, and in each case, every woman — including two incumbents — lost.

Scott Black easily retained his city commission seat against challenger Angelica Herrera in Dade City, according to unofficial results from the Pasco County elections office. He won 570 votes — a little more than 80 percent — to make easy work of Herrera.

Black out-raised Herrera more than 3-to-1 leading up to Tuesday’s election, and was forced to defend his record on a variety of issues, including the expansion of a sewage treatment plant into a residential neighborhood.

The vote was much, much closer in St. Leo, where longtime commissioner Donna DeWitt lost her seat to Lake Jovita resident Raphael “Ray” Davis by just four votes — 59-55. However, Davis’ overall win was by 3.5 percent, as residents in part of Lake Jovita inside the town’s limits create more assurances they can separate from St. Leo if a bill in Tallahassee doesn’t go through.

DeWitt, who has served on the town commission since 1997, chose not to do any fundraising in her re-election bid.

In Zephyrhills, Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson lost her seat to former Zephyrhills High School principal Alan Knight. Although the fundraising between the two was neck-and-neck throughout the short race, Knight’s victory was not as close, winning 57 percent of the vote, or 481 ballots cast in his favor.

Election results won’t be finalized until Thursday, according to a spokeswoman with elections supervisor Brian Corley’s office.

St. Leo secession may save Lake Jovita residents $600 annually

By

As voters look to insert yet another Lake Jovita resident onto the St. Leo town commission, analysis of a bill in Tallahassee that would effectively break away the community completely from the town says homeowners leaving the jurisdiction could see an annual tax savings of $600.

The report was prepared just after H.B. 1401 — which would shrink St. Leo’s boundaries — passed the state House’s Local & Federal Affairs Committee unanimously.

If the contraction were to move forward, St. Leo’s population would drop from 1,369 to 1,173, the report said. The town itself would lose $50,000 each year, or 15 percent of its total revenue, and would reduce the number of rooftops by 85.

Even with the town shrinking, it will still be much larger than it was just 14 years ago when the town had just under 600 residents. That changed soon after nearby Saint Leo University upgraded from college status, allowing it to expand its population and bring more people into the town.

Lake Jovita, a planned 871-home development, also broke ground around the same time, with a small chunk of the development ending up inside the town boundaries of St. Leo.

Passage of the bill is essential to the survival of St. Leo, some town leaders say. Otherwise, Lake Jovita residents will continue making their way to the commission in an effort to dissolve the 123-year-old town.

State Rep. Amanda Murphy, D-New Port Richey, filed the bill last month, and it’s quickly made its way through committee, now on its last stop with the State Affairs Committee, where State Rep. Jim Grant, R-Tampa, is vice chair.

Lake Jovita resident Raphael “Ray” Davis has challenged longtime commissioner Donna DeWitt for her seat at St. Leo town hall. That election will be decided tonight. Bookmark LakerLutzNews.com for results.

Pilot, plane heading to Zephyrhills missing

By

The Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is searching for a pilot and his plane who left for the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport Saturday, but never made it there.

Fellow flyers are looking for Ted Weiss, who took off in this Sonex plane from Marion County on Saturday, but never made it to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. (Photo courtesy of Civil Air Patrol)
Fellow flyers are looking for Ted Weiss, who took off in this Sonex plane from Marion County on Saturday, but never made it to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. (Photo courtesy of Civil Air Patrol)

Theodore Weiss took off in his Sonex homebuilt airplane Saturday morning from the Marion County Airport in Dunellon, and was supposed to arrive in Zephyrhills that afternoon. However, he never arrived, according to Maj. Joseph Tomasone with the Civil Air Patrol.

The organization, a civilian auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force based in Lakeland, conducted air searches on Monday, and are continuing with both air and ground searches today. It is unclear if anyone else was on board with Weiss when he took off over the weekend.

The plane is described as white with green and black stripes. It’s a fixed-wing, single-engine plane with two seats, according to aviation tracking site FlightAware, and was purchased by Weiss in February 2012. It was originally owned by a Georgia man in 2006, and changed hands a couple times before ending up with Weiss.

Sonex planes are self-build kit planes manufactured out of Oshkosh, Wis. The planes themselves have a range of between 400 and 550 miles depending on the engine used, according to the Sonex Aircraft website. They can fly between 16,000 and 23,000 feet.

Weiss was based out of the Zephyrhills airport, according to a news posting last year from the Florida Sonex Association. Club founder Mike January said in the early 2013 story that Weiss was working on some “tweaks” to his plane, and that it was “obvious that Ted Weiss has the knowledge and means to do it right when it comes to aircraft as he has completed many projects in the past.”

Weiss was reportedly in Dunnellon for the association’s Spring Sonex Fest, an informal gathering of area Sonex pilots.

Anyone with information is asked to contact their local sheriff’s office. The non-emergency number for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is (727) 844-7711.

Mail-in votes racking up for municipal elections

By

In less than 24 hours, polls will open in Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills to decide three local government races. And it’s not clear if any last-minute campaigning by any of the candidates may matter.

Mail-in ballots already represent an average 7 percent turnout in all three municipalities. St. Leo is leading all the cities and towns in Pasco County with a 17 percent turnout by mail so far with 50 of a possible 286 votes already registered as of late Sunday, according to the Pasco County elections office.

Zephyrhills, where Alan Knight is challenging Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson, nearly 540 votes have already been mailed in, more than half the total of ballots cast in the 2013 election, where Kenneth Compton and Lance Smith retained their seats.

Dade City has had 240 ballots cast leading up to the final days before the election between Scott Black and Angelica Herrera, a little less than half of the total turnout the last time Dade City had an election in 2012 when Jim Shive and Bill Dennis were victors.

St. Leo, however, still has a long way to go. Unlike Dade City and Zephyrhills, where turnout is well below 20 percent, the most recent elections in 2013 represented a 51 percent turnout, with 157 of a possible 305 ballots cast. Donna DeWitt, however, will need to hope most of those are cast for hers as she caught in a race with Lake Jovita-supporter Raphael Davis.

Black, by far, has raised more money than any other municipal candidate in the county, with just under $10,000 through April 3. He’s out-raised Herrera more than 3-to-1, but has only slightly outspent her. Between March 22 and April 3, Black has raised just over $2,000. However, half of that has come from state Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and marks the only contributions for Black this reporting cycle that came from outside Dade City.

Herrera raised $462.50 during the same time period, bringing her entire campaign war chest to just under $3,100. Herrera provided $100 of that herself, with another $100 coming from Saint Leo University president Arthur Kirk.

Fundraising in Zephyrhills remains neck-and-neck, with Wilkeson holding a slight $275 edge over Knight. Wilkeson raised $325 in the most recent reporting cycle, while Knight finished with $500. However, $200 of Wilkeson’s total came not only outside Zephyrhills, but outside Florida, while Knight picked up $150 from the Ferman family, and a $250 check from a Tallahassee political action committee representing firefighters.

DeWitt has maintained her position that she won’t do any fundraising for her seat, and will use her history and name-power to battle the $695 raised by Davis. His most recent donation came from a $100 cash donation made by Bill Brown of Dade City.

Polls open Tuesday.