Special to The Laker/Lutz News

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Drive-throughs are a mainstay in our busy lives.

Customers cruise through them for all sorts of reasons. To grab a hamburger and fries, pick up prescriptions, treat themselves to a gourmet coffee or cash a check.

So, why not dispense something of a far more eternal nature in the same convenient way?

That’s what members of Sonrise Worship Center in Lutz do on the third Saturday of each month.

As cars and trucks whiz by on busy US 41, church members stand on the side of the road holding signs — inviting motorists to stop by and get in touch with God.

“Need prayer? It only takes a minute,” one sign reads. Others suggest topics that may be a needed focus of prayer, such as health, finances and marriage.

When a vehicle makes the turn into the parking lot at 18310 N. US 41, a prayer team stands ready to serve.

They offer spiritual support to those is in the car on whatever topic they choose.

“For us, it’s about helping people put down their defenses,” said Tyson Prater, Sonrise’s pastor.

“Today, people struggle with faith and prayer and church, and so we provide an opportunity outside the walls of the church for just the simplicity of prayer in hope that people will desire God again,” Prater said.

They offer the same easy approach as a drive-through service without the hurry-up mentality, the pastor said.

Church members simply ask what the people want to pray about and they pray with them.

It’s a simple operation, Prater said.

“We put some cones up in the parking lot,” Prater said. “We have people who are part of our prayer ministry meet and greet them at their vehicle.”

Those driving in stay in their car while they prayer. It’s a safe and confidential setting, Prater said.

“You can share whatever you want to share,” Prater said. “We keep it simple. That seems to be effective.

“It’s been really interesting to see what people want to pray about on a Saturday morning,” Prater continued. “We had two ladies pull in. One lady’s husband was actually being rushed to the hospital — the ER — and she saw the signs and pulled off . … One lady drove past three times before she got up the nerve to pull in.”

So far, the response has been more like a trickle than a flood.

On any given Saturday, there will be four to eight people driving in, while 12 to 15 church volunteers are on hand to pray or hold signs.

Church members are not discouraged by the number of cars that zoom past, saying they’re there to share the power of prayer with those stopping by.

“I believe that God answers prayers. He’s answered so many of my prayers,” said Susan Stewart, who lives in Lutz.

“When my children were young, I was a waitress and we struggled a lot financially,” Stewart continued. “Every time I had a need, the first thing I did was go to God and say, ‘Lord, I need this or I need that.’ … One day, my oldest son came to me and he needed a pair of shoes. I said, ‘We’ll pray about it.’ And I went to work and one of my customers, who was a regular, put some money in my hand when he left, and I never said anything to anybody. He said, ‘Here, buy your son a pair of shoes.’ That was so from God.”

Another time she and her three sons were running low on food. They prayed that their needs would be met and they headed to church.

“I never said anything to anyone because I don’t like to beg for stuff because God knows my need,” Stewart said. “We went to church and we got home from church and our porch was full of groceries, bags and bags of groceries. I don’t know who put them there to this day. … God put it on somebody’s heart to put groceries on my porch.”

Those dropping in for spiritual support are often worried about practical daily needs, like paying their bills or finding a job, prayer volunteers said.

“So many people don’t realize how concerned God is for them,” Stewart said. “We encourage them to get in the habit of turning to God.”

Church volunteer Mary King, of Wesley Chapel, said one woman who pulled up for a prayer was at her wit’s end.

“Her home was in foreclosure,” King said. “Her kids were giving her problems. She’d lost her vehicle and the car she was driving in was a loaner. She saw our sign and she said, ‘I just need God to intervene. I have nothing.’”

The drive-through service began in February at the suggestion of Jay Canals, a church member.

“I have a niece in Puerto Rico,” Canals said. “Her church had started doing something similar to it, and they had a small church of about 300 or 400. Not long after they started doing this drive-through prayer, they started growing the church. They now have two churches, both churches running over 1,600 people.”

He thinks this ministry will lift up people who are feeling at a loss.

“If someone is looking for direction or guidance and they see that sign, they’re more apt to turn in and see what it’s about,” Canals said.

While it hasn’t built up much traffic, the new ministry seems to be creating a bit of a buzz in the community, Prater said.

“Our people have shared testimonies about it,” Prater said, noting they’ve overheard people talking about the drive-through service at the supermarket and at the hardware store.

“Sometimes it’s, ‘Who are those crazy people with signs on the road?’” Prater said. “A lot of it is, ‘Wow, what a concept.’”

They think the idea will spread to other churches. They’ve already heard from one in Safety Harbor that wants to learn the ropes on setting up the ministry.

They also are looking into the possibility of taking their service on the road, using areas of parking lots at shopping centers, for instance.

Volunteers said there are some things that the ministry is not about — raising money.

There are no collection buckets awaiting people’s offerings.

And, it’s not about self-promotion.

“We’re here to build the kingdom of God, not the church,” King said.

The goal is to remind people of the immensity of God’s love, Prater said.

“God is bigger than just Sundays and a midweek service. God can meet you right where you are.”

—Follow B.C. Manion on Twitter: @BCManionLaker

 

Sonrise Worship Center, 18310 N. US 41 in Lutz, offers a drive-through prayer ministry on the third Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Visit the church parking lot and the prayer team will meet you at your vehicle and surround you with prayer before you head on your way. For more information, visit  www.drivethruprayertampa.com.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Breast health in East Pasco County took a big step forward Oct. 4 while also lessening the paces required for treatment.

That’s the day Florida Hospital Zephyrhills opened its Simpson Breast Health Center.

Alexa Stinnette, manager of the new center, said the 9,000-square-foot facility not only offers state-of-the-art technology and treatment options to the community, but also brings diagnosis, treatment, surgery, rehabilitation and education together in one location on the hospital’s grounds, 7050 US 301.

“Before this, we had to be in four different hallways,” Stinnette said. “We had to take them from one corner of the hospital to the other. These patients are semiundressed, so that was part of the concern for us.”

Hospital president and CEO Doug Duffield said much of the discretion issue is negated by the inclusiveness of the center.

“I’ve been down there almost daily for three months,” Duffield said. “We had our staff, physicians and architects take part in the design from the start. We had several patients who were part of it to see how best to flow patients through the facility so it’s discreet and private.”

Stinnette said that male patients will also be kept in special rooms to protect their privacy.

Not only does it take only a few steps to get from one area to the other, but there are also curtains everywhere to help with privacy.

Laurie Hitzl, director of imaging services at the hospital, said having everything together is a huge timesaver.

“The imaging is all in one place, so it limits the time between mammogram to the time that they’re actually diagnosed,” Hitzl said. “It could have taken weeks, and by having everything within the team, we’re able to shorten that to days. … If it’s my family, or if it was me or one of my best friends that was going in, I would want to be able to know right away. The longer the wait it gets in your mind. It’s just the right thing to do for the community.”

Duffield added, “What used to take weeks or longer can now be done in a matter of hours and days, and I think that’s important when you go through a screening mammogram and they find something. Taking two weeks to find out if it’s truly something or not, you want to know that within a day so you can sleep at night.”

Also easing the process is the fact that patients will have a guide while at the center.

“The nurse navigator is going to be our facilitator between our patient, the technologist, the manager, all of physicians and the hospital,” Stinnette said. “Her job will be to assist the patient on their journey. Hopefully, for most, they won’t have to deal with breast disease and continue without that worry. For a patient with breast cancer, the navigator will help them with where to turn and what to do.”

There is also educational material in the center to better inform patients about their condition and care.

Part of that teaching is moving the hospital’s monthly breast health conference to the center. The program, which started three years ago, brings doctors, outside surgeons and oncologists to discuss new treatments and other elements of breast health. The group meets every third Thursday starting at 12:30 p.m.

Stinnette said the center’s creation began more than three years ago with community outreach.

“It started with the patients,” Stinnette said. “They wanted to have a comprehensive center. They didn’t want to go to other imaging centers and having part of their work done at one facility and another.”

Carolyn Sentelik, executive director of the hospital’s foundation, said fundraising was a big part of building the new facility.

The center was named after Wilton and Kathy Simpson, who gave $250,000. Sentelik said that is the single largest gift since the hospital opened in 1985. In total, the foundation raised more than $1.5 million through donations.

Duffield said fundraising was key for the nonprofit hospital to bring such specialized care to East Pasco.

“Probably close to 100 percent of the funds for this center were raised by the community,” Duffield said. “I guess that just goes to show how committed this community is to health and women’s health services. … It’s a hospital-community partnership to make this happen.”

Sentelik said she was emotional when she saw the center unveiled.

“The first time that I walked through, I literally had big tears forming in my eyes,” Sentelik said. “It’s something that I’d dreamt about, along with the whole community. The pictures, the artist’s rendering and designing the flow of the facility so it made sense from a patient’s perspective. Too see all of that come to fruition is a very emotional. I almost felt like I was on HGTV and one of those people who walk in their house that just got redone.”

Sentelik added that having something like this will make those in the area become more likely to get their annual mammograms on time.

“I know I will,” Sentelik said. “For me it’s any excuse in the world from I have a headache today to make me not do it. Now I don’t have that excuse. It’s right here. There’s no reason to not get that.”

Sentelik’s sentiments hit home for Stinnette.

“I had a friend die of breast cancer at the age of 41, and the promise she had me make to her was that I could continue to care for others,” Stinnette said. “This is helping me do that today.”

To make an appointment at the center, call (813) 783-8378.

 

Fast facts

Breast cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in women after skin cancer, according the American Cancer Society. The organization’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States during 2012 are:

–About 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women

–About 63,000 new cases of carcinoma in situ (noninvasive) will be found

–About 39,510 deaths from breast cancer in women

 

Not a good idea, students say

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Sixteen-year-old Wes Schweiger found out how hard it would be to text while driving during a recent simulated exercise at Carrollwood Day School (CDS).

“You cannot be looking at the road while you’re texting,” said Schweiger, noting that he crashed twice during his brief time behind the wheel of AWARE-TXT Simulator.

Matthew Punzone, who also took a turn in the simulator, said he’s pretty sure he was speeding. The 16-year-old said he wouldn’t text and drive in real life.

“I would be too scared, honestly,” Punzone said, adding that he knows someone who died as a result of an accident that involved texting while driving.

CDS’ entire high school student body had a chance to find out how difficult it is to concentrate on the road while texting.

A team from PEER Awareness, a health and wellness company based in Grand Rapids, Mich., was at the school Sept. 28 to conduct the exercise at the school, 1515 W. Bearss Ave.

Students drove in a real car that was suspended and monitored with sensors to simulate actual driving. The software renders a virtual field of vision, visible on a heads-up display worn by the driver. The software also simulates various road conditions, such as rain and snow.

Catania & Catania Attorneys at Law sponsored the event.

The dangers of texting while driving are gaining greater attention as public service announcements (PSA) put those hazards in human terms.

In one PSA, a young woman talks about the last text she sent her sister before the young woman died in a crash. In another, a young man with brain damage talks about the challenges that await him because he was texting while driving.

The issue is so serious that lawmakers in many states have banned texting while driving.

Krista Diamond, high school counselor and advisory program coordinator at CDS, said concerns expressed by students prompted the event.

Diamond said several students expressed concerns about it while talking to a coach, who brought the issue to her.

“Our students do know people who have been in accidents related to texting and driving,” Diamond said. “They see it as an increasing problem. … Our hope was that we can dispel some of the myths. A lot of people seem to think that ‘I can do it.’”

They somehow think that they’re immune to the potential dangers, Diamond explained. She said she knows about the dangers because she was involved in an accident involving a driver who was texting. They were lucky, she said. No one was seriously hurt.

For more information on PEER Awareness and their AWARE-TXT Simulator, as well as other programs, visit www.peerawareness.com.

—Follow B.C. Manion on Twitter: @BCManionLaker

 

 

Texting while driving facts*

—At least 23 percent of auto collisions involved cellphones in 2011.

—The minimal amount of time your attention is taken away from the road when you’re texting is 5 seconds. If you’re driving 55 mph, the traveling distance with your eyes off the road is equivalent to the length of a football field.

—Texting while driving makes a crash 23 times more likely.

—Approximately 82 percent of all 16- and 17-year-olds have a cellphone; 34 percent acknowledge that they’ve texted while driving.

—Roughly 77 percent of teens surveyed are confident or very confident that they can safely drive, while texting.

Texting while driving causes:

—1.6 million accidents per year, according to the National Safety Council

—230,000 injuries per year, according to a Harvard Center For Risk Analysis study

—11 teen deaths every day, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Fatality Facts

*Source: www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats

 

Lutz association may be on solid ground

 

By Jeff Odom

 

With economic uncertainty and future funding up in the air, some volunteer fire associations in Hillsborough County are going up in smoke.

That may not be the case in Lutz, though.

In a performance audit on the county’s six volunteer fire associations released in September, questions were raised about their need, mainly because of the cost to keep them running. Three of the associations were forced to cease operations and were taken over by paid staffs earlier this month.

But even with an uncertain future looming for others, the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association, which was founded in 1952, has been one of the most financially stable thanks in part to support from the community.

According to auditors, of the $150,832 in revenue the Lutz association brought in during the evaluation, $85,508 came from community support, membership dues and general donations.

The audit goes on to say that Lutz, “is the only (association) reporting significant ‘membership dues and assessments.’”

Jay Muffly, who serves as president of the Lutz association, said people have been very generous to the station and continue to be in spite of a down economy.

“Even in tough times, we still have community support,” Muffly said. “Even as neighborhoods (around Lutz) have changed, we’ve stayed in business, and the reason is because of the many members that support us as well as the community.”

Hillsborough Fire Rescue Chief Ron Rogers would not comment on the future of any specific volunteer facility, but said his department does not want to continue funding such stations anymore.

“We’re going to look at the options to give our citizens the best service,” Rogers said. “That might be the current volunteer model in some places, or it might be putting in paid personnel. We’re going to keep looking at it.”

Muffly said the department relies on association membership and fundraising events such as the grilled chicken dinners during the Lutz Independence Day celebration on July 4 to keep the station on good financial terms. It also does donation drives in the spring.

He said the association plans on expanding its fundraisers even further.

“The biggest thing is the support we have from those around the community,” Muffly said. “We’re doing membership drives, one boot drive in the spring this year, and we may try to do something with the arts and crafts show (at Lake Park) in December. … For the foreseeable future, Lutz will be in good shape, and that is because of our many members and community support. I can’t express that enough.”

Because the association is on solid financial footing, Muffly expects the station to continue operations. The association is still collecting memberships for the rest of this year and the next. Muffly said there is no deadline for turning in new memberships.

“We’re still in business,” Muffly said. “I can’t say enough about our members, and we appreciate everyone who sends in memberships. … I can’t speak for other associations, but we’ve been here forever, and we’re looking forward to continuing to be here.”

For more information and details on how to contribute to the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association, call (813) 949-2463.

—Editor Kyle LoJacono contributed to this report.

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

The volunteers were busy.

Some were folding flat cardboard forms into boxes.

Others were moving from table to table, filling the shoe boxes with goodies.

Tables throughout the room were loaded with stuff to fill up the boxes. There were mounds of toys, stacks of school supplies and piles of toiletries.

The gathering, at Van Dyke United Methodist Church in Lutz, was part of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse.

Each year since 1993, volunteers have been helping to bring Christmas joy and the Gospel to children around the globe.

This year, the project expects to hit a major milestone —surpassing 100 million shoe boxes distributed since the project began.

“Each of these boxes is so important to share the Gospel message with those who have never had a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Jon Brigner told the volunteers.

Julie Brigner added, “We’re doing a really special project. These boxes are going where Christianity is not welcome.”

The Brigners are the area coordinators for West Coast Florida for Operation Christmas Child.

“This is our 14th year involved in the project,” Jon said. “We started out packing shoe boxes.”

But the couple has also seen the joy that recipients experience when they receive the Gospel, as well as the boxes filled with gifts. They witnessed that when they traveled to Uganda, where they helped distribute 10,000 gift boxes, Jon said.

At the packing event at Van Dyke United Methodist, volunteers were packing boxes that could not contain any references to the Gospel.

“We can’t have anything that screams Jesus,” Julie said.  In these cases, missionaries deliver the Gospel message directly, as they distribute the boxes, she said.

Operation Christmas Child is a project that goes on all year.

The ministry has several components. It involves various teams, such as prayer mobilization, collection, church relations, community relations, media relations and leadership.

The boxes that are packed are gender and age specific, with boxes assembled for children ages 2 to 4, 5 to 9 and 10 to 14.

Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week is scheduled for Nov. 12 through Nov. 19 this year.

—Follow B.C. Manion on Twitter: @BCManionLaker

 

Want to help?

There are many ways that people can get involved. For more information, call Jon Brigner at (813) 727-9484 or Julie Brigner, (813) 727-5549. For additional information, visit www.samaritanspurse.org or call (800) 353-5949.

 

Some gift suggestions:

—School supplies, including pens, pencils, pencils sharpeners, crayons, markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books

—Toys, including small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump rumps, toys that light up or make noises (with extra batteries)

—Hygiene items, including toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth

—Miscellaneous items, including T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

Do not contribute damaged items, war or weapons related toys, food, outdated candy, chocolate, liquids, lotions, medications, vitamins, breakable items, aerosol cans.

 

Local shoe box filling event

Her Way of Networking is sponsoring a local shoe box filling event.

When: 11:30 a.m. Nov. 6

Where: Organic Life Coffee, 1900 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz

What: At least 20 shoe boxes will be filled. Donations of gift items are welcome to help fill the boxes.

Name: Paula S. O’Neil
Age: 55
Residence: Bayonet Point

Occupation: clerk of circuit court and Pasco comptroller
Political affiliation: Republican
Political experience: Serving first term as clerk of circuit court and county comptroller; elected in 2008

Office being sought: Pasco County Clerk of Circuit Court

 

What separates you from your competitors(s)?

This constitutional office has complex and varied responsibilities that require quick and knowledgeable decisions on a continuous basis by seasoned professionals. My professional credentials include 25 years of dedication to improving Pasco County government, advanced degrees including a doctorate in management, and a sincere commitment to our community. Experience and education are essential to the management of a billion dollar budget; collaboration with elected officials, and the public; and fulfilling the statutory duties of the Office. This constitutional officer must also lead a team of hundreds of employees and set the stage for customer service to hundreds of thousands of customers. With the responsibilities of courts, official records, county comptroller and county auditor, your Clerk must safeguard county assets, records, and resources. Our office has been recognized with many awards in the last four years, including four Achievement Awards from the Nat’l Assoc. of Counties, Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, Excellence in Financial Reporting and the WPBA Justice Award. Most importantly, I have integrity and am honored to have the privilege to serve.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?

My number one priority since my election in 2008 has been the eFuture of the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office. Since my election, we have taken many Clerk responsibilities into the electronic world. The largest electronic changes include online foreclosure sales, online jury reporting, electronic payables, electronic payroll, electronic judicial reporting, ACH interface for customers and eTickets for red light cameras. We are in the process of replacing a 1977 court case maintenance system with a next generation system and moving all court files into electronic filing.

It is my hope that the voters of Pasco County enable me to continue to lead this electronic transition for the Clerk’s Office. By June of 2013, we hope to have at least five of the ten court case types in electronic format. This transition will enable customers to perform more sophisticated searches of court activity from their personal computers.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?

I would like to have all court case types online and have document retrieval available online. I would like to have a completely paperless judicial system with the ability for all justice partners to access the same documents and dockets and case information at the same time. It would be great to have all archived records scanned and available in electronic format.

The second area of my concentration during a second term that I would like to continue is positive customer service with a continued emphasis on customer education. Providing access to the public for courthouse tours and providing educational opportunities for the public have increased public awareness of the services provided by our government. This public access has enabled me to address questions about our services to citizens without the restrictions of governmental structures. It would be an honor to continue to serve as Clerk.
List your political endorsements:

West Pasco Board of Realtors, East Pasco Association of Realtors, West Florida Federation of Labor, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Senator Mike Fasano, Representative Will Weatherford, Representative Richard Corcoran, State Attorney Bernie McCabe, Public Defender Bob Dillinger, and the following attorneys: Sallie Skipper, Gary Davis, Larry Hart, Glen Greenfelder, Hutch Brock, Tara O’Connor, Kerry O’Connor, Stacy Kemp, Alyssa Ruge, David Carter, Declan Mansfield, Frank Bianco, George Psetas, Bill Moore, Alfred Tetlow, Nathan Brewer, Michael Beam, Steve Duran, Jeff Lucas, David Anderson, Stephen Booth, Craig LaPorte, Brian Mulligan, Catie Mansfield, Al Torrence, Beverly Barnett, Daniel Rock, Elizabeth Blair, Hodges & Carle, A.P. Gibbs, Dennis Alfonso, Nancy Alfonso, John Klawikofsky, Barbara Wilhite, Laird Lile, Ernest Cole, Glen Johnson, Dominic Farello, Scott McPherson, John Henson, Jeremiah Hawkes, Dionne Blaesing, Nicole Nate and Chip Waller

 

Name: Roberta Cutting
Age: 52
Residence: Zephyrhills

Occupation: running for office
Political affiliation: Independent
Political experience: none
Office being sought: Pasco County Clerk of Circuit Court

 

What separates you from your competitors(s)?

Paula O’Neil’s unethical conduct was my inspiration to run against her. I would never hurt someone that I am representing and O’Neil crossed that line when she maliciously sabotaged my career with no explanation of why she did it. Furthermore, she would not talk to me via any method to get whatever her problem was resolved. I would never do this to anyone, not alone someone I am supposed to be representing.

This is one reason I am adamant on having an open door policy and will listen and adhere to your concerns, wholeheartedly, and why I am 100% for YOU, the people.

I would not charge you to view the financial records of the clerk’s office or put you through bureaucracy to get them, as I would have nothing to hide. Unfortunately, I am currently having these issues.

Wastefully spending your money is another thing I would never do to you.

I am also giving back half of my salary to the people.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?

My name is Cutting and I am cutting anything that hurts the people right from the start.

Cut my salary in half (which is almost $70,000 a year) and give it back to the people to help them excel. A database will be set up and the comments from the people will decide where we will use those funds, starting with the majority of the people and work our way down to the minority of the people.

Bring in an outside auditor to help analyze the financial records to eliminate needless spending and rechannel funds more productively.

Continue modernizing the electronic database, including researching what other counties are using and utilize the best user-friendly system available. Also, consider not only having foreclosed properties online, but also bring back the courthouse steps approach on buying foreclosed properties.

Cut bureaucracy by having an open door policy.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?

Cutting out wasteful spending and rechannel the extra funds back to the people where it belongs.

Cutting bureaucracy because of the open door policy and adhere to the concerns of the people.

Have a fully functional electronic system with as much open government and public records allowable my law implemented so that the people can have easier access to these records.

Have programs in place that are helping the people, such as setting up programs for children, dental programs, get people off drugs, re-open the swimming pools, etc. The sky is the limit for whatever the people decide on the funds I am giving back to them.

Bring up the morale of the employees by offering incentives and training to help them to be inspired to give the best possible service to you, the people of this county.

Everything I plan to do is geared on helping YOU.
List your political endorsements:

No response given.

Name: Edward (Ed) Blommel
Age: 63
Residence: Dade City
Occupation: retired from Tampa Electric Co.
Political affiliation: Republican
Political experience: none as a candidate, but many years working in government relations
Office being sought: Pasco County tax collector

 

What separates you from your competitors(s)?

Open inviting management style that encourages leadership development from the ground up, sharing ideas and offering ideas for creative problem solving.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?

Hands on learning the ins and outs of the office and earning the trust of the current employees. Establish a plan to address future demands. Work toward a collaborative effort with the Constitutional Officers and glean ideas via participation in the Florida Tax Collectors Association to provide the most effective delivery of services at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayers.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?

To have the Tax Collector’s Office recognized as a model of service, accountability and professional development for which all of us can be proud – the employees and the citizens.
List your political endorsements:

State Representative (Florida House Speaker Designate) Will Weatherford, State Senator Elect John Legg, State Representative Richard Corcoran and The West Florida Women’s Conservative Republican Network.

 

 

Name: Mike Olson

Age: 67
Residence: Elfers
Occupation: Pasco County tax collector
Political affiliation: Democrat

Political experience: county commissioner 1974 – 1980, Pasco County tax collector 1981 – present
Office being sought: Pasco County tax collector

 

What separates you from your competitors(s)?

I have a proven track record of managing the Tax Collector’s office effectively and efficiently. As a former banker I have utilized my experience to bring state of the art computer technology and customer service to the office. We continually upgrade our systems and services to provide the best possible experience for our customers.

I am responsible for the collection of over $500 million each year and the processing of over one million transactions by mail, lobby and Internet. My management skills have resulted in the return of $70 million in unspent revenues to the county commission and other taxing authorities, a total unmatched by any other local governmental entity.

Programs I have implemented include new branch offices, extended and Saturday office hours, driver license issuance, voter registration, Internet and debit/credit card payment and overnight processing of mailed auto renewals and other transactions. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, this year we offer delivery of 2012 tax notices and receipts via the Internet, a fiscally and environmentally friendly option.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?

I have a proven track record of implementing new processes and procedures to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency. I will continue to do so during the next four years.

During the current economic slump I have provided a steady and experienced hand at the helm, successfully steering the office through increased demand for services during a time of governmental cost constraints. As the economy improves and growth resumes, the demand for driver license, auto registration and other services will increase dramatically, requiring creative solutions to continue our high level of service to the public. I can and will provide these solutions.

In summary, I have the education, experience and proven ability to continue providing professional, courteous service to the public.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?

Taking over the issuance of driver licensees from the state has changed the requirements for our facilities. Rather than build a number of shopping center storefronts, it is now more advantageous to provide larger full service regional centers.

It is more cost-effective for the taxpayers to own — not rent — their governmental facilities. With a low, locked-in interest rate, short-term debt to build a facility is good business. Additionally, conducting a driving examination for a nervous driver is not without risk. I intend to build fenced-in driving courses, similar to those used for high school driver education classes, on the grounds of the regional offices for the protection of the applicant, the examiner, and the public.

Replacing the inadequate Land O’Lakes Office, and providing another for the Wesley Chapel – Zephyrhills area, will enable me to keep my commitment to provide first-class service to our citizens.

 

List your political endorsements:

United School Employees of Pasco County

Jarrett Ford gives big check to Habitat for Humanity

Jarrett Ford presented a $193,000 check to Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco County at the Habitat Business Challenge Charity Golf Tournament Player Auction.

The presentation came during a dinner before the 7 p.m. auction at Silverado Golf Course & Country Club on Sept. 28.

 

William Ryan Homes offers advanced online service

William Ryan Homes has selected the Tampa Bay area to introduce My Home 24/7, one of the nation’s most advanced online services that keeps homebuyers connected to their home every second before, during and after construction.

The core of My Home 24/7 is around-the-clock access to every facet of a home’s construction from contracts to change orders, color selections to window treatments and more.

Each customer is provided with a personal, password-protected home page containing the smallest details of the home purchase. By linking homeowners directly with the builder, the typically inefficient hit-and-miss communication process is eliminated.

A personalized construction schedule is updated immediately as deliveries, weather and other factors change. Construction photos also are updated weekly to show the home’s progress in a timely manner.

William Ryan Homes builds in communities throughout the Tampa Bay area. Its residences can be found at Ashton Oaks, Lago del Rey and Deerfield Lakes, all in Pasco County, as well as at Grand Hampton in Tampa.

For more information, visit us at www.WilliamRyanHomes.com.

 

International Business Expo in Pasco

The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is hosting an International Business Expo from 4 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

The event aims to help our small- and medium-sized businesses learn how to compete for business on a wider scale, and to increase their sales and reach to international markets through the federal government’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA) program, as well as bettering their presence and profits locally.

There will be a host of seminars covering various business topics from leading government, civic and private sector experts and career search guidance.

For more information, contact Rosie Paulsen at (813) 909-6965.

 

Women-N-Charge luncheon

Women-N-Charge will have its monthly networking session and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 2 at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in New Tampa. The speaker will be cancer survivor and author, Sandra Mineria. The cost is $15 online, www.women-n-charge.com, by the Tuesday before the meeting. After that the cost is $18. Please RSVP. For more information, contact Judy at (813) 600-9848 or .

 

Adams Arms locates in Pasco

Adams Arms, the firearms industry leader in piston technology, has signed the lease on a 12,000-square-foot building located in the West Pasco Industrial Park in Odessa, according to a news release from the Pasco Economic Development Council (PEDC).

Adams Arms needed room to grow and chose Pasco County after evaluating several states including Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, according to the PEDC. The company is planning to add 29 new jobs to Florida with an average annual wage of $50,000, which is approximately 150 percent of the Pasco average annual wage.

 

Dade City Chamber awards banquet

The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is having its annual awards banquet Oct. 18 at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.

There will be an auction and cash bar at 6 p.m. and a buffet dinner at 7 p.m.

Awards to be presented for ambassador of the year, small business of the year, large business of the year, business leader of the year, large business of year, business leader of the year, civic association of the year, chamber member of the year, citizen of the year, Richard Tombrink Lifetime Achievement Award and president’s award.

Tickets are $50. Contact the chamber at (352) 567-3769 or for your reservation.

 

Hillsborough eases construction planning

Hillsborough County has launched an electronic submittal and review system for building plans.

The system, called ProjectDox, will streamline the process for customers and county staff during the submission and review of construction projects.

ProjectDox creates a virtual workspace for customers and county staff to initiate, communicate, review and approve construction plans.

Customers receive a special login for their projects that allows them to submit plans and documents and review the status of their projects from their own computers. County staff from various departments and agencies that need to review the plans also can log in from their computers to view documents online and mark them up as needed for everyone else to see and provide further input.

For more information and to access the electronic plan submittal service, visit the county’s website at, www.hillsboroughcounty.org/center/, and click on the “Online Services” link.  On that page, click on “Online Permitting and Plan Submittal System.”  For more assistance, call (813) 272-5600.

 

Ierna’s acquires Armor Air Heating & Cooling

Ierna’s Heating & Cooling has acquired Armor Air Heating & Cooling of Trinity.

Ierna’s also plans to open a new office/warehouse in downtown Lutz in January 2013.

 

Leadership classes

The Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) Corporate Training Department in partnership with The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce are offering a brown-bag lunch and three-part series on practical leadership. The series will be on Oct. 9, Oct 25 and Nov.1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The topics for each day are:

—Oct. 19, Do you have what it takes? Learn about the different skills it takes to be a true leader. Participants will also be taught how to run an effective meeting.

—Oct. 25, What’s your leadership style? Participants will also learn time management tips and strategies.

—Nov. 1, Are you leaving a legacy? Listening skills and communication techniques will be discussed.

Lori Bainum, director of corporate training for PHCC, facilitates all programs. Lunch is provided. The seminars will be hosted by Hampton Inn & Suites, 2740 Cypress Ridge Blvd. in Wesley Chapel.

The cost is $15 per person, per class or $40 per person for all three classes. Advanced registration and payment are required. To reserve your space, call (813) 994-8534.