The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Voter turnout higher in 2020 Primary Election

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Voter turnout for the 2020 Primary Election was higher than it was in the 2016 Primary, in both  Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

In Pasco, 21.03% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2020 primary, compared to 18.64% in the 2016 primary.

In Hillsborough, the number of registered voters participating was 25.38%, compared to 19.1% in the 2016 primary.

Voters made their choices in some key races in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

In a universal primary in the race for Pasco County Commission District 4, Christina Fitzpatrick won the election, with 32.6% of the vote, compared to the second-highest vote-getter, Gary Bradford, who received 31.52%.

Alison Crumbley won another term on the Pasco County School Board. Candidates Gabriel Papadopoulos and Catie Mansfield fell short of their bid for county commission and county judge, respectively (B.C. Manion)

Jeff Miller and Gabriel “Gabe” Papadopoulos also ran in the four-way race to fill the vacancy that was created when Mike Wells decided to seek the post of county property appraiser, which Wells secured.

All voters were eligible to vote in the universal primary for the District 4 seat because the winner faced no opposition in the general election.

In the Republican primary race for superintendent of Pasco County Schools, incumbent Kurt Browning captured more than 64% of the vote, defeating David LaRoche. He will face Cynthia Thompson No Party Affiliation in the Nov. 3 general election.

In the nonpartisan Pasco County School Board District 4 race, Alison Crumbley won reelection with more than 65% of the vote, defeating challenger Joshua Stringfellow.

In Hillsborough County, four school board seats were up for grabs and all four are heading to run-offs in the Nov. 3 general election.

In District 1, Nadia Combs was the top vote-getter, receiving 44.56% of the vote, and she will face incumbent Steve Cona, who received 33.30%.

District 3 drew five candidates. Mitch Thrower led the pack, with 25.15% of the vote, while Jessica Vaughn came in second, with 24.49%.

Four candidates competed in District 5, with Henry “Shake” Washington receiving 44.45% of the vote compared to incumbent Tammy Shamburger, who drew 23.70% of votes cast in that race.

A quartet of candidates sought the District 7 seat, with Sally Harris emerging with a slight edge over Lynn Gray. Harris hauled in 28.40% of the vote, while Gray received 27.85%.

Rain fell steadily, at least for a while, on 2020 Primary Election Day in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Here are some of the political signs near an intersection in Lutz.

In the Republican primary race for Hillsborough County Sheriff, incumbent Chad Chronister received 62.39% of the vote, defeating challenger Charles Boswell. Chronister will face Democrat Gary Pruitt and Ron McMullen No Party Affiliation in the general election.

In the Democrat primary race for Hillsborough County Tax Collector, Nancy Millan received 61.07% of the vote, defeating April Griffin. Millan will face Republican TK Mathew in the general election.

In the Republican primary race for Hillsborough County Commission District 1, Scott Levinson received 55.61%of the vote, defeating Tony Morejon.

Levinson will face Democrat Harry Cohen, who received 54.24% of the primary vote, defeating Jen McDonald.

In the Democrat primary for Hillsborough County Commission District 3, five candidates competed to fill the seat being vacated by term-limited Les Miller. Gwen Myers was the top vote-getter with 26.52%, edging out Thomas Scott, who received 25.68%. Myers will face Republican Maura Cruz Lane in the general election.

In a universal primary, Hillsborough County voters selected Cindy Stuart as the county’s next Clerk of the Circuit Court. Stuart received 53.44% of the vote, defeating Kevin Beckner.

Election officials took care to make polling places safe. They asked voters to wear masks and maintain a social distance from other voters, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said “vote by mail was way up from the 2016 primary, while early voting in person was down considerably.”

Election day operations went smoothly, he added.

“I’m so blessed to have an amazing team and dedicated poll workers who pulled off a sense of election normalcy during a pandemic,” Corley said.

Pasco County
Registered voters: 378,157
Ballots cast: 79,538
Voter turnout: 21.03%

Source: Pasco County Supervisor of Elections

Hillsborough County
Registered voters: 897,689
Ballots cast: 227,843
Voter turnout: 25.38%

Published August 26, 2020

Domestic violence on rise during pandemic

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Domestic violence in Pasco County has followed a worldwide trend of increased cases and incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelly Sinn, chief executive officer with Sunrise of Pasco County, a domestic and sexual violence center that offers shelter and services for victims, said her agency saw a 22% increase in hotline calls during the pandemic’s first three months.

However, during the same period, the Sunrise shelter occupancy numbers were actually down.

“A lot of what we were hearing on our hotline, which is the gateway into shelter, was these individuals in abusive relationships were stuck at home but they felt they were better off there,’’ Sinn said. “It’s the evil they know versus the evil they don’t know. The increased risk of contracting coronavirus in a residential facility — instead of being around two to four people, they might be around up to 40 — wasn’t worth it.’’

Kelly Sinn oversees Sunrise of Pasco County, a domestic and sexual violence center. It has seen an uptick in calls, in the midst of COVID-19. (Courtesy of Kelly Sinn)

The pandemic — and its accompanying quarantines, social isolation, travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders — has created a rise in domestic violence cases worldwide, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office reports that the monthly total in January to the monthly total in April — the heart of the pandemic’s shutdown — accounted for increases in domestic violence calls (22.4%), police reports (30.5%) and arrests (31.8%) within the county.

The pandemic also has changed the way that Sunrise does business.

“The early trend was we weren’t getting as many (people) in shelter,’’ Sinn said. “They found a way to cope and live with what was happening to them. They adjusted their life to abuse in the home, knowing what was coming and when it was coming, instead of dealing with a virus they knew nothing about.

“Now, that is changing. Our (shelter) numbers are going back up. With the virus out there, we’ve had to adjust,” she said.

The 40-bed Sunrise shelter, which generally ran above capacity in the pre-coronavirus days, has administered social distancing rules while keeping its occupancy at about 25 to 30. The normal eight-week average stay has trended up to nine weeks or 10 weeks.

“We’re now limiting it to one family per room — or, if we have two women unaccompanied, we can put both of them in a room together — because we want to keep our victims and staff safe,’’ Sinn said. “We had to change quickly because things have happened quickly.

“The bottom line is, we’re trying to limit the number of people who come into the shelter. We have turned to telemedicine for doctors and other providers. Normally, we would have case managers, counselors and legal advocates all coming in and out. Now, we are limiting interactions — and that might mean a call from the office, which might be on the other side of the parking lot. But, we must take these precautions,” she said.

Even with those precautions, Sinn said Sunrise’s central mission won’t be compromised.

“If somebody calls our hotline and it’s a dangerous situation, we’re going to do anything we can to get them into shelter,’’ Sinn said. “Whether that’s sleeping on a trundle, a blow-up mattress or moving people around, we’ll do that.

“You have to make accommodations (immediately) because there’s no guarantee that individual will be safe or want to go (later). In the first few months (of the pandemic), people were scared and our numbers were low. As people become more comfortable with the virus and they can’t take abuse anymore, our numbers have increased. We are managing,” she said.

There was preliminary talk of expanding the shelter at Sunrise, which opened in 1982 as a solitary office and help from community members who offered shelter to victims. The need for a permanent shelter became obvious. The 24-bed shelter was expanded to 40 in 2013. But, further expansion — and maybe other financial considerations — is on hold due to the virus.

Sunrise, which has an annual $3.5 million budget, relies on federal, state and local government funding, along with private donations and fundraisers. An annual breakfast fundraiser was canceled in April, but a golf tournament remains set — for now — on Oct. 5 at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

“While there have been closings and limited services in a lot of businesses, a key message for us is Sunrise is open and available,’’ Sinn said. “It’s still a resource. People don’t have to live in an unsafe environment. Our hotline (352-521-3120) is 24/7. Even if individuals aren’t ready to leave, we can establish safety plans and offer other resources they may not have known about.

“We need our community and our donors. Every nonprofit is feeling the pinch from the virus. But, our services are continuing, even in tough times. It’s humbling to see the support we continue to get and to know our community values what we can provide,” she said.

WHAT TO DO?
Here are some tips on protecting yourself from domestic violence during the pandemic.

Safety Steps You Can Take
Johns Hopkins Medicine offers these suggestions to help, if someone you live with becomes verbally or emotionally hurtful, threatens you, has episodes of explosive anger or harms animals:

  • Find a place you can retreat to safely. Avoid the bathroom or kitchen.
  • Enlist support from a trusted friend or family member you can call.
  • If necessary, use a code word or phrase to indicate you need help.
  • Memorize phone numbers of people and agencies you might need to call in an emergency.
  • Make sure you can easily access cash, identification (driver’s license and Social Security card), birth and marriage certificates, credit cards, safe deposit box keys, and bank information and health insurance information. Be sure to keep any documentation (photos, medical or police reports) relating to previous episodes of abuse.

Help is available
The 24-hour Sunrise of Pasco hotline/helpline is (352) 521-3120. The website is SunrisePasco.org.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is (800) 799-7233 (SAFE).

By Joey Johnston

Published August 26, 2020

An overpass at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs?

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It’s a long way from reality, but Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore wants to begin taking steps toward the possibility of an overpass at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The commission chairman broached the idea during the commission’s Aug. 19 meeting.

“If you know the intersection of 581, that’s Bruce B. Downs, and (State Road) 56 — that’s one of the largest intersections in the nation. It’s huge,” Moore said.

“For bikers and walkers, that is impossible to cross,” he noted.

“It’d be great for our citizens to have access, especially bike access, all across there,” Moore said. “All four corners have numerous things to benefit the citizens.”

In addition to The Shops at Wiregrass, there also are a number of shops and restaurants along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, the county leader said.

There’s also a multi-use path, and State Road 56 has been extended over to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

“I would love to see if we can look at possibly getting — I’m going to call it a flyover —  for bikes and walkers. I mean, golf carts would be cool, too, but if that can’t happen, at least for bikes and walkers,” Moore said.

Creating this overpass would help the county move closer to its concept of creating walkable communities, Moore added.

“We have a number of neighborhoods, very close to that intersection,” he said, mentioning Seven Oaks and Northwood, as well as numerous townhouse and apartment communities.

“It’s just hard for them to get over,” Moore said. “If you want to make this bike-able, walkable — you need to have access.

“We have the new brewery coming, that’s going to be one of the largest in West Florida,” he added.

Moore said he raised the issue because he wanted to get a conversation going about the potential improvement.

Fellow Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told Moore:  “I think that would be great to have something like that over there, it’s just a process.”

To move forward with the idea, she advised him to get in touch with Tina Russo, who heads up the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Starkey also added that getting an improvement like that built would need to go through the Metropolitan Planning Organization process.

Published August 26, 2020

Civil court documents now available online

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Nikki Alvarez-Sowles is the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller. (Courtesy of Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office)

The civil courts department of the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office now offers online access to  summonses and similar civil court documents.

The service went live on Aug. 3, after a successful pilot program was completed, according to a news release from the clerk’s office.

Jerome Jordan is Civil Courts director, in the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s office

“E-issuance involves a Civil Courts deputy clerk affixing an authorized electronic signature to documents submitted through the Florida Courts eFiling Portal. By eliminating paper and no longer requiring in-person visits by petitioners and process servers, the process becomes speedier and more efficient,” the news release says.

“It’s a significant step forward, one we’re certain our customers and partners will welcome,” said Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, in the news release.

“As with most significant progress, it didn’t happen overnight. Our Civil Courts Operations and Information Technology teams have gone to great effort over the past year to make sure the process is efficient and effective for our office and customers,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

Civil Courts Director Dr. Jerome Jordan also weighed in, on the new development.

“The value of this project to our office, customers and citizens is tremendous. The ability for clerk’s staff to electronically issue documents, such as proposed summonses and writs e-filed with our office, will eliminate many manual, time-consuming processes,” Jordan said.

Highlights of the program include:

  • Reducing the time necessary to process documents.
  • Shrinking the turnaround time to make documents available to the filer.
  • Notifying filers at their eFile-registered email address a document has been added to a case and is available for viewing and downloading.
  • Eliminating postage and other costs as e-filers log in to the clerk’s website to retrieve their issued documents to effect service.

The pilot testers for the project were: Maggard Law Firm P.A.; Mander Law Group; McClain Alfonso P.A.; Marcadis Singer P.A.; Margaret A. McGarrity; Office of Audrey Jefferies; Office of Dale L. Bernstein; Office of Rechel & Associates P.A.; Office of Russell G. Marlowe P.A.; and Sharp Process & Investigative Services P.A.

Published August 26, 2020

InPrep delivers innovation, through teachers and technology

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Innovation Preparatory Academy, a public charter school opening in Wesley Chapel next week, is suited for a world that has become increasingly customized and on-demand.

InPrep, at 7800 Avery Scope Way, will deliver face-to-face instruction, live instruction for remote learners, and a hybrid option — which allows students to attend school on campus two days a week and learn remotely on the other three.

The school is part of the Connected City campus being developed by Tampa-based developer Metro Development Group.

Sara Capwell is the principal of Innovation Preparatory School, a pubic charter school that is opening this year in the Connected City area of Wesley Chapel.(Courtesy of Innovation Preparatory Academy)

The Connected City encompasses two Metro Places communities, Epperson and Mirada, each featuring Metro’s exclusive ULTRAFi high-speed internet technology — the fastest internet speeds available with up to 1 Gigabit of speed.

“We wanted to make sure that as part of the Connected City there was a school that supported the big vision of Connected City,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro Development Group.

Goyani, who grew up in India, said the educational system there was rigid. This school, by contrast, will provide an on-demand, customized form of education.

Principal Sara Capwell said the school’s technology, blended with its instructional method, will deliver a personalized approach to education.

“All of our students are assessed at the beginning, when they first join us. We will develop plans for them that target their areas of need, and extensions, enrichments, as well,” Capwell said.

Whether students are learning face-to-face or remotely, they’ll be able to join in with their teachers and classmates.

“Students will be able to engage in small group instruction with their instructors and peers, utilizing the iPads and specialized cameras that the teachers will have that will be able to follow the teacher, and the teacher’s interactions with the kids,” Capwell said.

It’s as close as students can get, she said, “to actually being there together.”

“If I’m a first-grader, for instance, and it’s time for reading class and I’m at home, I’ll join in. The platform we’re using is Schoology.

A rendering of the front of the school, in an aerial view.

“All of my courses will be in one area, one folder on my iPad, where I can click on my reading link. When I go there, I’ll have my Zoom access for that class, right there, too. My assignments are right there. And, if the teacher wants to assign me an assignment that the other kids don’t have, it’s there, too.

“Then, I click on the Zoom. I interact with the teacher. I can raise my hand and ask questions. I can collaborate with a peer, using the cameras,” Capwell said.

Goyani added: “We wanted to make sure that everyone has access to the same software, the same learning platform, and then they have the hardware device at home, so they’re not left behind.”

To ensure that all students will be able to fully participate, the school is providing a device for each student, regardless how many children a family has, Capwell said.

Kartik Goyani, a vice president with Metro Development Group, said the opening of Innovation Preparatory Academy represents the fruition of a dream that began more than four years ago. He grew up in India, where the education system was rigid. He’s excited about the possibilities that InPrep will offer its students.

Classes also will be recorded, so if a child has to miss a live session, it can be viewed later.

Another thing that sets the school apart is its collaborative approach to teaching, the principal said.

“Grade-level instructors instruct together, as a team, with a grade level of students,” Capwell said. “Each teacher has an area of expertise, that he or she has been hired for, and that is the primary expert teacher for that content area, and the other teachers actually provide support throughout that content time, as co-teachers and co-facilitators. They pull small groups. They provide direct instruction to individual students or small groups, while the content expert is providing the direct, overall instruction.”

The school has adopted a WISH model of education, which stands for wellness, innovation, science and health.

To promote wellness, the school has a partnership with AdventHealth West Florida. It also has two indoor wellness tracks. In addition to wellness walks, there will be other wellness activities, such as yoga and meditation, Capwell said.

The idea is to make wellness a part of daily life, Goyani said.

The school also will emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Capwell said.

InPrep is part of Charter Schools USA, Inc.

It will serve students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, but initially is opening as a K-6 school, and will add grades seven and eight in in subsequent years.

InPrep will have a maximum enrollment of 615 this year, with students coming from Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and other communities, Capwell said.

Both she and Goyani are excited about opening the new school.

“We think this is going to be a school unlike anything else that the state has ever seen —  so that’s the part that I’m most excited about,” Goyani said.  “I can’t wait to welcome parents and kids on Aug. 24.”

Innovation Preparatory Academy, K-6
7800 Avery Scope Way, Wesley Chapel
Principal: Sara Capwell, (954) 202-3500

Other area charter schools*

Hillsborough County
Learning Gate, K-8
16215 Hanna Road, Lutz
Principal: Michelle Mason, (813) 948-4190

Lutz Preparatory, K-8
17951 N. U.S. 41, Lutz
Principal: Bonnie Guertin, (813) 428-7011

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, K-8
18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
Principal: Dr. Judith Moore, (813) 616-5099

Pasco County
Academy at the Farm, K-8
9500 Alex Lange Way, Dade City
Principal: Ray Polk, (352) 588-0508

Countrywide Montessori Charter School, 1-8
5852 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Michael Picone, (813) 996-0991

Imagine Charter School of Land O’ Lakes, K-9
2940 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Aimee Williams, (813) 428-7444

Published August 19, 2020

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel gears up for its first year

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Classes won’t start until Aug. 24, but the staff at Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel has been setting the stage to create a place where education is engaging.

Pinecrest Academy, a new public charter school, is opening on Aug. 24, in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. (B.C. Manion)

Drop in to the new charter school, at 33347 State Road 54, and you’ll be greeted by a sign at the front desk that reads: “I’m not here to be average, I’m here to be awesome.”

If you sit in the waiting area, you’ll see another sign, this one in the words of Dr. Seuss: “You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

The new school, near the entrance to Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, is opening for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Plans call for the school to serve through eighth grade.

Principal Aimee Mielke gave a reporter from The Laker/Lutz News a sneak peek of the school recently, discussing the charter school’s features and curriculum.

Classes don’t start until next week, but the pent-up excitement about opening the new school is almost palpable.

The classrooms are designed for face-to-face instruction, but built-in cameras and microphones enable teachers to provide real-time, distance learning to students who are studying at home.

“Students are receiving live instruction,” Mielke said. “It is like you’re in school.”

“Students will actually log on in the morning. They take the entire day with their teachers, in a live format,” she said. “They do it using a secure single sign-on, that we have specific to our school, called Collegia.”

Throughout the two-story building, there are accent walls in shade of blue and green that add a pop of color, as you pass down the corridor.

In the art room, steel buckets appear to be pouring out colors — represented by colorful fabrics. A sign in that second-story room sets out the expectations:

  • A is to Aim to do your best.
  • R is to Respect yourself, your peers, the art studio.
  • T is to Trust in yourself and your ability to learn.
Pinecrest Academy Principal Aimee Mielke demonstrates how this piece of technology works, while also offering a warm welcome to new students and families who will be joining her school on Aug. 24, when the new charter public school opens. Everyone on campus will be required to wear a mask to prevent potential spread of COVID-19.

In a kindergarten classroom on the first floor, a display board awaits the “amazing work” coming soon.

The new Wesley Chapel charter school is part of the Pinecrest Academy Inc. network, which has developed a reputation for excellence, Mielke said. All of the Pinecrest schools are A-rated schools.

The school will have “extreme high expectations for instructional practices,” the principal said, and will offer students more than typical opportunities to broaden their learning.

For instance, both Spanish and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) will be part of the curriculum delivered to every student, she said.

The maximum enrollment this year is 649, and some openings remain. The school’s maximum capacity is over 1,200, giving it plenty of room to grow.

The extra space is coming in handy this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school will be using its cafeteria, but it is also able to convert some empty classrooms into additional lunchrooms.

That way, Mielke said, “students can still enjoy the ability to sit with friends, and teachers still have the ability to eat with their teams.

“Obviously, the most important thing is safety. That’s the bottom line. But, I really wanted also to protect our teachers’ time, as well.

“With everything going on, it adds that much stress, so whatever I can do to kind of decrease that, I’m trying to do,” she said.

Opening a new school during the midst of a pandemic has its challenges, Mielke said.

This sign is one of a trio of signs in the art classroom. It signals the teacher’s belief that students should trust in themselves and their ability to learn.

“Everybody is going to be nervous, so it’s really about addressing that, as an administrator. “Understanding the social-emotional part of that,” she said.

However, she added: “We have many, many, many things that we’re putting in place from, obviously, masks, to arrows in the hallway, to stickers that say to stand 6 feet apart.”

Another challenge is the ongoing roadwork on State Road 54. An expansion project of the road was expected to be finished before the school opened, but that hasn’t happened.

Mielke said she had a meeting scheduled last week with a supervisor of the Florida Department of Transportation, to discuss the issue.

When school opens, she expects an officer to be directing school traffic to the appropriate entrance off of State Road 54, into the school campus.

Because of COVID-19, the school wasn’t able to have the kindergarten camp it had planned, or the school tours. And, it had to postpone the celebratory ribbon cutting.

But, Mielke said that she and her staff are eager to open the school, and welcome students.

“Our job is to be flexible,” she said.

“You’re going to try to make your families as happy, as comfortable, as you can,” she said.

“We’re excited.”

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, K-6
33347 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
Principal: Aimee Mielke, (813) 355-0002

Other area charter schools*

Hillsborough County
Learning Gate, K-8
16215 Hanna Road, Lutz
Principal: Michelle Mason, (813) 948-4190

Lutz Preparatory, K-8
17951 N. U.S. 41, Lutz
Principal: Bonnie Guertin, (813) 428-7011

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, K-8
18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
Principal: Dr. Judith Moore, (813) 616-5099

Pasco County
Academy at the Farm, K-8
9500 Alex Lange Way, Dade City
Principal: Ray Polk, (352) 588-0508

Countrywide Montessori Charter School, 1-8
5852 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Michael Picone, (813) 996-0991

Imagine Charter School of Land O’ Lakes, K-9
2940 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Aimee Williams, (813) 428-7444

*Within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Sources: Hillsborough and Pasco public schools

Published August 19, 2020

Design work begins on new Land O’ Lakes school

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Pasco County Schools has signed a contract with Harvard Jolly Architecture for the design of a new 6-12 School to be built within the Angeline community of Land O’ Lakes.

The architect will be paid nearly $3 million, under terms of the contract approved by the Pasco County School Board on July 28.

The school will be built on an 18-acre site, with a capacity for 1,694 students.

The estimated construction budget is $45 million.

Construction is expected to begin in December of 2021, with completion expected by June 2023.

The construction manager will provide construction management services, with a guaranteed maximum price. The project also will be designed in compliance with a sustainable building rating system.

The school is part of a new community that is expected to become a major job generator, and to be a place where people will live, work, play and learn.

The proposed development — referred in economic development documents initially as Project Arthur, is now known more commonly as the Angeline community.

It is being planned on 7,000 acres, in an area south of State Road 52, east of the Suncoast Parkway and west of the CSX rail line.

Plans call for a 24-million-square-foot corporate business park, which is expected to create large-scale employment opportunities. Supportive services also are envisioned, including residential communities, parks, schools and other uses to be connected through walking and bike trails, the report adds.

The property — which has uplands and wetlands areas — has been used for cattle ranching and a pine plantation for decades, according to a county report.

The landscape includes oaks and pine trees, and forested and non-forested wetlands. It also has open water lakes, which are mostly remnants from prior borrow pit operations, according to the county report.

The report also notes that the project site’s proximity to the CSX railroad line provides an opportunity for commuter rail, in the event that the rail line is converted to a commuter rail line in the future.

Two of the county’s vision roads also go through the project: Ridge Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

The extension of Ridge Road, and the construction of a new interchange at Ridge Road and the Suncoast Parkway also will have a significant impact on the area’s development.

Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute has purchased about 775 acres for a future research hub near the interchange.

Published August 19, 2020

Progress continues on New River Library renovation

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No specific completion date has been set yet, but Pasco County library officials expect the makeover of the New River Branch Library to be wrapped up by the end of this year.

The library, at 34043 State Road 54, sits on the edge of Wesley Chapel — not far from Zephyrhills.

A new room is under construction, at the New River Branch Library. The library is located at the edge of Wesley Chapel, close to Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Pasco County Library System)

Workers are busy on a massive remodeling that began last fall.

The total cost for the project, including design, construction, furnishing, technology and other associated expenses is approximately $2.8 million, said Bob Harrison, program manager for the Pasco County Library System.

All seven county libraries are slated for substantial improvement, using funds generated from General Obligation bonds approved by voters in November 2018.

When the New River renovation is finished, patrons will notice a number of obvious improvements, such as faster Internet speeds, a covered walkway, a makerspace that opens into a shaded “classroom” that opens into a much larger community garden.

Improvements also include an upgraded air-conditioning, heating and ventilation system.

Like just about everything else in life these days, the project has been affected by impacts of COVID-19.

“We had some manufacturers that had shut down for a time,” Harrison said.

That shutdown caused a delay in getting supplies needed for the library project, Harrison explained.

When the library reopens, it will offer much more than books, said Harrison, who is excited about what await patrons when operations resume.

Libraries are literacy centers and social hubs, he said.

Libraries are places where children come for story time, job seekers come to research new opportunities and entrepreneurs come to learn from experienced business mentors who offer free workshops.

A look at the entrance of the New River Branch Library in Wesley Chapel. The library is undergoing renovation and is expected to reopen by the end of the year.

Libraries also offer a host of special events, such as arts and crafts, movies and lectures.

They’re also a popular gathering spot for community organizations to hold meetings.

And, libraries are a common venue, too, for business mentors who offer free workshops to share their business knowledge and expertise with less-experienced entrepreneurs.

Of course, beyond the books and other media that patrons can borrow, visitors also can consult reference materials and use technology to help with research.

The upgrade includes expanding the community garden, which once had about six raised beds, to have more than two dozen.

About half of those will be for workshops and demonstrations. The rest will be open to people who want to grow flowers or vegetables.

A project to plant fruit trees at New River is expected to continue.

And, a new children’s activity, Story Walk, will allow children to follow a winding path where they will stop at stations and read pages from a storybook.

While the New River Branch has been closed, patrons have been frequenting other libraries, Harrison said, noting some have been using the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, while others have used the Hugh Embry Branch in Dade City, or the Zephyrhills Library, operated by the City of Zephyrhills.

For more information on New River and video on renovations, visit Facebook.com/newriverlibrary.

Published August 19, 2020

Issues arise over contract for Zephyrhills project

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Construction on the much-anticipated U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project in Zephyrhills is in jeopardy of being delayed.

At issue is a contract the city approved for the project, which is considered to be an important improvement to spur commercial development in Zephyrhills.

The city chose BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company that isn’t on the Florida Department of Transportation’s pre-qualified vendor list.

Florida statute requires contractors to be prequalified with FDOT in order to bid for the performance of road, bridge or public transportation construction contracts greater than $250,000.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe (File)

The intersection project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget.

The Zephyrhills City Council last month unanimously awarded the project bid and construction agreement to BRW Contracting, in the amount of $2,161,884.40.

The pre-qualification dilemma was brought up by Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe during an Aug. 10 council meeting. He characterized the issue as “a little bit of a hiccup.”

Poe told council members he’s heard conflicting reports from state officials on whether or not the requirement can be exempted for this particular project. He is awaiting final word from state transportation officials.

Further exacerbating the issue, BRW Contracting has indicated it’s not interested in going through the pre-qualification application process at this point, Poe said.

One possible solution could have been to fast-track that process if the contractor had agreed, the city manager said.

If FDOT doesn’t waive the pre-qualification requirement, the city likely will need to re-bid the project.

Besides delaying the project’s start date, Poe said there’s “a pretty good chance” that the new bids would come in higher. He estimated the difference could be as much as $500,000 to $1 million more.

“I don’t know the science behind that (cost) increase, but we know if we go out to bid, it’s not going to be cheaper,” Poe told council members.

Council president Charlie Proctor echoed that point: “My major concern is that it’s going to cost us a lot more money if we have to go out to bid. There’s just no doubt about it.”

The scope of project calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond.

The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and a national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Construction was anticipated to get underway sometime before Sept. 1, with completion targeted for spring 2021.

Meantime, Poe has reached out to the offices of state representatives Randy Maggard and Wilton Simpson, as well as FDOT District 7 secretary David Gwynn, for additional guidance and other available options on the matter.

With that, he’s informing state leaders that BRW Contracting is a company the city has worked with previously and has confidence in. The contractor helped build out Simons Road, among other projects.

Should the city be forced to bid the project out again, Zephyrhills City Attorney Matt Maggard said canceling its contract with BRW Contracting shouldn’t present a legality issue.

But, he added:  “We really don’t want that to happen.”

Published August 19, 2020

Dade City Commission welcomes new planning board

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The Dade City Planning Board has added a new face, plus a few familiar ones to its dais.

Dade City Commissioners on Aug. 11 reappointed three board members whose terms recently expired, and approved a new at-large member to the agency’s group of seven.

Matthew Munz was approved to the Dade City Planning Board, as an at-large member. The Dade City resident is a project manager at Mead & Hunt, an architecture and engineering firm. He takes over for Knute Nathe, who vacated the seat after being elected to the Dade City Commission last month. (Courtesy of Matthew Munz)

The three reappointments are James Cosentino, Bermice Thomas and Joe Kennard.

Dade City native and resident Matthew Munz is the new at-large appointment.

Terms of each of the four appointments will expire April 2024. The other planning board members are Jimmy Miller, Davis Henley and Juliann Hale.

Munz, the newest addition, is a project manager for Mead & Hunt, an architecture design, engineering, environmental and construction administration services company.

He takes over the at-large seat previously held by new Commissioner Knute Nathe, who vacated the seat after being elected last month to the Dade City Commission.

“I enjoyed a great deal my tenure on the planning board. It can be thankless service, but it is service that is necessary to the city,” Nathe said.

With that, Nathe recommended Munz for the at-large seat, citing his experience as an engineer leading various water, wastewater, and stormwater projects in multiple stages of development — matters that go hand-in-hand with planning board responsibilities.

Fellow commissioners concurred, unanimously approving the recommendation.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said Munz’s credentials “certainly are impressive” and his knowledge in development-related matters “should be an asset to the board.”

Hernandez noted that Munz sat through a four-plus hour commission meeting last month, underscoring his passion for community issues.

“If that ain’t dedication, then I don’t know what is,” Hernandez quipped.

Aside from professional experience, Munz also has deep-rooted ties to Dade City coming from a family of public servants.

His mother, Barbara Munz, was principal of Pasco Elementary School for 23 years.

His father, William Munz, was assistant county administrator for Pasco County throughout the 1990s.

Munz kept his comments brief following the appointment. “I look forward to being able to serve the city,” he said.

The city’s seven-member planning board also serves as the Local Planning Agency for quasi-judicial procedures, and also includes one member representative from Pasco County Schools.

The board meets monthly, or as needed.

Duties include transmitting recommendations to the commission regarding zoning district amendments, comprehensive plan amendments, variances, and conditional use permits.

On another matter, commissioners unanimously approved a final plat for Countryside, a 25-lot subdivision located on 5.72 acres east of U.S. 301 and adjacent to a busy block that includes a McDonald’s, O’ Reilly’s Auto Parts, Captain D’s and EZ Clean Car Wash, among other businesses.

The Countryside development has been in the works for some time.

Commissioner Scott Black noted the subdivision has been in entitlement ever since the city landed the McDonald’s location when he was a freshman in high school, roughly 40 years ago.

“It is rather interesting that the project is finally, after so many years, something is happening there,” he said.

The development has received some pushback due to potential negative traffic impacts in that area, including from former Dade City Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon.

Budget transparency headed to city’s website
Local residents soon will be able to get an inside look at Dade City government’s spending and departmental operations, in real-time online.

Newly appointed Dade City interim finance officer Andrew Laflin told commissioners he’s rolling out a cloud-based budgeting transparency software program onto the city’s website, within the next month or two.

The new program, will allow users to view and navigate the municipality’s multi-year capital projects and budget actual data, with links to the city’s annual budget document and ongoing budget preparations. It also will provide updates and messages from the city’s various departments, he said.

The new online feature will “show really a whole lot of stuff,” Laflin said.

Mayor Hernandez applauded the initiative, especially at a time when the city is experiencing a wave of commercial and residential development.

“I think that’s excellent,” Hernandez said. “I love the fact that it’s not only going to be available to the commission, but it’s going to be available in real-time, so I’m excited. That sounds like a good addition to providing information and transparency to our residents and those in Dade City.”

Laflin has hit the ground running on budget preparations for fiscal year 2020-21 since being hired to provide consulting financial services a month ago.

Other items worth noting:

  • The Dade City Police Department announced the hiring of two new police officers — Christopher Amatruda, 35, and Ronny Rivera, 48.
  • Dade City’s public restrooms have reopened, accessible from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily.
  • Work is underway on the design of a visitor’s information welcome center building at the Roy Hardy Trail trailhead.
  • Pasco County issued a notice to proceed with a route study for the extension of Morningside Drive — to connect U.S. 301 to Fort King Road in Dade City.

Published August 19, 2020