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Pasco board moves ahead on jail expansion funding

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The Pasco County Commission has authorized county staff to secure funding from the county’s general obligation bonds to pay for expansion of the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.

The expansion is funded through general obligation bonds that Pasco voters approved in November 2018. The board unanimously authorized an amount of nearly $108 million of those funds to pay for the work.

The project 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.

At completion, the 352,700-foot-facility will be about 200,000 square feet larger.

The current facility has 1,432 beds, but is operating above capacity.

Completion of the expansion will allow the facility, at 20101 Central Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, to house more than 3,000 inmates.

Commissioner Jack Mariano requested an update on the project for the board and County Administrator Dan Biles said he would schedule a presentation sometime in July or August.

On another matter, the board agreed to amend an ordinance, at the county administrator’s request, to permit greater flexibility in how the county spends it transportation tax increment funds.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the board the proposed change would allow the funds to be transferred to the general fund for other public facilities and services — to the extent they’re not needed for mobility fee subsidies.

“The exact amount of this transfer will be determined yearly, as part of the budget process,” Goldstein said.

The change also will apply to the Villages of Pasadena Hills, which has its own tax increment financing district. Those funds also had been restricted to transportation-only related costs, Goldstein said.

No one from the public spoke either for, or against, the change.

In another item, the board appointed members to the Northeast Pasco Rural Advisory Committee.

The county’s planning and development department sought applicants for the 13-member volunteer board and received 22 applications.

The committee’s task will be to  evaluate policies and regulations related to the Northeast Pasco Rural Protection Overlay District, and to recommend commercial development design standards and guidelines to the Pasco County Commission.

The northeast rural area is bordered by Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, the Green Swamp, State Road 52 and the Hernando County line.

Those appointed to the committee are:

  • Area residents: Nancy Hazelwood, Anthony Midthun, Lisa Moretti, Mary Kaye Harrison and Diana Hughes Diaz
  • Area business owners: Craig Linton Jr., James N. Hancock, Paul Boetcher, Frank Greco and Ronnie L. Deese
  • Land-use attorney: G. Randall (Randy) James
  • At-large members: Cyndi Tarapani and Chris Williams

The board, at the suggestion of Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, also appointed Seth Weightman, one of the applicants, to serve as an alternate.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley, whose district includes the area, said “the staff did a good job of selecting the 13 out of the 22.”

With Northeast Pasco’s growth, the board will be able to address issues regarding the need for workforce housing and other issues, he said.

Oakley said the board will provide an avenue for input.

“People will be able to voice their opinion,” the commission chairman said.

Advisory committee members will serve until a final recommendation is made to the county board and then the committee will disband.

On another issue, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she would like to pursue a board workshop on the issue of the county’s vacation rentals ordinance.

She said she knows that opinions are divided on the issue, but she thinks something must be done regarding the county’s current ordinance — which she said is not working.

It is not yet known whether a workshop will be held.

In other action, the board:

  • Authorized the acquisition of 7.41 acres on State Road 54 for what will become Fire Station No. 5, and will serve central Wesley Chapel and communities within a 5-mile radius. A market value appraisal was completed on Feb. 8, using a sales comparison approach and it came in at about $3.1 million. The parcel is vacant and is zoned for commercial uses. The county’s purchase price is $2,450,000.
  • Approved a task order with Fleishman and Garcia Architects and Planners, AIA, PA (FGA) to perform architectural, engineering and related services for the design and construction of Fire Station No. 18 on Chancey Road in Zephyrhills in an amount not to exceed $261,230 for fiscal year 2021.
  • Accepted the donation of an electronic varsity scoreboard from the Dade City Little League, Inc. for John S. Burks Memorial Park. The 8-foot-by-4-foot LED scoreboard with wireless remote control, is valued at $3,090. It will be used for baseball games.

Published June 16, 2021

Access road to be built to serve future county facilities

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a task order for CPH Inc., to handle road design and permitting for an access road between Central Boulevard and Symphony Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes.

The cost of the work is not to exceed $207,608, according to information contained in the board’s March 9 agenda backup materials.

The work is being done under a continuing professional services agreement with CPH.

The access road, which is included in the county’s facilities master plan, will be built on county-owned land that is slated to serve as the future location for several county facilities.

This road will allow access to county property south of Central Boulevard.

The initial facilities to be constructed will be for the Fire Rescue Training Center and Facilities Management Central Office & Warehouse.

The task order calls for services to include roadway design, drainage design, signing and pavement marking design, Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Environmental Resource Permit (ERP), utility coordination design support services for road connections, permitting assistance, and a proposed gate near the Symphony Parkway entrance.

Published March 31, 2021

Jail expansion contract awarded

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Moss Construction has announced that it has been awarded the contract for the expansion of the Pasco County Detention Center, at 20101 Central Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

“We understand that this is an essential project for the county, and we are honored that they trust us to deliver a facility that will meet their current and future needs,” Moss’ Mid-Florida President Mike Mazza said, in a news release from the company.

The new inmate housing in Pasco County, budgeted at $109 million, is targeted to provide additional housing beds comprised of single-, double- and multiple-occupancy secure cells for general population inmates of different arrest classifications. The project also includes a centralized intake and booking center that can accommodate 150 daily arrests and releases.

In addition, the expansion will make significant upgrades to the jail’s medical center with enhancements to treatment areas, adding negative-pressure isolation rooms and impact resistant cells. Central support facilities also will be renovated, including warehousing, food service, laundry and maintenance.

Construction is scheduled to begin the fourth quarter of 2021, with an anticipated completion in the second quarter of 2024.

The project is being designed by the firm HOK.

Published October 07, 2020

Summer camp offers ‘real-world’ look at forensics

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Some local high schoolers will get a chance to get an up-close look at the many components of forensic investigations — via a weeklong summer camp in Land O’ Lakes hosted by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and FIRST (Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security & Tactics).

The FIRST Forensic Summer Camp is scheduled for July 20 through July 24. Each camp day runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lessons and demonstrations will take place outdoors, as well as inside training and read-off rooms at the Pasco Detention Center, 20101 Central Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The camp is open to high schoolers ages 15 to 18. Enrollment is limited to 24 students. Students must ensure transportation to and from the camp each day.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office/FIRST (Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security & Tactics) will host a weeklong forensic summer camp for high schoolers from July 20 through July 24, in Land O’ Lakes. (File)

The camp ultimately will give students the chance to observe many aspects of the criminal justice system in action.

Students will receive hands-on learning and an opportunity to participate in an outdoor mock crime scene/field recovery.

Additionally, students will participate in forensic laboratory exercises to learn the science and techniques used by forensic investigators. The camp also includes demonstrations of K9s and unmanned aerial systems, or drones.

Some of the topics and activities covered throughout the week include:

  • Overview of the basic human anatomy and how to differentiate human from nonhuman bones
  • Introduction to drones, their ability to assist in mapping outdoor crime scenes, as well as a drone demonstration
  • Specific techniques used to recreate a crime scene and/or a suspected burial
  • Introduction to human remains detector dogs and how they can assist in located a buried body or surface remains
  • Basic crime scene investigation techniques
  • How to conduct a forensic archaeological dig in order to recover skeletonized remains, then presenting field recovery findings to fellow campers

Overseeing the camp is FIRST forensic science administrator Austin Polonitza, who holds a master’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in science and forensics studies, with a focus on human identification and trauma analysis. He joined the sheriff’s office in 2019, after working as a graduate-level lab assistant at FGCU.

Polonitza said the camp will give teens “real-world experience” into forensic investigations, including the meticulous detail and group work needed complete a task, like finding or identifying a missing skeleton.

Unlike what’s often portrayed on television dramas, Polonitza explained forensic work and solving a case goes well beyond technology and 3D renderings, and it doesn’t come together as quickly as some people might think.

FIRST forensic science administrator Austin Polonitza is organizing a weeklong a forensic summer camp in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

“The CSI effect is real and definitely excites a lot of people about the job,” Polonitza said, “but unfortunately these things don’t get solved in 40 minutes.”

Other instructors leading campers throughout the week include Dr. Heather Walsh-Haney, associate professor and program leader for forensic studies at Florida Gulf Coast University; Pasco Sheriff forensic supervisor K9 handler Sue Miller; Pasco Sheriff head K9 forensic trainer Jimmy Hall; and, representatives from Quiet Professionals, a Tampa-based government and commercial defense contractor specializing in cutting-edge drone technology.

Polonitza said the opportunity for high schoolers to learn from various professionals and get hands-on experience in forensics and related disciplines “will undoubtedly give them some discovery and direction of what they would like to pursue in their future careers, or even academic degrees.”

Polonitza himself became interested in crime scene investigations as a youth growing up in the Fort Myers, noting he “always had a drive for puzzles, mystery, kind of uncovering things as you go along and follow the clues.”

He realized forensics was a viable professional path, when the Lee County Sheriff’s Office made a presentation at a high school career day.

“I kind of fell in love with forensic anthropology and the hands-on, practical side of things where I could look at a piece of bone, identify a landmark, and be able to tell which side of the body it came from and which bone it is. …It excites me about the field, and I want to share that to others who have interest in forensics, as well.”

Polonitza said the first-of-its-kind forensic summer camp will be held annually, with future demonstrations planned at the FIRST campus, as more buildings and infrastructure come online over the next couple years. There are also plans to develop outreach programs for kindergarten through 12th grade schools and collaborate with other local universities, he said.

The FIRST campus is part of the sheriff’s office enterprise fund. It is promoted as a forensics and training facility that strives to become a collaborative resource for universities, forensic scientists and law enforcement,  serving as a one-stop shop to improve crime scene operations and investigations in the realm of homicides, missing persons cases and so on.

For cost and enrollment information and for other details, email or visit floridafirsttraining.org/#/camp.

Published July 08, 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

Pasco announces bus Route 41 service changes

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Pasco County Public Transportation has changed services on Route 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The changes, which took effect on Jan. 6, are based on ridership, according to a news release.

Here are the changes, in a nutshell:

  • An hourly service is being added to the Central Boulevard/Pasco Utilities complex.
  • Service is ending along Collier Parkway and along the State Road 54 corridor to Collier Parkway.
  • Saturday service has been eliminated for this route.

The news release said the Route 41 changes are being implemented relating to Collier Parkway and State Road 54 because of a lack of ridership.

Those wishing to ride the bus to businesses on Collier Parkway can connect to the Route 54 bus.

Route 41 begins at the U.S. 41 intersection with Central Boulevard. It continues south to multiple stops, including where U.S. 41 meets Gator Lane, State Road 54 and the apex where U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway branch off.

Other stops are along U.S. 41, but the route previously included a jog onto State Road 54, over to Collier Parkway, where riders could pick up the bus near the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

The changes to Route 41 were approved by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Sept. 12. The recommendation to drop the portion of the route including State 54 and Collier Parkway was based on research by public transportation staff and public feedback.

For more information about Route 41, visit bit.ly/Route41.

For more information about PCPT services, visit RidePCPT.com.

Published January 08, 2020

Land O’ Lakes route to lose bus stop, weekend service

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Bus Route 41, in Land O’ Lakes, no longer will be making a stop on Collier Parkway — and also will discontinue operating on Saturdays.

Those changes were approved by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board on Sept. 12.

Pasco County Public Transportation will remove the bus stop on Collier Parkway from Route 41, which runs in Land O’ Lakes. The entire route, which mainly runs along U.S. 41, also will exclude Saturdays from its service.(Courtesy of Pasco County Public Transportation)

The changes were prompted by a recommendation from Pasco County Public Transportation based on its research and public feedback.

“We received some concerns from some of our riders on Route 41,” Kurt Scheible  director of public transportation for the county told the MPO board.

“Unfortunately, it’s not one of our better routes.”

The route begins at the U.S. 41 intersection with Central Boulevard. It continues south to multiple stops, including where U.S. 41 meets Gator Lane, State Road 54 and the apex where U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway branch off.

Although other stops are along U.S. 41, the route also included a jog onto State Road 54, over to Collier Parkway, where riders could pick up the bus near the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

However, Scheible said, very few patrons took advantage of the stop and those riding the bus considered the stop to be an inconvenience because it delayed them in getting to their destinations.

A study done by the transportation department in June revealed a low volume of riders on Route 41, Scheible said.

There were only 250 trips made on weekdays and 20 on Saturdays during the month, he noted.

During 2018, of all of the county’s 825,767 bus trips, Route 41 only had slightly over 1,900 – making it the lowest performing route in the county’s transportation system, he said.

The study also showed that barely any riders used the service on Saturdays, he added.

The director also noted that those using the Collier Parkway stop were primarily using it to get to shops along State Road 54.

Because of the findings, the bus service decided to drop the Collier Parkway stop and to end Saturday services on the route.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who sits on the MPO board expressed agreement.

“Obviously we wanted to make sure that everybody had access to our public facilities, including the library and the rec center,” he said. “But if nobody’s taking part in it, [it is] obviously understandable that we need to reevaluate that.”

The MPO board’s approval was the final action needed to push the initiative forward.

Scheible also mentioned future plans to extend Route 41 further north up to State Road 52, once that corridor has widened.

While services are being reduced in one part of the county, the MPO board took another action that may have the effect of boosting ridership countywide.

The board approved free bus transportation for veterans, active military and county employees who present proper identification.

The Pasco County Commission made the change official during its Sept. 18 meeting.

“The whole idea is: walk on [with a] picture ID, they hit the button and they’re riding for free wherever they need to go to,” Scheible said during the MPO meeting.

The changes to Route 41 and the free bus rides will take effect in October, the transportation director said.

Published October 2, 2019

Pasco terminates agreement with USF regarding ‘body farm’

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The Pasco County Commission has voted to terminate an agreement with the University of South Florida involving 6 acres of land, north of Central Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.

Commissioners ended the arrangement with USF — effective May 7, 2022 —  as part of their consent agenda on May 7.

Items on the consent agenda are voted on in a single block without discussion, unless someone pulls the item for discussion.

No commissioner pulled this item for discussion, but some people from the audience signed up for public comment to ask commissioners to rethink the county’s position.

Terms of the original agreement state that it can be terminated without cause by the university or the county, upon 36 months written notice.

Speakers told commissioners that the site is well-managed, plays an important role in research and has attracted widespread attention.

Melissa Pope, of Tampa, told commissioners: “I am investigator at the Medical Examiner in Hillsborough. I’ve worked with the medical examiner that services Pasco and Pinellas, and I have either worked for or with USF anthropology for about 12 years.

“I’m here to urge you to reconsider your stance on this termination. The program is still in its infancy, but it appears to be doing very well.

“I think this is clear based on doing a Google search of how much news has come out of there, as well as the sheer number of researchers, graduate students, undergrads and law enforcement, medical and legal agencies that have been involved in training and research.

“I believe it’s been doing well because of the good leadership that has been in place so far. Dr. (Erin H.) Kimmerle has been working on this project for years.

“She has overseen everything from the infancy of the beginning of the planning up until today and, as previously mentioned, has a lot of plans for the future.

“Ultimately, this project is her intellectual property. She wrote the grant for this. I feel that the work it represents is hers, and she is the reason it has been doing so well.”

Other speakers told commissioners that Kimmerle’s reputation has attracted considerable interest in the site and the work being done there. They also cited ongoing research and training sessions that reflect well on the relationship between USF, the county and sheriff’s office, relating to the site.

Chase Daniels, policy director for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, told commissioners that the contract termination is essentially “a land use issue.”

“When this agreement was approved, it was 6 acres. USF is currently using approximately 3 acres,” Daniels said.

“We have multiple partners at this (body farm) site. We have UF, FGCU, UCF, USF, FSU and other universities that are still coming onboard,” Daniels said.

“USF was the only entity that had its own exclusive land use agreement, over 6 acres.

“We approached USF, with this desire, to have 3 acres returned,” he said, but that did not occur.

So, the decision was made to terminate the agreement, Daniels said. He also noted that USF is welcome to join with the other universities, but it won’t have an exclusive arrangement.

“The field is not going anywhere. This is just mainly to take out that exclusivity, return 3 acres back to the county for use,” Daniels said.

He also told commissioners: “We also have an additional forensics field that is coming online that this board has already approved, as well. That will be in addition to this existing field.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey responded to the agreement termination this way: “We’re not excluding anyone. We just want everyone to work together.”

Published May 15, 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

New K-9 training complex breaks ground

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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office soon will have a full-fledged facility dedicated to the tactical training of its K-9 units.

Ground was broken during a Nov. 15 ceremony for the Helen A. Rich K9 Complex — as part of the larger forensics research and training center project in Land O’ Lakes known as FIRST, an acronym for Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics.

Located at the intersection of Lucy Dobies Road and Central Boulevard off U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, the K9 Complex is scheduled to have:

  • A 10,000-square-foot indoor training facility
  • A veterinary science center
  • A kennel for 40 dogs
  • An outdoor obstacle course and agility field
  • A rubble pile for search and rescue training

The K9 Complex will be completed in phases, with some features finished as soon as late 2019, according to Pasco Sheriff’s Capt. Justin Ross, who is overseeing the project.

A Nov. 15 groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of construction for the Helen A. Rich K9 Complex. The $5 million project is expected to be complete in phases, beginning in fall 2019. (Kevin Weiss)

The project alone is expected to cost about $5 million, not including other FIRST facilities, according to the sheriff’s office.

In addition to teaching standard K-9 tactics, the training grounds will be used to help develop advanced K-9 techniques in airport security, explosives and drug detection, and search and recovery.

It will also include an academia-based research component focused on the health and wellness of working and retired police dogs.

“It’s kind of that synergistic partnership between researchers and practitioners, where we want them to really improve upon the use of working dogs and dog safety,” Ross explained.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco described the forthcoming K-9 project as “special” and “absolutely incredible.”

Nocco explained: “It’s really about finding ways to make us safer, make our communities safer, and it’s about building a legacy for the next generation.

“One day somebody will be saved because of the training that goes on there (at the complex),” he predicted.

Besides the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the K-9 facilities will also be used by other local and regional law enforcement agencies. “We want to make sure we bring as many people as we can for the K-9s,” the sheriff said.

The K9 Complex is named after Wrigley gum heiress and Odessa resident Helen Rich, who donated more than $480,000 toward the construction of the project, according to the sheriff’s office.

In a brief statement at the ceremony, Rich said the gift was a “no-brainer” because the project goes to support both dogs and law enforcement.

“Why did I do it? Because God told me to. That’s it,” the 70-year-old Rich said, of the donation.

Ground was broken in September on the entire FIRST campus.

A resource for universities, forensic scientists and law enforcement in the entire state, FIRST will serve as an aid to improve crime scene operations and investigations in the realm of homicides, missing persons cases and so on.

At its build out, the multiple-building forensics research center campus will have a laboratory, classrooms, a morgue and evidence storage space, where work will be done in the fields of legal medicine, forensic intelligence, aviation reconstruction and cyber forensics.

There’s also potential for training in the use of robotics, drones and data processing in the arena of public safety and workforce training, among other fields.

The FIRST campus received $4.3 million in state funds this year. It is expected to also be complete in late 2019.

Published November 21, 2018