The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

Two cities, town heading to the polls April 8

By

Mid-term elections are still months away, but cities and towns in Pasco County will have a chance to choose local leaders in municipal elections in Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills.

Qualifying ended Feb. 18 for municipal elections, and incumbents in those cities and town will face challengers. Winners will be decided April 8.

Residents living in those cities who want to vote must be registered no later than March 10, according to Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley. At the polls, voters should bring photo and signature identification, or they will be required to vote a provisional ballot.

Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is getting a new mayor, and he didn’t even have to campaign.

Gene Whitfield, owner of Whitfield Funeral Home and Cremation Services on Gall Boulevard, will succeed Danny Burgess as mayor of Zephyrhills.

He will become the 20th mayor of Zephyrhills, and the fourth one in the last two years, following the retirement of Cliff McDuffie in 2012 and the resignation later that year of new mayor Steve Van Gorden.

The mayor position is largely ceremonial, with no voting power. The city council chooses a board president to run meetings.

Burgess chose not to run again so that he could seek a state House seat being vacated by Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

Also taking office unopposed in Zephyrhills is Ken Burgess, who was first elected in 2011 to replace Tim Urban, and didn’t draw an opponent in his first regular race in 2012.

The trip back to the city council dais won’t be so easy for Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson, as she’ll face off against community activist and retired educator Alan Knight on April 8. Wilkeson, the president and founder of WDA Design Group, was first elected in 2008.

Knight currently is the chair of the city’s parks and recreation board, and has been involved in the city’s interest in purchasing the abandoned Hercules Park on County Road 54 in recent months.

Dade City
Mayor Camille Hernandez is returning for another term on the Dade City Commission after failing to attract a challenger, but her colleague Scott Black will have to convince voters to keep him in a job he’s had since 1990.

Angelica Herrera filed and qualified just before the deadline to challenge Black. She has been civically active over the years, including work in the Tommytown revitalization efforts as well as the United Latino Council. Now she’s a center manager for Catholic Charities on Meridian Avenue in Dade City, according to her election paperwork.

Hernandez was first elected to the commission in 2006, winning re-election unopposed in 2010. She became mayor in 2012, a position that is similar to a board president that is selected by the other commissioners, and where she still gets a vote.

St. Leo
Raphael Davis and Donna DeWitt will face off for a seat on the St. Leo town commission. DeWitt is the current incumbent in Seat 1, and has served on the St. Leo board since 1997.

Davis, who did not list an occupation in his candidate filing, lives in Lake Jovita, a prominent community in St. Leo that has pushed for de-annexation from the town in recent years.

DeWitt is a nun at Holy Name Monastery. She ran unopposed in 2012 and 2010.

James Hallett, a monk at Saint Leo Abbey, won a new term on the board unopposed, while Richard Christmas — who resigned from the commission in 2012 — will take over the commission seat currently held by Mayor John Gardner. The mayor, who will now be replaced by a commission vote at its next organizational meeting, did not seek re-election.

San Antonio
There won’t be any need to open the precinct in San Antonio, yet the city will have two new faces on its commission. Dennis Berberich and Anne Marie Kibbe won seats after both failed to draw challengers in their at-large election.

Returning for another term is Elayne Bassinger, after Thomas Knight filed but failed to qualify for the election.

Berberich and Kibbe will replace Roy Pierce and Richard Gates, both who chose not to run again. Pierce doubled as the city’s building and zoning commissioner, while Gates also was the waterworks commissioner. Bassinger was the commissioner over parks.

Published Feb. 26, 2014.

Late bowler struck hearts with kindness

By

If somebody wanted to track down Betty Strickland on a weekday, it was a safe bet she’d be at Royal Lanes in Lutz.

Betty Strickland was a fixture at Royal Lanes in Lutz. She was known not only for her bowling prowess, but also her kindly nature. (File Photo)
Betty Strickland was a fixture at Royal Lanes in Lutz. She was known not only for her bowling prowess, but also her kindly nature. (File Photo)

The Land O’ Lakes woman, who died on Jan. 29, was a fixture at the bowling alley since it opened in the 1970s.

On busy days, she bowled as many as 10 games. But normally, Strickland bowled around four, according to a feature story about the bowler published in The Laker/Lutz News in 2010.

Strickland enjoyed bowling with her friend, Cat Carson, and the two women played in scores of tournaments – including national tournaments – for several years.

One of Strickland’s biggest moments at Royal Lanes came on Jan. 9, 2006, when she bowled 300 — a perfect game.

Rachel Thompson, who herself bowled a perfect game on Nov. 9, 2012, said that besides being a terrific bowler, Strickland radiated kindness. Thompson works in classified sales at The Laker/Lutz News.

Before meeting Strickland, Thompson said she felt a bit intimidated. After all, Strickland bowled with the Brooklyn Strikers, known as the team to beat at Royal Lanes.

But it didn’t take Strickland long to put Thompson at ease.

“She right away was giving me five and telling me how good I was,” Thompson said, adding that Strickland was “super sweet and really supportive. She didn’t even know me.”

Carson, a retired schoolteacher, also remembers Strickland’s warm welcome. The Land O’ Lakes woman said she was pretty rusty at the time, and Strickland noticed.

“She looked at my old ball from 1960. She said, ‘I think you need some help,’” recalled Carson, who became fast friends with Strickland. “She took me under her wing and started teaching me all of these things. She worked hours and hours with me. We started bowling shortly after that, almost five times a week.”

Their friendship went beyond the bowling alley. They went scalloping together and to country music concerts at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City.

“She liked baseball, too. We were big (Tampa Bay) Rays fans. She’d watch every game, every night,” Carson said.

After games, the women would chat on the telephone about how the players performed.

Carson said she treasures the friendship she and Strickland shared.

“I never had a friend quite like Betty,” Carson said.

She recalls an instance when Strickland called her at midnight and said, “Oh, my cactus flower opened, come see it.”

Carson jumped in her car to go see it.

On another occasion, Strickland was chatting on the telephone and told Carson, “Oh, look, a baby deer was born in my bushes.”

So, Carson jumped in her car once again, and drove to Strickland’s house.

Carson credits Strickland for playing a large role in influencing the welcoming ambience at Royal Lanes.

“Our whole bowling alley is very friendly — the majority of the people there — and I really think Betty had a big thing to do with that,” Carson said.

She was beloved by people of all ages, Carson said. She pointed out that a good number of those in attendance at her memorial service were decades younger than Strickland.

Strickland is survived by her daughters, Brenda Barno (Pete) and Robyn Davie Geiger (John); her four grandchildren, Andrew Barno, Brenna Barno Longmier, Dennis Davie Jr., Wendy Jo Davie; and numerous great-grandchildren.

Robyn Geiger said her mother enjoyed the camaraderie of the bowlers at Royal Lanes. “She liked the people,” Geiger said.

Besides being an avid bowler in her later years, Strickland was a hard worker in her younger years, Geiger said. Sometimes Strickland would work two or three jobs, to make sure she could provide for her daughters.

Thompson, who only knew Strickland from the bowling alley, said the woman left an indelible impression.

“It was great to bowl with her. She made sure to let people know she cared,” Thompson said, adding Strickland was “sweet as cotton candy.”

Published Feb. 19, 2014

 

Pasco’s top teacher says he’s ‘living the dream’

By

When Pat Connolly was in high school, he thought he had his future mapped out.

He planned to become an engineer and had even been accepted to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Pat Connolly jots out a problem during his Advanced Placement calculus class at Land O’ Lakes High School. Connolly recently was named Teacher of the Year for Pasco County Schools. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
Pat Connolly jots out a problem during his Advanced Placement calculus class at Land O’ Lakes High School. Connolly recently was named Teacher of the Year for Pasco County Schools. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

All that changed, however, after he began tutoring some high school peers.

As he worked with them, Connolly saw the light bulb go on in their heads when they understood what he was teaching.

“I felt then that I’d been given a gift, and it became my moral responsibility to the universe to use that gift,” said Connolly, recently named Teacher of the Year in Pasco County Schools.

Instead of going to MIT, Connolly headed to the University of Chicago where he earned a degree in mathematics and picked up some classes in education. Even then, Connolly said he understood that there’s both an art and a science to teaching.

It’s not enough to have mastery of the material one’s teaching, said Connolly, who teaches mathematics at Land O’ Lakes High School. It’s also essential to able to convey it in a way that connects with students.

“They (students) trust me to take them on this ride called education. And, without that trust, I can’t do what I do,” he said. “I think I have earned that trust from them. I’ve shown them that I care about them. I’ve shown them I have interesting things to teach them, and that I have faith that they can learn it.”

Even after decades of teaching, Connolly still delights in seeing that light bulb go on when a student finally catches on after struggling with a concept. He often sees that light go on when he’s introducing new ideas.

“They’ve got no clue what you are talking about,” he said. “Then, after five minutes, you get a bunch of them nodding. Then, you finally get this one kid, after 15 or 20 minutes, he’s like, ‘I got it!’”

Watching students become confident in their ability to learn is satisfying, Connolly said. Students in his Advanced Placement calculus class describe him as a teacher who is not only in full command of the material he’s presenting, but also can relate mathematics to just about anything in life.

“He knows like everything,” said Carlos Osorno, the high school’s senior class president. “Anything we talk about, even random topics that come up in class, you really don’t know how he knows everything.”

Classmate Andrea Slouha agreed. “Any subject you ask him about, he seems to always have an answer for it. I don’t think he’s ever said, ‘I don’t know’ to anything.”

Vincent Trang, who has taken Connolly’s classes for two years, described him as a teacher who wants his students to succeed.

“He’s a really helpful teacher,” he said. “There are some times when I don’t understand a concept. He would take the time to make sure I understood it.

“I think he loves teaching,” Trang said.

Robin Hanna, another AP calculus student, said she took the class because of Connolly’s good reputation, and he’s lived up to the billing.

“He has turned out to be really interesting,” Hanna said. “There’s never a dull day in this class. I have learned a lot — not just about math, but about how certain things work and about how math can be applied to real-life situations. Just a lot of random facts, too, because he can go off on tangents.”

Another student, Ryan Kova, said Connolly is tuned into students and can tell if his lessons are getting through to them.

Connolly has been teaching in Pasco County Schools since 1989, first at Ridgewood High School, then transferring to Land O’ Lakes two years later.

His wife Sherri is a teacher at Centennial Elementary School, her school for 25 years. They live in Zephyrhills and have three adult children, Shanna Harper and Sara and Shane Connolly.

Before arriving in Pasco County, Connolly taught for five years in Missouri, followed by six years as an instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, as well as two years at the Naval Academy Preparatory School.

Connolly had considered retiring at the end of this school year, then seeking out a teaching job overseas. But he put those plans on hold to instead run for president of the teacher’s union.

If he wins, he’ll finish out the school year and take on that role. If he loses, he’ll stay on for another year at Land O’ Lakes High and pursue overseas teaching opportunities the following year.

For now, though, he’s enjoying the privilege of teaching. He said people think he’s joking when he says he’s “thrilled to be here” or that he’s “living the dream.”

But he’s serious.

In his application for Pasco’s Teacher of the Year, he explained his love for teaching by describing a scene from the movie “City Slickers.”

In that scene, a character named Curly explains the key to happiness is finding the one thing that really matters to you and sticking to it, no matter what.

“It seems teaching is my one thing,” Connolly wrote.

Published Feb. 12, 2014

Local businesses reach out to help shooting victim’s family

By

The management and employees at World of Beer and Moe’s Southwest Grill in Land O’Lakes hope that patrons spend a lot of money on Feb. 8. But it’s not an attempt to maximize profits.

Chad Oulson, right, was killed Jan. 13 during an altercation at Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro, leaving behind his wife, Nicole, and daughter Alexis. A fundraiser is slated for Feb. 8 in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Oulson Family)
Chad Oulson, right, was killed Jan. 13 during an altercation at Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro, leaving behind his wife, Nicole, and daughter Alexis. A fundraiser is slated for Feb. 8 in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Oulson Family)

Instead, it’s a benefit event designed to help a local family after a horrific loss.

Chad Oulson was shot and killed Jan. 13 in a dispute at the Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro movie theater in Wesley Chapel. The story made national news and a suspect is in custody. But now his widow, Nicole, and their young daughter, Alexis, must continue without him.

World of Beer and Moe’s, located on Collier Parkway, decided that hosting an event to raise money would be a good way to help.

“We want to be tied in with our community, and what better way than to help out in this tragic situation,” said Amanda Edwards, general manager at World of Beer Land O’Lakes. While the tavern has no direct ties to the Oulson family, they were enthusiastic to host the event when contacted by Edwards’ booking agent.

They hope to raise at least $5,000 for the family, Edwards said.

To reach that goal, World of Beer is donating $1 from every draft beer sold from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. that evening. They also will have an auction for a gift basket containing World of Beer and other brewery items.

In addition, there will be a raffle in which half the money will go to the winner and the other half to the Oulson family.

Moe’s Southwest Grill also is contributing to the event by pledging 25 percent of its sales for the entire day.

“I grew up in Lutz (and) Land O’Lakes my whole life. It’s such a small, tight-knit community. It’s all about family out here,” said Ryan Campbell, general manager of Moe’s. “We’ve always stuck together, so why not stick together in a time of hurt?” Campbell is the son of Guy Campbell, who owns both businesses involved in the event.

The benefit falls on a busy night for Moe’s, which should lead to a larger donation for the family, Campbell said. But his young employees also have helped get the word out to make sure the evening is as busy as possible.

“They’ve all been passing out flyers at school, trying to get people on board and trying to get people in so we can raise as much money as possible,” Campbell said.

While helping out is important to Edwards, as a member of the community it also hits close to home in other ways. Oulson left behind a daughter just shy of her second birthday. Edwards, a mother of two girls herself, delivered a son just last week. She said that the family’s loss made an impression on her, and it became important to help from a personal standpoint.

“Being a mother, I couldn’t imagine being left without a husband, and I know the monetary burden of a death in the family,” she said.

The event begins at 7 p.m., and patrons must be at least 21 to attend. Live music will be performed by Keko & Mo’ Gravy.

World of Beer is located at 2081 Collier Parkway, and Moe’s Southwest Grill is located at 2087 Collier Parkway.

For more information, call (813) 948-9400.

If you go
WHAT: Fundraiser for Oulson family
WHEN: Feb. 8, beginning at 7 p.m.
WHERE: World of Beer, 2081 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes; Moe’s Southwest Grill, 2087 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
INFO: (813) 948-9400

Update: This story was clarified on 2/19/14 to identify the booking agent as belonging to Amanda Edwards.

Published Feb. 5, 2014

Land O’ Lakes man rockets to new heights

By

If Michael Roberts is working on a project, chances are it is rocket science.

The Land O’ Lakes man has been fascinated with making things fly where he wants them to go since he was a young boy.

Michael Roberts stands in his garage near a rocket he built from scratch. The rocket soared 11,000 feet and attained a speed of 920 miles per hour. The stick rocket that he’s holding was his first attempt at rocket building. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
Michael Roberts stands in his garage near a rocket he built from scratch. The rocket soared 11,000 feet and attained a speed of 920 miles per hour. The stick rocket that he’s holding was his first attempt at rocket building. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“I started going to the five-and-dime seeing these little windup planes,” he said. “I had a shoebox full.”

As time went on, he graduated from balsa wood model airplanes to radio-controlled airplanes and helicopters, which he bought with his paper route money.

“My mom kind of thought I’d grow out of it,” he said. Instead, the 49-year-old who flies aircraft for the U.S. Department of Defense delved deeper.

In recent years, Roberts decided to get into designing model rockets from scratch. That began after he moved to the Tampa Bay area, just down the street from his nephew.

When his nephew began asking questions about rocketry, Roberts was inspired to try to build them.

“I started with small rockets — stick rockets — and they got bigger and bigger,” he said.

As his interest deepened, his rockets became more sophisticated. They had become so large that he decided he needed to add parachutes.

After that, he joined the Tripoli Tampa Rocketry Association, which has rocket launches on the third Saturday of each month in Plant City. It was then Roberts decided to pursue certification so he could launch larger rockets, and is now at the highest level a civilian can achieve.

“It’s a big deal,” he said.

With that certification, Roberts is qualified to launch a rocket capable of reaching the edge of space. But he still would need the proper kind of rocket and would need to launch it in the right place, under the proper conditions. To earn his top-level certification, he launched a rocket that flew 11,000 feet at 920 miles per hour, returning to the Earth intact.

He built that rocket from scratch in his garage.

It took him thousands of hours to progress from the first stick rocket that he constructed to his 14th rocket, which weighed more than 30 pounds. He built that rocket from parts he bought at such places as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Target, Walmart and hobby shops.

It is made from double-layered polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, pipe, and includes such items as baby powder, Christmas tree light bulbs, keychain cameras, pet tracker GPS devices, and commercial composite fuel.

“The guys in the club kept trying to tell me, ‘Don’t do it (from) scratch. It’s going to be a lot of work. It’s probably not going to work,’” Roberts said.

He ignored their advice.

“Scratch-build — what I like about it is that it takes more research,” Roberts said.

He jotted design ideas and calculations in a composition notebook. He kept going back to them, to refine them. His goal was to limit the number of variables to reduce potential for problems.

“Too many variables, you don’t know what happened” if something goes wrong, Roberts said. “Reduce the variables, when you’re doing something complex, I don’t care what it is.”

At a launch, Roberts runs through a mental checklist.

“I look at it as stages. Let’s make sure it ignites,” he said. “Your first thing is, let’s get it to launch and not blow up.”

As the rocket rises, “you’re thinking of other items that should happen, that should trigger,” he said. “You’re kind of keeping a clock in your head of what should be next.”

Finally, “you want to be able to find it, because you can have a good flight and not be able to find it,” Roberts said. “That would be a sad time.”

Even with a good design, nothing is guaranteed.

“You’re not sure. The engine could blow up or something could fly off,” he said. “That’s why it’s such a good feeling when it all works.”

Roberts gets a kick out of flying rockets and radio-controlled model airplanes and helicopters, and he hopes to encourage young people to pursue model aeronautics. He thinks that working with models was good for him because it captivated his interest.

“It kept me focused and kept me out of trouble,” he said.

He invites anyone who is interested in learning more to contact him at

To view Roberts’ rocket launch, visit youtu.be/U6JBVRkGq-s.

A vet’s best friend: Richardson wins Dalmatian Award

By

Santa Claus has elves to help him, and firefighters have Dalmatians in the firehouse as team players. So who does Central Pasco Veterinary Care have?

Zachary Novak poses with Santa, portrayed here by Vern Richardson, as part of the ‘Pet Photos with Santa Day’ project. The project helps raise money each year to provide specialized oxygen masks for animals in fires and accidents. (Courtesy of Matt McEachern)
Zachary Novak poses with Santa, portrayed here by Vern Richardson, as part of the ‘Pet Photos with Santa Day’ project. The project helps raise money each year to provide specialized oxygen masks for animals in fires and accidents. (Courtesy of Matt McEachern)

They have Vern Richardson.

“I love animals. I’m a dog lover. I’ve had them for years,” he said.

But Richardson’s pug, Thor, isn’t the only animal that benefits from his fondness for pets. And now he’s being recognized for it.

Richardson, who actually plays Santa Claus at Central Pasco Veterinary Care’s fundraisers, won the 2013 Pasco Hernando Veterinary Medical Association Dalmatian Award, given to local residents who go above and beyond with their efforts to help veterinarians in their area. Award winners are recognized as special contributors, volunteering their time for charitable causes and community service projects.

In Richardson’s case, he poses with his red suit (just a costume) and white beard (it’s real) with four-legged friends in the “Pet Photos with Santa Day” project. The annual event, organized by Dr. Jo Ann Daniels and her staff, raises money to purchase pet oxygen masks for local fire trucks when they provide aid to furry victims as well as humans.

Daniels, the medical association’s vice president, nominated Richardson for the award and was happy that her regular helper for the past four years has finally been recognized for his work.

“We’re very fortunate to have such a wonderful person who volunteers his time, and who has the same philosophy as ours — trying to give back to the community, supporting veterinarians and supporting veterinary medicine,” Daniels said.

This past year, the photos enabled Daniels to provide five sets of masks for fire trucks. Each set of oxygen masks has three different sizes, allowing fire rescue personnel to help a variety of pets when the need arises. Daniels also provides training on how to use them.

And the masks are used. Just a few months ago, first responders were able to resuscitate a cat thanks to the special equipment.

“These pet oxygen masks have already saved lives in the community, and (Richardson) has been a big part of that,” she said.

Helping save the lives of beloved pets might be a new experience for Richardson, but posing for photos as Santa Claus is a familiar one. He used to work in malls in South Florida before settling in Land O’ Lakes. Having pets on his lap is different than posing with humans, and he prefers his current job to his old one.

“I think dogs are easier to handle than children,” he said with a jolly laugh.

While Thor lives a comfortable, carefree life in Richardson’s care, he knows many animals don’t enjoy those luxuries. That’s why he often donates a 50-poung bag of dog food when he goes shopping to stock up on his own supplies.

Like many animal lovers, Richardson said it bothers him to hear about pets that aren’t being cared for properly, and it motivates him to help make sure they have an opportunity to live healthier, happier lives.

“Every time I see some story about an abused animal, I just cringe,” he said. “It just amazes me that people can do that. Whatever we can do to help out these animals, especially if they’re homeless or abandoned or sick, I’m good with that.”

While Richardson was both appreciative and surprised when he found out he was the Dalmatian Award recipient, Daniels said he’s been a rare and valuable find for a veterinarian.

“He’s just really special,” she said. “He’s just been really generous over the years in his volunteerism and his generosity toward helping animals.”

Woman’s club loses one of its brightest stars

By

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is grieving the loss of one of its most cherished members.

Mary Martin, a longtime member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 1.
Mary Martin, a longtime member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 1.

Mary Martin, a club member who served for 35 years in nearly every capacity, lost her battle with cancer on New Year’s Day. She was 85.

She fought courageously to overcome two bouts of cancer and again tolerated heavy treatments, but sadly lost her third battle.

Mary was a lovely and petite American of Japanese-English descent, known for her quiet dignity, kindness and meticulous style. Wherever she went she always was perfectly turned out and made up.

She was a talented artist and crafts woman, and for many years, played tennis with a Tampa Bay area group.

She was a woman of great faith and a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Lutz. Her faith sustained her and gave her the strength to bear the heavy burdens she faced, especially during the last few years.

Mary recently spoke of wanting to “go home to the Lord” and rejoin her beloved Duane in their Father’s House. She suffered the loss of her husband of 48 years, Duane Martin, a few months ago.

She is at peace, now.

Mary is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Woman’s Club members mourn the loss of their dear friend, but are consoled in knowing the heavenly skies burn more brightly now, with her twinkling glow.

“As gentle as a snowflake, may peace come to your heart.”

-Japanese proverb

By Patricia Serio

Key to county growth: More public buses

By

It was years in the making, and some said at least several years too long. But last spring, Pasco County Public Transportation — which manages the mass transit system in the county — finally connected Zephyrhills and New Port Richey with a bus.

The trip takes less than two hours, and riders can take advantage of it simply with a $3.75 day pass.

Bus stops like this one on State Road 54 will have to become much more commonplace in the coming decade as Pasco County works to lead the Tampa Bay region in smart growth.
Bus stops like this one on State Road 54 will have to become much more commonplace in the coming decade as Pasco County works to lead the Tampa Bay region in smart growth.

But if Pasco wants to find a way to lead the suburban growth of the greater Tampa Bay area, it’s going to have to create a network much stronger than that, according to the Urban Land Institute.

“There is very little transit here in the county, as you all know,” said Bill Lawrence, managing director with T.R. Advisors in Boston, who joined the independent growth and development analytical group in a presentation to the county late last year. Yet, while some of that blame falls to county officials, it is part of a much broader problem.

“The transportation planning function in the region really is in disarray,” Lawrence said. “The (high-speed) train to Tampa has been defunded, and the transit initiative in Hillsborough has not been passed.”

The number of cars traveling Pasco roads is growing faster than the roads can be upgraded, Lawrence said. There already are daily traffic bottlenecks in areas like Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54, as well as the interchanges around Interstate 75 and the Suncoast Parkway.

While adding lanes will help accommodate the traffic in a county that has grown 143 percent in the last 30 years — the key is an expanded mass transit system, which means changes must come to PCPT.

The system currently runs 10 routes, including the cross-county route along the State Road 54 corridor, compared to the nearly 50 routes operated by its southern neighbor, Hillsborough County.

But how would such expansions be paid for, especially with Pasco County facing a $14 billion shortfall in the current planning cycle?

Lawrence suggested that 5 percent of all transportation funding be earmarked to advancing public transit in the county.

“Most of this would be picked up by local development fees, and there is in place this mobility fee that is supposed to address some of that,” Lawrence said. “I am not sure how that would work, or how much money it would actually raise, although it provides incentives to offset land uses that are desirable, like transit-oriented development, which is a good thing.”

Mobility fees may have some problems getting traction in terms of additional revenue since county officials have waived or reduced such fees in the past to help attract new development to the county.

While jobs are growing in Pasco County by more than 3,000 per year, government officials can’t forget that many Pasco residents — around half by Lawrence’s projections — still travel into Hillsborough and Pinellas counties each day to work. Addressing this need could come through bus rapid transit, something that is now being tried in Hillsborough County, and could be expanded at some point into Pasco.

Transit will always remain a subsidized offering of the county, but the importance lies not just in moving the workforce around, but also in making Pasco an attractive place for business, Lawrence said. Transportation is one of the key issues businesses look at when trying to find business hubs for its operations, and many grants and other funding also hinge on the diversity and effectiveness of transportation options in an area.

Sanders Memorial Elementary to reopen as magnet school

By

It may be a while, but when Sanders Memorial Elementary School reopens in Land O’ Lakes, it will become Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school.

Sanders will emphasize science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, said Dave Scanga, executive director of the Central Region of Pasco County Schools.

This is a preliminary rendering for what Sanders Memorial Elementary School will look like when it is redeveloped. The appearance could change slightly because the final plans are not yet done. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
This is a preliminary rendering for what Sanders Memorial Elementary School will look like when it is redeveloped. The appearance could change slightly because the final plans are not yet done. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The school district funded the redesign of Sanders in 2008, but the project was put on hold because the housing market crashed. Now the district is looking to open Sanders in the 2015-16 school year. But first construction plans for the school must be updated to comply with changes in the Florida building code as well as educational needs of the magnet program.

The enrollment would be drawn largely from the Land O’ Lakes area to relieve overcrowding at Connerton Elementary School, Scanga said. Remaining seats would be open for students living outside the school’s normal boundaries.

When completed, Sanders — located at 5126 School Road — will be almost entirely new. Just three of the former school’s buildings remain on site. The rest were demolished.

Besides being the district’s first magnet, Sanders also will benefit from an agreement between the school board and Pasco County. The arrangement aims at providing more recreational opportunities for school children and the community at large, while also broadening learning opportunities and providing a venue to accommodate community gatherings.

The county expects to make about $1.5 million in improvements in 2014 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park, located at 5401 U.S. 41.

The school board set the redesign of Sanders into motion on Dec. 3 by approving the expenditure of $684,350 for architectural services from Williamson Dacar Architects for the design, permitting and contract administration services. The district also has put out a request for qualifications for the Sanders project.

In keeping with the school’s educational mission, the updated plans will include some special design features.

For instance, the classrooms will have wireless technology, and space will be planned to give students room to collaborate. There also will be storage space for student projects and sinks in classrooms, to accommodate experiments.

Plans also will include several site design elements, which may not be built right away, but added later. Those include:
• An environmental center and boardwalk through the wetlands. Designs for the environmental center will include a covered work area with power, water and wireless connections.
• Photovoltaic demonstration panels to be used as a teaching tool for students.
• A solar hot water heater system to be used as a teaching tool for students.
• Provisions for a wind turbine.
• Areas for student gardens around the classroom buildings.

Alison Crumbley, chairwoman for the Pasco County School Board, said she supports giving parents another school choice. At the same time, she wants to see more educational opportunities in these academic areas for children in schools throughout the district.

There are hundreds of thousands of jobs that are not being filled in the country because of a shortage of skilled workers, Crumbley said. She wants district schools to do more to help its students acquire skills they will need to pursue those kinds of careers.

 

Starkey Ranch park moves forward while others still struggle

By

With 18 sports fields, eight total courts for basketball and tennis, more than a mile of trails, and a library, Starkey Ranch District Park is aiming to become a centralized recreational location for the entire county.

Developers of the Starkey Ranch District Park showed the proposed layout of its massive recreational offerings within the community just off State Road 54 past Trinity. The first phase of the district park is expected to open in 2015, with the county expected to take over the full estimated $285,000 in maintenance and operations costs a decade from now. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Commission)
Developers of the Starkey Ranch District Park showed the proposed layout of its massive recreational offerings within the community just off State Road 54 past Trinity. The first phase of the district park is expected to open in 2015, with the county expected to take over the full estimated $285,000 in maintenance and operations costs a decade from now. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Commission)

And while Pasco County’s financial commitment is minimal compared to that of the school board and the private developer of the project just off State Road 54 past Trinity, commission chairman Jack Mariano wanted to make it clear that his approval comes with conditions: start fully funding the rest of the county parks.

“We cut libraries back tremendously, and cut parks back tremendously,” he said, adding that by the time Starkey Ranch District Park moves forward, “if we haven’t addressed getting rid of the park fees and putting more money back into the parks, I am not going to be comfortable moving forward.”

The problem, Mariano said, is that the county already is struggling to maintain the recreation areas it already has. Adding the Starkey Ranch project could make it even more difficult for the county, which is already charging $2 parking fees for those who visit various parks in the county. Those fees were designed to stave off further funding cuts from parks following a fall in overall tax revenue after the housing market collapse.

If the fees were still in place by the time parts of Starkey Ranch opened up, visitors also would pay the parking fee there, county administrator Michele Baker said.

“We cut back parks over 30 percent, and we’re going to add another liability for more parks and libraries,” Mariano said.

Starkey Ranch, however, is planned to become much less of a liability. The county would not be responsible for taking over part of the maintenance fees until 2017 when it would take on 15 percent of the costs — estimated at $42,700. The county wouldn’t fully take over maintenance of the park until 2023, where it’s estimated to cost just under $285,000.

By then, the existence of the park should spark more residential growth in and around Starkey Ranch, and those additional taxpaying rooftops should more than offset the costs incurred by the county, Baker said.

“The developer has stepped forward and he is taking the risk, eating that operation cost, but bringing that quality,” Baker said. “They are stimulating growth in the area, and stimulating property value.”

Pasco County Schools will work directly with the developer on most of the district park project, funding its share, and even providing a small loan to the county to help it fund its contribution.

The first phase of the project would include five baseball and softball fields, six multi-purpose fields, two concession stands, a pavilion with picnic tables, a playground, a maintenance building and just a little less than a mile of trails. The price tag to build that portion is $9 million.

The second phase would be built when the $1.9 million in funds become available, and will include three more large multi-purpose fields, an additional playground and concession stand, and nearly 2,000 feet more of trails.

The first phase is expected to open in 2015, carrying an annual operating and maintenance cost of $285,000, which will be fully paid for by the developer over the first two years, before the county responsibility is phased in.

The overall project will include a lot more, as well. With the plans to build a three-story elementary and middle school near the project, the developer and the school district also are planning a 20,000-square-foot library, a 6,000-square-foot “black box” theater, a gymnasium, four tennis and four basketball courts, and a track among other amenities.

The county and school district also have the chance to generate revenue from the park from things like ticket surcharges, rent from private users, facility fees, advertising, and even naming rights.

Paying to name something in the park is an experimental concept the county and school board are trying, although no one can buy the rights to name the entire district park or the school. Under the program, the school district would bid out such an offering, and it would need the county’s approval.

Any name that is chosen would have to contain the phrase “at Starkey Ranch” at the end. Among the examples the county provided were “Raymond James Theatre at Starkey Ranch” or “Coastal Caisson Field at Starkey Ranch.”

Naming rights for major facilities, like Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg generate millions of dollars in revenue. However, naming shared-use facilities at Starkey Park is expected to go for much less.

The commission green-lit the project unanimously. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey abstained, citing a conflict of interest.