The Laker/Lutz News

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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes Detention Center

Pasco County purchasing land in Land O’ Lakes

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The Pasco County Commission has approved the purchase of 24.87 acres from Lennar Homes LLC, for $1.25 million, plus closing costs and $50,000 to be paid to Connerton Commercial Property Association, the closing agent.

The property is part of the Connerton Employment Center master-planned unit development.

The county’s Fleet Management department plans to use the vacant property, which is centrally located within the county, for the department’s future growth.

The property is strategically located adjacent to the 300-acre central campus of the Utilities Department and the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, according to the board’s Oct. 6 agenda materials.

Commissioners also passed a resolution declaring Oct. 4 through Oct. 10 as Fire Prevention Week in Pasco and acknowledging this year’s theme of “Serve up fire safety in the kitchen.”

The resolution notes that 2,630 people were killed nationally in home fires in 2019, including five in Pasco County. The resolution also points out that cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, with two of every five home fires starting in the kitchen and 31% of these fires resulting from unattended cooking.

The resolution offers these suggestions to prevent fires related to cooking:

  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking food on the stovetop
  • Keep a 3-foot kid-free zone around cooking areas
  • Keep anything that can catch fire away from stove tops

To reduce potential deaths, the resolution advises that residents have smoke alarms that are in working order, and practice fire escape plans.

On another matter, County Administrator Dan Biles told commissioners that the county’s Animal Services department is going to affected areas of Hurricane Sally and bringing back animals for adoption.

In other actions, commissioners:

  • Approved a rezoning to allow up to 150,000 square feet of retail and commercial uses on approximately 38.62 acres at the southeast quadrant of Gunn Highway and State Road 54.

Plans call for construction of a maximum of 7,000 square feet for two fast food restaurants with drive thrus; a 10,000-square-foot day care (with a maximum of 180 students); 100,000 square feet of mini-storage; and, 33,000 square feet of general commercial.

  • Approved a large-scale comprehensive plan amendment to the future land use map, which will allow light industrial and commercial on slightly more than 90 acres at the northeast corner of the Interstate 75 and Blanton Road interchange, extending northerly along I-75 to the Hernando County line. The previous designation was for an employment center and agricultural uses.
  • Approved an increase of $304,000 in the fund used to pay for medical autopsies because of an increase in autopsies performed by the medical examiner this fiscal year.
  • Approved up to $800,000 in purchases of library books, resource subscriptions, and related items within fiscal year 2021. The items will be purchased from various vendors.

Published October 14, 2020

Land O’ Lakes jail construction remains on track

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The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may affect the progress of some Pasco County initiatives, but at least one is moving forward as scheduled — a $128 million expansion of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, off U.S. 41 at 20101 Central Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Project design is slated to begin sometime in May, with construction slated to begin in December 2021 and continue through fiscal year 2023 — generally matching original timeline projections, county officials say.

A finalized agreement with design firm HOK and construction management firm Moss & Associates is being reviewed by the county attorney’s office, and should be complete by the end of April or early May.

The Land O’ Lakes Detention Center will undergo a $128 million expansion beginning in 2021. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

“We’re on track with where we hope to be,” Pasco County facilities management director Andrew Baxter said, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

The expansion will add 1,000 new beds plus major upgrades to the jail’s central services, including medical, laundry, kitchen, intake and administrative facilities to meet a larger capacity. The project is funded through general obligation bonds that Pasco voters approved in November 2018.

When all is said and done, the expansion could total “somewhere in the neighborhood” of 200,000 square feet, Baxter said.

The jail facility presently measures 352,700 square feet and houses 1,432 beds. But, it’s been operating over capacity, as temporary housing brings the maximum population to about 1,900 inmates.

Baxter noted renovations to central services will be built to withstand an inmate population of well over 3,000 — which a facilities master plan indicated may happen by year 2034, and when another bed space addition likely will be needed.

In other words, once 2034 comes around, Baxter said the county won’t again need to expand the medical unit, kitchen and other essential services, just the housing space.

The facilities management director observed, “It’s just building housing at that point (in 2034), which is a little bit easier task to undertake than trying to operate a jail when you’re disturbing all the central service activities.”

The forthcoming upcoming expansion is expected to be a phased project, with new structures coming to the front and back of the jail, followed by interior renovations into the existing jail.

Ensuring the jail remains fully functional through build out is “one of the challenges, and quite honestly, one of the really fun attributes” of the multi-year project, Baxter said.

“The jail is a no-fail facility, and we must keep it running 100% all the entire time while we’re doing the construction activities,” Baxter said.

Repurposing some areas as construction goes along is a possibility. For instance, once a “correctly-sized” kitchen comes along, the old kitchen space may then be transformed into a medical facility, Baxter said. But, those are just some ideas at this point.

The detention center was built in 1991.

Since then, there have been multiple expansions — including a 6,700-square-foot minimum security annex in 1999, then a 96,000-square-foot addition in 2010.

Jail institutes COVID-19 precautions
Well before shovel hits dirt on new construction, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office has gone about implementing new practices to help prevent COVID-19 from entering the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center — both for the safety of jail staff and inmate population.

The sheriff’s office is following all recommendations from the National Institute of Corrections, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Amanda Hunter, the agency’s lead public information officer, wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

Every new inmate is screened upon intake and, when needed, isolated and tested for COVID-19; inmates are selected for testing based on answers to CDC-distributed questionnaires.

When it’s determined an inmate will be tested, the inmate is placed in a negative pressure cell while awaiting test results.

Due to this protocol, jail staff has already tested several new inmates, but all tests have come back negative as of April 20, Hunter wrote.

Published April 29, 2020

Advocating to reduce homelessness

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When it comes to community service and advocacy, more can always be done in Pasco County.

That was the general message put forth by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells, at a Nov. 12 East Pasco Networking Group breakfast meeting at IHOP in Dade City.

There’s all sorts of resources for seniors, veterans and children and families, Wells said. But, he is advocating greater collaboration between the county, nonprofits and outreach groups — such as Meals on Wheels East Pasco, United Way of Pasco County and The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells was a guest speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group’s Nov. 12 breakfast meeting at IHOP in Dade City. (File)

“We’re doing so many great things in the county, but everybody’s got their own dang silos and it’s almost like, ‘This is mine, I don’t want you to know what I’m doing,’” said Wells, a Republican who represents District 4. His district stretches from West Pasco to State Road 52 and State Road 54 toward U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

He added that deep-rooted community divide remains between the county’s east and west sides, which, he said, creates obstacles in getting tasks done.

He put it like this: “It’s always kind of been east versus west. I always thought it was political, but it’s a lot more political than I thought.”

Much of Wells’ talk focused on the county’s homeless situation and the need for workforce training.

With the county’s homeless population numbered as high as 3,000, Wells said it’s important “to help those that want to be helped.”

He acknowledged that he’s still “catching heat” from residents who opposed his support of building a family homeless shelter and resource center, in partnership with The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County, on the site of the former Boys and Girls Club on Youth Lane in Port Richey.

But, Wells went to bat for the homeless: “These homeless people are like you and I. They’re regular people. You just have to take an opportunity to get to know them and get to know these folks.”

He argued such a facility and other outreach programs isn’t just enabling area homeless.

“Supposedly, that’s a Democrat thing, to help the homeless. No, it’s a humanitarian, kind thing. At the end of the day, it’s the right thing to do,” Wells said.

On a related note, Wells believes the forthcoming $128 million expansion of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center could go a long way toward helping the county’s homeless population get back on its feet.

Within the 1,000-bed addition and upgrades to all of the jail’s central services will be a new wing designed to directly address mental illness and addiction, which Wells said is often tied into homelessness. The expansion project is expected to undergo construction in 2021, with completion in fiscal year 2023.

Said Wells: “We’re going to be able to do more at the jail to stop that revolving door, because that’s what it is now. They come in the jail, (staff) don’t really do much for them for mental illness or addiction, they leave and come back, they leave and come back. …It’s going to be nice a couple years from now to say, ‘Wow, look what we can do here.’”

Also tied into the rehabilitation piece is helping homeless and ex-convicts get back to work, Wells said.

This year the county allocated $700,000 to CareerSource Pasco Hernando’ Workforce Re-entry Program, he said. That program connects unemployed and underemployed people with jobs and training they needed to fill any skill gaps. The county initially allocated $350,000 in Penny for Pasco funds for the project last year.

About 50 people went through the program with last year’s funding, Wells said.

He shared the success story of a masters-educated man who was homeless this time last year and is now making $45 per hour with Pall Aeropower Corporation in New Port Richey.

“He fell on tough times, and we were able to help him,” Wells said.

The commissioner also noted the county now hires ex-felons for certain positions — something it didn’t do before he was first elected in 2014.

Many of those hires now are “kicking butt with the county, getting promoted,” he said.

“Everybody makes mistakes,” Wells said. “We all make mistakes, and everybody deserves a second chance.”

Though he spoke at the networking meeting as a member of the Pasco County Commission, Wells has announced that he is pursuing a different role. He is  running for Pasco County Property Appraiser in 2020.

Published November 20, 2019

Sheriff’s Office adds innovative fitness program

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The Land O’ Lakes Detention Center has been outfitted with a state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness facility equipped with top-of-the-line resistance machines, exercise bikes, ski machines, adjustable weights, kettlebells, plyometric boxes, battling ropes, medicine balls and more.

Known as the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Resilience Center, it’s the initial phase of the agency’s newly formed Human Performance Program.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco unveiled the agency’s new Resilience Center and Human Performance Program at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, during a March 18 news conference. The state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness facility is equipped with top-of-the-line resistance machines, exercise bikes, ski machines, adjustable weights, kettlebells, plyometric boxes, battling ropes, medicine balls and more. The sheriff said the program gives the agency ‘the best tools possible to be successful.’ (Kevin Weiss)

The program aims to improve law enforcement officers’ career longevity, injury prevention and overall fitness for on-the-job tasks.

The Resilience Center opened last month in partnership with EXOS, a worldwide human performance company that primarily services professional athletes, the military and corporations.

The Human Performance Program is eventually expected to staff dietitians, physical therapists, a sports psychologist, and strength and conditioning coaches, to better address the specific needs of members.

The sheriff’s office is using grant money to fund the wellness program, which is free to its members. It is believed to be the first time EXOS has partnered with a law enforcement agency.

At the Resilience Center,  the physical training regimen utilizes “functional techniques,” such as Olympic lifts and quick, explosive movements, said Chris Jacquard, who’s contracted by EXOS to serve as the sheriff’s office human performance advisor.

In other words, it’s not the conventional workout routine you’d find at your local gym, whether it be jogging on the treadmill or throwing up some weights.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office deputy trainees go through workouts at the agency’s new Resilience Center at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center. The Resilience Center is one aspect of the agency’s new Human Performance Program that aims to improve law enforcement officers’ career longevity, injury prevention and overall fitness for on-the-job tasks.

Instead, many of the prescribed workouts are designed to best translate to the everyday environment of a law enforcement officer, said Jacquard, who offers one-on-one wellness consultations and organizes group trainings for the agency at the Resilience Center.

That includes, for instance, exercises that strengthen lower backs and lower legs — important for deputies who wear burdensome gun belts and bulletproof vests throughout the course of a 12-hour shift.

Jacquard explained of the fitness program: “Running 5 miles, you’re not going to do that on the job (as a law enforcement officer). You’re going to sprint a quarter-mile as fast as you can and then non-lethally subdue a suspect. How do we train for that type of task? That’s really what we’re going to try to mirror in our approach.”

The Resilience Center also features a body composition scanner, so users can track muscle development, fat levels and so on.

Jacquard noted the machine “is definitely not cheap,” but “mirrors the investment of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office in terms of the health and well-being of their members.”

Pasco Sheriff’s Office Human Performance Advisor Chris Jacquard, pictured right, coaches a deputy trainee on the proper execution of a split squat at the agency’s new Resilience Center at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center. The Resilience Center opened last month in partnership with EXOS, a worldwide human performance company that primarily services professional athletes, the military and corporations.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said the Resilience Center and Human Performance Program is all about giving the agency “the best tools possible to be successful.”

Said Nocco, “This is a physical job. You know, we’re expected to jump over fences, to chase people down, to run in somewhere to save somebody, have to get into a fight sometimes, and so, we have to be in the top physical performance, so this is going to help our deputies in the fact that we’ll be in a better performance to go out there and save people.”

He continued, “When you have a good regimen, when you’re exercising the right way, sleeping the right way, drinking plenty of water, and physically exercising, you’re performing at a much higher level.”

The sheriff said about a quarter of the agency has already begun to utilize EXOS programming and the Resilience Center in the short time it’s been around.

It’s been well-received thus far.

“The reaction we’re getting is they’re very excited about it,” Nocco said. “As the word spreads, as success spreads, people want to get involved in this.”

“We’re seeing a lot of interest,” Jacquard added. “The deputies, for the most part, have been highly receptive. You look at an opportunity to perform better, and accessing resources like this that (you) wouldn’t typically see in a civilian setting. We’ve had a lot of participation in the program so far and we’ve really only been around for four weeks.”

The Resilience Center was instituted at the Land O’ Lakes jail, Nocco said, because of its centralized location in the county and because it features “the largest amount of members we have at the sheriff’s office congregated at one place.”

The agency, however, plans to add similar training facilities and related wellness programming to its other district offices in Dade City, Trinity and New Port Richey.

Published March 27, 2019

Pasco readies for big building program

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Voter approval of four general obligation bond issues in November has set the stage for a major building program in Pasco County.

The bond revenues will go to expand the Pasco County Detention Center; to update and expand fire rescue facilities; to upgrade libraries; and, to spruce up and improve park and recreational facilities.

Pasco County staff members briefed commissioners on the timing for various projects that will be done, and commissioners offered some suggestions during the meeting.

This is Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 23, at 21300 State Road 54 in Lutz. The county is planning to add several new fire rescue stations, using revenues from general obligation bonds approved by voters in November. (Christine Holtzman)

In a typical year, the county is involved in about $21 million in projects, according to Andrew Baxter, the county’s facilities management director. The workload over the next few years will average about $45.5 million, he said.

The biggest single project, under the approved general obligation bonds, involves the expansion of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, at 20101 Central Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

That bond issue is for $128 million, and it will be used to pay for a 1,000-bed addition and an upgrade to all of the jail’s central services, including medical, intake, the kitchen and support services.

The design is expected to be done during fiscal years 2019 and 2020. The construction will begin in 2021, with completion in fiscal year 2023.

As the county gets ready for that project, Commissioner Jack Mariano suggested county staff visit Charlotte County to see how they’ve handled medical services at the jail.

“They may have a better way, and a better result at the end. The successes that they say they’re having is probably worthy for us taking a look at.” Mariano said.

Commissioner Mike Wells also said the services that are provided need to address mental illness and addition.

“If we can help these folks, it’s not a revolving door,” Wells said. “ The numbers should go down.”

The county also will be making significant improvements regarding its fire and rescue services.

Projects in the Central Pasco and East Pasco areas will be:

  • Adding Station 42, at Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52. The $6.1 million project involves the construction of a new one-story, four-bay station. Construction is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2021.
  • Replacing Station 22, in Land O’ Lakes. The $6.9 million project calls for replacing the existing one-story, four-bay station near the detention center in Land O’ Lakes. Construction is expected to be completed by fiscal year 2022.
  • Adding Station 44, at State Road 54 and Meadow Pointe Boulevard. The $6.5 million project calls for a new one-story, four-bay station. It is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2023.
  • Adding Station 45, in Bexley, a subdivision off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes. This $7.3 million project calls for a new one-story, four-bay station. It is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2023.
  • Adding a Rescue Training Center in Land O’ Lakes. This $5.8 million project is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2023.

The county received $20.2 million in bond funding for parks and recreation projects.

Projects in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area include:

  • San Antonio Maintenance Building, $100,000, to be completed in fiscal year 2020
  • Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, pool pump room, $10,000, to be completed in fiscal year 2021
  • Wesley Chapel District Park, replace air conditioning, $53,000, to be completed in fiscal year 2020
  • Heritage Community Center, roof, $45,320, to be completed in fiscal year 2020.

Across the county, there are some fairly pricey concession stand building projects, which drew the attention of Commissioner Mike Moore.

He urged county staff to see if there are ways to trim those costs.

“Any savings allows you to do more. Maybe you need another concession at another park,” Moore said.

Wells also suggested looking at the possibility of using the same design firm for projects, to potentially lower costs.

“I’m just trying to save everybody time and money,” Wells said.

Libraries will be modernized, using revenues from general obligation bonds. Planned projects in East and Central Pasco are:

  • New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel: Nearly $2 million in improvements. The project is in the design phase and is expected to be completed in 2020.
  • Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City: Nearly $1.8 million in improvements are planned. Completion is expected in 2021.
  • Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes: Approximately $1.7 million in improvements are planned. The county is working with Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley to be sure there is no conflict with election needs, said County Administrator Dan Biles. This project is expected to be completed in 2021.

Biles said the plan is to close the libraries during the renovation, with outreach efforts to serve patrons.

“If we close the libraries, we can give the contractor the entire footprint, so construction can be faster and less expensively than if we try to phase it through those facilities. It gets us in, gets the construction done and out of there.”

The county is anticipating the bonds to be issued in April.

“In order to accomplish these projects, we’re probably going to need some surge staffing, just to manage these projects, and ensure the quality we expect is achieved,” Baxter said. “We’re basically doubling our workload for the next few years.”

Additional discussion is expected at a later board meeting over those staffing needs and how to pay for them.

Published March 13, 2019

Forensics research center expected to break new ground

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Construction is now underway in Land O’ Lakes on a forensics and training facility that will offer a collaborative resource for universities, forensic scientists and law enforcement.

Ground was broken during a Sept. 19 ceremony for the K9 Tactical Center/Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics, or F.I.R.S.T for short.

F.I.R.S.T will be a resource for universities, forensic scientists and law enforcement in the entire state. It will serve as an aid to improve crime scene operations and investigations in the realm of homicides, missing persons cases and so on. The $4.3 million project is expected to be complete in late 2019. (Courtesy of Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

The complex will be next to the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Field, otherwise known as the “body farm” that sits on 5 acres next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, off U.S. 41.

The forensics research and training center will strive to improve crime scene operations and investigations in the realm of homicides, missing persons cases and so on.

It will include a laboratory for research and forensic casework, classrooms, a morgue and evidence storage.

The educational focus will be on forensics, anthropology, geochemistry, legal medicine, forensic intelligence, aviation reconstruction and cyber forensics.

Technology, too, will play a major role in the research, including virtual autopsies with 3-D scanning and chemical isotope analysis.

The K-9 portion of the project, meanwhile, will be the first time Pasco has had a dedicated facility for tactical training for the K-9 unit, the Pasco Unified SWAT team and sheriff’s deputies.

When completed, the F.I.R.S.T campus also will house training facilities in the arenas of cybersecurity and unmanned vehicles.

The $4.3 million state-funded project is expected to be complete by late 2019.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said the campus — particularly the forensic anthropology “body farm” fields  —  will have international draw, because of the location’s subtropical climate.

The sheriff also said the facility overall will advance national policies for public safety, in the realm of forensics, K-9 tactics, crisis management, design thinking and so on.

“We’re going to be training people from all over the country,” Nocco said. “This is not about the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. This is about all of us. This is about saving lives and making our community better.”

A Sept. 19 groundbreaking ceremony was held for the K9 Tactical Center/Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics, or F.I.R.S.T. The campus will be adjacent to the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Field, otherwise known as the ‘body farm,’ that now sits on five acres of land next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, off U.S. 41. (Kevin Weiss)

He added: “The amazing thing is, as we keep building this out and as we break ground, more partners keep coming on and on, and we keep expanding.”

Once complete, the forensics center will be the first in Florida, and only the seventh in the nation.

The University of Tennessee in Knoxville started the first forensic training and research center in the 1970s. Other facilities are at Western Carolina University, Sam Houston State University, Texas State University in Carbondale, Southern Illinois University and Colorado Mesa University.

A one-stop resource
But, F.I.R.S.T is touted as the first true cooperative effort between academia and practitioners.

Academic partners include the University of South Florida, University of Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University and Pasco-Hernando State College, among others.

The project already has some Florida-based forensics scholars buzzing.

Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield is a forensic anthropologist and research assistant scientist at the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida, in Gainesville.

For her, F.I.R.S.T means having a one-stop resource for university-based forensic labs from all across the state.

“Why should we not work together? First, it gives us a chance to share our ideas between ourselves. It’ll produce more research for the whole state,” said Stubblefield, who plans to bring her graduate students to the campus “on a cyclical basis.”

Stubblefield also noted the forensics center will facilitate long-term studies on body decomposition rates in subtropical climates, something she said is presently “not well researched.”

“That whole overall decomposition area — we’re still bringing the picture together,” Stubblefield said. “I know (F.I.R.S.T) will help with research, because there’s just not enough data.”

The possibilities also excite Dr. Heather Walsh-Haney, an associate professor who chairs the Department of Justice Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers.

The K9 Tactical Center/Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics is the first of its kind in Florida, and only the seventh in the nation. The campus is touted as the first true collaborative effort between academia and practitioners.(Courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

Walsh-Haney has been studying forensic anthropology for 21 years. She gets called upon to help solve anywhere between 80 to 110 cases every year across the state.

She, like Stubblefield, stressed the need for more comprehensive studies on body decomposition rates within subtropical conditions, for crime-solving and death investigation purposes: “It doesn’t take a neurosurgeon to realize our temperatures are hotter, we have different animal scavenging habits, our plants are different and our soils are different.”

Once F.I.R.S.T is in operation, she and her group of graduate students plan to visit on a bi-weekly basis.

Aside from conducting forensic research studies and experiments, she said they’ll also assist detectives and other law enforcement officials on an assortment of hot and cold cases.

The complex, she said, “highlights the fact that we have to have community involvement in order to solve cases.”

She added: “The only way we can catch the folks who perpetrate these crimes is through science and the collaboration with law enforcement.

“This facility here, smack dab in the center (of Florida), is a wonderful location for scientists and law enforcement from the south and north to come here and train.”

Meantime, local officials believe F.I.R.S.T will be an economic driver for the county.

Bill Cronin, president/CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council, who was present at the groundbreaking ceremony, stated F.I.R.S.T will have an economic impact to the county of at least $7.8 million in its first year, with a recurring impact of $2.8 million each year “thanks to the hundreds of visitors that are going to come here and train.”

Furthermore, he noted the facility will attract other forensics-related businesses and organizations to Pasco, possibly along U.S. 41.

“This particular location will help us activate the part of U.S. 41 that’s been fairly difficult for us to draw business into,” he said, “and it takes what was an otherwise non-producing government-owned site and creates a real asset for economic development.”

Published October 3, 2018

State lawmaker offers overview of past legislative session

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This past legislative session — and money flowing into Pasco County from the state’s record $88.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2019 — was the topic du jour for State Rep. Danny Burgess, during a recent appearance at a North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Burgess, who represents the House District 38 seat covering east Pasco and portions of central Pasco, highlighted a number of local projects that received state funding:

  • $15 million for the Overpass Road interchange at Interstate 75
  • $4.3 million for the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Research and Education located at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center
  • $1 million for the proposed Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center in Zephyrhills
  • $5.9 million for upgrades at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
  • $750,000 for a road study on pursuing an additional extension to State Road 56 that would link to State Road 39
State Rep. Danny Burgess was the featured guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s September breakfast. (File)

“We walked away locally in east Pasco with the most historic levels of funding that we’ve ever had. We were able to do some pretty good things for this area,” said Burgess, the featured guest speaker at the chamber’s September breakfast at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

Overall, the entire state budget was a 7.6 percent increase, or about $6.3 billion more than the   2018 fiscal budget.

Burgess noted the considerable surge was due to some “unforeseen things,” including Hurricane Irma, the Parkland shooting and rising health care costs related to Medicaid.

Even so, Burgess said the state still came away with a balanced budget and AAA bond rating, which he characterizes as “fantastic news” for areas, including Pasco County, that are “developing and growing and expanding their business base.”

Said Burgess: “All of the major publications and research entities in the country are still ranking Florida the top one, or two, in terms of fiscal health and places that people want to be in, and, places that people want to start their business, so that matters. Florida is right there neck and neck with Texas in terms of desirability and enacting the right policies to have a friendly business climate, so those are things that we can continue to foster and build upon as we move forward.”

Meanwhile, of the 74 bills signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, Burgess said the “biggest win” of the legislative session was the passage of HB 37, which sets forth parameters for direct primary care agreements.

Under direct primary care agreements, doctors charge patients monthly fees in advance of providing services, with patients then able to access services at no extra charge.

The bill amends the state insurance code to make clear that direct primary care agreements do not violate insurance regulations.

Primary care providers are defined as physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, nurses or primary care group practices.

Burgess, who sponsored the bill with Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, said there’d been an attempt to pass some variation of the bill over the last four years.

He explained the legislation should benefit small businesses who’d like to offer health care options for their employees, but otherwise can’t afford to in the traditional health care marketplace.

“This bill is a great way to expand options and access for Floridians everywhere,” the state representative said.

“It removes that middleman of bureaucracy of health care and health insurance, and it allows so much more time between the patient and doctor.

“I think that it’ll have a big impact for us as we move forward. More doctors are going to start practicing in this arena, which is great,” the state lawmaker said.

Elsewhere, Burgess touched on other priorities Florida needs to address going forward — such as expanding opportunities for veterans statewide.

The state representative stressed the need to provide more options for soldiers suffering from combat-related illnesses, including post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

He also mentioned the need to create more workforce opportunities for veterans through equivalency of training programs in careers, including law enforcement, engineering, firefighting, contracting and others.

Said Burgess: “Florida needs to be the most veteran-friendly state in the nation. I think that we’re close to being there.

“We’ve done a lot to be there, but I think we have a long way to go.”

Published September 12, 2018

Pasco tax revenues are up this year

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Rising property values in Pasco County could provide about $11 million in increased revenues.

That’s a bigger windfall than the $10.5 million initially projected.

That extra cash – about $650,000 – would play a key role in helping to close a $3.3 million gap in funding requests for 2019 from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Pasco County expected to receive final revenue data by July 1 from the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office.

The Pasco County Commission received a budget update — including two possible scenarios on the sheriff’s budget — at a June 26 public workshop at Saint Leo University.

Both options on the sheriff’s budget relied on the $650,000 of additional revenue.

County commissioners quickly rejected one option to also withdraw $2.6 million from a reserve fund.

Instead, they accepted a staff recommendation to pair the $650,000 with budget cuts. An estimated $2.4 million for temporary on-site pods at the overcrowded Land O’ Lakes Detention Center would be delayed until 2020. And, a proposed $250,000 for Safety Town would be eliminated.

Commissioners agreed with the staff’s recommendation, except for cutting the Safety Town proposal.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Wells Jr., said funds should be found for Safety Town either from the county’s fund balance or new property tax revenues.

Safety Town is a safety education program for children, ages 5 to 8, that the sheriff’s office operates.

“It’s really for youth,” Wells said. “It’s needed. I think we need to absolutely fully support the sheriff on this.”

The sheriff’s budget for 2019 is nearly $133 million, an 11.5 percent increase. However, most of that increase is related to jail overcrowding.

While temporary on-site inmate housing would be delayed, the proposed budget still includes funds for out-of-county inmate housing.

The existing jail was built for a capacity of about 1,400 inmates but currently is about 200 inmates over that cap. While that’s a dip in recent weeks, the jail, at times, has had nearly 1,800 inmates.

“It’s a safety issue for deputies,” said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. “We’ve seen a spike in fights going on.”

Currently, Seminole County’s jail has about 60 of Pasco’s inmates, at a cost of under $74 a day per inmate.

The sheriff also said 13 new detention officers will be hired and trained during the next nine- to 12-month period.

When money is available for on-site pods, those officers will be ready, he said.

Commissioners also reviewed funding requests for about 40 items from various departments, split into two tiers based on priority.

One package would cost about $4.4 million for expenses such as wage increases for county employees, restoration of library hours, fire rescue stations, and an additional inmate work crew.

The other package of about $1.1 million would pay for new positions in departments, including public services and development services.

There also was a recommendation for $15,000 to the United Way of Pasco County, for an emergency fund to aid low-income residents who aren’t eligible for other programs.

Wells asked that funding for United Way be increased to $50,000. Later on, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano suggested $100,000.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked for details on those expenses.

“I support the United Way. I just want to know where the money is coming from,” she said.

Anticipated property tax revenues might be enough to fund the United Way request, said Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles.

He also noted that county officials are taking a realistic approach to crafting the 2019 budget to withstand potential revenue losses for 2020.

A major concern is a November referendum for an additional $25,000 homestead exemption for homes valued more than $100,000. Most county officials expect it to pass, with a projected revenue loss as high as $14 million, effective for the 2020 budget.

Even so, Biles said county officials looked at the potential revenue losses “and what that would do to the budget so we don’t have to go back on any of these decisions for 2019.”

That includes the priority items for wages, library hours and new job positions, he said.

The county also has other referendums in November that could change spending priorities.

County commissioners recently approved four bond referendums for the November ballot that would bring new revenues for public safety, fire rescue, parks and libraries, if approved.

“If the park referendum doesn’t pass, we have a huge amount of backlog for our parks for safety reasons,” Starkey said. “I don’t want to see parks closing down.”

Published July 4, 2018

Bond referendums will be on 2018 ballot

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Pasco County’s jail in Land O’ Lakes is overcrowded.

Fire rescue needs new and refurbished stations.

And, the upkeep and repairs for parks and libraries are years behind schedule.

Annual budgets, however, barely scratch the surface on the costs to fix these deficiencies.

Pasco County wants to issue bonds to pay for fire rescue improvements to stations, including Fire Station 22, at 9930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
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So, Pasco County commissioners are hoping voters will approve four general obligation bond referendums in November 2018.

If all four were approved, owners of a $100,000 home would pay about $8 a year in each of the first three years. As the loan on the bonds was repaid, the amount would gradually increase to about $31 a year during the lifetime of the bonds.

In a June 19 vote in New Port Richey, county commissioners agreed to put the bond issues on the ballot, and see what happens. No one spoke in opposition at the public hearing.

Two library advocates spoke in favor.

They reminded county commissioners of the bond referendum in the 1980s that paid for libraries operating in the county.

The library bond would collect more than $18 million to help modernize the county’s libraries.

“Certainly technology has changed dramatically in the way libraries offer their services,” said Gail Stout, a member of the library advisory board. “This bond will provide some of the renovations and repairs drastically needed for many years.”

Rosalyn Fenton, president of the Friends of the Library, said libraries make a huge difference in the quality of life for Pasco residents.

“Our library system is a wonderful, wonderful service we provide our citizens,” she said. “We’re really reaching out to provide many more services.”

Voters will mark a simple yes or no response for each bond on the ballot.

About $132 million would be collected in total for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to build a 1,000-bed expansion of the existing Land O’ Lakes Detention Center. About $1.5 million would be collected in the first year, with the amount increasing to about $7.5 million in the third year.

At times, the jail houses more than 1,800 inmates in a facility built for about 1,400 inmates. Pasco is under a judicial order to come up with a plan to resolve the overcrowding, before the inmate count reaches 1,900.

“That means either letting inmates walk or coming up with another solution,” said Bob Goehrig, Pasco’s budget director.

County officials estimate costs of $4 million to $6 million annually to temporarily house inmates in on-site trailers, or offsite at jails in other counties. Funding for this is included in the draft 2019 budget.

The fire rescue bond would collect about $70 million in total. The funds would pay for nine fire stations, either new or refurbished, as well as for equipment and staffing.

Goehrig said some stations were built in the 1970s when the county relied on volunteers, rather than full-time firefighters.

Parks would receive about $20 million to help with a backlog of about $26 million in deferred maintenance. The county’s budget in recent years has included as much as $1.5 million for maintenance at parks in danger of closing.

The approximately $18.6 million bond for libraries would pay for repairs, renovations, equipment and upgrades at seven branch libraries.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey noted that the annual cost to most homeowners for parks and libraries would be $2.55 and $2.35, respectively.

“To me, it’s just critical if these pass,” she said. “I’m hoping the public will look at these as wise investments.”

Published June 27, 2018

Deadline approaching for county budget

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Crunch time is approaching for Pasco County’s 2019 budget.

On June 5, Pasco County commissioners got a look at a draft budget as part of their review process.

Crucial dates are coming up, including a July 10 deadline to set the millage rate, which determines how much homeowners will pay in taxes.

No increase in millage is expected. However, some will pay higher tax bills because of general increases in property values.

County officials anticipate that the average, single-family homeowner will pay almost $16 more into the general fund on a homesteaded property valued at $100,000. The cost will increase about $3.80 for the fire fund.

Owners of non-homesteaded property will pay almost $65 more to the general fund, and about $15.35 to the fire fund.

New revenues from property taxes are expected to increase by about 8.5 percent for the general fund, adding about $10.5 million to county coffers.

Those funds are evenly divided between the county and its constitutional offices, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

New construction is fueling a large share of the increased tax revenue.

However, a Nov. 8 referendum to add another $25,000 exemption to homesteaded property is expected to adversely affect the county’s 2020 budget — if the measure passes, and county officials are expecting it to pass.

The loss to the county’s general fund in 2020 would be about $12 million, and about $2.4 million for the fire fund.

Funding temporary housing for inmates at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center is one of the immediate challenges facing the Pasco County Commission.

By 2020, projections put inmate population at nearly 2,400 a day. The facility was built to house about 1,400 inmates, and already exceeds that number.

The draft budget includes about $2.4 million for the cost of temporary onsite housing; and another $2.5 million to pay other counties to house Pasco inmates in their jails.

Currently, there remains about $3.3 million in unfunded budget needs at the sheriff’s office.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco struck a positive note on the matter.

“It’s very tricky, but we’re getting there,” Nocco told county commissioners. “I know we’re going to get there in the end.”

Other big ticket items include about $2.8 million for repairs and capital improvements for public buildings; $1.4 million for Medicaid, retirement and health insurance; and $1 million for deferred maintenance of parks that are in danger of closing.

County officials peg deferred maintenance costs at parks at about $24 million.

“So, that’s not even treading water there,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Published June 13, 2018