Special to The Laker/Lutz News

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Steve Van Gorden’s resignation from the principal’s post at Zephyrhills High may have implications regarding his other high-profile roles in the city.

While he has left his role as principal, Van Gorden remains the city’s mayor and is president of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce. When or if those roles will change remains unclear.

Ken Compton, president of the Zephyrhills City Council, has asked city attorney Joe Poblick to collect the facts, review the city charter and provide a list of options, according to City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson. She said she received that information from city manager Jim Drumm.

The earliest the issue could be considered by council is Nov. 26, Drumm said.

“That’s prudent for the city to do that,” Van Gorden said, adding that he has no intention of stepping down and that he continues to work on improving the city’s economic prospects.

Vonnie Mikkelson, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, was out of town, but issued this statement via email: “Presently, I am in consultation with the chamber’s key board leadership to determine next steps, if any are to be taken. This is a board of superior community and business leaders, and I have the utmost confidence in their ability to assess the situation and determine whether or not any action regarding Mr. Van Gorden’s role with the chamber is necessitated by these developments.”

She also noted that Van Gorden “has been a consistent and reliable leader at the chamber of commerce and has not skipped a beat when it comes to serving the community in this particular leadership role.”

Van Gorden said he won’t resign from the chamber post unless he’s asked to do so.

Van Gorden’s resignation from the school district came amidst an investigation into claims of sexual harassment.

The Pasco County School Board voted unanimously on Nov. 6 to accept Van Gorden’s resignation, without comment. They appointed Andrew Frelick as the high school’s new principal.

After the board accepted Van Gorden’s resignation, the district released a 346-page investigative file.

Van Gorden noted the size of the investigative report is misleading because roughly 180 pages are related to employment contracts, evaluations and other materials.

The allegations range from Van Gorden using crude language and sexual innuendo to using intimidation.

Van Gorden acknowledges some of the actions contained in the report, but denies others.

“I did make some mistakes,” he said. “They throw 100 things out there. I admit to 15. I’m not owning up to 100.”

Van Gorden denies using intimidation.

One employee told an investigator that Van Gorden made unwelcome sexual suggestions and that she had become so uncomfortable she “would take all measures” to avoid seeing him, even walking outside the school building in the rain.

She said she had so much anxiety that she sought help from the employee assistance program.

Another employee told an investigator she wasn’t surprised that the school district was looking into complaints about sexual harassment involving Van Gorden. She said she and her colleagues had expected it to happen.

The employee told the investigator that Van Gorden spoke disrespectfully to women. In one instance, she alleged Van Gorden put his hands on the desk and said “we should do it.”

Van Gorden denied that allegation.

A different employee alleged she was uncomfortable by the way Van Gorden looked at her. She told the investigator she “felt like he looked at her chest, not eyes.”

Van Gorden called that claim “ridiculous.”

Another employee told an investigator “you have to be careful about what words you use” because Van Gorden would twist the meaning. For instance, she alleged, a conversation about a school position could be turned into a comment by Van Gorden about a “sexual position.”

Van Gorden acknowledged twisting words, but said when he did so, he was joking and did not intend to be offensive.

“I made off-color remarks, and for that I’m truly sorry,” he said.

Van Gorden did, however, acknowledge that a colleague had warned him on a couple of occasions that his comments were inappropriate.

Van Gorden said many of the allegations involve an employee with whom he’d had a personal relationship.

He also acknowledged that his actions were not in the best interests of the school or the students, but said he has paid a price for his actions by losing his job.

When it came to Van Gorden, another employee told the investigator there were three camps at the school. One group liked him, another group disliked him and the third group just did their job and went home.

During Van Gorden’s investigation, the school district placed him on leave. Officials also refused to provide any information about the investigation except that it did not involve criminal conduct or students.

In response to that action, about two dozen people wrote to the district on Van Gorden’s behalf. In general, they praised his leadership, described him as a caring administrator, said he embodied school spirit and lauded his ability to bring the school and community together.

Those letters of support were submitted before the district released its report.

 

 

Andrew Frelick has been transferred from Ridgewood High to fill the vacancy at Zephyrhills High resulting from the resignation of Steve Van Gorden.

Frelick began his career in Pasco County in 1985 as a teacher at Pasco Middle. In 1987, he transferred to Pasco High. He was promoted to assistant principal at Marchman Vocational Center in 1991. He transferred to Pine View Middle in 1994.

In 1996, he was promoted to principal at Weightman Middle, and in 1999, he transferred to Wesley Chapel High when the school opened. He became principal of Ridgewood in 2009.

 

Land donated by Porters is first step toward that vision

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Pasco County commissioners have started the ball rolling on a quest that could yield a sports complex in Wesley Chapel aimed at attracting national tournaments.

After lengthy negotiations, commissioners voted 4-1 on Nov. 7 to accept a land donation of 224 acres from the Porter family that would provide a place to build the sports complex near The Shops at Wiregrass.

J.D. Porter applauded the board’s action and pledged his family will do what it can to help the county be successful in the venture.

“We want to be the best teammates possible,” Porter said. “We’re excited about this.”

The Porters are making the contribution as a charitable donation. They also are giving 100,000 cubic yards of clean fill dirt to be used for the county’s project.

At the same time, commissioners agreed to commit $14 million in tourist development tax dollars to develop the area. As part of the deal, the county pledged to seek a company to operate the sports complex.

If the county is unable to make the sports complex happen, the land would instead be developed as a park, under terms of the deal.

The proposed sports complex would include multi-purpose fields to accommodate soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and/or football, including at least one championship field.

It would include youth size baseball/softball diamonds to accommodate adult softball and Little League with at least one championship field with bleachers. It would also have parking, restrooms and concession facilities.

Initially, the Porters proposed building and operating a world-class sports complex themselves, but talks with the county about that deal broke down. The family instead offered to give the land to allow Pasco to pursue the current option.

Commissioner Jack Mariano opposed the deal, saying he’s not comfortable committing the tourist development tax money. He suggested the county instead add fields at the Wesley Chapel District Park, and he sought to delay the vote.

Commissioner Ted Schrader pushed for the commission to take action.

“You’re going to try to do whatever you can to scuttle this,” Schrader told Mariano.

Schrader said he thought it was important for the board to vote on the issue because it was Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand’s last meeting.

Hildebrand, who was on the board when it adopted the tourist development tax 20 years ago, concluded 28 years of service at the meeting.

The deal gives the county the flexibility to test the waters regarding the development of a sports complex or to build a district park if that doesn’t pan out, said county administrator John Gallagher.

“I kind of look at this as a courtship,” Hildebrand said.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri said the county would be foolish to reject the Porters’ deal.

“This is going to be a world-class facility,” Mulieri said. “It’s so important to move ahead with this.”

Commissioner Henry Wilson agreed: “This needs to happen for Pasco to move forward.”

Mariano said the new arrangement deviated too much from the original approach.

“To me, we’re taking backward step after backward step,” Mariano said.

Another part of the deal requires the county to include the words Pasco County and Wiregrass in the name of the sports park property and overall complex.

The county has agreed to seek an agreement for the operation and maintenance of the sports complex within 24 months of the conveyance of the land to Pasco by the Porters.

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

An American flag flapped in the breeze as a crowd of more than 150 gathered in Dade City on Veterans Day to pay tribute to those who stepped forward to defend freedom.

Those assembled at Travelers Rest Resort on Nov. 11 filled rows of folding chairs, stood along the edge of the road or pulled up and parked their golf carts on the perimeter of the crowd.

The audience also turned out to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Travelers Rest Veterans Memorial that will honor veterans of the past, present and future.

Micky Graham, who was a corporal in the Marine Corps, is leading the efforts to create the memorial and he served as master of ceremonies at the event.

The ceremonial groundbreaking came near the end of a solemn and dignified tribute to veterans.

The ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Dick Revell, an Army veteran who is helping with the memorial effort.

After reciting the pledge, the crowd joined in singing The Star-Spangled Banner, as music for the anthem played on a loud speaker.

After that came remarks from honored guests.

Toni Gross, president of the American Gold Star Mothers Tampa Gulf Coast North, addressed the crowd. She became a member of the group after her only son, Army Cpl. Frank Gross, died on July 16, 2011 from injuries he received from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He was 25.

“We live in the land of the free because of the brave,” Gross said, adding she looks forward to seeing the completed veterans memorial, which is expected to be showcased in January.

Revell reminded the crowd of the importance of setting aside Veterans Day to honor those who have stepped up for this country.

“There is loyalty in the act of remembrance,” Revell said. “That’s what this is all about today — being loyal to the men and women who have served this great nation. … I want to thank the veterans who are here today and all veterans from the Revolutionary War to Afghanistan or any place that our men and women are put in harm’s way. We can’t do enough to thank them.”

Warren Sherlock, chairman of the recreational vehicle resort’s board, said the veterans memorial will be a fine addition to the park.

“I remember growing up going to my grandparents house every Sunday for dinner,” Sherlock said. “On the walls, there were pictures of all my uncles in uniform. I also remember them talking about how my mother and my aunts used to sit around the radio trying to hear what was going on with the war. … This memorial is a great way to remember my uncles, all of our families, our neighbors, our friends who served in order for us to be here today.”

After the speakers were done, Graham and several other men grabbed shovels and lifted a scoop of dirt in the official groundbreaking.

The event ended with the playing of a recording of Taps.

Graham said he is pleased with the progress being made on the memorial. So far, more than $16,000 has been raised for the project, which is expected to cost about $20,000.

The memorial will feature an American flag atop a 25-foot flagpole flanked by flags on both sides representing each of the military branches, Revell said. There also will be flags for the National Guard, those missing in action and prisoners of war, he said.

Granite stones will be placed in front of each flag containing the service emblem of the branch of the military, Revell said.

The memorial also includes a veterans memorial walk, which will consist of bricks containing the names of veterans, their unit and branch of service.

 

Want to help?

The cost of the project is being paid for through the sale of the commemorative bricks, which go for $100 for the first brick and $50 for each additional brick.

To purchase a brick or to simply make a donation, make a check out to Travelers Rest Veterans Memorial Fund and send it to Dick Revell at Travelers Rest, 29129 Johnston Road, Dade City, FL 33523.

 

 

 

By Jeff Odom

 

It was a good evening for winning candidates on Election Day, but the Pasco County supervisor of elections office may have felt even better.

The county received national spotlight from CNN, Fox News and chief of staff to former President George W. Bush, Karl Rove, who touted the hourly turn out figures from Pasco’s website and election supervisor Brian Corley’s Twitter page.

“Pasco County, FL is offering real-time turnout figures,” Rove tweeted with a link to the election’s website to his nearly 500,000 followers.

The number of people visiting the election website was so high that it crashed the server for a period of time.

Corley said it was good to see his county highlighted nationally.

“We were on Fox with Karl Rove and CNN, we even had journalists from the United Kingdom calling,” Corley said. “The attention it garnered was actually quite flattering, and it speaks to my amazing staff and Pasco’s excellence running these (elections).”

Corley said the county started using electronic poll books to provide real-time results in 2007 as a prototype to replace the outdated paper method. Corley added that it quickly took off and his county is the only one in the country to put out exact turnout results online hourly.

“It’s just as simple as we’re taking the electronic poll books and just monitoring the number of electronic voting passes issued and the key is turnout,” Corley said. “(The computer) breaks it down by party and by precinct. I do the Twitter page myself and somehow it got to Mr. Rove’s level, which was very, very flattering.”

Incumbents finished with a major advantage over their challengers as many clinched new terms.

Sheriff Chris Nocco, a Republican, won his first full term by handily defeating Democratic challenger Kim Bogart by 30 percent.

Other winners in the county were Republican property appraiser Mike Wells, who will enter his fifth term; Republican Paula O’Neil, who won a second term as clerk of court, and Democrat Mike Olsen, who will be serving as tax collector for the ninth time.

Republican Gus Bilirakis defeated Jonathan Snow, a Democrat, by 34 percent to represent U.S. Congress District 12 for the third time.

Nationally, President Barack Obama defeated Republican challenger and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney clinching 332 of the 538 possible electoral votes. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson also defeated former U.S. congressman Connie Mack, a Republican, with 55 percent of the vote.

Eight of the 11 proposed amendments to the state constitution failed to pass.

 

Pasco results:

Sheriff – Chris Nocco (R) 65%, Kim Bogart (D) 35%

Clerk of Court – Paula O’Neil (R) 76%, Roberta Cutting 24%
Property Appraiser – Mike Wells (R) 67%, Allison Newlon (D) 33%
Superintendent of Schools – Kurt S. Browning* (R) 100%

County Commission – Kathryn Starkey (R) 59%, Matt Murphy (D) 41%

Tax Collector – Mike Olson (D) 68%, Ed Blommel (R) 32%
Penny for Pasco – For 70%, Against 30%

* Write-in opponent only