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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco schools feeling the pain of rising insurance costs

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As Pasco County Schools seeks out an additional source of funding for employee pay raises, through a voter referendum, it also is dealing with increasing costs for insurance.

During the May 3 Pasco County School Board meeting, Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, briefed the board on rising health insurance costs.

The COVID-19 pandemic, he told the board, “obviously changed the dynamics of our health insurance plan fairly significantly.

‘I don’t think there is anybody in the room that is not aware that the property market in Florida is just in utter chaos,’ – School board member Allen Altman (File)

“You will see that we have experienced a drastic increase in claims to the plan; revenues have been stable, which is good, but when claims are increasing and revenue is not, you start to run into deficit issues.

“We do believe that some of this is a result of increased COVID claims, so we have been using some of the federal relief money to plug those holes, but we are also not convinced that all of the increases are a result of COVID claims, so there are some pretty significant discussions happening within the insurance committee right now, to discuss how to handle those recurring claims that will persist, once the COVID claims run out and we stop receiving bills and invoices for those claims.

“For the current fiscal year, cash flow for the health insurance fund is actually negative $9.4 million, so that is a pretty significant deficit.

“Again, a good portion of that is connected to COVID claims that are being paid by the plan, but not all of them are.

“So, we will continue to work with the committee, about not only ways to raise revenue, but also to restructure the plan and the claims liability and make some claims design changes to bring that budget into balance for next year.”

School board member Allen Altman, who serves on the district’s insurance committee told his colleagues: “There will have to be some changes of some sort, and they’re aware of that. Mr. (Don) Peace and his team (from United School Employees of Pasco) are equal partners on that committee, and they’re already cooperatively working toward moving ahead and trying to get ahead of that.”

The news isn’t good on the property insurance front, either, Altman said.

“I don’t think there is anybody in the room that is not aware that the property market in Florida is just in utter chaos,” Altman said.

He said he recently attended a meeting involving the group that represents hundreds of government entities.

“Florida is now viewed as the most difficult state in the union for a municipality or school district or government entity to get insurance. Both property and liability,” Altman said.

On average, reinsurance costs are running about 30% higher. By comparison, Pasco’s increase is expected to be about 9%, Altman said.

“We’re fortunate. There are some other districts, coastal districts, but south of us, that are struggling to even get a renewal offer,” Altman said.

The entire state is grappling with property insurance issues — prompting calls for legislative action to address the problem.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a special session of the Legislature, which is scheduled to convene on May 23 and to end on May 27. The purpose of the session to is consider legislation relating property insurance, reinsurance, the Office of Insurance, civil remedies and appropriations.

Published May 18, 2022

Share your thoughts on Pasco’s long-range plan

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Pasco County is in the process of updating its long-range plan. One issue expected to get considerable discussion is how the county allocates land uses for residential, commercial and industrial development. Currently, seven out of 10 employed Pasco residents travel elsewhere for work. County leaders want to change that. (Mike Camunas)

Pasco County is updating its comprehensive plan, which provides a vision and policies that influence future planning decisions and affects economic development, transportation, parks, natural resources and other aspects of life within the county.

The county has set up a website to invite public participation in the Pasco 2050 plan, which will guide decision-making for the next 25 years, according to a county news release.

The county welcomes members of the public to visit the website, to:

  • Participate in surveys, polls and contests
  • Register to receive updates on the process
  • Stay informed about upcoming public meetings
  • Provide input and feedback throughout the process

Pasco is among Florida’s fastest-growing counties, and this planning process will have significant implications regarding how the county plans for various types of uses, including commercial, residential and industrial.

To begin weighing in on the county’s planning process and to keep abreast of what’s happening, visit Pasco2050.com.

Published May 18, 2022

Zephyrhills says: ‘Goodbye, final dirt road’

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Now, it’s no longer dust in the wind.

The City of Zephyrhills and its Public Works Department have completed the work to pave the very last dirt road maintained by the city within its limits.

Jennifer Lane was a dusty road about the length of a city block located just west of Oakside Cemetery.

Residents of Jennifer Lane would often complain about how dusty it could be to travel what was the last dirt road in Zephyrhills city limits. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Public Works)

Now, it’s completely paved.

The city wrapped up the $163,000 project on May 13.

“Being the only unimproved (and dirt) road in Zephyrhills, it was a thorn in my side for a long time,” said Shane LeBlanc, the city’s public works director.

“We had a resident of Jennifer Lane always calling to tell us how dusty it was — that there was so much dust. So, this was a short project, and now that it’s done, one that is very welcome.

“There are no more dirt roads in the City of Zephyrhills, and I’m very proud of that,” LeBlanc said.

Pavement and minor renovations were recently completed on Jennifer Lane, the last dirt road maintained by the City of Zephyrhills.

Zephyrhills now has more than 70 miles of paved lane roads.

There are some dirt roads remaining in Zephyrhills, but those are maintained by Pasco County, not the city of Zephyrhills.

LeBlanc says he constantly fields calls about dirt roads, but is unable to respond because those are a county issue.

“Now, when I get a call about a dirt road, I know it’s not a city issue because they are all paved,” LeBlanc said, with a laugh.

The final walkthrough inspection occurred the morning of May 13, and the project was completed well within the 120-day contract.

LeBlanc said the weather cooperated, enabling the pavement project to be done in less than 30 days.

“This was knocked out real quick, with no big disruption to the residents or the city,” the public works director said. “There was a little inconvenience, but, again, they are now overly pleased because there is no more dust!”

Published May 18, 2022

Building up Dade City, block by block

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Larry Guilford uses a block party as one of the ways he pays for his charitable endeavors.

There’s a street party on the second Friday of the month, next to The Block, a venue at 14307 Seventh St., that features a brewery, a restaurant, a CrossFit gym and 5,000 square feet of event space.

The Block takes up a whole city block, right in historic downtown Dade City.

Larry Guilford stands in front of the mural at The Block, the historic building that housed automobile dealerships in the 1920s and has been renovated to create a venue space, a brewhouse, a restaurant, a CrossFit gym and more. (Mike Camunas)

Guilford, a longtime commercial real estate agent in Pasco County, is the founder and owner of The Block, housed in a historic building that was an auto dealership in the 1920s, originally operated by Highlands Motor Company.

Guilford also is founder and president of Make a Difference Inc., his 501c nonprofit organization.

The charitable organization that Guilford founded in 2007 is dedicated to helping Pasco County with social, economic and educational resources to improve the quality of life for individuals in need.

“You see the need, but we don’t judge,” Guilford said. “We want to help as many people as we can, especially in East Pasco. You never know that one day you might be in the line waiting for food.”

Make a Difference provides a Mobile Pantry, distributing food in prepacked boxes or through a farmer’s market-style distribution; Shoes 4 School, which is dedicated to providing new shoes to children in the Pasco County school system; and Pasco Difference Makers, which moderates monthly networking meetings to assist local charities in East Pasco.

“What I wanted to do was come back (to Pasco County), to get back into real estate, so I came to Dade City,” Guilford said. “I wanted to do that and make some money to put back into charity work down the road.

“But I always liked this brick building. I always joke with people that its Armature Works, without the $20 million.”

Indeed, Guilford buying and renovating the old building into The Block has essentially revitalized the “North Side” of Dade City just above Meridian Avenue. It has inspired more businesses to consider downtown Dade City and brought a monthly “block party” held every second Friday. Crowds have been out in droves to enjoy food, drinks, entertainment and music.

The Venue at The Block has capacity of 150 to 200 and has been fully renovated. (Courtesy of The Block)

After the third block party on April 8, Guilford said: “They’re getting bigger and better each month! That was part of my vision: to be able to walk Dade City.”

Before, when people reached the corner of Seventh Street and Meridian Avenue, “there was nothing to see,” he said.

Guilford’s impact on the county dates back decades, especially since he helped develop some of the original and early businesses back before Wesley Chapel’s burgeoning growth.

When he arrived, from Michigan, during the late 1970s, he saw the growth that could happen in Wesley Chapel and helped set up the commercial side of State Road 54, including the Comfort Inn and McDonald’s, which still stand today.

“There really wasn’t much out there in Wesley Chapel,” Guilford recalls. “But back then, I was known as the Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel.”

After developing that fledgling town in the early 2000s, Guilford decided to focus solely on charitable work and opted to help less-fortunate countries. The work took him back and forth overseas to the Philippines, Columbia and Ukraine, to name a few. Guilford has been doing work tirelessly in the Ukraine since 2003. He helped rebuild orphanages, including restoring buildings and putting in 1,500 beds.

“It’s really tough to see what’s going on there now,” he said.

Eventually, it was time to come back to the states on a more permanent basis, as he did when he decided to take a look at Dade City — a historic town that was begging for revitalization.

“He truly has been a blessing for Dade City,” said Camille Hernandez, the city’s longtime mayor before she stepped away from political life on April 26.

“He always has his thinking cap on — how can I help Dade City? And he hasn’t stopped. He’s that trailblazer, that spark, that leap of faith that’s given confidence to others to invest in this community, too.”

The Block, at 14307 Seventh St., has thrived despite some COVID-related delays. It is bringing new life to an area in historic downtown Dade City.

Guilford isn’t stopping.

Soon, just across the street from The Block, will be ZoneWorx Coworking Space, which will allow businesses to rent office space and amenities. It is, of course, also in a historic building that used to be a car dealership.

“He’s just such a visionary,” said James Shive, who recently became Dade City’s mayor. “To be able to envision (The Block) and be that successful with it and his whole career — it’s just made a huge difference in the downtown north corridor. People are now discovering Dade City, and its bringing in a more youthful group and more young families are coming and moving out here.

“He’s such an amazing person and has given so much to be thankful for. I honestly can’t say enough about him, and what he’s done and going to do for our community.”

Without a doubt, downtown Dade City has seen a boom in businesses from Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread, Dade City BBQ and Ice Cream Company, Uptown Creamery, Prelude Academy of the Arts, the Brew House, and even more to come.

“There has been an influx of about 30 businesses,” Shive said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, I’ve raised a family here, and I think back to all the eclectic shops that used to be in Dade City and you’re seeing that come back.”

Shive noted that the city’s redevelopment agency has plugged more than $4 million into improvements of downtown buildings, while there are 19 more projects on the books. Shive expects that in five to 10 years, Dade City’s population will triple.

“We’re going to develop the city, but go about it the way to preserve the integrity of the small town and its history,” Shive said. “The way (Larry’s) done it.”

Guilford said he visualized downtown Dade City’s possibilities years ago.

“What we had going for us was the historic aspect of downtown,” he said. “Plus the growth corridor (that is Wesley Chapel). It’s coming and maybe even already here, and it’s spreading into Dade City. We’re going to benefit from Wesley Chapel.”

Guilford can already picture his next project, and others are eagerly waiting to find out what it will be.

“He’s just been truly an asset and a blessing to Dade City and to me!” Hernandez said. “He’s so solution-oriented on how we can get it done and make it happen.

“I just can’t wait for his next project — and it’s a secret!”

For more information on Dade City, log onto DiscoverDadeCity.com.

The Block
Where: 14313 Seventh St., in Dade City
Details: Dade City Brew House, KÄN SEPT, CrossFit HCP, Venue at the Block.
Info: Call 352-437-3059, or visit TheBlockDadeCity.com.

UPCOMING
The Venue at The Block is holding a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on June 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will cater food and cake tasting, a cocktail bar, wedding vendor booths, music and more. It is free and open to the public.

Published May 18, 2022

Go Pasco seeks to allow riders to track buses, in real time

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Go Pasco — Pasco County’s public bus service — is planning to use technology to enable riders to get up-to-date information to track buses in real time.

The department is going through the purchasing process and will be bringing the proposed contract back for approval, James Flaherty, interim public transportation director with Go Pasco, told members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) at its May 12 meeting.

Flaherty also gave the board an update on current ridership numbers.

Go Pasco is seeking to acquire technology that will allow bus riders to track buses on their routes, in real time. (File)

“Currently, our fixed route is down about 3% from last year. Currently, we’re projecting about 500,000 trips this year. Our paratransit is up about 5%. We’re projecting between 40,000 and 42,000 trips this year.”

Go Pasco plans to install three billboards across the county in an effort to increase ridership, Flaherty said.

The MPO board is made up of elected leaders across the county, including the Pasco County Commission and the cities of Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

New Port Richey City Councilman Matt Murphy asked Flaherty for an update on the status of a proposed study to determine where it would make sense to create micro-transit routes.

Flaherty responded: “Currently, we don’t have any studies that are being conducted. There was a potential route expansion and contraction study, within that, the micro-transit study would have been conducted.”

That study had been discussed at a previous MPO board meeting, when Kurt Scheible, was public transportation director.

Flaherty told the MPO board: “That (study) has been tabled for about two years, until an actual director is identified and we can move forward.”

But both Murphy and Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey wanted more information about the micro-transit study that had been previously discussed.

Flaherty told the board: “I’d have to look into that. I was not aware of a specific study, outside what was within the route expansion and contraction study.”

Starkey said there was discussion of looking at micro-transit in the Holiday area, and then it was transitioned over to Dade City.

Murphy added: “My understanding was that they were doing a feasibility study, to figure out where the best place would be. There’s a lot of money in that. I forget how many millions of dollars were in that, given to the state.”

Flaherty responded: “I will have to look into that.”

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano said if funding is available, the entire area should be studied and then, “we’d put a plan together and make decisions on what we think is most appropriate.”

Flaherty then told the board there had been issues with the procurement process, which led to delaying the study.

Starkey asked: “So, we didn’t put it back out there for bid?”

Flaherty responded that in the “2019-2020 time frame, Go Pasco attempted to do a comprehensive, operational analysis, using the MPO’s planning contract. It went to the board. It was pulled.

“A year later, a scope was provided. It went through the procurement process. There were issues with the procurement process. It’s been delayed for two years, until a new director is identified.”

Starkey: “When you say it’s delayed for two years, who decided we’re going to wait two years before we do it, we try it again?

Flaherty responded: “The county administrator.”

Starkey replied: “Well, is it his decision to that, or is it our decision?”

Carl Mikyska, executive director of the MPO, said that’s probably a discussion that should be had by Pasco County Commission or individually with County Administrator Dan Biles.

Starkey added: “Why would we wait? I don’t know why we would delay it for two years.”

Before the MPO meeting ended, Flaherty updated the board.

“That study has been pushed back six to nine months, not two years,” Flaherty said.

In other action, Mikyska told the board that there will be a presentation on the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection at the board’s June meeting. He said the update was requested by the board’s Citizens Advisory Committee.

The board also appointed Geoff Lanier, of Land O’ Lakes, to serve on the MPO’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Lanier is the owner of Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, according to his application, contained in the board’s agenda packet.

Published May 18, 2022

Seeking photos of your favorite grad

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It doesn’t matter if your favorite graduate is finishing prekindergarten, wrapping up fifth grade, moving up from middle school, or collecting a high school diploma or bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree — we want to help you celebrate, by sharing your favorite grad’s photo.

All we need is a photo of a happy, touching or funny moment from the big day, or party.

Posed photos or spontaneous photos are fine. If you send a group shot, please ID the people in the photo from left to right; also, please send us an individual shot of the graduate, too, to give us a better chance of being able to include the graduate on our photo page, or pages.

Be sure to include the graduate’s first and last name, and the name of the student’s school.

Feel free to include a sentence or two, about your favorite grad.

And include your contact information, so we can reach back, if we have questions.

Every photo submitted will be considered for publication.

Please send your submissions by June 1 to ">.

We plan to publish our graduation photo package on June 8.

Published May 18, 2022

Some pointers for planning graduation parties

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Graduations are extra special this year because finally — after a lengthy pandemic pause — people are gathering again with family and friends to celebrate their favorite graduate’s achievement.

So, are you honoring someone in the Class of 2022 this year?

If so, this column may come in handy.

Here are a few ideas, to help you get your party planning started.

Fruits and vegetables
A selection of fruits and vegetables is a great way to start.

You can arrange them on a tray, or build them into a three-tiered arrangement.

It’s hard to go wrong with fruits, veggies and dips or spreads.

Here’s a thought: Choose colors of your graduate’s school to get in the spirit of things.

(Shout out to my fellow University of Central Florida alumni: Enjoy some pineapple and blackberries.)

How about some candy?
You can make a candy station in jars:

  • Smarties for your smarty pants graduate
  • Ring pops for class rings
  • Sour gummy worms for book worms
  • 100 Grand bars, for those who have big student loans; or, optimistically, for a graduate’s future salary

And, of course, Nerds are another option.

Here’s a smart idea: Create your own edible diplomas
Make edible diplomas by simply tying a school-color ribbon around diploma-shaped food:  cheese sticks, spring rolls, Little Debbie Swiss rolls, sandwich wraps, and so on.

Food stations
A taco bar, a hot dog bar, an ice cream sundae bar, a salad bar, a coffee bar or other various types of food bars or stations go great at a graduation party.

How about a charcuterie board?
These have become increasingly popular charcuterie boards, with their visual appeal and assortment of different textures and colors of various foods.

The University of Arkansas Extension offers these pointers:

Start with four different cheeses: Hard, semi-hard, semi-soft and soft.

Choose three cold cured meats.

Select three types of crackers: Plain, multigrain or whole grain and flavored.

Use fruits to add color to your board. You can do two or three fresh fruits and one dried fruit.

Fill extra spaces on the board with nuts.

For extra saltiness, add in something briny like pickles or olives.

Choose some spreads. It’s good to have a variety, such as jam or honey for a sweet spread and hummus or mustard for a salty spread.

You can focus on a graduation theme

  • For graduates from medical programs: A clear jar full of marshmallows (cotton balls); a glove filled with popcorn (sterile glove); jellybeans or mixed nuts (kidney stones); a piece of cheese on a rectangular cracker (a Band-Aid); Jello shot syringes or plastic needleless syringes (shots).
  • For graduates from law school: Gavel pops (the top half of a marshmallow dipped in chocolate, inserted with a thick pretzel stick.)

Now, without further ado, congratulations to all of you who are hosting graduation parties this year, and good wishes for all of the graduates in the Class of 2022.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

These no-bake graduation cap cookies are likely to be a big hit for graduates of all ages, and the friends and family who have joined them to celebrate their achievements. (premeditatedleftovers.com )

RECIPE
Here’s a recipe from premidiatedleftover.com for a treat that will work for graduates, at any level.

No-bake graduation cap cookies

Ingredients:

  • 12 Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares
  • 1 box Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies
  • Decorating icing (school colors or grad’s favorite color)
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate morsels

Directions:

  • Melt chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds until melted.
  • Warning: Do not overheat as the chocolate will seize.
  • If the chocolate becomes tough, you can add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable shortening. Do not add water.
  • Dip one side of the Fudge Covered Oreo in the melted chocolate. Immediately press against the branded side of the Ghirardelli Chocolate square
  • For the tassel, pipe a curved line from the middle of each chocolate square to the corner. Add a small dot of icing in the middle, at the beginning of the line.
  • Allow chocolate and icing to set completely, prior to packing or serving.

Published May 18, 2022

City manager shares Zephyrhills’ plans to address growth

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The history of Zephyrhills stretches back more than a century, but it wasn’t until recent times that the city was declared the largest municipality in Pasco County.

The city’s burgeoning growth is prompting it to make a number of improvements and to take on new projects, which City Manager Billy Poe talked about at a breakfast meeting on May 10, with members of the East Pasco Networking Group.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe briefed members of the East Pasco Networking Group about projects and improvements planned in Zephyrhills. He made his remarks during a breakfast meeting with the group on May 10. (Mike Camunas)

One of the latest developments in the city, which now boasts more than 18,000 residents, is the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, at 6585 Simons Road.

That’s where the breakfast meeting took place and is a facility that Poe described as a “jewel” of the city.

The tennis complex is a project that was built through a public-private partnership. It features outdoor tennis courts, outdoor pickleball courts, outdoor padel courts, an outdoor multipurpose turf field, and a clubhouse featuring a full-service restaurant/cafe, fitness center, salt room, yoga room, cryotherapy chamber and pro shop.

Now, plans call for expanding the facility with the aim of including more outdoor tennis courts and a 27,000-square-foot multipurpose indoor facility. Cost of this expansion is approximately $4.66 million, of state-appropriated funds.

Poe, who has been city manager since 2019, highlighted some other projects that are underway, or coming soon:

  • Roadway improvements: The installation of a traffic signal at the Eiland Boulevard/Simons Road intersection; connecting Simons Road to Fort King Road (about 800 feet of pavement at a cost of $2.2 million); the extension of Dairy Road north to Kossick Road; and, linking Kossick Road to Wire Road, to establish an east-west connector
  • Extending the runway at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway (That project, expected to be completed in June, will allow the airport to accommodate larger planes and up to 22-seat-passenger corporate jets.)
  • Helping to lay the groundwork for a $25-million Armory Complex, which is expected to be completed by 2026
  • Seeking contractors for the renovation and redesign of Hercules Park, at the corner of County Road 54 and Gall Boulevard (Improvements are expected to include new trails, nature play, disc golf, splash pad and more.)
  • Upgrading the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant’s filter system that treats 1.7 million gallons of waste per day (One upgrades involves an Adenosine Triphosphate Process (ATP) that removes more nitrogen from the water, for a cost of $7.5 million.)
  • Adjusting the city’s water-use permit, which may call for converting agricultural wells into private-use wells
  • Processing additional requests for new subdivisions and apartment developments

Zephyrhills also continues to expand its city limits, through annexations.

Published May 18, 2022

Pasco Sheriff’s Office issues safe boating reminders

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As boaters head out to enjoy summer vacation, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has issued some reminders intended to help them to enjoy the water, safely.

So, before heading out, be sure to file a float plan. That’s critical in the event of an emergency and will give search and rescue crews a huge advantage, in knowing where to begin, the sheriff’s office post says.

Also, before hitting the water, be sure you have these items on your boat:

  • Life jackets
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Visual distress signals
  • Sound-producing devices
  • Locator device
  • Water
  • Navigation lights
  • Permits/decals

Published May 18, 2022

Volunteer openings available on economics committee

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Pasco County’s Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee (JEOC) is seeking volunteers to oversee the use of the JEOC Trust Fund portion of the Penny for Pasco surtax proceeds, according to a county news release.

Members of the volunteer board are responsible for ensuring that Penny for Pasco spending meets the requirements to promote projects creating new jobs and economic growth.

The committee is made up of nine members, representing expertise from each of the following areas: finance/banking, agriculture, real estate, manufacturing and other private industries.

The committee meets at least quarterly and presents an annual update to the Pasco County Commission.

Terms are one year or two years, depending upon the industry.

Pasco County voters first passed the Penny for Pasco local government infrastructure surtax in 2004 to pay for county, city and school district improvements. The JEOCTF portion, adopted in 2015, is estimated to generate over $60 million in revenue to be used for target industry job creation and economic development projects designed to improve the local economy.

Applications for the JEOC openings are being accepted online through June 9 at bit.ly/AdvisoryBoardApp.

Published May 18, 2022