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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Wesley Chapel Athletic Association

Wesley Chapel’s rec center on target for 2021 opening

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It has taken years to get to this point, but by the summer of 2021, a new recreation center at Wesley Chapel District Park is expected to be up and running.

A virtual groundbreaking was held, due to COVID-19.

A group of elected leaders and county officials gathered at the district park on July 15 and tossed out a few ceremonial shovels of dirt.

A video of the event was shared by the county’s Media Relations & Communications Team.

Taking part in the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center were, from left: Erik Breitenbach, assistant county administrator; Dan Biles, county administrator; Ron Oakley, Pasco County commissioner; Mike Moore, Pasco County commission chairman; Tom FitzSimons, president of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association; and Keith Wiley, director of the county’s parks, recreation and natural resources department. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor, Pasco County)

In the video, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore talks about the long-term impact he expects the project to have.

“I spent years here with my children, in a number of sports. Now other children for years and years to come, and generations to come are going to be able to enjoy this indoor facility,” said Moore, who coached flag football, baseball and soccer at the district park, when his three children were younger.

Commissioner Ron Oakley thanked Moore for his involvement on the rec center project. Oakley added: “It’ll be great for this community.”

Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation and natural resources, said the district park is the county’s largest athletic facility, in terms of space.

“So, this complex basically completes that package,” Wiley said.

The bid on the project was awarded to Keator Construction LLC, for slightly under $4 million.

Funding for the project primarily comes from park impact fees collected in the central zone of the county, Wiley said.

“We are fortunate enough with the growth that was occurring in the central area to be able to accumulate enough money to make this project come to life. So, we’re extremely excited about that,” Wiley said.

“We’re hoping that the building will be completed and open in the summer of 2021, and we’ll kick off our first program and welcome our first guest at that time,” he added.

This is a conceptual rendering of the planned recreation center at Wesley Chapel District Park. The rendering is subject to change. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The 17,800-square-foot facility will accommodate a number of sports and other activities, including basketball, volleyball, pickleball, summer day camp, toddler activities, community events and other uses, according to plans previously shared with The Laker/Lutz News.

The new facility will feature a gymnasium with a regulation-size basketball court that can be converted into two smaller courts, two volleyball courts or four pickleball courts.

There will be restrooms and showers, too.

Multipurpose areas will accommodate a range of activities for groups, such as the Rotary Club, community associations, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Tom FitzSimons, president of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association, said, “An indoor facility will allow us to get the kids off of the (outdoor) courts and inside to play basketball in our program, and allow us to offer wrestling and volleyball, and possibly competitive cheerleading, where they’d be inside and they could do the practicing.”

“I can’t wait to see this thing built,” FitzSimons said.

The recreational center gives people another reason to take advantage of the popular district park.

It already is packed with outdoor sports activities, including several athletic fields for youth and adults, a lighted soccer field, basketball and tennis courts, and picnic tables and grills for barbecues.

It also is home to the county’s only universal playground — designed specifically for children with disabilities.

Published July 29, 2020

Local fisherman enjoys trip of a lifetime

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An August saltwater fishing adventure to the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana marked “a once in a lifetime trip” for Wesley Chapel’s Keven Barber.

Even better yet, it was all caught on national television.

Barber was featured as part of the Union Sportsman’s Alliance “Brotherhood Outdoors” television series on the Sportsman Channel.

Keven Barber hauled in a number of 40-inch long to 50-inch long redfish native to Louisiana. ‘Every fish I caught was a personal best,’ he said. (Courtesy of Union Sportsman’s Alliance)

The episode premiered on Oct. 8 and re-aired several times during that week. It can now be viewed anytime on MyOutdoorTV.com.

“Brotherhood Outdoors” is described as “a unique TV series that tells the stories of hardworking union sportsmen and women, and takes on them on the hunting or fishing trip of a lifetime.”

The Union Sportsman’s Alliance each year selects a handful of union members for the show. Selections are based in part on passion for the outdoors, union membership and involvement, volunteer efforts and more.

Barber, an ironworker affiliated with Tampa Bay-based Ironworkers Local 397, fit the profile of what showrunners were looking for.

The avid outdoorsman said he’s been fishing, well, “since birth.”

Growing up in East Pasco, Barber would fish with his father and grandfather on lakes throughout Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills. He hasn’t stopped angling since.

“I’ve always loved fishing,” Barber said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “When you go fishing, you get time to spend with your family. It’s innocent, quiet. You never know what you’re going to catch. You never know what you’re going to see.”

Barber conveys the same level of enthusiasm about fishing as he does in giving back to the community.

The father of four boys is a scout leader, and longtime area youth and high school football coach.

This year he launched the Wesley Chapel Coyotes Youth Football and Cheerleading League, with the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association.

He also was one of 65 labor volunteers who in May helped build a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and fishing pier at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach.

The $800,000 project took nine days and 2,300 volunteer hours, and was the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s largest conservation project to date.

Barber said he hopes the new fishing pier indoctrinates a new generation of fisherman. The volunteer program also will include the donation of 500 fishing poles to youth at a Nov. 2 pier dedication ceremony.

Barber underscored the importance of fishing and getting outdoors for youth: “It definitely keeps them out of trouble, plus it gives them a hobby to do the rest of their life.”

He added: “The kids just need to be given a chance and opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and (for) some of them, this will be the first time they’ve ever been out fishing — and hopefully they enjoy it and continue to do it throughout their life.”

As for Barber’s televised venture to Louisiana, it really couldn’t have gone better.

He joined Union Sportsman’s Alliance Conservation and Communications Director Forrest Parker for two days of redfishing and a night of bowfishing in the untamed marshes and swamplands of Venice, Louisiana. He celebrated his 40th birthday out on the waters, too. “I was like, ‘Man, this is awesome,’” Barber recalled.

Barber caught a number of Louisiana redfish that measured 40 inches to 50 inches long — considerably bulkier than the 15-inch to 20-inch redfish he often snags at the Skyway and Fort DeSoto fishing piers in St. Petersburg.

Louisiana is the natural habitat of redfish, he noted, hence the larger hauls.

“Every fish I caught was a personal best. It was unbelievable,” Barber said. “We used the popping rigs, and we were catching monsters in 8-foot of water that was murky. The water wasn’t even clear at the time.”

Besides landing giant redfish, Barber said fishing in Louisiana is “totally different” compared to the Florida’s Gulf Coast, noting there’s more inlets, canals, marsh and swamps.

“It was pretty neat. There’s a lot of good fishing out there,” he said.

Navigating Louisiana water wasn’t the only new first-time experience for Barber. Being in front of omnipresent television cameras for multiple days was another.

“I was kind of nervous at first with the camera, but after a while, it just becomes natural,” Barber said. “They said, ‘Do whatever, act normal, and we’ll edit out whatever we need to.’ I said, ‘I hope so, because there might be some bleeps in there!’”

“Hopefully, I didn’t embarrass myself too much,” he joked.

Published October 16, 2019

Wiregrass Ranch boys lacrosse thrives in first FHSAA campaign

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As several Pasco County schools this year fielded inaugural FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) varsity lacrosse programs, one newcomer stands above the rest.

The Wiregrass Ranch High School boys lacrosse team recently clinched the No. 2 seed in District 15 — best among all Pasco County schools.

And, a win in the district playoffs this week guarantees a spot in the regional tournament on April 27.

The Wiregrass Ranch High boys lacrosse program has experienced immediate success in its transition to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) competition. The team is 12-2 and 7-1 in district play, as of April 15. A win this week in the district playoffs qualifies them for regional play, which begins April 27. (Courtesy of Danielle Leggett)

As of April 15, the team stands with a 12-2 record and 7-1 district mark.

A club team last year competing in the Florida Gulf Coast Lacrosse League, the Bulls have had little trouble transitioning to FHSAA play under second-year head coach T.J. Fitzsimons.

Its success is evident by the Bulls’ current nine-game win streak and its ease in dismantling other Pasco schools, including Sunlake (14-2 win on Feb. 28; 15-5 win on March 16); Wesley Chapel (11-4 win on March 29); and Mitchell (14-6 win on April 4).

Meanwhile, its lone defeats have been at the hands of well-established Hillsborough County programs at Sickles and Newsome, who stand 15-2 and 13-2, respectively.

“We had some thoughts from people that we’d be good, but nobody expected us to be where we’re at,” said Fitzsimons, a former NCAA Division III lacrosse player at State University of New York Maritime College in the Bronx.

“We’ve turned a lot of heads this year,” he said.

The coach credits a large, skilled group of upperclassman—nine seniors and eight juniors—many who have played for years through the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association youth lacrosse program.

Fitzsimons explained: “Most of the guys that are seniors this year have been playing together for almost eight years now…since they started at like 10 years old. We’ve got a solid group of about 16 solid players—and you only need 10 to play the game.”

Senior defender Patrick Sullivan noted the group’s leadership, too, has proved critical to its winning ways.

“We…keep people going. “We’ve got some really good guys who get people excited,” Sullivan said.

One of those seniors leading the charge is attacker Jeremy Handman, also a team captain.

Handman, who leads the team with 41 goals, has signed to play NCAA Division II lacrosse at South New Hampshire University — the Bulls only committed college player.

He follows in the footsteps of his older brother, Jeffrey, who’s a senior lacrosse player at NCAA Division II Lincoln-Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee.

Handman, a lacrosse player for about seven years, said his game “skyrocketed” into a bona-fide college prospect.

“I’m a much better player,” Handman said, comparing his game to his freshman year.

“My passing has been a lot better, and my shooting accuracy has been a lot better.”

Though his contributions on offense don’t go unnoticed, Handman is quick to credit the team’s defensive prowess.

The Bulls average about 11.4 points, while allowing just 6.4 points per game.

“Defense has been huge,” Handman said, applauding the team’s new defensive coach Seth Kanowitz for improvements and adjustments. “He put in the defense, and it’s just gotten so much better since.”

Handman also lauds Fitzsimons for implementing varied offensive combinations and formations, based upon each opponent. “He knows how to change up the offense depending on the defense, so he does a pretty good job with that,” Handman said.

Sanctioning lacrosse at Wiregrass Ranch and other Pasco schools has been in the works the past few years.

In 2016, the Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance (PCLA), a nonprofit organization, announced an agreement with Pasco County Schools to manage the transition of a select number of high school boys and girls lacrosse from a club sport to a FHSAA-sanctioned sport, beginning with the 2018 spring season.

In addition to Wiregrass Ranch, other FHSAA varsity programs in Pasco include Land O’ Lakes (girls team only), Mitchell, Sunlake and Wesley Chapel. Cypress Creek will have an FHSAA-sanctioned girls team in 2019.

The agreement was similar to a three-year pilot program approved for 10 schools in Hillsborough County in 2014.

“It’s one of the fastest growing games in the country,” Fitzsimons said. “Because of the way football is declining, basketball and lacrosse are taking off. The fact that there’s girls and boys on both sides of it is a very good Title IX adjuster.”

Known primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, lacrosse has recently made waves in the Sunshine State.

According to the National Federation of High Schools, Florida saw a 70 percent increase in participation to about 8,600 players from 2008 to 2013.

Moreover, more than 150 Florida schools are currently sanctioned to play for state titles in both girls and boys lacrosse. In 2005, there were 52 schools playing boys lacrosse in the FHSAA and 42 schools playing girls lacrosse.

“What used to be a very Northern sport is getting a lot popular down here,” Sullivan said.

“I think it helps that people come down here a lot from the north, and people pick it up. I know my neighbors started playing. I see young players playing all the time.”

Growing up playing baseball, soccer and football, Sullivan found his true calling with lacrosse and its nonstop action.

“Lacrosse is great because it mixes everything I like about sports,” Sullivan explained. “It’s fast. You get to run. You get into (contact with) people. It doesn’t stop all the time. It’s very fluid. It’s just on the fly.

“It helps to just have a good strategic understanding of how to play the game. It’s critical thinking. You have to be able to think on the fly, because you’re adapting to situations. You’re always adapting to something new,” he said.

The Wiregrass Ranch boys team actually has three players on the roster who never played sanctioned lacrosse and another two who picked up the stick again after not playing for several years.

Fitzsimons said mastering the sport takes ample practice and determination.

“It’s a pretty tough game,” Fitzsimons said.

“Lacrosse is not one of those (easy) games because in order to be out on a field, you have to learn how to throw and catch, you have to learn how to cradle, and how to move the stick; and all that stuff takes time,” the coach explained.

Florida District 15 boys lacrosse standings, as of April 15

  • Sickles (5-0; 15-2 overall)
  • Wiregrass Ranch (7-1; 12-2 overall)
  • Steinbrenner (4-2; 9-8 overall)
  • Tampa Catholic (0-2; 8-7 overall)
  • Mitchell (2-3; 5-7 overall)
  • Sunlake (1-5; 1-7 overall)
  • Wesley Chapel (0-6; 0-14 overall)

Published April 18, 2018

Lacrosse tournament to stay in Wesley Chapel

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Lacrosse players from across the nation will compete in Wesley Chapel at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions for at least the next two years.

Pasco County and NDP (National Development Program) Lacrosse have entered into an agreement that covers the tournament for 2016 and 2017.

Last year’s tournament had a $2.1 million economic impact on Pasco and Hillsborough counties, said Ed Caum, Pasco County’s tourism manager.

Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game. (File Photo)
Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game.
(File Photo)

With new developments — such as Tampa Premium Outlets and Florida Hospital Center Ice, as well as other businesses and restaurants — there’s potential for an even greater economic return from the visitors, Caum said.

“We are very pleased the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions lacrosse tournament will be returning to Wesley Chapel,” Tracy Clouser, board chair of The Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce, said via email. “We feel the area has a lot to offer tournament attendees and their support of our hotels, restaurants and shopping venues has a significant economic impact on our community.”

Besides the economic boost, the tournament offers lacrosse players a chance to showcase their skills, and colleges a chance to scout for players, Caum said.

Teams from the United States and Canada earn bids at qualifying tournaments to compete for the national championship across five divisions.

The tournament has been held at the Wesley Chapel District Park and at Wesley Chapel High School since 2008.

Ed Caum
Ed Caum

This past year, 73 teams competed. Fifty-nine came from out-of-state and 14 were from Florida, Caum said. The 2015 tournament involved 1,533 players and 219 coaches. There were about 3,250 spectators on each day of the tournament, which takes place each year from Dec. 29 through Dec. 31.

On average, those traveling to the tournament stayed in the area for 3 ½ days to 4 days, Caum said.

But, the tourism manager thinks more can be done to extend their stay.

And, he’s begun reaching out to area sponsors to help make that happen.

“The event kicks off at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Store. They are at The Grove every year.

“There’s a number of other days that they’re going to be in the area. I’d like to see all of our shopping centers and local businesses step up and do some sponsorship to provide opportunities, to move these teams and their families around the whole Pasco area.

“I’d love to see them go to Tree Hoppers, the new cable adventure park. I’d love to see them take an opportunity to go out to SunWest, because even in January that water temperature stays between 72 and 75 degrees because it’s spring-fed.

“You actually could be out there on that giant water playground at the end of December.”

Caum also would like to see more of the visitors bed down for the night in Pasco County.

“I’ve got the report from NDP Lacrosse. About 20 percent of the participants stayed in Pasco and 80 percent stayed in Hillsborough,” Caum said, that’s a 20 percent increase in the number of visitors choosing Hillsborough hotels, instead of staying in Pasco.

“We had a number of our hoteliers that had raised their price up,” the tourism manager said. Families that may have preferred to stay in Pasco were priced out and stayed in Hillsborough hotels instead, he said.

“We’re going to partner with the hotels a lot closer,” Caum said.

“Just because you have a great event coming in, you can’t gouge your participants. We’re hoping that they don’t do that again this year,” Caum said.

There was a time, back in 2012, when the lacrosse tournament’s future in Pasco County was uncertain. Back then, the tournament was being courted by IMG Academies, an elite athletic training facility in Bradenton.

But, Pasco upped the ante in their bid to keep the tournament and were able to secure it for four more years.

This time, the county signed a two-year deal with a third-year option, Caum said.

The county didn’t want to tie the contract to the Wesley Chapel District Park and the fields at Wesley Chapel High School for a longer period, Caum said.

“We may have a new field complex, depending on what rolls out with the sports complex,” Caum said, referring to Pasco County’s ongoing efforts to open a new sports complex.

Regardless of where the event is, however, Caum said the county wants to continue the involvement of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association.

“We could not do it without them,” Caum said. “They’re the ones who provide all of the volunteers, and do all of the concessions and stuff.”

“That’s another reason that the NDP wanted to come back, because of the relationship they have (with the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association) — they have that volunteer base,” Caum said.

“Pasco County’s Board of County Commissioners, its Tourist Development Council and the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association have provided tremendous support to the event for nearly a decade,” Josh Gross, NDP’s vice president of business operations, said in a news release announcing the two-year deal.

Published June 8, 2016

More than 70 teams at lacrosse tournament in Wesley Chapel

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Wesley Chapel is gearing up for a lacrosse tournament that attracts teams from across the country and provides an economic boost for Pasco County.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions presented by Pasco County is slated for Dec. 29 through Dec. 31.

The tournament, operated by NDP Lacrosse, will showcase 73 elite teams from five youth divisions that will be vying for national titles. The teams are coming from 15 states, as well as one team from Ontario, Canada.

Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game. (Courtesy of NDP Lacrosse)
Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game.
(Courtesy of NDP Lacrosse)

The tournament, which moved to Pasco County in 2008, has been referred to as the “inaugural national championship” for pre-collegiate lacrosse players on club teams.

“This is not your high school team or your local rec team,” said Josh Gross, NDP’s senior director of lacrosse operations. “These are all-star teams that travel from different places around the country. There have been some (other organizations) that have tried to replicate it, but none to the (level of) success that we’ve had.

“We truly get some of the best competition in the world,” said Gross, whose organization’s acronym, NDP, stands for National Development Program.”

The number of teams participating is slightly down from previous years due to rising travel costs, but the event is still expected to bring in a considerable amount of revenue for Wesley Chapel and Pasco County.

“It’s my understanding that it brings approximately a $2.6 million economic impact to our community,” said Hope Allen, president of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “That’s from nights in hotels, eating food, and shopping at our malls.”

With the event falling under the umbrella of the holiday season, many of the lacrosse teams and the players’ families remain in the area for several few days before and after the tournament, said Pasco County Tourism Manager Ed Caum.

“They come down after Christmas and stay through Christmas (break), and enjoy what they can do here after the tournament,” he said. “They can go off to Busch Gardens or down to the Florida Aquarium, so it definitely has a good impact to the Tampa Bay region.”

The tournament, which is held at both the Wesley Chapel District Park and Wesley Chapel High School, had 25 teams when it began operating in Pasco County.

Its growth since then has paved the way for the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association (WCAA) to make capital improvements in facilities, said Tom FitzSimons, WCAA president.

FitzSimons said the tournament also has given exposure to a plethora of local lacrosse players that compete in the event.

“A lot of these kids have grown athletically in the program because they had the ability to play not only teams in Florida, but (teams from) all over the country,” FitzSimons said. “It’s helped them as far as progressing to the next level in college. Upwards of 60 kids that have played with us that played in this event have gone on to play in college.”

The NDP’s existing four-year contract with Pasco County ends after this year, but there is mutual interest to see if a new agreement can be reached.

Gross said he’s excited for the event’s future and hopes it can remain in Pasco County.

“Pasco County, the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association, Saddlebrook Resort and other local partners have been tremendous to NDP and to the event for years,” he said. “We have nothing but great things to say about them.”

For Pasco County, Caum noted there is “about a $100,000 investment” in originally bringing and keeping the tournament in the area.

FitzSimons said the event is really about making a “commitment to the community” for Wesley Chapel.

“I understand the financial parts and everything else, but we’d really like to keep it here and support everything we’re doing in Wesley Chapel,” he said. “Not just from a sport program perspective, but all the growth we’ve seen in keeping these businesses hopping all times of the year.

“I know that we get called pretty much annually from businesses wanting to know when the event is, so they can staff up,” he said.

Published December 23, 2015

 

Pasco merges county departments

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Pasco County will merge its parks and recreation department and its environmental lands program and create a new division – the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department.

The Pasco Commission approved the merger at its May 5 meeting.

Pasco County is preparing to implement a 10-year master plan to improve existing parks and add new ones. The plan was crafted with public input. (File Photo)
Pasco County is preparing to implement a 10-year master plan to improve existing parks and add new ones. The plan was crafted with public input.
(File Photo)

The restructuring comes as the county prepares to implement a master plan for county parks. The focus is on improving efficiency, better customer service and keeping up with the growth from new development.

“It all comes down to funding really,” said Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services.

The restructured department would have three managers for natural resources, fiscal and support services, and parks and recreation, who would report to a director of parks, recreation and natural resources.

“We’re going through the budget now,” Pearson said. “It’s been a challenge.”

The parks department has struggled since 2009 through lean times with budget cuts and job layoffs. To fill in financial gaps, the county began charging user fees four years ago at 11 of its parks, including $2 parking fees. Youth league teams, co-sponsored by the county, including the Central Pasco Soccer Club, the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association and the Dade City Little League, also have been charged fees.

Some commissioners would like to see an end to the parking and athletic participation fees.

“We’re taxing things that we’re trying to encourage,” said Commissioner Jack Mariano.

But losing revenues means more tough budget decisions.

Parks and recreation employees have done a “tremendous” job keeping up with services, but Pearson said, “We’re really struggling. Hopefully we’ll come up with some creative ideas.”

Revenues since 2009 have increased from about $840,000 to about $1.5 million currently. But the department’s overall budget in that same time dropped from about $10 million to about $8.9 million.

The loss of parking and athletic fees would mean about $440,000 in lost revenues, Pearson said.

During public comment at the May 5 meeting, Jeff Olsen of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association made a plea for commissioners to restore the parks and recreation’s budget to a level more in line with budgets prior to the recession.

“A lot of money has been siphoned away from some important needs,” Olsen said.

A job description for the newly created position of natural resources manager will be advertised in the next week or so.

Along with the reorganization, Rick Buckman, the county’s current parks and recreation director, will take on a new role as park supervisor for Moon Lake Park, Robert Strickland and Robert Rees Memorial parks.

He also will provide support during the transition, said Pearson, adding that finding a natural resources manager could take months.

Another newly created position of program coordinator will not be filled until the manager is on board and can decide if the position is needed, Pearson said.

The county has budgeted $160,700 for salaries and benefits for the two positions. The manager’s salary would be in the range of $70,000 to $85,000.

The decision to step away from the director’s job was one that Buckman made on his own, said Pearson.

“It was a surprise to me,” she said.

Buckman’s new job as parks supervisor became available as the result of another employee’s retirement.

“Rick Buckman has been a tremendous asset for the county, building a tremendous team, ” said Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves.

Chairman Ted Schrader also had praise for Buckman.

“I think we all realize the work Mr. Buckman has done through trying times,” he said. “You never complained. You managed to get your job done.”

Published May 13, 2015