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Dan Biles

Efforts continue to speed, simplify vaccine rollout

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National and local news reports show images of long lines of vehicles waiting to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations, as efforts continue to improve the process for signing up for the shots, and to speed the production and distribution of the vaccines.

President Joe Biden last week announced that the United States signed a final contract for 100 million more Moderna and 100 million more Pfizer vaccines. The news came during a Feb. 11 speech at the National Institutes of Health.

Biden also said that 100 million doses that were promised by the end of June now will be delivered by the end of May, and that the country is on track to have enough supply for 300 million shots by the end of July.

A public-private partnership has been launched, as well, with vaccinations being distributed through 21 national pharmacy partners and networks of independent pharmacies representing over 40,000 pharmacy locations across the country. The effort is part of a national strategy to expand equitable access to the vaccines. (More information is available at CDC.gov/covid19)

Participating chains nationwide include Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Publix, Costco and Winn-Dixie. To find participating local pharmacies, check those companies’ websites.

The retail pharmacy efforts are in addition to ongoing distributions coordinated through local public health departments.

So far, based on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order, COVID-19 vaccinations are limited to long-term care facility residents and staff; individuals age 65 and older; and, health care personnel with direct patient contact.

Hospital providers also may vaccinate persons deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

Pasco County seniors can register through the Pasco County health department’s portal.

They also can register through participating private pharmacies.

In Hillsborough County, seniors can pre-register for the state’s portal and reserve their space in line. The state will contact them once it is their turn for a vaccine. Additionally, they can register through participating private pharmacies.

Florida has no county residency requirement, so individuals can attempt to secure an appointment through any of these options.

Despite increased supplies and more vaccination options, Pasco County commissioners said they continue to hear from constituents who are frustrated about not being able to get registered for a shot.

At their Feb. 9 meeting, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told her colleagues: “I am concerned and want to be sure that we’re doing all we can, that our senior citizens who don’t have access to computers and aren’t computer savvy, are able to figure out how to get on. I’m hearing this over and over again.”

She thinks the county needs to do more to help.

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed. He’d like to see a system that would allow people to sign up and be put on a waiting list, and then to be notified when a vaccine becomes available.

That would be better, he said, “even if you’re going to be (number) 135,000 — as opposed to not getting in the system.”

Starkey reiterated her concerns: “The queue is the queue. I’m just saying, some people don’t know how to get in the queue.”

County Administrator Dan Biles noted there is a telephone number that people can call to make appointments.

Starkey responded: “I know, but it’s really hard to get through.

Biles observed: “You have 100,000 people trying to get 1,000 shots. It’s going to be hard to get through right now.”

Meanwhile, across the country, 52.9 million COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of COVID-19 cases nationally stood at more than 27.4 million, as of Feb. 14, and there has been a downward trend in cases for the past 30 days. The death toll for COVID-19 related cases stood at 482,536.

In Florida, the total number of positive cases exceeded 1.82 million, and there were 28,779 resident deaths, as of Feb. 14, according to data recorded on the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard.

The figures stood at 31,348 positive resident cases in Pasco County, and 642 deaths; and at 105,531 positive resident cases and 1,397 deaths in Hillsborough County.

COVID-19 vaccinations
To register:

In Pasco County: Go to PatientPortalFl.com to complete an account with CDR Maguire Health & Medical for upcoming appointments, or call 1-844-770-8548. New appointments open up every Sunday at 2 p.m., for the following week, and are typically filled within minutes.

In Hillsborough County: Call 866-200-3896, TTY 844-251-5532, or visit MyVaccine.fl.gov.

National Retail Pharmacy Program: Some retail pharmacies also are participating in a public-private partnership to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. Check the website of  individual retail pharmacies to find out more.

For the most recent COVID-19 vaccination information, check with your local health department websites.

Published February 17, 2021

Pasco to update its facilities master plan

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The Pasco County Commission has approved an agreement with Furr, Wegman & Banks P.A., for a facilities master plan update.

The facilities master plan was completed in March of 2015, and this task calls for completing the work necessary to update it.

The agreement specifies that the task must be performed for an amount not to exceed $336,720, according to background materials in the agenda for the Feb. 9 board meeting.

The facilities master plan is expected to be completed within 248 days of the county’s notice to proceed, unless an extension is approved.

In other action, the commission:

  • Approved a change order with Williamson Dacar Associates Inc., to extend the completion date of Feb. 9, 2021, for the Hugh Embry Library Renovations by 365 days. No funding was required for this action. The time extension will allow for completion of professional services, including construction administration and closeout.
  • Approved a change order with Moss & Associates LLC for the addition of two Design Assist Contractors (DACs) for the jail facility expansion and visitation building detention equipment and security electronics during the pre-construction phase. The amount of the change order is for an amount not to exceed $120,487, for a new cumulative not-to-exceed amount of $591,689 in fiscal year 2021.
  • Accepted a grant from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida Inc., to expand archery supplies for reimbursement in the amount of $4,578 and to authorize the director of the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources, or his designee, to execute the grant agreement. The grant will be used to increase the county’s inventory of bows, arrows and targets; thus making archery education more available at passive parks, such as Starkey and Crews Lake Wilderness Parks and Withlacoochee River Park.
  • Approved the purchase of new carpeting in the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center, in the amount of $57,991.72. The purchase, being made through a state contract, is to replace carpet that is frayed and worn, and has reached the end of its useful life. New carpeting is required to maintain a safe and clean environment, according to agenda background materials.
  • Approve and accept the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Grant funding, through the Florida Department of Transportation, to purchase one vehicle. The grant is specific to Pasco County Public Transportation. Funding for the vehicle Is 80% federal, 10% state and 10% local. The total amount of the award is $90,000, which includes $9,000 match from the state and $9,000 match by the county. If the vehicle exceeds the total cost, the county must make up the difference.
  • Approved a recommendation to approve shortlist firms for roadway design services for design services for the Old Pasco Road widening, from north of Deedra Drive to North of Overpass Road. These are the shortlisted firms, in order: HDR Engineering Inc.; American Consulting Engineers of Florida; WGI Inc.; DRMP Inc.; Madrid Engineering Group Inc.; Johnson Engineering Inc., and Florida Transportation Engineering. The board also authorized negotiations with the top-ranked firm, HDR, to secure a design agreement for the project.

If an agreement cannot be reached with HDR, the board also authorized negotiations could be conducted with the remainder of the firms, in ranked order. An agreement is expected to be brought to the county board for approval within three months.

Commissioners also heard an update from County Administrator Dan Biles, who said the county has signed an agreement that will provide reimbursement to the county for the construction of the interchange at the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road.

The county and the Florida Department of Transportation collaborated extensively to execute the funding agreement, in the amount of $20 million. The plan is to deliver the next phase of the Ridge Road extension — opening two lanes between Town Center Road and the Suncoast Parkway this summer.

Published February 17, 2021

Pasco County honors outstanding employees

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Pasco County employees that went the extra, extra mile to help residents and county government adapt to the challenges posed by COVID-19 were honored in a resolution adopted by the Pasco County Commission last week.

Commissioners approved the selection of the county’s 2020 Star Performers of the Year — chosen as the “best of the best” by county administration.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles, left, stands with Todd Curci, who was named Pasco County’s Star Performer of the Year for helping the county make the switch to a remote working environment, through technology, during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

County Administrator Dan Biles said the award winners are among a multitude of county employees who went beyond the call of duty to provide needed services during 2020.

Those singled out for special recognition were:

  • Todd Curci, Star Performer of the Year
  • Tambrey Laine, Star Leader of the Year
  • Pasco Community Cares Team, Star Team of the Year

Their contributions were outlined in a video presented during the Jan. 26 board meeting.

Curci was credited with helping the county to use technology, to adjust to restricted working conditions imposed by COVID-19. He helped employees not only to work remotely, but also to collaborate and to have staff meetings. He also helped elected officials to conduct their business via remote, then hybrid sessions.

“Todd tirelessly provided the necessary support and training across the organization, as we successfully transitioned to a remote work model,” the video said. “Additionally, Todd assisted teams across the organization, in hosting their WebEx meetings, including board meetings, team leadership meetings and Citizens Academy meetings.

The Pasco Community Cares Team is shown here, with Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles on the right. The team was named the county’s Star Team of the Year, for handling the massive job of distributing millions of dollars in federal assistance to people needing help with food and housing, during the pandemic.

“This volume of work included more than 75 meetings and over 200 hours of individual support time,” the video said.

Laine, who leads the county’s Media Relations & Communications team has created what is essentially Pasco County’s own newsroom, according to the video.

Laine’s department also helps get the word out through a variety of channels, including news releases, videos and news alerts. Her department completed more than 1,000 media contacts last year, and produced more than 100 videos.

Since 2017, it has helped increase the county’s social media following by nearly 50%.

The department also has established the county administrator’s podcast, has created a video about human resource benefits, has provided support messaging for census efforts and has shared news about everything from major projects to updates on COVID-19 vaccine efforts.

The Pasco Community CARES Team has been the conduit for distributing millions of dollars in federal funds provided through the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, to Pasco County residents in need of assistance.

As the video put it: “Faced with the nation’s biggest health challenge in more than 100 years, many in our community lost jobs, and quickly ran out of money to pay bills and buy basic necessities.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles, left, stands with Tambrey Laine, who was named leader of the year. Laine leads the county’s Media Relations & Communications team — which provides news releases, produces videos, conducts virtual ribbon-cuttings and uses other methods to tell the county’s story.

It took a small army of county staffers, from nine different departments, to handle the massive workload.

“The Pasco Community CARES team served several thousand people, paying out more than $4 million in much-needed aid, with compassion, respect and integrity,” the video says.

During the board meeting, the nine departments involved were represented by their team leaders: Brian Hoben, Manny Long, Lisa Stinnett, Danielle Bierman, Jessica Bleser, Marcy Esbjerg, Kristina McGonigal, and Samantha Grahn and Laine.

Administrator Biles also said he would be remiss if he failed to mention the instrumental role that the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office played in the CARES Act efforts, and he wanted to be sure they received proper credit.

County commissioners also heaped on some praise.

“I think the county has just been remarkable in these trying times,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said. “Gosh, sitting here last year, who would have thought we’d have a year like this?”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said Curci’s persistence and expertise helped the county adapt, but also has set it up for the future.

“I think the county is going to benefit for many, many years to come, with the efficiencies of using technology,” Mariano said.

He also singled out Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services, for her leadership of the CARES’ team efforts.

“What you did for this community was phenomenal,” Mariano said.

Published February 03 ,2021

Vaccine demand continues to outpace supply

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Complaints about difficulties in registering for COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Pasco and Hillsborough counties have resulted in changes to those systems, but demand for vaccinations continues to outpace the supply of available vaccines.

Both Pasco and Hillsborough now are using the same registration system for vaccines.

Anyone age 65 and older who needs the COVID-19 vaccination must go to PatientPortalFl.com or call 844-770-8548 to create an account with CDR Maguire: Health & Medical (CDR Maguire).

Saint Leo University hosted the first COVID-19 vaccine distribution in East Pasco County on Jan. 15, at its campus in St. Leo. (Courtesy of Jason Longo/Saint Leo University)

An account with CDR Maguire is required to register for a vaccination appointment.

Those who have created an account with CDR Maguire must log into the patient portal to register for an appointment.

Pasco’s health department announced that it would hold four vaccination clinics this week. Registrations for the clinics began on Jan. 17. Appointments are mandatory to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The health department planned to provide 400 vaccinations on Jan. 19 and 400 on Jan. 21, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Sears Auto Center in the Gulfview Square Mall, 9409 U.S. 19 in Port Richey.

There also will be 500 appointments on Jan. 20 and 500 on Jan. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Saint Leo University, 33710 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Those receiving the vaccinations should be sure to have a photo ID, when checking in for your vaccination appointment. If using the online patient portal, be sure to bring a printed or digital copy of the confirmation email you receive, containing the QR code.

Both Hillsborough and Pasco counties continue to have a fundamental issue with vaccine supply.

On the Hillsborough website, a health department note says: “Please understand that the vaccine is not widely available in Hillsborough County at this time and the distribution plans depend on vaccine supplies. Supplies are provided by the federal government and distributed to the states, which then allocate them to counties.”

Pasco County Commission members expressed frustrations about the vaccine supply problem at their Jan. 12 meeting.

Commissioner Mike Moore raised the issue, noting that Pasco’s health department was supposed to receive 3,500 doses on a particular day.

“They received zero, as we all know,” Moore said to his colleagues.

“Our current population, we’re guesstimating, is 560,000 —  I’m sure when the census comes out it will be closer to 600,000,” Moore said.

About a third of Pasco’s population is over the age of 65, he added.

If the county was to get 1,800 vaccines a week, it would take about 7 ½ years to vaccinate the population in Pasco County. At 3,500, it would take 3 ½ years to vaccinate the population of Pasco County, he said.

Moore said he’d been working on the problem with Dan Biles, county administrator; Andy Fossa, county director of emergency management; and Mike Napier, public health officer for the Department of Health — Pasco County.

Moore then reached out to Jared Moskowitz, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

“I was able to get him to send at least 1,000,” Moore said. “While I do appreciate that, that’s not enough.”

Moore said he and Commission Chairman Ron Oakley reached out to State Sen. Danny Burgess, and Burgess was able to secure another 500 vaccines.

“So, we ended up with 1,500 this week,” said Moore, who also expressed gratitude to Senate President Wilton Simpson and Rep. Randy Maggard, for their efforts.

But, Moore expressed his continued frustration about Pasco’s inability to get adequate vaccines.

“Every one of us (county commissioners) are getting the calls and the emails from our constituents. I know that each and every one of you, as well as I do, wish we could do more for them. Unfortunately, right now, the only thing that we can do is ask and beg. I really feel like I was begging yesterday, on behalf of our citizens. We need more vaccines in Pasco County,” Moore said.

Administrator Biles said “to be honest, the entire region is being shorted.”

“At the rate we’re getting it, it’s six-plus months, just to get the over-65 community,” Biles said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said “I’m trying to figure out why we’re getting shorted.”

She suggested sending a letter to the governor and state emergency management director, urging that “vaccines be distributed per capita, in a fair and uniform manner.”

The letter also should go to Senate President Simpson and Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls, Starkey suggested.

“Let’s get that letter off immediately and get our fair share,” she said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano weighed in: “I think we need to get a federal letter, too.”

Commissioners agreed with Starkey and Mariano’s suggestions, and approved separate motions to send both letters.

For more information on signing up for a vaccination and about the availability of appointments, visit the Pasco health department websites at Pasco.floridahealth.gov and the Hillsborough health department website at Hillsborough.floridahealth.gov.

Vaccines in Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order that outlines that providers can only administer COVID-19 vaccines to these groups:

  • Health care facility residents and staff
  • Those age 65 and older
  • Health care personnel with direct patient contact
  • Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers

Keep wearing your mask
Even if you’ve had two vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there’s not enough information yet to say when it will stop recommending people to wear masks and to avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

While experts learn more, they recommend that people continue to:

  • Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others
  • Avoid crowds
  • Avoid poorly ventilated spaces
  • Wash your hands often

Published January 20, 2021

Input from law enforcement welcome in planning efforts

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Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore failed to find support from his colleagues when he suggested adding a seat on the county’s planning commission for a representative from the sheriff’s office.

Moore recommended the expansion of the planning commission during the county commission’s Jan. 12 meeting.

He said Sheriff Chris Nocco has asked for such involvement in the past, and Moore asked his colleagues to move forward with the request.

“It would definitely be an asset, with the growth of the county, when it comes to public safety, as well as the traffic concerns. They need to be represented on the planning commission.

“We do have a school board (representative) that’s on the planning commission. It would only benefit us to have the sheriff’s office to have a representative on the planning commission,” Moore said.

But, Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder noted: “the school board is on the planning commission only for the purposes of increase in residential density, and that’s by statute.”

He added: “I’m not sure you couldn’t put a representative of the sheriff’s office on it, but that would require a land development code amendment to change that composition.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was not receptive to expanding the planning commission.

“It just seems kind of odd to me, to put the sheriff’s office on the planning commission,” Starkey said. “Is there any planning commission in the state that has law enforcement on it?”

Steinsnyder said he would have to research that question to find out.

Starkey then asked: “Is there anyone at the sheriff’s office with planning background?”

Moore responded that the sheriff does have someone in mind that he would like to appoint to that role.

Chase Daniels, assistant executive director for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, said “to Commissioner Moore’s point, obviously any time there are new developments, there could be criminal elements to that.

“There are other concerns with CPTED, which is crime prevention through environmental design — guardhouses, gates, security cameras, lights.

“And then, to Commissioner Starkey’s point, as well, anytime you add more cars on the road, you obviously add more people that are speeding, people looking for through routes and trying to get off major thoroughfares.”

The sheriff’s intent is that “so many of those things that do come through the planning commission, we would appreciate the opportunity to have eyes on, as they go through, and make recommendations,” Daniels said.

Starkey said she’s fine with having a safety voice, but doesn’t think the planning commission is the best place for that.

“We take public comment, and certainly we hold the sheriff’s comments in high regard, and I would think that he should come to the meetings. However, being a voting member — I think that’s just not the right place for them,” Starkey said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley and Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed with Starkey that the sheriff’s office doesn’t need to have a representative on the planning commission.

Moore told his colleagues: “I guess I don’t understand the apprehension to have somebody appointed from the sheriff to be on the planning commission, when everything and anything approved does have some type of impact on law enforcement.

“They’re asking to be involved in those discussions,” Moore said, noting the sheriff’s office can add a “totally different insight.”

He also reminded board members of how important public safety is to the residents of Pasco County.

“We’ve seen time and time again, on our surveys, public safety always ranks No. 1,” Moore said.

Nectarios Pittos, the county’s planning and development director, said that having a sheriff’s office representative provide input on pre-application reviews could provide a chance for the law enforcement agency to weigh in at a much earlier stage of the project, than they would at the Planning Commission stage.

County attorney Steinsnyder also noted that the sheriff’s office might be able to be involved in another aspect of the county’s planning efforts, too.

“They may need a seat at the table at ordinance review, where we’re developing the land development code changes,” Steinsnyder said.

But Moore pressed on, noting he’d made a motion to take the necessary steps to add a representative from the sheriff’s office to the planning commission.

That motion was seconded by Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick, but it failed, with Oakley, Starkey and Mariano voting no.

After the vote, Moore asked County Administrator Dan Biles to be sure to reach out to the sheriff’s office to invite them to have a member attend pre-application meetings, which Biles said he would do.

Biles also noted that the county already shares some planning information with the sheriff’s office, but he will make sure that the information is getting to the right place.

Published January 20, 2021

Pasco allocates funds for new central office design

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a task order with CPH Inc., for the design of a new central office and warehouse for its facilities management department.

The agreement, which calls for an amount not to exceed $339,920, is being made under a continuing professional services agreement with CPH, according to backup materials in the board’s Jan. 12 agenda packet.

The county’s facilities management department currently shares space inside Fire Station No. 22, on U.S. 41.

That fire station is scheduled to be replaced by a new facility on the Asbel Road extension, which is expected to be completed in August 2022.

The existing fire station will be demolished to allow future development of a Public Service Center for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.

The new facilities management office and warehouse will be built on the existing central Public Safety Campus to house facilities management personnel that provide services in the central zone of the county.

In Wesley Chapel, meanwhile, construction has begun on the Overpass Road interchange.

“That interchange will be open to traffic in the Summer of ’22. So that’s just around the corner,” County Administrator Dan Biles told commissioners during their Jan. 12 meeting.

“It actually may be open to traffic before the Diverging Diamond,” Biles said.

By closing Overpass Road during construction, the project will be accelerated by six months to nine months, Biles said.

In connection with the Overpass Road project, commissioners also adopted a resolution authorizing the rerouting of Blair Drive. The Overpass Road/I-75 Interchange Project requires Overpass Road at Blair Drive to be limited access for the safety of the public traveling on Blair Drive and on Overpass Road through the new interchange. To accommodate this requirement, an extension of Blair Drive is being constructed to connect to Old Pasco Road.

Blair Drive at Overpass Road will be closed and reconstructed as a cul-de-sac.

In another action, commissioners approved a state-funded grant agreement between the Florida Department of Transportation and Pasco County, relating to Lacoochee Industrial Area right of way improvements.

The project is aimed at supporting the creation of new jobs in Lacoochee using $5,469,395 approved by the Florida Legislature last year.

The funds will be distributed on a reimbursable basis.

The scope of work for this project consists of:

  • Reconditioning Bower Road from Cummer Road to State Road 575 (approximately 3,200 feet) through the use of full depth reclamation
  • Milling and resurfacing of Cummer Road from U.S. 301 to Bower Road (approximately 4,700 feet)
  • Adding a new right-turn lane on Cummer Road at U.S. 301
  • Providing driveway aprons, as needed and new signing and pavement markings
  • A new right-turn lane on SR 575 at Bower Road, new signing and pavement markings, and preparation of maintained right of way maps, in coordination with FDOT, along Bower Road and SR 575.

To avoid construction delays, the design and permitting phase of the project was

expedited with local funds.

Funding, in the amount of $300,000, was approved through the Office of Economic Growth in the Spring of 2020, to start the design and permitting phase of the project.

The project scope was split into two segments for the purpose of design and permitting. Segment 1 affects county roads, while Segment 2 affects the state highway system.

The design of both segments is currently underway with design and permitting of

Segment 1 to be completed by January 2021, while Segment 2 will be completed by June 2021.

The agreement also notes that the design and permitting phase will not be reimbursed by FDOT because that work preceded the agreement, but the grant support services associated with the design — a separate task order — will be.

Published January 20, 2021

Pasco’s building boom creates a backlog in permits

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On the up side, there’s a building boom going on in Pasco County.

On the downside, there’s a logjam in processing building permits.

County Administrator Dan Biles addressed the issue during the Pasco County Commission meeting on Jan. 12.

During the last quarter 2020, Pasco County issued 1,794 single-family residential permits — outpacing Hillsborough county, which issued 1,632 single-family new permits during the same period, Biles said.

Keeping up with the increased volume has posed a challenge, the county administrator acknowledged.

Biles added: “We are working several things to try to address level of service issues.”

One strategy involves off-loading some of the work to private providers.

To encourage that, the county is waiving its normal $600 administrative fee charged to private plan reviewers and inspectors. That waiver will be in effect through July 9.

“We are encouraging single-family homebuilders to use private providers during this time of high-volume building permit activity in Pasco County,” Esther Oluyemi, a Pasco County building official, said in a news release. “Over the past several months, our team has been reviewing as many as 100 more applications per month than usual, and private providers can help us maintain the level of service our customers expect.”

Here’s a look at the demand that Pasco County has been experiencing.

  • Pasco County is now reviewing 721 new single-family residential permit applications.
  • The county’s building and construction services department processed 5,741 new single-family residential permits in 2020, an increase of 32% from 2019.
  • The number of monthly single-family residential permit applications in Pasco has been higher in each of the past six months than in any month during the past eight years.

Florida law allows for plan review and inspection code compliance services through a process that is referred to as the Private Provider program governed by Florida Statute Sec. 553.791. The program offers an alternative to traditional review and inspection services provided by local enforcement agencies.

Builders with additional questions, can contact Pasco County Central Permitting at 727-847-8126.

Published January 20, 2021

Pasco names director of support services

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Pasco County commissioners approved the appointment of Paula Baracaldo for the newly created position of director of support services, effective Jan. 1.

Baracaldo will receive an annual salary of $105,000.

The position results from a county departmental reorganization, prompted by Pasco’s growth over the past years. COVID-19 also is adding to the demands for services.

Baracaldo’s new position is part of the public services branch. She currently serves as chief of staff for Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles.

Baracaldo primarily will have oversight of the veterans services and the fiscal services divisions, formerly part of the community services department.

She also will support other executive functions within the public services branch.

Baracaldo is a public certified manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida in political science and international studies, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Northwestern University.

Published December 16, 2020

Pasco commissioners delay hiring decision

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The Pasco County Commission wants the county to advertise a top administrative position before deciding who should get the job.

Commissioners made that decision during their Nov. 17 meeting, when they were asked to confirm the selection of Gary Joiner to be the director of administration in the county’s building and construction services department.

The job pays $125,000.

Sally Sherman, assistant county administrator for development services, spoke in glowing terms of Joiner’s qualifications and “fit” for the job. He has 30 years of professional experience, including as Pasco’s county property appraiser. He initially filed for reelection, but failed to qualify in the race for the seat that was won by Mike Wells Jr., who just left the county board.

County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, however, wasn’t so sure that Joiner is the right choice for the job.

“I have a little reservation with this selection, just from my own personal interaction when I found something that wasn’t correct, in his world of property appraising,” Starkey said.

She said she brought the issue to Joiner’s attention repeatedly and it wasn’t corrected.

“It took me talking to Dr. (Marc) Bellas (performance management director) about it, to get it fixed, and it cost this county tens of thousands of dollars.

“The inaction, of fixing the problem, does not sit well with me,” Starkey said.

She suggested: “I think we maybe need to keep looking.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley was willing to support Joiner’s hiring, noting that he trusted County Administrator Dan Biles’ selection. But, Oakley’s motion to confirm the appointment died, for a lack of a second.

Newly elected Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick asked if the position was advertised.

Biles said it was not.

Commissioner Mike Moore observed: “Typically, on a director-level position, from my memory, unless it’s an internal promotion, they are always publicized. I don’t remember one time, when we did not publicize an opening, unless it was an internal promotion.”

Biles responded: “In general, we would.”

In this case, however, he and Sherman believed that Joiner “specifically had the skills and experience necessary to do the job.”

Biles also noted that Joiner “was already effectively a Pasco County employee, as the property appraiser.

“It just made sense to just go directly to him, and not go through the process, when I already knew who I thought we needed to hire,” Biles said.

The county administrator continued: “Anytime you go through that (hiring) process, you put other people through time and effort to get through that. If you already know who you think you want to hire, it probably makes sense to go straight to the end result.”

Fitzpatrick asked if the board could put off the decision until its Dec. 8 meeting, to provide the time to advertise to be sure that the county had the best person for the job.

Moore told Fitzpatrick that the decision could be delayed.

Biles told Fitzpatrick that he would prefer not to do that.

“The board obviously can direct us to what the board wants us to do. I will go back to the hiring and firing of the county employees is an operational decision. We bring the directors and above to board for confirmation,” Biles said.

But, Commissioner Jack Mariano said, he, too, supported advertising the job.

“I think we’re best serving the people of Pasco by looking at everybody out there. Let’s go look at the talent that’s out there, and who wants this job, and find out what’s best for the position,” Mariano said.

Starkey again expressed her dissatisfaction with Joiner’s response in her previous interaction.

“It wasn’t my role to fix it. I brought it to the attention of someone in a leadership position that should have fixed it. I brought it to his attention multiple times, and it never got fixed on their end. That, to me, is a lack of leadership. I think you need leadership in that position,” Starkey said.

Sherman assured Starkey if an issue arose, it would be addressed.

But, Fitzpatrick made a motion to delay the issue until the board’s next meeting, with the position to be advertised to ensure the best candidate is selected. Starkey seconded the motion, which passed on a 5-0 vote.

Moore noted the board’s action does not take Joiner out of the running for the job.

Published November 25, 2020

Pasco commissioners reject process used to select lobbyist

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The Pasco County Commission has rejected the process used by county staff to recommend an outside lobbyist.

Instead, commissioners want to hear a 10-minute presentation from each of the three firms vying for the work, before making their selection.

The proposed contract calls for a maximum of $60,000 a year for the services, with the option of up to three one-year renewals. County Administrator Dan Biles would be designated to authorize the optional annual extensions.

Initially, Corcoran and Associates, doing business as Corcoran Partners; Shawn Foster LLC, doing business as Sunrise Consulting Group; and Shumaker Advisers Florida LLC, responded to the request for qualifications to compete for the work.

A four-member committee met and evaluated all of the proposals, they scored the Corcoran Partners’ proposal as the highest. The committee, which ranked the proposals, was made up of Biles, Cathy Pearson, Paula Baracaldo and Ralph Lair.

But, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey raised objections to the process.

“So, I’m not happy with the way this was done,” Starkey said. “When we picked our last lobbyist, we had presentations and the board selected the lobbyist. I’m not comfortable with the way that this went down.”

Starkey made a motion to delay the selection until the board’s Dec. 8 meeting, during which the three firms each will be invited to make a 10-minute presentation, followed by the board’s selection.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick seconded Starkey’s motion.

Commissioner Jack Mariano asked Starkey if she was OK with the lobbyist missing a couple of weeks while lawmakers are in Tallahassee.

Starkey responded: “I know time is of the essence, but I think this is — did you hear the presentations? Was there a presentation? I don’t know. But, I think it’s not staff’s lobbyist. I think we’re the policymakers. I think it’s more appropriate that we hear the presentation. So, I’m disappointed that the process that was set in place last time was changed. I think we should have been asked about the process.

“Dec. 8, we listen and we pick, and we get them to work right away,” Starkey said.

Commissioner Ron Oakley said he thinks there may have been a miscommunication between the board and the staff.

“I think they actually did a process based on us giving direction to reach out to lobbyists for this. Maybe we were not as clear as we should have been and said we wanted presentations. I don’t remember us talking about this,” Oakley said.

Erik Breitenbach, assistant county administrator for internal services, said the county staff followed the standard request for qualifications process.

He said the committee did not receive any presentations from the firms, but rather discussed and ranked the submittals.

Starkey has been pushing hard for the county to have outside lobbyists to represent the county both at the state and national levels. She said having someone to represent the county’s interests will create more opportunities to obtain state or federal funding or grants.

Board members approved Starkey’s motion to delay choosing a lobbyist until the Dec. 8 meeting, voting 5-0.

Published November 25, 2020