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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Local YMCA hosts Healthy Kids Day

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Justin Draft, of Dade City, guides his 19-month old son, Bennett, down the slide at the Y’s playground. The youngster was there with his dad and his mom, Lindsey. (Christine Holtzman)

There were loads of activities offered at the East Pasco Family YMCA Healthy Kids Day on April 27.

The YMCA facility, at 37301 Chapel Hill Loop in Zephyrhills, was among YMCAs across the country participating in the national initiative.

The event focused on improving the health and well-being of kids and their families.

Activities geared toward keeping young minds and bodies active included poolside fun, summer camp games, live music, basketball games, and demonstrations from the Zephyrhills Police Department and the Zephyrhills Fire Department.

There was a booth, too, where the Y staff registered anyone who was interested in their summer camp programs or swim lessons.

Published May 08, 2019

During free play in the YMCA gymnasium, 13-year-old Jordan Vallee, of Wesley Chapel, shows off his basketball spinning skills.
Six-year-old Valentina Vallee, of Wesley Chapel, winds up to toss her bean bag while competing in a game of ‘corn hole’ against her 8-year-old cousin, Lucas Smith. Her teammate, Zephyrhills Fire Department Cpt. Ed Alfonso, left, awaits his turn.

Attend a Kentucky Derby party, and help local groups

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Celebrate the Kentucky Derby and raise money for area rotary clubs and the Pasco Education Foundation.

The event, which is open to the public, is set for May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Guests will have a chance to roll cigars and dance to music by the Strictly Bizness band.

Those who enjoy donning fancy attire can also compete for awards for the best hat or best dressed contests.

Among many fun activities at the Kentucky Derby Party, guests can try their luck at the casino table. This year’s event will be on May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Courtesy of Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel)

Winners will be able to take home bragging rights, and prizes.

“The nice thing is everybody can get dressed up in their derby finest,” said Rebecca Smith, member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.

There will be a southern cuisine buffet, and drinks available at the bar.

Two auctions will be offered as well. Commemorative items, such as sports memorabilia, will be sold at the live auction, while the silent auction will offer an array of items donated by the community.

And, of course, those attending can cheer on their favorite horses and jockeys, as the Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on numerous television screens.

The function is being hosted jointly by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and the Rotary Club of Dade City.

It will be held at the Waller Ranch, at 17307 Powerline Road in Dade City.

Proceeds will help raise money for both rotary clubs, and will benefit the Pasco Education Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased online for $75 or at the door for $100.

For additional information or tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com.

Rebecca Smith may also be contacted at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Hats and Horses – Kentucky Derby Party
Where: Waller Ranch, 17307 Powerline Road, Dade City
When: May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $75 online or $100 at the door
Details: Come celebrate the Kentucky Derby with a buffet, contests for the best dressed and best hats, and auctions.
Info: For tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com. For further inquiries, contact Rebecca Smith at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Published May 01, 2019

Upgrades on tap for AdventHealth Dade City hospital

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With construction ramping up at AdventHealth Dade City, patients and staffers will soon have access to some of the new amenities and upgrades as part of $22 million in capital improvements headed to the health care facility.

An update on the various upgrades was shared in a presentation by Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Dade City, at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting.

AdventHealth Dade City is getting a $22 million makeover in the way of new care units, technology and services. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Dade City)

The latest addition to the health care facility is a 45-bed transitional care unit, which launches on May 1.

It’s one of the many enhanced facilities the hospital will see throughout 2019.

Torres described the unit as “a rehab center, but with higher capability.”

Patients discharged from in-patient stay will be able to be at the rehab center, but still have access to hospital services, surgeons, orthopedics and other medical staff. They’ll go to the rehab center because of medical necessity, to finish medications, to work on strength and balancing, and so on.

The unit projects to have a patient volume of 300 this year, and a patient volume of 1,000 in subsequent years.

“This is going to be something great that we look forward to,” Torres said.

Across from the transitional care unit is another wing that will house post-operative patients along with patients requiring a higher level of care, Torres said.

The interior of the wing is currently being retrofitted with a fresh paint job, new flooring, new bathrooms and more.

“Everything is brand new, literally from the floor all the way up,” Torres said. “The bathrooms look better than the ones at my house.”

Other aesthetic upgrades throughout the 100,000-square-foot facility include a new lobby and overhauled cafeteria, and even a chapel.

It’s all about providing patients at the 120-bed facility the best care possible, Torres said.

“We are tearing down the walls,” Torres said, “to make sure this facility can be the best that it can be.”

Several medical equipment upgrades also are on tap at the hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

That includes an outpatient X-ray machine and an on-site MRI machine that Torres called “the latest and the greatest.”

AdventHealth Dade City’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rodrigo Torres was the featured speaker The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting. Torres discussed many of the new upgrades coming to the 120-bed, 100,000-square-foot health care facility. (Kevin Weiss)

Additionally, the hospital has since implemented a robotic surgery program with the da Vinci Si Surgical System.

Torres explained the robotic system — controlled by a surgeon from a console — is used by general surgeons, urologists and gynecologists for complex minimally invasive procedures, including hernia repairs and gall bladder removals.

He noted the da Vinci machine becomes useful for surgeries that may take several hours, where physician fatigue can sometimes come into play.

Other new features have come to the health care facility of late, too.

That includes an electronic medical records system, Cerner, which has eliminated the need for paper charts.

Torres noted the paperless technology offers “clarity and transparency when providing medical care.”

“It’s a better way of keeping medical records, especially in the age of identity theft,” he said.

The hospital also has installed an around-the-clock, telemonitoring system to its intensive care unit.

The system, Advanced ICU Care, allows patients and nurses to communicate virtually with on-call physicians in cases where an intensivist is not immediately available in person at the hospital.

Torres said the technology was originally brought to AdventHealth Zephyrhills about a year ago “with great results.”

Another new service to the hospital is online scheduling capabilities for emergency room visits — allowing patients to reserve a treatment time and avoid long waits in the waiting room.

The service, accessed through GetInQuicker.com, is recommended for patients with non-life or limb-threatening emergencies.

Since its launch in February, Torres said the check-in program “is one of the best things that has happened” to the health care facility.

“We have 100 percent recommendation rate for all the patients that have used this service,” he said.

Aside from facility and technological upgrades, the hospital has added five new physicians to its staff: Dr. Olga Villa (obstetrician-gynecologist), Dr. Jennifer Roller (gynecologist), Dr. Forrest Rubenstein (thoracic vascular surgeon), Dr. Armen Duekmedjian (neurosurgeon) and Dr. Amir Ahmadian (neurosurgeon).

Torres said doctors Ahmadian and Duekmedjian will be operating out of AdventHealth Zephyrhills, but will provide consultations and services to patients at AdventHealth Dade City, as well.

With the addition of gynecological physicians and services, Torres noted the hospital may consider adding labor and birth delivery services at some point: “In the near future, that’s one of the avenues that we’re looking at.”

Torres also mentioned that AdventHealth Dade City recently received its accredited recertification from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, designating the hospital “a center of excellence for bariatric surgery.”

Published May 01, 2019

Dade City to finalize city manager contract

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The City of Dade City is nearing a contract agreement with its newly named city manager and current finance director Leslie Porter.

Details of the latest drafted employment contract were shared and amended during an April 23 regular city commission meeting.

Leslie Porter (File)

The latest draft calls for a base salary of $98,906.00 payable in monthly installments in the same manner as other city employees are paid.

The base salary would be automatically amended to include any salary adjustments that are provided or required by the city’s compensation policies to other city employees, such as cost of living adjustments.

Additionally, the agreement calls for the city manager to receive standard benefits provided to other city employees, including holiday leave, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, term life insurance, FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) leave, short- and long-term disability, and transfer of earned benefits to named beneficiaries in the event of death.

The contract also includes provisions for sick leave, retirement contributions and expenses provided for a cellphone and professional development services.

A final version of the employment agreement is expected to be approved at the next commission meeting on May 14.

Porter would be on a probationary period during her first 90 days of employment as city manager, per the contract.

Porter, who lives in Tampa, will not be required to maintain a residence in Dade City while serving as city manager. She also will be permitted to continue operating her tax service and real estate businesses.

In the event Porter is terminated without cause within the first 180 days of employment as city manager, the city would pay eight weeks’ salary and any accrued benefits. Severance pay maximizes out at 20 weeks’ salary and any accrued benefits if Porter is terminated after two years of employment, according to the draft contract.

In the event of voluntary resignation, Porter would be entitled to accrued vacation leave and sick leave (capped at 480 hours) if employed for longer than 10 years. She would also be paid through the last workday and is required to give at least 60 days’ notice prior to resignation.

Elsewhere, regular performance reviews and evaluations have been worked into the contract agreement.

City commissioners would conduct structured quarterly reviews with Porter during her first year as city manager, then proceed to annual evaluations every year after that; pay raises or salary increases may be tied to the results of those reviews and evaluations.

In early April, the commission voted to extend an offer and enter contract negotiations with Porter to become its next city manager.

Porter has been acting as the interim city manager since February, while also maintaining duties as the city’s finance director, a position she’s held since 2014.

Porter assumed the city manager vacancy created by Billy Poe, who left the post after nearly 12 years. Poe is now the deputy city manager in the City of Zephyrhills and is expected to move up to city manager once longtime city manager Steve Spina retires later on this year.

Before coming to Dade City, Porter spent nearly a decade working as town treasurer for the Town of Chesapeake Beach in Maryland. She holds a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University and a master’s degree from George Washington University.

The decision to offer Porter the city manager job came during a special meeting on April 3, when commissioners reviewed and ranked top candidates for the city manager position; Porter was one of the nine applicants who applied by the March 15 deadline.

It marked the second call for applications after the city was unable to come to a contract agreement with Tallahassee-based real estate associate Christopher Edwards, its top candidate for the city manager position back in February.

Published May 01, 2019

Fun in the sun — plus exercise, too

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Some residents of Betmar Acres, in Zephyrhills, hit the pool three times a week to work out and have fun at the same time.

From left: Joan Connell, Michael Blackman, T.A. Huggins and Bill Rood laugh, while the ball is in play near the net. (Christine Holtzman)

Laughter, cheers and good-natured teasing fill the air at the heated pool, while the players hit large colorful balls around, in water volleyball games.

About two dozen players jump, dive, swing and swat — in friendly games that give participants a nice workout, too.

Ninety-five-year-old Goldie Klebowski is one of the best players in the pool.

Besides playing water volleyball, she also manages a full schedule — volunteering at the Hospice thrift store and her church.

She offers this advice for aging well: “You need exercise, the more the better. Keep doing something, and feel good by helping others.”

Residents of Betmar Acres enjoy a series of friendly water volleyball games three times a week.

Betmar Acres, in Zephyrhills, is a manufactured-home community for residents age 55 and older. In the 1960s, there were just four mobile home parks in Florida, and Betmar founder M.H. Meengs saw the need for one in Zephyrhills.

Meengs turned his vision into an opportunity for development, when he bought 200 acres of former farm land along State Road 54.

He and his partner honored their wives by combining their first names — Betty and Mary — to christen the community, Betmar.

Today, Betmar Acres consists of nearly 440 acres, 1,700 homes, three clubhouses, 27 holes of golf, tennis and pickleball courts, two swimming pools, and a world-class shuffleboard facility. Residents at Betmar always have lots of recreational opportunities, including Bingo, ballroom and line dancing, live music shows, bocce ball, water aerobics, card games, computer and creative writing classes, block parties and garden clubs.

Published April 24, 2019

Tim Fisher, a snowbird from Michigan, pauses for a moment to consider his game strategy, during a water volleyball game at Betmar Acres.
Teammates Nancy Sisunik, a snowbird from Michigan, left, and Georgia Fulton, a snowbird from Ohio, both jump for the ball during an afternoon game.

Dade City is established as butterfly sanctuary

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Dade City has been inducted as a Monarch City USA – pledging to help preserve the monarch butterfly population.

In March, the city joined the ranks of four other Florida municipalities in addressing the plight facing these endangered insects.

The idea of seeking the designation was initiated by the Dade City Garden Club.

Nanette O’ Hara, a master gardener who lives in Hillsborough County, captured this photograph of a Monarch butterfly. (Courtesy of Nanette O’Hara)

After the scarcity of the butterfly species became a topic of discussion at a board meeting last year, club members felt compelled to take action.

“When we did our research and saw the numbers drastically declining, that was alarming,” said Joan Hepscher, a club member.

They studied the guidelines of the Monarch City USA organization during meetings in 2018, and earlier this year the club approached a longtime supporter of theirs for help – Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez.

She was instantly on board in helping to move the project forward.

“I have come to know and respect the garden club,” Hernandez said. “My line is: ‘How can I help you?’”

The mayor then brought up the issue as an agenda item before the Dade City Commission, which ultimately approved the project.

The mayor signed a proclamation in March to establish Dade City as a Monarch City USA.

This national organization was formed in 2015 to help prevent the extinction of monarch butterflies.

It gets to the heart of the matter, addressing the lack of milkweed and nectar plants – the butterflies’ food source.

Limited nutrition is due, in part, to harsh weather conditions during winter seasons.

Dade City has become a Monarch City USA. Here, Joan Hepscher, of the Dade City Garden Club, is being assisted by Jim West, of DeLand, which also is a Monarch City USA. (Courtesy of Sally Redden)

A 2016 study revealed that during the past two decades, the monarch population dropped by 68 percent, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Through Monarch City USA, municipalities across the United States are encouraged to join the effort in populating their land with milkweed and nectar plants.

Hepscher noted that when monarchs migrate from Canada to the U.S., and then to Mexico, they need to have “way stations.”

“As they fly, they need to have places to stop, eat, refresh and lay their eggs for the next generation,” she explained.

While this is beneficial to the monarchs, it also contributes to the circle of life for other insects.

Butterflies are just one of many pollinators who work as a team to provide nourishment for each other.

Thus, the Garden Club sees their efforts as being two-fold, not only preserving the monarchs, but wildlife on a whole.

On March 16, they had a monarch butterfly seminar to educate the public on how they can contribute in their own backyards.

The club will grant certificates to residents who follow simple guidelines, such as planting milkweed and nectar in their gardens.

The club will hold itself to those same standards, planting on its premises outside the clubhouse, as well.

In the pre-butterfly stage, caterpillars also benefit by eating the plant leaves down to uneven shapes.

Hepscher said that although they may not look aesthetically pleasing, the unshapely leaves serve their purpose.

“This plant is doing its job because it was here to feed the caterpillars, and it’s done that,” she stated.

Adults aren’t the only ones who are encouraged to join in the effort.

Hernandez has enlisted the city’s youth council to help on the project.

The Garden Club also has twice-a-year programs at the Hugh Embry Library for kids called ‘Nature Detectives.’

In these classes, the youth watch videos, do crafts and are involved in other activities to help them learn about the animal kingdom.

“We do believe educating children is the way to change the future and getting them to respect nature,” Hepscher said.

In some ways, the kids may be ahead of the game as they’ve already studied the monarch butterflies in depth.

The Monarch City USA designation includes the opportunity to display a Monarch City USA sign, which has not yet arrived.

The city is planning a fall festival to celebrate its induction as a Monarch City USA. It also plans additional educational seminars.

The Garden Club hopes that such events are held annually to encourage the preservation of wildlife.

“We feel we can take control of the future and we can make it better here in Dade City,” Hepscher stated.

Published April 24, 2019

Museum aims to tell Dade City’s story

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When people visit The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum they’ll not only have a chance to learn about Dade City’s history but also to get to feel — literally — objects that are part of the city’s past.

Joy Lynn, director of the museum, said the idea is to give visitors a true hands-on experience.

Items on loan to the museum will be kept behind glass, but many of the objects in the collection will be available for guests to pick up and hold.

The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum is housed within the Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Depot. The depot building was built in 1912, to replace an earlier frame structure that had been about a quarter-mile north of the building. It was the first site in Pasco County to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to a plaque on the building. (B.C. Manion)

Also, instead of reading all about the items on display, museum staff will share stories about the items with visitors, Lynn said.

It’s important that items kept in the collection help reveal Dade City’s history, Lynn said.

Objects on display at the museum must be from Dade City proper, not some nearby place, the museum director said. They also need to help provide a glimpse into the city’s history.

“Most everything in the building has a story, or some significance that will develop a memory when you leave here,” the museum director said.

“If it doesn’t have a significant story — you can buy it at a yard sale, it’s just a piece,” she said.

The official ribbon cutting for the train depot museum was on Feb. 14, a date deliberately chosen to signify that history and heritage are at the heart of Dade City, Lynn said.

The train depot, where the museum is housed, also has a rich history.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

It was built in 1912 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, now known as CSX. Originally, it accommodated freight and passenger traffic.

Ask museum staff to get details regarding the history of this trunk and quilt.

“Designed in a traditional style for southern railroad depots constructed in the late 19th and early 20th century, this building is utilitarian in layout, yet possesses finely crafted structural and ornamental Folk Victorian style details,” according to documents related to its historic designation.

The building’s architectural elements include gable dormers, bay window, wraparound loading platform, and interior finishes, the document says.

“Railroad stations served as major community commercial and social centers, linking each of the small towns with the rest of the world. At the turn of the century, therefore, railroads and associated depots play a significant role in the development of central Florida communities, such as Dade City,” the document adds.

A display of some old photographs and old cameras.

“Of the four historic railroad depots that have served Dade City, the Dade City Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot is the only one that remains,” the document continues.

In addition to the collection at the museum, staff will help tell Dade City’s story through downtown walking tours.

The walking tours are offered on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The museum also plans to present a Haunted History walking tour on the first Friday evening of the month, which it held for the first time on April 5.

To find out more about the museum and its events, visit DadeCityHeritageMuseum.org.

The Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum
Where: 14206 U.S. 98 Bypass, Dade City
When: Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Wednesdays
Cost: Suggested $5 donation
Details: The museum offers visitors a chance to see artifacts from Dade City and to hear the stories behind them. In addition to visiting the museum, it also is possible to learn about Dade City’s history by taking a walking tour downtown. Those are offered on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Info: Call (352) 424-5778, or visit DadeCityHeritageMuseum.org.

Published April 10, 2019

Dade City selects new city manager

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Dade City has selected someone with a familiar face to be its next city manager.

City Commissioners on April 3 voted to extend an offer and enter contract negotiations with Leslie Porter to become Dade City’s next city manager.

Porter, the city’s finance director, has been acting as the interim city manager since February. She’s also been handling her responsibilities as finance director.

Dade City has decided to enter negotiations with Leslie Porter to become the city’s next city manager. She’s been acting as interim city manager, while continuing to handle her responsibilities as the city’s finance director. (File)

If negotiations are fruitful, Porter will assume the vacancy created by Billy Poe, who left the post after nearly 12 years. Poe is now the deputy city manager in the City of Zephyrhills and is expected to move up to city manager when that post is vacated.

The decision to offer Porter the city manager job came during a special meeting, when commissioners had been expected to review and rank top candidates for the city manager position. Porter was one of the nine applicants who applied by the March 15 deadline.

It marked the second call for applications after the city was unable to come to a contract agreement with Christopher Edwards, its top candidate for the position back in February.

Edwards is a real estate associate in Tallahassee and former deputy director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economy Vitality.

Instead of selecting a list of new candidates to interview, the commission opted to proceed with Porter for the position, citing her performance as acting city manager over the last two months while also juggling her duties as finance director.

Porter has served as the city’s finance director since 2014. Before that, she spent nearly a decade working as town treasurer for the Town of Chesapeake Beach in Maryland.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University and a master’s degree from George Washington University.

Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon said she’s been impressed with Porter during her stint as acting city manager role.

Like others, she previously expressed concern about Porter’s lack of city management experience to take on the post full time.

Said Newlon, “I think that Ms. Porter has done an excellent job and continues to do a great job, quite frankly doing two very large jobs, and I continue to be impressed by the work she’s doing.”

Others on the commission offered similar assessments.

Commissioner Jim Shive offered a strong endorsement for Porter, saying she’s exhibited “true leadership” and “a great propensity for achieving and personal growth.

“She continues to step up a notch,” said Shive. “I think we have a great opportunity to promote an individual from within, who’s shown a commitment and dedication to Dade City, and is up to the challenge.”

Mayor Camille Hernandez described Porter as “a no-nonsense gal” who “knows the job and the task at hand.”

“We have someone that knows our system, knows our city, is definitely committed and dedicated to the job,” Hernandez said.

She added, “It’s been interesting to watch her evolve over the last two months or so. She understands that she doesn’t know everything and there’s a lot to learn, but I love that about her, that she’s up for the challenge.”

Mayor Pro Tem Eunice Penix added of Porter: “I think she has done a great job, too. To me, we need her. She is well capable.”

Even City Attorney Nancy Stuparich weighed in on Porter: “I’ve enjoyed working with Leslie the last few months. She’s a very quick learner, and she’s had a lot of issues put on her very quickly and has been very responsive.”

Commissioner Scott Black was the lone voice to suggest the commission conduct interviews with some other applicants for the position, in addition to Porter.

Said Black, “I would feel more comfortable having a little more time to observe (Porter) for a longer period of time as different things come up that could be challenges to her, but I do think she’s done a good job.

“I do have a lot of confidence in Ms. Porter, especially given her finance background, but I’d like to talk to some of these others (that applied).”

The mayor and city attorney will now undergo contract negotiations with Porter, with an update expected at an April 23 city commission meeting.

As finance director, Porter makes nearly $86,000. However, her earnings have bumped to nearly $99,000 since taking on the additional role of acting city manager.

Provided an agreement with Porter is reached, commissioners mentioned City Hall will likely undergo some restructuring, as they look to hire a new finance director, and possibly add an assistant city manager and economic development specialist to the city’s organizational leadership chart.

Published April 10, 2019

Dade City extends ban on cannabis dispensaries

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Dade City is again pressing pause on allowing any medical marijuana treatment centers within city limits.

The Dade City Commission on March 28 voted to extend its moratorium relating to the operation of cannabis dispensing organizations and the issuance of business tax licenses for such facilities.

The Dade City Commission extended its moratorium, or temporary ban, on medical marijuana treatment centers, during a March 28 meeting. The city has had a moratorium in effect since 2016. (File)

The moratorium, temporary in nature, is in effect for the next six months, with a retroactive date of March 23.

The action marks the fourth time commissioners have passed a six-month extension of the moratorium, which was initially enacted in 2016, to study the potential impacts of such facilities on the municipality.

The original moratorium followed the November 2016 amendment of Florida’s Constitution to allow “the dispensing and use of marijuana for medical purposes by persons with debilitating diseases.”

City leaders, meanwhile, are still considering ways to regulate cannabis dispensaries, as opposed to instituting a permanent or outright ban.

Commissioners in January directed city staff to draft an ordinance that would have allowed for medical marijuana in all zoning districts where the city allows pharmacies, except in the city’s Community Redevelopment Area, generally encompassing the downtown corridor, and within 500 feet from any public or private elementary, middle and high school.

However, the Dade City Planning Board recommended denial of the drafted ordinance, due in part to concerns about its limiting pharmacies or drugstores in the downtown area, in making them legal nonconforming use.

The planning board then made a recommendation to the local planning agency and commission to extend the moratorium on the sale of medical marijuana, with a time frame to be determined by the commission; a public hearing and first reading of the extension was passed unanimously by the commission back on March 12.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said the commission will look to again address the medical marijuana dispensary issue and try to come up with a long-term solution sometime following Florida’s 2019 legislative session, which wraps up May 3.

Despite the moratorium, the mayor said she remains in favor of some type of ordinance that would permit medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits.

“I still feel very strongly,” Hernandez said. “I still think it serves a purpose and helps a lot of people.”

Former Dade City Manager Billy Poe received a plaque of appreciation for his nearly 11 years of public service to the municipality. Poe left the city manager post in February, accepting a similar position with the City of Zephyrhills. (Kevin Weiss)

The mayor also pointed to Florida voters’ clear support of Amendment 2 in 2016, in which 71 percent of the electorate voted in favor of medical marijuana treatment centers.

Said Hernandez, “I do think that the voters did express their opinion, and if we can put it together so it doesn’t adversely affect Dade City, then we need to do that, absolutely.”

In other action, commissioners presented a plaque of appreciation to Billy Poe, who served as city manager in Dade City for nearly 11 years.

Poe officially left the post in February to accept a similar position with the City of Zephyrhills as its deputy city manager. He is expected to transition to the city’s top leadership position once longtime Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina retires sometime this summer.

During the award presentation, Poe thanked the commission “for the opportunity to work with wonderful citizens and staff,” and specifically mentioned commissioners Scott Black and Eunice Penix “for taking a chance on me a way long time ago.”

Poe also expressed gratitude to city staffers he worked alongside during his tenure as city manager.

“Obviously, I could not have done and been able to be in Dade City for as long as I was without a great staff, and I truly appreciate it,” he said.

Meantime, the city is still searching for Poe’s replacement after it was unable to come to a contract agreement with its top candidate for the city manager position earlier this year.

Commissioners will have a special meeting April 3 at 4 p.m., to review and rank its second pool of candidates for the position.

The deadline to apply for the city manager vacancy ended March 15. The city received nine applications.

Published April 03, 2019

Grieving parents want to offer comfort to others

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Months after losing their infant son, Alissa Rodriguez and Ryan Mellor have donated to AdventHealth Zephyrhills the same kind of device that helped provide them comfort in the hours immediately following Collin’s death.

During a March 26 ceremony at the hospital, the Wesley Chapel couple provided a CuddleCot to be used by other families that are going through the same tragic circumstances that they experienced.

Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Zephyrhills, left, accompanied family members of Collin Sebastian Mellor as the hospital received a CuddleCot donation on March 26. Next to the hospital executive is Alessandra Mellor, her parents Ryan and Alissa, sister Carolina, as well as grandparents Migdoel Rodriguez and Sonia Garcia. (Courtesy of Ashley Jeffery/AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Chaplains, medical staff and family gathered in a hospital room at AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as the couple presented their gift.

The CuddleCot is a device which uses flowing water to cool a pad, which can be placed in a basket, or in the arms of a parent, to provide extra time with the baby.

“We’re so grateful to be able to have this donation of the CuddleCot, because it gives those moms (and dads) the opportunity (to hold the baby) before they say goodbye,” said Sonia Yaksich, nurse manager of the Women’s Health Center at AdventHealth Zephyrhills. “This is a beautiful and perfect way for families to provide a memory for their child.”

As the couple made their donation, they were bestowed with a plaque honoring the memory of Collin Sebastian Mellor.

Although little Collin was delivered stillborn, he was safely cushioned by the pad as family members said their farewell in September of last year.

Sharing the story of their loss was difficult, as Alissa and Ryan read a letter they had prepared for the gathering.

For support, Christina Stamper was at the couple’s side, and when they were overcome by emotion, she finished reading the letter on their behalf.

“Due to the CuddleCot, we were able to stay with our son in our room,” Stamper read. “During the first few hours of absolute shock, there was no time, clarity to say, do, or express all that you would like to.”

Stamper could resonate with the parents’ struggle as she, too, lost her daughter, who was delivered stillborn.

Through the pain, she and her husband founded Madison’s Miracles – an organization named after their late daughter.

This CuddleCot device was donated to AdventHealth Zephyrhills in memory of Collin Sebastian Mellor on March 26.

Its purpose is to offer support groups to parents who have lost an infant, as well as raise funds to help pay for funerals and private counseling.

After discovering the CuddleCots – based in the United Kingdom – Stamper decided to have one brought to Florida.

“I needed to bring it here because nobody in the state had them,” she recalled.

In October 2016, she donated the first one to the Martin Health System, the hospital in Stuart, Florida, where Madison was delivered.

She has since teamed up with Ryan and Alissa with the goal of donating six CuddleCots to various hospitals in the U.S., and Puerto Rico.

AdventHealth Zephyrhills was their first stop, with Stanford University and Tampa General Hospital as next destinations.

Ryan is a cardiac surgeon at AdventHealth Tampa where he is acutely aware of the concept of mortality.

However, after he and his wife experienced the loss personally, they felt compelled to help others in need.

“We want to raise awareness that they’re (CuddleCots) there,” the doctor explained. “They should be available to people who are going through this.”

Even with his busy schedule, he said he wants to be present when each hospital receives their gift.

As for the staff at AdventHealth Zephyrhills, they will be reminded of the priceless value of their gift, as it has been imprinted with Collin’s full name.

Stamper stated that, “every family that walks through this door and has a loss, whether stillbirth or shortly after infant loss, will be guided by the arms open wide of Collin Sebastian.”

Published April 03, 2019