The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Michael Hinman

Political Agenda 03-19-14

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Zephyrhills council race off to fast start
Alan Knight isn’t wasting time with his efforts to unseat Zephyrhills City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson.

Both Knight and Wilkeson are neck-and-neck in campaign fundraising for the seat Wilkeson has held since 2008, each pulling in around $2,000.

Knight raised half of that in just a single week in March thanks to a $500 check from the Pasco County Council of Firefighters, and smaller donations from Zephyrhills residents, including former longtime city councilwoman Liz Geiger.

During that same first week in March, Wilkeson raised $675, including $250 from Ryman Construction, and another $250 from Lani Rossman, a retired nonprofit executive living in Nashville, Tenn.

Both candidates received $100 donations from current councilman Charles Proctor.

With just weeks before the April 8 election, Wilkeson has raised $2,075 while Knight is just a short distance behind with $2,000. Through March 7, Wilkeson has more cash on hand with about $1,000, while Knight has just over $700.

Ballots heading to Pasco homes
Vote-by-mail ballots for the April 8 election are on their way to homes for those who live within the city limits of Dade City, St. Leo, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

To be counted, vote-by-mail ballots must be returned to the election office by mail or hand delivery by 7 p.m. on election day. Mail ballots also can be returned to city halls, but cannot be turned in at the polls.

Those who would like to vote in person before election day can visit their city hall.

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

Political landscape around elevated road leaning negative
Two more candidates seeking to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission have spoken out against the elevated toll road.

Ken Littlefield, a former state representative seeking the Republican nomination for the seat, told a debate audience earlier this month that he was waiting to get more information before deciding whether he would support the project proposed along a 33-mile stretch between U.S. 301 and U.S. 19 on the State Road 54/56 corridor.

However, during a town hall meeting hosted by Commissioner Kathryn Starkey last week, Littlefield announced publicly he was against the toll road.

“If there is one thing I detest, it’s an unsolicited call,” Littlefield said. “I will hang up. Ladies and gentlemen, what I think we need to do on this unsolicited bid is hang up.”

The next day, the lone Democrat seeking the seat so far — Erika Remsberg — said in a comment on LakerLutzNews.com that she was against the proposal as well.

“I opposed a state roadway being a system in which those able to pay more have a ‘fast pass’ option like an amusement park,” Remsberg wrote. “This will impact those of us living and running businesses along (State Road) 54 negatively. I do not support this proposal.”

Bob Robertson, who also is seeking the Republican nod, spoke out against the elevated toll road during a debate earlier this month, while his opponent Mike Moore has yet to take a public position.

Littlefield yet to raise any outside money
Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield jumped into the Pasco County Commission race to replace Pat Mulieri long after his two primary opponents, Mike Moore and Bob Robertson, but he has a long way to go if he wants to catch up to their fundraising.

In his first full month running for office, Littlefield has not received a single donation, according to his campaign finance filings. He’s been working with $1,000, but that’s money he loaned his campaign.

Moore added another $1,650 to his coffers, and despite February being his slowest fundraising month yet, the Wesley Chapel entrepreneur has now raised more than $44,000 since last summer.  All but $200 of his donations came from Pasco County.

Robertson pulled in another $600 in February, bringing his total to $10,600. Only one of the donations, for $100, was from someone within his district. The rest came from a water manager in Orlando and an information technologies specialist in Winter Park.

Erika Remberg, the lone Democrat seeking Mulieri’s seat, raised just over $450 over the past few weeks. A little more than $160 was what Remberg herself gave to her campaign, but the rest did come from Pasco County residents.

The Republican primary for the seat is set for Aug. 26, with the general election wrapping up Nov. 4.

Business Digest 03-19-14

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Townhouses coming to Meadow Pointe
Lennar’s Central Florida Division will start construction of 62 townhouses at Meadow Pointe, located off Meadow Pointe Boulevard just north of New Tampa.

The townhouses will range from 1,600 to 1,800 square feet, with two models set to start construction by the end of March.

Each townhouse will come with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and more. Prices will start above $150,000.

For information, visit LennarTampa.com.

Avalon Park West welcomes new marketing coordinator
Kristin Muslin is the new marketing and event coordinator for Avalon Park West, the community under development on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Muslin has more than five years experience in marketing and event planning, and previously oversaw marketing for a franchise with several locations in St. Petersburg. She has organized and hosted events, including fundraisers for the American Heart and Stroke Association and Disabled American Veterans.

Muslin also has a career background in promotions for restaurants in Newport News, Va., and Stuttgart, Germany.

New doctor, renovations at Coast Dental
Renovations are now complete at Coast Dental Wesley Chapel, which brings digital X-rays, a refreshed reception area, and patient comfort-oriented treatment rooms to its 5348 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., location.

With the renovations comes a new oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Melissa Amundson. She joins a team that already includes Dr. Diaa Ghabbour, Dr. Dale Nash and Dr. Mayuri Patel.

For information on Coast Dental, visit CoastDental.com, or call (813) 973-1837.

Lutz sales manager joins GulfShore Bank
Mary Moore of Lutz has joined GulfShore Bank as a treasury sales manager.

The hiring of Moore and mortgage banker Megan Martinez is designed to help the Tampa bank continue its growth, building on the $7 million in growth capital it pulled together last year.

As a treasury management executive for nearly 30 years, Moore now leverages her knowledge and expertise to provide treasury management services to business prospects and current clients at GulfShore. She also uses her skills in educating people about account safety, security and improving cash flow efficiency by participating in new product development, service enhancement and pricing.

GulfShore Bank was chartered in August 2007, and operates two locations in downtown Tampa and on South MacDill Avenue.

For information, visit GulfShoreBank.com.

Diane Smith retires from tax collector’s office
Tax manager Diane Smith ended 30 years working at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office recently with her retirement.

“Everyone who knows and worked with Diane will agree that the efficiency of the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office owes much to Diane’s contributions over the years,” county tax collector Mike Fasano said in a release.

March events at Dade City Chamber
March is a busy month for the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, with these upcoming events:

• Grand Opening/Ribbon-Cutting: Computers Etc. training division, March 24 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 308, at the Dade City Business Center.

• Grand Opening/Ribbon-Cutting: Apollo Group/Apollo Clinic, March 27 from noon to 2 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 321, at the Dade City Business Center.

• Chamber Mixer: Sponsored by CenterState Bank, 14045 Seventh St., Dade City.

For information, or to RSVP, call Jo Uber at (352) 567-3769, or email .

SmartStart gets new member
Computers Etc., an information technology company providing complete IT management, support and training, has joined the SmartStart Dade City incubator.

As an offsite member, Computers Etc. has around-the-clock access to the facility, which includes free WiFi, parking, co-working space, a post office box, and meeting rooms.

In addition, Computers Etc. will receive one-on-one mentoring and get assistance from SmartStart’s intern from Saint Leo University’s master of business administration program.

The SmartStart Dade City incubator is the first of its kind in Pasco County, giving companies the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with other small businesses, gain access to technical support, and network with other business leaders and community partners.

SmartStart is located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City. For information, visit SmartStartPasco.com.

SmartStart open house
The SmartStart Business Incubator at Dade City Business Center will host an open house April 4 from noon to 3 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

Managed by the Pasco Economic Development Council, SmartStart encourages a business environment where companies work collaboratively with other small businesses. That includes round-the-clock access to office space, co-working space, conference rooms, seminars and more.

There are now five companies taking residence at SmartStart, with a second incubator planned for New Port Richey.

For information on SmartStart, visit SmartStartPasco.com. To RSVP, email Krista Covey at .

 

GOP commission candidates debate policy for first time

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He served eight years in the Florida House, a few weeks on the state’s Public Service Commission, and some additional time working in Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration.

Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield talks with some potential voters just before the recent county commission debate by the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity last week. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield talks with some potential voters just before the recent county commission debate by the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity last week.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

So why would Ken Littlefield, who is approaching his 70th birthday, want to try once again to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission?

“Short answer: I like making the rules,” the former state representative said. “That is what a county commissioner does. They set policy. If you have good policy, you have good law. It all starts with policy, and policy is making the rules.”

Littlefield shared that during the first debate among Republican candidates looking to represent their party in the November elections for Mulieri’s District 2 seat. But if Littlefield wants even a decent shot at making rules again, he has a lot of ground to make up because Mike Moore is winning the money and endorsement game, and that might be all he needs to move on past the August primary.

“I am the person I would elect for this job,” Moore told members of the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club during a debate last week in Trinity. “We’re going to have a committee formed in Pasco County that is going to be business individuals and community leaders to help me and help the rest of the community recruit businesses here. You’ve seen Gov. Scott doing it, and (Texas) Gov. (Rick) Perry doing it. Now it’s Pasco’s turn to pull those jobs into the state.”

The debate was the first time Littlefield, Moore, and Zephyrhills financial analyst Bob Robertson had a chance to not only present their case to Republicans, but also explain what distinctly qualifies them to lead the party’s ticket for Mulieri’s seat. Robertson said his decision to run came from his wife Cindy, and a little divine intervention.

“It was frankly something Cindy and I have been praying about, and praying about often,” Robertson said. “My objective in deciding to run is, frankly, to bring glory to my God in the process.”

All three know serving on the county commission is not the easiest job. Controversy pokes its head up more often than many might prefer — everything from gas taxes to elevated toll roads — and it’s not easy to stay on many voters’ Christmas card list.

But Moore, who has outraised Robertson more than four-to-one through the end of January, says his key to solid leadership on the commission involves using his ears.

“It’s not about me, it’s about all of us,” he said. “It’s about listening to your constituents and talking to your constituents. I think you have to come together more and listen more to the people. Some of the commissioners do a great job of that, and some don’t.”

Robertson agreed, and took it a step further. While candidates are typically asked about the controversies of today, it’s the debates that haven’t even been considered yet voters need to think about when going to the polls.

“We are talking about hiring someone for a four-year commitment, and is going to be making decisions on your behalf on issues that haven’t seen the light of day yet,” Robertson said. “You need to elect someone to serve in this position who you believe is going to best look out for your interests.”

Moore, who founded and later sold CareFirst Home Care, said he wants to take a business approach to how the county is run. Littlefield, however, said that’s the last thing a county commissioner should do.

“What I am really concerned about is that the county government does not become a business, because when government becomes a business, we have real problems,” he said. “That is what we’ve seen over the years, government gets bigger and bigger and bigger. In Pasco County, the government is the biggest business there is. And if we are going to be fiscally conservative and say we want less government, then this business that we call government is going to have to get smaller and smaller and smaller.”

Some of that big government has likely moved forward more residential and commercial development than the county is ready for, Littlefield said.

“I can’t tell you to put the toothpaste back in the tube,” he said. “There is probably nothing we can do there. But we can be vigilant with new permits to be let out.”

Moore, however, said developers should be left alone.

“If these people have invested their hard-earned money to build developments, and people are going to live there and buy those homes, I don’t see anything that’s wrong with that,” he said. Moore has acknowledged collecting sizeable donations from developers and builders — more than $13,000 to date — but said that won’t influence his decisions.

Robertson, however, said he’s not interested in receiving a single dollar from developers.

“People I know have contributed to my campaign because they believe in me and believe in what I stand for,” Robertson said. “If I accept money from people who are doing business with our county … I want to be able to make a decision for you, not for the people who have contributed to my campaign.”

Littlefield said he took that same approach when he unsuccessfully ran against Mulieri four years ago, and he won’t be doing it again.

“I can declare to you it did not work for me, and today I will take money from anybody who wants to give it to me,” Littlefield said.

To read more about the debate, especially the candidates’ position on the proposed elevated toll road for the State Road 54/56 corridor, check out our website at tinyurl.com/PascoDebate.

Published March 12, 2014

Florida Medical Clinic preparing new facility for Wesley Chapel

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An area Pasco County planners hoped would become an expansive medical park has moved a big step in that direction as Florida Medical Clinic prepares to start construction on an 85,000-square-foot facility near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

Florida Medical Clinic’s Wesley Chapel location will be a three-story building with 85,000 square feet, and will be the group’s third-largest facility behind Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes. It’s expected to open next summer. (Courtesy of Florida Medical Clinic)
Florida Medical Clinic’s Wesley Chapel location will be a three-story building with 85,000 square feet, and will be the group’s third-largest facility behind Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes. It’s expected to open next summer.
(Courtesy of Florida Medical Clinic)

The new three-story building will offer a variety of medical services, the kind of one-stop shopping Florida Medical Clinic is known for in other parts of Pasco and Hillsborough counties. But this particular facility will have an extra emphasis on orthopedic care.

“We don’t have an orthopedic presence in Wesley Chapel right now,” said Gus Taylor, Florida Medical Clinic’s chief administrative officer. “We have some in Zephyrhills and Tampa, and some in the Carrollwood area, but this will help us bring all this to Wesley Chapel.”

The Wesley Chapel location will be built at 2352 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just north of State Road 56 and the Wesley Chapel hospital. Florida Medical Clinic bought a little more than 10 acres of land there last October for $4 million, according to Pasco County property records. It was part of land owned by the Wiregrass Ranch development group since 1987.

This is the third major location Florida Medical Clinic has built in the past five years, beginning with its second-largest facility on State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes opened in 2009, and its new Carrollwood facility in a building that once housed a Borders book store on North Dale Mabry Highway, that opened last year.

And 2013 was a busy year for Florida Medical Clinic as the company focused a bit on Zephyrhills. It expanded its main campus at Market Square to open a new urgent care facility, and built a 12,000-square-foot office on Eiland Boulevard it shares with DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc.

Putting doctors of various specialties under a single roof has been a successful formula for Florida Medical Clinic in Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and Carrollwood, and Taylor says he expects more success with the new Wesley Chapel facility.

“We have a lot of physicians in the Seven Oaks area that are in independent buildings,” he said. “This helps us provide more services for our patients. It’s extremely convenient when you can go to one location and see all of your doctors and primary doctors.”

And its proximity to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will provide even more benefits, similar to what happens at its main campus, located just blocks from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Deciding when and where to build and consolidate is an organic process for Florida Medical Clinic, usually based on the number of doctors and specialists the company has partnered with, and where they are located. The Wesley Chapel facility might be the last one for a little while, at least.

“Currently, we don’t have that in any other locations in mind,” Taylor said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t put another building out there somewhere in the near future to create the same presence in that area, as we’re getting in some of our current ones.”

Florida Medical Clinic is still working on permits for its Wesley Chapel location as well as design, but the goal is to have the facility open by Summer 2015.

“It’s a great location,” Taylor said. “We all know the Wesley Chapel area is growing, and there are a lot of new neighborhoods and a lot of new businesses coming up there. With the new hospital there, this has become a great location for our patients.”

Published March 12, 2014

Political Agenda 03-12-14

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Wilson more than doubles campaign war chest
Pasco County Commissioner Henry Wilson has yet to draw a challenger for his seat, but it looks like he’ll be ready just in case.

Wilson raised $8,735 in January, more than the previous five months — with a haul of $5,750 — combined.

His biggest donors came from the Farrell companies — Farrell Rescue, Farrell Home Services, Farrell Roofing and Farrell Outdoors — in Port Richey, writing checks for $2,500.

Wilson has spent just $500 since July, and has a $14,000 head start over any potential opponents.

Moore gets conservative women endorsement
The West Florida Women’s Conservative Republican Network has endorsed Mike Moore for Pasco County Commissioner.

Moore is facing Ken Littlefield and Bob Robertson in the Republican primary for the seat currently held by the retiring Pat Mulieri.

“We know that Mike is a true public servant who, as a Pasco County commissioner, will be a constant, reliable advocate serving citizens of his district as well as Pasco County and the state of Florida,” said Ellouise Emke, president of the network, in a release.

Moore also has endorsements from Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, and State Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, among others.

Pasco looks to streamline voter registration
Elections are just around the corner, and Pasco County is working to bring as many voters to the polls as possible.

For what both are calling the first time in county history, the supervisor of elections and the tax collector’s office are working together to implement the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 — better known as the Motor Voter law — with joint training on how to get people registered to vote.

Federal law requires offices that provide driver’s license services to also offer opportunities for voter registration. Once a potential voter completes the paperwork at the tax collector’s office, the information is then routed through Florida’s Department of State, and finally to the supervisor of elections office in the appropriate county.

The tax collector’s and elections supervisor’s offices held a series of joint classes, updating on what’s required of each, and how they can streamline the process. Customer service representatives also were trained on the proper way of handling voter registration requests.

The deadline has passed to register to vote for upcoming municipal elections. However, there is still time to register for later elections this year. Deadlines are July 28 for the August primaries, and Oct. 6 for the general November election.

To get more information, visit PascoVotes.com.

Wells, Pilon endorse Burgess
State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, and Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells, have endorsed Danny Burgess’ bid to replace Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, in Tallahassee.

Pilon was first elected in 2010, and is a retired law enforcement officer.

Burgess is in a primary against Minerva Diaz that will be decided in August. The winner will face Beverly Anne Ledbetter, or the winner of a Democratic primary if one is needed, in November.

Wells was first elected to his position in 1984, the same year Ronald Reagan won his second term in office.

Business Digest 03-12-14

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Red Hydrant joins Dog Gurus
Red Hydrant Pet Spa, Boutique and Doggie Day Care has joined The Dog Gurus community, offering ongoing education and tools for professional pet care centers for off-leash play.

The Gurus’ goal is to keep dogs and staff safe while dogs are off-leash, looking at more than just whether a dog is getting exhausted.

“We are proud of our focus on safety in our off-leash dog play program, and felt membership with The Dog Gurus would allow us to share in the best practices available to the industry,” said Martin Ellis, owner of Red Hydrant, in a release.

Red Hydrant is located at 21780 State Road 54 in Lutz, and can be found online at TheRedHydrant.com.

Corporation filing fees could drop
A new bill from State Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, would reduce the annual fees small businesses pay to the state.

S.B. 776 would reduce annual filing fees with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations by $25 for corporations and limited partnerships, Simpson said in his regular newsletter. It also would break down late fees into a tiered system beginning with a $125 penalty for business filings made after May 1, gradually increasing to $400 after July 31.

Currently, anyone filing after May 1 would incur a $400 penalty.

The bill also would create a flat fee for corporate document filings from a range of $35 to $87.50, instead to $25.

Simpson’s bill has made it through its first committee, and is still working its way to the Senate floor in Tallahassee.

Community Business Expo March 14-15
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host its 2014 Community Business Expo March 14 and March 15 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

The event runs from 4 p.m. to 7 pm., March 14, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on March 15, with the theme “The Price is Right – Shop Local.”

Sponsorships and booth space remain available, but are limited.

For more information, visit CentralPascoChamber.com, or call (813) 909-2722.

Williams Automotive buys Tampa Honda Land
Williams Automotive Group, the owner of Wesley Chapel Toyota and Wesley Chapel Honda, completed its purchase last week of Tampa Honda Land. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The dealership at 11000 N. Florida Ave., was owned by the Scott-McRae Group of Jacksonville, and will be renamed Tampa Honda.

“Because of all of our collective hard work and dedication the past five years, we have made the strategic decision to grow,” spokeswoman Therese Bottino said in an email.

Williams Automotive was founded as Southeast Automotive Group in 2000, and once owned several dealerships in Georgia selling Toyota, Kia, Mitsubishi and Hyundai, according to the company’s website.

Wesley Chapel Toyota is located at 5300 Eagleston Blvd., and Wesley Chapel Honda is at 27550 Wesley Chapel Blvd.

Holistic center opens in Lutz area
Suzanne Margolis Gray, a massage therapist who first opened a wellness center in the South Tampa area 20 years ago, has brought her colon hydrotherapy services to Lutz.

Gray recently hosted a grand reopening for ReNew Life Wellness Center at 15511 N. Florida Ave., Suite 2.

The staff includes acupuncturist Dr. Dana Clark McGrady, medical aesthetician Rose D’Amico, wellness coach Tom Stewart, massage therapist Peter Lowden, analyst Brandi Stewart, and kinesiologist Elizabeth O’Neill.

For more information, visit ReNewLifeWellness.com, or call (813) 871-3200.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Here’s the group’s slate of upcoming speakers:

• March 25: Cathy Bickham, honorary mayor of Wesley Chapel

• April 8: Danny Burgess, Zephyrhills mayor, candidate for State House District 38

• May 27: Mike Moore, candidate for Pasco County Commission, owner of VR Business Sales

Town hall over elevated toll road descends into chaos

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The crowd was there to speak, not to listen.

After spending nearly an hour hearing why some Pasco County leaders like planning and development administrator Richard Gehring were still open to exploring the possibility of an elevated toll road along the State Road 54/56 corridor, hundreds of people gathered at a town hall meeting at Sunlake High School Monday night interrupted, shouted and booed over scheduled speakers.

Residents crowded into Sunlake High School's gymnasium March 10 to talk about the proposed elevated toll road for the State Road 54/56 corridor. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Residents crowded into Sunlake High School’s gymnasium March 10 to talk about the proposed elevated toll road for the State Road 54/56 corridor. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

And their goal was clear: No elevated toll road.

“This needs to have community support, and the presentation (from county officials) was very demeaning,” one resident said. “Everything has already been decided.”

It was supposed to be just another one of several town hall meetings Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey had organized for constituents: She would bring members of the county staff with her to discuss various issues, and then listen to the attendees and get their feedback.

This meeting, however, served as a prelude to official public interaction over the elevated toll road and overall county transportation plan that’s set to kick off Saturday at The Shops at Wiregrass.

Even with a microphone, speakers like Gehring struggled to talk over the unruly crowd. When one man interrupted him after shouting from the audience, Gehring tried to keep some sort of order.

“Sir … could we have …” Gehring said before getting interrupted again. “Public dialogue requires civility. Let me try and ask you for it.”

International Infrastructure Partners, which submitted an unsolicited proposal last year to privately build the elevated toll road in Pasco County, has not even actually bid on such a project yet, and is still early in negotiations with the Florida Department of Transportation, Starkey said.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said. “But we all need to know, at least in my mind, what our alternatives are” to the road if it’s not built.

Some of the talk from the crowd is to keep moving such an east-west connector north, just like residents in Hillsborough County have successfully done over the years. One idea would be to build a higher-capacity road along State Road 52, which virtually runs parallel to State Road 54 in the northern part of the county.

“We do have a problem: We have to have an east-west road,” said Christie Zimmer, a member of the Pasco County Citizens’ Advisory Committee. “I’m absolutely 100 percent opposed for that to happen in the State Road 54/56 corridor, but if we look at the 52 corridor, the cost is substantially less.”

Such a road, she said, would not just serve the travelers from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, but it would help bring Hernando County into the fold on a road where not so much development has happened.

At one point, Gehring rebutted a comment that an elevated road would depress property values along the corridor, using the Selmon Expressway as an example in Hillsborough County. There, he said, property values are actually on the rise — a statement that was met with jeers from the audience.

While there was a lot of interruptions from the audience, it did seem at least one person was listening. Ken Littlefield, a Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission seeking to replace Pat Mulieri, failed to take a position on the elevated road during a Republican debate last week. But now, the former state legislator says he has all the information he needs.

“If there is one thing that I detest, it’s an unsolicited call,” Littlefield said. “Every evening, between 5 and 7 p.m., our telephone rings, and every now and then, I will not recognize the number and I’ll pick it up. They’ll start an unsolicited call, and I will hang it up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what I think we need to do on this unsolicited bid is hang up.”

Read more about this meeting and this weekend’s transportation presentation at The Shops at Wiregrass in the March 19 print edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

Commission candidates (mostly) avoid elevated toll road debate

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It’s become so controversial, even those seeking the Republican nomination for a seat on the Pasco County Commission are steering clear of it.

Bob Robertson
Bob Robertson

That is except Bob Robertson, who has a very strong position on the proposed elevated toll road for the State Road 54/56 corridor:  “This is one of those ideas that hopefully will go back to wherever it came from very, very soon.”

Robertson joined Mike Moore and former State Rep. Ken Littlefield at the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club monthly lunch Friday for the first debate among Republican candidates to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission.

Neither Littlefield nor Moore would take a stand one way or the other on the proposed 33-mile road that would connect U.S. 301 near Zephyrhills and U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. Both, however, said they were looking forward to a town hall meeting planned for Monday night by County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey where the elevated road would be at the top of the agenda.

“If we as a county are approving developments in an area that is already over-congested, I might suggest that we reconsider the process by which we are building houses and where we are building them,” Robertson said. “It’s also been suggested to us that if we don’t build this elevated toll road, there will be 10 lanes (of traffic) each way. I have a hard time seeing that.”

Robertson is likely the underdog in the District 2 race, having yet to match the money of Moore or the name recognition of Littlefield. Yet, the Zephyrhills investment assets manager wasn’t shy about where he stood when it came to the estimated $2.2 billion project that’s ultimately in the hands of the Florida Department of Transportation.

“What if the company goes bankrupt in the middle of building this project?” Robertson asked. “What if they built this toll road and nobody comes, nobody wanting to spend $7 or $8 or $9 to drive on this elevated superhighway? Then what do we do?”

The state nor the county asked for the private company bid for the toll road, and such an unsolicited bid should be treated like an unsolicited sales call, Littlefield said. Although he didn’t take a position, he also warned that even though reports are that this road would be funded privately, that may not end up being the case.

“Ain’t nothing free, folks. Ain’t nothing free,” Littlefield said. “There are a lot of red flags. There’s $2 billion that somebody wants to give to us. Why? Who are they? Do they live in Pasco? Do they live in Florida? Do they live in the United States? I want to know these things.”

Moore says the entrance to the Seven Oaks community where he lives fronts State Road 56, so he’ll be right in the line of fire. Yet, he’s not ready to go yea or nay quite yet.

“Right now, what I am doing is listening to all of you, just as I would be doing if I was sitting on the commission,” Moore said. “What other options are there, because we can’t just say no to something or just say yes to something. What are some other options?”

Starkey’s town hall meeting is March 10 beginning at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

For more on the debate, check out the March 12 print edition of The Laker.

Staples will close 225 more stores

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As more and more of its business moves into the digital realm and away from physical stores, office supply chain Staples Inc. said it would close another 225 stores over the next two years.

Staples has stores locally at 7910 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, as well as at 6260 Commerce Palms in New Tampa. The company did not indicate which stores are closing, or if either the Zephyrhills or New Tampa locations will be affected.

Sales were off by more than 10 percent for the chain over the final three months of 2013, and Staples had already shuttered more than 60 stores nationwide last year. Since then the company has increased its online offerings from 100,000 products to 500,000, and reduced store sizes and different locations, according to its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Staples has more than 1,500 stores in the United States, and employs more than 50,000 people.

For the stores that remain open, Staples is looking to add more product categories by the end of June. They includes supplies for facilities and break rooms, maintenance repair, storage services, and gifts and cards for office parties, among other items. In all, Staples says it will add 1,600 products beyond office supplies, and remove 1,000 others as the store tries to refresh its offerings.

Bayonet Point trauma center still fighting for life

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More than two years ago, Pasco County got its first trauma center when Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point expanded its emergency care operations. But how long it will stay is completely up to government officials from the courts, to the Legislature, and especially the Florida Department of Health.

The Bayonet Point hospital, owned by HCA’s West Florida Division, is fighting to keep its trauma center despite the objections of nearby facilities like Tampa General Hospital and BayCare Health System’s St. Joseph’s Hospital. Both already have trauma centers, and believe adding more will dilute a costly service to one that no longer can be sustained financially.

Dr. Scott Norwood, the trauma medical director at Bayonet Point, believes in the exact opposite. To him, it’s not that Florida has too many trauma centers. In fact, it doesn’t have enough — and dealing with traumatic injuries comes down to how quickly a victim can get to a hospital that can treat it.

“Trauma is a time-sensitive disease,” Norwood recently told members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “It’s just like heart disease or a heart attack, the quicker you can get to a facility to deal with the problem, the more likely you are to survive. And that’s reflective of what’s happening in Florida right now.”

Before the trauma center opened at Bayonet Point, anyone hurt in a fall or accident would have to be transported south to Hillsborough or Pinellas counties, a distance that could exceed 100 miles and tick precious time off the clock.

“We call it the ‘golden hour of trauma,’ that if you can get into a trauma center or to a facility that can manage your problem within 60 minutes of your injury, your likelihood of survival goes way up,” Norwood said. “If you get in a wreck and are out in the middle of nowhere, your odds of surviving are not really good already.”

Since 2011, when Bayonet Point opened its trauma center, mortality rates have dropped across the state — especially in Pasco and Hernando counties, which saw rates plummet 21 percent and 15 percent respectively, Norwood said.

Yet, the more trauma centers there are in the state, the larger the strain on existing resources to serve those people, say representatives from other hospitals with older trauma centers. The more centers there are, the harder it will be to find the best doctors and medical teams trained in trauma.

At the same time, available money for these trauma centers would be spread out, making it difficult for any of them to stay open, opponents said. Although insurance carriers and patients themselves typically fund trauma centers, there are public pools of money available. They include $2 million from a vehicle registration tax, more than $12 million from red-light cameras, and $46 million in federal funds, according to a report last year by the American College of Surgeons.

Lawsuits have flown back and forth, and judges have sided against the new trauma centers like Bayonet Point’s, saying the Department of Health used an invalid rule to green light them, according to published reports. Since then, state health officials have been working around the clock to streamline department rules, and find common ground between the older trauma centers and the new ones.

State health officials started hearings in January and February to work out the trauma center issues, and have developed a plan that would allow at least one trauma center in each of the state’s 19 designated trauma areas, according to published reports. If the rule moves forward as planned, it would keep all of the new trauma centers, including Bayonet Point, in place.

This rule, however, would most likely end up in the courts as well. That’s been made clear by increased lobbying efforts by both sides, including bringing in the conservative-leaning 60 Plus Association to spend $250,000 on television advertising supporting the efforts of hospitals like Bayonet Point.

And now the Florida Legislature is looking to weigh in. State Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring — and a registered nurse — filed S.B. 1276 last week that, among other things, would limit the number of trauma centers in each of the 19 regions.

However, it’s a limit that would be in favor of hospitals like Bayonet Point, since Grimsley is asking that Pasco and Pinellas counties be limited to three centers, while Hillsborough would get only two. It also removes the ability for other hospitals to protest the addition of more trauma centers.

Including pediatrics at All Children’s Hospital, the Pasco and Pinellas region would have three trauma centers, Bayonet Point joining Bayfront Medical Center on the list.

Still, the entire trauma center system would be reviewed each year under the bill, with a final report heading to state officials at the beginning of February. It also sets expectations that trauma centers like Bayonet Point would be able to treat a minimum of up to 1,000 patients each year.

That’s something the hospital already is doing, Norwood said.

“When we started this thing, we thought we would probably get 800 patients each year,” Norwood said. “In my first year, we had 1,456 patients. In our second year, we got 1,685 patients.”

And 65 percent of those patients come right from Pasco County, he said, and nearly 90 percent come from Pasco or points north of Pasco.

“We are not stealing patients from anywhere,” Norwood said. “This is not happening.”

State health officials said they could move the department’s new rule forward later this spring.

By the Numbers
94.66 — Florida’s trauma center survival rate

95.56 — Survival rate of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s trauma center

27 — Number of trauma centers in Florida

715,500 — Average population each Florida trauma center serves

$2.2 million — Average local, state, federal funding for each trauma center

Published March 5, 2014