The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Jack Mariano

County Administrator Dan Biles departs Pasco on a high note

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles found himself in a position he doesn’t particularly enjoy on July 12.

On that day, he stood at the podium, facing the Pasco County Commission, while a resolution was being read. It detailed many accomplishments during his five-year tenure in the county’s top job.

The resolution praised Biles “for his dedicated service to Pasco County and his contribution to creating a people-focused organizational culture.”

County Administrator Dan Biles poses with Pasco County employees on July 12, the administrator’s last meeting with the Pasco County Commission. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

It also lauds Biles’ focus on customer service and his commitment to training leaders, as well as empowering them to improve business operations.

His work in that area led to “radical cultural changes” within the organization resulting “in significant performance gains across the enterprise, as well as three different local and national ‘Best Places to Work’ awards,” the resolution notes.

The document also spells out some of Biles’ most notable accomplishments, including “his unwavering leadership and administrative creativity through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic; his involvement in making the construction of the Ridge Road Extension a reality, providing an essential hurricane evacuation route and a new major corridor for Pasco County commuters; and his collaboration in the momentous Moffitt Pasco County Project, which will provide more than 14,000 jobs in a geographic footprint larger than Downtown Tampa and more importantly, bring hope to innumerable people for decades to come.”

Additionally, Biles’ “People, Purpose, Performance” leadership philosophy has influenced members of his team who will carry on that desire to “prioritize people, connect them to their purpose and get out of the way of their success,” the resolution states.

This shot was taken during construction of the first phase of the Ridge Road extension. That portion of the road, between Moon Lake Drive and the Suncoast Parkway, is now open to traffic. Work continues on the stretch of Ridge Road that will extend it to U.S. 41. (File)

After Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles finished reading the resolution, Biles told the board: “It’s a little uncomfortable today because I don’t like standing up here. I actually prefer to be in the background, out of the spotlight, and let you or the team really take the credit for the great things that are happening.”

But Biles added: “I appreciate it. It’s been truly a remarkable five years. I don’t think I would’ve imagined the things that we’ve gone through the last five years, but thank you for all of the support, thank you to the team for all of the support, because I couldn’t have done it without the team, as well.”

He told commissioners he appreciated that they allowed him to work on building an organization that’s similar to corporations such as Publix, Southwest Airlines and USAA — that are focused both on their employees and the customers they serve.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done to support me over the last five years, even when we may not have agreed. That’s part of business, right?

“I think I’ve disagreed with every one of you from time to time. That’s part of a great work atmosphere … allowing discussion, debate and those kinds of things.

“Thank you for allowing me to tell you my opinion on stuff, because that’s also important,” he said.

Commissioners shared their thoughts on the administrator’s work, too.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told him he was the right leader, at the right time, to bring the county to where it is today.

Commissioner Jack Mariano cited Biles’ work with the Ridge Road extension project as a prime example of his leadership capabilities.

“When you had the opportunity to get Ridge Road done quickly, you took a step back and said, ‘You know what, we’re ready to go, but we have a big development that wants to come in here, a big job employer, a big opportunity,’ Biles told Mariano.

Biles didn’t disclose the name of the prospect at the time, but it turned out to be Moffitt, and the road needed to be reset to provide what Moffitt needed, Mariano said.

A sinkhole opened on July 14, 2017, just months after Dan Biles became county administrator for Pasco County. The incident attracted international attention. (File)

Mariano said he had disagreements with Biles.

“But we always discussed it. What I always liked is, I always got the truth, and with the truth, you can work with it,” Mariano said.

Commissioners Ron Oakley and Christina Fitzpatrick both mentioned their impatience at the pace of government, but also both thanked Biles for the work he accomplished.

Commissioner Mike Moore said the board made a good decision when it hired Biles.

Biles tested early
Constitutional officers Alvarez-Sowles and Tax Collector Mike Fasano also weighed in on Biles’ contributions.

Alvarez-Sowles, who has butted heads with Biles, especially over budget issues, told the administrator: “I respect you tremendously, and your leadership.”

Moffitt Cancer Center is planning a campus in Pasco County, which County Administrator Dan Biles said will have a profound impact — not only in terms of new jobs, but also in the quest to find a cure for cancer. (File)

She reminded those gathered that during Biles’ first year on the job, he contended with a sinkhole, wildfires, floods and Hurricane Irma.

“You were tested, right off the bat, to see what stuff you were made of. Sitting back, watching you and taking part in those conversations, I was really impressed. Very impressed with your leadership — about (your style of) encouraging and giving the power to your team, so they can do their jobs and getting out of the way so they can perform well,” she said.

Fasano attended the meeting specifically to offer some remarks about Biles.

“Over the last five years, I’ve seen a dramatic change, a great change for Pasco County. Not only because of your (county board) leadership, but because of someone like Dan Biles.

“I want to thank Dan.

“Thank you for the great work you have done for our county,” Fasano said.

Pasco County used to be viewed as a stepchild of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, but that’s no longer true, Fasano said.

The former legislator also cited Biles’ work to help bring the Ridge Road extension to fruition.

Fasano said he used to seek funding every year for that project. At one point, representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation asked Fasano to drop the request, telling him the road would never happen.

“But it did happen, under Dan Biles leadership,” Fasano said.

Biles told the board that he’ll miss both the work and the people he worked with.

“At the end of the day, we have a great team that does great work, and Mike (incoming County Administrator Mike Carballa) is going to step in and take the county to the next level, with your support and the support of the rest of the team,” Biles said.

Published June 20, 2022

It’s not the cause, it’s the precedent, Commissioner Mike Moore says

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Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore wants his fellow commissioners to turn down a request by Feeding Tampa Bay because he fears granting it could open the door to scores of similar requests down the road.

Moore urged his colleagues to vote against a recommendation in the county budget to provide $250,000 in funding — over two years — to Feeding Tampa Bay. The money would be used by the nonprofit to construct a regional facility in Hillsborough County.

Moore’s comments came after Pasco County Budget Director Robert Goehig announced the list of budget recommendations for outside organizations for fiscal year 2023 included a new agency.

“The one new donation on this list is Feeding Tampa Bay. We are recommending that we provide $125,000 a year for two years to Feeding Tampa Bay to help them build their new facility,” Goehig said.

At that point, Moore told his colleagues: “I said, ‘No.’

“I have a serious concern about funding a capital project for a building that’s in another county.

“We have not-for-profits that feed people in Pasco County, as well. I would prefer to see those funds going to people here, closer to home, than I would a capital project outside of the county.

“If they were stating they were going to provide so many additional meals in Pasco County that was going to be pushed through one of our local organizations, then I probably would be more receptive of this,” he said.

“My fear is that you’re going to set a precedent here and next year you’re going to have 10 other organizations that are outside the door, asking you do something in another county, build a building, because they say they are providing services here,” he said.

“There’s a lot of nonprofits that aren’t located in Florida that provide services here in Pasco County,” he said.

He asked his colleagues if the board would support a similar request from a nonprofit in Louisiana because it’s providing services to Pasco residents.

Commissioner Ron Oakley responded: “The answer to that is no.”

But Moore said he wasn’t so sure, given the current request from Feeding Tampa Bay.

Oakley said he’s willing to provide a minimum level of support because “they help a lot of citizens here in Pasco County. I know they are here in East Pasco every week.”

Moore persisted: “We have additional charities here in Pasco County that do feed people.

“I’ll be honest with you, that $250 (thousand), give it to our Elderly Services and let them feed more people. We have a waiting list of people. We could divert those funds to our senior citizens, waiting there for more meals.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed with Moore.

“I don’t want to spend that money for capital outside the area,” Mariano said.

He said he hadn’t thought about diverting those funds to the county’s elderly meal programs, but thinks it’s a good idea.

“I’d rather take that $125,000 and feed a whole bunch of seniors,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said she supports the proposed expenditure.

“The number they asked for was much bigger than this,” Starkey said. “The reason I was OK with this number is because we are one of the major recipients of their food program. And so, they’re storing the food that comes up to be delivered to our nonprofits that get distributed to our people.

“That’s why I’m OK with this small amount. I hope one day they’ll have a facility in Pasco County, but right now for the region, it’s more cost-effective to have one big distribution center,” Starkey said.

“This doesn’t begin to compare to the cost of the food they’re holding for our citizens, so that’s why I was OK with this little number.”

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick also supports the expenditure.

“The number of citizens that benefit outweighs how much we are spending,” Fitzpatrick said.

She said Cathy Pearson, assistant administrator for public services, gave commissioners a breakdown of how many meals are provided and distributed.

“The amount that we’re investing is a lot less than it would cost us to provide those meals to all of those citizens,” Fitzpatrick said.

Unlike Moore, Fitzpatrick said she doesn’t view this as precedent-setting, but rather as a one-time thing.

Starkey added: “I personally don’t think $125,000 will even cover the cost of the racks that’s holding the food that’s coming to Pasco County.”

The discussion came up as part of a budget discussion, but the board won’t vote on the budget until September, leaving time for additional discussion on what the board will include in its fiscal plan for next year.

Moore said he appreciates Feeding Tampa Bay and what it does, but he reiterated that he won’t support this request.

“We should not be spending Pasco County taxpayer dollars to build a building that is outside (the county),” Moore said.

Published June 20, 2022

Planning board delays vote on new flood prevention regulations

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has delayed consideration of new flood prevention regulations until July 21, to make sure that details are worked out before it votes on the issue.

The planning board provides recommendations to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Before sending the issue to the county board, planning board members said they want to make sure that the changes being recommended do not have unanticipated impacts.

Jonathan Moody, who was sworn in as new planning commissioner on July 7, said he’s been working on the issue, alongside Barbara Wilhite, a private attorney, who often appears before the planning board to represent clients on land use and zoning issues.

Moody, who was named to the planning board as Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano’s appointee, is a civil engineering consultant who specializes in land planning, permitting and drainage design.

He asked the planning board and county staff if the issue could be delayed until the planning board’s July 21 meeting, to try to work out the details before voting.

Esther Oluyemi, an official with the county’s building department, represented the county on the issue. She said she thought it would be possible to address the loose ends by the July 21 meeting

Moody’s request for the delay came after he raised questions on some issues for which there were no immediately available answers.

Moody and Wilhite pointed out that county staff has been responsive, diligent and collaborative in working on the issue.

But more clarity is needed, Moody said.

Wilhite said the goal is “to make sure there is not unintended consequences.”

Changes are needed to the county’s land development code to bring the county’s flood damage prevention regulations in line with the model ordinance approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and to coordinate with Chapter 18, buildings and building regulations of the Pasco County Code, according to Oluyemi.

The county participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and is currently a 6 on the Community Rating System, qualifying county residents for a 20% discount on flood insurance policy rates.

In 2021, the county had 19,015 policies and the discount represented $3.1 million in savings, Oluyemi said.

Mike Carballa is named Pasco’s next county administrator

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The Pasco County Commission decided it didn’t need to look beyond its current staff to fill the county’s top job.

Board members took action at their June 21 meeting, elevating Mike Carballa, assistant county administrator of public infrastructure, to interim county administrator, effective July 30.

Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey will negotiate a contract with Carballa, who has been selected on a unanimous board vote to become county administrator, effective Oct. 1.

Mike Carballa is Pasco County’s new interim administrator, effective July 30. He has been selected to replace Dan Biles as the county’s new administrator, when Biles’ contract lapses on Oct. 1. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The action to promote Carballa happened quickly.

Dan Biles officially announced his resignation on May 17. His contract expires Sept. 30, but he’ll be leaving sooner because of accrued time off.

County Commissioner Ron Oakley made a motion to appoint Carballa to the interim county administrator during the board’s June 7 meeting, but withdrew it after Starkey raised concerns about making that decision without a full board. Commissioner Mike Moore was absent because of illness.

Seeking a compromise, Biles suggested that the board could direct him to start working with Carballa, and delay any formal action until the following meeting.

That led to Oakley’s motion on June 21.

Oakley told his colleagues: “Last time I’d made a motion for an interim administrator and by waiting, I’ve thought more about it. If I was doing this in my business, and it was a vice president, or something who had left my business and I had someone interim to put in that position, I wouldn’t put him in there as an interim. I’d put him in the position and go forward, and it would be a smooth transition.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano added: “My first thoughts were a national search, get the best candidate you can for the county.”

But Mariano said he, too, had a change of heart.

Mariano referenced a budget meeting that he’d had the previous day with Carballa, Erik Breitenbach, assistant administrator of internal services, and Robert Goehig, the county’s budget director.

That meeting, Mariano said, solidified his feeling that promoting Carballa was the right move.

He said both Carballa and Breitenbach initially indicated interest in the job, but Breitenbach backed away, saying this wasn’t the best time for him to pursue it, because of family considerations.

Commissioners express confidence in Carballa
“I don’t think there’s been a better person suited to take over the county administrative than Mike Carballa, of anyone I’ve ever seen,” Mariano said. “He’s really diligent. I think he’s ready for the job.”

Oakley agreed: “I think it would be really smooth and this county will keep moving forward.”

Commissioner Mike Moore said Carballa is “obviously, very competent, obviously, understands the county — lives in the county, knows the county very well.

“I have all of the confidence in the world in him. I think he would excel at this position,” Moore said.

At the same time, Moore said he wanted to hear the thoughts of his other colleagues.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick gave her stamp of approval: “I think he would be a great asset to the county.”

Chairwoman Starkey added: “I also think Mike is very, very capable. I’ve talked with people who have worked with him, in other agencies, and they find him to be capable, as well.

“I have mixed emotions because I think sometimes it’s good to hear what other people’s ideas are in other places.

“I’ve had the opportunity to live around the world and I’ve learned something in every place that I’ve lived, so I guess I can go either way.

“I know sometimes when you do a national search you don’t know what you’re going to get. “We’ve interviewed some people that probably weren’t right for our county, but we did find someone like Dan Biles.

“I think Mike can do a great job, but I also think it’s good to hear what others have to offer, and bright ideas from other really prime areas that I think we could attract from,” Starkey said, but she did not push for a national search.

Moore said the decision to hire from within is not unusual.

“Pasco County is a very large company. We’re the board of directors and all of the constituents are its shareholders. The shareholders decide who the board of directors are and the board of directors decides who our new CEO is.

“If you look at companies, throughout time, people groom their replacement. The board doesn’t always go out and do a national search.

“Why put outside people through a process when we know who we want?

“It’s not fair to them, anyhow. So, good decision,” Moore concluded.

Fitzpatrick also noted some of Carballa’s attributes: “It’s very easy to speak with him. He has great communication skills. He’s respectful. He has ethical values and integrity.”

Mariano added: “We’ve got a great team. We’ve got great leadership. We can keep this thing rolling … without skipping a beat.”

Carballa, who was filling in for Biles at the June 21 meeting, told commissioners that their action was unexpected, but appreciated.

“It was also unexpected for me to land here, in Pasco County, and work for such a great administrator, Dan Biles, as well as the people that we work with here, this board and our various stakeholders.

“I do appreciate your confidence. I look forward to working alongside the women and men, as well as our key stakeholders, in Pasco County, as your county administrator. So, thank you for that,” Carballa said.

Carballa joined the county’s senior leadership staff in 2014, after working at Tampa Bay area engineering firms, according to information provided by the county.

Before working in the private sector, Carballa was a captain in the U.S. Air Force for five years.

He holds a master’s degree from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of South Florida.

Carballa and his wife have two children, and they are Pasco residents.

Published June 29, 2022

Pasco is expected to gain 6,000 jobs

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A new development planned for 965 acres at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 52 is expected to generate 6,000 jobs.

The Pasco County Commission approved an incentive deal on June 7 to help pave the way for the development.

The Pasco Town Center, as the proposed development is known, is expected to include 4 million square feet of industrial space; 725,000 square feet of office space; 3,500 housing units, 400,000 square feet of retail and 300 hotel rooms.

The agreement with Columnar Holdings includes a $55.8 million incentive package, funded mostly through property tax rebates, as specific milestones are met.

The development company also will install key roads and utility connections beyond the Pasco Town Center Property – providing $70.1 million in public infrastructure, with no direct cost to taxpayers, according to David Engel, the county’s director of the office of economic growth.

The infrastructure includes sanitary sewer, potable water, reclamation lines and roadways, Engel said.

“The project completion of all of this $70 million worth of infrastructure is in three phases, with a terminating target date of Dec. 31, 2028.

That public infrastructure “will expedite and attract job-creating industrial and employment center development” in the area, according to details in the county board’s agenda backup.

“We’re proposing to provide $46.2 million in ad valorem equivalency grants. That’s (in) the form of a rebate. The developer pays taxes in Year 1 and he gets rebated a portion of the taxes in Year 2, which is 33% for most of the development and 20% for the multifamily,” Engel said.

The agreement also provides $9.6 million in cash reimbursements to the company toward constructing the master utilities within the employment center area of the master-planned unit development. That will be paid for with $2 million in Penny for Pasco proceeds and the rest through county funding.

Laying the groundwork for employment growth
Engel noted the developer has requested assistance because the county wants “to accelerate creating a development-ready environment in the employment center,” Engel said.

“Because of the pressures in the marketplace and our lack of inventory, we do not have suitable space for companies to come in to that area right now, and we have tremendous demand for that.

Engel also noted: “We’ve requested — and the developer has agreed — to increase the industrial entitlement from 1.8 million square feet of industrial to 4 million square feet of industrial.”

Pasco Town Center is within the Employment Center area of Connected City.

After incentive rebates, the new development is expected to generate over $300 million in revenue for the county over the next several decades, Engel told the county board.

The agenda memo notes that “all the described incentive payments will be deferred and accrued in a county escrow account for the benefit of the company until 1 million square feet of industrial and/or office space is built, which may include occupied or ‘spec’ (speculative) building space.”

Based on the development phasing schedule provided by the company, the county estimates the project will yield aggregate ad valorem revenue totaling $386,581,404 during the 40-year ad valorem rebate payment period, the memo says.

It also is expected to create nearly 6,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, at build-out, the memo adds.

Engel’s office forecasts a 10-year return on investment equaling 35 times.

“The benefits of the project, related to economic growth, are profound because we’re focusing on installing all of the public master roadway and utility infrastructure in the Connected City employment area,” Engel said. “That will be on the developer’s property and off-site, to serve the entire area.

“This is the most productive agreement that I’ve brought forth to date to the board,” Engel said. “The Rooker project, for example, which we provided Pads and Pours funding, was $9.80 a square foot. This is $9.60 a square foot.

Once the project is complete, $1 contribution by the county will give us $100 in return to the local economy,” Engel said.

Michael Wolf appeared on behalf of Columnar Holdings, which plans to develop the site.

He told the board that the company is part of Traylor Construction Group, which helped to build the Howard Frankland Bridge back in the 1990s. Traylor is a third-generation company, run by four brothers today, Wolf noted.

“We buy raw land, entitle it and do these infrastructure improvements. We also have construction arms for doing vertical construction, as well.

“We’ve had a very strong presence in the Orlando market for the past 15 years, developed almost 5,000 lots there in major master-planned communities, largely adjacent to Disney World,” he said.

The company is “very experienced in the space — construction, development.

“We’ve also got horizontal development going on in Austin, as well as in Denver, as well as southwest Florida.

“We’ve got experience in all asset classes, from residential, industrial, multifamily, single family and so on,.” Wolf said.

Developer will pay attention to design
Wolf assured board members that the developer won’t “just lay out large industrial buildings, but ( will) work on place-making, as well.”

It is collaborating with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on creating a sustainable design, including fitness components, he said.

It also wants to create dining and entertainment options for employees and residents of neighboring master-planned communities, he added.

The agreement won’t take effect until after the site receives the county board’s approval of a master-planned unit development rezoning request.

That approval appears highly likely, based on enthusiasm expressed by county board members.

“I think it’s a win-win for the county and for our developer,” said Commissioner Ron Oakley, noting the project is located within his district. “I appreciate you being here and building this kind of product for us.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano added: “This is a very exciting project.”

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Wolf: “This looks really fantastic. I’m really excited we’re getting this quality of development at (I) 75 and (State Road) 52. I’m sure you’re going to be very successful there.”

In keeping with her persistent advocacy for trails and for making it easy for people to get around, Starkey asked the developer to pay attention to that issue.

Wolf agreed with Starkey: “We just think it’s so important to really, truly get that activation, to have folks be able to run, bike, golf cart, what have you. If we don’t have those components, we won’t be able to activate that space.”

As he reiterated his support for the project, Oakley noted that when he left Pasco to go off to college, he was able to return to work in the citrus industry.

Others that left for college were unable to come back for jobs in their professions. Projects like this increase job opportunities and help to change that picture, Oakley said.

Wolf told board members that the proposed rezoning for the project is working its way through the process.

Wolf told commissioners that the developer hopes to get a shovel on the ground this year.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco County clerk continues her push for a bigger budget

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Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles is seeking a budget increase of 6.1% over her budget request of last year.

But that percentage increase relates to her re- quest from last year, not the actual amount she received.

Her request in this year’s budget is about $14 million. That’s roughly double of her current budget.

While the new request is being reviewed, the clerk and county remain locked in a legal dispute over how much funding the county is required to provide for the clerk’s operations.

Alvarez-Sowles outlined her current request during a recent budget workshop with the Pasco County Commission and county administration.

She said her request is essentially made up of three parts: the continuation of her current services; the balance of funding she did not receive last year for the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) funding; and funding for court-related local requirement — which refers to the Annex Courthouse in New Port Richey.

The clerk said the continuation of services requested in the budget refers to the services provided, along with increases for employee compensation, increased for the Florida Retirement System costs and increases in health insurance costs.

She said her budget includes a 5.3% average pay increase for employee compensation, but she told the board if the county’s average increase exceeds that, she would expect that her budget would be increased to reflect that. She said that County Administrator Dan Biles has agreed to that request.

The second part of her budget request refers to expenses related to the CJIS, which the clerk contends the county is required to pay, under state law.

Last year, the county agreed to pay $117,000 of those costs — far short of the costs for administering CJIS.

“My office has been paying the county’s responsibility since January of 2017.The county agrees that it is responsible for the IT (information technology) expenses and has agreed to fund this expense in the next fiscal year. My office can no longer fund the county’s responsibility.”

Her $14 million request also includes approximately $7.3 million for the operation of the annex courthouse in New Port Richey.

The clerk contends the cost for the annex courthouse also is the county’s responsibility, under state law.

But County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder the court case involves both the courthouse annex and the CJIS costs.

Steinsnyder said that before last year, the courthouse annex had never been classified as a local requirement.

“The big scary number is the $7 million number,” Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said. “How can that be justified to go from $6 million, you go to $14 million?”

Steinsnyder said he doesn’t believe the court- house expense is a local requirement.

“The clerk disagrees with me.And that’s going to be the big ticket in the declaratory judgment action, between the county commission and the clerk,” he said.

The court also will decide whether the clerk is entitled the CJIS expenses, Steinsnyder said.

“We are litigating both of those items and it may be that the clerk isn’t entitled to the CJIS funding, either,” Steinsnyder said.

Alvarez-Sowles responded: “I doubt that.”

Alvarez-Sowles told the board: “I don’t have revenues to cover the expenses.”

Because she doesn’t have sufficient revenue, she said her office’s expenses are supported through a trust fund.

“Other clerks’ offices are funding the deficits in my office for court-related operations. I don’t put money into that trust fund. I receive money from that trust fund and it is only the clerk’s money that goes into that trust fund,” she said.

Beyond what she has requested in the $14 million budget, Alvarez-Sowles reiterated her request the county provide for her employees whatever the average increase it gives to county employees.

Plus, the clerk said, her current budget doesn’t include the impact her office will experience as a result of the county’s decision to shift jail operations from the sheriff’s office to the county’s control.

A specific request regarding those impacts needs to be delayed until more information is available, she said.

She also mentioned the current request does not include back pay for the CJIS component or the courthouse annex — from last year’s request.

County Administrator Dan Biles said he will not be making recommendations on this year’s budget requests until he has more information from the property appraiser’s office.

Published on June 8, 2022.

Pasco continues working toward shifting jail operations

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The Pasco County Commission has approved allocating $150,000 to help cover legal expenses connected to the county’s takeover of jail operations from Sheriff Chris Nocco.

The shift has been scheduled for Oct. 1, but discussion during the county board’s May 17 meeting made it clear that the takeover date could be subject to change.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder asked for the additional funds, in a memo, which was contained in the county board’s agenda packet.

In that memo, Steinsnyder asked to retain the firm of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A.

Pasco County is planning to take over operations of the county jail, as a county department. The scheduled date is Oct. 1, but that did not appear to be locked in, during discussions at a May 17 Pasco County Commission meeting. (Mike Camunas)

The county attorney also noted his office was not involved in the decision to shift the operations.

“I have subsequently briefed the board on the county’s options and my legal concerns with the county’s assumption of jail operations,” his memo says.

He noted the operating the jail as a county department likely will place additional burdens on his office, associated with drafting an interlocal agreement with the sheriff and other related legal documents, as well as addressing other legal questions and issues.

“The county attorney’s office does not currently have the resources to handle this additional

workload and cannot reallocate existing resources without adversely impacting other important

county projects,” the memo adds.

To help address those issues, Steinsnyder said his office has retained the Nabors law firm to draft the interlocal agreement and other related legal documents.

Nabors has estimated that cost at $60,000, but Steinsnyder said because the extent of the work is unknown, his office and the county’s office of internal services administration are recommending the $150,000 budget, to cover additional, unforeseen work.

Besides retaining Nabors, Steinsnyder recommends the board direct the county’s risk management department to solicit and obtain liability insurance for the county’s future operation of the jail, with the exact insurance types and amounts to be determine by risk management, in consultation with Steinsnyder’s office and outside counsel.

The county attorney also strongly recommended the board not rely solely on self-insurance or sovereign immunity limitations to address the potential financial consequences of jail-related claims, the memo says.

He also noted: “To the extent that miscellaneous jail-related legal questions cannot be handled by existing positions in the county attorney’s office, they will be addressed in a future budget request.”

While the county attorney’s office has secured additional help, Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles told the board the final list of items to be included in a transition accounting is being determined, and once it is finalized, quotes will be sought from three external auditing firms to complete the work.

The board already has allocated $150,000 for that task.

Alvarez-Sowles told the board that a comprehensive list had been completed, but she said it is too lengthy to be completed on time, within budget.

So, it is in the process of being pared down.

“What we’re looking at is keeping the things on the list that are essential. What are non-essential, that can be done with the county and the jail working together,” the clerk said.

To complicate matters, County Administrator Dan Biles announced his resignation at the end of the same meeting. The effective date of his resignation is Sept. 30, but he has accrued personal time off, so his last working day will be July 31.

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano asked if the county has enough time, to be prepared to take over the jail operations on Oct. 1, especially in light of Biles’ departure.

Biles said that he always considered Oct. 1 to be very aggressive date for the shift.

Steinsnyder said that date is not mandatory, but that the board would have to negotiate the issue with the sheriff.

Published June 01, 2022

Board is pushing for faster progress on emergency response times

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The Pasco County Commission is turning up the heat on its administration’s efforts to improve response times for the county’s emergency crews.

During a recent budget workshop, board members wanted to know why it isn’t possible to bring fire stations online quicker than is currently planned.

The questions surfaced during the board’s May 24 budget workshop.

The discussion came after repeated appearances at board meetings by members of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 4420, representing Pasco’s firefighters, who have complained that they aren’t able to respond to emergencies fast enough.

They said the delays pose a risk to Pasco residents, who need medical attention and to properties that are in danger of destruction.

During the budget discussion, Robert Goehig the county’s budget director, updated the county board on progress regarding fire stations being built through the general obligation bonds approved by voters.

Fire Station 17 is under construction at 2951 Seven Springs Blvd., in New Port Richey, and Fire Station 9 is being built in Land O’ Lakes.

Fire Station 3, which will be located in Beacon Woods, is expected to be put out for bid in the next few weeks, Goehig said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano wanted to know why more progress hadn’t already been made on Beacon Woods, given the fact the county has owned the property for several years.

Commissioner Mike Moore asked: “What can we do, when it comes to purchasing, to prioritize? I know obviously, when you’re moving something up, something else pops down.

“But we’re talking about public safety. Obviously, that should take priority.

“So, what can we do?”

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the county attorney’s office prioritizes its legal work based on the county administrator’s priority list.

“Fire Station No. 3 is No. 4 on the current ranking,” Steinsnyder said.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick responded: “It’s needed now. It’s imperative.”

County Administrator Dan Biles responded: “I want to remind the board that before we even took the bond to the voters in 2018, we outlined a phasing program for all nine fire stations.

“We phased the building so that when they come online, we have the funding to operate them.

“If you build them too early, you don’t have the funding to operate them,” Biles said.

“So, right now, (Stations) two and four, we don’t have the funds in ’23 to actually operate them, if they opened in ’23.”

He said the phasing was requested by the board, to ensure the county would have funding for operations.

“So, that’s what we’ve done,” Biles said.

Growth prompts need for faster action
Commissioner Mariano said the decision that was made at that time made sense.

“However, with the surge of growth that’s out there right now, with the extended times that people are taking to get service, I think it’s time we need to re-look at it, and make an adjustment.”

Mariano said he doesn’t understand why it would take so long for architectural work related to the buildings, since they can be essentially the same buildings.

Biles said each building has to be individually sited to make sure the footprint of the building fits on the site.

“You have to do the civil work and adapt it to the site, because every site is different. Every site has different site constraints, different access points. All of that stuff is different for every site,” Biles said.

Biles told the board a proposed “peak-hour rescue program” can be initiated to help reduce the response time for rescue calls.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey asked about the possibility of adding private rescue companies.

“If our dilemma right now is not having enough rescue, we can contract out, temporarily, until we have more of our own. It’s our same firefighters that are working for those companies that are manning that could be available, parked around the county that could help us.

“Right now, I think they just do transport, but I’ve been told they can do rescue,” she said.

Biles responded: “There are different classifications of transport and we allow the privates to do a certain level of that. We don’t allow them to do the initial emergency response.”

The county administrator said part of the problem stems from neighborhoods springing up in areas that are not close to fire stations. Another problem is that the county went a considerable number of years without adding any fire stations.

“We went over a decade without building a new fire station,” he said.

Meanwhile, “we added 100,000 people in Pasco County and we didn’t build a fire station.”

Biles noted that the corridors of U.S. 19, State Road 54 and U.S. 301 are where the peak-hour calls are happening.

The county has existing facilities in those corridors, Biles added. “So, it’s put the peak-hour rescue units in, the facilities that we have and let them be mobile.

“Every new fire station is going to help, but the issue right now is the peak call volume. So, the peak-hour rescue program that we’re already working to stand up, is the right way to attack it,” Biles said.

Commissioner Moore asked Steinsnyder if the county could pursue a Municipal Services Taxing Unit to attempt to force new growth to pay for itself.

Steinsnyder said he’s not aware of any government entity that has crafted that approach and he’s certain it would hold up, legally.

But the attorney did note that impact fees for capital fire projects have not been increased in numerous years.

Published 06/01/2022

Pasco County is seeking a new top executive

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles is stepping away from his leadership role in county government so he and his wife, Mandy, can pursue church development work overseas.

His last day official day will be Sept. 30, but his last working day will be July 31, because of accrued personal time off.

Biles asked the county board to accept his resignation during its May 17 meeting and to begin the process for naming his replacement.

The board will be addressing that process soon, including the possibility of hiring the same search company as it used to find Biles, or considering the option of hiring a local candidate for the county government’s top job.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles is leaving the top job in the county, after five years of serving at the helm. He and his wife, Mandy, are moving overseas to be involved in church development work. (File)

Biles is leaving at a time when Pasco has been experiencing rampant growth.

In his resignation letter, Biles noted, “While change is inevitable, I don’t think many of us expected what we would go through when I was hired by the county five years ago.

“On the positive side, we have seen some incredible growth with projects such as the much-anticipated Ridge Road extension and the subsequent Moffitt Campus initiative. On the negative side, we could never have anticipated the impacts that a worldwide pandemic and natural disasters would bring to our county. And yet, probably the work I am most grateful for is the radical cultural changes that have occurred within our organization that have resulted in not only significant performance gains across the enterprise but also the granting of three different Best Places to Work awards.”

He credits his accomplishments to the board’s willingness to give him “the flexibility and authority to focus first and foremost on building and maintaining our people-focused culture.”

Biles’ exit comes at a time when the county is preparing to expand its jail and to take over jail operations.

He’s also leaving at a time when the county is seeking to extend its Penny for Pasco surtax, a 1-cent sales tax that helps to pay for county projects.

His departure also comes when the county is in its early stages of updating its comprehensive plan, known as Pasco 2050.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Biles: “Well, we’re sorry to see you go, but I understand when these callings come, you need to answer them.

“You’ve taken us to new heights, in a challenging time. And, I think we had the right person, for the right time,” she added.

Commissioner Mike Moore noted that the board needs to choose an interim to serve until Biles’ replacement is named. The interim is expected to be named at the board’s next meeting in June.

Moore also observed: “You don’t always have to do a national search. Maybe we want to talk about people that are here.”

The job must be posted, but whether the board uses its own human resources department or a national search firm is the board’s decision, Biles said.

Commissioner Jack Mariano told Biles: “Dan, you’ve done a phenomenal job here.”

The commissioner said Biles’ background as an engineer was crucial in working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the extension of Ridge Road.

The Ridge Road extension is “such a critical piece for us,” Mariano said, adding that it played a role in attracting Moffitt Cancer Center to locate a campus in Pasco, which is leading to greater things for the future of Pasco.

Mariano said the county should consider both internal candidates and candidates from elsewhere.

Mariano raised concerns about the timing of the jail takeover, which had been discussed in previous board meetings, as being scheduled for Oct. 1.

Biles said he has always viewed Oct. 1 as an aggressive schedule for the takeover.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told the board: “We had concerns about Oct. 1, so we didn’t want to bind you to Oct. 1. But that’s still going to have to be a negotiation between you and the sheriff.”

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein told the board there will be a resolution at its next meeting relating to the takeover.

The resolution doesn’t refer to Oct. 1, but rather refers to the 2023 fiscal year, Goldstein said.

Published May 25, 2022

Go Pasco seeks to allow riders to track buses, in real time

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Go Pasco — Pasco County’s public bus service — is planning to use technology to enable riders to get up-to-date information to track buses in real time.

The department is going through the purchasing process and will be bringing the proposed contract back for approval, James Flaherty, interim public transportation director with Go Pasco, told members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) at its May 12 meeting.

Flaherty also gave the board an update on current ridership numbers.

Go Pasco is seeking to acquire technology that will allow bus riders to track buses on their routes, in real time. (File)

“Currently, our fixed route is down about 3% from last year. Currently, we’re projecting about 500,000 trips this year. Our paratransit is up about 5%. We’re projecting between 40,000 and 42,000 trips this year.”

Go Pasco plans to install three billboards across the county in an effort to increase ridership, Flaherty said.

The MPO board is made up of elected leaders across the county, including the Pasco County Commission and the cities of Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

New Port Richey City Councilman Matt Murphy asked Flaherty for an update on the status of a proposed study to determine where it would make sense to create micro-transit routes.

Flaherty responded: “Currently, we don’t have any studies that are being conducted. There was a potential route expansion and contraction study, within that, the micro-transit study would have been conducted.”

That study had been discussed at a previous MPO board meeting, when Kurt Scheible, was public transportation director.

Flaherty told the MPO board: “That (study) has been tabled for about two years, until an actual director is identified and we can move forward.”

But both Murphy and Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey wanted more information about the micro-transit study that had been previously discussed.

Flaherty told the board: “I’d have to look into that. I was not aware of a specific study, outside what was within the route expansion and contraction study.”

Starkey said there was discussion of looking at micro-transit in the Holiday area, and then it was transitioned over to Dade City.

Murphy added: “My understanding was that they were doing a feasibility study, to figure out where the best place would be. There’s a lot of money in that. I forget how many millions of dollars were in that, given to the state.”

Flaherty responded: “I will have to look into that.”

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano said if funding is available, the entire area should be studied and then, “we’d put a plan together and make decisions on what we think is most appropriate.”

Flaherty then told the board there had been issues with the procurement process, which led to delaying the study.

Starkey asked: “So, we didn’t put it back out there for bid?”

Flaherty responded that in the “2019-2020 time frame, Go Pasco attempted to do a comprehensive, operational analysis, using the MPO’s planning contract. It went to the board. It was pulled.

“A year later, a scope was provided. It went through the procurement process. There were issues with the procurement process. It’s been delayed for two years, until a new director is identified.”

Starkey: “When you say it’s delayed for two years, who decided we’re going to wait two years before we do it, we try it again?

Flaherty responded: “The county administrator.”

Starkey replied: “Well, is it his decision to that, or is it our decision?”

Carl Mikyska, executive director of the MPO, said that’s probably a discussion that should be had by Pasco County Commission or individually with County Administrator Dan Biles.

Starkey added: “Why would we wait? I don’t know why we would delay it for two years.”

Before the MPO meeting ended, Flaherty updated the board.

“That study has been pushed back six to nine months, not two years,” Flaherty said.

In other action, Mikyska told the board that there will be a presentation on the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection at the board’s June meeting. He said the update was requested by the board’s Citizens Advisory Committee.

The board also appointed Geoff Lanier, of Land O’ Lakes, to serve on the MPO’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Lanier is the owner of Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, according to his application, contained in the board’s agenda packet.

Published May 18, 2022