The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Crews busy building schools in Pasco

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Wiregrass Elementary School is set to open this fall in Wesley Chapel.

Construction is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school.

That campus is expected to open in 2017-2018.

Construction also has started on a new elementary school that’s also expected to open in 2017-2018 in Bexley Ranch, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

Construction activity is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school. (Images courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Construction activity is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school.
(Images courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Meanwhile, a major renovation project is planned for 2017-2018 at Land O’ Lakes High, on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

In addition to renovating the school, the project calls for adding a wing to increase the school’s capacity.

The district is still considering various options for where Land O’ Lakes High School’s students will be housed during its major renovation.

“Anytime you’re doing construction with students on campus, it gets more expensive. The project takes longer,” Williams said. “It’s harder to do.”

The school district continues to search for a high school site and an elementary site between Sunlake and Mitchell high schools, off of State Road 54.

As the district prepares to open new schools next year, it will begin holding boundary committee meetings in the fall, followed by parent meetings, and then eventually the Pasco County School Board, to determine the boundaries for the new schools.

This is what the new high school being built on Old Pasco Road is expected to look like, at completion. The school initially will be used for a high school and a middle school, because Pasco County Schools needs to accommodate more middle and high school students, but cannot afford to build schools for both.
This is what the new high school being built on Old Pasco Road is expected to look like, at completion. The school initially will be used for a high school and a middle school, because Pasco County Schools needs to accommodate more middle and high school students, but cannot afford to build schools for both.

The new high school is expected to affect the boundaries for Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and potentially Sunlake high schools, Williams said.

The new middle school is expected to affect the boundaries for Weightman, John Long and potentially Rushe middle schools.

The new elementary in Bexley Ranch is expected to affect the boundaries for Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools. Meanwhile, the district may also consider shifting the boundaries between Oakstead and Lake Myrtle elementary schools, to provide additional relief to Oakstead and to help increase Myrtle’s enrollment, since it can accommodate more students, Williams said.

While the district needs new schools to provide a place for students to learn, the practice of drawing boundaries for them always sparks controversy. Passions run high, as parents outline the various problems they envision if their child is reassigned to a new school, or — in some cases — is not. Sometimes the complaints are about academic opportunities, but often they involve daycare or the ability to be involved in school activities.

Published July 27, 2016

 

Bayonet Point’s medical program hits milestone

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Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has graduated its first physician from its internal medicine education program.

Dr. Katie Groff, an Ohio native, was officially recognized at Bayonet Point’s first commencement ceremony for its Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program in Internal Medicine on June 22.

Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother. (Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother.
(Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

In 2013, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) approved Bayonet Point to start an accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Groff joined Bayonet Point as a second-year internal medicine resident in July 2014; she previously was a resident at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania.

“It was an honor to be the first graduate, and be able to grow and work with all the doctors that were so helpful to me, teaching me everything,” Groff said. “I think that being a part of the new program was a unique experience that not everyone gets.”

Groff, now working as a hospitalist at Bayonet Point, said her middle school anatomy classes first piqued her interest in pursuing a medical career.

While she acknowledged the residency consisted of a demanding work schedule, she pointed out her two years in the program went quickly.

“Even though it was long hours, it wasn’t as terrible as it sounds,” said Groff, who lived in Spring Hill throughout her residency. “There was a bunch of residents that I became really good friends with.”

Adhering to a well-rounded lifestyle helped, too.

“My No. 1 piece of advice would be to keep a balanced life,” Groff said. “You don’t want it to totally be about medicine, because otherwise you’ll start to resent it. Keep your hobbies, and keep your friends and family close.”

Dr. Joseph Pino, chief medical officer at Bayonet Point, referred to the commencement ceremony as a “milestone” for the medical center and its upstart GME program.

“It was the culmination of a lot of effort,” said Pino, a primary care physician for more than 30 years.

Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.
Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.

Six more residents are on track to graduate from the program in 2017, said Pino, who joined Bayonet Point in December of 2013.

Residents train on general medicine teams and specialty services, including the emergency room, which is a Level II trauma center — the only one in Pasco or Hernando counties. Moreover, the hospital has 290 licensed beds, including 70 critical care beds.

According to the Florida Department of Health, there is a critical statewide need for physicians.

A study by the American Medical Association shows nearly 30 percent of Florida’s physicians are at least 60 years old, but roughly only 10 percent of the physicians in the state are under the age of 35. The study suggests that without an influx of younger doctors, the state’s demand for physicians will even further outpace the current supply rate.

“There’s not enough physicians in training programs throughout the state to accommodate residents, and not enough places to accommodate people who need medical care,” Pino said.

The medical center recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents, bringing the GME physician total to 30. Pino said he expects future classes to hover around the same figure, but added Bayonet Point may introduce more specialty graduate programs in the future.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, known for its nationally acclaimed heart institute, has more than 350 physicians, 900 employees and 500 volunteers on its integrated health care delivery team.

Published July 27, 2016

From Dade City, making Gator history

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Stipulated: Father-son combinations are scarcely so rare as to be particularly newsworthy in and of themselves. We’ve had father-son presidents of the United States, twice, and fathers have been handing off everything from international corporations to small family businesses almost since the idea of commerce emerged.

How ancient? The Abraham of Genesis begat the business of building great nations to Isaac and, if unwittingly, Ishmael.

Len Johnson, standing, and Hjalma Johnson are the first father-son presidents of Gators Boosters Inc., the fundraising arm of the University of Florida’s athletic association. (Tom Jackson/Photo)
Len Johnson, standing, and Hjalma Johnson are the first father-son presidents of Gators Boosters Inc., the fundraising arm of the University of Florida’s athletic association.
(Tom Jackson/Photo)

All of that is prelude to establish this: My deep roots in the University of Florida’s Gator Nation notwithstanding, I wouldn’t argue the newsworthiness of the following extension of the father-son tradition unless it were genuinely unique.

And, it is.

A couple of months ago, Len Johnson, 59, the Dade City-reared lawyer, became the 35th president of Gator Boosters Inc., the 14,000-member fundraising arm of The University Athletic Association Inc.

Len’s dad, the peripatetic Hjalma (pronounced “yomma,” rhymes with “comma”), whose reputation for joyful tears has made him the Fountain of Triple J. Ranch, was the group’s president during 2006-07 — undeniably the best year in University of Florida athletic history, if not the best year in the history of any big-college athletic program. And at a buoyant 81, Hjalma has a diamond-encrusted championship ring sandwich— a national football title between back-to-back basketball crowns — to show for it.

Still, we promised uniqueness, and we shall not disappoint: For all the legacy families tied to UF that have been prominent in Florida’s economy, politics and history, the Johnsons of Dade City are the first father-son presidents of Gator Boosters Inc. The absolute first.

And, to think Len’s old man once tried to scuttle this first-of-its-kind legacy. (OK, not really, but it makes an inviting tale.)

When the moment arrived a couple of years back to line up the president for 2016-17, executives and officers polled a key sample of the membership for a slate of candidates. On the appointed day for assembling the electors — most at UF’s athletic offices in Gainesville, some, like Hjalma, joining by speaker phone — then-President Rex Farrior III, the Tampa attorney/investor. Farrior, a one-time New York Yankees minor leaguer and former area youth sports star, declared only one name had been placed in nomination: Double-Gator Leonard H. Johnson, who earned UF degrees in business administration (1978) and law (1980).

At his office-shrine off the U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City, Hjalma could hear murmurings of cheer accompanied by the approving rapping of knuckles on the boardroom table. Even as his heart swelled and his eyes puddled, Hjalma couldn’t resist playing the imp.

“Before you make a hasty decision,” the old Gator (industrial engineering degree, 1958) interjected with a teasing wink that was almost audible, “I want the board to know I have a lengthy c.v. (curriculum vitae, or life resume) on this Johnson fellow, and I’d like all the members to review it before they take a vote they might come to regret.”

“Hold it right there,” Farrior, 30 years Johnson’s junior, said from Gainesville, his voice crackling over the speaker phone in Dade City. “I’m going to say something to you I’ve been waiting nearly 10 years to say. Hjalma … you’re overruled.”

With that, the deed was done. Len Johnson, son of the weeping orator, became by acclamation president-elect.

Days later, Hjalma rang up Executive Assistant Rebecca Mahony, the group’s unofficial historian, wondering how long it would take to compile a list of all previous father-son Gator Boosters presidents.

“Not long,” Mahony replied. “In fact, I can give it to you right now. You and Len are it. It’s never happened before.”

Cue tears.

The president’s duties are substantially, but not entirely, ceremonial. As president of “The Team Behind the Teams,” Johnson is, in many ways, the head of the UF athletic program’ chamber of commerce. He’ll be part of on-field and on-court ceremonies, such as the one when Florida Field is officially renamed for Len’s first Gator hero, Steve Spurrier, the Heisman Trophy winner and legendary football coach.

Len also will be among the ribbon-cutters when the Stephen C. O’ Connell Center — home to the Gators’ indoor sports — reopens in December after a $64.5 million renovation, two-thirds of it financed by Gator Boosters efforts.

But, his prime directive is spearheading the group’s expansionist ambitions. Not that 14,000 reliable contributors — about 750 of them annual $15,000 “Bull Gators” — is small swamp cabbage. However, says Len, “We need to have 50,000. We need to increase the number who identify with the university at whatever level” they can muster, who will say, with their checkbooks, “Yeah, I’m a Gator.”

It’s an uphill climb, Len concedes, in an era when network contracts broadcast almost every game into the homes of fans where, “they have 70-inch high-def TVs, comfortable couches and the beer’s cheap.

“Support slips, when attendance falls, and that’s across the [Southeastern Conference],” he adds, increasing the challenge for a group that raises about $60 million a year.

While noting the clear differences between the son, known for stoicism and a dry wit, and his ebullient dad, Rex Farrior III is confident about the group’s leader, calling him “solid and methodical.” Len Johnson, Farrior says, sticks to his task even in the midst of upheaval.

Farrior’s confidence is sure to be tested, with two second-year coaches overseeing the university’s highest-profile sports and the pending retirement of long-serving Athletic Director Jeremy Foley.

On the other paw, all that change might herald the approach of opportunity. If it comes, new Gator Boosters President Len Johnson, the arid-cheeked first of his kind, should be uniquely qualified to tackle it.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published July 27, 2016

Grilling up delicious and nutritious foods

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When you think of summer fun and food, you usually think of cooking outside in the backyard, at a campground, or even the beach.

As you know, in Florida, the weather doesn’t always cooperate, so grilling indoors is another good option.

Indoor electric grills have been around for well over a decade.

The first to emerge was the contact grill style, with heat being provided by a top and bottom hinged grill, and so it cooked more quickly. This type of grill can be used to grill Panini sandwiches, too. Some of these grills even flip over to convert to a flat grill, to cook griddle style. As this style of grill evolved, manufacturers realized how important it was for the surfaces to be detachable so they could easily be washed, by hand or in a dishwasher.

The open grill style is more of a mini-version of the outdoor grill that can be used inside, but does not use charcoal or gas. It uses electricity. Some of these come with a lid which gives you more cooking options. Heat comes from the one-sided grilling surface, so foods have to be flipped. It takes longer to cook with this kind of grill than it does with a contact grill.

Whether you cook indoors or out, be sure to keep your food safe.

During these hot summer months, cooking outside on the grill poses some additional challenges.

Remember, when it is 90 degrees out, you have just an hour to eat or store your food, or you’ll need to discard it.

If eating inside, you have a 2-hour window.

Summer grilling provides a great opportunity to enjoy heart-healthy foods, by adding more poultry and seafood into your diet. Think about cooking chicken or shrimp kabobs to add more fresh fruits and veggies in your diet, too.

If you like the flavor combination of lemon and pepper, you should enjoy at least one of the following recipes.

Salmon or chicken? You choose.

Cooking times will need to be adjusted, based on the grilling method you use. Using an instant-read/meat thermometer will tell you exactly when the food is done.

Lemon-Pepper Salmon
Ingredients:
6 (6 oz. each) salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick, with skin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
6 Tablespoons lemon-pepper butter (recipe below)

Preparation:
Prepare outdoor grill for grilling (medium-hot charcoal or if using gas – moderate heat and covered). If indoor-electric, prepare according to manufacturer’s directions.

Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Grill flesh-side down, on a lightly oiled grill rack or pan/electric grill surface, for approximately 4 minutes. Turn over and repeat grilling for another 4 minutes to 6 minutes, until the salmon is done.

The safe minimum internal temperature for cooked fish is 145°F. Use an instant-read/meat thermometer to check. When it is done, the fish will be opaque and will flake easily with a fork. When using indoor grills, be sure to look for signs of doneness, and check the internal temperature, so you don’t overcook the fish.

Spread 1 Tablespoon prepared butter sauce on each fillet and sprinkle with zest.

Makes 6 servings.

Lemon-Pepper Butter Sauce
Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:
Add ingredients to blender/food processor. Blend for approximately 30 seconds. This can be made the day before, put into a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator. Stir before using.

Lemon-Pepper Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt

3 pounds of chicken pieces (legs and thighs work well – remove skin to reduce calories/fat)

Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients (except chicken) until well-blended. Pour marinade into large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.

Prepare outdoor grill for grilling (medium-hot charcoal or if using gas – moderate heat and covered). If indoor-electric, prepare according to manufacturer’s directions.

Drain chicken, discard marinade. Place chicken on outdoor grill (or use grill rack), skin-side up.  Grill covered, over indirect medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn and grill another 15 minutes to 20 minutes longer until done. The safe minimum internal temperature for cooked poultry is 165°F. Use an instant-read/meat thermometer in the thickest part. For a nice white, fall-off-the-bone finished product, you may want to cook as high as 180F. Using an indoor grill may require shorter cooking times: 10 minutes to 12 minutes each side if using an open electric grill, an even shorter 4 minutes to 6 minutes each side when using a contact grill; so be sure to check the temperature often. Please remember that boneless pieces cook faster than bone-in pieces

Makes 6 servings.

Betsy Crisp is an Extension Family & Consumer Sciences agent and a licensed dietitian for the University of Florida/IFAS. She is based in Pasco County and can be reached at ten.lfytnuococsap@psircm.

Published July 27, 2016

 

American Legion seeking Saturday meeting place

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The Lutz/Land O’ Lakes American Legion Post 108 has a dilemma.

The post decided to have afternoon meetings because many of its members were unable to attend evening meetings due to night vision problems, said Ray Mason, post commander.

Having meetings during the day, however, cut into the post’s ability to attract new members because they have to work, Mason said.

To try to solve the problem, the post is thinking about moving its meeting to the weekend.

“I’ve been all over this little city trying to get a meeting on Saturday,” Mason said.

The post draws members from an area that’s generally between Interstate 75 and Gunn Highway, from Bearss Avenue to State Road 52.

As one of their activities, post members mark the graves of veterans at the Lutz Cemetery as an act of remembrance and of respect every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

To generate attention for the post, Mason also has received permission from the fire marshal and the Pasco County Commission to begin conducting flag retirement ceremonies, which it plans to start in the fall.

Anyone who wishes to retire their flag properly can drop it off at Harvey’s Hardware at 5400 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Call (813) 996-2400 for store hours.

The flag retirement ceremonies will take place periodically, when enough flags have been collected, Mason said. If you would like anymore information about Post 108 or have a space the group may be able to use for its meetings, please call Mason at (813) 957-2211, or email him at .

Revised July 22, 2016

Open house set for watershed master plan

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People who want to learn more about the Cypress Creek Watershed Master Plan and drainage projects are invited to an open house on July 26 at 6:30 p.m., at the Lutz Civic Center, 98 First Ave., N.W., in Lutz.

This graphic illustrates the Cypress Creek Watershed, which lies in the northern portion of Hillsborough County and in the southern portion of Pasco County. The 33-square-mile section of the watershed located within Hillsborough County is generally bordered by U.S. 41 and Interstate 75. (Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County)
This graphic illustrates the Cypress Creek Watershed, which lies in the northern portion of Hillsborough County and in the southern portion of Pasco County. The 33-square-mile section of the watershed located within Hillsborough County is generally bordered by U.S. 41 and Interstate 75.
(Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County)

The meeting will include a brief presentation by representatives of the Hillsborough County Public Works department.

There also will be informative displays about the $290,000 master plan study.

Leland Dicus, a section engineering services manager for Hillsborough County, said the final plan will incorporate public input.

“We’re looking for feedback from the residents and the property owners within the watershed,” Dicus said. “What we’re showing in the master plan update will reflect what (residents) have seen as far as flooding in the area.

“We looked back at the flooding complaints we’ve received…and those were some of the areas that we took a look at in the master plan updates,” he said.

During the open house, residents will also be able to provide comments about proposed updates to the watershed’s hydrology and hydraulics (H&H) model, and conceptual recommended flood control projects.

Dicus said the public works department currently has identified seven potential watershed drainage projects to alleviate future flooding problems.

A watershed is considered to be an area of land where water flows across, as it moves toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.

This is a portion of the Cypress Creek Watershed. A 2011 study by the Hillsborough County Public Works department shows the watershed has a history of flooding problems.
This is a portion of the Cypress Creek Watershed. A 2011 study by the Hillsborough County Public Works department shows the watershed has a history of flooding problems.

The Cypress Creek Watershed area, generally bordered by U.S. 41 and Interstate 75, drains an area of approximately 33 square miles in Hillsborough County. The watershed management plan was completed in 2000 by URS Corporation Southern.

The Cypress Creek Watershed master plan — part of the Countywide Watershed update —ultimately provides Hillsborough County with information on flooding within the area. The plan includes an updated H&H model that is used by the county, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and local developers for project analysis and permitting. It will also identify flood prone areas, and develop conceptual projects and cost estimates to solve flooding issues.

A 2011 study by the county’s public works department showed the watershed has a history of flooding problems, particularly during the 2004 hurricane season.

The study also indicated that residential development in northward rural portions of the watershed is impacting runoff and drainage patterns.

Hillsborough County is updating the master plan for the Cypress Creek Watershed; a final report is expected later this year.
Hillsborough County is updating the master plan for the Cypress Creek Watershed; a final report is expected later this year.

Dicus said information from the study has been used to calibrate an updated watershed model for the master plan.

“We compare the level of flooding to the model with what our standard is for street flooding, and that identifies the areas that don’t meet the county standards,” Dicus said. “We update these models on a routine basis, especially in areas where there’s development occurring, so we can ensure that the model currently reflects the land use and how the stormwater system works.”

The watershed master plan process began in late 2013; a final report with recommended flood relief projects is expected to be complete later this year.

This project is being funded through the Stormwater Fee Capital Improvement Program; the Southwest Florida Water Management District is cooperatively funding the project at 50 percent.

Questions about the meeting may be directed to the county’s Citizen Engagement office at (813) 272-5275.

Published July 20, 2016

Catch a litterbug, get a reward

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Pasco County residents can now earn a little cash and help the county clean up at the same time.

Pasco County has announced a new program that provides $50 rewards to those who help the county identify and catch litterbugs.

Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs. (Courtesy of Pasco County)
Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

The reward goes to individuals who provide information that leads to charges and fines against someone caught littering or illegally dumping.

“We have a real problem with littering and dumping in the right of way,” said Mike Garrett, the county’s public works director.

A county crew now spends at least one day a week picking up trash including televisions, furniture, tires and mattresses.

Pasco County commissioners approved the reward program at their July 12 meeting.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “Anything that can curb dumping in the county, I’m all for it. Hopefully, it will work.”

Funding for rewards will come from fines collected from successful prosecutions.

The county currently has 15 outstanding cases that could produce a total of $7,000 in fines. The maximum fine is $500.

The public works department launched its efforts to curb litter and dumping in 2011. Since then, 33 cases of illegal dumping have produced about $8,400 in fines.

However, the county only receives the fines when cases are settled before referral to court. That’s precisely what county officials hope residents can help them accomplish.

Three years ago, the county began placing cameras in certain locations to catch people engaged in illegal dumping.

In one case, the county taped a man dropping a small bundle of newspapers and magazines on the roadside. While the camera captured his license plate, which was traced to Hernando County, the address wasn’t good, Garrett said.

Another man unloaded the bed of a truck that was filled with tree limbs and debris. The man kept looking around him to see if anyone was watching, then he scampered back into the truck’s cab and drove off.

County officials want help in identifying and locating him.

Videos on both cases currently are posted on YouTube.com. They can be found under Pasco County Illegal Dumping Case SR 1330 and SR1334.

In the future, the county plans to televise three to four videos on its own website of people caught in the act. A hotline number for tips will be provided, too.

Currently, residents can call with tips and information at (727) 274-3611.

Published July 20, 2016

Zephyrhills to get $6 million City Hall

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The Zephyrhills City Council has approved an agreement with an architectural firm based on plans for a new $6 million city hall.

Council members voted unanimously on July 11 to approve a $590,900 contract with the architecture firm Harvard Jolly, to help design the two-story building.

The Zephyrhills City Council hired architecture firm Harvard Jolly to help design a new City Hall. The new building is expected to be 16,000 square feet and cost about $6 million. Shown here is the current City Hall building. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)
The Zephyrhills City Council hired architecture firm Harvard Jolly to help design a new City Hall. The new building is expected to be 16,000 square feet and cost about $6 million. Shown here is the current City Hall building.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The city’s agreement with the St. Petersburg firm is based on a preliminary estimate of $6 million to construct the 16,000-square-foot building that would replace the existing City Hall at 5335 Eighth St. The new facility would be about 5,000 square feet larger than the current 11,000-square-foot building.

Under terms of the agreement, Harvard Jolly will oversee the design phase of the project, and also will be involved throughout the construction process — even after the city hires a construction manager.

The new facility is expected to take about two years to complete, which incorporates about nine months of design and 12 months of construction.

Over the next few months, the firm will work closely with the city to gather input on schematic designs and renderings for the facility.

“It’s an interactive process,” said Ward Friszoloeski, Harvard Jolly’s executive vice president.

The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., was designed by Harvard Jolly in 2013. (Courtesy of Pasco County Libraries)
The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., was designed by Harvard Jolly in 2013.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Libraries)

Construction of the new structure likely will take place in the parking lot of the existing City Hall, following the approach used in the construction of the new Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St.

“If we do (build) it in the parking lot, then we won’t have to move or relocate, and we can just go from one building to the next,” said City Manager Steve Spina.

Councilman Charles Proctor also noted: “We could save a lot of money if we don’t have to move (operations) into another project.”

City officials previously identified several locations throughout the city to house a new City Hall, one of which is the soon-closing 20,000-square-foot SunTrust Bank branch on Gall Boulevard.

“Generally speaking, we think it could cost as much as a new building, plus the purchase of the property,” Spina said. “There is interest in it, but from a general purpose point, we would have to spend more time and money to look into it, and coordinate a decision. There’s a lot of unknowns in when it would be available, how much it’s for sale, and the actual condition of the building.”

The new City Hall is expected to have a modernized brick and stone exterior. The building’s interior is likely to feature more open workspaces and multifunctional meeting rooms, which can flexibly be used to accommodate public events.

One idea also pondered by council members was the housing of a retail coffee shop, such as a Starbucks, within the new City Hall.

“I like the idea of…making this building big enough for a coffee shop; just because other (city governments) aren’t doing it, what’s wrong with building a coffee shop?” Proctor said. “That could be the wave of the future and (create) some small revenue to cover some costs of City Hall.”

A new City Hall building will mark the second major project Harvard Jolly has designed for the city in recent years.

In 2013, Harvard Jolly was hired to help design the public library. The firm later faced scrutiny over the project’s escalating costs.

At the time, the firm presented the council with an 8,500-square-foot facility for $1.7 million, but overall costs ended up totaling $2.26 million, a 33 percent increase from what the council originally agreed upon.

To prevent a similar instance from occurring, the City Hall design agreement includes a clause that requires the firm to provide a maximum price for the project.

“I think we’re all in agreement that we do need a new City Hall,” said council vice president Alan Knight. “We just want to make sure we get our i’s dotted and our t’s crossed, and make sure this one is done extremely right.”

On April 1, Harvard Jolly was chosen as the top-rated firm to design the new City Hall building, based on responses to the city’s request for proposals.

“We felt like we set the tempo with the library…and with the proximity, you can start creating a good complex here,” Friszoloeski said, addressing the council.

Cost breakdown Harvard Jolly Architecture services
Total: $590,900
$451,500 for basic architectural/engineering services
$5,000 for program verification
$72,500 for civil engineering and permitting
$21,500 for landscape and irrigation design
$22,400 for interior design
$18,000 for furniture selection

Published July 20, 2016

 

Helpers needed for Stuff the Bus

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Efforts are under way to collect and distribute school supplies to Pasco County teachers through the sixth annual Stuff the Bus campaign.

The goal is to provide supplies to fulfill requests by Pasco County teachers.

“Over 1,000 teachers have signed up for their supplies,” Melinda Velez, manager of Community Impact Initiatives for the United Way of Pasco, said via email.

“We are in need of volunteers for many shifts,” she added.

It takes a lot of boxes to pack up the supplies that are collected each year through the annual Stuff the Bus, as shown in this photo taken during last year’s packing efforts at Sunlake High School. This year, more than 1,000 Pasco County teachers have signed up to receive free supplies. (Courtesy of United Way of Pasco)
It takes a lot of boxes to pack up the supplies that are collected each year through the annual Stuff the Bus, as shown in this photo taken during last year’s packing efforts at Sunlake High School. This year, more than 1,000 Pasco County teachers have signed up to receive free supplies.
(Courtesy of United Way of Pasco)

Besides helping teachers, the annual campaign provides a good way for students to get volunteer hours, and it’s a great family friendly volunteer project, Velez says.

The effort requires volunteers to help with the pack, sort and distribution duties.

Donations will be accepted from July 29 through July 31, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

They will be collected at these Walmart sites: Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in Lutz, State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills; U.S. 19 in Hudson, State Road 54 in New Port Richey and U.S. 19 in Port Richey.

Items that are needed include No. 2 pencils, mechanical pencils, crayons, red and blue pens, washable markers, permanent markers, highlighters, rulers, spiral notebooks, dry erase markers, glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, pencil cap erasers, binders and composition notebooks.

At the donation sites, volunteers will:

  • Hand out a shopping supply list
  • Collect school supply donations
  • Stuff the donations in the bus
  • Help to sort and organize the supplies in the bus

The volunteer shifts at the donation sites are for three hours, either from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., or from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

This work will be done outdoors, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and wear sunscreen and a hat. It’s also a good idea to bring a cooler to keep your drinks cold. Water bottles will be provided on the bus.

Packing and sorting will be from Aug. 1 through Aug. 3.

Volunteers signing up to help with packing and distribution will work in four-hour shifts at Ridgewood High School, at 7650 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey. The work will be done indoors, in the school’s cafeteria and media center.

For more information, go to Facebook.com/UnitedWayPasco. If you’d like to help, visit tiny.cc/2016StuffTheBus.

Published July 20, 2016

Protecting Northeast Pasco’s rural nature

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More than a decade ago, Pasco County adopted a future land use goal of preserving the character of what is dubbed its “northeast rural area.” Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, the Green Swamp, State Road 52 and the Hernando County line define the area’s borders.

Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

While there’s a goal on the books, there’s currently no ordinance that puts regulations in place to accomplish it.

But, that is about to change.

On July 12, Pasco County commissioners had a public hearing on a rural protection ordinance that, if approved, would create an overlay district and govern residential development involving three houses, or more.

The proposed ordinance also sets lighting standards and prohibits mining or development activities that would lop off the tops of hillsides or destroy vistas.

A separate ordinance would deal with commercially zoned properties and the county’s designated areas for employment centers, which are generally found along U.S. 301.

Richard Riley, who lives in the community of Trilby, gave a power point presentation during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Matthew Armstrong, executive planner, and Justyna Buszewski, planner II, of the Pasco County Planning Division, explain some of the conditions proposed in the rural protection ordinance.
Matthew Armstrong, executive planner, and Justyna Buszewski, planner II, of the Pasco County Planning Division, explain some of the conditions proposed in the rural protection ordinance.

“Everything up here is photogenic,” said Riley, a freelance photographer who has done work for various publications, including The Laker/Lutz News.

“It’s wonderful to be here,” Riley added.

Though the ordinance isn’t perfect, Riley said, “We’re supportive of most of the parts of the ordinance. We’re trying our best to get something on the books.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said the ordinance was in “pretty good shape,” but he expressed concerns about regulations on landscaping.

Specifically, he challenged trees as allowable buffers along scenic corridors, potentially blocking out the vistas the ordinance is meant to protect.

If the intent is to protect vistas, Schrader said, “That doesn’t accomplish that.”

County planners said they were trying to give developers and landowners options on buffering, but would look at tweaking the ordinance.

The final public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published July 20, 2016