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Gene Whitfield

Zephyrhills finalizes tennis center management

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The City of Zephyrhills has dotted i’s and crossed t’s in its public-private partnership with the newly opened Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center — amending a private management/operations agreement with firm Tennis P.R.O Florida LLC, on the multimillion-dollar facility.

The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved an updated contract with Tennis P.R.O. and its owner, Pascal Collard, during a regular meeting on Sept. 15.

The $4.9 million Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center is now open for business. The complex, at 6585 Simons Road, features 11 regulation outdoor tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and four padel courts, plus a nearly 8,000-square-foot indoor club. (Courtesy of David Alvarez, DCA Media Consulting)

The agreement repeals and replaces one signed back in October 2017, before construction began on the $4.9 million, state-of-the-art tennis complex at 6585 Simons Road.

It comes in time as the facility opened to the public on Sept. 21, with a grand opening celebration scheduled Oct. 17.

The city-owned complex features 11 regulation outdoor tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and four padel courts. It also features a nearly 8,000-square-foot indoor club, which contains a fitness center, restaurant/café, and rooms dedicated for cryotherapy, salt therapy, bio/neuro feedback therapy, massage and yoga, among other frills.

Generally, Collard’s tennis management company will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the facility that will include providing lessons and running concessions. The firm also will handle memberships and fundraising.

The new agreement calls for a 20-year contract between the city and the firm with two subsequent 10-year renewal options with six months’ notice.

Aside from tidying up routine details like property address and parcel ID number, the contract also outlines revenue sources to the city and other parameters.

The city will receive no revenues from the first several years of the facility opening, to allow Collard and his firm to recoup its upfront costs and build a base.

For the remainder of the agreement, however, the firm will pay rent to the city based on a percentage of its profits.

Alcohol sales — beer and wine only — may be sold on the premises, so long as the gross sales do not exceed 49% of total food and beverage sales, so the facility’s indoor café is classified as a restaurant. Relatedly, alcohol sales, retail/merchandise sales and advertisement sales will not be included in revenues due to the city.

However, all other sales, which presently include food sales, academy tuition, lessons, rentals and memberships are included in revenue calculations due to the city.

Other approved changes seem to work in the city’s favor, such as use of property and right to inspection:
• City is allowed to use the facility for special events at no cost, whether it be a multi-agency planning meeting, economic summit, or even a Christmas party
• Contractor must provide audited financial statements at the end of each fiscal year
• Material alterations must be approved by the city
• Contractor will provide restaurant equipment, benches and padel courts
• Contractor is responsible for all landscaping and sod maintenance
• All proposed partnerships with contractor and a third party must be approved by the city
• Collard must retain majority ownership of Tennis P.R.O Florida LLC
• Salaries of each equity owner shall be $100,000 for the purposes of calculating the net income. Any salary above $100,000 may be paid to each equity owner, but will be considered net income and the according percentage shall be paid to the city.

On the whole, the private-public partnership is similar to one Zephyrhills has with East Pasco Family YMCA, in which the city owns the building property, but outsources programming and facility management.

Zephyrhills City Attorney Matt Maggard told council members the updated tennis operations contract summarily contains “reasonable compromises, and the changes are to the benefit of the city.”

Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield added of the latest agreement: “There was a lot of work putting that contract together getting it right, so it’ll go forward and there won’t be problems in the future.”

In running the tennis center and serving as its CEO, Collard brings a diverse tennis background to the table.

He previously served as tennis director at Saddlebrook in Wesley Chapel and The Merion Cricket Club, in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

His training includes working with several widely known tennis pros, including Younes El Aynaoui and Martin Verkerk, both of whom coincidentally ranked as high as No. 14 in the ATP Tour rankings back in 2003.

Despite being a challenging time to open up a new facility amid the COVID-19 pandemic, city leaders believe the project will be a boon for years to come — drawing international interest, and providing more recreational opportunities for local youth and residents alike. They also praised Collard for his efforts put into the initiative the past several years.

Councilman Lance Smith observed: “We’re going to have people from all over world coming here, participating in events here, playing here, bringing their kids here to the schools, so it’s going to be a really good thing for not only Zephyrhills, but Pasco County, so I’m excited about getting going.”

Council President Charles Proctor among others, echoed those sentiments:  “I believe in the long run, it’s going to be amazing and really make an impression for not only the community, but the city and for the whole the area.”

Published September 23, 2020

Hercules Park upgrades under consideration

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As the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) preps its budget for fiscal year 2020-21, city leaders are calling for more attention to Hercules Park, a 9-acre city-owned park land property off Gall Boulevard.

Zephyrhills CRA director Gail Hamilton on July 27 probed the CRA Board of Commissioners —chaired by Zephyrhills City Council members — on which types of projects they want to have the highest priority in the upcoming year, noting the agency appears in good shape with funding this coming year.

The answer was unanimous: Hercules Park improvements are well overdue.

CRA board member Lance Smith was quick to declare it’s time to gather community input and organize an action plan for the vacant park land that once had a buzzing aquatic center and swimming pool.

He observed Hercules Park, adjacent to Zephyrhills High and Woodland Elementary schools, is visibly nestled in “a very high traffic” intersection that includes a Wawa gas station and Culver’s fast-food restaurant.

Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners is calling for needed improvements to Hercules Park, a 9-acre city-owned park land property off Gall Boulevard. Ownership of the land was transferred to the city from the Pasco County School Board in June 2018. The property has sat mostly idle for years. (File)

“I think we should really work on Hercules some, because it’s been sitting there,” Smith said. “I don’t think we have to spend a tremendous amount of money on it, but I do think we have to put together a plan for it.”

Fellow board member Charles Proctor agreed Hercules Park fixes are “a longtime in the coming,” since ownership of the land was transferred to the city from the Pasco County School Board in June 2018.

Even minor improvements would make it a desirable passive park for residents, he said.

His general idea: “Make it simple, but usable,” so that upkeep isn’t an ongoing burden for the city’s public works department.

“I don’t necessarily want to go crazy with it,” Proctor said, “but I would like to make it usable, so if somebody wanted to have a picnic there or walk the trails, because it is a beautiful piece of property, and at least so that citizens can use it.”

Board chair Jodi Wilkeson added work on the park should be handled in phases, starting with some routine cleanup, then later on identify more specific long-term goals and objectives for the park’s future.

Board member Ken Burgess likewise agreed to have the property “spruced up enough where we can utilize it, until we come up with a better, eventual plan for it on down the road.”

All that in mind, Hamilton assured various park fixes are on the table for discussion.

The CRA originally planned to hold a community meeting for park input, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to fall by the wayside. Hamilton instead plans to meet with the city’s parks board for further input, then present it to the CRA board and city council.

Some early possibilities include underbrush clearing and designing a more welcoming park entrance, as well as installing a park fountain, benches, tree underlighting, and colorful sailcloth. Adding an art piece that pays homage to the history of the property is another idea, too, she said.

The park land is a legacy from about 80 acres once owned by the Hercules Powder Co.

The company, which converted pine stumps into resin and turpentine, had been the city’s largest employer.

“I think it needs to look nice when people drive by, (so) it looks like we care,” Hamilton said. “We’ll create a plan, and work that plan.”

A sign of how the property has languished over the years:  Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield pointed out trees surrounding the park are covered in poison ivy.

Other CRA priorities for this budget cycle include installing wayfinding and gateway signage, sidewalk repairs and developing a public art master plan, among others.

The Zephyrhills CRA is a dependent special district in which any future increases in property values are set aside in a Trust Fund to support economic development and redevelopment projects within the designated district. Although it functions within the City of Zephyrhills, the Zephyrhills CRA is a separate and distinct legal entity. The Zephyrhills City Council also serves as the appointed board governing the Zephyrhills CRA.

The CRA district encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street. Within those boundaries are the following historic neighborhood districts: Hercules, Historic Jeffries, Historic Abbott, Moore’s Estate, Zephyr Lake, Oakside and Plaza.

Main Street events suspended until December
Elsewhere, Hamilton also mentioned all Main Street Zephyrhills events have been canceled until the end of December, due to COVID-19.

Main Street Zephyrhills is a 501c3 nonprofit that generally facilitates new business and organizes large events within the historic downtown district.

One of the nonprofit organization’s most popular annual events, Music & Motorcycles, will likely be rescheduled at a later date, once events are back in the fold, Hamilton said.

Guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) will be followed in making a determination of when events with large gatherings are safe to resume, she said.

“We don’t want to have an event that’s going to cause problems, so at this moment we are still monitoring the situation,” Hamilton told the board.

The Music & Motorcycles event is typically held in September and features a live band, and a 10-class ride-in bike show along Fifth Avenue in downtown Zephyrhills.

Other events impacted included the Veterans Day Parade, National Night Out, Halloween Howl and Festival of Lights.

Main Street’s new events coordinator is Paxton McCullough, a recent graduate from the University of Georgia. She takes over for Anna Stutzriem, who resigned in March after more than two years on the post.

The coordinator position is the organization’s lone city-funded employee position.

Published August 12, 2020

Zephyrhills can handle COVID-19 budget impacts

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Cities and towns across the country are gearing up for budget cuts because of prolonged COVID-19 shutdowns, but that isn’t true in Zephyrhills.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said the city is in good enough shape financially to handle any lingering effects of the shutdown for the rest of this fiscal year, and for next fiscal year, too.

He provided that reassuring news to city council members at their regular meeting on June 8.

Councilman Charles Proctor was elevated to the role of council president at a June 8 regular meeting. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

Although state revenues shared with local governments could be reduced by 50% for the months of April, May and June, Poe said that’s “not a super larger part” of the city’s roughly $66 million budget.

The city had larger-than-anticipated revenues at the beginning of the year, which helps to offset lower state revenues, Poe said.

He also noted that some big-ticket purchase items came in under budget.

Plus, the city has flexibility to slow down some city projects that are less critical, he said.

“Talking to the finance director I think we’re going to be OK,” the city manager told the council. “There’s some money that we can move around, so there will be a decrease, but I think we’re going to be OK,” Poe said.

Meanwhile, as the city prepares its 2020-21 fiscal year budget, Poe has directed city department heads “to really hold the line” when prioritizing needs and projects.

Besides the negative revenue impacts caused by COVID-19, the city also is facing higher health care and retirement costs for next fiscal year.

The millage rate will be set during the first week in July. The city will hold two public hearings on its budget, which must be adopted by Oct. 1.

On the upside, the city manager noted a preliminary estimate from the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s Office shows the taxable value of the city up about $42 million, with $35.7 million in new construction value.

“What it’ll do is offset some of those reductions from the state, those lost revenues as a result of COVID-19,” said Poe.

Council swearing-in, reorganization
Like other government organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Zephyrhills City Council to hold virtual call-in meetings over the past two months or so.

That all changed June 8, when council members gathered inside the Zephyrhills City Hall chambers, for the first time since March 23.

The move came at an appropriate time, as City Clerk Lori Hillman administered the oath of office to Mayor Gene Whitfield and Councilman Alan Knight, who retained their seats since being declared elected unopposed.

Whitfield has held the mayor chair since 2014, when Danny Burgess resigned to run as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee. Whitfield has owned Whitfield Funeral Home in Zephyrhills the past 25 years. He also is former director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Knight, first elected to Council Seat 2 in 2014, is a retired educator who’s worked mainly in Pasco County Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator.

The swearing-in ceremony also coincided with some council reorganization, which happens each year.

Council Vice President Charlie Proctor was elevated to the role of council president, taking over for Councilman Ken Burgess. Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson was appointed council vice president.

As council president, Proctor will be responsible for signing official city documents and chairing council meetings, otherwise serving as the leading voice in business agenda items. He last served as council president in 2014.

Proctor commended Burgess.

Said Proctor, “First of all, I would like to thank former Council President Ken Burgess for doing an amazing job this past year. We really had a rough year, a lot of tough decisions we had to make as a council. Not only that, we had to go through this virus that had us meet online, and it was very difficult, and I think Council President Burgess did an amazing job, along with our staff.”

Liaison appointments were decided, too. Burgess was chosen to sit on the Pasco County Tourist Development Council (TDC), in addition to serving as an officer with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce. Other roles remained in place — Proctor serving on the Ridge League of Cities; Wilkeson on Main Street Zephyrhills; and Councilman Lance Smith on the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), with the mayor serving as an alternate.

The council also:

• Approved the last plat for Silverado Ranch subdivision, otherwise known as Phases 10B and 11C, situated on the northern boundary of the development

• Accepted an $85,000 facilities grant United States Tennis Center (USTA), for costs related to the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center, 6585 Simons Road, Zephyrhills. The nearly $5 million project is slated to open in July and will include 11 tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and four padel courts, among other features.

• Passed a second reading ordinance and public hearing consenting to the inclusion of the city’s boundaries into the Pasco County Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) for fire rescue services.

Published June 17, 2020

Pasco municipal elections set for June 30

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Municipal elections for the cities of Dade City and San Antonio have been rescheduled to June 30, per an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The local elections were originally supposed to be held April 14, but were delayed due to COVID-19.

The announcement of the rescheduled elections came in a press release from the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley officially made the request on behalf of the municipalities for a rescheduled election back on April 27. The governor’s office finally granted the request on May 15, when Executive Order 20-124 was issued.

In Dade City, six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In San Antonio, five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

There will not be a municipal election for the city of Zephyrhills because there is no longer a contested race. A city mayoral race was initially set between incumbent Gene Whitfield and Justin Docherty, but Docherty has since dropped out of the race after failing to properly qualify for the local election. Meanwhile, Seat 2 councilman Alan Knight has retained his seat after running unopposed.

Municipal elections are for voters residing within the city limits only.

Sample ballots are available at PascoVotes.gov, and election results will be posted on the website when they become available.

Voting by mail is an option for municipal residents. Request for a vote-by-mail ballot by calling (800) 851-8754, or in writing to P.O. Box 300, Dade City FL 33526. Written requests must include your date of birth and signature. Vote-by-mail ballots are due back in the elections’ office by 7 p.m., election day.

All voters going to the polls for municipal elections should bring photo and signature identification, or they will be required to vote a provisional ballot. Voters also are encouraged to update their voter registration record with any changes prior to election day by calling (800) 851-8754.

For more information, visit PascoVotes.gov, or call (800) 851-8754.

Published June 03, 2020

Officials express guarded optimism through COVID-19

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As Florida slowly lifts stay-at-home orders — caused by concerns about potential spread of  coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)  —  local leaders and officials are taking a positive, yet guarded, outlook.

They are hopeful that the regional and state economy can rebound sooner than later.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley (File)

Many retailers and restaurants have announced plans to reopen to modified dine-in and foot traffic, while more parks and beaches are reopening with restrictions.

Signs of optimism are beginning to show, state Rep. Randy Maggard, R-Dade City said, during an April 28 virtual town hall meeting presented by The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“A lot of people feel we’ve crossed the high point of (COVID-19) and we’re on the downward slide. We hope so,” Maggard said.

In the same breath, he urged people to continue to take necessary safety precautions and “use common sense” in public gatherings.

“It will be good to get our economy going. It’s been tough for a lot of businesses here, it’s been tough for a lot of individuals,” he said.

Maggard also addressed “the 800-pound gorilla in the room” during the speaking engagement. And, that’s the fact that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is having trouble managing the massive volume of people filing for unemployment benefit claims.

The state representative pointed out roughly 40% of the 1.8 million claims filed have been either bogus or scams. That has led to further delays in legitimate applicants getting their unemployment benefits, he said.

“The process just takes long when you have to deal with things like that,” Maggard said, adding the DEO is expected to have those issues resolved soon.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, like Maggard, has an optimistic view of the future of the local economy and markets, overall.

“Things will get better. There is a light at the end of that long tunnel we didn’t think we’d have,” Oakley said.”

He said Pasco government activities have not slowed, in the midst of COVID-19.

Oakley noted that neighboring counties haven’t been so lucky as to keep operations moving along when it comes to handling regular tasks, such as reviewing building permits.

“We’ve continued to work, as we do normally,” Oakley said, “except most of our people are working from home instead of our offices.”

Oakley, 74, is still taking the virus quite seriously, however.

He reported the county had 241 positive coronavirus cases and six deaths, as of April 28. One place particularly “hit hard” is the Royal Oak Nursing Center in Dade City, with 20 positive COVID-19 cases, he said.

The commissioner acknowledged most of the people who’ve died from the disease have had pre-existing conditions. But, he added: “This is not the flu. It’s a little more infectious than the flu is.”

So, while businesses start opening with some semblance of normalcy, Oakley said he’s not yet  comfortable to enter a restaurant or other public spaces.

“You probably won’t see me out in a restaurant, that’s just my feeling,” said Oakley. “Of course, I’m of the age that the virus will treat me a lot worse than it would for younger people, but I think there’s probably a pretty large percentage of young people, middle-aged people that will do that, they’ll go right back out, they’re not fearful of any of that, and hopefully they’re taking precautions.”

Like Oakley, Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer remains concerned about the serious nature of COVID-19 and feels it isn’t going away anytime soon — witnessing the virus’s impact on the frontlines.

Brewer said there’s an expectation the county’s coronavirus cases could peak sometime around mid-May, based on joint conversations with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Emergency Management.

“We may be getting close to opening the state,” Brewer said, “but, I don’t think we’re going to be ready yet to open it up completely yet.”

The police chief reported Zephyrhills has 25 positive COVID-19 cases as of April 28, representing more than 10% of all cases in the county. Additionally, the department is tracking a total of 48 addresses under investigation as possible COVID-19 cases as of that date.

Meanwhile, Brewer said the local law enforcement agency has observed spikes in domestic violence and disturbance cases, as well as increased juvenile problems, during the course of the pandemic.

On the other hand, the department has seen fewer accidents and total calls for service overall.

With fewer service calls, Brewer said officers have placed more focus on performing spot checks on local businesses that may not be in compliance with state executive orders.

He also noted the department has enacted an “extensive screening process” to determine whether someone absolutely needs to be sent to jail after an arrest. That approach is being taken to try and limit the spread of COVID-19 within the local criminal justice system.

He said the pandemic “has been a been a unique challenge for law enforcement.”

City of Zephyrhills pushing through COVID-19
Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe also offered an update on some of happenings within the East Pasco municipality throughout the town hall discussion.

Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, Poe said the city is “open for business, so there are still a lot of projects that are going on.”

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce organized an April 28 virtual town hall meeting featuring a panel of area leaders and representatives, discussing the various impacts of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

For instance, work is progressing on multiple subdivisions and communities that will bring hundreds of new homes to the area. Those projects include the Oaks at Pasco and Links at Calusa Springs located on both sides of Simons Road; District at Abbott’s Square near the forthcoming Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center; and Abbott Park, situated on the former Gore’s Dairy property that wraps behind the Publix Super Market at Zephyr Commons on Gall Boulevard.

Several commercial developments are moving along, too.

A couple notable projects under final site plan review include a new Veterans Administration clinic along Eiland Boulevard, as well as the Crystal Bar rebuild on Gall Boulevard, a longtime community staple destroyed in a fire last May.

Poe said a Chipotle Mexican Grill franchise at Zephyr Commons “is projected to come here in the next few months.” Also, the Chancey Partners industrial park project continues its build out with “a lot of businesses going in at that location.”

Poe touched on various city-related projects, as well:

  • Relocation of the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road traffic signal should get underway in August, spurring development in that area, which he said will eventually include a Chick-fil-A franchise
  • Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center construction “continues to be strong” and should be complete around July or August
  • Road paving and resurfacing has been ongoing at various city streets the past several weeks

Elsewhere, the city manager encouraged residents to continue to support local businesses “either by takeout or gift cards or anything that you can do.”

He also noted he’s in conversation with Zephyrhills High School Principal Dr. Christina Stanley to “plan something special” for graduating seniors, such as a parade or other community-wide gathering at some point.

Other speakers during the town hall included Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and Zephyrhills City Council president Ken Burgess.

Published May 06, 2020

Zephyrhills employees taking coronavirus precautions

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Work inside Zephyrhills City Hall proceeds, but additional safety precautions have been instituted among city staffers, in response to threats posed by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Most all city departments and employees have begun working in split shifts, or A-B shifts, to create more separation among each other, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe explained during an April 13 virtual city council meeting.

Poe said city employees have begun a “day on, day off” schedule model — working Monday, Wednesday, and Friday one particular week, then Tuesday and Thursday the following week.

The scheduling change, which affects more than 100 city employees, is expected to continue “for the foreseeable future,” Poe said.

The change won’t really impact the city’s police and fire departments and dispatchers because they already follow a split-shift schedule, Poe said.

The city manager explained the reasoning to cut daily work crews in half, particularly for areas such as the city’s maintenance yard: “We wanted to split those crews basically in half, so that God forbid somebody comes down with it (COVID-19), they don’t infect the entire department, they only potentially affect only half the department, so that we can continue to operate.”

Meantime, most department heads are still working full shifts, Poe said, “because they’re able to be in their office and keep the separation,” though large staff meetings are being held via virtual conference call.

Some city employees have been able to work remotely, accessing desktops and answering phone calls from home. The city’s IT department is trying to issue more laptops and the necessary software for more employees to do so, Poe said.

Other safety measures have been taken, too.

Inside the confines of City Hall, staffers have relocated desks further from one another and set up glass partitions.

Each employee has been provided N95 masks, gloves and their own refillable bottle of hand sanitizer. The fire department, meanwhile, has been issued retrofit respirator masks, gowns and other personal protective equipment, some of which also has been ordered for the city’s police, utility and public works departments.

Aside from scheduling and social distancing changes, various city projects and regular day-to-day operations press forward.

Construction is ongoing at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center, along with road resurfacing work on Sixth Avenue and 12th Street, for instance.

Other routine maintenance projects, however, are taking “a little bit longer” because of the split shifts, Poe said.

Meanwhile, the city is receiving building constructions plans and issuing permits, and collecting in-person utility payments, though residents are encouraged to pay online or use the drobox as much as possible to limit contact.

“Zephyrhills is still open for business,” the city manager said. “Obviously, we’re trying to take all the precautions we can, to create the separation and safety of all our employees and citizens, but we’re trying to keep as much normalcy as we possibly can.”

Alan Knight (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

No municipal election for Zephyrhills
Municipal elections in Pasco County have been delayed indefinitely, but in Zephyrhills a local election isn’t needed after all.

A city mayoral race was initially set between incumbent Gene Whitfield and Justin Docherty, but Docherty has since dropped out of the race after failing to properly qualify for the local election. The announcement was made during an April 13 regular city council meeting.

Gene Whitfield

Whitfield has held the mayor chair since 2014, when Danny Burgess resigned to run as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee. Whitfield has owned Whitfield Funeral Home in Zephyrhills the past 25 years. He also is former director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

The Zephyrhills mayor serves mainly an ambassador’s role, being a presence at many public events, ribbon cuttings and so on. As far as citywide matters, the mayor doesn’t run council meetings, cannot make motions and cannot vote on matters before the council, but does have the ability to veto city ordinances.

Meanwhile, Seat 2 councilman Alan Knight retains his seat after running unopposed. Knight is a retired educator who’s worked mainly in Pasco County Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was first elected to the seat in 2014.

Published April 22, 2020

Pasco seeks to delay municipal elections

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UPDATE: Postponed indefinitely per Executive Oder 20-97 from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Elections will be rescheduled “as soon as practicable.”

In the wake of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley is seeking to delay the April 14 municipal elections Dade City, Zephyrhills and San Antonio.

To that end, Corley has requested Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to move back the local county elections to the Aug. 18 state primary election date.

Corley told The Laker/Lutz News he’s had ongoing discussions on the matter with intermediaries Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, State Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews, and incoming Senate president Wilton Simpson.

However, no decision was made by The Laker/Lutz News Monday press deadline.

Corley cited the “health and safety” of voters and poll workers in wanting reschedule the municipal elections.

The elections supervisor said it doesn’t make sense “having the public come to an election day polling place, to their own possible health peril, when our average age is not exactly, really, really young.” He also said “asking members of the public to come out and vote” runs contrary to the governor’s stay-at-home executive order.

City managers of the three local municipalities have concurred delaying the municipal election, Corley said. Holding those elections concurrently with the primary election poses no additional financial costs to those cities, he said.

The county elections office is mandated to hold the April 14 election, until it hears otherwise from the governor’s office, Corley said.

Here is a closer look at each election:

Dade City
Six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In Group 3, two-term incumbent Jim Shive is being challenged by Matthew Wilson. Shive is a retired government employee. Wilson is a data entry clerk for the United Parcel Service.

Groups 4 and 5 seats will see fresh faces, as Nicole Deese Newlon and Eunice Penix are not seeking re-election. Newlon served one four-year term after she won in 2016, while Penix has held her seat since 1993.

Vying for Newlon’s Group 4 seat are Ann Cosentino and Knute Nathe.

Cosentino owns a communications/branding consulting firm. Nathe is an attorney with McCLain Alfonso P.A.

Christopher King and Normita Woodard are facing off for Penix’s Group 5 seat. King is the founder of The Gentleman’s Course Inc., a local youth mentorship charity. Woodard is a secretary at Lacoochee Elementary School.

The Dade City municipal election will take place at First Baptist Church Dade City, 37511 Church Ave., in Dade City. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Zephyrhills
In this election cycle, the City of Zephyrhills will have a mayoral race, as incumbent Gene Whitfield faces off against Justin Docherty.

Whitfield has held the mayor chair since 2014 when Danny Burgess resigned to run as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee.

The Zephyrhills mayor serves mainly an ambassador’s role, being a presence at many public events, ribbon cuttings and so on. As far as citywide matters, the mayor doesn’t run council meetings, cannot make motions and cannot vote on matters before the council, but does have the ability to veto city ordinances.

On the Zephyrhills City Council, Seat 2 incumbent Alan Knight is running unopposed.

Knight is a retired educator who’s worked mainly in Pasco County Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was first elected to the seat in 2014.

The Zephyrhills municipal general election will be at the Alice Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

San Antonio
Five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

Running are incumbents Elayne Bassinger and Sarah Schrader, along with Joseph Couture, John Vogel and Dacia Wadsworth Mitchell.

Unlike the head-to-head matchups of other municipalities, the top three overall vote-getters earn commission seats. San Antonio commissioners serve two-year terms.

For more voting information, contact the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office at (800) 851-8754 or (352) 521-4302, or visit PascoVotes.gov.

Updated April 09, 2020

Remembering the fallen of 9/11

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Danny Burgess, the executive director of the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs, speaks to a large crowd gathered for the 9/11 memorial at Zephyr Park. In his moving speech, Burgess said that 9/11 mobilized a generation to stand up and make a difference. (Christine Holtzman)

The morning of Sept. 11 was marked by a 9/11 memorial at Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

The service featured remarks from members of U.S. Marine Corps Detachment 1124, which bears the name of Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Curtin, a first responder who perished in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on the morning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield, and Danny Burgess, who serves as the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, offered remarks.

The Zephyrhills High School JROTC Color Guard presented and retired the colors, and the VFW Post 8154 Honor Guard performed a rifle salute to honor those who perished on 9/11.

Published September 18, 2019

Under the direction of Senior Army Instructor 1st Sgt. Jimmy McAuley, the Zephyrhills High School JROTC Color Guard presents the colors as Rod Rehrig (by podium), salutes. Rehrig is the past commandant of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1124.
The VFW Post 8154 Honor Guard performs a rifle salute to the fallen during the 9/11 memorial at Zephyr Park on the morning of Sept. 11.

Zephyrhills to remember fallen of 9/11

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As commemoration ceremonies take place across America to honor the victims of Sept. 11, Zephyrhills, too, will host its annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony.

The public event will begin at 11 a.m., and is expected to last an hour.

Zephyr Park will host this year’s 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001. (File)

Marine Corps League Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Curtin Detachment 1124 will host the event.

The league is named after a fallen first responder at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Rodney Rehrig, of the club, will be the master of ceremonies – conducting the memorial service.

The Zephyrhills High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) will display flags as they post the colors.

And, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Honor Guard will perform the ceremony’s rifle salute.

Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and Danny Burgess, executive director of the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs will offer remarks during the commemoration.

Spectators will be able to play a role by saluting the flags, singing the American national anthem, and mingling with those who have served the nation.

The event will be at Zephyr Park at 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

For additional information, call Rodney Rehrig at (813) 481-0718, or email him at .

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
Where: Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills
When: Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. to noon
Cost: Free
Details: The Star Spangled Banner will be sung and various organizations will perform ceremonial salutes to the victims of Sept. 11, 2001. Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and Danny Burgess, executive director of the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs, will be the day’s guest speakers.
Info: Contact Rodney Rehrig at (813) 481-0718 or .

Published September 04, 2019

Zephyrhills tennis center breaks ground

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A groundbreaking ceremony officially marked the beginning of construction on the long-awaited Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills.

After more than two years of planning and design, the tennis center is slated to be ready for play sometime in spring 2020.

The facility will feature 11 outdoor tennis courts (eight clay surface, two hard surface, exhibition court), built to USTA (United States Tennis Association) standards, along with eight pickleball courts and four padel courts. The tennis center also includes a 7,000-square-foot indoor clubhouse that will have a fitness and rehabilitation center, restaurant and cafe, pro shop, kid’s club and other amenities.

A July 10 groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of construction for the long-awaited Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of David Alvarez)

It will be located at 6585 Simons Road, Zephyrhills.

The project comes with a $3.3 million price tag, largely funded through state appropriations, Penny for Pasco monies, park impact fees and other donations.

The July 10 groundbreaking attracted a large crowd of dignitaries, business leaders and local residents to the site where the tennis facility will operate.

It marked a highly anticipated moment for many, as public talks of bringing a large-scale tennis center to the city began back in late 2016.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield said. “They’re going to build a beautiful building on this site.”

“Nothing’s going to make us happier than seeing this facility coming out of the ground,” said Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe.

Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg added: “It is a special day and it’s been a long time coming, but we’re glad this day is here.”

Officials say the tennis center will be not just a regional draw, but also will have national and international appeal through hosting USTA tournaments and other events.

Poe described the forthcoming facility as “an absolutely wonderful complex” that will help boost tourism and economic development in the area.

“Zephyrhills is known for water and skydiving. Soon we’re going to be known for tennis,” the city manager said.

He added, “Who knows, we very well may have a future Grand Slam champion that can say they started here at this facility. The facility will serve as an economic driver, not only for Zephyrhills, but for all of East Pasco.”

The tennis center is named in memory of Sarah Vande Berg, a former Zephyrhills High School district tennis champion, who died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015. She was the daughter of longtime city planning director Todd Vande Berg.

Sarah Vande Berg would have just turned 25 years old. Her birthday was July 7.

“I know she’s looking down from heaven, smiling, thinking, ‘Wow, this is pretty special,’ her father, holding back tears, said at the groundbreaking.

“Sarah was a special person. She was a special daughter, and special in so many ways in how she cared for and loved other people.”

Sarah Vande Berg was noted for her sportsmanship on and off the courts.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano recalled his daughter — former Fivay High School tennis standout and current state Rep. Amber Mariano — losing to Sarah Vande Berg in a prep match “probably 6-love, 6-love each time.”

“She was a great competitor,” Mariano said of Sarah Vande Berg. “She played with class, she played with classiness after the fact (and) great sportsmanship.”

The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center is a public-private partnership between the City of Zephyrhills and Tennis P.R.O., and its owner Pascal Collard, who will staff, operate and manage the tennis facility.

Collard is a former tennis director at Saddebrook who has trained his fair share of world-ranked tennis players.

Of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, Collard said, “I’m going to try my best to make it unique.”

Collard also declared this lofty ambition: “There’s not one tennis player in the world that won’t know Sarah’s name. Not one. I promise you that.”

Published July 17, 2019