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Spectators at the “Grease is the Word” event at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park had a chance to listen to an Elvis impersonator, check out a musical rivalry between Pasco Fire Rescue and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and to take a look at some classic cars. There were also games and other attractions at the event on March 13.
While Zephyrhills is considering a consolidation of its dispatch services with Pasco County’s emergency dispatch, city officials made it clear that there are no plans to shutter the city’s police department.
Last year, the city merged its fire department with Pasco Fire Rescue, as the city’s fire department faced mounting costs and personnel turnover.
Elected city officials want the public to know that its police department will remain intact.
Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson put it like this: “We need to reassure people that it’s not our intent to merge the police department with the county, that this is purely to improve communications between law enforcement groups.”
If anything, the city should expand its own police force, which stands at 34 sworn officers, Councilman Ken Burgess said.
“I think we need more officers on the street. This (communications merger) could be a way of putting more officers on the street; I think that’s a positive,” Burgess said.
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco doesn’t have interest in absorbing the Zephyrhills Police Department or other municipal police forces, for that matter, said the city’s Police Chief Derek Brewer.
“The sheriff has publicly said he has no interest in taking over the cities, and I will tell you that is a very, very, very expensive proposition for the county to take over, that I don’t think that they’d be willing to look at,” Brewer said.
City officials also said that if a dispatch merger occurs, city dispatchers would retain full-time positions within the municipality or police department, albeit in a different capacity, if for some reason they are not taken in by county dispatch through a merger.
The city is budgeted for 10 dispatchers, but currently has eight on staff.
Published March 03, 2021
Fire Station 38, in Wesley Chapel, now has a ladder truck.
Its arrival was celebrated with a “push-in” ceremony — a tradition among firefighters that symbolizes the days before motorized fire trucks, when hand-drawn carts or horse-drawn wagons were used to carry the water to fight a fire, and then the apparatus was pushed back into its place.
In this case, a firefighter was in the truck — and the truck was put into reverse — to make it easier to push and to make sure everything went smoothly.
Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley, who participated in the event, briefed commissioners on the ceremony during the board’s Feb. 9 meeting.
Ladder 38, a 100-foot E-One HR100 ladder truck, can pump 1,500 gallons of water per minute and can carry 500 gallons of water on board, according to Corey Dierdorff, a public information officer for Pasco Fire Rescue.
The truck was designed to set up in small spaces — allowing the fire department to perform fire ground operations and rescues in areas where aerial trucks won’t fit.
The truck, which cost $1 million, was purchased as part of the department’s strategic plan.
In addition to telling his colleagues about the new ladder truck, Oakley told them about a practice that firefighters have adopted during this time of COVID-19.
When the firefighters respond to a fire, another truck goes out that is stocked with spare uniforms, Oakley said. The firefighters change into the clean uniforms before leaving the scene.
It’s an innovative idea and the fire department has been invited to talk about it at an upcoming convention, Oakley said.
Published February 24, 2021
In many ways, David Castle is a typical 8-year-old boy.
He loves superheroes, WWE, Fortnight, motorcycles, fast cars and fishing.
But, unlike most boys his age, he’s been undergoing cancer treatments for the better part of a year.
Last October, he was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Wilms tumor in his right kidney.
After 46 weeks of aggressive treatment — including the removal of his right kidney, he recently was diagnosed with two new cancerous tumors in his right lung.
A ministry outreach group called Bringing the SON Light, organized a massive Halloween parade — including 250 to 350 vehicles. The ministry, based in Spring Hill, also organized a barbecue fundraiser to benefit David and his family.
Las Insportables Tampa Bay, Crystal Harley-Davidson, KW Morrow Electric Inc., were other sponsors, too.
Vehicles taking part in the parade included exotic sports cars, motorcycles, 4-by-4s and emergency vehicles from Pasco Fire Rescue, Lealman and Tarpon Springs.
They rolled by and packed David’s street, in the Ashley Lakes subdivision, in Odessa.
Many of those taking part dressed up as David’s favorite superheroes, and gave the 8-year-old gifts and cards.
Parade participants performed, too, burning their rubber tires on the asphalt to provide a smoke show for David.
The boy was obviously delighted.
After the parade, there was a big barbecue fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting David’s family.
David’s mother, Tammy Miller, was thrilled by the outpouring of generosity for her son and her family.
It has been a challenging year, and more challenges lie ahead.
But, on Halloween, David was one happy boy — surrounded by his favorite things, in a community that clearly cares.
If you would like to help, a GoFundMe account has been set up for David and his family. Visit Go Fund Me online and search for “Help Fight the Fight for David.”
Published November 04, 2020
Zephyrhills property owners will have to wait a bit longer before finding out the property tax rate for fiscal year 2020-2021.
The Zephyrhills City Council tabled setting a tentative millage rate, until information on projected revenue streams is provided from the Florida Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research (EDR).
The consensus decision came during a July 13 regular council meeting.
A memo from city staff recommended setting the tentative millage rate at 6.35 — the rate the city has maintained for several years.
However, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe advised council members to hold off on a decision until more concrete projections are available from the EDR on various revenue sources, including communications services tax, Penny for Pasco, local government half-cent sales tax, local option fuel tax and the municipal revenue sharing program.
Once the council adopts a proposed millage rate, it can be decreased but cannot be increased unless the city mails a notice to each taxpayer.
Poe told the council he’s “pretty positive” the city won’t need to set a millage rate higher than 6.35. But, the city manager warned: “With everything that’s going on, we don’t want to have to set the millage rate too low, if we have to increase.”
A mill represents $1 in tax for every $1,000 worth of a property’s assessed value.
In Zephyrhills, maintaining a rate of 6.35 mills would levy about $5.32 million in property taxes — a revenue increase of almost $380,000, compared to last year, according to the memo.
The figures are based on the total city’s property value of nearly $838 million, an increase of $63.8 million over last year; $28.7 million of that increase is attributable to new construction.
Reports from the EDR are expected in time for the July 27 council meeting, Poe said.
Once the city sets a tentative millage rate, the council will conduct two public hearings in September before adopting a final rate.
The delay in receiving EDR reports won’t have an impact on budget preparations, Poe said, noting that various department heads have been in such discussions.
With that, the city manager outlined considerations and projects that likely will need to be factored into the city’s next budget. Those include:
Published July 22, 2020
Michael Northrup, who works for Pasco County Animal Services, has been named Animal Control Officer of the Year by the Florida Animal Control Association.
A nomination submitted on Northrup’s behalf said, in part, that during 2019 Northrup displayed “compassion, dedication, expertise, awareness and incredible decision-making.”
The nomination noted that Northrup responded to more than 1,000 animal control calls that year.
And, while he’s an animal control officer, he’s also provided help that goes beyond the call of duty, to Pasco residents.
For example, the nomination notes, that on Aug. 9, as Northrup was driving home from work on the Suncoast Parkway he noticed cars veering around another vehicle.
As he got closer, he realized the vehicle was on fire — and, as it pulled out onto the grass, the grass caught fire, too.
Northrup pulled over, radioed Pasco Fire Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office for assistance, then he used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
Less than a week later, Northrup and Animal Control Officer Stephanie Martin responded to a call about loose dogs.
While there, an elderly woman told Northrup that her caregiver had been physically harming her, had moved relatives into her home and had been letting her animals run loose.
While Officer Martin talked to the caregiver, Northrup called the Florida Abuse Hotline, Pasco Fire Rescue and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
As a result, the elderly woman’s family moved her into assisted living, where she can get the care she needs, the nomination says.
In another case, Northrup noticed a woman was running in a dangerous intersection, yelling for someone to hit her with their car.
Northrup called to get the woman help, then waited for it to arrive.
He also helped Animal Services’ return to owner rate by 25% in one year, by reuniting more than a dozen animals to their owners in the field, without the animals having to be impounded.
Winning the award was an honor, Northrup said, but he wasn’t especially enthused about being in the spotlight.
He likes keeping a low profile and doing his job.
To be honest, he said: “I don’t like awards. I don’t like interviews. I don’t like recognition.”
When he went to work as an animal control officer, he thought the vast majority of his work would involve interacting with animals.
As it turns out, though, much of the work involves helping to mediate disputes between people regarding animals.
Calls can range from a claim that a neighbor’s dog barks too much to a report of a pack of dogs mauling someone.
“People call in crazy stuff,” he said, noting he doesn’t take complaints at face value.
“A lot of the times I find it to be more of a people problem, than an animal problem.
“A lot of times, it’s an ongoing dispute, with either one of their neighbors and they want someone to intervene — to use some type of enforcement action to alter their behavior in some way, shape or form,” he said.
“I look at every call, if I were in their shoes, how would I want that to be handled?” he said.
Frequently he finds himself telling people something they don’t want to hear.
“You may not like what the person is doing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doing something wrong,” he said.
In other words, what seems objectionable to someone might not be a violation of a Florida Statute or a county ordinance.
“You have the right to call. We have the right to decide what we’re going to do,” he said.
“I’ve always treated everyone with firmness, fairness and dignity. Everyone deserves that,” he added.
He believes in using a straight-forward approach.
“Direct is my way of life. I usually don’t beat around the bush,” he said.
Published May 20, 2020
Concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has flattened the economy, causing many to seek out help for the first time to put food on their tables.
Here is a look at some efforts, to help feed others, across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.
Collecting food to feed the hungry
The woman pulls up and pops open her trunk, so volunteers could gather the bags of food that she had brought to donate.
As they unloaded her donations, she became emotional — thanking the volunteers for what they are doing to help people struggling through the pandemic.
She was obviously touched by the effort.
Pasco County leaders have held food drives for the past two weekends to collect donations. The first drive was in the parking lot of the former Super Target store, off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Expressway, and the second at Sam’s Club of Wesley Chapel, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.
High-ranking officials from Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office, the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office, state legislators, and candidates for office, were there to help. Pasco Fire Rescue employees, Pasco Sheriff’s Office employees and others volunteered, too.
The community responded, bringing bags and boxes of food — loaded with pasta, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, soups, rice, canned goods and more.
Monetary donations are still welcome and can be made through the Pasco Education Foundation at PascoEducationFoundation.org. Checks can be made payable to Pasco Education Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 1248, Land O’ Lakes, Florida, 34639.
Farm-Fresh Pop-ups
When Pasco County Schools receives donated fruits or vegetables, it holds Farm Fresh Pop-ups, and the free fresh produce goes fast.
At its first Pop-Up, the district gave away more than 30,000 ears of corn in about 2 hours.
At its second one, on May 8, it handed out 10-pound variety boxes of vegetables containing such veggies as cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, collards, broccoli, peppers, squash, and eggplant.
Those were gone in 45 minutes.
At the pop-ups, which are held in different locations, school district officials are practicing safe social distancing and wearing masks.
Those picking up the free foods are asked to stay in their vehicles and to pop their trunks, so the food can be placed in their trunks.
Feeding Florida and L&M donated the variety boxes.
The district also continues to provide five breakfasts and five lunches, once a week, to students 18 and under, at specific locations. As of May, it had served more than 820,000 meals.
To find out more about the district’s meal program, and to keep abreast of future Farm Fresh Pop-Ups, check the district’s website, Pasco.k12.fl.us.
Outdoor dining allowed to expand
Pasco County officials are providing more flexibility to restaurants to expand their outdoor dining space by allowing them to set up tables in parking areas and other outdoor areas — without a county permit.
The move was made to give restaurant operators more options, as they contend with decreased business due to COVID-19.
Under phase one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan, restaurants were allowed to operate indoor dining rooms at 25% capacity and to have dining outdoors, with the proviso that tables be kept 6 feet apart from each other.
To help expand restaurant capacity, Tampa officials have closed streets in some areas, so restaurants could set up tables there.
In Pasco, officials allowed restaurateurs to expand outdoor dining on their own properties.
The expanded seating may be used during the restaurant’s normal business hours, and the allowance will expire when full-capacity indoor dining returns, according to a county news release.
The Box Kitchen Restaurant in Land O’ Lakes appeared to be one of the few restaurants within The Laker/Lutz coverage area taking advantage of the county’s relaxed rules.
Providing hot meals in hard times
Three initiatives in Pasco County are aimed at providing hot meals, while supporting restaurants at the same time.
In the “Dining Out at Home” program, Pasco County has partnered with the Area Agency on Aging to have restaurant meals delivered to eligible senior citizens.
In “Operation Feed Pasco,” local restaurants are helping to supply meals at local food pantries and soup kitchens. The county is partnering with United Way of Pasco County on that effort.
Restaurants that would like to participate in Operation Feed Pasco should call United Way at (727) 359-7999, to see if there are any slots left.
In Pasco FLAG2020, meals are being purchased from local restaurants and then provided to people working on the front lines of the pandemic.
The program is being championed by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who was inspired after seeing coverage of two women in New Jersey who launched the national program.
So far, 64 meals have been delivered through that program to AdventHealth Dade City, 41 have been delivered to BayCare’s North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey and 106 meals to Medical Center of Trinity.
In addition to Starkey, other local elected leaders who have been involved in raising money, include Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, former Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil and State Rep. Ardian Zika.
To help, send donations to:
Venmo: @FLAG2020Pasco; PayPal: PayPal.me/FLAG2020Pasco
Published May 13, 2020
The Pasco County Commission has approved a merger between Pasco Fire Rescue and the Zephyrhills Fire Department.
The approval came on May 4, which followed the Zephyrhills City Council’s approval of the merger on April 27.
Pasco Fire Rescue Chief Scott Cassin outlined benefits of merging the departments.
The merger represents the end of an era for the Zephyrhills Fire Department, which has been in existence for more than 100 years. Negotiations to hammer out the terms of the deal took about 10 months.
The merger provides benefits for both the city and the county, Cassin said.
It will enable the county to respond more quickly to emergencies, since it will have two additional fire stations.
Those fire stations each will be equipped with ambulances, too, which the county will move from stations that have two, Cassin added.
The county will be acquiring all of the equipment currently at those stations, which includes a ladder truck, Cassin said.
That will give Pasco Fire Rescue greater capability in responding to high-rise firefighting on the east side of the county, Cassin said.
The merger also will create a unified dispatch for 911 calls. Currently the city has its own 911 center and handles its own calls.
Under the agreement, the two dozen full-time employees that are currently employed by the City of Zephyrhills will become county employees.
The cadet program established in Zephyrhills will continue, but will operate under the same umbrella as the county’s cadet program, which is in West Pasco, Cassin said.
Having both programs will minimize the drive time for some of the students that participate, he said.
The City of Zephyrhills also has a robust volunteer program. That program also will merge into the county and join the other four volunteer programs that already were in Pasco Fire Rescue, Cassin said.
The fire stations will be renamed from Station 1 and Station 2 to Station 25 and Station 29, he said.
Implementation of the agreement will be Sept. 27, according to documents approved on May 4.
At the same meeting, county commissioners approved an amendment to the county’s Municipal Service Taxing Unit boundaries for fire rescue services to include the City of Zephyrhills.
Commissioner Ron Oakley praised the county and the City of Zephyrhills for reaching an agreement.
“It’s a great thing. This is just an awesome move, I think, for the betterment of our community,” Oakley said.
Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed: “I really want to applaud the City of Zephyrhills for taking a look at what’s best for their taxpayers. It’s better for them, it’s better for the county — to work seamlessly together.
“It’s going to save everybody a lot of money, and give them better service,” Mariano said.
Published May 13, 2020
After more than 100 years of tradition and service, the Zephyrhills Fire Department soon will be no more.
Its operations are expected to be consolidated in September, into Pasco County Fire Rescue.
The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with Pasco County to provide fire suppression/first responder services to the municipality. The action came during an April 27 virtual council meeting.
Per the agreement, Pasco Fire Rescue would operate the city’s two fire stations and hire all 25 of the city’s fire rescue personnel at their proper pay step. The county agency would ensure and maintain additional staffing needs at both stations, and place an ambulance within the city limits.
The agreement calls for a 20-year term, with automatic 20-year renewals, unless the city or county provides written notice at least a year prior to the end of a term.
For a merger to take effect, the Pasco County Commission must approve a corresponding agreement. Also, consenting ordinances allowing the county to charge city residents an MSTU (Municipal Service Taxing Unit) for firefighter services will need to be passed at a later date.
Under the agreement:
The agreement also gives transferred city fire rescue employees the option to remain in the Zephyrhills fire stations for six months. After that, each employee will be required to bid to stay in the local stations.
Under the terms, Zephyrhills also agrees to conduct soil remediation at the downtown fire station, if required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Separately, the city has agreed to waive any employee tuition reimbursement requirements.
It also has agreed to pay each current Zephyrhills fire rescue union member 50% of remaining sick time above 120 hours that is being transferred to Pasco, and to award all vacation time up to 500 hours and all accrued comp time.
The agreement (as well as extended employee benefits) will cost the city roughly $5.5 million total and will generally be spread out over a period of seven years, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said.
After fiscal year 2027, the city won’t have to pay the county for fire rescue services — as it’d be solely propped up by an MSTU assessed to city residents and commercial entities, similar to how Dade City receives such services.
For comparison’s sake, the city’s fire department budget the last two years was $3.3 million in fiscal year 2019 and $2.8 million in fiscal year 2020 — nearly totaling the amount the city is prepared to pay the county to take fire rescue operations off its hands in perpetuity.
The fate of the local fire department had been coming for some time.
Besides a ballooning annual budget, Zephyrhills Fire Rescue battled personnel turnover, staffing shortages and outdated equipment over the years.
Also, the city hasn’t had a fire chief for over 18 months, instead splitting those duties among three battalion chiefs.
Following formal negotiations with the county that been ongoing since last July, Zephyrhills leaders now feel they have an agreement that takes care of the city’s firefighters, enhances fire rescue services for the community and minimizes the city’s costs.
Council president Ken Burgess described the merger as “a difficult, momentous, emotional day for the city.”
He added: “I think we can look at it as a positive moving forward for the city’s firefighters and everyone involved.”
Fellow council members echoed similar sentiments.
Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson said, “We really feel like we negotiated the very best possible deal for the firefighters. I don’t think any of us are happy about the fact that we’re losing what’s a 100-year tradition for our community, but the bottom-line line is that our long-term fiscal health for the city was dependent upon this merger.”
Councilman Charlie Proctor pointed out, under the merger, the city’s two firehouses finally will be at full staff and will have transport units. That’s something, he said, the city has not had for decades.
“I believe the end result was fair for everybody, and I also believe in the long run the citizens will be served more safely,” Proctor said.
Zephyrhills firefighter union president Travis Geiger, who was heavily involved In negotiations, said union membership supported the merger by a supermajority vote and is “on the same page” with the city’s consolidation plan.
“It’s been quite the journey,” Geiger said.
The entire process required “much discussion, and back and forth, and headaches and everything else,” he said.
The history of the city’s fire department dates back to 1915, when it started as a volunteer organization. Since the 1970s, it has had a paid professional staff.
To preserve a sliver of that history through the consolidation, city officials said fire engines and vehicles will have signage along the lines of “Proudly Serving Zephyrhills,” even though equipment will now be owned and operated by Pasco Fire Rescue.
Published May 06, 2020
A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid the children of Carrie Dempsey.
The 42-year-old woman, who lived in Lutz, died Jan. 14, hours after a fire engulfed a casino shuttle boat ferrying about 50 passengers to a casino ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
She was the sole fatality among about 15 passengers who needed medical attention, according to news reports.
Dempsey leaves behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan. Dempsey’s husband, Joseph Dempsey II, died in 2011, at the age of 33, according to an obituary.
The children are being cared for by their grandparents.
“We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education, that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for,” according to a written statement on the GoFundMe page. “Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future. They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives.”
Bridget Verrecchia is listed as the fund’s organizer. She is vice president of the ways and means committee of the PTA executive board for McKitrick Elementary School, according to the school’s website.
Segal Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.
According to an obituary, Dempsey moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1985 from Cleveland, Ohio.
She will be “remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” the obituary states.
Graveside services are scheduled for Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., at Gan Shalom Cemetery, 3527 E. County Line Road in Lutz. In lieu of flowers, a college fund will be established for Dempsey’s children.
The cause of the fire aboard the Island Lady is under investigation, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Coast Guard.
About 50 people were aboard as the shuttle, operated by Tropical Breeze Casino, steered toward the gulf, and a casino ship in international waters.
The boat’s captain noticed the engine was overheating, and prepared to return to shore when a fire broke out, according to news reports.
The reports said the captain ran the shuttle aground in the Pithlachascotee River, about 100 yards from shore in Port Richey.
Passengers and crew had to jump into chilly waters. Rescuers included nearby neighbors, Port Richey police, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Fire Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The boat burned down to its hull, reports added.
For information, visit GoFundMe.com/the-dempsey-family.
An online guestbook is available at SegalFuneralHome.com.
Published January 24, 2018
