The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Getting a better handle on Pasco’s facility needs

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By B.C. Manion

 

Pasco County may spend as much as $400,000 to put together a master facilities plan, which ultimately could lead to cost savings and greater efficiency.

Andrew Baxter, the county’s operations supervisor, said the county needs a master plan to get a clear picture of what the county owns, how its facilities are being used and to help plan to meet future needs.

The county had been looking at the possibility of hiring a consultant to put together a master facilities plan. Preliminary estimates for that work were put at $650,000.

Some commissioners balked at the idea of spending so much money for outside help, so county staff went back to the drawing board and came back with a new approach.

The new proposal, which Baxter refers to as Plan B, would involve hiring a project manager for a year and contracting for outside services. That approach is estimated at $400,000, including $75,000 for the project manager.

The idea would be to hire the manager for a year to get the facilities plan done, then the Pasco County Commission could decide whether to continue that position, Baxter said, during a workshop with commissioners on July 16.

The county needs the master facilities plan to identify all of the county’s real estate holdings, to get a true picture of how its facilities are being used and to help determine if there are ways to share facilities, reduce the use of rental space and so on, Baxter said.

Commissioner Henry Wilson said it’s not easy to get a good understanding of the county’s real estate holdings.

County Administrator Michele Baker said the county has property that it didn’t buy and doesn’t need, but she added that more information is needed to determine how to best use the county’s resources.

“We need to understand what we have,” Baxter said, so the county could collocate various departments and could better share its resources.

The county needs to do an occupancy study, to develop facility use and space allocation standards and to take a long-term view of facility needs, Baxter said.

The plan will include space needs of the county’s constitutional officers, Baker said.

“We’re behind where we need to be,” Baxter said.

Since the board was meeting in a workshop setting, no action was taken. Any vote on this issue would need to occur during a board meeting.

Imagine School gets 15-year charter renewal

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By B.C. Manion

 

The Pasco County School Board has approved a 15-year charter renewal for Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes.

The board supported its staff’s recommendation to grant the renewal and to allow the school to increase its student enrollment by 20 percent for the 2013-14 school year.

Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes has received a 15-year renewal on its charter. The school moved into its current location in 2012. (File photo)
Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes has received a 15-year renewal on its charter. The school moved into its current location in 2012. (File photo)

Under terms of the contact, the school will be allowed to have 704 students in 2013-14 and up to 728 students in kindergarten through eighth-grade for the remaining years of the contract.

The school’s previous five-year contract expired on June 30.

The district and school agreed to terms of the renewed contract on June 19, and the school board approved the charter renewal on July 2.

Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes opened in August 2008, with an enrollment of 397 students. It had 630 students last year.

The school received a grade of B in 2008-09, a C in 2009-2010 and received As in 2010-11 and 2011-2012. The school grades for 2012-13 were not yet available when the school board considered the agenda item.

The school district will conduct annual reviews of Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes and may terminate the contract for statutory and other good cause as defined in the charter.

The school’s charter is now valid until June 30, 2028.

 

A new elementary school planned for Land O’ Lakes

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School is needed to accommodate the area’s future growth

 

By B.C. Manion

 

The Pasco County School Board has approved the purchase of 22 acres for an elementary school site, on the south site of SR 54, across from the Ballantrae subdivision.

The new school – not expected to be constructed for five to 10 years – will provide future relief to Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools, said Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for Pasco County Schools.

The site is within the Smith 54 mixed-use project, which calls for offices, a shopping center, a hotel and multifamily housing.

The site is off SR 54, between US 41 and the Suncoast Parkway, in one of the county’s high-growth corridors.

School district data notes that nearly 1,200 elementary students live in the area, and another 1,200 are expected when the 6,863 approved homes in the area are built.

The district’s current elementary schools are designed for 762 students.

The district anticipates it will need a minimum of three elementary schools to serve the area, and at this time, Oakstead Elementary is the only noncharter school located in the corridor.

Two more public elementary schools are needed in the corridor, according to documents prepared by the district’s planning staff.

To help address that need, the Pasco School Board approved a $2.2 million purchase of the 22-acre site within a mixed-use housing development known as Smith 54. The tract is on the south side of SR 54, approximately 1.5 miles east of the Suncoast Parkway.

Two appraisals were done on the property, with one coming in at $85,000 per acre and the other at $130,000 per acre. The district purchased the site for $101,000 per acre.

In the short term, the reopening of Sanders Elementary is expected to relieve Oakstead, Cobbe said.

Pasco hires Urban Land Institute for study

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By B.C. Manion

 

The Pasco County Commission voted to spend $125,000 on a study that aims to bolster the county’s ability to attract new businesses and jobs.

The board approved an agreement with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to bring a panel of experts to the county to provide guidance on future development.

The panel of experts will meet with government, business and community representatives to look at progress the county has made since a previous ULI study was conducted five years ago. It will also recommend ways for the county to go forward.

The panel is expected to convene for no less than five days in October.

In its previous study, ULI helped the county to identify strategic market areas. It also laid the groundwork for enticing more job-creators to Pasco, by suggesting that the county identify market areas, offer incentives to attract job-creators and streamline permitting to make it easier for companies to choose Pasco.

The ULI is an organization that aims to benefit the general public through improved planning and use of urban land.

During this study, it will devote about 20 percent of its efforts toward reviewing how well is previous recommendations are being implemented. It will recognize strengths, identify weaknesses and prescribe steps to take for improvement.

The other 80 percent of its work will address issues such as the county’s regional economic role, its residential growth dynamics, its quality of life, transportation issues and its investment tools, including public-private partnerships.

The county is partnering with the Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc., and both groups want to use ULI’s services to position the county “to maximize its current resources and identify options for economic development and potential revenue sources.”

The study will include recommendations aimed at helping to carry out the County Commission’s vision for the county, as expressed through the board’s strategic plan, according to county documents.

County commissioners have been focused in recent years on the goal of attracting jobs, to help boost the local economy and to improve quality of life by helping residents finding work in the area, instead of being forced to make daily commutes to other communities.

The ULI panel and its staff will study the area, will gather research from local officials and will consult with public and private officials, representatives of relevant organizations and others.

It will prepare its conclusions and recommendations, which it will present at the end of its visit. It will present a draft report within 30 days and a final report within 90 days.

In preparation for ULI’s work, the county and PEDC are seeking feedback from citizens and business regarding the county’s progress on development readiness as it relates to recommendations made during the previous ULI panel.

Before the panel comes back, the county and PEDC would like to determine, from our collective viewpoint, what has been accomplished, where improvements have been made and what is missing or still needs work.

To take the survey, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J2CTSNL.

Phillies’ Brown unfazed in All-Star Game spotlight

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By Jeff Odom

 

When Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel called Domonic Brown into his office on July 7, the former Pasco High standout could only think of one reason — he was being traded.

Manuel and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro sat Brown down and closed the door. They told him he needed to pack his bags, but not because he was being dealt away from the organization. No, this news was much better.

Philadelphia Phillies left fielder and former Pasco High standout Domonic Brown struck out in his only at-bat during the 84th annual MLB All-Star Game, but told MLB.com that the entire experience was “a lot of fun.” (File photo)
Philadelphia Phillies left fielder and former Pasco High standout Domonic Brown struck out in his only at-bat during the 84th annual MLB All-Star Game, but told MLB.com that the entire experience was “a lot of fun.” (File photo)

Brown was going to the MLB All-Star Game.

“I was always (rumored to be) being traded,” Brown told reporters during Media Day at Citi Field in New York where the 84th Midsummer classic was on July 16. “I was always hoping I wouldn’t be, but my name was always being mentioned.”

The 25-year-old Brown, a Zephyrhills native, spent his first three years of high school at Pasco, before moving to Stone Mountain, Ga. for his senior year. He was the second player from Pasco High to make a major-league roster. The only other Pirate to make it to the big leagues was Gene Nelson, who played parts of 13 seasons with six different teams.

And, although he did not have a marquee night in the National League’s 3-0 loss against the American League, striking out on just three pitches in his only at-bat against Toronto Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil, Brown said he still enjoyed his first trip to the All-Star Game.

“It was unbelievable to be out there with all those great All-Stars,” Brown said. “It was a lot of fun, a lot of fun. I can’t believe it’s already over.”

Brown almost had another opportunity to put a ball in play in the bottom of the ninth, but was left in the on-deck circle when Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alverez popped out to center field to end the game.

“I was hoping Pedro would hit one and I’d come up in a special situation,” Brown quipped. “Maybe next year. I just have to keep working hard.”

During the first half of the season, Brown was one of the best hitters in baseball by batting .273 with 23 home runs and 67 RBIs. He’s currently tied for second in the NL for homers and is third in total bases with 175.

Production wasn’t always easy for Brown, though.

Despite being rated as Baseball America’s No. 1 minor-league prospect three seasons ago, Brown, who was a 20th round pick by the Phillies in 2006, struggled throughout his first two seasons at the professional ranks, before turning the corner this year.

“It takes some guys longer than other guys,” Brown said of his past struggles. “You definitely have to go through your own journey and see how it works out. But the biggest thing is never giving up. You just keep working on what you have to do, keep working hard and everything maybe works out.”

This season’s All-Star Game also featured another prominent talent from the Tampa Bay area as former Alonso High standout Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins pitched for the National League.

The 20-year-old Fernandez, a 2011 graduate and former first-round draft pick, was called up to the Marlins at the beginning of the season after never playing higher than Class-A minor-league ball. So far, the right-hander has performed well for Miami going 5-5 with a 2.75 ERA.

Fernandez, the Marlins’ lone representative at the Midsummer classic, pitched a perfect sixth inning for the NL, striking out two batters, including former AL MVP Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox and current home run leader, Chris Davis, of the Baltimore Orioles.

“I’m proud of how I went out there and didn’t try to overdo anything,” Fernandez said. “That was one of things that I look back and I’m pretty happy about. The result was good, but I’m happy I wasn’t trying to overdo stuff.”

–Information from MLB.com was used in this report. Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter @JOdomLaker

Steinbrenner loses another girls soccer coach

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By Jeff Odom

 

For the fourth time in as many years, the Steinbrenner High girls soccer team will have a new coach leading the charge.

Angela Gillisse resigned from the position on July 11 after just one season at the helm and said she has taken a position with a local nonprofit group.

Gillisse, a former Durant High and University of Tampa standout, who was also a physical education instructor at the school, took over the program in July 2012 and said she was “excited about the opportunities and where the program can go.” However, the Warriors failed to win their fourth consecutive Class 4A-District 8 title, falling to Wiregrass Ranch in the championship game, 2-1.

They made the playoffs as district runner-up, but lost to Lakeland George Jenkins in the region quarterfinal to end the season with a 14-6 overall record.

Gillisse’s resignation means even more turnover at the top for Steinbrenner, which won the 2011 Class 4A state title under former coach Teresa Patterson. Patterson, who was with the team for its first two seasons, compiled an overall record of 38-4-4 and stepped down after a 16-year coaching career to start a family.

At 24-years-old, Patterson became the head coach at Marshall University, and — at the time — was the youngest women’s soccer coach in Division I history. She also had assistant coaching positions at University of Alabama and Alabama-Birmingham and high school head coaching positions at Orlando Dr. Phillips, Largo and Gaither, before coming to Steinbrenner when the school opened in 2009.

Robert Woodard coached the team for one season in 2012, but he too resigned for unspecified reasons after a 16-4-2 campaign, which included a playoff win over Bartow.

Before coming to Steinbrenner, Woodard previously served as an assistant boys soccer coach at Jesuit and Bloomingdale in the mid-1990s.

The position is being advertised on the Hillsborough County School District’s website, but there is no timetable on when a decision will be made, according to school athletic director Eddie Henderson.

The Warriors return University of Tampa commit Miranda Gonzalez and East Carolina commit Danielle Eule, but will have to replace seven seniors lost to graduation this season, including the program’s all-time leading scorer Alexis Bredeau, midfielder Marley Opila and starting goalkeeper Stephanie Hirsch.

Steinbrenner also moves up into Class 5A-District 7 this season, which includes Alonso, Countryside, East Lake, Plant and Palm Harbor University.

Freedom’s Williams commits to Broward College

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By Jeff Odom

 

Another one of the Freedom High girls basketball team’s key contributors during its run to the Class 7A state final four is moving on to the next level, coach Laurie Pacholke announced.

Point guard Monet Williams signed with Broward College in Fort Lauderdale on July 18 after averaging 2.4 points, 3.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game for the Patriots last season.

Freedom High girls basketball player Monet Williams committed to Broward College in Fort Lauderdale on July 18. The point guard was one of the Patriots’ key players during their run to the Class 7A state semifinals averaging 2.4 points and 3.7 assists per game. (File photo)
Freedom High girls basketball player Monet Williams committed to Broward College in Fort Lauderdale on July 18. The point guard was one of the Patriots’ key players during their run to the Class 7A state semifinals averaging 2.4 points and 3.7 assists per game. (File photo)

Williams, who transferred to Freedom from Riverview prior to the start of the 2012-13 school year, overcame two major knee injuries in 2012 with the Sharks when she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a game in January, and again five months later while rehabbing the injury.

For her comeback and contributions to Freedom’s region title, Williams was awarded with second-team honors on The Laker/Lutz News’ 2013 Girls Basketball All-Star Team.

Pacholke praised Williams for her hard work and said the team would not have made it as far without her.

“Mo was vital to our success. Not just on the court, but off the court as well,” Pacholke said. “The girls saw her drive and passion first-hand, watching her go through rehab and how hard she worked to get back on the court.

“Mo’s best basketball still lies ahead of her, and she is going to do great things at Broward and beyond. I’m so happy for her and extremely proud of her. Not many kids could or would do what she did.”

Broward College competes in the Southern Conference of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The Seahawks finished with an overall record of 9-18 last season.

 

The Laker/Lutz News sports section earns state honor

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The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report

 

For the second time in three years, the Florida Press Association has honored The Laker/Lutz News’ Community Sports section as one of the top in the state.

At the FPA/FSNE’s annual convention on July 19 in Orlando, judges from the association awarded former editor and sports editor Kyle LoJacono, staff writer Jeff Odom and art director Matthew Mistretta with a second-place finish for The Laker/Lutz News’ sports section out of thousands of entries in the Better Weekly Newspaper contest.

“This honor by the Florida Press Association is a true testament to the hard work, dedication and countless hours put in by Kyle LoJacono, Matthew Mistretta and each freelance correspondent that has aided in our coverage along the way,” Odom said. “It is an amazing feeling to work for such a wonderful staff and to serve our loyal readers each and every week with the best high school, college and youth sports coverage in all of Tampa Bay.”

The Laker/Lutz News sports staff also took home individual awards as LoJacono placed second in two categories for education reporting and on-the-spot sports reporting for two stories titled “Wiregrass Ranch leads on course, in classroom” and “Gaither’s improbable district championship run.”

The Florida Press Association was founded in 1879 as a nonprofit corporation to protect the freedoms and advance the professional standards of the press of Florida. It includes all of the daily newspapers and most of the weekly newspapers in the state of Florida in its membership.

 

The Laker/Lutz News sports section earns state honor

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For the second time in three years, the Florida Press Association has honored The Laker/Lutz News’ Community Sports section as one of the top in the state.

At the FPA/FSNE’s annual convention on July 19 in Orlando, judges from the association awarded former editor and sports editor Kyle LoJacono, staff writer Jeff Odom and art director Matthew Mistretta with a second-place finish for The Laker/Lutz News’ sports section out of thousands of entries in the Better Weekly Newspaper contest.

“This honor by the Florida Press Association is a true testament to the hard work, dedication and countless hours put in by Kyle LoJacono, Matthew Mistretta and each freelance correspondent that has aided in our coverage along the way,” Odom said. “It is an amazing feeling to work for such a wonderful staff and to serve our loyal readers each and every week with the best high school, college and youth sports coverage in all of Tampa Bay.”

The Laker/Lutz News sports staff also took home individual awards as LoJacono placed second in two categories for education reporting and on-the-spot sports reporting for two stories titled “Wiregrass Ranch leads on course, in classroom” and “Gaither’s improbable district championship run.”

The Florida Press Association was founded in 1879 as a nonprofit corporation to protect the freedoms and advance the professional standards of the press of Florida. It includes all of the daily newspapers and most of the weekly newspapers in the state of Florida in its membership.

Your Pet Deserves A Nice Vacation Too At Fuzzie Buddies

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This panoramic mural of Edie Wilhoit pets and friends has adorned the lobby of Fuzzie Buddies since Edie open the facility 10 years ago.
This panoramic mural of Edie Wilhoit pets and friends has adorned the lobby of Fuzzie Buddies since Edie open the facility 10 years ago.

Planning a vacation can be time-consuming, especially for families looking for the right place to board their dog or cat while they’re away.

Fuzzie Buddies is the solution for many families who want more than a typical boarding facility at an affordable price.

“The only cages in our facility are in the grooming room,” said Edie Wilhoit, president and owner of Fuzzie Buddies. “Pets are housed in individual suites where there’s plenty of room to move and play.”

Edie began Fuzzie Buddies 10 years ago out of her personal frustrations finding suitable boarding for her dog.

“I used to travel a lot and was never happy with the kennels I used for my large dog,” she said. “Friends with large breed dogs also complained about how hard it was to find a good boarding facility, so I decided to do something about it.”

Edie spent five years touring boarding facilities around the country before she opened Fuzzie Buddies.

“During my research I asked owners of kennels what they’d do differently,” said Edie. “I wanted to know what worked and what didn’t, so we’d have the best boarding facility possible.”

With a goal to offer the finest pet care services in the highest quality facility, Edie received training from the American Boarding and Kennel Association and hired an architect to design 150 suites to accommodate dogs from the smallest to largest breeds.

She also had kitty condos designed that interconnect on six levels. The cat area is completely separate from the dog area and fresh air is continuously circulated so that cats can’t even smell the dogs.

Fresh air is also continuously circulated in the dog area by seven separate air-handling systems. “Our air always smells fresh because it is never recycled,” said Edie.

Outdoor areas at Fuzzie Buddies are covered with field turf — the same material used in sports stadiums.

“Astroturf helps to keep our dogs clean, especially after running in and out of our doggie swimming pool,” said Edie.

In addition to boarding, Fuzzie Buddies provides day care for up to 80 dogs and offers grooming and bathing services, including relaxing massages.

“This is definitely a full-service spa for dogs,” said Edie. “We even have a pet webcam so owners can check in on their pets while they’re away.”

In case of a power outage, the facility has a hospital-grade emergency generator and its building is designed to withstand a category 3 hurricane.

What is it like to work at Fuzzie Buddies?

“It’s a lot of fun because we have a lot of awesome clients and pets,” said Mary Pfaefflin, vice president of operations. “Our dogs have so much fun they don’t want to leave — sometimes we have to walk them to their owner’s car!”

An example of how well Fuzzie Buddies’s staff connects with its customers, both human and canine, is the story behind a U.S. flag in its lobby.

The flag was a gift of appreciation from a soldier who boarded her dog at the facility for eight months while she was deployed. When the soldier returned home, the staff at Fuzzie Buddies brought her dog to the military base to welcome her home.

“Just one visit to Fuzzie Buddies will show you that we care for your pet as much as you do,” said Edie. “Our motto — ‘Arrive as a guest, leave as family’ — will give you peace of mind when you leave your pet with us.”

Fuzzie Buddies is located at 1212 N. 34th St., Tampa. They can be reached at (813) 247-2111, or at www.FuzzieBuddies.com.

– Mike Matthew

This story was written by the advertising department.