The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Improving school safety is a never ending job, district security chief says

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The Pasco County School Board held a closed-door session on Oct. 3 to discuss the district’s security risk assessment and actions to improve safety in the district schools.

Annual assessments of safety on each school campus must be completed by Oct. 1, under Florida law requiring school safety plans.

The law was adopted after 17 people were killed and 17 were injured in the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland.

Those shootings spurred a public outcry and persistent student protests. Ultimately, state legislators mandated a series of new steps intended to reduce threats on campuses across Florida.

Michael Baumaister, Pasco County Schools’ district chief of safety and emergency operations, said there are always ways to improve school safety, and, he added, it’s everyone’s job to help. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The state law also requires that every three years, local school districts must conduct the annual risk assessments in consultation with local law enforcement, fire and emergency management.

The school board held a workshop to discuss findings of those assessments and suggested actions before its regular meeting on Oct. 3.

The meeting was closed due to the sensitive nature of security issues.

At the board’s regular meeting, Michael Baumaister, the school district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, reported: “This year we conducted public safety tours with our partners from the sheriff’s office, fire and emergency management.”

“We reviewed every school.

“Our walk-throughs did identify some areas, small areas, that we can improve upon and we’re making those improvements,” he said.

The security chief also noted that the district’s security efforts are widespread.

“We collaborate with a lot of different departments, not just the schools themselves, but we do reach out to the sheriff’s office, some of our municipal agencies, and within our school district,” he said.

The collaborations also include working with various departments within the school district, such as the facilities, construction and planning teams, as well as others, he said.

“School security is not just my job. It’s everybody’s job. We have an obligation to be part of it,” the safety expert said.

Baumaister thanked the school board for its level of funding support to enhance school safety. He said that’s not true in every school district.

“Most of our recommendations are just to continue what we’ve been doing,” he said.

He asked for the board’s continued support.

“Keep us funded where we need to be, so we can keep moving forward and be where we need to be,” Baumaister said.

“I don’t think there’s ever a sunset on school safety. I think school safety always has to be at the forefront and we always need to continue moving forward. 

“Even if you think your school is as safe as it could be, there’s probably other things you can do to make it safer,” he said.

He also noted: “We have to keep that balance, to keep our schools (as) education centers, not prisons.”

Published October 11, 2023

Proposed project includes hospital, hotel, offices, apartments

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a zoning change that would clear the way for a hospital, hotel, retail, offices and multifamily development at the northeast corner of McKendree and Overpass roads.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a zoning change that would clear the way for a hospital, hotel, retail, offices and multifamily development at the northeast corner of McKendree and Overpass roads. (Mike Camunas)

Attorney Clarke Hobby, representing the applicants, said the request calls for a 365,000-square-foot specialty hospital, noting there’s only one other hospital like it in Central Florida. Hospital plans call for a helipad, but Hobby said it will not be heavily used.

The requested change also would allow:

  • 1,275 multifamily units, which can include apartments, townhomes and other multi-family arrangements
  • 155,000 square feet of retail
  • 250,000 square feet of medical office
  • 150,000 square feet of office
  • 250 hotel rooms

The proposed development is within Connected City. 

In addition to recommending approval of the rezoning request, the planning board also recommended approval of a proposed development agreement that requires the developer to design, permit and construct certain roadway improvements, including floodplain compensation, wetland mitigation, drainage and retention associated with a segment of McKendree/Boyette Road. In exchange, the developer will receive transportation development fee credits.

Hobby provided background on the 176-acre site, which is in the Connected City area.

“Pasco County was directed by the state of Florida to create this Connected City area in 2015,” Hobby said.

“The county subsequently adopted policies in 2017 that created this series of regulations,” he said. “The state felt it was important and wanted the county to shorten the approval process to bring this kind of a product to the market.”

Connected City has a financial plan and a master plan, Hobby said.

That plan includes 26,000 multifamily units, which includes apartments, townhouses and duplexes, he said.

The idea is to allow employees to live close to work, Hobby added.

Area residents, however, raised concerns about whether the proposed development will be compatible with nearby properties.

They also expressed worries about the additional traffic, crowded schools and potential negative impacts on area lakes.

The planning board recommended approval of the master-planned unit development zoning request, but changed a condition relating to the height of a buffer wall for the closest neighbor.

The conditions now require an 8-foot wall, rather than a 6-foot wall.

Planning board members also responded to concerns by neighbors about the possible degradation of area lakes.

To address that issue, the board added a condition that prohibits motorized boats being operated on the lakes by occupants of the MPUD.

Richard Tonello, an alternate on the planning board representing Pasco County Schools, said the district has evaluated the additional students that would be generated by the development. He said the district will be opening the Kirkland K-8 magnet school in the fall, and also has capacity at Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, another magnet school.

He also noted that the district owns sites, or is pursuing acquisition for others, to meet future demands.

Planning board member Jamie Girardi said he understands that residents in the area have been living in a rural setting, and have been for years.

But Girardi noted: “This is now part of Connected City. It is not going to be rural.”

The requests for the MPUD zoning and the development agreement now go to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on zoning and land use issues.

Published October 11, 2023

U.S. 41 now four lanes in north Land O’ Lakes

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After more than two years of reconstruction, U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes has more, much-needed lanes.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) removed construction barrels off the highway in early October, opening the new lanes on U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

U.S. 41 has been widened north of Connerton Boulevard, creating a four-lane divided highway heading north to State Road 52. (Mike Camunas)

The widening project, which expanded U.S. 41 to a four-lane divided highway, begins at Connerton Boulevard, heading north to State Road 52. Now, U.S. 41 is a four-lane divided highway from north of Ehren Cutoff and ending at State Road 52.

The $16.9-million project began March 12, 2021 and added nearly three miles of new lanes that go past northern Land O’ Lakes subdivisions such as Tierra Del Sol and Asbel, and AdventHealth Connerton. The project also included drainage improvements, and roadway signage and markings.

A shared-use path was constructed on the east side of U.S. 41 and connected to the paved path that ends just south of the Wilderness Lake Preserve subdivision.

Also about two years ago, an extension of Asbel Road was added to the east side of U.S. 41 and connected to Central Boulevard — the road that leads to Pasco County Jail. The road also wraps around the new Fire Station 22, which is now under construction.

The addition of this extension led FDOT to install a new four-way stoplight.

The new four-lane U.S. 41 will come in handy, as the county and FDOT readies to extend the Ridge Road Extension even further, bringing it from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41 and Connerton Boulevard.

That project, which is Phase 2 of the Ridge Road extension, is slated for completion in late 2025.

As for State Road 52, the widening to a six-lane divided highway from the Suncoast Parkway to east of U.S. 41 and approximately one-mile total of widening on U.S. 41 approaching the State Road 52 intersection in each direction is still underway. According to the FDOT website, completion on that $49.9-million project is tentatively set for early 2024.

Following that in 2026, the county and FDOT will then widen State Road 52 headed east even further, expanding it to a four-lane divided highway up to Ehren Cutoff.

Published October 11, 2023

Besides widening U.S. 41, the project included adding a shared-use path north of Connerton Boulevard, on the east side of the highway.
Motorists will have more room now on U.S. 41, north of Connerton Boulevard, because a lengthy reconstruction project is now complete.
Aerial shot of U.S. 41 headed north from Connerton Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes and the new expanded four-lane highway. (Courtesy of FDOT)

Parents weigh in on book bans through survey

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The EveryLibrary Institute, a public policy think tank for libraries, and Book Riot, the largest independent editorial book site in North America, announced the results of a comprehensive survey that sheds some light on the perceptions of parents regarding public libraries and the current issues they face.

Each member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club ESO reading Sorority and Book Club chose a book to re-read and discuss; however, most of the books that have been in publication for decades now have been banned from school and library book shelves. The club, which has many retired teachers, participated in a lively discussion on why these books (of which many are classics) are now banned and whether they should be. (Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

The “Public Libraries and Book Bans – Parent Perception Survey” garnered insight from 853 parents and guardians with children younger than age 18, during September 2023, according to a news release.

The survey asked parents and guardians to share their experiences and opinions about book bans, their trust in libraries, their understanding of librarians’ book selection process, and their feelings on sensitive subjects in children’s books such as sex, LGBTQ+ characters and themes, race, and social justice issues in reading and literature.

Top-level findings show that a majority of respondents (67%) think that “banning books is a waste of time” and 74% agree or somewhat agree that book bans infringe on their right to make decisions for their children.

The survey also found that 92% of all respondents feel their child/children are safe at the library, and 58% think librarians should be primarily responsible for what books are selected in the public library, the release said.

The survey also noted that parents are more comfortable with children accessing age-appropriate books related to social justice and race than LGBTQ+ themes and sexual education.

Respondents are largely unaware of how librarians decide what books to include in the library collection and many believe that some books in children’s sections are inappropriate, too.

“By gathering insights from parents, we hope to generate a body of informative and thought-provoking material that sheds light on the complex issues surrounding book bans and censorship,” said Kelly Jensen, Book Riot, in the release.

“Our ultimate goal is to foster an open dialogue around these issues and to support libraries and their users in navigating this challenging landscape,” said Jensen.

To see the complete survey findings, visit EveryLibraryInstitute.org/parent_perceptions_survey_2023. 

This is the first survey in a series of three focusing on parents and libraries.

Published October 11, 2023

This program reminds you, ‘You are not alone’

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Sue Shea, the office administrator at the First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes, understands the challenges of having a child with a substance addiction.

There are feelings of fear, anger and hopelessness that can lead to a host of problems for all concerned, she said.

It was her firsthand experiences that have played a role in the formation of a new group at the church called “You Are Not Alone,” or YANA, for short.

Sue Shea, office administrator at the Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church, spearheaded the formation of You Are Not Alone (YANA), a group that aims to provide support for people whose loved ones are experiencing substance abuse disorders. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church)

Pastor Kevin Grills said the ministry is one that addresses a widespread need.

“I believe that things that need to happen within the church are naturally born.

“We walk through the doors that God opens,” Grills said.

Right now, the program is very small.

But Grills said, the need is very big.

The problem, Grills said, is there’s a high likelihood that the people who need YANA the most, won’t respond.

Parents of children with addictions often feel conflicted, Shea said.

“They’re adults now, but we gave birth to these babies. We’ve loved them from the very, very beginning and we still love them. But they’re not only hurting and destroying themselves, but they’re eroding relationships around them,” she said.

Parents of children with addictions often feel like they’ve failed their children, Shea said.

They also get caught up in a cycle of shame and guilt that prevents them from seeking help for themselves, Grills said.

But YANA hopes to help people lower their guard and seek the support they need.

Pastor Kevin Grills, who leads the Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church, estimates there are thousands of people who need the help that You Are Not Alone can provide, but he’s not confident that a single person will step forward to take advantage of the program.

The program provides a confidential setting, where people facing similar circumstances can gather.

“There’s a great level of comfort when we get together on Tuesday evenings. We bring comfort to each other, even though we’re not solving the problems that our children – our adult children, in this case, have,” Shea said.

She added: “It sometimes lightens the load, lightens the stress level, so we can actually look at our addictive loved one through different eyes.”

“We do not do a lot of cross-talking, and we certainly don’t say, ‘Well, what you need to do is this. And, what you need to do is that,’” Shea said.

The church wants to spread the word about the program, and asked The Laker/Lutz News to help raise awareness.

“I would not be shocked if there were not 10,000 people (living within the newspaper’s circulation area) who have this exact same struggle. I also would not be shocked if we don’t hear a peep from this,” Grills said.

The group doesn’t promise magic solutions.

“This is not a, ‘Hey, how do we solve the problem of our addict?” Grills said.

It’s more of an “I’m baring my burdens and I’m recognizing that I’m not alone,” the pastor added.

Shea said has come to realize that: “My loved one’s addiction doesn’t define me.”

And, she added: “For me, this helps keep the guilt at bay.”

The church’s prayer is that people who most need YANA will respond.

YANA is the acronym for a program at the Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church whose members aim to support each other, as they care for themselves and their loved ones who are experiencing substance abuse disorders.

Grills said he wants to encourage people to overcome that voice in their heads that is discouraging them from doing what they need to do.

He hopes they will walk through the door, to have these conversations.

The first step, the pastor said, is taking that first step.

For more information about YANA, call the church at 813-996-3533, or email Shea at .

You Are Not Alone (YANA)
A program at the Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church aims to allow its members to support one another as they care for themselves and help — but avoid enabling — loved ones who are experiencing substance use disorders.
The group, called You Are Not Alone, is based on biblical principles coupled with 12-Step guidance. It is working to build a community of people who want to be there for their loved ones, but also take care of themselves along the way.
The free group, which abides by confidentiality, meets from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Tuesdays, in Room 103, at Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church, 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Published October 11, 2023

 

New free guide offers recreational ideas

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This new guide provides information for outdoor enthusiasts who want to take advantage of free recreational areas and campsites managed by The Southwest Florida Water Management District. (Courtesy of The Southwest Florida Water Management District)

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has published a free recreational guide highlighting nearly 70 of its properties.

The guide has a new, sleeker design and allows users to scan QR codes to access up-to-date details about each property, according to a news release from the water management district, typically referred to as SWFMD.

There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout SWFMD, with most available for free to visitors.

The new recreation guides also allow users to take notes, learn about various volunteering opportunities and discover more SWFMD’s conservation lands, the release says.

The places featured in the guide include 30 unique campgrounds, including backcountry, primitive and equestrian-styled sites.

It’s also easy to make a reservation through SWFMD’s recreation website, the release notes.

The recreation website also features georeferenced maps, which visitors can download to be used with map apps that require no cell service.

Outdoor lovers also can check out the new Water Matters Podcast found on SWFMD’s recreation webpage or major podcast platforms. The podcast features Felicia Nudo, land manager, who discusses what it’s like to experience the recreational side of the great outdoors on SWFMD lands.

To download or order the free recreation guide, make a free camping reservation, listen to the podcast, or learn more about SWFMD’s recreational opportunities, visit WaterMatters.org/Recreation.

Published October 11, 2023

Hurricane season isn’t over yet: Make plans for family safety

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The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season doesn’t end until Nov. 30, so it’s important to be sure you have a family disaster plan.

Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, has shared some pointers aimed at helping families be prepared, if disaster should strike.

Like many of the stores in and around Pasco County, this Publix in Lutz saw swarms of shoppers hit the stores preparing for Hurricane Idalia impacting the Tampa Bay area. Families can avoid empty shelves or last-minute scrambling — by planning in advance. (File)

“Involving each member of your family in the process of developing or updating your family disaster plan is crucial to making sure everyone’s needs are met during a disaster,” Guthrie said, in a news release. “You may not always be together when a disaster strikes, so by planning in advance and as a unit, you can ensure the safety of your family.”

Here are some simple steps, shared by Guthrie, that will help your family account for the needs of each family member, including household pets and livestock.

Step 1: Discuss these four questions with your household, family, or friends to start your plan:

How will we receive emergency alerts and warnings?
What is our shelter plan?
What is our evacuation route?
What is our family/household communication plan?

Step 2: Put together a disaster supply kit, including food, water, sanitary supplies and other items for basic needs. In addition to that, your plan should be tailored to the specific daily needs of your family. Part of the planning process should include discussing how you will continue daily tasks including communication with loved ones, care for children, businesses, and pets, or specific medical needs such as the operation of durable medical equipment.

Step 3: Write the emergency plan down and ensure everyone in your household has a copy. You can go to Ready.gov to find a Make a Plan form.

Step 4: Practice your plan with your entire household, including young children. Children who are prepared often experience less anxiety and feel more confident during actual emergencies and disasters. In addition, going over scenarios for how the plan may change is a vital step in being properly prepared.

Visit FloridaDisaster.org/family-plan/ for more preparedness tips and resources.

For weather updates and safety tips, follow the Florida Division of Emergency Management on social media channels.

Published October 11, 2023

AmSkills opens new workforce center, garners accolades for its work

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AmSkills, a not-for-profit organization that provides training and apprenticeships, recently opened a new workforce training center and has been garnering accolades for its efforts to cultivate a skilled workforce.

AmSkills received the 2023 Special Recognition Award from the Pasco Economic Development Council during its annual awards banquet on Sept. 7, and was recently honored through a resolution adopted by the Pasco County Commission on Sept. 19.

The Pasco County Commission honored AmSkills, a workforce training organization, for its accomplishments, during a Sept. 19 county board meeting. AmSkills just celebrated the opening of a 14,000-square-foot workforce training center in Holiday. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The Pasco EDC award recognizes “a company that has gone above and beyond their typical mission to solve an issue, create an opportunity to provide extraordinary support in the Pasco County community,” according to a Pasco EDC posting.

The Pasco County Commission’s resolution celebrated the recent opening of the 14,000-square-foot Amskills Workforce Training Center, in Holiday, and applauded the organization’s progress through the years.

The resolution notes that “AmSkills is a Florida not-for-profit organization, established as an economic development initiative to help manufacturers recruit, plan, and sustain a skilled workforce with a mission of transforming lives and strengthening communities through workforce training and apprenticeships for youth, adults, veterans, the uniquely abled, and economically disadvantaged.”

The resolution notes that the training facility addresses workforce recruitment and skills training needs for manufacturing, public works, utilities, and other industries in the Tampa Bay area. 

“It provides training opportunities for persons with little to no skills or experience, employers, and also to those with experience who are ready to advance their skills in the areas of maintenance, machinery, mechatronics, robotics, supply chain logistics, and industry 4.0,” the resolution says.

Besides training residents from Pasco County, the new workforce center is expected to attract people from all over the country for Amatrol Technical Training and Universal Robotics equipment training, the resolution adds.

It also will be home to the Pasco County Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart Incubator, offering local Pasco County entrepreneurs the support they need to successfully start their new businesses, the resolution says.

The new facility was celebrated with National Manufacturing Day, with AmSkills and the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce hosting the 10th Annual Manufacturing Day Dinner on Oct. 4, at the center.

Published October 11, 2023

‘Good neighbors’ encourage community involvement

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Hillsborough County has marked National Good Neighbor Day by announcing the winners of its 2023 Neighborhood Awards. The awards recognize community organizations in unincorporated Hillsborough County that foster healthy, safe, and engaged neighborhoods through exceptional programs, projects and events.

National Good Neighbor Day was established in 1978 to encourage people to take time to care for and connect with their neighbors.

These three winners were recognized:

  • Keystone Civic Association earned the Engaged Neighborhood Award for hosting several community events at Keystone Park in Odessa, including food drives, movies in the park, and fall festivals.
  • Summerfield Master Community Association, Riverview, won the Safe Neighborhood Award. An increasing number of wildlife sightings and interactions were reported in the community, so leaders sought help and direction from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to speak to community members to learn about the different animal species they may encounter and how to best handle them if they do.
  • Calusa Trace Homeowners Association earned the Healthy Neighborhood Award for hosting an annual community event that engages dozens of neighbors. Volunteers from the Calusa Trace HOA, Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office staff, and Steinbrenner High School students and faculty spent hours collecting hundreds of pounds of garbage along Calusa Trace Boulevard and the conservation areas and ponds in Lutz to benefit the environment.

These three winners are now finalists for the Neighborhood of the Year Award.

To learn more, visit tinyurl.com/3e47ztyr.

Zephyrhills unveils new town-wide brand

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It’s time to jump right into Zephyrhills.

It took more than a year, but the City of Zephyrhills has finally settled on its new brand — from a logo, to town slogan, to color schemes and more.

There will be a blue, green and teal color palette that honors the sky and the water and green for the rolling hills and open spaces in the area and an emphasis on the Z in Zephyrhills in the logo.

After more than a year of research, development and design, the City of Zephyrhills soon will unveil the efforts behind its rebranding initiative in conjunction with North Star Place Branding + Marketing. Since July of 2022, they have been collaborating to come up with a new town logo, slogan, color schemes and marketing campaign for Pasco County’s largest municipality. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

All of this was shown by city officials, as well as representatives from North Star Place Branding + Marketing, a Jacksonville-based consulting firm hired to research the town and develop a new brand, in a detailed presentation to the City Council on Sept. 25.

The city has long been associated with bottled water — hence the former town slogan, ‘The City of Pure Water.’ It’s also widely known for its skydiving and annual flock of snowbirds.

Now, it has a new slogan: ‘Jump Right In.’

“It’s a homage to the identity already there, while still moving forward with a new brand, a new message for Zephyrhills,” Sam Preston, director of project management for North Star, told The Laker/Lutz News. “And the city is much more than skydiving and water. (The new slogan) is an invitation to, well, everything — to businesses to dining to residents to all the events.

“It’s ‘Jump Right In’ where you can belong, where you can make the most of your life.” 

While the rebrand was formally accepted by the city, Zephyrhills officials said it will take time rolling out the new brand.

Firstly, the city and North Star are still putting the final touches on the designs of the new logo. Then, the rollout of the new brand will be very gradual, as it will take time to integrate it around town and through the city’s varying departments.

Plus, rolling out a city-wide brand of this magnitude takes time — most likely years.

The City of Zephyrhills is shedding its current title, ‘The City of Pure Water,’ including removing the sign on the right from the corner of Gall Boulevard and Fifth Avenue, after a year-and-a-half rebranding effort to better incorporate a city-wide image of Pasco County’s largest municipality. (Mike Camunas)

“You don’t want to do it all at once,” Preston said. “For example, when you retire one car in the fleet, you replace it with the new branding — doing it all at the same time is difficult and expensive.”

The city has several plans to implement the new colors and logo, which could include new monuments around town, but also putting it on park and street signs.

City officials told The Laker/Lutz News there are no plans for a formal reveal event or celebration, instead it will use a gradual approach, integrating the new brand over time.

One of the first times residents could see the new city’s new brand will be at the tentative groundbreaking for the updated Hercules Park. The groundbreaking event for the more than $5-million project on the 12-acre parcel of land at the corner for County Road 54 and Gall Boulevard is set for Nov. 28 at noon.

North Star began the nearly $70,000 rebranding project in July 2022, starting with collecting data from Zephyrhills residents and those that live nearby, looking for input on the town from outsiders’ perspectives.

The firm collected data from 1,486 unique inputs that included nearly 1,000 people completing an online survey, plus on-site conversions, focus groups and interviews. The information revealed how the city is perceived and helped shape the new logo and slogan.

North Star officials said it wanted to find a new narrative for the town, while still embracing its longstanding identity. In the end, the new brand still incorporates two important elements from Zephyrhills: the water and the skydiving.

Ironically, the City began the rebranding process because “City leaders also believe strongly that Zephyrhills offers much more than simply being referred to as the city of pure water.”

“People just walk up to me, and say, ‘Why are you spending so much money on this (rebranding)? Why are you spending any money at all on this? What’s wrong with the logo we have? This is where the water comes from, what’s wrong with that?” City Manager Billy Poe told The Laker/Lutz News in February.

“And it’s not to get rid of the water logo or get rid of the skydiving component. We feel we’re more than one thing, and we want to tell our story before someone can tell it for us and then not get it right.”

The City also posted a website laying out its rebranding initiatives, as well as answering questions behind the reasoning of the process and research.

All that information can be viewed by visiting AuthenticZephyrhills.com.

Published October 04, 2023