The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Office closures set for county services

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Pasco County government offices and the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s Office will be closed Feb. 15 for a Staff Development and Appreciation Day.

Departments will be performing staff development and appreciation activities focused on team building, and improving services for area communities and neighbors.

All Pasco County libraries also will be closed that day.

Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT) will be in service, but will run on the COVID-19 modified service schedule on all fixed routes and paratransit. Its administrative offices will be closed to walk-in customers; however, phone lines will be open. To learn more about the route schedule, visit tinyurl.com/p66vg3d6.

In addition, these offices also will be closed on Feb. 15:

  • Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources’ offices, recreation complexes and community centers; however, the parks and beaches will be open to the public, from dawn to dusk
  • Pasco County Animal Services’ administration office, adoption center, intake/reclaim shelter and field services; an animal control office will be available for emergencies only

The Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility, West Pasco Class III and the East Pasco Transfer Station will remain open to the public and to Pasco County licensed commercial haulers.

Other county government constitutional offices, including the tax collector’s office and the courts, will be open on Feb. 15.

All government offices will return to regular hours on Feb. 16.

For information, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published February 10, 2021

Pasco schools spending ‘Penny’ wisely

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The Penny for Pasco Oversight Committee has submitted its annual report regarding the school district’s spending of Penny for Pasco tax proceeds.

The one-page report, dated Feb. 2, concluded that “the promises made by the school district to the voters of Pasco County have thus far been kept.”

The oversight committee receives reports from school district leaders of construction services, finance services, maintenance services, and planning services about student and population data, budgeting, funds collected and spent, and project status updates, the report says.

It notes that the district remains ahead of schedule and is ready to meet the needs of the district’s growing population.

“In this seventh year of the second cycle, revenue remains good, in spite of all the challenges presented by COVID 19. Current collections are almost 27% above calculated projections,” the committee reports.

“We are pleased to inform you that real progress is being made with several Penny projects. Zephyrhills High School and Northwest Elementary School will complete their remodeling this summer. Marlowe Elementary has a new wing and construction is now underway at Hudson Middle School,” the report adds.

The committee also “continues to assure voters and the community that the money collected is being prudently used for the purposes intended,” the report says.

In addition to receiving the oversight committee’s report, the Pasco County School Board, in a separate action, reappointed these community members who voluntarily serve on the committee for a two-year term: Gary Evans, Hugh Townsend, Olive (Tom) Massey, Niko Tzoumas and Paul McClintock.

They will serve for the calendar years 2021 and 2022.

Published February 10, 2021

Beware of COVID-19 vaccine scammers

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Hillsborough County officials are warning people to be aware of scammers trying to prey on people’s desire to get vaccinated for the coronavirus.

Scammers often gravitate toward products and services in high demand, and COVID-19 vaccines are no exception, a county news release says.

In recent weeks, scammers have been using the phone, the internet and social media to try to obtain money or financial or personal information, offering a coveted appointment for a vaccination as bait.

Sometimes the aim is access to a Social Security or credit card number; other scams download malware if the victim clicks on a link. Sometimes, the scam is so effective the victim shows up for a vaccination appointment that doesn’t exist, the release adds.

Hillsborough County’s Office of Emergency Management reminds people that vaccinations are free and those making vaccination appointments will never ask for payment, credit card information or a Social Security number.

A COVID-19 Consumer Alert issued by the Florida Attorney General’s Office offers information and tips for people who are approached by someone seeking to take advantage of them.

See something suspicious? Report possible scams to the Florida Attorney General’s Office at 1-866-9NO-SCAM or by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.

You also can contact Hillsborough County Consumer & Veterans Services.

Published February 10, 2021

Offices may go up near Cypress Creek Town Center

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a change to the county’s comprehensive plan that would allow consideration for office use on a site with 9.1 developable acres, west of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and south of Hyde Park Boulevard.

The site currently is designated for residential and conservation uses on the county’s long-range plan.

County planners recommended approval of the change, and no one spoke against the request at the Planning Commission’s Feb. 4 meeting.

The new designation would allow consideration for an office development of approximately 67,000 square feet. A rezoning also would be needed, and is being pursued.

In agenda background materials, county planners say the request is consistent with policies in the county’s long-range plan because the development would be located along State Road 54, which is an arterial roadway.

Planners also note the proposed office would serve as effective transitional use.

“Due to the existing topography and wetland features, the development will efficiently buffer

the office development from surrounding residential land uses and will not impact any wetlands on the property,” the agenda materials note.

“The proposed development abuts existing residential and commercial uses within Cypress Creek Town Center MPUD (master-planned unit development) and will be constructed as one-story office buildings. The proposed amendment will provide the surrounding community with additional employment-generating uses further supporting the intent of Pasco County’s Urban Service Area by creating a live, work, play environment to attract high quality development,” planners add, in their support of the request.

The applicant and approved agent for the request is Waterford Construction and Development Inc.

The Pasco County Commission has final jurisdiction on requested changes to the county’s comprehensive plan.

Published February 10, 2021

The circus comes to town — with dazzling sights and sounds

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The Loomis Circus came to town, delighting hundreds of young and old spectators alike, under the big tent at the Grove at Wesley Chapel.

After all, it’s not a common sight to see an aerialist performing stunts high up in the air, or watch a unicorn — decked out in colorful lights — galloping around.

There were Polynesian ponies, too.

And, of course there were jugglers, a ringmaster, and clowns.

What would a circus be without them?

The circus made a three-day stop at the shopping, dining and entertainment complex, west of Interstate 75, north State Road 54.

Ringmaster Justin Loomis introduces jugglers and performers doing great feats at Loomis Circus, a three-day event that drew hundreds of spectators. (Fred Bellet)
Three-year old, Faith Kirstein, of Wesley Chapel, discovers a bouquet of balloons in front of the World Champion Karate Center’s booth, at the Grove. The center’s master instructor, Hyun, made balloon animals for awaiting kids. Faith was there with her mom, Lucy Martinez, and dad, Tommy Kingkiner.
A Unicorn makes a spectacular entrance — galloping around the center ring, decked out in colorful flashing lights.
Mexican aerialist Gloria Castillo performs stunts high above the crowd during the first night of the special event at the Grove at Wesley Chapel, off Oakley Boulevard and State Road 54.
Four-year-old Arden Beimfohr, left, 4-year-old Abel Rhule and 3-year-old Tristan Beimfohr pay rapt attention as performers delight the crowd at the Loomis Circus. Abel’s 3-year-old sister, Aria, was nearby with their moms.

Ashes to go, a free cup of Joe

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Pastor Kevin Grills acknowledges that he’s been reluctant for years to offer “ashes to go” on Ash Wednesday.

It had a bit too much of a “fast-food feel” for his liking, the spiritual leader said, via email.

But in the midst of a pandemic, it’s important to be creative and find new ways to reach people, according to Grills, who leads the First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes.

So, this Ash Wednesday, those driving through the church’s driveway will not only receive an imposition of ashes, but also a free cup of Aroma Joe’s coffee.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten period leading to Easter.

This year, it falls on Feb. 17, and ashes will be distributed at the First Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., that morning. They will be distributed in the church’s driveway, at 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O Lakes.

Those arriving will be directed to one of two pastors — Rev. Grills or Rev. Barry White will impose the ashes and will provide some information about Ash Wednesday, the season of Lent and opportunities to worship.

No one will have to get out of their car and everything will be done with safety in mind and social distancing, Grills said.

After getting their ashes, visitors can drive to a station where coffee will be made to order by Glenn Cote, the owner of Aroma Joe’s, a community partner with the church.

Stopping at the church shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes, from start to finish, Grills said.

The church has an uncomplicated motive for offering its hospitality.

“This is simply to love our neighbors,” Grills added.

The church has wanted to offer coffee to commuters for years, but just hasn’t made that happen. Grills hopes the Ash Wednesday event is just the start of a new “coffee for commuters” outreach effort that occurs on a more regular basis during the year.

Published February 10, 2021

Home, sweet home — and, it’s mortgage-free

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U.S. Army veteran Shanique Wright and her family recently moved into their mortgage-free home in Dade City, thanks to Wells Fargo and Operation Homefront.

Wright joined the Army National Guard in 2008, and was deployed to two different locations in Iraq between 2009 and 2010, according to a news release.

Shanique Wright and her husband, Eugene Hicks III, and their son, Eugene Hicks IV, stand near their new Dade City home. Wright is a veteran of the U.S. Army and recently moved into a mortgage-free home, thanks to Wells Fargo and Operation Homefront. (Courtesy of Operation Homefront)

She moved to Tampa in 2012 to be a caretaker for her grandmother and was medically discharged in 2014.

The veteran had been living with her husband, Eugene Hicks III, and their 5-year-old son, Eugene Hicks IV, in a small duplex, but were unable to purchase their own home.

They moved into their new home on Jan. 21. Now, they live near the Veterans Administration hospital where Eugene works and Shanique receives treatments. They also live close to outdoor recreational opportunities for their son.

Through Operation Homefront’s Permanent Homes for Veterans program, formerly known as Homes on the Homefront, Wright will work with an Operation Homefront financial counselor and a caseworker to build savings, reduce debt and to grow relationships in the community. Once she and her family successfully complete the program, they will receive the deed to the home.

To date, Operation Homefront has worked with like-minded partners, such as Wells Fargo, to provide more than 600 military families with mortgage-free homes, worth a total of $90 million in home equity.

Since 2012, Wells Fargo has donated more than 140 homes to Operation Homefront, and more than 400 homes to nonprofit organizations, valued at over $60 million, for veterans and Gold Star families across the 50 states.

Published February 10, 2021

Survey results show gains, but ample room to improve

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Pasco County received higher marks this year than it did last year in numerous categories in the annual National Community Survey.

Even so, substantial improvements are needed, if the county wants to achieve its stated goal of being a premier county.

An average of 350 communities participate annually in the National Community Survey, which is a collaborative effort between National Research Center Inc., and the International City/County Management Association.

Pasco participated in the survey in 2009 and then again from 2012 through 2020.

Last year, the county had an 18% response rate, for a total of 1,600 respondents.

The validated survey results show how the county compares to other survey participants, in numerous categories. The rankings can be lower, similar or higher.

The county also does a separate online community survey, using the same questions — with the goal of collecting additional data to help inform county decisions. That survey received 2,007 responses in 2020.

Marc Bellas, the county’s performance management director, presented the survey results at the Pasco County Commission’s meeting on Jan. 12.

The really good news is that “everything, almost across the board, is up from last year. Overall quality of life in Pasco County is up 12% from last year; that’s wonderful,” Bellas said.

He added: “If our vision was to be Florida’s good county, we could stop right now, because we’re really doing good work.”

But, the county isn’t satisfied with that designation, Bellas said.

“The county wants to take what it has now that is good and take it to the next level, which is great. We need to be better than the average,” he said.

This year’s results show substantial gains, in numerous categories, which demonstrates the county’s efforts are having an effect, he said.

“We have been at work for quite some time in order to create a better community, and it’s showing up and the citizens are seeing that,” Bellas said.

Bellas also reminded commissioners there often is lag time between improvements the county has made and improved survey results.

He stepped through results in numerous categories.

Overall confidence in Pasco County government has improved by 8%, Bellas said.

In the area of governance, which he described as the county’s board’s report card, survey  respondents gave higher marks for value of services for taxes paid (up 8%), government working in the best interest of the community (up 8%) and honesty (up 13%).

“In this survey, double-digit movement is unheard of. That is huge. That is huge,” Bellas said.

The county also saw a significant improvement in the category relating to fair treatment of residents. That jumped up by 13%.

County Commissioner Mike Moore weighed in on that finding.

“People recognize that this county does care about the residents and we do treat everyone on

equal footing,” Moore said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley said that result also reflects well on Pasco residents.

“They’re some of the greatest citizens that you could have,” Oakley said.

Survey results also show improvement in the area of customer service.

Overall, the county’s customer service received a positive rating of 75%, up 6% from the previous year.

Bellas said that reflects the board’s emphasis on customer service.

“I remember just a couple of years ago, you as a board said, ‘You guys got to really get into this customer service thing.’ We heard you. It’s happening, and the citizens have seen the result of that,” Bellas said.

He also noted a big jump in the category of information services, which experienced a 12% gain.

“These are big, big moves forward. Feel good about that,” Bellas said.

Despite the progress, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wants to seek out ways to perform better.

“I’m curious,” Starkey said. “Who has higher (results) and what are they doing?

“I’d love to learn what they’re doing that maybe we could copy, and do better. I’m not good with being similar. I want to be higher,” Starkey said.

Bellas said the county plans to address that: “In our strategic plan revision, that is part of our strategy — to benchmark against those higher-performing organizations, to really see what it’s going to take to go from that good to great.”

The survey did identify some areas of concern, Bellas said, including few affordable housing options, public safety issues in West Pasco and the growth of multifamily housing outpacing infrastructure.

Overall, Bellas said, “we’ve got some work to do, but we’re moving in the right direction and that’s the exciting part.

“We’re better this year than last year; next year, we’ll be better than this year.”

Summary of Pasco County survey results

Overall Quality of Life
Excellent: 19%
Good: 55%
Fair: 20%
Poor: 6%
(Overall 74% positive rating, up 12% from 2019)

Overall confidence in government
Excellent: 12%
Good: 36%
Fair: 41%
Poor: 11%
(Overall positive rating: 48%, up 8%)

Economic health
Excellent: 11%
Good: 44%
Fair: 34%
Poor: 12%
(Overall positive rating: 55%, up 13% from 2019)

Mobility
Excellent: 8%
Good: 40%
Fair: 36%
Poor: 16%
(Overall positive rating: 48%, down 5% from 2019)

Overall design of residential and commercial areas
Excellent: 14%
Good: 38%
Fair: 31%
Poor: 17%
(Overall positive rating: 52%, up 8% from 2019)

Overall feeling of safety in Pasco County
Excellent: 16%
Good: 46%
Fair: 28%
Poor: 10%
(Overall positive rating, 62%, up 1% over 2019)

Overall quality of natural environment
Excellent: 21%
Good: 46%
Fair: 23%
Poor: 9%
(Overall positive rating, 68%, up 1% from 2019)
Source: Pasco County results from the 2020 National Community Survey

Did you know?
The Pasco County government:

  • Has 2,900 employees
  • Manages 57 lines of business
  • Serves 550,000 customers
  • Covers 740 square miles

Source: Marc Bellas, Pasco County performance management director

Published February 10, 2021

Pasco redevelopment loan program

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Pasco County is stepping forward to help businesses that are economically affected by COVID-19.

The primary focus will be on COVID-19-required renovations in order to protect employees and customers, according to the Pasco County website. By creating a safer environment, businesses can instill trust and confidence among employees and customers who interact with your facilities.

Here are the details:

  • Loan Amounts: The maximum loan amount is determined by the project, not to exceed $120,000. For every $60,000 funded, the borrower must create or save one full-time job.
  • Loan Term: The loan term will be based on the borrower’s ability to repay, generally 60 months.
  • Promissory Note: Prior to receiving program funding, approved loan recipients must execute a Promissory Note with Pasco County.

Eligible funding uses:

  • Alterations or modifications that follow the State of Florida guidelines, CDC Safety Measures or GBAC Star Accreditation requirements
  • Repairs and modifications of existing facilities that are capital in nature
  • Provide accommodations for vulnerable populations
  • Improve blighted properties to ensure customers feel safe to support a resilient local economy
  • Create new or retain full-time employment opportunities for low- and moderate-income eligible areas negatively affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Registered businesses, nonprofit organizations and property owners with locations in Pasco County are eligible for the loans.

Eligible businesses cannot have a delinquent debt to the county, and must be current on all permits, licenses, fees and taxes.

For each loan, borrowers must make capital improvements to the property, which may include bringing site improvements up to existing code.

To find out more about application requirements, email Troy Jackson, program manager, at , or call him at 727-815-7092, ext. 2350.

Published February 10, 2021

Water safety is a top priority

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Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will be collecting donations in February for the YMCA of the Suncoast’s Swimming Lesson Program.

Water safety is a high priority of the YMCA, and it is a mission that is shared by the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office.

Certified swim instructor Teddy Sandoval, left, and 6-year-old student Haya Autabachy, of New Tampa, warm up during one of the water safety classes at the New Tampa Family YMCA. (File)

In a county that is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico, and neighborhoods that have swimming pools and myriad lakes, preparing young people to navigate safely in the water is of great importance.

“The YMCA of the Suncoast serves more than 7,000 children annually in our mission to eliminate drownings by providing life-saving swim skills in all counties, including Pasco, served by our Y,” Julio Vega, district vice president YMCA Suncoast, said in a news release.

“With drowning the leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 4, it is vitally important that they receive water safety lessons as soon as they are able. “Unfortunately, Florida ranks as one of the highest states in the nation for infant and toddler drownings. We must do all we can to bring this number down,” Fasano said.

The funds raised through the campaign will help to provide swimming and water safety lessons to children whose families may not otherwise be able to afford them.

Cash donations can be made at any of the five tax collector offices in Pasco County.

For information about the YMCA of Suncoast, call Vega at 727-375-9622, or visit YMCASuncoast.org.

For information about the charitable giving programs at the Pasco Tax Collector’s office, call Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Donations also can be mailed to Tax Collector Mike Fasano, P.O. Box 276, Dade City, FL 33526. Note “YMCA” on the check’s memo line.

Published February 10, 2021