Local News

Presenting musical passion, precise choreography

October 4, 2017 By B.C. Manion

Their love of singing developed in different ways.

“Singing has always been a part of my life,” said Sandy Everly, of Land O’ Lakes. “On Sunday nights, at home, my mom played the piano, and my sister and my dad and I would sing.

“Actually, I learned to harmonize at a very young age.”

Cathy Frey, of Wesley Chapel, recalled “my parents used to play these reel-to-reel tapes with these singing groups … I was always singing.”

The Toast of Tampa has a number of young members. Overall, the chorus members range from age 10 to 85. (Courtesy of Toast of Tampa)

Nancy Hansel, of Lutz, said her mom had a radio show. “They were Two Girls and a Guy. That was their name.”

Fran Byers, of Wesley Chapel, said her dad used to sing to her in the car. “My dad was a crooner. He could sing like Bing Crosby,” she said.

Beth Bosserman Curts also recalls lots of singing in the family car.

“We had to drive everywhere. Florida to Kansas. Kansas to Boston.

“My parents would throw the four of us in the car and off we would go, and this was before air conditioning, and the radio was not very good.

“Mother and Dad taught us all these rounds.

“We just clicked off the miles by singing rounds. You had to hold your own part.

“I grew up singing different harmonies in the car on those crazy road trips.”

No matter how their musical path began — each of these women now belongs to Toast of Tampa, a group of female a cappella singers that performs in four-part harmony.

Toast of Tampa is one of the more than 700 choruses of Sweet Adelines International worldwide. The group will compete at the Sweet Adelines International 71st annual Convention & Competition, Oct. 9 through Oct. 14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Toast of Tampa has had success at the international level, including third-place finishes in 2015 and 2013, and the top prize in 1993. In between, they had a number of top-10 finishes.

It’s a challenge these women relish.

“This will be our 13th time on the international stage,” Curts said. “It is so exciting to sing at the level we’re singing at.”

From left, Beth Bosserman Curts, Fran Byers, Evie Stern, Julie Kelly and Jessica Horner are five members of Toast of Tampa. (Courtesy of Toast of Tampa)

Closer to home, the show chorus will be presenting a public performance on Nov. 4, at the University of South Florida’s School of Music Concert Hall.

Toast of Tampa defies the stereotypical notion of “a bunch of gray-haired ladies with crinoline dresses,” Frey said.

Under the direction of internationally recognized Tony De Rosa, the group sings modern, complex arrangements.

It is also a selective group, requiring its members to audition and holding them to high expectations.

Toast of Tampa practices on Tuesdays, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with occasional weeks off. The sessions are at the TPepin’s Hospitality Centre, at 4121 N. 50th St., in Tampa.

Those interested are welcome to come to a rehearsal to see if joining the chorus is something they wish to pursue.

The group has 120 active singers, ranging from age 10 to 85, Curts said.

Toast of Tampa draws members from all walks of life, including military veterans, new moms, grandmothers, real estate agents, accountants and others.

Beyond being devoted to singing, members should expect to incur costs of $1,000 to $1,500 a year, added Curts, who in addition to being a member, handles media and marketing duties.

The monthly dues are $51, with prorated dues for those under age 25. A portion of the dues is paid to the national organization and the rest goes to rent the hall, pay the director and cover other costs.

There are also costs associated with regional competitions every year, and international competitions every other year.

The costs are no greater than those for other pursuits, and the value goes beyond voice lessons, Frey said. Toast of Tampa involves dance and choreography, and helps members develop poise and confidence, she said.

It’s a workout on many levels, Hansel said.

“I go to chorus, and I stand on the risers and I sing. It’s physical. It’s mental. And, challenging. But, when I start breathing and singing, and singing properly, on a great night, and we’re really cranking, it’s like I’m running a race, and I am winning. I feel so physically good.”

“It’s empowering,” Byers added.

Chorus members come from throughout Tampa Bay and other parts of Florida, including Jacksonville, The Villages, Sarasota, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Orlando, Melbourne and Crystal River.

Lexi Burkle performs a solo during a Toast of Tampa performance. (Courtesy of Toast of Tampa)

“I drove from Sarasota to Tampa for 23 years, and then my husband had died, and I moved to Land O’ Lakes,” Everly said.

The relationships forged among members go beyond a shared passion for singing, members said.

They describe it as a sisterhood.

When someone is sick, they said, other members respond.

When a member has a new baby, it is deluged with love.

Anyone wanting to know more about the group should call Toast of Tampa Show Chorus at (813) 963-7464, or email .

Toast of Tampa Show Chorus presents Standing Room Only, featuring special guest Voctive

Where: University of South Florida Music Concert Hall, 3755 Holly Drive in Tampa

When: Nov. 4, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Cost: $40 patron; $25 regular

Details: The Toast of Tampa Show Chorus is an internationally recognized female chorus that performs four-part a cappella singing. As they perform, they sing and move with emotion and precision.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Labor shortage delays debris removal

October 4, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Those piles of Hurricane Irma debris could be sitting near homes for as long as a couple of months, Pasco County officials have said.

That’s because there’s a shortage of work crews.

Pasco County homeowners may need to exercise patience, while they wait for debris from Hurricane Irma to be removed by subcontractors working for Pasco County. County officials say there’s a shortage of subcontractors available to get the job done. (Mary Rathman)

Officials hope that residents will be patient, as the county struggles to pull together enough work crews.

Pasco County Utilities, Solid Waste and Resources Recovery Department set the start of debris collection for Sept. 18. But, finding and keeping subcontractors who can do the work is proving difficult.

The problem is, Hurricane Irma took a swing through the entire state, stretching local government resources.

Financially, subcontractors are finding more lucrative contracts in South Florida, where Irma did the most damage. That has made it difficult for Pasco to secure and hold onto subcontractors.

“I’ve got a lot of complaints that we’re not getting anything picked up,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano.

Working with the county’s consultant, Ceres Environmental Services, Pasco had hoped for 16 work crews. By Sept. 25, that number fell to eight. Then, one day later, the county could only count on four crews.

“There’s just not that many resources,” said John Power, the county’s solid waste facilities director. “At the rate we’re going now, we’re talking about a couple of months.”

Even as Pasco works to find its own crews to supplement county efforts, Power said other counties were calling Pasco to ask for manpower.

On Sept. 26, county commissioners approved inter-local agreements to allow Ceres Environmental Services to aid in securing cleanup services for Dade City, San Antonio and the Town of St. Leo.

Similar agreements are possible with New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Zephyrhills is the one city that has been able to do its own debris pickup.

Adding to Pasco’ cleanup task are suspicions that some residents are putting out more than storm debris curbside.

“A lot of people are using it for spring cleaning,” said Power, who said he was also waiting for debris at his home to be picked up.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore wasn’t so sure.

“We need to be careful about making determinations,” he said.

The furniture and other goods being tossed onto residents’ piles could be from actual storm damage, he said. “It’s a delicate situation.”

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said the county likely will follow with a second county sweep after completing the initial pickups over the next weeks.

Pasco County officials have issued guidelines for debris pickup:

All debris materials must be brought to the curb or roadside.
Do not block fire hydrants, mailboxes, electrical boxes or other structures.
Do not bag debris.
Contractor generated debris won’t be picked up.
Refrigerators should be empty, with the doors secured or removed.

Piles of debris from Hurricane Irma may be a common sight around Pasco County, possibly as long as a couple of months. The county is struggling with a shortage of work crews to remove the debris. (Kathy Steele)

Debris must be separated into the following categories:

Furniture: Mattresses; couches, sofas, chairs; dressers; lumber, if not pressure treated; particle board; laminated flooring; dry insulation (if wet, pile with construction); carpet and padding

Construction: Drywall, plasterboard, ceramic tile, concrete, lumber (pressure treated), wet insulation

Vegetation: Tree cuttings (must be no more than 5 feet in length, and all branches must be bundled)

White Goods: Appliances, metal furniture, metal shelving, bicycles, items that are more than 75 percent metal

Hazardous Waste – Delayed Pickup: Any household chemicals; oil, gas, flammables; lawn and garden chemicals; televisions; computer monitors, computer towers (CPUs)

Contractor-generated debris won’t be picked up.

Requests for debris pickup must be submitted to Pasco County Customer Service Center by emailing ">, providing the address where the debris is located.

Residents also can call customer service at (727) 847-2411.

Pasco County now has a map, an interactive tool to track hurricane-related storm debris pickup, available at arcg.is/2wSHdN5.

Yellow boxes on the map indicate the areas in which crews are working.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Agreement reached on forensic research campus

October 4, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners approved a three-way agreement that sets up the framework for ownership and operation of a forensic research and training facility on county land next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.

One feature of the facility is a body farm to aid in criminal investigations, body identification and research into body decomposition.

Abigail Kennedy spoke at the dedication ceremony naming the Adam Kennedy Forensic Field for her husband, who died in January. Adam Kennedy, former principal of Crews Middle School, was the first body donated for research at the body farm. (File)

Florida F.I.R.S.T. (Forensic Institute for Research & Tactical Training), will be only the seventh in the nation. It is expected to become a national and international center for forensic research and its applications.

Pasco County, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the University of South Florida are parties to the agreement.

“It’s really going to put us and USF on the map,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

At no cost, Pasco will lease a portion of the facility to USF for 33 years, with two extensions allowed, for a total of 99 years.

“We’re excited to get this rolling and move it forward,” said Chase Daniels, assistant executive director for the sheriff’s office.

The campus will have a laboratory, classrooms, a morgue and evidence storage space. Virtual autopsies with 3-D scanning and chemical isotope analysis will be done. Work also will be done in the fields of legal medicine, forensic intelligence, aviation reconstruction and cyber forensics.

A tactical training facility for the sheriff’s K-9 unit and the Pasco Unified SWAT team also is planned.

Dr. Erin Kimmerle of USF’s Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science (IFAAS) will be in charge of the university’s research and training.

Kimmerle and USF led efforts in identifying bodies found in unmarked graves at the former Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.

The forensic building at Florida F.I.R.S.T. will be the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Education and Research. Varnadoe’s body was among those recovered and identified at the unmarked burial sites at the Dozier school.

About 5 acres of the future campus were dedicated in May as the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Field. It honors the memory of the former principal of Crews Lake Middle School, who died in a car accident while driving to work in January. His body was the first one donated to the body farm.

The price tag for the facility is about $4.3 million.

Legislators approved the money in the state’s 2017 budget, but Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the item.

The county’s legislative delegation will try again to win approval in the state’s 2019 budget. Conversations with members of Scott’s office already are underway, Daniel said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said he sent a letter to the governor’s office in support of funding. “It’s very important to the state besides us,” Oakley said.

If Pasco is unsuccessful a second time, Daniel said USF officials have offered to “tap into their donor lists.”

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Pizza Villa wins ‘Heart of Pasco Award’

October 4, 2017 By B.C. Manion

A group of Central Pasco Chamber members gathered in front of Pizza Villa to have its photo taken last week, as the manager of the restaurant received the chamber’s “Heart of Pasco Award.”

Members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce turned out to congratulate Pizza Villa for winning the ‘Heart of Pasco Award.’ (B.C. Manion)

What group members huddling together didn’t know — except for Cheryl Will, the restaurant’s manager — was that they were posing in the very spot where the photo was taken for the business’ ribbon cutting three decades ago.

Will has seen a multitude of changes in the Land O’ Lakes community since Pizza Villa began operations at 21501 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive.

For one thing, State Road 54, which fronts the restaurant, was just two lanes back then, she said. For another, as the community has grown so, too, has the restaurant.

It now has 35 employees, Will said.

What hasn’t changed, though, is the spirit of the Land O’ Lakes community, she said. “It’s very heartwarming. Even though it’s growing, it still has a heart for people. Even though the area has grown, it still feels like family.”

She believes that Pizza Villa’s staying power is linked to its sense of community, its customer service and its good food.

“I’ve got some servers who have been here 15, 20 years,” she said. “I’ve had the same prep people, basically.”

This sign is now posted proudly near the Pizza Villa sign, off State Road 54. (B.C. Manion)

Of course, serving good food is essential for a restaurant’s success, Will said. Some customer favorites at Pizza Villa include the Greek chicken, the Greek salad dressing and the potato salad.

The restaurant’s prices are good, too, she said, noting “we’ve always tried to keep it affordable.”

Pizza Villa also believes in giving back to the community, Will added.

“People come to us, looking for fundraisers, sponsorships,” she said, and the restaurant responds.

In presenting the Heart of Pasco Award to the restaurant, Rosie Heim, the honorary mayor of Land O’ Lakes, read a letter, and acknowledged the restaurant’s many contributions.

In part, Heim said, “Pizza Villa has been actively involved in the community, and you have given back to the community in countless ways. In many instances, your kind deeds may not have been properly acknowledged, as they should have been.”

After Heim concluded her remarks, chamber member April Saland told Will: “You do give effortlessly, and continuously.”

Sandy Graves, another chamber member noted: “You just have a heart for this community, Cheryl, and you have always served it so well.”

Following the presentation, Graves and others gathered near Pizza Villa’s sign and posted a yard sign proclaiming the restaurant’s accomplishment.

Sandy Graves, left, looks on, as Rosie Heim, right, reads a letter proclaiming Pizza Villa as the winner of the ‘Heart of Pasco Award.’ Cheryl Will, the restaurant’s manager, said she is honored by the recognition.

As Graves pushed in the sign, trucks driving past on State Road 54 tooted their horns in a show of support.

Will was clearly touched by the honor.

The restaurant is a mainstay in the community.

And, it obviously appreciates its customers, as evidenced by these words written on its front door: “Through these doors pass the finest people.

Our customers. Our friends.”

Pizza Villa is fortunate to have many regular customers, Will said.

Over the years, it has lost some through death and greeted new generations of patrons.

“You see ones that came in as babies, and now they’re coming in with their babies,” Will said.

And, there are some who have moved away, but still come in occasionally.

“We have a lot of people who have left the area, and whenever they come back to the area, this is one of their first stops,” she said.

Billy Fotopoulos is the owner of Pizza Villa, and of ABC Pizza, which also is in Land O’ Lakes.

Revised Oct. 5, 2017

Pasco County approves 2018 budget

October 4, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners approved a $1.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2018, which begins Oct. 1.

The budget is slightly less than the 2017 budget, but still has new expenditures for parks, boat ramps and the proposed Ridge Road extension.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano (File)

County commissioners had a final public hearing, and vote, on the new budget on Sept. 26 in New Port Richey.

There will be no change in the existing millage rate, which determines property taxes.

However, some homeowners could see a slight increase of less than $10 in their annual tax bill, based on a 2.1 percent increase in homesteaded property values.

Pasco saw about a 7.7 percent increase in assessed taxable property, with a value of about $24.6 billion. Much of that was fueled by new construction.

Expenditures for 2018 include $2.5 million to buy right of way needed for the Ridge Road extension, and $1 million for design and engineering of the interchange at Suncoast Parkway.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano was uncomfortable with the county bearing those costs, when the Florida Turnpike Authority previously agreed to pay for the interchange.

“Let’s make sure we’re getting the turnpike authority to pick up all this money, not us,” he said.

The Ridge Road extension is awaiting a decision from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a construction permit. The road project has lingered for nearly 19 years.

Pasco puts a high priority on the extension to create a new east/west route and a hurricane evacuation option. Environmentalists oppose the project for its intrusion into wetlands in the Serenova Preserve.

Other expenditures include about $8.1 million to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to pay for a third year of promised salary increases for deputies, as well as equipment and new job hires.

County employees will receive a 4 percent salary increase.

About $15 million is earmarked for the Wiregrass sports complex, which will be funded with a $20 million loan. The remaining $5 million of the loan will pay for boat ramps.

The county is relying on a 2 percent increase in the county’s tourism tax (for a total of 4 percent) as collateral for the loan.

There also is $4.5 million for a district park at the master-planned community of Connerton, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The Wesley Chapel District Park will get about $2 million for upgrades, including installation of bleacher canopies for baseball fields and the design of a community center.

The center would be built in 2019.

The $2 parking fee at county parks will be ended, with the county boosting the parks budget about $320,000 to cover the lost revenue.

About $1.5 million will be spent for upgrades and maintenance at county parks that are in danger of being closed due to disrepair.

A special disaster fund of $1 million will be created to take advantage of matching fund opportunities with the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

Such grants are geared toward projects that provide mitigation for future disasters, not current recovery efforts from Hurricane Irma, said Dan Biles, the county’s administrator.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Zephyrhills appoints police chief

October 4, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

Following a four-month nationwide search for its next police chief, the city of Zephyrhills has opted to hire from within, appointing interim chief Derek Brewer the city’s permanent, full-time police chief.

At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who’s served as the interim chief since May following the retirement of former chief David Shears, who held the leadership position since 2008.

Brewer’s appointment was recommended to the council by city manager Steve Spina, who was part of a six-person interview committee during the hiring process.

Derek Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who has served as the interim chief since May, has been appointed as the city’s permanent, full-time police chief; he will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.
(Courtesy of Zephyrhills Police Department)

Of the six applicants interviewed, Spina told the council Brewer is “without a doubt” the top candidate for the position.

Brewer, 44, gradually has risen up the agency’s ranks, since being hired as a patrol officer in 2002.

He served as a field training officer, patrol sergeant and lieutenant before being promoted to patrol captain in 2014.

While on the force, Brewer earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Hillsborough Community College, and attended the senior leadership training program at the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Florida Police Chiefs executive leadership training in 2014.
He also graduated this July from the Command Officer Management Program at Saint Leo University, and is scheduled to receive his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Saint Leo University this December.

Brewer has received numerous honors during his law enforcement career, including:

Pasco County Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year (2010)
William B. Eiland Officer of the Year Award (2012)
Tampa Police Department Appreciation Award (2013)
City of Zephyrhills Employee of the Year Award (2015)

Besides regular law enforcement duties, Brewer is a member of several committees and organizations that include the Transportation Exception Plan Committee; Pasco-Hernando State College Technical Advisory Committee; Pasco County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force; Zephyrhills Code Enforcement Task Force; Zephyrhills Police Department Homeless Initiative; Zephyrhills Site Plan Review Committee; Florida Police Chiefs Association; and, Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Several officers of the Zephyrhills police force spoke in favor of Brewer’s appointment to the department’s top job, during the meeting’s public comment period.

Lorenzo Limoges, a K-9 officer, said the agency, under Brewer’s leadership, has experienced “some of the best teamwork I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“…I’ve talked to just about every officer that we’ve got, and I can’t tell you one that hasn’t showed their support for Derek and the agency,” Limoges said.

(File)

Zephyrhills police captain Reggie Roberts said Brewer’s promotion to chief is “what’s right” for Zephyrhills and the police department.

Roberts touched on Brewer’s management style, outlining his work ethic, compassion and humility, and the handling of high-risk situations, such as Hurricane Irma.

“I believe in him 110 percent,” Roberts said.

A few citizens stepped forward, too, to express their support in naming Brewer the 10th police chief in the city’s history.

Amy Chappell, vice president and residential loan officer at CenterState Bank, said Brewer deserves the job and “has the talent it takes to bring this city together for the greater good.”

“You have an individual that cares, and that’s something you won’t find really on the resume,” said Chappell, who’s spoken in favor of Brewer at previous council meetings.

Mickey McPhee, who manages the Publix Supermarket on Gall Blvd, also applauded Brewer’s service as interim chief.

“Anytime we’ve needed the police department, they’ve just been great. And, it’s his leadership that makes it great,” McPhee said.

The store manager noted Brewer and the agency were particularly accommodating in the week leading up to Hurricane Irma.

“I just appreciate (Brewer) for the communication we had all during the storm,” McPhee said.

“We were the last retailer to be open in Zephyrhills. We didn’t call the police department, but he came down there personally and sat with us for the last 30 minutes (we were open). It was comforting, and it was his leadership that made it comfortable,” McPhee added.

The lone councilman opposed to Brewer’s appointment was Ken Burgess, who suggested an outside hire to give the agency a “fresh look.”

The Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer at its Sept. 25 meeting, with councilman Ken Burgess the opposed vote.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

“I felt that this was an opportune time to possibly look at things from a new philosophy and perspective,” Burgess, addressing the council, said.

“During this whole process, I gathered as much information as I could, and I spoke to a lot of individuals, both in and out of the law enforcement community on this important decision. In our current society, I believe our next chief will face challenges that previous chiefs probably never faced or had to deal with. He will need to have an access to a multitude of resources and a willingness to embrace them.”

Council vice president Lance Smith countered Burgess, pointing out the city’s previous outside hires for police chief failed in the past.

Smith mentioned by name former chiefs Russell Barnes — who resigned in 2008 after accusations he created a “flex time” policy that allowed employees to receive time off instead of overtime pay for extra hours worked — and Jerry Freeman— who resigned in 2003 after just nine months on the job, due to perceived questionable decisions and judgments.

Smith said, “We have gone outside before without much success. But, that’s one part of the equation to me. The other is seeing the way the employees respond to Derek. “I think he’s done a great job,” Smith said.

Once Brewer’s appointment became official, Burgess said he will support him “all the way through, because that’s what’s important for the city.”

Brewer will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Zephyrhills passes budget, water rate hikes

October 4, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

The budget for the city of Zephyrhills is now set.

On Sept. 25, the Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved a $63.3 million for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, for Oct. 1.

A second reading of the millage and budget ordinances drew no public comment, during the regular meeting.

Budget by department:

The city of Zephyrhills budget for fiscal 2018 is $63.3 million. (File)

City Council: $3.53 million

Administration: $9.62 million

Utility Billing: $871,045

Finance: $378,000

Human Resources: $1.32 million

Planning: $421,084

Information Technology: $1.11 million

Equipment Maintenance: $257, 526

Police: $4.19 million

Dispatch: $589, 504

Fire: $2.91 million

Stormwater: $45,000

Building Services: $507, 446

Streets: $996, 097

Economic Development: $77,000

Library: $371, 701

Parks & Facilities: $850,506

The remaining monies necessary for the 2017-2018 budget comes from other funding sources, including state revenues, franchise fees, utility fees and grants.

That includes a loan of more than $7 million for the construction of the new City Hall, which has been carried over from last year. The loan amount will be paid on an annual basis from Penny for Pasco revenues.

The budget did not include capital funding for the anticipated Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center. However, the architect fee of $50,000 is included in the 2018 budget, paid from park impact fees. The city staff has been working on the tennis center’s design, as well as building construction costs.

An early estimate of the building cost is $2.25 million, while court construction costs are anticipated to be $950,000, to be paid out of park impact fees by District of Abbot Station developer David Waronker. The city still needs to enter into a contract to take ownership of the site and payment of the park impact fees for court construction.

Some other highlights:

A 3 percent increase in salaries and benefits for all employees, at an additional cost of about $300,000
$245,000, up from $211,000, for worker’s compensation from the previous year
$275,000, up from $248,000, for retiree health
$770,000, up from $669,000, for casualty and property insurance
Police overtime is $95,000, up from $75,000, for shift overtime and training programs.
$115,000 is budgeted for animal control, up from $80,000, due to the increase in population
Fire overtime is $110,000, up from $100,000 last year
$880,000 is budgeted for the airport, which also will receive $2.3 million in grant funding for Taxiway B improvements.
$100,000 budgeted to the Utility budget for the engineering and design of a new water and sewer operations building
$43,000 budgeted for a stormwater assessment fee study

Elsewhere, the city council unanimously approved a second reading of an ordinance that raises water and sewer rates for Zephyrhills residents.

That means a 4 percent increase in water rates and an 8 percent increase in sewer rates for all customers each year, for a five-year period, beginning Jan. 1 and running through fiscal 2022.

Plans call for the added revenue to go toward utility operating expenses and $27 million in capital projects planned through fiscal 2022.

As an example, a customer in Zephyrhills using 3,000 gallons of water per month currently sees a bill of $40.03. With the January rate hike, the bill would rise to $43.14, an increase of $3.12. Users of 5,000 gallons per month would see their bills increase from $53.29 to 57.52, an increase of $4.23; while users of 7,500 gallons of water a month would see their bills increase from $73.12 to $78.75, an increase of $5.63.

A recent study conducted by Raftelis Finance Consultants, found that 79 percent of residential customers use 5,000 gallons or less a month.

The city’s last five-year rate hike, approved in 2012, called for a 10 percent hike for the first three years and 5 percent the final two years.

City manager Steve Spina received positive reviews on his annual performance evaluation from the city’s five council members, scoring a 4.62 (out of 5) on the evaluation. (File)

In other action, city manager Steve Spina received overwhelmingly positive reviews on his annual performance evaluation from the city’s five council members.

Spina was scored a 4.62 (out of 5) on the evaluation, which is used to measure the manager’s ability to respond to the needs of individual city council members, and compliance of financial and management duties required by the charter.

The form used for the evaluation is comprehensive and covers many aspects of the city manager’s duties and responsibilities.

Spina essentially was evaluated on personnel skills, relationship with elected officials, personal skills and status, policy execution, reporting, citizen relations, staffing, supervision and community visibility, and so on.

Councilman Ken Compton complimented Spina for serving the city for nearly three decades, for keeping millage rates low, and for leadership in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Council vice president Lance Smith praised Spina for fostering a constructive work environment citywide.

“People aren’t afraid to come up to you even if they don’t agree with what you do, and I think that’s commendable,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, and after it’s all fleshed out, everybody still works together. That’s not easy to do, and I commend you for it.”

Council president Alan Knight, meanwhile, thanked Spina for navigating the city as it continues to grow.

“I can’t tell you how well you’ve gotten us during this ‘explosion.’ You’ve made everything absolutely perfect for us to be able to do some of the things we’ve done,” Knight said.

Last June, the council voted unanimously to increase Spina’s salary by 16 percent, to about $118,000, citing strong job performance as both the interim and permanent city manager after the ouster of former manager Jim Drumm in 2014.

Spina took the job following his own retirement from the position in 2011 after 15 years.

“I couldn’t do the job I do without department heads backing me and supporting me, and being so knowledgeable in their respective fields, and the employees at large,” Spina, addressing the council, said.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Roads ‘finally coming’ to east Pasco

September 27, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

Ongoing road construction translates to “good things” for Pasco County — that was the message that Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley brought to The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s breakfast meeting.

Oakley was the chamber’s featured guest speaker on Sept. 19 at Bayfront Health.

Speaking to a crowd that numbered in the dozens, Oakley provided updates on several priority projects.

Among the projects he discussed:

State Road 56 extension: The $65 million four-lane project — which extends from Meadow Point Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, 6 miles east to U. S. 301 and State Road 41 in Zephyrhills — should be complete within the next 18 months to two years, Oakley said. “You can see that it’s already being worked through, and there’s already lime rock at U.S. 301.”
State Road 54 (Curley Road to Morris Bridge Road): This project involves the widening of State Road 54 from Curley Road to east of Morris Bridge Road. State Road 54 will be widened to six lanes from Curley Road to Foxwood Boulevard and to four lanes from Foxwood Boulevard to Morris Bridge Road. Oakley said utilities are underway, with the right-of-way acquisition process already complete.
Interstate 75 and State Road 56 interchange: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is slated to begin construction sometime next year on a $18.5 million diverging diamond interchange project for the 2.3-mile-long northbound exit. Such projects, according to the website DivergingDiamond.com, are designed to create fewer conflict points when traveling through them, have better sight distance at turns, shorter pedestrian crossings and wrong-way ramps that are extremely difficult to access. “They have one of those in Sarasota now, and it’s working very well,” Oakley said.
Eiland Boulevard: Eiland Boulevard, stretching to Handcart Road, will be repaved, beginning sometime in November. Traffic signals also are coming to the intersections of Eiland and Handcart, and Eiland and Geiger Road.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley was the featured guest speaker at the Dade City Chamber Breakfast on Sept. 19. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Oakley underscored the importance of ongoing road projects in one of the state’s fastest-growing counties, particularly for major events like the annual Kumquat Festival in Dade City, which draws more than 40,000 people.

“They have a hard time getting here, and once they get in here, they have a hard time getting out of here. It’s a fact. The roads don’t allow them to get out,” said Oakley, whose district includes the largest geographic area of the county, stretching from south of Zephyrhills to a portion of Shady Hills west of the Suncoast Parkway.

Pasco, which recently crossed the 500,000-population threshold, now has approximately 505,000 residents.

The figure is estimated to grow to 750,000 people by 2030, and more than 1 million by 2040.

Oakley pointed out the U.S. Department of Transportation has already allocated $350 million for countywide road spending.

“The road construction…is coming finally to our area,” Oakley said. “It’s been my entire lifetime we’ve been here waiting on four-lane roads on (State Road) 52 and other roads for a long time.”

He added: “Those roads are coming, and it’s going to be better, but the problem is we’ve got to walk through all this construction and bear with it for a little while longer.”

Oakley also tackled the ongoing traffic congestion at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54, in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

The interim fix for the intersection, through which nearly 100,000 vehicles travel daily, calls for extending the length of turn lanes at a cost of about $1.5 million. The plan, for eastbound State Road 54 motorists, would extend the length of the right-turn lane from 215 feet to 1,050 feet; extend the inside left-turn lane from 350 feet to 750 feet; and extend the outside left-turn lane to 875 feet.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley addressed the ongoing traffic congestion at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes. ‘It needs 10 lanes,’ he said. (File)

The commissioner served up his own solution: “What needs to be done at (U.S.) 41 and (State Road) 54? It needs 10 lanes. Guess what it takes to get them? All four corners have to be bought in the future, to make that wider, handle that traffic.”

Besides road projects, Oakley updated chamber members on Connected City, a master-planned community in eastern Pasco County that promises the fastest Internet and Wi-Fi speeds in the nation.

At its 50-year build out, Connected City — encompassing about 7,800 acres bordered by Interstate 75, State Road 52, State Road 54, and Curley and Overpass roads — is expected to have more than 96,000 residents within multiple neighborhoods; 37,000 homes and apartments; as many as 7.2 million square feet of employment facilities; and, a role-model reputation for technology innovation.

Oakley said the first phase of Connected City, now being developed on the former Epperson Ranch by Metro Development Group, already has 120 lots finished and 25 families living there, with another 75 lots in the process of being closed.

The initial progress, Oakley said, unexpectedly translated to an additional $2 million in school impact fees for the county this past quarter.

“It’s booming already,” he said of the high-tech community.

“That’s a big infrastructure part of our county. That’s quite a push in the economy and quite a push in homes coming in,” he said.

Published September 27, 2017