The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Water still the primary gold standard in Zephyrhills

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Long before there was a Zephyrhills, and even before there was a Pasco County, people would journey through the dense, dangerous Florida forests to find a small oasis near the headwaters of the Hillsborough River.

There they could find plenty of fresh, clean water bubbling up from the ground, always at a refreshing 72 degrees.

Kent Koptiuch is one of more than 11 natural resource managers Nestle Waters North America has hired to help maintain good water quality nationwide, while protecting natural resources like Crystal Springs just outside of Zephyrhills. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Kent Koptiuch is one of more than 11 natural resource managers Nestle Waters North America has hired to help maintain good water quality nationwide, while protecting natural resources like Crystal Springs just outside of Zephyrhills.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

The waters at Crystal Springs may not have had the healing and restorative powers some believed at the time, but it was certainly quite tasty. And by the time Zephyrhills itself was founded in 1910, the area already had a reputation for some of the best water in the state.

So it’s no wonder a businessman named Don Robinson saw the potential of turning that water into more than just a local commodity in the early 1960s, and Zephyrhills bottled water was born.

Today, hundreds of thousands of gallons of that commodity is shipped throughout the state. The plant, off 20th Street and Alston Avenue in Zephyrhills owned by Nestle Waters North America, employs 250 people making an annual average wage of $46,000. Another 900 more people or so have jobs related to the operation around Florida.

“It’s a great economic driver, but it’s also a great story for Zephyrhills to tell, and one it has told for decades,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

This year, Zephyrhills bottled water celebrates its 50th anniversary, continuing to put this small city of nearly 14,000 people it borrowed its name from on the map. Local historian and retired educator Madonna Wise remembers the first time she saw Zephyrhills water after moving to the area in the early 1970s.

“The whole phenomenon of bottled water was developed more in the 1990s, but I do recall a lot of businesses before that having that big bottle and drinking station,” she said. “Even then, you would pull out a small paper cup to get a little bit to drink, and it was fresh water from a place just down the road.”

The spring water operation of Zephyrhills requires an average of about 650,000 gallons of water per day from Crystal Springs, said Kent Koptiuch, a natural resource manager with Zephyrhills parent company Nestle Waters. It’s shipped directly from the spring on a more than three-mile journey in an underground 10-inch diameter stainless steel pipe.

Once it arrives at the plant, it goes through a complex purification and packaging process — but it can be ready to ship in less than 15 minutes.

“I grew up in the country, and we would drink our water out of a hose as kids,” Koptiuch said. “But if you look at history — especially ancient European, Asian and African history — people have been bottling water for thousands of years.”

Of course, those methods would have been in goatskins or sheep stomachs … not exactly the most appetizing way to make water portable.

“They didn’t have plastic bottles, but they still had to travel, and they had to carry water somehow,” Koptiuch said.

The springs naturally push out an average of 35 million gallons of water per day, literally turning a small stream near the site into the Hillsborough River.

While people no longer visited the springs hoping to be cured of ailments, Crystal Springs was a popular local recreational attraction for decades. However, when landowner Robert Thomas closed the springs in 1996, some residents in the 150 homes near the springs were outraged. They fought for years to reopen the springs to the public, and even tried to block Nestle’s ability to extract water from the site.

Today, the only remnant of those recreational days is a set of cement steps leading into part of the pooled water. The rest of the springs have been restored to their natural state and deeded over to an organization known as the Crystal Springs Foundation that created the Crystal Springs Preserve.

More than 50,000 students ranging in age from elementary school to college visit the springs every year. An indoor classroom nearby teaches them all about the environment, and even water ecology. And small wooden bridges give visitors a chance to see where the springs and the Hillsborough River interconnect.

“The most students we get are fourth- and fifth-graders,” Koptiuch said. “Our focus is to educate the youth because they are going to be our future leaders.”

Zephyrhills has been the “City of Pure Water” long before the bottling plant existed, but the business has helped solidify that slogan and made it even easier to market the city as a whole, the chamber’s Mikkelsen said.

“It’s an international brand anchored right here in Zephyrhills,” she said. “It’s clean manufacturing, and very high-tech. It’s exactly the kind of company you want to have, and we’re very fortunate that we already have them.”

Published August 20, 2014

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Metal detective sees beyond rusted bits of iron

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To a casual observer, the rusted railroad ties, old bits of metal, and scraps of steel may seem like stuff that should be carted off to a junkyard.

But for Tom Harden, these bits of rusted metal unearth stories of days gone by.

Tom Harden enjoys showing off items from his collection, and talking about the places where he found them and how the objects were used. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Tom Harden enjoys showing off items from his collection, and talking about the places where he found them and how the objects were used.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Harden, who is president of the West State Archeological Society, can pick up a rusted railroad spike and tell you about the trains that used to rumble down tracks in Lutz and Odessa, carrying lumber harvested from those communities.

He can hold old metal buttons — taken from a wooden “treasure box” — and recount how they popped off the dungarees of mill workers, and over time, were buried beneath the soil. He can show off a flattened shotgun shell casing that he estimates was fired somewhere around the 1870s.

With these metal props, Harden spins tales about the days when lumber was king in northern Hillsborough and central Pasco counties.

“A lot of the railroads that we have here would serve a lot of the logging towns,” Harden said, crediting much of his knowledge about the area to local history books written by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus and her daughter, Susan MacManus. Harden also credits accounts shared in “The History of Keystone, Odessa and Citrus,” a local history book edited by Henry C. Binder, a longtime civic activist.

Harden has spent decades hunting for treasures and finding clues that unlock the stories of men and women who settled here, worked here, had their families here, and moved on or were buried here, too. Equipped with a metal detector, he walks about easements of public roadways, or on occasions where he has permission, scouts out freshly dug construction sites, or on private lands.

He has a waterproof detector that he takes to the beach.

When Harden’s not actively detecting, he enjoys going to flea markets and swap meets to find items to add to his collection.

He has a penchant for signs, which decorate fences and buildings in his backyard. He also enjoys looking at artifacts from the past.

One of his most treasured finds is a historic photograph of the Dowling Mill in Odessa, at the northeast corner of Gunn Highway and State Road 54. He was so excited when he ran across that, Harden said he would have paid $100 for it. But it was priced at $35 and he managed to negotiate that down to $25.

Harden’s interest in treasure hunting began when he was a wee lad, and his fascination for history began early, too.

“I grew up in South Carolina,” he said, a place steeped in Civil War history.

Metal detecting came into his life during the Civil War’s centennial, which was commemorated from the late 1950s to early 1960s. A lot of people were getting into searching for objects from the war, and Harden joined in.

When he’s out with his detector, Harden occasionally finds a piece of jewelry or some coins. He also finds remnants of an earlier time — such as rusted parts of old machinery and other stuff of everyday life.

For instance, Harden has some old rusted irons. He picked one up and explained how they would “heat up the stove and set that rascal on the top and then, when it was all ready, they would press clothes with that. That was really labor intensive.”

But, he noted, “People paid attention to those details. They didn’t have the fabrics that we have today.”

He grabbed a trio of ax heads: “You will find these in the logging camps.”

But that’s not the only place. “You’ll find them elsewhere because people had to chop their wood,” Harden said. “They didn’t have the utilities that we have today.”

He has covers from old wood stoves, valves from steam engines, and parts of rakes, shovels, flywheels, and boilers.

As Harden talked about the history of Odessa, Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, he painted vivid pictures of life during the mill heydays.

“They would send the timber cruiser,” Harden said. “He would go out in the woods and mark pine that was worth cutting to bring back to the mill. Then you would get the logging crews that would go out there.

“A lot of the lumber businesses, especially the smaller ones, the ones you would see out here, just north on (U.S.) 41, in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, and operating out of the forests to the east and west of 41. They might have mules that would skid the logs out, and they’d bring them up. There would be like portable sawmills.”

After the mills were gone, people took up citrus farming, Harden said. Many of those groves have since succumbed to blight, disease, winter freezes or residential development.

Subdivisions now stand where the scent of orange blossoms once perfumed the air.

Harden enjoys sharing the joy of discovery that can accompany metal detecting.

“When people go out and detect, I always tell them, ‘Dig up the iron. You never know what you’re going to find,’” Harden said.

It doesn’t even take a special trip to find interesting objects in the ground, Harden added.

“When you’re planting the plant in the ground or hoeing the row to plant the tomatoes, or whatever you’re going to plant — you might turn up that old iron object and wonder, ‘What is this? Where did it come from?’”

Anyone who wants to know more about metal detecting is welcome to come to a club meeting to find out more, Harden said.

“The club’s open to anyone who has an interest,” he said. “Guys, gals, children.”

He encourages people to come for a visit. Like him, they may just get hooked.

“It’s fun,” Harden said.

The West State Archeological Society meets the last Tuesday of each month at the Forest Hills Recreation Center, at 724 W. 109th Ave., in Tampa. Doors open at 7 p.m. The meeting runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Club fees are $25 a year per family.

Published August 20, 2014

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Innovation yields national award for Saint Leo University

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Two librarians at the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library at Saint Leo University have received national recognition for an innovative program they created.

Jackie Bryan and Elana Karshmer recently returned from the American Library Association’s national conference in Las Vegas where they received the inaugural award for innovation in instructional programming.

Jackie Bryan, left, and Elana Karshmer recently received a national award for their innovative approach for teaching university students how to use the resources available at the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library at Saint Leo University. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Jackie Bryan, left, and Elana Karshmer recently received a national award for their innovative approach for teaching university students how to use the resources available at the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library at Saint Leo University.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The award stems from a program the pair put together to help students effectively navigate the university’s library, learn about its resources, and meet its staff. They based it on the 1960s television series “Mission Impossible,” Karshmer said.

They called their project, “Mission Impossible: Free Fritz.”

“The whole point of this mission in the library was to go to different stations that we set up where they would actually practice information literacy skills, and then if they successfully completed those skills, they would get a letter,” Karshmer explained.

When they obtained enough letters to spell a particular word, it would free Fritz, Saint Leo’s mascot.

As students made their way through the stations, they completed challenges and had a chance to have fun, intended to reinforce the lesson they learned. In the upstairs stacks, for instance, students had to find a book. Once they found it, they hula-hooped, to reinforce the idea that the volume came from the library’s circulating collection.

The librarians conducted research and borrowed ideas from other places when they were creating their program, said Bryan, who is a reference and instructional services librarian as well as an associate professor.

“Gamification is a trend now in higher ed,” she said.

“A lot of these things are out of (kindergarten through 12th grade). They’ve been doing it forever,” said Karshmer, an instruction program and information literary librarian, as well as an associate professor.

It took several weeks to design the program, which included a number of games and a pair of videos. One video explained what the students would be doing in the library. The other covered the research process.

After watching the video about research, students visited the library and used the catalog, the databases and the library website.

The project reflects the university’s desire to help students get the best use of the university’s resources, Bryan said. Learning how to use the library when they start college helps give them a solid footing.

“It really sets the foundation for the rest of their academic career,” she said. “They may think they know how to find information, but there are so many skills that we can teach them to help find the correct information they need and how to evaluate it, as well.”

It can also help transfer skills to other subjects. Students who learn how to use a database for English, for instance, can apply those same skills for research in other disciplines.

Those skills are valuable beyond college, Bryan added.

“Say you’re doing a project for some company you’re working for, and you have access to the public library. These are still skills you can use,” Karshmer said. “And, you’ll want to use them because people are going to expect you to be able to find high-quality information no matter what you’re doing.”

Many students know how to conduct Internet searches, but haven’t learned how to do scholarly research, Bryan said.

“They’ll take the first results when they do a search, instead of drilling down,” Bryan said. It’s also important to know how to refine a search to obtain the information you need, instead of getting thousands of irrelevant results.

“You need to find credible resources,” Bryan said.

Brent Short, Saint Leo’s director of library services, said he knew Bryan and Karshmer were doing good work, but it was nice to see their efforts receive broader recognition.

“What we’re really trying to facilitate and encourage is the ability to read deeply and write deeply,” Short said. “One of the temptations for students now is they think they can get an instant answer.”

The library staff wants students to feel welcome, encouraged and supported, Short said.

“We do have some expertise to offer,” he said. “We can help guide them where they need to go, and really save them a lot of headache and wasted time.”

Published August 20, 2014

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‘Concept College’ helps make college dreams a reality in Pasco County

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In some Pasco County families, attending college after graduating high school is almost a given. There’s money, opportunity and plenty of options for a student to continue their education.

But in others, college seems like a far-fetched dream. Even before they graduate high school, those students know that the opportunity isn’t there, and that makes it hard to focus on good grades and pursuing whatever options might exist.

Lauren Rowold, a Sunlake High School graduate who is registered for classes at Pasco-Hernando State College later this month, credits the school’s Concept College program for answering questions and making the transition to college easier. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Lauren Rowold, a Sunlake High School graduate who is registered for classes at Pasco-Hernando State College later this month, credits the school’s Concept College program for answering questions and making the transition to college easier.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“Their parents are like, ‘Well, we don’t have money for this,’ so they’re like OK, there’s no point,” said Lauren Rowold, who graduated from Sunlake High School earlier this year.

Rowold wasn’t one of the students who had given up hope. Unlike some of her peers, she made sure her senior year was spent getting her grades up and preparing for a college career. She also took part in Concept College, a program implemented by Pasco-Hernando State College, designed to help at-risk youth and disadvantaged high school students explore and obtain college opportunities.

Rowold was one of about 600 students per year who participate in the program, which takes them on campus, gives them a firsthand look at college life, answers questions, helps with applications, and explores scholarship opportunities.

Concept College provides some optimism for young people who think college is beyond their grasp, said Maria Hixon, PHSC’s director of development.

“This is really targeting students who need assistance to help make them believe that college is possible for them,” Hixon said. “Sometimes without that direct outreach and personal attention, they kind of fall through the cracks.”

Guidance counselors at the high school level identify juniors and seniors who might be in danger of falling through those cracks and could benefit from the program. Students who are disabled, pregnant, or have discipline problems or economic disadvantages, are among those who might qualify. An advisor from the college then visits the high school to provide confidence-building exercises, and those who join the program schedule a visit to either the Dade City or New Port Richey campus that normally lasts more than two hours.

On campus, students tour the school, ask questions and take assessment tests. They also learn about the admissions process, degree paths and financial aid.

Concept College also helps students take their first steps toward attending college, HIxon said. The program helps them with the application process, including paying their $25 application fee. It’s a small amount, but it can make a difference, she said.

That’s not the only financial assistance, however. Participants can apply for scholarships, which vary each year based on how many students enroll and apply, and how much financial support the program gets.

The dollar amount usually ranges between $500 and $1,000 per year, Hixon said. At a school where a 12-credit, full-time schedule costs around $1,100, it can make a transition into college smoother for those who see the cost as a significant obstacle.

Over the years, the program has reached every high school in Pasco County and a couple in Hernando County as well. And it’s all done on a budget of around $10,000 per year.

The program relies on private donations to keep going, Hixon said, with Wells Fargo and the Tampa Bay Rays standing out as major contributors this year. The baseball team presented the school with a $5,000 donation this summer as part of their Rays Baseball Foundation Community Grant Program.

“For what it costs, we do a lot with very little, and it yields a lot of impact for the students,” Hixon said. “It’s a wonderful program.”

And Rowold agrees. After participating in Concept College, she enrolled at PHSC, and will begin pursuit of her associate’s degree in just a couple of weeks. After graduation she plans to enter the medical field.

The program was helpful, Rowold said, and could impact even more students by reaching them earlier so they can be motivated to improve their grades and prepare for a chance they didn’t know they had.

And while she’s excited about starting college, she’s not really nervous. Rowold said she was prepared well by Concept College, and everything was explained to her before she enrolled.

“It answered all my questions,” Rowold said. “I always had questions about it, but I didn’t know who to ask. I felt like I learned a lot.”

Published August 20, 2014

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Wildcats not down, not dejected after winless 2013

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Last season the Wesley Chapel Wildcats lost all of their games.

They were shut out four times and only scored seven points or more in two contests all year. In half of their games, they lost by at least 30 points.

With another year of experience under their belts, Scott Edwards, left, and Ryan Robinson are expected to help turn around Wesley Chapel’s fortunes in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
With another year of experience under their belts, Scott Edwards, left, and Ryan Robinson are expected to help turn around Wesley Chapel’s fortunes in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But in the locker room and at practice, no heads are hanging. Players aren’t dejected or going through the motions. In fact, there’s plenty of optimism and enthusiasm as they prepare for a new season.

And while head coach Tico Hernandez would loved to have registered some wins, he’s not ashamed of his team’s effort last year.

“The scoreboard didn’t go our way, but there are a lot of great things that we did do,” said Hernandez, now entering his second year as the school’s head coach. Participation “numbers up, kids behaving, academics up. Those are some important things that we take pride in.”

As a result, the Wesley Chapel High School administration and team parents have supported Hernandez’s efforts to build a program with a strong foundation.

Off-field production is important to Hernandez. In addition to his coaching duties at Wesley Chapel, he works with students who are in danger of not graduating, and helps them get back on the path to earning a diploma.

But he also wants to see improved results on the field, and feels that another year of experience will help his team take a step forward in 2014. The team should have around seven offensive starters returning, including their quarterback and four offensive linemen.

Hernandez believes having that consistency in the huddle will translate into a more efficient and effective unit.

Their confidence should get a boost as well. Returning quarterback Scott Edwards credits their coach for keeping the team calm and focused as they struggled through a difficult season in 2013.

“I think it was coach Hernandez’ attitude. He’s got a really positive attitude about the whole season, and I think that helps us out,” Edwards said. He believes that last year’s experience coupled with some competition will help him up his game this year.

Ryan Robinson, who plays on the offensive line, said that returning so many linemen from last year also will make a big difference. He believes that it’s up to him and his teammates on the line to step up and create opportunities for the offense.

“We play the biggest role if you ask me,” Robinson said. “Without us, none of this happens.”

Hernandez also feels good about the team’s defense. While they gave up a lot of points in some games, he said those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Mistakes on offense, special teams scores and other mental miscues often put the defense in difficult situations, and contributed to some lopsided defeats.

He has confidence the Wildcats will have a good showing on that side of the ball.

While there’s a lot of optimism headed into the season — the team feels good about their participation in seven-on-seven competition this summer — nobody is willing to make concrete predictions about the upcoming season. Hernandez acknowledges there’s a lot of talent in Class 5A-District 7, and their non-district schedule isn’t any easier, with matchups against schools like Pasco and Sunlake.

Despite the challenges, the coach believes they’re building a strong program and looks forward to seeing how his team has progressed since struggling through a winless season last year. However things turn out, Hernandez feels privileged to have the opportunity to work with the team, play a role in their growth and be part of the game he enjoys.

“I love it. I’m blessed,” Hernandez said. “Every day I’m thankful. I’ve got coaches who believe in each other, the administration is fantastic and community support’s up.

“We play a game that these kids have played since they were little kids. We’re blessed every day to be able to come out here with great health. It’s a great opportunity to play football in the state of Florida.”

Wesley Chapel Wildcats:
LAST YEAR: 0-10
0-5 in district play
Sixth place in Class 5A-District 7

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Scott Edwards, quarterback
Ryan Robinson, offensive line, defensive line.

PLAYER TO WATCH
Tre McKitty, wide receiver, tight end, defensive lineman
“I love his excitement. He challenges himself every day. He’s still a younger kid, but he looks (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) like he’s ready for college right now.” — Coach Tico Hernandez

2014 Wildcats Schedule
8/29 — at Zephyrhills
9/5 — Lecanto
9/12 — Pasco
9/19 — at Hudson
10/3 — Ridgewood
10/10 — Sunlake
10/17 — at River Ridge
10/25 — Anclote
10/31 — Gulf
11/7 — at Wiregrass Ranch

Published August 20, 2014

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Littlefield not ready to retire from public service just yet

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Ken Littlefield learned a lot from his brother, Carl, and even followed him into public service.

The two owned Littlefield’s Furniture in Dade City. However, the 1990 census created a new legislative district, and Carl won the seat, becoming a popular lawmaker representing parts of Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

Ken Littlefield, during his years as a state lawmaker, giving a speech on the floor of the state House in Tallahassee. Littlefield wants to continue serving government at the Pasco County Commission. (Courtesy of Florida House)
Ken Littlefield, during his years as a state lawmaker, giving a speech on the floor of the state House in Tallahassee. Littlefield wants to continue serving government at the Pasco County Commission.
(Courtesy of Florida House)

In 1999, however, Carl earned a cabinet appointment by Gov. Jeb Bush, opening the door for Ken Littlefield to seek the seat. Capitalizing on his last name, and putting to use some skills he learned while visiting his brother in Tallahassee, the older Littlefield took over the seat in a special election, and stayed in office until Bush appointed him to the Florida Public Service Commission. There, Littlefield was expected to have a voice in how public utilities like electric companies charged consumers. But it was to be short lived.

Bush had wrapped up his final term as governor, and Charlie Crist — then a Republican — assumed office. Crist quickly rescinded the Bush appointment, removing Littlefield from the job.

Yet, Littlefield landed on his feet, taking over as executive director of the Statewide Advocacy Council, which helped protect people receiving services from state agencies in Florida. But funding for that program ran out in 2010, and Littlefield returned home.

He may have gotten a job at a Dade City funeral home, but Littlefield was not interested in leaving politics just yet. He unsuccessfully challenged Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri in a 2010 primary, and after she announced her retirement, decided to go after the open seat.

Why should voters choose him in the Aug. 26 primary? Because, according to an email interview, Littlefield knows how to make good policy.

“If you have good policy, then you will have good ordinances,” Littlefield wrote. “If you have good ordinances, you will have good rules and regulation. It all begins with policy.”

Details, however, might be a different story. When it comes to how to fund road construction, how to deal with growth-induced transportation issues, and public safety issues like funding the sheriff’s office, Littlefield chooses to skim the surface.

For example, the county commission is currently deciding on how to fund new road projects, focused primarily on either an increase in the local gas tax, a hike in property taxes, or a combination of the two.

“I would guess it will come down to a combination of the methods suggested,” Littlefield said. “I think that all options have to be on the table at the beginning of the negotiations. I support getting the job done with whatever can be agreed upon.”

Last month, Sheriff Chris Nocco told The Laker/Lutz News that his request for an additional $6 million to his budget was just the beginning, and he’ll need even more in coming years. Commissioners were able to just squeeze out enough cash to accommodate Nocco’s request, but the future is still a big question mark.

“This is why we craft a budget every year,” Littlefield said. “The process provides an annual assessment of requests and available revenue to fund those requests. It becomes the commission’s responsibility to determine whether we can afford the requests or not. They will have the chance to make that decision again next year.”

The commission may be focused more on maintaining existing roads, but the Democratic candidate for District 2, Erika Remsberg, has been working to turn attention to the more than 500 miles of unpaved roads in the county. The current system of charging thousands of dollars to neighborhood residents in a special pavement assessment is something she feels needs to be looked at.

Littlefield, however, believes it needs nothing more than a little tinkering.

“I think the present program using a revolving fund is equitable,” he said. “The term could be lengthened. Also, the interest rate could be negotiated to see if it could be lowered.”

Littlefield ran a tough campaign against Mulieri four years ago, but he says he still respects her two decades on the commission.

“I think her legacy will be that she has been a good advocate for those whose voice has gotten lost in the crowd,” Littlefield said. “The underprivileged, the homeless, veterans, and of course, her advocacy for shelter animals have all benefitted from her selfless service on the commission.”

KEN LITTLEFIELD:
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 2

OCCUPATION
Hodges Family Funeral Home

ELECTED OFFICE
Florida House of Representatives, 1999-2006

FAMILY
Carole Littlefield, wife
Two daughters

RESIDENCE
Pasco County, 33 years

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 8
$10,450

Published August 20, 2014

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Moore brings big voice to Pasco, but is ready to listen too

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Money talks, especially in a political campaign. And with nearly $100,000 at his disposal throughout his primary campaign, Mike Moore has had a pretty loud voice.

Mike Moore is a Wesley Chapel-based entrepreneur that says he can bring his business experience to the Pasco County Commission. He faces a primary against Ken Littlefield and Bob Robertson in an effort to succeed the retiring Pat Mulieri on the commission. (Courtesy of Mike Moore)
Mike Moore is a Wesley Chapel-based entrepreneur that says he can bring his business experience to the Pasco County Commission. He faces a primary against Ken Littlefield and Bob Robertson in an effort to succeed the retiring Pat Mulieri on the commission.
(Courtesy of Mike Moore)

An entrepreneur who first built and sold CareFirst Home Care before starting up his current mergers and acquisition company, VR Business Sales, Moore operates out of a modest office in Wesley Chapel not far from Saddlebrook Resort. He points to billboard-style political signs in his back office, a size that easily trumps his opponents in the Aug. 26 primary, and shares that outside of yard signs, that’s the smallest he’s gone.

Moore has found success in business, and feels that acumen is needed when it comes to running Pasco County. Especially since residents here are not recovering from the last economic tumble as strongly as they should.

“You look at what’s happened over the last few years, and it’s some of the worst economic disasters we’ve ever seen,” Moore said. “I just don’t think the standard of living in Pasco County is where it should be, and I want to help change it.”

That change, he says, is needed at the county level. There needs to be a stronger emphasis on attracting more businesses to the county, all of them with high-paying jobs. Without them, it would be impossible for Pasco to grow without asking residents to contribute more financially.

“That’s the strong foundation we need to build upon,” Moore said. “We have a lot of things that we need, and some things that we want. If we bring the companies here that we need to, then we don’t have to talk about raising taxes, because the tax base will be there.”

But even when more money does come in, the county has to be smart in spending it, Moore said. Otherwise, Pasco risks becoming a place like Detroit, where what he described as “tax and spend” policies drove the city to economic collapse.

Businesses could never operate the way governments do, Moore said. And while he knows there are some aspects of government that may always have to be subsidized — like mass transit and libraries — looking at the county as a corporation could help cut some of the wasteful spending he says is taking place.

“We are not looking to turn a profit, but you don’t want the county to lose money,” Moore said. “You need to spend on what’s needed, and cut anything that isn’t. You need to be able to look through the budget and see what needs to be changed.”

One change is how the county is looking at building new roads. Right now, the Pasco County Commission is considering raising either local gas taxes or property taxes — or both. But patience may need to win out on this one, Moore said.

“By increasing the tax base, you can accomplish far more in the long run,” he said. “Raising taxes is a quick fix temporarily. We need to do what we can to increase our property values, like by bringing in new companies, and that will bring in the extra money to fund our needs.”

Moore says he is not interested in either the gas or property tax increase. Instead, the county already has put aside money for other road projects that he says may never come to fruition. Those dollars, instead, should be earmarked to current projects.

“You have to look at immediate needs,” Moore said. “You have to go back to thinking of this as a company. If part of your corporation is faltering, you may need to shift funds over from another department to help out until things get better again.”

The biggest asset any commissioner has, Moore said, are the people that commissioner represents. And sometimes it’s important to lower that loud voice long enough to listen closely.

“What people are looking for is somebody who is going to have a presence in the district,” Moore said. “They want someone who is going to be available and willing to sit down and talk. And I am that person.”

MIKE MOORE:
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 2

OCCUPATION
Owner, VR Business Sales and Mergers and Acquisitions

FAMILY
Lauren Moore, wife
Aubrey Moore, daughter
Aiden Moore, son
Emily Moore, daughter

RESIDENCE
Wesley Chapel, eight years

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 8
$98,946

Published August 20, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Community service morphs into government service for Robertson

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Bob Robertson is a man who has an uncanny ability to pop up almost everywhere. Community meetings, charity events, volunteer drives — if it’s something that can help others, Robertson is there.

Bob Robertson has stayed closely involved in the community, and wants to continue being the public advocate Pat Mulieri was on the board. In fact, the Zephyrhills financial analyst earned an endorsement from Mulieri heading into the Aug. 26 primary. (Courtesy of Bob Robertson)
Bob Robertson has stayed closely involved in the community, and wants to continue being the public advocate Pat Mulieri was on the board. In fact, the Zephyrhills financial analyst earned an endorsement from Mulieri heading into the Aug. 26 primary.
(Courtesy of Bob Robertson)

That’s part of what called him to run for the Pasco County Commission — a chance to make a difference. And that, for him, starts with getting people excited about their local government once again.

“The bigger issue is that people are totally disengaged, even to the extent that this campaign we’re in, we have to try and explain to people the voting process. People feel that government isn’t working for them, and I want to change that.”

Robertson worked to do that during his years on Lake Bernadette’s community development district, becoming a steward for the funds residents there pay for the management of their community, especially when it comes to infrastructure. It’s not anything like helping to manage a county with nearly a half-million people — but it’s a tremendous learning experience.

Especially when it comes to sorting through all kinds of needs, and then trying to find the money to help pay for it.

“Tax revenue has gone down, and property values have gone down. Hard choices have been made, and are still going to be made,” Robertson said. “We have to decide between what we need and what we want, and we need to create a vision of that.”

There has been a lot of talk over whether to raise taxes at the gas pump by a nickel, or even to increase property taxes to help pay for new road construction. Robertson said he’s not too interested in raising taxes, but he’s also a realist.

“Property taxes have been going down pretty considerably since 2007,” he said. “Some are down by about 35 percent. And when you then talk about raising the gas tax a nickel, it kind of puts all of that into perspective.”

However, the county has to be cautious about how they approach any potential gas tax, Robertson said. While the impact to residents might be minimal, the effect it would have on businesses — especially those that purchase large amounts of fuel — could be devastating.

“The business community side is where you get the unintended consequences,” Robertson said. “If you making your living in an area like landscaping, for instance, they are running around and buying gasoline for their equipment. They are not necessarily using the roads.”

Overall, however, the county needs to focus more on mass transit, to help get people around, and get more cars off the roads. While some areas — like the southern tier of Pasco — is becoming more urbanized, the bus system is not keeping up in making sure transportation options are in place, Robertson said.

“We need to look at what our southern neighbors are doing,” Robertson said of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. “We need to work in concert with them to figure out what’s working and what’s not, and to make sure that we can connect everyone to all parts of the region.”

It also means making sure there are good-paying jobs. Robertson has cited statistics he says are from government research that has the average weekly wage in Pasco at $624. Hillsborough and Pinellas pay about $200 more.

“Our residents are not in the economic position to be able to afford many of the wonderful things that we want to be able to offer in the county,” Robertson said, referring to generating more tax revenue for services. “Yes, we need these additional residences to be built up around the county to help with the tax base, but we also need to have people moving in that are making enough to boost the value of our property here in Pasco.”

Robertson has hardly raised the most money among the three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for county commission’s District 2. However, he knew from the beginning he would be the underdog.

“I see myself, at least, as the quintessential grassroots candidate,” he said. “The other two guys are politicians, but I present a different look. And you need to be different if you want to stand out in the crowd.”

BOB ROBERTSON:
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 2

OCCUPATION
Owner, The Financial Center

ELECTED OFFICE
Lake Bernadette Community Development District, 2008-14

FAMILY
Cindy Robertson, wife
Cassie, daughter
Melissa, daughter

RESIDENCE
Zephyrhills, nine years

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 8
$13,549

Published August 20, 2014

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Pasco wants to build on challenging 2013 season

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After three straight undefeated regular seasons, Pasco High School slipped to 7-3 in 2013. They failed to win their district, making the playoffs as a runner-up in Class 5A-District 6.

That record would represent a great season for many schools, but expectations run high at Pasco. And it’s a drop in production from what the Pirates have usually accomplished under Tom McHugh.

The Pirates hope their hard work at practice will help them contend for a district title this season after finishing runner-up in 2013. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
The Pirates hope their hard work at practice will help them contend for a district title this season after finishing runner-up in 2013.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Still, don’t expect the head coach to be disappointed in that outcome.

“Last season with the things that happened within the team internally and the players, I think that we actually overachieved,” McHugh said. “I was proud of the way everybody reacted.”

The team’s starting quarterback was dismissed from the team early in the year, causing an entire overhaul of the offense. The Pirates had planned to run a read-option scheme, where the quarterback reads the movement of the defender on the edge, and either gives the ball to the running back or keeps it himself, based on what he sees. But the team had to shift to a more traditional offense once the season started.

Abandoning the game plan you had all off-season with a full schedule ahead of you would be a challenge for any team. Add in more dismissals and injuries, and the Pirates simply weren’t the team they thought they had at the start of the season.

As a result, they went 2-3 to start the year, including 0-2 in the district. But as the players settled into their new scheme, the Pirates closed the regular season with five straight wins and kept their playoff streak alive by beating Zephyrhills High School to claim the runner-up spot in the district.

Now, with a full off-season to prepare their quarterback Grant Starling for the lead role, McHugh feels like they can not only run their offense more efficiently, but add a few tweaks to make it more effective.

“Now that we’ve run it, we can put some chrome on it now,” he said.

Starling believes having the off-season to work as the starter has already paid dividends with regard to his confidence and effectiveness.

“It really helped a lot,” Starling said. “I feel a lot more comfortable. The players feel more comfortable around me. We’ve worked together more so we have more chemistry.”

The game, he said, is slowing down for him, and he’s doing a better job of reading defenses than he did last season.

The defense also should be in good shape, with the defensive line mostly intact from last season and a strong point headed into 2014. The defensive backfield also stood out and impressed McHugh in seven-on-seven competition over the summer.

“I was really happy with those guys,” he said. “They worked well together.”

Despite some losses on the offensive line, the coach said they also have some returning playmakers and expects that part of the team to be in decent shape.

The Pirates will have some time to get things in order before facing their district opponents. After a preseason game, which McHugh said will be used to evaluate who’s in shape and how the team reacts to in-game situations, Pasco starts the season with three non-district contests.

But there’s no reason to ask McHugh about them, because he has no idea who they are. The coach doesn’t look past the first game — figuratively or literally.

“I know it sounds like I’m making it up, but I don’t ever look ahead,” McHugh said. ”I couldn’t tell you who the second game of the season is until after we play Sunlake.”

While the coach is looking to get back to his accustomed level of success and have fewer struggles than last season, he’s not sorry it happened. He said that the younger players have now learned that they can’t just step onto the field and expect everything to go their way. After fighting through last season and still finishing with a winning record and a playoff berth, McHugh hopes his athletes can apply the lessons from 2013 to have a stronger campaign in 2014.

“Sometimes you can get kind of complacent and you think it’s (winning games) just going to happen, and sometimes a swift kick in the butt will help you,” McHugh said. ”No one likes to lose, so I think in a way it’s probably a good thing that things like that happen once in a while.”

For his part, Starling knows that just being a quarterback for Pasco High School comes with expectations. But he feels the team has the ability and chemistry to live up to them.

“If you go around town, everyone knows Pasco football,” he said. “They expect a lot from you, so you’ve got to show up for them.”

PASCO PIRATES:
LAST YEAR: 7-3
4-2 in district play
Second place in Class 5A-District 6

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Bowman Archibald, tight end, defensive end
Andrew Ivie, defensive tackle

PLAYER TO WATCH
Jamal Mention, offensive line
“He’s got the football mentality. When he gets his hands on you, it’s a tough thing. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll do.” — Coach Tom McHugh

2014 Pirates Schedule
8/29 — Sunlake
9/5 — at Fivay
9/12 — at Wesley Chapel
9/26 — at Nature Coast Tech
10/3 — at South Sumter
10/10 — Weeki Wachee
10/17 — Hernando
10/24 — at Central
10/31 — Zephyrhills
11/7 — River Ridge

Published August 20, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Business Digest 08-20-14

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Mortgage company closes doors in Wesley Chapel
A corporate decision to leave the mortgage services business has put 10 people out of a job in Wesley Chapel.

Springleaf Financial has filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, saying it plans to cut those jobs beginning in October.

The office, according to the notice, is located at 2533 Windguard Circle, Unit 101, in Wesley Chapel, just across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

“Springleaf has decided to sell its mortgage services business,” the Indiana-based company told The Laker/Lutz News, in a release. “In conjunction with the sale, the company plans to close its facility in Wesley Chapel. This was a difficult decision, and where possible, we are working to place affected staff in new positions within the company.”

The sale of the mortgage service division was part of nearly $7.2 billion worth of divisions Springleaf recently decided to part ways with.

The company provides loans and other credit-related products to more than a half million people in 26 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to the company’s website. It also provides bill consolidation loans, personal loans, home improvement loans, and loans for unexpected expenses and vacations.

The company went public in 2013.

New Seven Oaks community may have to rethink gates
A new townhouse community planned for Wesley Chapel’s Seven Oaks subdivision is struggling to keep the neighborhood gated.

Pasco County officials have recommended denying a request by The Ryland Group to allow for two gated access points as a planned 96-unit community near the intersection of Stockton Drive and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. The problem, they say, is that there isn’t enough room to accommodate a line of cars.

County ordinance requires there be at least 75 feet of space from a sidewalk to a community’s gated entrance, enough to fit three cars. However, because of the unusual layout design of the property where Seven Oaks Ryland Townhomes is planned, it can only provide enough space to accommodate two cars. The rule, officials said, ensures there is enough room for a small line of cars, without blocking sidewalks and roads.

The plan would have provided for two entrances into the community, one from Stockton Drive, the other from Eagleston Boulevard. Only the entrance at Stockton would provide visitor access, but even a resident-only entrance at Eagleston created concerns from county officials. That’s because it would only have enough room to hold one vehicle, and any additional vehicles would block pedestrian pathways.

Developers will have a chance to plead their case in front of the Development Review Committee, which will meet in the county commission chambers at 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey on Aug. 21, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Upcoming PHHCC events
Some of the upcoming August events with the Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce include:

• Coffee & Conversation Aug. 22 beginning at 7:30 a.m., at Centennial Bank, 23000 State Road 54 in Lutz.

• Business & Career Expo, Oct. 17 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Toyota, 5300 Eagleston Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

For information, visit PHHChamber.com.

New painting franchise opens
Jason Metz has opened a new location for ProTect Painters, a professional painting company that specializes in exterior and interior residential and commercial painting projects, in Wesley Chapel.

It will be located at 1936 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 64.

ProTect Painters as a corporation was acquired by Service Brands International in 2009, the franchisor of household services companies like Molly Maid and Mr. Handyman. Under the SBI umbrella, ProTect Painters is expected to grow to 200 franchises over the next five years, according to a release.

For information, call (813) 279-5083.

Planned Zephyrhills restaurant gets some financial help
The Zephyrhills City Council, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, approved nearly $20,000 to help a popular Tampa restaurant expand into Zephyrhills.

Michael and Laura Andrews want to open Smokehouse B-B-Q & Grill at 5740 Seventh St., a space formerly occupied by Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant. However, nearly $40,000 in vandalism caused to electrical and air-conditioning made that nearly impossible.

The CRA, however, offered to help, which could pave the way to creating up to 30 new jobs in the city, according to city documents.

The Andrews bought the 36-year-old building for $95,000. It originally sold in 2003 for $250,000. The CRA will give the couple up to $19,688 — or half the cost to make electrical and air-conditioning repairs — according to City Manager Steve Spina.

Smokehouse B-B-Q was started in 2004 on U.S. 301, one mile north of Interstate 4 in Tampa, according to city documents. Although revenue has steadily increased at that location over the past few years, the Andrews felt they had reached their capacity at their current location, and wanted to add a second one.

Housing market up, condo sales down
Nearly 15,000 existing homes and condominiums changed hands in the greater Tampa Bay area during April, May and June, showing promising housing market trends despite a drop in overall condo sales.

The region — which includes Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando and Pinellas counties — sold 3,733 condos in the second quarter, down more than 5 percent from the year before. The median sales price, however, rose more than 12 percent to $110,000.

The volume was second only to the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale area, where nearly 13,000 condos were sold, according to a new report from Florida Realtors. Sales there, however, were down more than 6 percent.

The lower volume is actually good news for the market, Florida Realtors chief economist John Tuccillo said, because that means foreclosure-related short sales are on the decline.

“The second quarter numbers show that Florida’s real estate market is settling in,” Tuccillo said, in a release. “While prices throughout the state tend to be up, sales are mixed with single-family sales growing, and condos and townhouses declining.”

Some of the reasons for that include the reduced role of bulk investors — buyers who pick up multiple units at a time in hopes to rent or flip — and many families who are having trouble getting mortgage credit because of flat income.

Just a little more than 10,800 single-family homes were sold in the quarter, up 3 percent from a year ago. Median prices, however, were much more flat at $156,000, an increase of 1.3 percent.

Statewide, single-family sales were up more than 7 percent, while median sales prices rose just above 5 percent at $180,000.