The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Rosebud Continuum is having a fall open house

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Sessions on sustainability will be offered by leaders in the field at an open house planned this month at the Rosebud Continuum in Land O’ Lakes.

Visitors to an open house at the Rosebud Continuum will have a chance to learn about sustainable gardening practices. (File)

The free event is set for Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 22843 Hale Road, according to a news release from the venue.

Those attending will have a chance to stroll around the grounds, purchase native plants and fruit trees, take guided walks through a native plant trail and see demonstrations.

Interested in keeping bees in your backyard? You can learn about it at an open house on Oct. 20 at the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road in Land O’ Lakes.

The Biogas Band will be making its debut, with a sound system that runs entirely on biogas, and smoothies will be sold, prepared using power from solar panels. There’s also plenty of free parking, according to event organizers.

Sessions include:

  • Off Grid Living: A 20-minute lesson in the classroom, followed by a trip to the trailer to see it in action. The 40-minute sessions begin at 9 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.
  • Biodigester workshop: Turn food waste into fuel and fertilizer. This 35-minute session includes a 15-minute talk followed by a 20-minute live demonstration. The workshop begins at 11:15 a.m.
  • Aquaponics: Get an introduction to aquaponics through a 15-20 minute talk, followed by a visit to the Rosebud Aquaponics system.
  • Florida Native Plants: Find out more about Florida Native Plants in a 25-minute talk. Talks are offered at 10 a.m., and 1 p.m.
  • Backyard Bees: Meet a beekeeper and learn what it takes to create your own backyard beehive. This 40-minute session is being offered at 10:30 a.m., and 11:45 a.m.
  • Bats: Learn about the importance of bats in a 25-minute talk beginning at 1:30 p.m.
  • Native wildflower walks: Visit a wildflower meadow, with start times at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.
  • Edible Plant Workshop: Find out more about edible plants during this workshop at 11:45 a.m.

Published October 3, 2018

Four bond issues on Pasco ballot

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When Pasco County voters go to the polls in November, they will do more than choose their elected leaders.

They also will decide if they want to chip in to expand the county’s jail, improve its parks and recreation, upgrade its fire rescue services and enhance its libraries.

In other words, the county wants voters to agree to tax themselves by passing four separate general obligation bonds to fund those improvements.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles explains how the county would spend proceeds from four proposed general obligation bonds during a breakfast meeting of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. (B.C. Manion)

Each of the bonds would be repaid over 30 years, using revenues from additional charges on property tax bills.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles recently talked about proposed bonds during a breakfast meeting of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. So many people turned out for the session that some had to be turned away.

Biles began his talk by describing Pasco County’s explosive growth and its expanding needs.

“We’re one of the fastest-growing counties in the state,” the administrator said. “We’ve had about 37 percent population growth over the past decade or so.”

He predicts the county’s population will be between 560,000 and 570,000 when results from the 2020 Census come out.

Pasco is one about 15 counties — among 67 counties in Florida — growing faster than the state average, Biles said.

The administrator also described preparing Pasco’s budget for 2019 as “reasonably easy.” That’s because the county’s property values grew by 9.5 percent, he said.

There’s a referendum on November’s ballot, however, that could create an additional homestead exemption, thereby reducing county revenues.

If that’s adopted, it would affect the county’s general fund budget, which is used to pay for the sheriff, fire/rescue, parks and libraries, he said.

If voters pass the additional homestead exemption, Biles expects Pasco’s revenue to increase next year by about $2 million to $3 million next year, substantially less than the increase it enjoyed this year.

At the same time, the county’s needs continue to grow, Biles said, noting that his remarks about the proposed general obligation bond issues were intended to be informative in nature.

“I am educating, not advocating,” Biles said.

Regarding the proposed bond issue for the jail, the administrator noted the current population of the jail is around 1,700 to 1,800, while its rated capacity is around 1,400.

“There’s a court order that says at 1,900, you’ve got to start releasing people,” Biles said.

Regarding the proposed bond issue for fire rescue, the county would build four new fire districts and reconfigure five existing stations.

“Station 38 (which had a groundbreaking ceremony in Wesley Chapel last week) is the first new fire district in this county in 10 years,” Biles said. “How many people have moved to Pasco County in the past 10 years? About 80,000? And, we haven’t built one new fire district.”

The county’s fire stations are 30 to 40 years old, he added, “and the new fire engines that we need to serve these areas won’t fit in some of those fire stations.”

When the county was cutting its budgets back in 2008-2009, it cut parks and recreation.

“We cut all of that maintenance stuff.

“The parks piece of the bond is to catch up the capital maintenance,” he said.

The library system’s budget was cut, too.

The bond issue would pay to enhance and update libraries, which have not been freshened up for decades.

Biles praised the county’s library staff.

“They do an awesome job,” he said, noting, “they are always looking for new ways to leverage the facilities that they have to help the community.

“Frankly, most of the customers aren’t in there (libraries) for books anymore. They’re in there for the social aspect. They’re in there to connect with the community. They’re in there for Maker Space. They’re in their for small business. They can go in there and kind of work and build ideas.”

“The libraries multiply what we can do in the community. Those are social event centers nowadays. Parks are social event centers nowadays,” Biles said.

If all four bond issues are approved, the owner of a house with a $100,000 of property value would pay around $30 a year in additional taxes, Biles said.

General Obligation Bond Issues
Pasco County is asking voters to approve four general obligation bond issues during the Nov. 6 general election.

The bonds would be repaid over a 30-year period through additional charges on tax bills. The charge will appear on the bills as “voter approved debt service.”

Here are the four different bonds, and the estimated annual charge on a home assessed at $100,000.

Jail expansion
Bond: $132,150,000
Average annual impact on taxpayer: $16.75
Details: Currently, taxpayers pay $2 million to house inmates outside of Pasco County because the county’s jail has reached capacity. The bond issue would pay for a jail expansion.

Fire service
Bond: $70,200,000
Average annual impact on taxpayer: $8.89
Details: The county would build four new fire stations in areas that don’t have any fire stations and replace five outdated stations. It also would add 10 new emergency vehicles and would construct a new Fire Rescue Training Facility.

Parks
Bond: $20,200,000
Average annual impact on taxpayer: $2.55
Details: Projects would be done at all district, wilderness and neighborhood parks. Existing athletic facilities would be improved. Recreational complexes, community centers and aquatic centers would be renovated.

Libraries
Bond: $18,600,000
Average annual impact on taxpayer: $2.35
Details: The county’s libraries were built in or before the 1980s. The bond issue would be used to upgrade and remodel library branches.

If all four bond issues pass, the total average annual impact on taxpayers owning a home assessed at $100,000 would be $30.54.

Published September 26, 2018

Seminar spotlights Pasco’s opioid epidemic, solutions

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When it comes to tackling the opioid crisis in Pasco County, the community needs all hands on deck.

That’s according to Monica Rousseau, coordinator for the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).

Rousseau was one of ASAP’s group of speakers for an opioid crisis seminar at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel. The Sept. 18 event was part of the state college’s ongoing Community Awareness Series, open to the public, students, faculty and staff.

Monica Rousseau is coordinator for the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). She discussed the scope of the opioid crisis in Pasco County and some solutions for tackling the issue. (Kevin Weiss)

Rousseau, who’s worked for ASAP since 2014, underscored the scope of substance abuse locally.

Among Florida’s 67 counties, Pasco currently ranks fifth in the rate of substance abuse related overdose deaths, averaging 25 deaths per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control Wonder Data and County Health Rankings provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

In 2017, the county ranked fourth in the state, but averaged fewer deaths, about 22 per 100,000.

Manatee County ranks first in the state in 2018, with 38 deaths per 100,000.

The figures, Rousseau explained, indicate other counties are getting worse in the fight against opioids, while Pasco remains about the same.

“We’re not getting better. We’re just kind of starting to press pause in Pasco County, whereas other counties are seeing a lot more deaths,” Rousseau said.

Multiple solutions needed
Rousseau attributes Pasco’s high ranking, in part, to its ‘pill mill’ epidemic from the early part of the decade.

“We’ve cut down on all the pill mills, but people with addiction are still dealing with it,” Rousseau said. “They cycle through treatment. It takes a few times for it to stick, but we just have a population that still is healing from that.”

In reducing substance abuse, Rousseau suggested the county needs to take a more comprehensive approach, focusing on the supply, demand and treatment sides of the issue, and “looking at this from a community perspective.”

Getting to the root cause of substance abuse is another task — understanding that addiction oftentimes is “an evolving disease of despair” driven by emotional suffering, as well as physical suffering, Rousseau said.

Helping those people get counseling may be one solution to fight the crisis, she said.

“We talk about the pain aspect until we’re blue in the face,” she said. What’s needed are conversations about how that person has post-traumatic stress disorder, or severe childhood trauma, or lost his job or his wife just left, Rousseau said.

Another speaker, New Port Richey’s Rachel Starostin, shared her personal story about battling opioid addiction.

She said she became a drug addict after she was in a car accident on U.S. 19 caused by a drunk driver.

A trauma nurse for Bayfront, Starostin was forced to give up her career because of ongoing physical problems related to the crash.

Aside from physical injuries, Starostin, too, had pent up emotional scars.

Her mother died when she was 16. Her father, a drug addict, was absent throughout her life.

Years later, Starostin came home to find her husband, who had died by suicide.

“I felt really bad on the inside. Everybody in my life that I really loved was gone,” she said.

Starsotin previously used work as a coping mechanism, but once her livelihood was taken away, she began using pain medication to fill the void.

Dependency affects all kinds of people
It began innocently. She took opiates before physical therapy sessions to manage legitimate feelings of pain and discomfort.

Over time, though, she progressively took more and more.

The medications removed her inhibitions.

“The reaction I had from it was not normal. All those bad feelings of, ‘I’m worthless. My life is over,’ they all went away,” she said.

Starostin said she was “completely controlled by opiates”— for more than 10 years.

While in jail, facing 25 years for drug trafficking, Starostin entered a 12-step recovery program.

She’s been clean for almost three years.

“I was just determined that I didn’t want to die,” she said, noting she came close to death several times.

“It was time to do something different. Nothing changes if nothing changes, and that hit me and I was like, ‘Ok, I need to change.’”

Today, Starostin is a member of ASAP’s recovery committee, which provides support for people affected by substance use disorders.

She uses her story to motivate others and to help them find their purpose in life.

Her advice to addicts: “No matter how many times you fall, you keep getting back up. It took me 20 times. I went through detox and stuff like that. No matter how far down the scale you’ve gone, you really can do it. You just have to keep it at.”

Starostin and Rousseau agreed there needs to be continual awareness regarding the negative stigma and negative perceptions associated with substance abuse and addiction.

“One of the No.1 reasons people don’t seek treatment is because of the stigma,” Rousseau said. “People don’t feel comfortable talking about their opioid issues or their drug issues, so they don’t know where to go.”

ASAP speakers also said more opportunities are needed to assist people in recovery to reintegrate back into society. There needs to be greater access to jobs, housing, health care and so on, they said.

They also pointed out that it can be especially difficult for those that have a criminal record for drug-related offenses, even after they’ve become clean.

ASAP recovery committee co-chair Kellie Walker, who also spoke during the seminar, put it this way: “There’s lot of things people in recovery need other than just getting sober and taking the substance away.

“What happens when somebody gets sober and they can’t find a job? They’re going to likely go back to some of those behaviors,” Walker said.

Published September 26, 2018

New fire district a first in Pasco in nearly a decade

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Pasco County firefighters, county officials and first responders gathered on Sept. 17 to mark the beginning of construction for a new Wesley Chapel fire station.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Station 38, which began at 8 a.m., was held at the fire station’s future location on Overpass Road.

Chief Scott Cassin gave opening remarks on Sept. 17 at the development site for the future Fire Station 38 in Wesley Chapel. Cassin oversees all Pasco County fire stations. (Brian Fernandes)

The ceremony marked the first addition of a new fire coverage area in Pasco County since 2009.

The fire station is situated within the Watergrass community, a residential area, which also includes a local elementary school.

The project comes in response to an increasing need for shorter wait times in that growing region of Wesley Chapel.

In his remarks, Fire Chief Scott Cassin talked about the amenities and advancements the new station will have.

The new 10,843-square-foot station will have a four-bay garage for trucks and supplies. It will have a kitchen and residential area, and a sheriff’s substation will be housed there, too.

The station will have a new call alert system that will be implemented to simultaneously dispatch numerous calls at the same time.

The installation of a Plymovent Diesel Exhaust Capture System will set Station 38 apart from other Pasco fire stations. The feature will lessen exposure to carcinogenic chemicals.

This is a customary image of the groundbreaking, taken at the Sept. 17 event, to mark the beginning of construction for Fire Station 38. From left: Erik Breitenbach, Manny Long, Michael Cassano, Scott Cassin, Andrew Fossa, Ron Oakley, Gary Joiner, Tait Sanborn and Todd Wyne.

“Station 38 will have atmospheric conditioning that will protect our firefighters from that gas,” said Deputy Chief Michael Cassano.

Going forward, existing and future stations in the county are planned to be equipped with the system.

Cassin has been visiting Pasco fire stations to get feedback on what improvements could be incorporated into Station 38.

“We’re trying to think long-term,” the chief said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley offered a few words, too, before a customary snapshot was taken of shovels flinging dirt.

Station 38 has been four years in the making and will cost an estimated $3.6 million to build. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2019.

Published September 26, 2018

Teacher broadens her horizons through a fellowship in Korea

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It’s fitting Karen Coss teaches AP Human Geography and World Cultural Geography at Land O’ Lakes High School.

After all, she has visited 16 countries on six continents.

“I like to travel,” said Coss, who also teaches psychology at the high school.
Her most recent international stop came this past summer, in South Korea. The trip was part of a teaching fellowship through the Korean War Legacy Foundation.

 Land O’ Lakes High School geography teacher Karen Coss was among teachers selected to be a Korean War Legacy Foundation fellow over the summer. She spent the last week in July in the Republic of Korea researching Korean history and culture. She is shown here at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 160-mile border that has divided North and South Korea for more than 60 years since the end of the Korean War. (Courtesy of Karen Coss)

Coss was one of just 30 teachers selected for the fellowship, which took place the last week of July.

According to the foundation, the fellowship “focused on building a deeper understanding of the Korean Peninsula’s rich history, its simultaneous achievements of rapid economic development and democratization, and close friendship with the United States” through visits to key historical sites, museums, and conversations with Korean teachers and students.

The trip marked the teacher’s first visit to Asia, and her first fellowship.

“It was a whirlwind, but absolutely amazing, to be able to go,” she said. “They really did get to show us so much of Korea. To do as much as we did in five days was amazing.”

The trip’s high point, for Coss, was visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 160-mile border that has divided North and South Korea for more than 60 years since the end of the Korean War.

Fellows were allowed special access to the border area and were able to stand feet away from North Korea near where inter-Korean summits take place.

Coss quipped she actually stepped foot in North Korea — for about 10 minutes. Of course, she and other fellows were safely secured by South Korean guards in the zone’s joint security area.

“It certainly didn’t disappoint,” Coss said, of visiting the border.

“The DMZ was amazing,” she said, adding she’s sure her visit there will figure into future lessons she delivers to her students.

As an educator, Coss also valued the opportunity to meet with Korean teachers and gain some insight into the country’s education system. Her group visited Seoul Digitech High School, a school for gifted students known for its technology and graphic design programs.

While there, fellows tested out a virtual reality video game built by students. They were also given a comic book that students made.

Korean War Legacy Foundation fellows pose for a picture outside the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The fellowship for social studies teachers also included visits to other key historical sites and museums. (Courtesy of Korean War Legacy Foundation)

“We knew we were going to meet some teachers in Korea, but we did not know that we were actually going to visit a school, so that was real cool,” Coss said.

During the visit, the Land O’ Lakes teacher discovered school days in South Korea are much longer than in the States, oftentimes from 8 a.m. until as late as 10 p.m., five days a week.

Coss learned that classes in South Korea finish around dinnertime, but most students typically remain at school through the evening to work on various assignments and projects, or get help from teachers.

Fellows, too, were introduced to Korean history and culture across the weeklong trip.

That portion included stops at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul and the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty built in 1395.

They also stayed at a Buddhist temple on Gangwha Island near Incheon — the trip’s “unexpected highlight, by far,” Coss said.

At the temple, fellows learned about a monk’s daily life, practiced meditation and had a special question-and-answer session with the head monk of the monastery.

They dressed in traditional monk garb and made prayer bead bracelets during the stay.

Coss recalled waking at 4 a.m., for morning prayers.

The Buddhist prayers entailed performing prostrations, or bows, 108 consecutive times to show reverence to the Triple Gem (comprising the Buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration.

Of the prostrations, the teacher proudly noted she “did them all.”

“I did all 108. It was a little rough. I didn’t exactly do them correctly,” she said, with a chuckle.

Another memorable part of the trip: Fellows visited the War Memorial of Korea and were special guests at the United Nations Armistice Day celebration, which was attended by Korean War veterans from several nations and the Prime Minister of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon.

Coss said she found the citizens to be very welcoming to Americans and “anyone who had anything to do with the war.”

“We were like celebrities everywhere we went,” Coss said. “Everything is very pro-U.S. Like, they’re very, ‘Oh, Americans!’ It’s not like going to Europe.”

The entire experience will surely have lasting effects for the high school teacher.

She plans to share what she learned with her students, highlighting some of the cultural differences she observed in South Korea and detailing how the country has developed into the world’s eighth-largest economy since the end of the Korean War.

The fellowship experience also has prompted Coss to help initiate a student club, called ‘Time for Diversity.’

Through some of the teacher’s newfound Korean connections, Land O’ Lakes students in the club will get to Skype and communicate with an all-girls school in southern South Korea every month or so.

Meantime, Coss said she’s going to apply for more teaching fellowships to other countries.

She, too, has several international trips on the docket over the next several years.

She’ll visit the Dominican Republic over winter break and might visit Spain next summer.

She also is organizing student trips in 2020 and 2021, to Ecuador and Japan, respectively.

“There’s so many places to see in the world,” she said.

Published September 26, 2018

Hearing on Ballantrae rezoning delayed until Oct. 9

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The Pasco County Commission has continued a request to rezone the Ballantrae Professional Center until Oct. 9, to provide additional time for county staff to research the issue.

The request has raised issues relating to the center’s current uses, the proposed zoning and who has authority to request the proposed zoning.

The center, on the south side of State Road 54 at the intersection of Hunting Bow Circle, in Lutz, is currently zoned as a PO-1 Professional Office District.

The request, by the Ballantrae Center Owners Association, is to change the designation to a PO-2 Professional Office District, which allows a wider array of uses.

The county planning department and the Planning Commission have recommended approval of the rezoning.

However, during the County Commission’s public hearing on Aug. 21, an owner of a condo office building within the development objected to the proposed rezoning.

That objection prompted a discussion during which questions were raised about who has the authority to request the rezoning and how a failure to rezone would affect uses that are in the office park that are not allowed under PO-1 zoning.

At one point, a portion of the office park had been temporarily zoned PO-2 to permit Imagine School to operate there.

However, the PO2 zoning was always limited to the school and expired when the school left the office park, according to county staff.

The applicant’s representative also noted that the county appraiser’s website lists the property’s zoning as PO-2 and said there currently are businesses operating at the location which require PO-2 zoning.

The County Commission’s meeting on Oct. 9 will be at the Historic Pasco Courthouse, at 37919 Meridian Ave., in Dade City. Commissioners consider rezoning issues during their afternoon session, which begins at 1:30 p.m.

Published September 26, 2018

Local business gives hope to ‘special needs’ employee

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When April Dean was only 6 months old, her mother Amy noticed she wasn’t sitting upright.

Two months later, doctors told Amy and her husband, Rick, that April had cerebral palsy, with little chance of ever walking.

It was also discovered that she had a developmental disability that would affect her speech and learning.

April Dean (left) at home with her brother, Eric, and mother, Amy. (Brian Fernandes)

“He told us she would never drive a car or go to college,” said Amy, recalling the doctor’s diagnosis. “That was the real devastating news.”

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder which affects the movement, muscle tone and posture of over 500,000 people in the U.S.

Muscles are either too floppy or stiff, resulting in delayed motor skills, and can be accompanied by occasional seizures.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the most common motor disability among children, and there is no known cure.

Amy and Rick would need to take cautious measures to ensure their daughter’s needs would be met.

Growing and adjusting
While receiving government assistance to accommodate her needs, April attended unique classes in school to learn and socialize with other children.

By fourth grade, she was being home-schooled, and received both speech and occupational therapy.

In these formative years, she would thrive in playing sports, such as basketball and baseball, as well as contending in a chess club — accomplishments exceeding the grim outlook doctors had initially predicted.

“It’s not about what the child can’t do,” said Amy, who tried to raise her daughter with a sense of independence. “More importantly is what are they able to do.”

April attended Gaither High School where she continued to receive therapy.

While there, she joined ‘Best Buddies,’ a nonprofit organization, which paired her with other students to find common interests and develop friendships.

The organization has a chant, which April still recites to this day — followed with hand claps and a cheer at the end.

A new transition
As April was finishing her senior year of high school, she became involved in the Community-Based Training (CBT) program. This organization helped her find employment and to build good work ethic.

For the next three years, April worked at a nursing home dining room, a Publix bakery and the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa.

However, the CBT program had a cutoff point and was only able to support April until she turned 22.

Amy knew that employment was a valuable asset to her daughter and wanted her to continue working in some capacity.

By chance, Amy frequented the local Taco Bell in her Lutz neighborhood that had an employee with a disability.

Without Amy making a request, the manager reached out and offered a position for April.

It came as a surprise to Amy who admitted she never considered the idea.

“When I heard that they were willing to try to accommodate, that made me feel good about that place [Taco Bell],” she said.

Gainfully employed
Now at 25, April is about to celebrate her third year at Taco Bell.

“The second I started Taco Bell, I loved it,” she said. “It makes me happy.”

She works two days a week wiping tables and trays, as well as keeping the drink area in top-notch shape.

Her hard work has earned her an Employee of the Month award, which she proudly displays at home.

“You could just see the pride in being able to work,” Amy said, referring to the job’s impact on her daughter. “It was really evident.”

April is an approachable employee, socializing with the customers and greeting her co-workers with hugs.

While Amy has seen the social growth that the job has given April, she believes it can be beneficial for others, as well.

Amy said it’s important for those without special needs to engage with those who do, as it builds patience and understanding.

Amy and Rick have to work their respective jobs and cannot always be home. However, Taco Bell management has been generous in working April’s schedule around theirs.

When not at work, April involves herself in various activities.

“I like to rock out in my room with the music loud,” she said. “I have lots of music CDs.”

Aside from playing video games and sports, she spends time with her best friend, Anne Marie, and older brother, Eric.

She also serves as an usher at her church, where she has formed many relationships with members.

“Her giftedness is being a butterfly,” said Amy of her daughter’s effect on others. “She goes from flower to flower, pollinating love and joy.”

When April was younger, Amy joined a support group where she could express her thoughts among those who resonated with her situation. She encourages other parents with disabled children to do the same and to not give up hope.

“Just know that there’s value in their life,” Amy said. “They still have gifts to offer.”

Published September 26, 2018

Building a game plan for business success

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When it comes to running a business, there’s always more to learn — and a recent half-day conference presented by Pasco-Hernando Score aimed to give business operators more tools to help them succeed.

The free conference, “Game-Changing Tactics for Small Businesses,” featured speakers tackling such topics as “Keeping Your Eye on the Money is a Winning Strategy,” “The Best Defense is a Good Offense,” “Score a Touchdown Using YouTube,” and “Set Your Goals and Objectives to Win.”

Jim Hammond, a mentor and executive board member for Chapter 439 of SCORE, offered practical advice to help businesses lay the foundation for continued growth.

“The key items in a business of any size are not the product and not the service,” Hammond told those gathered at the Residence Inn Marriott, in Lutz. “The key items are the people, the capital, and most importantly, the vision of the CEO. If the owner/CEO does not have the vision of where this business is going, it’s not going to grow.

“It’s not the products or services. Why do I say that? Because over some extended period of time, I guarantee you, all of the products and all of the services are going to change,” said Hammond, who was the CEO of a software business for 20 years.

“We went through five complete product changes,” he said, noting his company had to write new software from scratch. “The old stuff wasn’t any good.”

Being able to navigate change is critical, and it’s important to be thinking ahead, he said.

“All businesses run out of growth. You hit a plateau.

“If you don’t do something, if you don’t have a vision, it will start to tail off. It doesn’t matter what the business is,” Hammond said.

Cash flow and good personnel are key
“In my world, the No. 1 financial statement is: Cash flow forecast,” Hammond said.

“If you’re out of cash, you’re out of business. That’s how important it is,” he emphasized.

Maintaining a revenue stream is critical.

“You, as the CEO, are the No. 1 person in charge of sales, marketing and planning,” Hammond said.

“What did you sell today? How much revenue did you generate today? We don’t have time to be fooling with things that aren’t generating revenue. Prime time, you’ve got to generate revenue,” he said.

It’s also essential to be thinking of new ways to increase the amount of money the business brings in, he said. That could be achieved by adding a product line or service, bringing in a new employee, acquiring equity partners or through business acquisitions, he said.

As CEO of the software company, he met annually with his top staff, and they reviewed each department asking: “What were they going to do to help generate additional revenue for the company, provide services and so forth.”

Besides creating new revenue streams, companies need to keep a close eye on costs, he said.

“Businesses need actionable information. If I don’t have a budget, these numbers (profit and loss) mean nothing,” he said.

For example, if a company’s budget is $2 million and its revenues are just $700,000, the result would be a disaster, he said.

“Every business needs not just financial statements, but a budget.

“We need a budget for the month, for the quarter, for the year.

“And then, we can start measuring: How are we doing?

“We don’t want surprises.

“The only time I like surprises? Christmas and my birthday,” Hammond said.

He also urged businesses to work hard to reduce costs: It makes it easier to share profits with employees.

“If you can find a way to buy the same widget, for half the price, 20 percent off or whatever, go do it,” he said. “Sometimes we get sloppy on the expense side.

“A dollar’s worth of cost reduction can be worth $2 or more of income. It’s hard to get another $100,000 in income. It might be a whole lot easier to reduce $50,000 in expenses,” he said.

Stay on top of finances
“You need by the 10th of the month, your previous month’s financials.

“Why? Because they’re fresh.

“Why? Because on the last day of the month, when someone has entered in all of the cash receipts, paid all the bills — nothing changes.

“By the 10th of month, there’s no reason they can’t print up a report. Here’s your financials for the month,” he said.

Businesses have good months and bad months, that’s how business goes, he said. But, it’s important to always have a pulse on current conditions.

“I run a business. I want to at least weekly log into my bank account, know how to do it, and run down the list of what’s in the bank account. If something big pops out that I don’t recognize, I can start asking questions.

“I’m big on internal controls. Why is that? Because the more you bulk up your business, the more issues and more security you need to think about.

“Make sure that all of your checks and all of your invoices that you send out are numbered and stored somewhere safe,” he said.

It’s also important to have cash available, in case of emergencies or an unexpected downturn.

“A reasonably healthy business, the minimum should be three to four months’ worth of all expenses, cash in the bank, plus any one big-time item,” Hammond said. “That, to me, is a pretty comfortable place to be.”

After cash flow, the next most important thing is having good people, Hammond said.

“Getting and keeping good employees is very important. It’s important for all businesses. It’s especially important for small businesses because you don’t have extras,” he said.

If a company wants to grow, it generally needs to add employees, he said, noting it’s difficult for a company with just a couple of employees to hit the $1 million mark.

When adding staff, however, “revenue per employee is a key metric,” he said.

“You’re not going to grow unless you can increase your revenue per FTE (full-time employee),” Hammond said.

Pasco-Hernando Score offers a wide variety of free workshops and mentoring services to small businesses. To find out more, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

Published September 26, 2018

Dade City forum inspires wordsmiths

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Marjorie Nanian sits at the end of a long table, offering her experience and advice to others in the room during a recent meeting of the East Pasco Writers Forum.

As she speaks, the others listen intently.

The forum, part of the Florida Writers Association, meets at the Country Aire Manor clubhouse in Dade City, on the second Thursday of each month, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The writers forum aims to encourage authors and budding wordsmiths to share their work, and learn from each other.

East Pasco Writers Forum participants for the Sept. 13 meeting were, seated from left: Eugene Bozeman, Kim Fleming, Tammy Kennedy and Kara Teresi; and, standing from left: Jack Olson, Marjorie Nanian, Bonnie Nye and Marilyn Miller. (Brian Fernandes)

The meeting is broken into two segments.

The first segment focuses on offering advice, sharing thoughts and providing information about local opportunities and events that may be of interest to forum members.

The second segment focuses on writing.

Forum participants play an interactive role — with each author sharing copies of his or her work and reading for the group.

Between readings, group members offer suggestions to help the author enhance his or her skills.

Tammy Kennedy was a first-time visitor to the writers forum.

“I had to go through something so awful,” she told the group, referring to some difficult childhood experiences.

Kennedy, who wrote the books, “From Rubble to Royalty” and “Jingles Lost Her Jingle,” said she has used writing as an outlet for dealing with domestic abuse she experienced as a child.

She hopes her work will inspire others who have had similar experiences.

She recently self-published “Lil’ J Lost His Jam.” She said it has been difficult to get exposure for the book because of its subject matter on child abuse.

Nanian, who is an author herself and has attended several writing forums, had a wealth of information to share.

She told the writers it’s important to identify the genre of literature they’re creating and to be aware of the audience they’re seeking to reach.

When it comes to social issues, she said, “colleges are a great place to approach.”

Nanian also advised beginners to “build credibility” by sending short stories or poems to magazines for publication. Doing this puts one in direct contact with an editor, without the use of an agent.

Forum member Jack Olson is a photographer, who has experience sailing overseas.

He said he intends to publish his writings as a keepsake for his family.

Olson said he doesn’t feel qualified to offer feedback.

But, those taking part in the forum are encouraged to kindly point out errors or ways to polish up each other’s work, to foster better writing.

So, as forum members shared their work, they exchanged suggestions, such as avoiding too much detail, steering clear of repetition, using precise language and creating more emotional depth in characters.

“Whenever you introduce it [author’s work] to the group, you actually get criticism and learn from it,” said Eugene Bozeman, who shared his poem about a newborn baby’s perception of birth.

The topics that writers tackle range widely.

While Bozeman wrote poetry about a newborn baby, Bonnie Nye’s story focused on a girl falsely accused of murder in the late 1970s.

The writers said their interest in writing developed at different stages in their lives.

Some said creating literature did not become appealing until later in their lives.

Others developed a love for language quite early.

Kara Teresi knew she had a passion for writing since elementary school.

“This is my destiny, this is my identity – to be a writer,” she said. “That’s why I’m here.”

The forum is open to the public. It welcomes anyone who wants to share and improve their writing — whether they are professionals, just starting out, or somewhere in between.

For more information, contact Marjorie Nanian at (248) 231-7167 or .

East Pasco Writers Forum
Where: Country Aire Manor clubhouse, 10249 U.S. 98 in Dade City
When: The club meets on the second Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. to  noon.
Details: Members and visitors share their own works and offer suggestions to help each other hone writing skills
Cost: Free
Info: Contact Marjorie Nanian at (248) 231-7167 or

Published September 26, 2018

Public workshop scheduled regarding Pierce Lake

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public workshop on Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m., regarding minimum and guidance levels for Pierce Lake, according to a news release from the water management district.

The workshop will be at Connerton Elementary School, 9300 Flourish Drive, in Land O’ Lakes.

The purpose of the workshop is to allow for public comment on the proposed minimum and guidance levels for Pierce Lake in Pasco County.

Water management staff will provide information regarding the technical basis for the proposed minimum levels for Pierce Lake.

Minimum levels are established to protect lakes and wetlands, and the minimum level is the limit at which further water withdrawals will cause significant harm to the water resources and/or environment, according to the news release.

The workshop allows local government, citizens and others to provide input regarding the proposed minimum and guidance levels. Information will be summarized and made available to the water management district’s governing board.

At the governing board’s meeting in November, the board will decide whether to recommend adoption of the minimum levels into water management district rules.

The governing board meetings are open to the public, and brief oral comments are permitted on meeting agenda items.

The Florida Legislature requires the water management district to set minimum flows and levels for priority water bodies within the district.

Minimum flows are established to protect streams and rivers from impacts associated with ground water and surface water withdrawals, while minimum levels are established to protect lakes and wetlands. Minimum flows and levels serve as guidelines for the district’s permitting programs and for development of water resource projects.

A draft report summarizing the proposed minimum levels for Pierce Lake will be posted before the meeting on the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/MFLreports.

For more information regarding the proposed minimum levels, call David Carr at (800) 423-1476, ext. 4246.

Written comments can be submitted via mail or email to David Carr, staff environmental scientist, Water Resources Bureau, at 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604 or .

Published September 26, 2018