Local News

Experience vs. New Blood

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Three elections, six candidates, and three incumbents — all with more than a half-century of government experience.

Voters head to the polls April 8 in Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills, where they will decide, among other things, whether they want to keep longevity in their city government, or find a fresh perspective.

Each of these municipalities faced controversy in recent months. Dade City abruptly turned one high-level government job into two, pushing out a longtime employee. St. Leo could see its government shaken up later this year if parts of Lake Jovita successfully de-annex itself, possibly eliminating two commission seats. And, Zephyrhills is facing a tough decision on what to do with its top executive, where one race could easily seal the fate of City Manager Jim Drumm.

Three communities have their future in the balance, and every single vote has the potential to be the ultimate decider.

Dade City: Scott Black vs. Angelica Herrera
St. Leo: Raphael Davis vs. Donna DeWitt
Zephyrhills: Alan Knight vs. Jodi Wilkeson

Running the Boston Marathon is on Trout’s ‘bucket list’

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When Trish Trout runs with thousands of racers at the 118th Boston Marathon in April, she’ll cross an item off her bucket list.

Trish Trout says she’ll complete the Boston Marathon even if she has to crawl or roll across the finish line. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Trish Trout says she’ll complete the Boston Marathon even if she has to crawl or roll across the finish line.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“Boston is the crown jewel of running, and coming from a non-elite running status, it always seemed like it was a dream too far out of reach,” the 39-year-old mother of two said.

The Wesley Chapel woman couldn’t picture qualifying and she knew the only other way would be to run for a charity, something she couldn’t quite foresee happening. But one of her co-workers encouraged her to see if she could run for a charity. He told her: “If you can get in, I will help you with fundraising.”

So, Trout decided to try, and was accepted to run as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge.

Last year’s bombings in Boston didn’t dissuade her from the desire to run the 26.2-mile race.

“It motivates me more,” Trout said. “It has given me a way to show my kids, ‘Yes, there are people who do bad things, but if we let that stop us, then we let them win.’”

Her daughter Alexa attends Wiregrass Ranch High School, and her son Adam attends John Long Middle School. They’ll both be in Boston to watch their mom run.

“People ask me, ‘Are you sure you want to take your kids there?’” Trout said. “I say, ‘Absolutely, there’s no greater sense of accomplishment than seeing your kids in an environment where everyone who is there is there for the same reason, to accomplish something that is greater than themselves.’”

She knows it’s no easy feat to complete a marathon. And she realizes she is not the ideal candidate to make the run.

“If you look at me, I’m not built to be a runner,” Trout said. But she’s determined to make it happen.

“I will crawl. I will roll. It doesn’t matter. I will cross that finish line on the day that I’m supposed to,” Trout said.

Trout has run in a half-dozen half-marathons and began training for the Boston Marathon around September. Generally, she does her shorter runs on weekday evenings — making her way through the neighborhoods of Meadow Pointe and Plantation Palms. She prefers running in the road because the pavement is easier on her knees and hips than sidewalks.

She does longer runs on the weekends.

Trout, who is a quality assurance analyst for a software company, enjoys running for causes. She ran a Gasparilla 15-kilometer on a team to raise awareness for human trafficking. She’s running the Boston Marathon to help raise money for cancer research.

“I find it easier to go on the long, lonely runs knowing that I’m running for somebody else,” Trout said.

She’s running the Boston Marathon as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. She has pledged to raise at least $9,650.

So far, she’s raised just over $8,000.

“Everybody knows somebody who has dealt with cancer,” Trout said. “And, what I have done is — each mile, because there’s 26 miles, I’ve been asking people if they’d be willing to sponsor a mile,” Trout said. “I have the .2, because the marathon is 26.2 miles. My daughter wants that part. I keep telling her she’s got to up the ante if she wants that part.”

Trout said she’s hoping to exceed her pledge and raise at least $13,100 for Dana-Farber, which is a cancer institute in Brookline, Mass. She picked that number because “13.1” signifies a half-marathon, the distance she normally runs. If she raises $13,100, she’ll shave her head in a show of solidarity with cancer patients who do not think they have anyone supporting them.

Trout said her goal is to complete the marathon in no more than 5 hours and 30 minutes. Initially, she was shooting for 5 hours and 15 minutes, but she’s coming off a slight injury.

Trout’s familiar with the course because she drove it in November when she was in Boston for Thanksgiving.

“I got goose bumps, and I started to cry when I stood at the starting line. I was in the moment,” she said.

She’s anticipating a similar show of emotion on April 21, as she crosses the finish line.

Regardless of the time she turns in, Trout said this experience already has taught her a few things about herself.

“It reaffirms the fact that, when I make a decision, I’m going to do whatever it takes to stick to it,” she said. “And, I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was.”

Anyone interested in donating can visit RunDFMC.org/2014/trish.

Published April 2, 2014

Youth ministry uses puppets to spread gospel message

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

The music is cranked and the kids are clapping, jumping and gliding around in a second-floor room in the education building at Van Dyke Church in Lutz.

The members of the 2013 Puppets for Christ touring team are, in front, kneeling from left, Madison Welch, Preston Keleher, Allison Tsay, Jessica Grimes, Alex Whittington. Standing in back, Sarah Brennan, Sandy Graves, Zoe Wallace, A.J. Collado, Cody Coates, Meaghan Heveran, Conner Berg, Jaelin Brigner, Becky Bonanno, Lindsey Proulx, Jordan Reineke, Sarah Lucker. (Courtesy of Sandy Graves) — The members of the 2013 Puppets for Christ touring team are, in front, kneeling from left, Madison Welch, Preston Keleher, Allison Tsay, Jessica Grimes, Alex Whittington. Standing in back, Sarah Brennan, Sandy Graves, Zoe Wallace, A.J. Collado, Cody Coates, Meaghan Heveran, Conner Berg, Jaelin Brigner, Becky Bonanno, Lindsey Proulx, Jordan Reineke, Sarah Lucker.
(Courtesy of Sandy Graves)

They are waving flags, raving poi balls and making dance moves, as they practice a routine for a future performance.

The middle and high school youths are part of a group called PfC, which stands for Puppets for Christ. If the name implies some kind of sedate puppet presentation laced with staid Bible lessons, think again.

This group has a groove on, and the kids are using music and props they created to help share a gospel message through performances that both they and their audiences enjoy.

Normally, they perform under black lights, wearing black costumes with mesh or cloth hoods that cover their faces. They use neon puppets, signs and other props to get across their message.

The ministry has won a fair number of awards at competitions, and recently was one of the ministries showcased at the 2014 Real Ideas Conference at Van Dyke Church, which attracted about 650 people from 177 churches to learn practical ways to enliven their churches.

At the recent practice, PfC volunteer director Becky Bonanno recalled that the ministry began about 15 years ago, with two little green puppets that came in a curriculum kit, when she used to teach children’s church.

She and her husband used the puppets in the ministry, and their son Nick later asked if he could put together a puppet team.

Initially, it was intended to just put on puppet shows at the church. But PfC kept growing and has evolved into an ongoing ministry that now has 21 members, from various middle schools and high schools.

Beyond performing locally, the group hits the road once a year on a tour, where they perform primarily at other churches in the Southeast, said Sandy Graves, the other co-director. They perform in such places as Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston and Jacksonville, but they’ve also been as far away as Chicago and Washington, D.C.

They also perform locally, generally for vacation Bible schools, inner-city ministries, children’s homes, domestic abuse shelters and other churches.

The troupe meets for an hour and a half weekly, gathering on Wednesday nights to work on routines and plan out future performances. Sometimes they have prop parties.

There’s a storage room at the church that is chock full of puppets of all shapes and sizes. There are huge elephant puppets and strap-on flamingo puppets. There are all sorts of neon signs and decorations.

“It’s so much fun,” Bonanno said, noting she had no idea the direction that PfC would take when it began.

There are stories of parents who did not come to church, but began attending after bringing their children to a puppet show, Bonanno said. There are stories of kids who were on the puppet team that wound up getting married when they became adults.

Many of PfC’s members are siblings of former members or were invited by friends to give it a try.

“My brother was in it, and I started watching it when I was in third grade,” said Cody Coates, 17, who was so eager to join he persuaded Bonanno to let him join in sixth grade.

“It’s a blast,” said the Steinbrenner High School student said. “This is the only thing I’ll cancel my friends for. I’ve missed birthday parties.

“I like that I can be a Christian while still having fun. You’re spreading God’s word,” Coates added.

If the audience hasn’t heard of them, they’re in for a surprise, he said.

“No one expects to see a fun, black-light puppet show,” Coates said.

Emily Keleher, another PfC member, was surprised the first time she saw a show.

“I thought it was going to be a little puppet show, and then I saw it,” the Martinez Middle School student said.

She enjoys performing, but she thinks the best part of being involved is hanging out with other members of the group.

Jerry Grimes, 13, who is new to the group this year, said he wanted to join after seeing a performance when he was young.

“I would come to these puppet shows, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s really fun.’ Now, I’m doing it,” said the Walker Middle Magnet School student.

He gets a kick out of watching children react. “It’s been very fun, just to see the smiles on kids.”

As they run through their routines at practice, the kids are clearly enjoying themselves. They seem to have an easy rapport with Bonanno and Graves.

As they talk about their upcoming tour, for instance, one kid tosses out an idea: “We could do a flash mob on the metro,” he said.

It’s an idea, Bonanno said, that’s worth considering.

Published April 2, 2014

New coach, no problem: Wiregrass Ranch baseball team keeps winning

April 3, 2014 By Michael Murillo

For the past five seasons, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls boys baseball team has finished the year with a winning record. Last year, they reached the playoffs for the first time in school history and made it all the way to the regional final.

Zachary Drury, one of Wiregrass Ranch’s seniors, said that new coach Marshall McDougall has been a great fit for the Bulls as they build on last year’s success. (Courtesy of Michael Drury) — Zachary Drury, one of Wiregrass Ranch’s seniors, said that new coach Marshall McDougall has been a great fit for the Bulls as they build on last year’s success.
(Courtesy of Michael Drury)

But this year, they entered the season with a coach who wasn’t involved in the team’s previous success. Marshall McDougall had not only never coached at Wiregrass Ranch before, he had never coached at the high school level before.

For a team on the rise, it might seem like a risky move to put the team’s future in such inexperienced hands. But about halfway through the season, that move looks like a brilliant one.

Wiregrass Ranch currently has a 10-4 record, and is in the hunt for the Class 7A District 8 title with a 4-2 record. That mark includes an impressive 12-2 win over district foe Steinbrenner on March 25, and their new coach is pleased with the team’s strong start.

“As a whole, our team is pretty solid all the way through,” McDougall said. “It’s a matter of keep pushing the kids, keep improving and keep playing hard, and I think our kids can go a long way.”

While he hasn’t spent much time as a coach, McDougall makes up for it in real-world baseball experience. He played professional baseball for more than a dozen years, including a stint with the Texas Rangers. And his baseball days aren’t far behind him: At 35 and retired from the game for just two years, he’s able to not only instruct the team verbally, but go out on the field and show them exactly what he means.

McDougall believes the ability to participate with his team allows them to learn in non-verbal ways and buy into his system since it’s coming from someone who can still play the game at a high level.

And his players agree.

“Sometimes he’ll go out there and show us we’re not as good as we think we are,” said senior Ryan Girard, who pitches and plays first base for the team. “He’s definitely still got all the skills, and he passes them on to us as best he can.”

The team sees that McDougall knows what he’s doing, Girard said, and they can follow his lead knowing it comes from experience and knowledge of the game.

Zachary Drury, a senior who is a pitcher and plays third base for Wiregrass Ranch, also believes that McDougall’s ability to show the team how to execute plays is an advantage. But he said that his coaching style also helps the team succeed by allowing them to grow without over-the-top yelling and unproductive pressure.

“He doesn’t really get mad. I mean, he gets mad, but he doesn’t make you afraid to make a mistake,” Drury said. “He’s a really cool guy and we enjoy having him.”

And while the Bulls are enjoying a winning record, McDougall doesn’t want them getting complacent. The coach sets up individual competitions in practice so the players get used to trying to win on a regular basis regardless of record.

And there are small consequences for losing, such as a few laps or cleaning up after practice. Just enough, McDougall said, to keep them from being OK with losing or not hungry enough to continue improving.

While he believes Wiregrass Ranch can go far this year, McDougall is adamant that his goals don’t really matter. It’s the players, not the coaches, who must have the drive to set high objectives and then find the will to achieve them.

“My goal is to help them reach their goal. That’s the best way I can put it,” he said. “We (the coaches) are not playing. It’s up to them to decide what they want. My job is to teach them small things and try to make them reach the goal they want.”

Wiregrass Ranch baseball, at a glance
Feb. 7 – Win vs. Strawberry Crest, 4-2
Feb. 13 – Win vs. Hudson, 13-0
Feb. 18 – Win at Freedom, 8-2
Feb. 21 – Win vs. Steinbrenner, 4-2
Feb. 25 – Win at Sickles, 4-2
Feb. 28 – Win vs. Mitchell, 4-1
March 4 – Loss vs. Gaither, 3-1
March 13 – Win vs. Zephyrhills, 5-0
March 18 – Win at Weeki Wachee, 15-1
March 19 – Loss vs. Springstead, 3-2
March 20 – Win vs. Bishop McLaughlin, 8-4
March 25 – Win at Steinbrenner, 12-2
March 27 – Loss at Sunlake, 6-5
March 28 – Loss at Sickles, 2-0
March 31 – at Pasco, late
April 1 – vs. Ridgewood, late
– Courtesy of MaxPreps

Published April 2, 2014

City manager merry-go-round returning Spina to job?

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

If Jim Drumm believes some of the rumors he’s heard, then former Zephyrhills city manager Steve Spina might become the Jay Leno of local government.

Zephyrhills city manager Jim Drumm is facing a very uncertain future in his government job, something he said could be because of unsubstantiated rumors that his predecessor, Steve Spina, wants to return. (File Photo) — Zephyrhills city manager Jim Drumm is facing a very uncertain future in his government job, something he said could be because of unsubstantiated rumors that his predecessor, Steve Spina, wants to return.
(File Photo)

The late-night comedian stepped aside from “The Tonight Show” in 2009, but returned to the job a short time later after replacement host Conan O’Brien fell out of favor.

The same might be happening in Zephyrhills, Drumm told the city council last week. Hearing reports that Spina might be looking to return to city management after some time teaching, Drumm said some council members might be hoping they can get Spina to take his old job back.

In fact, it’s one of the few things Drumm says makes sense on why the council would suddenly be talking about letting him go as city manager after three years.

“I have great respect for Dr. Spina,” Drumm said in a prepared letter to the council March 24. “I have not had his long tenure to compete with his knowledge and his many contacts. If it is not the intent of the city council to hire Dr. Spina, then I remain perplexed by the issues that warrant me to not continue working together to improve Zephyrhills.”

Spina, who retired as city manager in 2011, told The Laker after last week’s meeting that he wasn’t commenting on such rumors, except to say that they are not accurate.

Three city council members have expressed a desire to part ways with Drumm, and feel now is the best time since his contract runs out in May. To renew that contract would require a supermajority on the council — four votes — they say, and those votes just aren’t there.

Drumm disagrees with that interpretation of the city’s charter. His contract might have a set beginning and end date, but the charter is clear that it takes four votes to appoint a city manager, and four votes to remove him. And whether Drumm has a contract or not, without those four votes, the council can’t force him out.

“My take is that I would remain a city manager without a contract,” Drumm said, adding that there were times in Spina’s 15-year tenure where he worked without a contract, too, protected by the four-votes clause of the city charter.

Both City Attorney Joe Poblick and outside labor attorney Brian Koji agreed that Drumm has a finite contract with the city. If four council members don’t vote to renew it, then Drumm is out of a job.

Councilman Kenneth Compton, however, doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the track record of the city attorney and lawyers he may consult when it comes to labor issues. Compton, who has pushed for more discussion on Drumm’s employment situation, said the city took heavy financial losses from two recent labor disputes. He fears that forcing Drumm out could result in another legal dispute, one that could be yet another loss for Zephyrhills in front of a judge.

“The contract has a term limit, but the charter doesn’t,” Compton said, adding that the charter would supersede any contract the council writes, since the charter is essentially Zephyrhills’ constitution. “I don’t like ending this, but if we’re going to do it, I want to make sure we are as accurate as possible.”

The battle lines over Drumm have been drawn, it seems, as far as the council is concerned. Lance Smith and Ken Burgess originally recommended cutting Drumm loose, and last week, had Charles Proctor join their side. That leaves just Compton and Jodi Wilkeson in support of Drumm, or at the very least, gathering more information on making sure the city is protected legally.

Wilkeson suggested a third legal opinion be sought, something Mayor Danny Burgess was against.

“How much weight are we going to give this third opinion?” Burgess asked. “We had two attorneys that we paid for opinions who are very qualified and very good at what they do. And here we’re just going with a firm (for a third opinion) based on name recognition.”

Compton and Wilkeson picked out the Tampa firm Fowler White as one they recognized from a list of potential firms Poblick shared at the council meeting, and chose that firm for the third opinion.

Seeking that additional legal counsel does buy Drumm more time as it delayed a decision to the April 14 council meeting. However, that pushes the meeting until after the upcoming municipal election where Wilkeson is defending her seat against former high school football coach Alan Knight.

If Knight wins the election and decides against retaining Drumm, he would be the fourth vote and would likely make any legal questions moot.

Published April 2, 2014

Browning has concerns about recommended state test

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Students across Florida will face a new standardized test next year to replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0.

Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has selected a replacement test, but not everyone is embracing it.

“I don’t agree with the choice that she’s made,” Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning said.

Florida has joined a host of other states in the pursuit of Common Core Standards — now known as the Florida Standards — which define what students should know as they proceed through school in order to graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force. Browning has been making the rounds for more than a year, talking to parents, teachers, administrators and civic groups about the importance of adopting the more rigorous standards, and also of the importance of being able to measure the district students’ progress against students across the nation.

The test Stewart has selected won’t allow those national comparisons, Browning said.

With the FCAT, the district could compare itself to other Florida districts, but that’s where it stopped, Browning notes.

“With this new assessment, we still can’t compare ourselves to other states,” he said.

The superintendent said he’s also concerned that the field-testing for the new assessment is being done in Utah.

“Utah is nothing like Florida,” Browning said. “In addition to that, we find out that it’s not the entire assessment that’s being field-tested, but just questions that are being field-tested.

“Right now, we’re just going in there saying, ‘Well, if it’s good enough for Utah, it’s good enough for Florida.’ I disagree with that.”

Stewart selected the not-for-profit American Institutes for Research to provide the new English language arts and mathematics assessment.

Browning noted the new assessment is not a done deal until it gains approval from the state Board of Education.

“The Legislature certainly has the opportunity to chime in on what assessment is used,” Browning said. And if state lawmakers do, Browning asks them to approve “an assessment that provides transparency, that truly measures student growth,” and that would allow for comparability with performance by students in other states.

Pasco School Board member Cynthia Armstrong agrees with Browning’s objections. Armstrong is concerned the test doesn’t allow comparisons across the nation, and she also is worried about the field-testing being done in Utah, which is much less diverse than Florida.

When Stewart announced her selection of the assessment, she posted prepared letters to teachers and parents.

In the March 17 letter to teachers, the education commissioner noted she has heard repeatedly from teachers that they want “tests that provide a more authentic assessment of our students’ grasp of Florida Standards.

“These assessments will do that,” Stewart said, “because they will include more than multiple choice questions. Students will be asked to create graphs, interact with test content, and write and respond in different ways than on traditional tests.”

The education commissioner also told teachers the “new question types will assess students’ higher-order thinking skills, which is in keeping with the higher expectations of the Florida Standards.

In a March 17 letter to parents, Stewart explained the new Florida Standards, upon which the new test will be based.

“As many of you know, your children will have new goals to meet with the adoption of the Florida Standards,” Stewart wrote. Simply put, these standards are the detailed expectations of what every child should be able to do at each grade level.

“The new standards were developed with unprecedented input from Florida teachers, educators and the public,” Stewart wrote. “The emphasis with these standards is for your children to think critically and analytically and go beyond memorization.”

Published April 2, 2014

Zephyrhills tests whether everybody knows your name

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Finding success in politics most definitely is a game of “who you know,” or at the very least when a voter is looking at a long list of names, “who has heard of you.”

If familiarity is key to winning a seat on the Zephyrhills city council, former Pasco County educator Alan Knight may have this one in the bag.

The moment people drive into Zephyrhills, they know there’s an election brewing between Alan Knight and incumbent Jodi Wilkeson. Who will win is decided April 8. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“Being in education, I would honestly think I have touched the lives of at least 75 percent of the people of this town — either as students, athletes, church members, etc.,” Knight said. “I know the people of Zephyrhills, and I know their feelings.”

However, while Knight may have worked as an administrator and even a head football coach for Zephyrhills High School in the mid-1970s, he hasn’t been working on the city council during the past six years like Jodi Wilkeson. As a councilwoman and a business owner — as well as someone who likes to stay active — there is rarely a Zephyrhills event that she’s not a part of.

“On the campaign trail, no one ever says to me, ‘Where have you been?’” Wilkeson said. “They know I’m always just a phone call away. When they have a problem, I know who to call and how to get it solved.”

Knight fears spending too much time on the council can create a stale look at the problems. To him, a fresh face brings fresh ideas and proposals, and gets away from “we have always done it that way.”

Wilkeson, however, says she’s never stuck to the status quo.

“’Fresh perspective’ shouldn’t be synonymous with ‘little relevant experience’ when competing for a position as an elected municipal official,” Wilkeson said. “There’s a steep learning curve when taking office. I prefer to see folks run for office only after they’ve invested a year or more in service as a volunteer city board member.”

And Knight, she says, has done just that, getting a “good start” with his work on the Parks & Recreation Board dealing with what to do with the closed Hercules Park on County Road 54.

One thing both seem to agree on, however, is that neither wants to rush to judgment on embattled city manager Jim Drumm. Wilkeson has publicly sought to hold off any decisions while more information is gathered, and Knight feels the same way.

“I have often been asked about the Drumm issue, and my response is that until elected, I can make no judgment,” he said. “Once there, I will totally scrutinize the situation, seek advice from the citizens, (and) talk to Mr. Drumm and all involved. In other words, I do not take this lightly, but as a situation that not only has to be addressed, but one that must be addressed with close, well-defined facts.”

Knight’s primary platform focuses on communication inside the government and with residents, something he says has fallen to “a new low.” Wilkeson, on the other hand, wants more attention paid to the Zephyrhills Police Department, where low wages can’t compete with neighboring communities.

“Our citizens want a strong, well-trained police force, but we continue to lose talent to bigger communities offering better wages and benefits,” Wilkeson said. She may have voted against a tax increase that would’ve funded a new detective position with the police department, but that hasn’t stopped her from voting for pay increases to entry-level patrol officers.

Knight said he agrees, and expands that a step further.

“I feel that support of all our city workers is a must,” he said, “from the chiefs of fire and police, to the man riding on the garbage truck.”

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

St. Leo election is all about one thing: Lake Jovita

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A bill sits in a committee in Tallahassee that would remove part of the Lake Jovita community from St. Leo. Yet, that hasn’t stopped Raphael Davis from challenging longtime commissioner Donna DeWitt for her seat in the St. Leo government.

St. Leo is such a small town that a community that’s complained about taxes, nearby Saint Leo University and other issues, is literally right on the town hall’s doorstep. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

While Davis talks almost exclusively about the plight of Lake Jovita residents in the town, he has nothing to say about the de-annexation itself, saying he doesn’t “comment on pending legislation or speculation.”

“Since the beginning of the Lake Jovita community, a small portion has allegiance to the Town of St. Leo,” Davis said. “These Lake Jovita residents have, up to this point, quietly gone along about their lives and paid town taxes knowing they were receiving little or no services in return.”

Town taxes, Davis said, are out of line with what Pasco County charges to live in an unincorporated area, and have accumulated more than $1.2 million in cash and reserves because of it.

“I believe a more business-type approach would benefit all of the residents, reduce the current tax burden on all of our residents, and still maintain the town on a sound financial basis,” Davis said.

DeWitt, however, calls Davis’ candidacy just a continuation of the battle the town has had with some Lake Jovita residents since 2006. While she has heard complaints about taxes, she feels the bigger reasons have to do with Saint Leo University itself, a school that predates Lake Jovita by a century or so.

“When we make decisions, we try to be a voice for everybody in the town, not just for Lake Jovita,” said DeWitt, a nun with nearby Holy Name Monastery, who was first elected to the commission in 1997. “They get upset when the university puts up a tree or a light. They knew what was there when they built the community.”

Losing part of Lake Jovita won’t hurt St. Leo at all, DeWitt said, except create some changes on the commission itself when two members will be forced to resign.

“St. Leo will be fine,” she said. “We did it 100 years without them, we’ll continue to do it without them.”

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

Herrera claims Black has ‘lost touch’ with Dade City

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

When Scott Black first took his seat on the Dade City Commission, Iraq had not yet invaded Kuwait to ignite the first Gulf War, George Bush (the first one) was still president, and spending more than a dollar for a gallon of gas probably meant it was premium.

Signs supporting both Angelica Herrera and longtime commissioner Scott Black have populated yards and streets around Dade City ahead of next week’s election. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

A lot has changed in 24 years, and Angelica Herrera feels Black has not kept up. And that’s why she’s facing off against him next week.

“Mr. Black has had his chance,” she said. “But after (more than) 20 years, he has lost touch with the voters.”

That was most evident, Herrera said, when Black approved physically expanding a sewage plant into a neighboring athletic field in the Mickens-Harper neighborhood.

“This was most insensitive and not necessary, since the city had other options,” she said.

However, if Herrera wants any chance to beat Black, she not only faces a commissioner that has strong name recognition in Dade City, but she may need to overcome some of her eyebrow-raising actions, including walking out of a candidate debate last week.

This, Black said, has hurt Herrera’s position, because she has not “presented anything of consideration relating to either experience or fresh perspective.”

“She has not attended any city commission meetings or public events to make any effort to educate herself on the current issues,” Black said of Herrera. Quoting the late Gov. Lawton Chiles, Black said elected officials can either “grow” or “swell” in their positions, and he chooses to grow.

“It is very important to me that I enjoy and embrace the many challenges that come with the position, and continue to grow with it,” Black said. “As well, someone purporting to be only a fresh infusion of energy is usually not the best option, while a knowledgeable proven force is always better, and should be preferred.”

Dade City’s commission earned some unwanted publicity late last year when Commissioner Jim Shive surprised his colleagues in the middle of a workshop last October, pushing to separate the position of city clerk and city finance — which was then held by longtime city employee Jim Class.

Black spoke out against the move, saying a workshop was not the right forum to bring up such an issue unannounced. But his protests fell on deaf ears, and the move later prompted Class to resign.

“The process of dividing the position of city clerk and finance director was flawed and misguided from the start,” Black said. “It was deceptively billed as ‘progress’ when there was no present need to make the personnel change in a smoothly running department — especially in the first month of the new tightly constrained budget year.”

Herrera, however, remembers all of it differently, and says Black has misrepresented what happened.

“The fact is that numerous city commission meetings document that this matter was discussed publicly,” she said. “It did not just come up at the workshop for the first time as my opponent would like us to believe. It (really) has been overblown.”

Black said his primary regret was not speaking out more loudly, and drawing residents into the conversation.

“I wish that the community could have been more aware and alarmed, and willing to stand up and question this continued gradual abuse of power, and demand better of us,” Black said.

Both Herrera and Black have combined to raise $6,500 in this race, more than any other municipal election in Pasco County this cycle. And it seems both may need every penny.

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

Free cordless telephones for people with a hearing loss

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Most of us know the feeling.

We’re on the telephone, and suddenly we lose the connection with the person we’re talking to.

People who have certified hearing losses or speech difficulties can receive a free cordless telephone like this to help them communicate. (Courtesy of Florida Telecommunications Relay) — People who have certified hearing losses or speech difficulties can receive a free cordless telephone like this to help them communicate.
(Courtesy of Florida Telecommunications Relay)

But imagine if you always had trouble hearing the person on the other end of the line. For people who are hard of hearing, talking on the telephone can be a tremendous challenge.

Life can get easier, now, through some new telephones offered for free to people who have been certified with a hearing loss or have speech difficulties. They are being offered by Michael Sutter, an outreach specialist for Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc., a nonprofit distributor of specialized telecommunications equipment for people with hearing loss and speech difficulties.

The cordless phones can amplify incoming sounds so that people receiving the call can hear the equivalent of someone talking to them from less than 5 feet away, Sutter said.

The telephones are purchased with funds secured from taxes people and businesses pay for telephone lines intended to serve people with communications difficulties, Sutter said. The available telephone, the XLC2, was developed by Clarity, a division of Plantronics Inc.

Features of the XLC2 include a talking caller ID, which announces the incoming caller, and a talking dial pad that reads the numbers as they are dialed. The large, easy-to-read buttons also are backlit to help senior citizens who have low vision. The buttons on the handset are spaced apart to be easily accessible for those with dexterity issues or arthritis.

To qualify for a telephone, the recipient must be a Florida resident and certified as having a speech loss or hearing difficulty.

“Our target demographic is Boomer and up,” Sutter said, but recipients can be young or old, as long as they have documentation of their hearing or speech issues.

A hearing aid specialist or audiologist typically provides the information, but there are other avenues that can be used as well to get the certification, Sutter said.

For additional information, visit FTRI.org, or call (800) 222-3448.

Free cordless telephones are available to Florida residents who have a documented hearing loss or speech difficulty. The phones can be obtained by filling out an application and visiting a Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc. office.
An office can be found at Self Reliance for Independent Living, 8901 N. Armenia Ave. in Tampa.

Published April 2, 2014