Local News

New River Branch Library stays open, but budget issues remain

August 21, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Patrons of New River Branch Library can breathe a sigh of relief.

The Pasco County Commission voted unanimously last week to keep open both the Wesley Chapel library as well as the Centennial Park Branch Library in Holiday.

The decision came after library supporters reminded commissioners how important those libraries are in the communities where they operate.

One woman described the New River Branch as having the welcoming feel conveyed on the television sitcom “Cheers,” saying it’s a place “where everyone knows your name.”

She told commissioners that the library is a community gathering spot, serving everyone “from the tiniest child up through seniors.”

Diane Halterman, a former county library system branch manager from Zephyrhills, also weighed in on the topic.

“When I moved here in 1985, I was appalled that there were no public libraries on the east side of the county, except for the very, very tiny one in Zephyrhills,” she said. “And Dade City’s library was also very small. I saw the bond issue coming to the county and was thrilled to see libraries go up.”

Closing the New River branch would pose a hardship for many young families in Zephyrhills, who work in the service industry and can’t afford to have computers in their homes, Halterman said.

Gail Stout, chairwoman of the county’s library advisory board, told commissioners the per capita spending on libraries is $12.07 in Pasco County, compared to the state average of $25 per capita.

“You certainly are getting a huge bang for your buck in this portion of your budget,” Stout said.

Bob Robertson, also of Zephyrhills, joined with other speakers in describing New River as being a central part of the community’s fabric.

“The activities that go on there well exceed the books on the racks,” Robertson said. “I think it would be a very sad thing, if we were to close that library.”

Nancy Fredericks, administrator for Pasco County libraries, said closing the two libraries would cause more than 18 layoffs and yield about $776,875 in savings.

It quickly became clear that commissioners had no interest in closing the libraries. Even Schrader said he raised the issue because he wanted to be sure the county explored all of its options.

Commissioner Jack Mariano adamantly opposed any library closings.

“I just would love to see this conversation stop right now,” he said, urging commissioners to send a clear message that all county libraries will remain open.

“I think the libraries are very important for the county. Children have to take online courses. If they don’t have a computer at home, where are they going to go?” Mariano said.

Closing libraries would be a step in the wrong direction, he added.

“I just think we’re really hurting quality of life. There are better ways to go,” Mariano said.

Commissioners Pat Mulieri, Kathryn Starkey and Henry Wilson made it clear they were against the idea.

“We all have to decide what kind of community we want to live in,” Starkey said. “Having a quality place takes some investment. This is, to me, a real turning point in Pasco County.”

Despite that sentiment, Schrader countered that the commissioners are still going to need to find places to save money, or residents will get bigger tax bills in the mail later.

“In less than a month, on Sept. 10, we have the first public hearing,” he said. “Staff needs some direction from this board where you’re going to cut and where you’re going to raise taxes.”

Commissioners have been hearing plenty from people who don’t want a tax hike.

But Mulieri asked how well those louder voices are being represented.

“How many people did you hear from?” she said. “Twenty-five? Thirty? Fifty? There’s 478,000 people in Pasco County. Most people like the idea that we have a fee for services. But they also want their library.”

Starkey and Mariano noted that quality of life has an impact on the county’s economic prospects.

“I’ve heard from a lot of people who don’t want any raise in the taxes. I’ve heard from a lot more that say they want a quality place to live,” Starkey said.

“We can’t attract businesses here, when they drive by shuttered parks, shuttered libraries, roads full of potholes, snipe signs and garbage everywhere because we aren’t taking care of our backyard,” she said.

Watch for bikers: They’re honoring local heroes on Sept. 7

August 21, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Firefighters and first responders are known for making house calls when they’re needed the most. But on Sept. 7, they’ll get some visitors of their own: Hundreds of motorcycle riders, just wanting to say thanks.

Pasco County Choppers are hitting the road once again for its annual Gratitude Ride, a 50-mile trek from station to station honoring the heroes that don’t get thanked enough. At the same time, these more than 300 bikers raise money for the Pasco County Fire Benevolent Fund, which helps families of firefighters when they need a helping hand of their own.

Motorcycle riders from Pasco County Choppers and other groups line up to take off on its Gratitude Ride last year, visiting firefighters and first responders, to thank them for their service. (Photo courtesy of Dan Turner)

It’s no coincidence this ride happens around the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed 412 emergency workers in New York City alone. Local Realtor Dan Turner is originally from New York, and visited the World Trade Center towers many times before the tragedy. While that fateful day is now 12 years in the past, Taylor wants to make sure it’s always remembered.

“Some people have forgotten about 9/11; the whole thing has worn off a bit,” said Turner, who is now in his fourth year organizing the event. “We try to bring as much attention to it as possible.”

For the second year, the Gratitude Ride goes beyond just a gathering for hog enthusiasts. It’s expanding into a public afterparty at the Quail Hollow Country Club beginning at 1 p.m. There, visitors can enjoy the many motorcycles on display, eat food, enjoy drinks, and hear music from the Greg Billings Band.

Funds raised through a raffle and 50-50 will go to the Benevolent Fund.

“We’ll be passing some boots around to try and raise a little bit more money,” Turner said, referencing the boot campaigns conducted by firefighters to raise money for the New York City victims on street corners immediately following the terrorist attacks.

While the party begins at 1 p.m., the chopper riders will be up much earlier, gathering at the government center at 4111 US 41 in Land O’ Lakes around 9:30 a.m. There, Turner will host a dedication ceremony, and just after 10 a.m., the bikes will start heading out to their first destination.

This year’s stops begin with Station 15 at 11538 Trinity Blvd., in New Port Richey. Station 14 follows at 7800 River Ridge Blvd., also in New Port Richey, before wrapping up the trip at Station 20 at 15900 Little Ranch Road in Brooksville.

“We remember the events and honor the lives that were lost,” Turner said of the terrorist attacks. “Closer to home, I wanted to make sure that we recognized our own emergency services, not just after the fact, but all the time. They are the ones that always say it’s just a job, but we all know that they run into danger as we are running away from it.”

While there might be stigmas assigned to large groups of motorcyclists thanks to portrayals of them in the movies, the chopper community is actually quite the opposite.

“It is a community that gives back,” Turner said. “There’s always some kind of benefit we’re participating in, a lot of toy runs and food drives and things like that. It’s a broad spectrum of people that ride, and they always have an eye for doing something special.”

The rain date for this year’s event is Sept. 8. For more information, visit www.PascoCountyChoppers.com.

Pasco residents expect 9 percent tax hike

August 21, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Sheriff’s budget won’t grow

Pasco County commissioners spent hours whittling away at different portions of the county’s $1.16 billion budget last week, but didn’t make a dent in a proposed tax hike.

Based on the county’s proposed millage rate, officials say the owner of a $100,000 house, assuming a $50,000 exemption, would pay $33 more a year.

Scores of taxpayers have contacted commissioners voicing opposition, but commissioners continue to move forward with the proposed increase.

The proposed property tax rate is 7.49 mills, up from last year’s rate of 6.86 mills. The proposed municipal fire rate is 1.71 mills, up from 1.54 mills last year. Each mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value.

Commissioners did not reduce the proposed rates, despite rejecting a request by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco to increase his $91 million budget by $500,000.

The sheriff initially proposed a $93 million budget. County officials recommended a $91 million budget, then Nocco came and asked commissioners for $500,000 more. However, commissioners noted the sheriff’s budget has continued to go up, while other county departments absorbed cuts.

“I think he’s got to learn to live within his budget,” Commissioner Pat Mulieri said. “I just think there is a limit.”

While rejecting the half-million bump, commissioners agreed to Nocco’s request to use Penny for Pasco funds to purchase unmarked detective cars and other sheriff’s office vehicles.

While they didn’t lower the proposed tax rate, commissioners made about $700,000 in cuts in the proposed budget to plug an unexpected revenue gap. The changes were needed because Mike Fasano, the county’s newly appointed tax collector, informed the county that it had overestimated the amount of money his office would return to the county by about $720,000.

Fasano recently assumed the office that was held by Mike Olson, who died suddenly in June.

To help balance their proposed budget, commissioners trimmed an allocation for a master facilities plan, eliminated a proposal to beef up code enforcement, reduced the amount of funding for a communications office among other things. They’re still about $52,000 from where they need to be.

Commissioner Henry Wilson, who voted against the tentative tax rate in July, remains opposed. “I still can’t support this,” he said.

Commission Chairman Ted Schrader told Wilson that he’s being disingenuous, unless he can recommend specific budget cuts.

“I have not completed looking at the book,” Wilson said. “I’m still trying to figure out places to cut.”

Commissioners are set to have their first public hearing on the proposed budget on Sept. 10, with a second and final hearing on Sept. 24.

First Fridays aim to raise funds, build fellowship

August 21, 2013 By B.C. Manion

The Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is known for the community’s Fourth of July parade. The Lutz Civic Association is known for its annual Lutz Guv’na campaign.

And now the Lutz Citizens Coalition wants to kick off its own signature event.

Beginning Sept. 6, the coalition will sponsor Lutz First Fridays, a food truck rally on the first Friday of each month, aimed at helping to raise money for the community organization and to give residents a place to eat and mingle.

This is one of more than two dozen food trucks that will selling food at the Lutz First Fridays events, to get people together and raise money for the Lutz Citizens Coalition. (Photo courtesy of Generation Food Truck)

The rally, which will be professionally managed by Generation Food Truck, will have at least 26 trucks, said Jeremy Gomez, who owns the company along with his wife Candy.

The food trucks will offer diverse selections, including everything from kangaroo to gourmet popsicles, Gomez said. He thinks it’s safe to estimate that the monthly event will draw a couple thousand people out for dinner.

Food truck rallies are popular because people like to try new foods, he said.

“People like the variety. They know the trucks aren’t storing stuff in a freezer,” Gomez said. “I don’t even know a food truck that owns a microwave. Most of the foods are locally sourced.”

He also thinks the rally is a natural fit for the community.

“Lutz has always been good for outdoor events,” Gomez said.

Sam Calco, vice president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the monthly gathering will help the coalition raise not only money, but the organization’s profile in the community as well.

“We’ve been an organization for about a year. We derive most of our money from family memberships, $25 a year,” Calco said.

The organization also receives donations from businesses.

The best way to raise money is to get the community involved, Calco said, like the coalition did with its Lutz Biggest Yard Sale in May.

“We learned a lot of things of what to do and what not to do,” Calco said.

With the food truck rally, the coalition will receive a fee from each participating truck and it will handle the drink concessions, Calco said.

He thinks the food truck rally will be a popular community event. It gives people a chance to mingle, to take a break from cooking dinner and to enjoy themselves at a family-friendly event.

Final details are still being worked out, including what time the event will begin, but would likely start around 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., Gomez said. It will end around 10 p.m., unless people come over after a local football game and it needs to stay open longer, Calco said.

The location for the event is still being pinned down, too, but both men expect that to be determined soon.

The Lutz Citizens Coalition was formed about a year ago. Its mission is to preserve Lutz and protect it from unwanted growth, Calco said.

Economic boom? County commits $50,000 to Saddlebrook golf

August 21, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County and Saddlebrook Resort Tampa are joining forces to host the 2014 Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship and the Golfweek Junior Tour Championship early next year.

The Pasco County Commission voted unanimously to approve a $50,000 sponsorship in a joint venture with Saddlebrook and Golfweek Magazine.

Pasco County’s tourism council is using golf courses like the one at Saddlebrook Resort to help highlight the sporting opportunities available to tourists. (File photo)

“I think this is a phenomenal opportunity,” Commissioner Jack Mariano said.

If the county can get people to look at Pasco, especially at the right time of year, it could open new possibilities, not only for Saddlebrook, but for other quality area golf courses, Mariano said.

“The promotional value to Pasco County, highlighting some strong assets that we have, is tremendous,” he said.

“Maybe this will be the beginning of a lot of opportunities,” said Commission Chairman Ted Schrader, noting the county’s success with the national lacrosse tournament that takes place annually in Wesley Chapel.

This partnership is the tourism office’s first foray into promoting Pasco’s golf amenities, said Eric Keaton of the Office of Tourism Development. Revenues from bed taxes pale in comparison to the promotional value of the venture.

Besides Saddlebrook, the county has 20-plus courses, Keaton said.

“Golfweek and Saddlebrook are going to work together to not only promote their destination, but also a number of other golf destinations in the county,” Keaton said.

Keaton told commissioners the tourism office has the money to cover the expense because its revenues exceeded expectations, and costs were kept below budget. The value of the partnership “exceeds the purchase price two-fold,” agenda documents supporting the proposal noted, adding that Golfweek is the “Cadillac of golfing advertising platforms.”

The senior tournament is scheduled for Jan. 15-17 and is expected to involve 80 players on one golf course. The event should generate 400-plus room nights, as golfers arrive the day before the three-day tournament, and depart the day after the event ends.

Spouses are expected to accompany the senior golfers, potentially bringing in more revenue to the county.

The junior tournament, which will be in January or February, is expected to draw 40 to 60 golfers on a single course and will involve two days of golf, the agenda materials read.

The event is projected to create 240-plus room nights with golfers accompanied by their families.

Traditional party-turned-fundraiser hauls in $3,600 for cancer

August 21, 2013 By Steve Mistretta

By Marcia Stone

After six years of having a summer party, long-time Land O’ Lakes resident Gary “Cuz” Mincin learned he had prostate cancer and decided to try to raise funds for the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center.

The first fundraiser brought in $460. The next year, the Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge joined in and matched Mincin’s $900, for a total of $1,800.

Cuz, Krewe members Jean ‘Eliza Dagger’ White, charity director, and Captain Darrell Haun raffle prizes onstage at Cuz Fest 9. (Photo by Marcia Stone)

Mincin and the Krewe worked tirelessly to put together this year’s event, and $3,600 was raised.

Guests brought a favorite dish to add to the endless and fabulous feast. Entertainment by local groups included Allen-Griffin, Dead Man’s Rodeo and Smoke N Run. Local establishments including Wolf’s Den, Village Inn, Westshore Pizza, Tire Kingdom, Uptown Pizza, Pizza Villa, Benedetto’s, Texas Roadhouse and several others donated raffle prizes.

The grand prizes included four guitars, including several autographed by Kid Rock, Tom Petty, Jimmy Page and the band Seven Dust. Land O’ Lakes resident Steve Wallace won the Kid Rock guitar.

A heated swimming pool and a fireworks show added to the event.

Krewe members Jean “Eliza Dagger” White and Cheryl Stewart worked the audience raising the donations even higher.

Mincin said he is overwhelmed at how large his private event has become, and added that many cancer survivors attend. Numerous people give their time and labor, and Mincin said he wishes to thank all of them.

Next year’s goal is $5,000, and Mincin is now contemplating a fall event to help support All Children’s Hospital.

Plantation Palms Golf Club reopens, but questions remain

August 21, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Ownership team denies management changes

After a dramatic and highly publicized shutdown Aug. 10, Plantation Palms Golf Club is back in business, reopening its links to golfers Aug. 16. Yet what caused the golf course to shut down in the first place continues to linger in some minds.

“It was just a culmination of a lot of things that led up to the closing, but mostly the economy,” said Jason Ray, who co-owns the golf club with Mitch Osceola and Steve McDonald through MJS Golf Group LLC. “It’s been too hot, and it’s been raining, and the culmination of all that, just resulted in not a lot of people playing golf. “Summertime is always tough for all the golf courses.”

The perfectly manicured greens of Plantation Palms Golf Club await arrivals of its first golfers after reopening last week from a brief hiatus. Despite rumors to the contrary, all three owners are still in charge of the golf course, according to its management team. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Ray and the other owners purchased the golf club in May 2011, using a $2.18 million mortgage through Native American Bank of Denver. The 5-acre course features 18 holes, a driving range, a clubhouse and a lounge.

The course is the nucleus of the Plantation Palms community that surrounds it just off Collier Parkway near Parkway Boulevard, said Steve Pitts, who owns the golf pro shop at the course.

“For the homeowners there, their best shot is to have these guys who are owners work this thing out,” said Pitts, a Land O’ Lakes resident who owns Steve’s World of Golf in Hudson. “It needs to be a positive, positive business in the center of that great community. And yeah, it’s going through some tough times between the owners right now, but I can tell you from being on the inside, those problems are just about done.”

Pitts had pulled his pro shop out of Plantation Palms earlier this year, despite it being his top sales location out of his 18 shops around the southeast.

“The bills weren’t getting paid, and we had to pull out,” Pitts said.

Since Friday, however, Steve’s World of Golf is slowly moving back in because he’s encouraged by what he said was a management shakeup that would reduce the ownership team from three to either two, or possibly even one.

David Brooks, an avid golfer and Plantation Palms resident, said he heard the same reports of management changes during the golf club’s down time.

“I did talk with one of the owners, and there’s been a kind of shakeup in management there,” said Brooks, who played 18 holes on the course after it reopened on Friday. That followed up on a promise he made while the golf course’s future was uncertain that he would return to Plantation Palms, but he might not necessarily pay for membership well in advance.

“I think everybody would like to enjoy the golf course, and you need an ownership team that makes viable business decisions and have the right cash flow to keep the place open,” Brooks said.

Ray, however, denies there’s been any management shakeup, and that all three owners are still active with the golf course.

“There are no ownership changes,” Ray said. “A lot of rumors went around about what was going on, but no one knew the full story except us.”

Ray said he’s working to make up for the downtime, and understands how frustrated many of the members were.

“It’s understandable,” he said. “They put up money to make sure they could play on a golf course, and you can’t play on a golf course that’s not open.

“To them, it was almost a disaster. But we were basically closed for seven days. That’s usually what we’re closed for when we overseed the greens.”

Golfers are slowly coming back to Plantation Palms as word of mouth spreads the golf club has reopened. Many should find out by the end of the week when the Oasis grill there serves prime rib and tilapia as part of its regular Friday night dinner, Ray said.

“I’m one of the members here, and I live in the community,” Brooks said. “I want all the businesses in the area to be successful, because it’s good for our community. And I certainly want our golf course to be successful, because we need it here for our community.”

Casino night will make one charity a lucky winner

August 21, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Forget reality television. The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has developed a competition that gives four solid charities a chance to raise a lot of money, but only one can win.

Havana Casino Night is slated for Aug. 29 beginning at 6 p.m. at Quail Hollow, 6225 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. Presented by Rivera Chiropractic, the evening will include hand-rolled cigars, a cash bar, casino games, and music from Jorge Laureano & His Fiesta Orchestra.

The biggest event of the night, however, is who will walk away with half the casino night jackpot: Will it be Big Brothers Big Sisters? Helping Hands Food Pantry of Wesley Chapel? The Wesley Chapel Lions Club? Or, the Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers?

“We didn’t want to be the ones that said let’s choose, so we decided to leave that up to the public,” said John Jay, president of PHHCC, and owner of Finest DeeJays in Wesley Chapel. “Staying with our casino theme, everyone will place their bets on who will win half the proceeds.”

The decision will be made by who ends up with the most poker chips by the end of the night. Those poker chips will come from each person attending the casino night, encouraging all four organizations to bring as many potential supporters as possible.

The other half of the proceeds will go toward PHHCC’s scholarship fund, which will help three students this year seek out a college education.

Even if they don’t take home a bucket of quarters, each charity will have a chance to share what they do — and what they need — with the community, Jay said.

For instance, Big Brothers Big Sisters always has a need for Latino and Latina mentors. Helping Hands feeds hundreds of people throughout Wesley Chapel every week. And the Lions Club is raising money to build a park especially for handicapped children.

Oasis supplies food and other needs for pregnant women who have nowhere else to turn to.

“These four organizations all give back to the community,” Jay said. “Our main goal is to give back to the community as well, and to give these organizations a helping hand. And this way, we can bring a light to each and every one of them.”

For more information on tickets, visit www.PHHChamber.com, or call John Jay at (813) 298-3232.

Business Digest

August 21, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Local tourism on the rise
Tampa Bay tourism is showing improvement, according to new data for Hillsborough County.
Occupancy rate, room rate and revenue per available room rate grew between October 2012 and June 2013, according to Smith Travel Research.
Occupancy rate was 66.2 percent, up 1.5 percent over the same period last year. The room rate was $91.85, up 0.4 percent, while the revenue per available room was $61.34, up 1.9 percent.
Tourist development tax paid by visitors to Hillsborough County is also up by 6 percent over the previous nine months, bringing in revenue of $16.8 million.

Britten appointed to Board of Dentistry
Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Leonard L. Britten to the state Board of Dentistry. Britten is a general dentist with Britten Dental Associates. He succeeds Carl Melzer and is appointed for a term that began in July and ends on Oct. 31, 2015.

Jewelry store opens in Dade City
Sparking Stacy’s Jewelry & Accessories will host a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 31, with a ribbon cutting at noon.
The shop is at 14123 Seventh St. in Dade City.

Do-it-yourselfers get thank you
Home Depot will show its appreciation to professional builders and do-it-yourself customers with a two-day event at stores across the region.
It will feature special deals on top products, free delivery on products purchased during the event, the launch of a new loyalty program, discounts with new credit card accounts, free food and giveaways.
The event is on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m.
For more information, visit www.homedepot.com/pro.

Daniel Jeanneret named to life insurance council
Daniel Jeanneret has been selected to serve on the 2013 Executive Council of New York Life Insurance Company.
Jeanneret, of New York Life’s general office in Tampa, has been with the company since 2009. He lives in the Oakstead community in Land O’ Lakes.

Music school grand opening in Lutz
Claudia’s School of Music will host its grand opening on Aug. 24 at 11 a.m. in Lutz.
The school is at the Ballantrae Professional School at 17915 Hunting Bow Circle. It offers private music lessons in piano, violin, guitar, drums, and voice for all ages and of all ability levels.
The school also offers music history and music theory group classes for home-schooled students and music camps and recitals. Claudia’s School of Music is an authorized dealer of Casio keyboards and digital pianos.

Free women’s financial seminar
Women of Pasco County are invited to attend a free women’s financial seminar hosted by Gulfside Regional Hospice.
The workshop, led by Christine Cooper of Cooper Financial Services, will provide information and practical tools and techniques for organizing and taking control of a family’s personal and financial paperwork.
The workshop will be on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. at Gulfside’s Lutz Thrift Shoppe, 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd in Lutz.
Seats are limited. RSVP to Jen Chianella at (727) 992-8984.

Dr. Santosh Potdar joins Oak Hill’s hospital staff
Dr. Santosh Potdar, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons), has joined the staff of Oak Hill Hospital. He is board certified in surgery and his general surgery practice is located at 8367 S. Suncoast Blvd. in Homosassa.

CABA award winners
The Carrollwood Area Business Association announced its 2012-13 award winners. They are:
Rookie of the Year: Diane Stoddart, Significant Insurance Solutions
Member of the Year: Larry Manning, Innovative Mortgage Solutions
Business of the Year: Ocean Blue Sushi Bar
Jay Mauk Memorial President’s Award: Anthony Brooks, Capital Finance Advisors
The group’s new board of directors:
President: Wendell Hock, Primerica
President-elect: Kristin Votta, Fitness-Tek
Immediate past president: Lea Orchard, Great Clips
Treasurer: Tim Castle, Bay Cities Insurance
Secretary: Erin Hesbeens, PNC Bank
The group’s directors are:
Diane Stoddart, Significant Insurance Solutions
Jean Fuller, Premier Bookkeeping Services
Nick Spurlock, do You IT
Dr. Tommy Lane, Lane Family Chiropractic
Lynda Damiata, Kabay Graphics
Jeff Ryder, Carrollwood Copy Center & Printing

PHCC offers career services
Pasco-Hernando Community College recently partnered with the College Central Network® to provide students and alumni access to an online career and job search resource. The new services can be accessed at www.collegecentral.com/pascohernando. Registration is required, however there is no cost to students, alumni or employers.
“The job search feature houses jobs, internships and employers approved by the Career and Testing Services department at PHCC. Students and alumni can be confident the local job opportunities listed are legitimate and relevant,” Rick Casey, Director of Career and Testing Services, said in a release.
Job seekers may create resumes and career portfolios to apply to open jobs or post to a database searchable by employers. Job seekers also gain access to career announcements, podcasts, videos, and articles to assist with job searching. In addition to the College Central Network, PHCC offers other career development resources including interest and personality assessments, resume reviews, interviewing and job search strategies, along with career advising.
For more information, call (727) 816-3381, or visit tinyurl.com/n32gs5r or www.collegecentral.com/pascohernando.

Keeping the Balance moves to Lutz
Cindy MacRitchie of Keeping the Balance LLC has moved her office to a new location to live closer to work. Her new home is 1519 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 202.
MacRitchie is a certified QuickBooks Pro Adviser. She specializes in teaching small businesses how to use QuickBooks to track their finances. She also offers bookkeeping services such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, data entry and payroll.
She shares space with two other businesses. They are licensed clinical social worker Crystal MacRitchie as well as Liane Caruso of Limelight Marketing Consultants.

Private school lays the groundwork for its future

August 14, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Academy at the Lakes, central Pasco County’s private school that hugs both sides of Collier Parkway off SR 54, is getting a lot larger, growing by more than 46 acres.

The school has purchased a large chunk of land near its existing campus that has belonged to the pioneer MacManus family for decades, with an eye toward a major campus expansion in the coming years.

Dr. Lou MacManus, right, shares stories about growing up on the land she recently sold to Academy at the Lakes, with former Academy board chair Cynthia Martin and current headmaster Mark Heller. MacManus’ childhood home looms in the background. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The land grab is four times larger than the school’s existing campus, and allows Academy at the Lakes to extend its reach to 20 Mile Level Road with a total of nearly 60 acres of land.

“About six years ago, my sister and I, and our brother, started talking about what we wanted to do with this land,” said Dr. Lou MacManus. A retired surgeon who lived for decades in Ohio and Tennessee, MacManus grew up in a modest house built a year before she was born on the property now owned by Academy at the Lakes. She shares many memories of her childhood on the land with her sister, University of South Florida professor Susan MacManus, as well as her late brother, Dr. H. Cameron MacManus, who was killed in a plane crash last spring.

“There’s been a lot of changes here since we were kids, and many of them good changes,” MacManus said. “But we didn’t want to see a bunch of homes on this land.”

MAKING IT WORK
Academy at the Lakes had plans to expand for the last two years, but the deal to purchase this piece of MacManus land came together only recently, thanks to the work of the MacManus family, as well as the Academy’s head of school Mark Heller and then board of trustees chair Cynthia Miller.

“The MacManuses have been very interested in seeing the future of their parents’ and grandparents’ land used for something productive and positive for the community,” Heller said. “They could’ve easily sold this land to a developer for a lot more money. But instead, decided that they should take a philanthropic route, and dedicate this land to the same thing they have always dedicated their lives to: education.”

Academy at the Lakes is paying slightly more than $2 million for the land, equating to a little less than $44,000 per acre. MacManus set up a charitable remainder annuity trust, which holds the 16-year mortgage for the property. Excluding any interest or other fees, that will cost the growing school approximately $10,500 per month on average.

While it might seem high, Heller sees it as an investment in the future for a school that is key to the economic growth in central Pasco County.

“The north side of the county is growing so fast, certainly now that construction and homebuilding is picking back up again,” Heller said. “The north side is going to be burgeoning again, just like it did 10 years ago, and we’re going to be able to grow with that community, and provide resources to that growing community.”

There are no immediate plans to build on the land, but it is something the school expects to do at some point to accommodate student needs, Heller said. In the meantime, some of the older students will tend to the land and learn how to grow oranges and take part in other agricultural activities. Food raised will be donated to local charities.

Heller talked about expansion in August 2011 when he said Academy at the Lakes should explore ways that would set it up for the next 100 years.

“This is something that could absolutely transform the footprint and the presence of the school,” Heller said at the time.

What happens is up to the school’s board of trustees, but there are many possibilities. One could include integrating the entire campus into one site, instead of having the younger and older students divided physically by Collier Parkway. The land could also become a sports complex center, among other things.

“There’s just so much that we can do that we haven’t really even talked about yet,” Heller said.

NEVER FORGET HISTORY
The matriarch of the MacManus family had always pushed education on her children, explaining why Lou MacManus and her siblings all reached doctorate levels in their schooling. Knowing that the farm she worked so hard to build would now be used for educating hundreds of young people — not just three — would make her mother proud, MacManus said.

“Education was so big for us growing up, and we were always out learning everything,” MacManus said. “We spent a lot of times outdoors, and didn’t watch much TV. We were doing sports, riding bicycles, and I even had a horse.”

The 2,200-square-foot house that served as the MacManus home for more than half a century still stands on the property. There are trees in front where the young MacManus children would hang their wet clothes after swimming in the nearby lake.

“We were together and outside from dawn until dusk,” MacManus said. “We spent our days swimming in the lake and roaming around the orange groves.”

And while the lake may no longer be a place where young people can just jump in, the land will be there to help educate many generations to come.