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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Pasco Schools’ restroom use updated

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Pasco County Schools will be making a change in its practices regarding restroom use by students on the district’s campuses.

Superintendent Kurt Browning announced, at the Pasco County School Board’s Jan. 3 meeting, a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th circuit is prompting the district to change its practice regarding student restroom use.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning informed the Pasco County School Board that within 30 days the district will require students to use restrooms based on their biological sex at birth. The change was prompted by a federal appeals court ruling involving a case that originated in the St. Johns County school district. Browning said the Pasco district and its elected officials must follow the law. (File)

The case — Drew Adams vs. the School Board of Johns County — involved if it was constitutional to separate school bathrooms based on biological sex and whether doing so violated Title IX.

The federal appeals court found that assigning restroom use based on biological sex “passes constitutional muster and comports with Title IX.”

The case involved a student who was born as a girl, but identified as a boy. The case challenged a school district policy requiring students to use bathrooms based on their biological gender or to use gender-neutral bathrooms. The district did not allow bathroom use based on gender identity.

Browning told school board members: “The full appeals court overturned the trial court’s decision, which has been the controlling law, until this newest decision was rendered.

“Due to this court’s ruling, the Pasco district will be updating our practices regarding the use of student restrooms to align with this new decision.

“As superintendent, I have directed staff to, within 30 days, update any existing procedures and guidelines; begin meeting with any impacted students and parents; meet with our principals and student services staff, regarding the revised use of restroom practices.

“The expectation moving forward will be that students use restroom facilities that correspond to the biological sex at birth.

“I also want the board to be aware that any student wishing to use an alternative restroom will be able to seek an accommodation to utilize a private restroom at their school.

“I realize that this change in practice may not sit well with some students and some adults, but it is important to note that we, as a district, and as elected officials, are required to abide by the laws of the state of Florida and those of the United States.

“This change in district practice and procedure does both of those.”

“I will continue to update the board, as to our progress in implementing these changes, but my hope is that over the next 30 days, most of those changes will be in effect,” Browning said.

On another topic, Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco, informed the board that negotiations between the school district and union are approaching a conclusion and he hopes the proposed contract can be ratified soon.

He also told board members the union is eager to hold conversations regarding the distribution of funds raised through a referendum approved by voters to improve employee salaries.

“We are hopeful that the plan that we agree to will entice highly qualified individuals to come to work in Pasco County and can help fill the 230 or so jobs still vacant in this district.

“If we can agree on a plan that respects experience, loyalty and longevity, I do believe it will go a long way toward filling the vacancies that we still have,” Peace said.

“We must also be cognizant to respect employees’ time,” the union leader added. “There is far too much being implemented by either the state or the district which cuts into student instructional time.

“The primary reason that every true educator gets into the profession — yes, I said, profession — is to educate tomorrow’s leaders, today. Teachers are the foundation of all future job opportunities.

“We grow our students by delivering high quality instruction. We must get to a place, locally here in Pasco, and in our state, where we are attentive to the needs of those professionals when they speak out.

“Communication, as we heard from the Gallup Poll, can be and must be improved, at both the state and the local levels,” Peace said.

Published January 11, 2023

Federal funding will benefit local projects

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Twelve of the 15 priority projects identified by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, in Florida’s 12th Congressional District, have received federal funding allocations.

The projects will bring a total of nearly $20.3 million to the Tampa Bay area, according to a news release from Bilirakis’ office.

Projects receiving allocations include:

  • $3 million for Moffitt’s Pasco County Expansion to build the Research and Life Science Facility that will serve as a regional hub for the delivery of high-quality health care, cancer research, education, and biotech business development
  • $2 million to help prevent flooding in north Pinellas and south Pasco counties through stormwater and roadway improvements
  • $800,000 for the Pasco County Alliance for Healthy Communities Substance Use Prevention Program to provide coordinated behavioral health services to reduce overdose deaths
  • $500,000 to support more than 300 at-risk middle and high school aged girls in Pasco and Hernando counties enrolled in the PACE Center for Girls program
  • $2.5 million to build a one-stop-shop senior center in Pasco County operated by CARES
  • $1.27 million to build new units of housing at the Vincent House for those struggling with mental illness
  • $600,000 for the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired to assist older adults in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties by empowering these adults with disabilities to live more independently in their home and communities with a focus on improved mental health
  • $2.4 million to install ADA-compliant bus stops along Moon Lake Road in West Pasco
  • $2 million for the Pasco Sheriff’s Department to upgrade technology at its regional Center for the Recovery of Missing Persons
  • $2 million for renovation of the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit operated by Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services
  • $2 million for the Craig Park/Spring Bayou Seawall Repair in Tarpon Springs
  • $1.2 million for a school readiness and early literacy program operated by the Pinellas County Education Foundation

In the release, Biliarkis said: “While I am no proponent of big government spending, I have a duty to ensure my community receives its fair share of allocated federal resources and to be transparent about my efforts to prioritize these important projects. Each of these good projects will help strengthen our local infrastructure, benefit our community, and assist local residents.”

Also, of note, the boundary lines for congressional districts changed as a result of the 2020 U.S. Census. Effective Jan. 3, the 12th district’s new boundaries include Hernando, Citrus and parts of Pasco, but no longer includes Pinellas County. Pinellas is now in the 13th district.

Published January 11, 2023

‘Pasco TC Gives’ tops $1 million in charitable donations

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When Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano took office, he created a charitable giving program aimed at helping local nonprofits and individuals in need.

In time, an entity called Pasco TC Gives was created to raise and disburse funds for charitable causes, according to a news release from Fasano’s office.

Mike Fasano has led charitable giving efforts through his office for nearly 10 years. The efforts have raised $1.26 million in assistance to more than 116 nonprofit organizations and to individuals in crisis needing immediate help. (Courtesy of Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office)

Since it began in 2013, the nonprofit has raised more than $1.26 million and has provided assistance to more than 116 nonprofit organizations in the community, as well as to individuals in crisis situations needing immediate help, the release says.

The funds are raised through the Charity of the Month Program and sales of advertising on in-house screens in each tax collector’s office in Pasco County.

“Without the hard work of our staff and a very generous community we would not have been able to support so many fine organizations that dedicate themselves to helping those in need,”  Tax Collector Mike Fasano said in the release. “Our Pasco TC Gives Board of Directors independently reviews every request for donations and approves them based on merit and need of the organization or individual. I am proud of the effort made by our employees who sit on this board and help steer funds to where they are needed most.”

Fasano added he’s “most grateful to the community organizations that see us as an important resource to help them and their membership” in times of special need.

Donations to Pasco TC Gives support such diverse programs as CARES Seniors Services, The Humane Society, Support Our Troops, The Volunteer Way, Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s Annual Holiday Food Giveaway that feeds families each holiday season, the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, Special Olympics of Pasco, the Pasco Sheriff’s K-9 Foundation and more than 100 other charitable organizations.

Pasco TC Gives also has responded to crisis situations to help Hurricane Ian victims, Hurricane Irma relief efforts and by providing support to the families of the United States Coast Guard.

Additionally, one-time donations have been made to many nonprofits throughout Pasco County.

For more information about Pasco TC Gives, the organizations it supports and the charitable giving program in general, please contact Assistant Tax Collector and Board Chairman Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179.

Published January 11, 2023

She served her community in a multitude of ways

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Sister Dianne Wansley — a former spiritual director, a former town commissioner and a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida — has been laid to rest. (Courtesy of Benedictine Sisters of Florida)

Sister Dianne Wansley, O.S.B., a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, passed away on Dec. 30.

She came to the Benedictine Sisters of Florida in January 1978 as a live-in volunteer and then joined the Benedictine Sisters in September 1978.

She served the community for 46 years, serving in numerous capacities including as an accomplished iconographer, an artist and a member of the liturgy committee. She also provided spiritual direction for retreatants and was the director of Postulants and Novices (sisters in discernment vow stages) for the Community. She was the organist and pianist for the community, according to a news release from the Benedictine Sisters of Florida.

She also was a music minister for student Masses at Saint Leo University.

Plus, she served as a member of the St. Leo Town Commission.

A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated on Jan. 7.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Benedictine Sisters of Florida, P.O. Box 2450, St. Leo, FL 33574.

Published January 11, 2023

Efforts aim to prevent wildfires in Green Swamp

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD) is planning “prescribed fires” in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve with the goal of preventing wildfires there, according to a news release from the district.

Prescribed fires are those that are started in controlled settings to reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control.

The water management agency will conduct the controlled fires from January through March, at the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes the Green Swamp West Tract in Pasco County, the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties; and, the Hampton Tract in Polk County.

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is located north of U.S. Highway 98 along State Road 471 and Rockridge Road, between Lakeland and Dade City. Approximately 12,000 acres will be burned in manageable units, the release said.

Major benefits of prescribed fires include:

  • Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires
  • Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants
  • Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat
  • Maintaining access for public recreation.

Prescribed fires are conducted by SWFMD on approximately 30,000 acres each year.

Published January 11, 2023

Ag land owners can apply for conservation program

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications from agricultural land owners for its voluntary conservation program.

The program works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that enhances existing efforts while improving their agricultural operations, according to a U.S.D.A. news release.

The deadline is Feb. 24 for ag land owners to apply to participate in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in the current funding cycle.

Using new conservation practices or activities, agricultural producers can adopt practices and activities that expand on the benefits of cleaner water and air, healthier soil, and better wildlife habitat, all based on management objectives specific to their farming operation, according to the U.S.D.A. release.

“If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are, CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals,” Juan C. Hernandez, state conservationist for NRCS in Florida, said in the release. “CSP offers annual payments for implementing conservation practices on your land and operating and maintaining existing conservation efforts.”

Eligible CSP lands include: Associated ag land, cropland, farmstead, non-industrial private forestland, pastureland and rangeland.

Individuals who are eligible to apply include agricultural producers, Indian tribes, owners of non-industrial forestland and those with an interest in the agricultural or forestry operations.

Farm records must be established or updated with the Farm Service Agency for both the person(s) and the land for your application to be eligible and evaluated. Farm records for the person must indicate the applicant: controls or owns eligible land; is in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements; and, meets adjusted gross income (AGI) and payment limitation provisions.

Published January 11, 2023

Pasco seeking to fill openings on its jobs committee

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Pasco County is seeking to fill openings on its voluntary Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee (JEOC).

The committee oversees the use of the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund (JEOTF) portion of Penny for Pasco, according to a county news release.

Responsibilities of JEOC members include ensuring Penny for Pasco spending meets the requirements of promoting projects, to creating new jobs and economic growth.

Applications are being accepted online through Feb. 6 at MyPas.co/AdvisoryBoardApp.

The JEOC consists of up to nine members, appointed by the Pasco County Commission.

Members are being sought who represent diverse knowledge and expertise from one of the following areas:

  • Finance/Banking
  • Agriculture
  • Real Estate
  • Manufacturing
  • Other Private Industries

The JEOC meets, at minimum, on a quarterly basis and presents annual updates to the county board.

Members serve for one-year or two-year terms, depending upon the industry they represent.

The Penny for Pasco has been approved by voters three times, with the most recent approval extending the government infrastructure surtax for 15 years, beginning in January 2025 through December 2039.

The Penny for Pasco provides funding for Pasco County, Pasco County Schools and Pasco’s six municipalities.

The JEOTF portion from the renewal adopted in 2015 is estimated to generate more than $70 million in revenue to be used for target industry job creation and economic development projects designed to improve the local economy, according to the county’s news release.

Published January 11, 2023

Dade City looks to renovations, redesigns in 2023

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As 2023 gets started, Dade City is looking toward the future.

And while Pasco County’s oldest city plans to keep its history and small-town feel as vibrant and forefront as possible, officials are excited about its various plans and upcoming projects in store for the ever-changing town.

“Absolutely, it is an exciting time to be in Dade City and for our residents,” City Manager Leslie Porter said. “We have a number of projects in development and it would be hard to pick just one we are most excited about.”

However, Porter acknowledged she is perhaps most enthused about the Seventh Street Streetscaping Improvement Project the city is about to undergo, which is “basically going to change to a whole new look” in the downtown Dade City area, Porter said.

Dade City has some big plans for 2023, from adding a splash pad near the Hardy Trail to streetscaping Seventh Street in downtown, in a move to reduce traffic speeds and reinvigorate the shopping and entertainment district. (Mike Camunas)

“The feedback and concern we always get is that Seventh Street is like a raceway,” Porter added. “The usual concern is cars driving too fast, so the streetscaping will not only be safer, but it will also give downtown’s main intersection and roads a whole new look and feel.

“So we’re on the cusp of doing something very big.”

Porter said the city worked with Johnson Engineering, which is preparing renderings on what streetscaping would do to downtown. Not only would this reconfiguration calm traffic, it also would bring about new sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and lighting.

Porter says the city is expecting the renderings this month and there will be more workshops then to prepare for actual design.

Also in the works is the development of a splash pad and all-inclusive playground on the land next to The Spoke: Dade City’s Market Place and Visitors Center on Church Avenue at the start of the Hardy Trail. The $1-million project funded by the Community Development Block Grant would include restrooms and is out to bid now for a project management team.

“The playground would be the first one of its kind in Dade City,” Porter said. “We know we are starting to have younger families, so the splash park and new playground are going to be even more amenities for people to enjoy.”

Additional projects mentioned by Porter that are in planning phases include:

Morningside Drive Extension
The city is currently in the design phase to take Morningside Drive from U.S. 301 and extend it west to connect to State Road 52. It’s a long-range project, but one that City Manager Leslie Porter says will create a new traffic route, and allow direct and quicker access to AdventHealth Dade City with a whole new access point.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
This project is still a few years out, but a contract was awarded to design a new wastewater treatment plant. It will replace the current plant near the  Mickens-Harper neighborhood, which officials hope to remove by 2026.

New Civic Center
The city is about to undertake a study to determine exactly what type of new building will be built at the James Irvin Civic Center, 38122 Martin Luther King Blvd. It has already been determined that the current building was beyond renovation.

Dade City, with a nearly $41-million budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 64% higher than the previous year, is growing and expanding rapidly, and Porter recognizes this. 

With the influx of new businesses downtown, the renovation of the Hugh Embry Library, several projects on the horizon and a population nearing 8,000, Dade City is looking to beyond 2023 and into the future.

“We’re getting new businesses all the time and thanks to things like First Friday and The Block, I think it’s getting realized that there is a nightlife now,” Porter said. “We’ve got a wine bar downtown, and the brewery and restaurants, and there’s a whole new crowd of people in Dade City. We even have an indoor mini golf place!

“And you can see that new crowd especially when the Art Walk was a great success, so with everything going on in this town and where we’re headed, it’s a very exciting time to be in Dade City.”

Published January 04, 2023

Advisory council promotes expanded local food sources

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When Pasco County initiated its Food Policy Advisory Council, it was among the first in the state to create such a council, Dell DeChant, the council’s chairman said, during an annual report to the Pasco County Commission.

The advisory council was formed on May 19, 2015, DeChant said, “which makes us one of the oldest Food Policy Councils in the state.

“When we were originally established, we were only the second one in the state, so that’s a point of pride for this county,” DeChant added, during the county board’s Dec. 6 meeting.

But he noted that much work remains to achieve the council’s goals.

“We are very interested in developing resiliency within the county, which, as of right now, with all due respect, we don’t have,” DeChant said.

“We are also working to cultivate a local food system, which, again, with all due respect, is something that we don’t have,” he added.

“The vast majorities of food that is consumed in Pasco County is imported. It’s imported from other parts of the country, it’s imported from other parts of the state, and imported from overseas.

“To the degree we can localize the food system, we’re all better off and we’re stronger for it.

“To the degree that we begin to produce more of the food that we consume here, in the county, the better off we are,” DeChant said.

He reminded the county board that the advisory council’s purpose is to support an equitable, resilient and local food system in Pasco.

The council also aims to “provide credible, well-conceived community food policy advice that can dramatically reduce instances of chronic disease and obesity, preserve agricultural lands, promote agricultural uses throughout the county and assists in the development of new businesses in the food sector,” according to a slide in a presentation to the board.

DeChant and Sonide Simon, a planner II for Pasco and staff liaison to the advisory council, made the presentation.

DeChant was complimentary of Simon’s efforts to help the council.

“Whatever we’ve accomplished, the achievements that we’ve had, are largely the result of Sonide’s great work. We’re very appreciative of her and her leadership and caring,” he said.

The council seeks to connect economic development, food security efforts, preservation and enhancement of agriculture and environmental concerns, according to the presentation.

It also aims to:

  • Support the development and expansion of locally produced foods
  • Review proposed legislation and regulations that affect the food system
  • Make recommendations to government bodies

It also seeks to inform others by gathering, synthesizing and sharing information regarding community food systems.

The council has had some influence, with the backing of both the Pasco County Commission and City of New Port Richey, DeChant said.

Those government boards supported the food council’s recommendation to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to include an item in its resiliency plan relating to local food systems, DeChant said.

The advisory food council is made up of members representing academia, farmers, farmers markets, health departments, and the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Science.

The food council also is participating with efforts to update the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan.

It also is recommending that the county include fruit trees among the list of trees that would be acceptable to meet the requirements of the county’s landscaping ordinance, DeChant said.

“That would make a big difference. If we planted fruit trees, that would also be a ready source of food,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told DeChant and Simon: “I’m so proud of the work you’re doing.”

She noted that she’s also interested in the possibility of tying agriculture and tourism together, and in doing more to market products that are produced locally.

“I think agritourism has a place in our county,” Starkey said.

For his part, DeChant would love to see the county provide a budget for the council, to enable the volunteer group to expand its efforts.

Published January 04, 2023

SMARTstart aims to help entrepreneurs thrive

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When Dan Mitchell sees entrepreneurs coming through SMARTstart programs in Pasco County, he says there’s one factor that gives him a good idea of whether or not that business creator is going to succeed or fail.

That ingredient, he said, is the individual’s level of grit.

“Are they willing to either figure out how to do it themselves, ask for help, pay for help?” asked Mitchell, program director for the Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart program.

Dan Mitchell manages the Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart program. (File)

“What doesn’t work is either making an excuse, or deeming it impossible, or saying that the circumstances are beyond their control,” Mitchell added.

Having a successful business isn’t just a matter of having an idea and figuring out a way to finance it, he said.

Businesses that survive and thrive have faced adversity and overcome obstacles, Mitchell said. 

SMARTstart, created in 2012, has a suite of programs intended to benefit companies of all sizes, from start-up to established businesses.

The program offers low-cost workspaces, educational resources, guidance, a collaborative environment for area entrepreneurs, and microloans to help businesses that can’t secure traditional financing.

The Pasco EDC program got its start with seed funding from the Florida High Tech Corridor, and then four years later received a boost when Pasco County dedicated a portion of its Penny for Pasco proceeds to support it.

“One of the  missions of the Pasco EDC is to build a diversified economy. We take that to heart, with how we’ve organized SMARTstart,” Mitchell said.

“We have not pigeon-holed ourselves. We’ve listened to the communities and we’ve changed how we deliver, and the spirit in how we deliver it, and the style in how we deliver it — while still maintaining the original objectives we set out,” he said.

“We just listen to the people we’re serving and see what they need.

“We don’t think we’re the arbiters of ‘Know-it-All-ness,” Mitchell added.

When he meets someone new to SMARTstart, Mitchell will ask: “What’s holding you back?’

“It’s usually the workspace, funding, education, guidance or collaboration.

“Those are the five areas that we offer support in,” he said.

SMARTstart schedules classes based on what people say they want and need.

Learning sessions it offers can cover topics such as cybersecurity, crowdfunding, YouTube and social media marketing.

It also provides an array of ways for people to learn.

“We recognize that not everybody necessarily learns well from the same voice. That’s why we offer so many different voices,” Mitchell said.

“They have the one-on-one coaching with us. Or they have the SCORE mentoring. Or they can work with our entrepreneurial residents. Or they can do a class or workshop. Or they can lean on each other at a roundtable,” Mitchell said.

The roundtables give entrepreneurs a chance to discuss business challenges and learn from each other.

SMARTstart also offers microloans to businesses that qualify but are unable to secure a traditional loan. But Mitchell is quick to point out that it takes more than an idea and financing to create a successful business.

“Funding definitely comes into play, but a lot of people aren’t ready for the funding until they  have a working proof of concept. You might want to open a coffee shop, but have you sold a cup of coffee yet?”

He advised: “Talk to some potential customers. See if there’s really a demand there.”

One of SMARTstart’s programs, called CO.STARTERS, provides both seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights and tools they need to turn ideas into action in the pursuit of a sustainable and thriving endeavor.

Mitchell said that SMARTstart, itself, also is open to learning and evolving.

When it launched its East Pasco location, for instance, it began with a professional office, co-working space — much like the one it has established at the Grove in Wesley Chapel, he said.

But after learning more about the Dade City community, he said, it became clear that the primary interest of entrepreneurs was in food-related businesses.

That led to the SMARTstart commercial kitchen at its East Pasco Entrepreneur Center, 15029 14th St., in Dade City.

The commercial kitchen initiative is a result of a partnership between the Pasco Extension Office, which is part of the University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences, Pasco County and Pasco County Economic Development Council Inc., with assistance from Welbilt, an industrial kitchen company.

SMARTstart at the Grove, another incubator location, is at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202; and, there’s a new center under construction, as part of the AmSkills Innovation Center, in Holiday, at Darlington Road and U.S. 19.

Besides the other resources it offers, SMARTstart also opens the door to more business-to-business connections for its participants, Mitchell said.

Some of that networking occurs through entrepreneurs meeting each other in SMARTstart programs, but other connections may be made through Pasco EDC, which has ongoing partnerships with local chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, CareerSource and other organizations throughout the region.

NOTE: SMARTstart, a program which aims to help entrepreneurs succeed at every level, is offered through the Pasco Economic Development Council. The Pasco EDC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes countywide economic development. Funding for Pasco EDC comes from corporate and public investors who are focused on the economic vitality of Pasco County.
To find out about Pasco EDC, visit PascoEDC.com. To learn more about SMARTstart’s specific programs, visit SmartStartPasco.com.

Published January 04, 2023