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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Pasco board discusses tax rate, potential new assessments

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As the Pasco County Commission looks ahead to the county’s 2024 budget, discussions are emerging about the county’s millage rate and whether new municipal service taxing units (MSTUs) should be established to address specific county needs.

Commissioner Seth Weightman got the conversation rolling by reminding his colleagues that in the coming tax year, the new school tax will go online and the county is considering new taxing districts for road paving and dredging.

That’s on top of the average increase in property taxes, he said.

The newly elected commissioner said he wanted to go on record that he recognizes the various tax increases and said the board must be mindful in setting its tax rate for the coming fiscal year.

Commissioner Gary Bradford, also new to the board, agreed with Weightman.

“Some of these are a choice. That’s us, up here, making those choices,” Bradford said.

But veteran board members Ron Oakley, Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano made it clear that they have no appetite for reducing the county’s current millage rate.

The millage rate is the tax rate assessed against property, with one mil equaling $1 for every thousand dollars of assessed property value.

Florida law caps the maximum amount of the increase that can be applied annually and some property owners qualify for additional reductions in specific categories.

In addition to supporting the current millage rate, Starkey is advocating for a countywide MSTU to address the shortage of playing fields and parks. Mariano also raised the prospect of establishing an MSTU aimed at the county’s drainage needs.

An MSTU provides a mechanism for collecting taxes from a delineated area to address specific needs.

Pasco already is eyeing an increase in its park impact fees, which are charged against new development to address impacts of growth. 

“I know we’re talking about raising the impact fees, but that is not money that you can bond and that’s going to take a while to build up so that we have capital money to go build some more parks,” Starkey said.

“But an MSTU we can bond. I’m not saying it should be a big number. I think it should be, you know, $25 or something like that. But it gets some money in the hopper quickly and we can bond it and go build some soccer fields and baseball fields because we are way behind.

“We actually have a Starkey Little League District now and they have no field to play. It’s the first new Little League since I moved here 30 years ago,” she said.

Mariano noted that the Southwest Florida Water Management District has reduced the number of grants that are available locally. He thinks residents would support an MSTU to tackle drainage problems to reduce flooding problems.

Commissioner Ron Oakley is standing firm on the county’s current millage rates.

“You can’t cut back millage. 

“There’s a day coming that won’t always be values like we’ve had in the last few years,” the commissioner said.

“If you change the millage rate, you change the ability to ever get that back.

“We’ve got a lot of things happening in our county to be premiere, but it costs money to be premiere,” Oakley said.

Commission Chairman Mariano agreed.

“It’s a different game from what it was, I’ll say, 18 years ago. People want services. I think they like what the board’s doing. I think we should continue on, providing services that they’re asking us for. We’re not just raising taxes, we’re giving them the services they want,” Mariano said.

Published March 15, 2023

Help the shelter to help the rescues

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Pasco Friends of Animal Services is dedicated to enriching the lives of pets at the Pasco County Animal Shelter, in Land O’ Lakes, and improving the likelihood of adoption into loving homes. The primary focus of the campaign is to build up the medical fund, which will help enhance the health, welfare and environment of sheltered animals.

During the month of March, Pasco Friends of Animal Services will be the featured charitable giving organization at Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office, according to a news release.  

“Without question, our medical fund improves the quality and length of those sick and injured animals’ lives and helps them get into their fur-ever homes sooner,” said Abbey Cox, president of Friends of Animal Services, in the release.

“For many of the animals, the medical fund makes the difference between living a happy life and not. On behalf of our board of directors we thank every donor and dedicated employee of the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office for helping to change an animal’s life,” said Cox.  

Donations can be made at any of the tax collector office locations. For more information, visit PascoTaxes.com, or call Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector/Communications & Special Projects, at 727-847-8179.

For more about Pasco Friends of Animal Services, visit FPCAS.org, or call Bridget Mire at 813-929-1212, ext. 1418.

Published March 15, 2023

Pasco offers more homebuyer assistance

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If you are ready to buy a home but are concerned about the down payment, Pasco County has a program that may be able to help.

The Down Payment Assistance Program is offered through the county’s Community Development department.

Changes are being made to increase the possibility of home ownership for homebuyers who otherwise might be unable to purchase a home.

The program now will allow a buyer to qualify for a loan of up to $50,000. The previous maximum was $25,000.

The maximum sales price of a home also has increased up to $275,000, up from $200,000.

Residents of Pasco County can qualify for the program if they earn less than 120% of the area median income.

Community Development provides assistance to income-eligible buyers toward the purchase of a home in Pasco County if you have not owned a home in the last three years. Applicant households who make less than 120% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the Tampa Bay Area may apply for assistance. Funding for both programs is based on current availability for each income level.

All interested homebuyers will need to contact Suncoast Housing Connections to attend a Homebuyer Education Class. Homebuyers must work with a Community Development-approved lender.

Lenders must attend training in order to participate in the Down Payment Assistance Program. All interested lenders will need to email Mari Thieryung to sign up for lender training. 

If you have any questions about the homebuyer programs available through the county, please call Pasco County Community Development at 727-834-3447, or visit MyPas.co/HomeBuyers.

To learn more about Pasco Community Development programs and services, visit MyPasco.net.

Published March 15, 2023

Community contest recognizes landscaping

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Hillsborough County Extension Service is seeking entrants for the annual Tampa Bay Community Water Wise Awards competition.

(File)

The awards have been presented for 20 years to individuals and businesses that have demonstrated the best use of irrigation systems or techniques that conserve water resources and protect the environment.

Those interested in being considered for the award can enter by submitting an online application by midnight on June 30.

The entry must include photos that show the landscape from the front, back and sides. 

Finalists will receive an on-site evaluation by a county Extension Office representative, along with a local water utility representative.

The awards aim to promote appropriate gardening habits and to recognize community members who are committed to creating sustainable landscapes, according to a news release.

Nearly 50% of water used at home goes into yard maintenance, the release said.

But the Hillsborough County Extension Service wants to remind residents that it is possible to have a Florida-Friendly landscape with little water other than rainfall.

The winner will receive a handmade steppingstone.

For more information about the program, visit Awards.TampaBayWaterWise.org.

To submit an online application, visit Awards.TampaBayWaterwise.org/enter-your-landscape/.

Published March 15, 2023

Passport applications way up in Pasco County

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Passport applications are reaching record highs in Pasco County, according to Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles.

Her office held a Saturday event on March 4, and within four hours, it received 309 passport applications.

“The line here in Dade City was out of the office, down the hall and to the stairwell in the government center,” she told the Pasco County Commission, during its March 7 meeting.

“The question I usually get when I’m out and about is, ‘What is the turnaround time for the Passport Agency to process passports. So, I can give that information. A routine passport is about eight to 11 weeks right now. Expedited is between five to seven weeks. You have to pay extra for expedited.

“There’s a way to get it even sooner for urgent travel, a non-emergency case. You have to go to the actual Passport Agency.”

The closest ones are in Miami and Atlanta.

A passport on an urgent basis can be granted in about 14 business days.

If there’s an emergency situation, it can be processed within three days.

Renewals can be mailed in.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also told her colleagues that it’s important to know that some countries will not let in foreign travelers if their passport is set to expire within six months.

Published March 15, 2023

Pasco commissioner named to national board

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey will represent the county as a member of the board of directors for the National Association of Counties. (File)

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has been appointed to a one-year term on the board of directors for the National Association of Counties (NACo).

“I’m humbled and honored to represent Pasco County and the State of Florida on NACo’s board of directors,” Starkey said, in a Pasco County news release.  “I look forward to exchanging ideas with colleagues across the country and bringing Pasco County’s interests to the table when discussing the wide range of issues.”

The NACo board governs the strategic goals and priorities of the association, as well as oversees the association’s policies and business.

Board members are elected and appoint county officials from active NACo member counties.

Starkey was appointed to serve on three NACo committees in 2021.

NACo seeks to strengthen America’s counties and create healthy, safe and vibrant counties across the country, the news release says.

The association serves nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees.

Published March 15, 2023

A budding business on the grow

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Chris Fennell is a kid who actually likes to eat his vegetables.

The 11-year-old enjoys growing his vegetables, too.

“I like these vegetables!” the sixth-grader at Pine View Middle admitted freely. “They just taste great and they were pretty easy to grow — so I like eating these ones.”

Land O’ Lakes resident Chris Fennell, 11, tends to his crops of microgreens, as he sells them roadside in his neighborhood, Wilderness Lake Preserve. Fennell, a sixth-grader at Pine View Middle, decided to start growing microgreens as a do-it-yourself project, especially since he liked how these vegetables taste. Then, he decided to create a small business, BabyGreens. With his entrepreneurial spirit, he’s thought of everything — from creating a website, to promoting the business on social media. (Mike Camunas)

He also loves selling the microgreens he grew himself for his now budding business, BabyGreens. It started as just a do-it-yourself project thanks to YouTube videos. But Fennell, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, turned it into a small business — complete with a website, a logo, business cards and even promoting himself on social media.

“Before this,” his mom, Amber, said, “I didn’t even know what a microgreen was, so I had to do a little research of my own, and then come to find out they’re easy to grow and very healthy and surprisingly tasty.”

Selling the veggies was her son’s idea.

“But we were very surprised by him coming to us with the whole business plan,” she added. “He made a website, business cards, a logo, had a business plan, wanting to get a credit card machine that worked on the phone — he had everything done and ready, like he was pitching it to an investor.

“And he figured that out all on his own.”

Microgreens are “baby” versions of certain vegetables and contain 40% more nutrients. Not to be confused with sprouts or shoots, they are harvested very soon after sprouting, rather than after the plant has matured to produce multiple leaves.

Chris Fennell grows all the microgreens himself, out on the patio of his Wilderness Lake Preserve home in Land O’ Lakes (Courtesy of Chris Fennell)

They are used as a nutrition supplement, a visual enhancement, and a flavor and texture addition. Microgreens are used to add sweetness and spiciness to foods, such as salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and pizza.

Fennell grew microgreens of broccoli, radish and sunflower, then set up shop in the back of Wilderness Lake Preserve for potential customers to sample and buy.

Using a two-tray watering and growing system, it took Fennell about two weeks to grow his first batch.

“I saw some videos about growing them and thought it was really cool, and I knew they tasted really good, so I was thinking about growing them just to eat them,” he said. “But I also saw that people were selling them and making a lot of money, so I came up with the idea and asked my mom and started a business.”

The sixth-grader is a straight-A student, interested in science (he’s thinking about becoming a marine biologist, one day), so he’s always looking to experiment with new projects. He’s even in accelerated science classes, so when he starts high school, he’ll already have a high school credit.

Chris Fennell, 11, meticulously trims the microgreens he grew himself. He then weighs them and packages for the small business he established, by himself. It’s called BabyGreens. (Mike Camunas)

He embraces the healthy lifestyle, especially as a kid who has undergone two major surgeries before he was even 5 years old. He had open-heart surgery at age 2 and brain stem surgery at age 3.

“He’s more into books and science and learning and always has been,” Amber said. “As an A student in advanced classes, he’s just killing it and absolutely making his mother proud.”

Fennell’s first business display on Feb. 18 went well, with several residents stopping by to taste samples and some purchasing a container of BabyGreens. 

“People are really interested,” he said, “and a lot of people want to know what they are and how they taste on certain things.

“Everyone definitely likes trying them!”

People can give the tiny veggies a taste on April 1, when Fennell will be one of the vendors at Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale. Fennell says there are more than 100 microgreens that can be cultivated. His next crop will include corn, peas, salad mix, arugula and wheatgrass.

He expects them to be a hit.

“I think once people try them, they’ll like them,” he said.

“It just takes one sample.”

BabyGreens
Where: Wilderness Lake Preserve neighborhood in Land O’ Lakes
Details: Chris Fennell grows microgreens sprouts and sells them out of his house or on special side-of-the-road displays on the weekends. Fennell, 11, next will be at the Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale, 22843 Hale Road, in Land O’ Lakes, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring various local vendors.
Info: Visit BabyGreens.my.canva.site, call 727-687-0753, or email . Follow BabyGreens on social media on TikTok: @BabyGreens_business or on YouTube: @BabyGreens5.

Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale
When: April 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 22843 Hale Road, in Land O’ Lakes
Details: Fruit trees, fresh herbs and vegetables, local honey produced by bees at Rosebud, free tree grafting demos and more will all be on sale and display at this event featuring various local vendors.
Vendor space still available.
Info: Email or visit the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/595648001932925.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco school board member is pushing to expand school choices

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Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin is asking the superintendent’s staff to consider adding more school choices in Central Pasco.

“I’m a big supporter and believer in neighborhood schools and we have fantastic neighborhood schools across our county. But families want choices,” Beaudoin said.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin wants to increase choices for students in Central Pasco, by adding some new options for some schools within the area. (File)

“As we start planning for our summer budget meetings, I’d just like to ask staff to please explore the feasibility of adding some Cambridge Programmes, a fine arts magnet and/or some other advanced academic opportunities in our Central Pasco elementary schools.

“I want to reiterate that I am hearing from people in our community that are looking for these opportunities for their elementary children.

“Parents are going to be given more and more choices, and I believe public schools — Pasco public schools — are the best choice and we have the opportunity to expand on the great work already being done,” Beaudoin said, during the school board’s Feb. 21 meeting.

In essence, the Cambridge Programme is a rigorous academic program that uses an international curriculum and seeks to develop learners who are reflective, confident, engaged, responsible and innovative. It is already offered at some schools in East Pasco and West Pasco.

School board member Alison Crumbley said she was glad that Beaudoin raised the issue because she, too, supports expanding the Cambridge Programme into some Central Pasco schools.

On another topic, Megan Harding, the board’s chairwoman, asked Superintendent Kurt Browning to continue working to address behavior issues by elementary students who are disrupting classrooms.

“I’m still getting messages and phone calls every day about extensive behaviors that are occurring at the elementary level,” Harding said.

For instance, she said, “It’s hard when a child throws a water bottle and then they’re brought back into the classroom. The teacher doesn’t feel supported.

“I know that we have zero tolerance at the secondary level, but maybe we need to talk about that tiered plan at the elementary level, that we mentioned before,” Harding said.

“I just hope that we can continue those conversations,” Harding said.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco-Hernando State College president announces retirement

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Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) President Timothy L. Beard has announced his retirement, effective Jan. 31, 2024.

The college also has launched a national search for Beard’s successor.

Beard is stepping down from the post after a 17-year tenure at the college.

When he departs, he will have held the college’s top post for nearly nine years.

Jamal Roberts became the first student to graduate from Pasco-Hernando State College with a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management. He took advantage of one of PHSC’s two four-year programs. Roberts received his diploma from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president, in December 2015. (File)

Before that, he was vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management for eight years, according to a college news release.

The search for Beard’s successor is being led by Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, in collaboration with a committee made up of community stakeholders and PHSC faculty, staff and students, the news release says.

The new president will take over leadership of an educational institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

In reflecting on the college’s history, during a previous interview with The Laker/Lutz News, Beard recounted PHSC’s humble origins.

“We were known as ‘College without Walls.’ We didn’t have a building. All we had, for the most part, was a dream and an idea.”

Classes would be held wherever the college could get space and recruiting for students was done everywhere, including back alleys, Beard said.

Over time, the college transitioned from Pasco-Hernando Community College to Pasco-Hernando State College.

It now has six locations, serving nearly 10,000 students each year.

It has a $69 million operating budget, and a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees — including  nearly 550 full-time faculty and staff.

The college also has expanded its programs, now offering about 100 career program options. It has two bachelor’s programs and bestows associate’s diplomas and assorted certifications.

Under Beard’s leadership, the college’s operating budget has increased by nearly 40%, the release says.

At the same time, PHSC Foundation assets increased more than 60%. Beard personally has raised several hundred thousand dollars to establish and fund scholarships.

During his time at the helm. PHSC constructed the $18 million Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), located in Wesley Chapel.

The Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, also known as IPAC, is a teaching facility, but also a venue for community events and performances. The project, on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, was completed during Dr. Timothy Beard’s tenure as president of Pasco-Hernando State College.

It also is currently collaborating with Pasco Fire/Rescue to construct a new $5 million Burn Center and Fire Academy training center at PHSC’s East Campus in Dade City.

That campus also houses the future STEM Student Success and Community Engagement Center.

Meanwhile, in Hernando County, PHSC is establishing a Corporate College at the Dr. Dennis Wilfong Center for Success, at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport, according to the release.

The Corporate College, in collaboration with industry partners, will provide career and technical training for in-demand, skilled, higher-paying positions within the region.

Beard is PHSC’s fourth president, following Katherine M. Johnson, who followed Robert W. Judson, who followed Milton O. Jones.

In the release announcing his retirement, Beard shared these sentiments: “Serving as PHSC’s president has been the crowning achievement of my career.

“The college has made exceptional progress, thanks to the guidance of our trustees and the dedication of our administrators, faculty and staff.

“I remain in awe of the transformative power of education. To greet students as they enter PHSC, often unsure of their potential, and watching them grow, graduate, pursue successful careers and join the college’s more than 60,000 alumni, is gratifying. 

“Most of our graduates choose to work and reside within our district and contribute to our vibrant, growing communities.

“The decision to retire after nearly 40 years in higher education has been difficult, but the time is right to pass the baton to a new leader,” Beard said.

The college’s board of trustees also issued a statement regarding Beard’s performance, as he prepares to step away from the post.

“The board has been impressed by Dr. Beard’s steadfast dedication, his tireless service and student-centered leadership,” John Mitten, chair of the PHSC’s nine-member District Board of Trustees (DBOT), said, in the statement. “The sincerity, warmth and enthusiasm he brings to the presidency continuously forges strong stakeholder relationships, enhances the college’s image locally and throughout the state and garners support for the college and our programs.

“His leadership will be missed by the trustees, faculty, staff, students and the entire community,” Mitten said.

The college’s board of trustees expects to introduce the college’s fifth president to the community September 2023.

Information on PHSC’s presidential search, including details about the application and nomination process, is available at MyersMcrae.com.

Information about presidential search also is available at PHSC.edu/about/leadership.

Published March 08, 2023

Proposal aims to create Odessa Town Centre plan

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Pasco County is engaging in a process aimed at providing a cohesive approach to future development on about 81.5 acres at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and County Road 54.

County planners began working about two years ago with a consultant to create what is now being called Odessa Town Centre.

The site is within Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s district and she advocated for a  county-initiated land use change to try to prevent piecemeal development of the property.

The county board had been set to vote on transmitting the proposed plan to state agencies for review, during its Feb. 21 meeting. That action was delayed because the plan area had been  expanded, requiring additional public notice before the board could consider the request.

The county board is now set to vote on the issue at its March 21 meeting, during its 1:30 p.m. session at the government center at 8731 Citizens Drive, in New Port Richey.

At the county board’s Feb. 21 meeting, Starkey provided background to her colleagues: “This is Gunn (Highway) and (State Road) 54, where the old flea market used to be.

“We were very worried that it was going to be piecemealed … People were swirling all around it, wanting to buy it.

“They all want to put (in) multi-family, and, there’s great job potential there, if we do it right,” Starkey said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has already heard the issue and recommended unanimously to transmit the request for state review.

The proposed plan includes areas designated for light industrial, business park, mixed-use office and retail, and high-density residential.

Transmittal of the plan for state review is a preliminary step before it can come back before the county board for a final vote.

At the planning board’s meeting, Planning Commissioner Jon Moody said he wanted to make sure that none of the current property owners — regardless of how much land they own  — get left behind.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, said a condition could be included in the comprehensive plan’s sub-area policies, to ensure that property owners within the area would be able to pursue a master-plan development, regardless of property size.

The plan doesn’t preclude current property owners from continuing their current use, or pursuing another one that’s within their current zoning.

If they wish to rezone, however, they would be subject to the rules of the new Odessa Town Centre plan.

Nectarios Pittos said a primary aim of the Odessa Town Centre plan is to designate land that would be appropriate for job-generating uses.

Attorney Joel Tew, who represents a mixed-use developer from Miami, said his client is currently seeking an MPUD to develop about 20 acres on the western portion of the Odessa Town Centre area.

His client embraces the need for a master plan for the area, Tew said.

“We think it’s a great vision. It’s a great plan.

Gerald Speer, who lives on Blissfield Road, said he’s one of the “small guys” within the proposed Odessa Town Centre.

“I have one-third acre. I have the smallest amount of property of the 27 people that’s in this. I am the one who’s going to suffer badly,” Speer said.

If Blissfield is widened, as shown on the conceptual plan, Speer said when he steps out his front door, he’ll be stepping into the street.

“My house is 1,800 square feet and there’s nowhere else in this town where I could move that I would like better than where I am now. Where I’m at now, I’ve got hospitals, I’ve got grocery stores, I’ve got everything.

“I’m almost 70 years old, and I’m kind of stuck, because it’s going to be very hard for me to move.”

Speer said he’s already dealt with dirt being kicked up into his house from nearby construction activity and that he’s seen traffic increase substantially on Old Gunn Highway.

“The road is terribly overburdened, and wait until they build the Lowe’s (which is going on the old flea market site). It’s going to be even worse,” he said.

“What have I got to look forward to? Where am I going to find an 1,800-square-foot house?

“I’m going to lose this. I know I’m going to lose this,” he said.

Virginia Loe has property on Interlaken Road, sought assurances that she’ll be able to continue with her plan to have a log cabin on her land.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey said the proposed land use change would not force her to change her plans.

“You can still use the property,” Grey said. “You’re not compelled to do a commercial or industrial use there. You can do what you had planned.”

Moody responded to Speer’s comments.

“I understand. I’ve been here since I was 6 years old,” Moody said. “The corner of Gunn (Highway) and  Highway 54 (State Road 54) — it was cows. But that’s not what it is today.

“I’ve been here 50-plus years, too.

“State Road) 54 is not what (State Road) 54 was when I was a child.

“There’s nothing we’re going to do to stop this, and I’d rather have a good plan and a cohesive plan rather than for us to repeat some of the sins of the past that happened along U.S. 19, along the west side of the county.

“In this one, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due, this is some good planning,” Moody said.

Published March 08, 2023