The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County Fire Rescue

Pasco County adopts new budget

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The Pasco County Commission has adopted a new budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, which includes an increase of $106 million in general fund expenditures.

“The county realized a 10.8% increase in taxable assessed values the past year,” said Robert Goehig, the county’s budget director.

Goehig identified some of items included in this year’s budget:

  • A wage increase for board and constitutional officer employees
  • Bringing Fire Station No. 3 and Fire Station No. 9 online. Adding a second rescue unit at Fire Rescue Station 30
  • Adding a veterans service officer
  • Adding positions in the planning and zoning divisions
  • Reaching the recommended reserve level of 16.7% of budgeted expenditures.

Not on that list, however, was full funding for a request by Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, who is Pasco County’s clerk and comptroller.

In previous discussions, the clerk said her office has been covering expenses, which, by law, are the obligation of the county.

In essence, she said her office has been subsidizing the county.

The clerk maintains she is just asking for what she is entitled to, by state law.

During the public comment portion of the hearing, three speakers urged the county board to step up to cover those costs.

The county has agreed to provide the funding, but only 40% of it this year.

In previous discussions, County Administrator Dan Biles said paying the full amount in a single year is too big of an ask.

During the budget hearing, however, Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick made a motion calling upon the county to cover the entire cost.

Her motion failed, for lack of a second.

In action earlier in the day, the county board:

  • Approved a request by Pasco County Fire Rescue for emergency authorization to purchase $627,481 worth of equipment to enable the department’s personnel to safely respond to needs of COVID-19 patients. Items include patient lifts, infection control airway bags, specialized aerosolized nebulizers, safety goggles and others. The expenditures will be paid for with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.
  • Approved $865,000 for the purchase of library books, resource subscriptions and other items by Pasco County Libraries for fiscal year 2022.
  • Held the first reading on a change to the land development code relating to solar facilities, in response to state legislation. Under the change, solar facilities shall be allowed as a principal use in all agricultural zoning categories and as a special exceptions use in commercial/light manufacturing, light industrial and general industrial categories. The second and final hearing is scheduled for Oct. 12.
  • Approved an amendment to the county’s land development code to change the planned alignment for Tyndall Road, in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, and to make changes relative to administrative review fees in the special planning area.
  • Approved renaming water and wastewater service impact fees to instead call them connection fees. At the same time, the board approved increasing the charges associated with the connection fees and moving the fee schedule out of the land development code. The new connection fees call for an increase of $499, phased in over four years, for water and sewer connections; and an increase of $475, also phased in over four years, for water, sewer and reclaimed water connections. The last time the rates were modified was 2006.

Published October 06, 2021

Pasco’s opioid task force will help shape funding priorities

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The Pasco County Commission has determined what the makeup will be for the county’s opioid task force.

The appointed board will serve to advise commissioners, regarding expenditures of funds the county will receive from a settlement involving national prescription opiate litigation.

Forming the advisory body is a necessary component for the county to qualify for a portion of the settlement proceeds.

The group will develop an abatement plan that identifies strategies currently being utilized to respond to the opioid epidemic, and will present the plan to the county board by Dec. 1.

The membership of that board will include:

  • The Pasco County Fire Rescue fire chief or designee
  • The Pasco County superintendent of schools or designee
  • The Pasco County sheriff, or his/her designee
  • The Pasco assistant county administrator for public services, or designee
  • A representative from New Port Richey and Zephyrhills, who will alternate
  • The director of the Florida Department of Health Pasco County, or designee
  • A person with subject matter expertise in public health or addiction, who is employed by a provider of opioid-related services in Pasco County, who is nominated to the task force by the county administrator and approved by the county board
  • The chief judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit or designee
  • A representative from Pasco Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (Pasco ASAP), or its designee
  • A person with subject matter expertise in public health or addiction, who is retired, who is nominated to the task force by the county administrator and appointed by the county board

The biggest point of contention was whether or not a member of the county board should serve on the task force.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick advocated for having a commissioner on the task force and that she would like to serve in that capacity.

Commissioner Mike Moore was adamantly opposed, saying the task force should be made up of professionals in the field.

“I don’t think any commissioner should be on it. We need to leave it to the doctors, the nurses, the licensed mental health counselors, the psychiatrists, the psychologists, somebody from the sheriff’s office because they have somebody that’s dedicated to this issue, probably somebody from fire rescue, as well, that treats this on a regular basis, that deals with this on a regular basis. Let them bring this back to us, then we’ll make the decisions from there,” Moore said.

But Fitzpatrick said: “I would like to be on that board. I have been involved with ASAP and substance-exposed newborns since 2012.”

Moore, however, prevailed when he made a successful motion to ensure no board members were named to a seat on the advisory board.

Initially, the county’s assistant county administrator for public services, or designee, will chair the task force. After that, the task force will select its own chair. Seven members of the task force must be in attendance, for the group to have a quorum.

Published September 01, 2021

COVID-19 cases are straining hospitals, health care workers

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Hospital admissions of patients with COVID-19 continue to rise, adding to the strain already being experienced by local hospitals.

Admissions for patients with COVID-19 are at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon and Washington, according to statistics kept by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Things are so serious that Pasco County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Scott Cassin and EMS Division Chief Paula Coleman have issued a video, asking residents and guests to avoid using the 911 system unless they are experiencing a true emergency.

“Hospital emergency rooms are currently being inundated with patients, and the time it takes to be seen in an emergency room is skyrocketing across our community,” the fire chief says in the video.

“Many hospitals are at, or over, capacity and ambulances are currently holding patients at hospitals for hours at a time, due to a lack of available beds and hospital staff.

“This is causing an ambulance shortage across the county, and is causing long wait times for our 911 callers,” Cassin says.

Coleman adds: “Please help us provide lifesaving interventions for those who truly need them. If your 911 call is not an emergency that needs immediate medical attention — such as chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke symptoms, serious trauma or other life-threatening illnesses or injury — please consider contacting your primary care physician, or utilizing a walk-in clinic or urgent care center. This will get you the help you need in a timelier manner, while at the same time assist an overtaxed health care system,” she says.

“Let’s all do our part to save the ambulances and ER visits for those who urgently need those services,” Coleman says.

Michael Weiss, epidemiology program manager for Florida Health-Hillsborough County, gave a big-picture look at Hillsborough County’s COVID-19 situation during an Aug. 18 emergency meeting of the Hillsborough County School Board.

“Right around June into July, we started this steep increase,” Weiss said.

“We are trending upwards. We are at 1,622 cases per day in our county. Positivity is around 22%. During the pandemic, this is the highest for both of those values.”

“This recent increase has coincided with a few things. In July, we had relaxed community mitigation measures, and we also saw the introduction of the delta variant into our community.

“These two things combined really increased the case transmission and the case rate in our community,” Weiss said.

“Hospital visits and hospitalizations both related to COVID are both at the highest levels seen at any point during our pandemic — during the entire pandemic. Hospitals are recording twice the number of COVID patients they saw in 2020 winter peak,” the epidemiologist said.

“Pediatric hospitalizations are also increasing. They represent a small percentage of the overall COVID hospitalizations, but they are also increasing. We are seeing both admissions and emergency department visits for pediatric cases increasing.

“Hospitalizations generally lag behind the case increases, so we expect the hospitalizations to continue to increase in the near future,” he added.

“Across all of these age groups, the hospitalizations are overwhelmingly in the unvaccinated population. Hospitals are reporting anywhere from 80% to 90% of cases are in unvaccinated individuals,” Weiss said.

Hospitals are making adjustments as the COVID-19 caseloads increase.

AdventHealth has halted elective procedures at AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyhrhills, and at its AdventHealth Sebring facility, according to a media advisory issued Aug. 20.

“This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patients and team members. Patients will be notified if their procedure will be canceled,” the hospital chain announced.

AdventHealth “continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and has far surpassed its highest peak at any point in the pandemic,” the advisory adds.

The hospital system’s 10 hospitals in its West Florida Division had 600 currently admitted COVID-19 positive patients, according to the Aug. 20 advisory.

BayCare, another health care system in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, paused all of its elective surgeries and procedures at its hospitals in Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, regardless of whether they require an overnight stay, effective Aug. 14, according to the hospital’s website.

“This will help reserve resources for the urgent and emergent needs of severely ill patients,” the posting says.

“COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased 10-fold since the beginning of July, and today we have more than 1,000 COVID positive patients in our 14 acute care hospitals across the Tampa Bay area,” Glenn Waters, chief operating officer for BayCare, said in a website post.

“We’re making these operational adjustments to be sure we can continue providing safe, high-quality care to the recent influx of COVID patients, in addition to hundreds of other people in our hospitals with unrelated, serious medical issues,” Waters said.

In a new development, Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference last week to announce the opening of local sites to provide a new monoclonal antibody treatment for patients who are 12 years old or older. The treatment can prevent hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients.

DeSantis presided at the opening of the site at the Fasano Hurricane Shelter, at 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson.

Another site has opened in Hillsborough County at King Forest Park, at 8008 E. Chelsea St., in Tampa. The only access into the park is off Orient Road just north of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Both sites will be open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For additional details, call the Florida Department of Health Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Support Line at 850-344-9637.

COVID-19 statistics: Aug. 13 to Aug. 19

Florida
New cases: 150,118
Positivity rate 19.8%

Hillsborough County
New cases: 11,161
Positivity rate: 22%

Pasco County
New cases: 4,223
Positivity rate: 26.4%

Source: Florida Department of Health

COVID-19 symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 may include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Published August 25, 2021

Protecting fire rescue personnel from active shooters

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Five fire rescue departments across Tampa Bay have acquired ballistic vests and helmets to protect personnel during an active shooter rescue, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Rescue departments in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties, and with the City of Tampa and Plant City have acquired nearly 700 ballistic vest and helmet kits for protection, the release says. They’re to be used during active shooter/hostile event response (ASHER) threats, as prescribed by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 3000.

The equipment was provided through a federal Urban Area Security Initiative (USAI) grant, the release adds.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue took the lead in writing the grant application and drafting training and protocol measures for use of the kits. Tampa Fire Rescue, Pasco County Fire Rescue, Hernando County Fire Rescue, and Plant City Fire Rescue all participated in the grant process, the release says.

Each department now has ballistic vests and helmet kits for each apparatus that would respond in an active shooter scenario. The kits will protect more than 2,500 fire rescue personnel in the Tampa Bay region.

Each ballistic vest kit includes an adjustable vest, two armored steel plates that fit into the vest, and a protective Kevlar helmet. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is providing training for each department on the proper use of the kits.

The ballistic vest kit protocol calls for them to be used only in an ASHER threat. Rescue personnel would only enter an ASHER site to care for the wounded after law enforcement has secured the scene. The kits would provide an additional level of protection in a life-threatening situation.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue applied for the grant to procure the vests and helmets, to ensure that all agencies in the region potentially responding to an ASHER threat would have access to the same protection, according to the release.

Published August 25, 2021

City manager recaps possible 911 dispatch merger

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During a recent breakfast meeting with the East Pasco Networking Group, Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe briefed those gathered on the city’s current consideration of combining its  911 police communications system with the Pasco County Department of Emergency Services in New Port Richey.

The looming decision “has nothing to do with finances,” Poe said.

Instead, he said, it is “all about officer safety, citizen safety.”

The City of Zephyrhills is in talks to combine its 911 police communications system with Pasco County operations. (File)

The move would essentially create a centrally located communications center for all emergency personnel and shared CAD/RMS (computer-aided dispatch systems and records management systems), to eliminate 911 calls being answered by dispatches from the Zephyrhills Police Department (ZPD) and Pasco Sheriff’s Office — and the need to transfer wireless callers between agencies.

A full dispatch consolidation model would mirror what’s now in place at the Dade City Police Department, which joined Pasco’s 911 system in 2015.

Under this setup, the county handles all 911 calls, prioritizing calls by importance and dispatching the closest city or county units accordingly, on the same radio frequency. At the same time, Dade City police employees answer all non-emergency calls.

Poe was city manager of Dade City when the systems were combined.

He underscored the benefits of the shift. It has improved communication channels between agencies and has provided access to important records to individuals or suspects crossing jurisdictional boundaries between the city and the county.

For instance, it allows the agencies to have background on someone’s previous encounters with law enforcement entities, such as knowing if there’s a documented history of fighting or resisting arrest with personnel from the Zephyrhills and Dade City police departments, or the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

It also has proven to be beneficial in terms of law enforcement response, he said.

He cited an incident involving the report of a gun at a Dade City area McDonald’s. Seven nearby  sheriff’s deputies and four on-duty Dade City police officers responded immediately to the scene without incident.

“I like to think it works well,” Poe surmised, regarding the merged communications system.

Meanwhile, the city manager dispelled any conjecture that a 911 system consolidation is a means to eventually disband Zephyrhills Police into sheriff’s office operations, similar to the merger that happened with the city’s fire department.

“There’s zero percent chance that the police department will merge with Pasco County,” said Poe.

The city manager said he has a great relationship with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, but noted they cannot offer the same level of service to residents of Zephyrhills as the local police department provides.

That’s because of the number and types of calls that the Sheriff’s Office must respond to, Poe explained.

“Consolidated dispatch, has nothing to do with the rest of the department. We are not looking to get rid of our police department. That is not the case at all. It is solely communications, and it is all about officer safety and citizen safety,” Poe said.

The Zephyrhills City Council, however, voted last September to consolidate its local fire department into Pasco County Fire Rescue — whereby the county assumed control of two stations on Sixth Avenue and Dean Dairy Road.

“That was not a fun thing to go through,” Poe said.

“I know council didn’t like it,” Poe said, referring to the decision to end the city’s independent fire department that had served the city for more than 100 years.

However, Poe said, in contracting out fire service responsibilities to Pasco County, both area stations now have an ambulance and increased staffing.

Response times were another consideration.

“It just made sense to have one responding agency, because they space it out, they know what they’re doing, they space them so they have minimal response times for each station, and so to be able to add two stations to the mix was huge for Pasco County…and I think the residents won,” Poe said.

The two former fire stations have been renamed, but the fire trucks retain some local flavor, with signage that indicates they are serving the City of Zephyrhills.

Poe said there also are plans to add another Pasco County Fire Rescue Station in Zephyrhills within the next few years, at the corner of Chancey Road and Yonkers Boulevard. When that comes online, Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 18 in Crystal Springs will be abandoned, he said.

That’s important because the city has never had three fire stations in the area, Poe said.

Published April 07, 2021

2020 eventful for East Pasco communities

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The COVID-19 pandemic aside, the year 2020 brought myriad new developments and occurrences within the cities of Dade City and Zephyrhills.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the past year:

Dade City

Medical marijuana dispensaries allowed
Medical marijuana treatment centers and dispensaries can now set up shop within certain areas of Dade City, following a commission ruling.

Medical marijuana facilities are now allowed in Dade City. (File)

An ordinance approved in January altered Dade City’s land development regulations to make treatment facilities a permitted use in the city’s general commercial zoning district, and an allowed use in commercial and employment center planned development districts.

More specifically, the action ordinance lets medical marijuana facilities be situated along U.S. 301/U.S. 98 south and north of town, and certain pockets of the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) district, while avoiding much of the city’s historic downtown main street and central business district.

The city previously had a series of concurrent moratoriums on medical marijuana treatment centers within its municipal limits dating back to 2016, to study its possible impacts.

 

Group 4 Commissioner Knute Nathe

New commissioners elected
The 2020 municipal election cycle brought aboard a pair of fresh faces to the five-member Dade City Commission — in Knute Nathe and Normita Woodard.

Normita Woodard

Nathe, an attorney at McClain Alfonso, assumed the Group 4 seat vacated by Nicole Deese Newlon, who chose not to run for reelection. Nathe in his campaign was vocal about controlling development that comes into city limits, to curb “out-of-control” growth seen in Wesley Chapel and San Antonio.

Woodard, a secretary at Lacoochee Elementary School, assumed the Group 5 seat that had been held by Eunice Penix since 1993 (Penix opted not to seek reelection.)

Woodard’s platform focused on building a strong downtown, while also advocating for more accountability and efficiency in municipal services for residents.

Meantime, Group 3 incumbent Jim Shive was elected to serve a third term on the commission.

A $2.5 million construction project was completed to help relieve downtown flooding in Dade City.

Downtown gets stormwater relief
Dade City’s downtown streets and sidewalks have been known to be swallowed in at least 6 inches to 7 inches of standing water for days at a time after heavy summer rains.

This issue was seemingly mostly resolved when construction wrapped up in August on a $2.5 million stormwater capital improvement project.

The project generally took underground concrete piping through multiple downtown streets into an existing conveyance system into a reconfigured Irwin Pond, just past U.S. 98 and the CSX railway.

The new system runs from Seventh Street’s intersections with Church Avenue and Pasco Avenue. Then it heads east on Pasco Avenue to Third Street, before heading north up to Meridian Avenue.

The project was paid for with a combination of state appropriations, and funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and Dade City.

Snow in town?
While slightly outside the city limits, the brand-new Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park has brought an influx of visitors seeking a unique, family friendly thrilling adventure to the Dade City area.

Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park opened in November, at 27839 Saint Joe Road in Dade City.

The theme park hyped as “Florida’s first-ever snow park” opened for business in November,

at 27839 Saint Joe Road in Dade City.

There are three main attractions on the 20-acre site:

  • Snowy Slopes — 60-foot-tall, 400-foot-long snowtubing hill featuring single, tandem and family-style snowtubing.
  • Arctic Igloo  — 10,000-square-foot enclosed circular space that is covered in snow thick enough to build snowmen, and make snow angels and snowballs.
  • Alpine Village — expansive concourse area that exhibits a line of local vendors offering an assortment of food, drinks, beer, wine, craft goods and holiday gift shopping.

The park operates daily, except Christmas, from around November through March. Snowcat Ridge is owned by Point Summit Inc., which also operates TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park and Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park.

Zephyrhills

Main Street Zephyrhills garners statewide recognition
Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., annually puts on some of the city’s largest and most popular downtown events, such as the Festival of Lights, the Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival, Music & Motorcycles, and others.

Main Street Zephyrhills in March was designated Florida Main Street Program of the Month. (Courtesy of Main Street Zephyrhills)

The 501c3 nonprofit also works closely with city leadership on other initiatives, such as creating interactive art murals, and installing public Wi-Fi downtown and more public park benches.

The organization’s varied efforts didn’t go unnoticed in 2020.

In March, it was designated Florida Main Street Program of the Month by Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee.

The monthly statewide honor is believed to be a first for Main Street Zephyrhills, which is mostly run by a large contingent of volunteers. The City of Zephyrhills does staff a coordinator to facilitate the group’s events and other programs.

Also, the organization in 2019 achieved national accreditation by the Main Street America program “for generating impressive economic returns, preserving community character, and celebrating local history.”

Attorney Clarke Hobby will serve as co-counsel for the City of Zephyrhills.

Zephyrhills joins water contamination lawsuit
Coincidentally enough, “City of Pure Water” this year joined a massive federal lawsuit regarding contaminated water.

In May, the municipality became a plaintiff in a multi-district litigation case filed against various companies that manufactured firefighting foams, or manmade chemicals found to contaminate groundwater, wastewater and water wells.

The chemicals in question are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), compounds historically used in carpets, clothing, food packaging and a number of industrial processes.

High levels of PFOA/PFOS were discovered in Water Well No. 1 utilized by the city’s downtown fire station for training purposes, dating as far back as 2014, officials and experts have said.

Armed with this information, the Zephyrhills City Council unanimously voted to enter negotiations for representation with Cossich, Summich, Parsiola and Taylor LLC., a New Orleans-based litigation firm. Local co-counsel includes Tampa-based firms Hobby & Hobby P.A., and Young & Partners LLP.

Zephyrhills joins more than 100 other cities and water treatment facilities across the country in the lawsuit. Other plaintiffs are as far away as California and North Dakota, and within Florida, Pensacola and Lauderhill.

Bidding adieu to local fire department
The Zephyrhills Fire Department — as it had been known for some 100 years — made its last service call in September when the agency officially became part of Pasco County Fire Rescue, through an interlocal agreement.

The Zephyrhills Fire Department consolidated with Pasco Fire Rescue through an interlocal agreement.

With the merger, the locally controlled fire department’s 24 full-time employees, two stations and apparatus were absorbed into the county’s fire and rescue operations.

The fire stations’ computer and audio systems unified within the county’s 911 operations center, too.

Along with the change, the city’s two stations have been renamed from Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 1 and Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 2, to Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 25 and Pasco Country Fire Rescue Station 29, respectively.

The merger had been inevitable for the past several years.

Besides a ballooning annual budget, Zephyrhills Fire Department over the years battled personnel turnover, staffing shortages and outdated equipment. The city also was without a fire chief for over 18 months, instead dividing those duties among three battalion chiefs.

The consolidation saved Zephyrhills from having to implement what would have amounted to a pricey fire assessment fee on residents and business owners to keep the local agency afloat.

World-class tennis center opens
Lace up the tennis shoes and prep those rackets and balls for play — because the state-of-the-art Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center is now game-ready for local use.

The multimillion dollar Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center is open for public use.

What began as drawings and plans on paper some four years ago has become a reality — in the form a $4.9 million athletic complex situated on nearly 10 acres of land, at 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

The facility’s centerpiece is 11 regulation outdoor tennis courts (nine clay surface, two hard surface), eight pickleball courts and four padel courts.

Attached is a nearly 8,000-square-foot indoor club housing cutting-edge health and wellness amenities that promote training and recovery via cryotherapy, salt therapy, yoga, athletic training and more. The indoor clubhouse also has a full restaurant and cafe operated by Land O’ Lakes-based caterer Mark Vesh.

The complex is named in honor of Sarah Vande Berg, a former Zephyrhills High School district champion and three-time state qualifier who died in an automobile accident in South Carolina at the age of 21, in October 2015.

The tennis center venture is a public-private partnership between the City of Zephyrhills and Pascal Collard, a longtime tennis pro and instructor serving as the facility’s CEO.

Besides public use, the facility is anticipated to be a host to national and international racquet sports tournaments.

A soft opening was held in September and grand opening in October.

Published December 30, 2020

Zephyrhills bids farewell to local fire department

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The Zephyrhills Fire Department — as it has been known for some 100 years — has made its last service call.

The department officially became part of Pasco County Fire Rescue on Sept. 27, through an interlocal agreement that was approved in May.

Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 2 on Sixth Avenue now becomes Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 29. The other station, Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 1 on Dean Dairy Road, is now Pasco County Fire Station 25. (Courtesy of Pasco County Fire Rescue)

The hometown fire department’s 24 full-time employees, two stations and apparatus are now part of the county’s fire and rescue operations.

The fire stations’ computer and audio systems become unified within the county’s 911 operations center.

Along with the change, the city’s two stations have been renamed from Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 1 and Zephyrhills Fire Department Station 2, to Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 25 and Pasco Country Fire Rescue Station 29, respectively.

The merger had been coming for some time.

Besides a ballooning annual budget, Zephyrhills Fire Department over the years battled personnel turnover, staffing shortages and outdated equipment.

The city hasn’t had a fire chief for over 18 months, instead dividing those duties among  three battalion chiefs.

The merger is a “win-win” for all parties involved, said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, who made an appearance at a Sept. 28 Zephyrhills City Council meeting.

Oakley, himself a Zephyrhills resident, explained that the community will benefit from increased staffing at both fire stations and two operable ambulances, quickening response times inside city limits and surrounding unincorporated areas.

“You’re going to see much better service than you’ve ever seen before,” said Oakley, noting the transition was “very seamless.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley (File)

Oakley also underscored the importance of the county economy of scale to takeover and fully fund the two fire stations, located on Sixth Avenue and Dairy Road, respectively.

The commissioner also relayed a message from a local firefighter who praised the county’s resources, which, for instance, has allowed for a third firefighter/paramedic on a ladder truck to respond to scenes, as opposed to two staffers previously.

“If they’re going out there to save somebody’s life and they need that extra hand, it’s there. That’s going to be a great thing,” Oakley said.

Meantime, the consolidation saves Zephyrhills from having to implement what would have amounted to a pricey fire assessment fee on residents and business owners to keep the local agency afloat.

Its fire department budget the last two years was $3.3 million in fiscal year 2019 and $2.8 million in fiscal year 2020 — nearly totaling the amount the city will pay the county to take fire rescue operations off its hands in perpetuity.

The interlocal agreement (as well as extended employee benefits) costs Zephyrhills roughly $5.5 million total, generally spread out over a period of seven years. After fiscal year 2026-2027, the city won’t have to pay the county for fire rescue services — as it will be solely propped up by a Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) assessed to city residents and commercial entities, similar to how Dade City receives such services. An MSTU for fire services is expected to have less financial impact on city residents and commercial entities than a fire assessment fee, officials say.

Zephyrhills City Council President Charles Proctor acknowledged the merger was quite trying emotionally and sentimentally, but said it was something that had to be done for the viability of the city.

“Nobody wants to get rid of an institution,” he said, “but, I think we’re going to save the citizens in the long run, financially, and they’re going to get a lot better service, and that’s what’s important. We have to look at the big picture.”

Fellow council members, including Lance Smith, echoed such feelings.

“We were never really ever able to give the firemen what they needed, and that was a full staff at this station, which is the way to be safe, so I think that we ultimately came to this decision for the good of our fire department,” Smith said.

Though gear and uniforms may now read, “Pasco County Fire Rescue,” many fire rescue personnel at Station 25 and Station 29 are familiar to city residents — having either worked for the former city fire department or new hires with deep ties to the area.

For instance,  a pair of fairly recent Zephyrhills High School graduates are now paramedics running ambulances out of Station 25.

“We’re not completely losing that hometown feel that we thought we might be,” said Councilman Ken Burgess. “We still have it.”

Added Smith, “It’s still the Zephyrhills Fire Department in all of our minds.”

The history of the city’s fire department is believed to date back to 1915, when it started as a volunteer organization. Since the 1970s, it had a paid professional staff.

On a related note, Oakley mentioned as many as five new fire stations could be built throughout the entire county, within the next three or four years.

Published October 07, 2020

Pasco County is ‘stable and secure,’ administrator says

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles gave a briefing on the county’s current rating to the Pasco County Commission at its meeting on Sept. 21.

“Both Fitch and Moody’s did a new credit rating on the county, as part of its bond offering that’s going out shortly,” Biles said.

Both of the ratings held constant, with Moody’s giving the county’s an Aa2 rating and Fitch giving the county an AA/Stable rating, Biles said.

“Fitch’s rating included a stable outlook, which puts the county in a very low credit-risk category,” Biles said. “Keep in mind that we’re right in the middle of a pandemic. Local governments and state governments across this country have had significant financial distress.”

The county administrator added: “Our unemployment rate in Pasco County is down to 6.7%, which I’m not sure I was expecting to see that number until after the turn of the calendar. Not only that, when you actually dig into the numbers, 10,000 more people are working in August than were working in July. That’s a pretty substantial number. Still a little less than where we were last August, but getting there and getting there pretty fast. That’s good for Pasco County. That’s consistent across the Tampa Bay region. Those kinds of numbers.

“That puts us in a pretty stable and secure position,” he said.

After an afternoon recess, commissioners came back at 5:15 p.m., to hold the final public hearing on the county’s $1.5 billion budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

No one spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing, and the board adopted the budget without discussion. The board had discussed budget issues at previous meetings and workshops.

The new budget takes effect Oct. 1.

Some highlights of the budget include a 3% raise for county employees and increased spending for the county’s library system, and its parks and recreation department.

Many initiatives the county had been considering for next year, however, were not brought forward because of negative economic impacts from COVID-19.

In other action, commissioners:

  • Approved a request to allow the Zephyrhills Volunteer Fire-Rescue Squad to operate as a support services entity in Zephyrhills. The fire department in Zephyrhills is merging with Pasco County Fire Rescue.
  • Approved a resolution proclaiming Sept. 25 as Disabled American Veterans Day, celebrating the DAV’s 100th anniversary, and recognizing the organization for its assistance to service-disabled veterans, and their families and survivors.

Published September 30, 2020

Zephyrhills budget decreasing in 2020-2021

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The City of Zephyrhills has adopted its tentative budget for the upcoming fiscal year  — and it comes in slimmer than the current year, at $60,412,293.

The roughly $60.4 million budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 represents nearly an 8.8% decrease from this current fiscal year’s budget of $66,293,613. However, it’s slightly greater than the city’s budget two years ago of $59,433,368.

The Zephyrhills City Council had its first reading of the ordinance and first hearing on the proposed budget in a Sept. 14 regular meeting.

The council gave first-round approval, and will have a second reading and final reading before the new budget takes effect on Oct. 1.

The Zephyrhills City Council on Sept. 14 approved a $60,412,293 for fiscal year 2020-2021, based on a 6.35 millage rate. It represents a decrease of about $5.88 million, or 8.8% from the current budget. (File)

The proposed budget is based on an approved 6.35 millage rate, assessed on taxable value of property within the city.

At least one area where the city will begin to see marked savings is the merger of its fire department with Pasco County Fire Rescue. Savings in the first year of the interlocal agreement are tallied at $551,890 compared to the 2019-2020 budget of a fully funded municipal fire department.

The agreement (as well as extended employee benefits) will cost the city roughly $5.5 million total, generally spread out over a period of seven years. After fiscal year 2026-2027, the city won’t have to pay the county for fire rescue services — as it’d be solely propped up by an MSTU assessed to city residents and commercial entities, similar to how Dade City receives such services.

Here’s a rundown of some other proposed budget highlights by the city’s various departments:

Administrative/human resources:

  • 3.5% increase to total health care costs
  • 3% pay increase for employees won’t take effect until April 1, to give the city time to review revenues sources that may decrease as a result of COVID-19
  • City council and city attorney added to city’s 80/20 group health benefits plan
  • Administration expenses for personnel services increased by reclassifying the assistant city clerk position to a public information officer position
  • Human resources worker’s compensation decreased by $9,500 (3%), and property and casualty expenses increased by $51,914 (7%)

Airport:

  • $5.7 million state appropriation for the runway 1-19 extension
  • $800,000 fuel farm
  • $265,000 taxiway alpha design
  • $185,000 airfield beacons

Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA):

  • Revenues expected to increase to $426,470
  • $100,000 building façade grants ($50,000 to rentals; $50,000 to non-rentals/commercial properties)
  • $50,000 sidewalk improvements

 Parks:

  • $60,000 tractor/finish mower
  • $150,000 playground equipment
  • $18,000 re-roof park restrooms
  • $13,500 security camera upgrades
  • $2,500 carpet cleaner

Police:

  • $255,000 for five new vehicles
  • $54,969 for administrative solutions and digital surveillance software, solar speed signs, bulletproof vests, and rifles
  • $29,500 for police laptops and server (funded under IT)

Public Works:

  • $500,000 street resurfacings
  • $275,000 Stormwater Master Plan update
  • $80,000 tree chipper
  • $50,000 sign maintenance truck
  • $35,000 retention pond fencing
  • $30,000 pickup truck for building maintenance
  • $21,000 diagnostic scanner software for heavy vehicles, maintenance building awning/rain splash guards and overhead shop fans

Sanitation:

  • $300,000 new front load commercial garbage truck
  • $40,000 curotto-can cart lift
  • $10,000 city yard security cameras
  • $2,500 diagnostic scanner software for heavy vehicles

Water major projects:

  • $1.5 million water line from Phelps Road to Simons Road along Fort King Road
  • $1 million design of utilities building and land clearing
  • $800,000 water line from Alston Avenue to Tucker Road along U.S. 301
  • $150,000 line replacement
  • $80,000 generator for well No. 12
  • $75,000 for two new utility trucks
  • $75,000 GIS mapping
  • $70,000 well rehabilitation
  • $30,000 supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system

Wastewater major projects:

  • $1.5 million reclaimed water line from Zephyrhills High School to Zephyr Lakes along Dairy Road
  • $1 million surge tank
  • $425,000 new vac truck
  • $350,000 sewer line replacement
  • $350,000 rehabilitation of three lift stations
  • $200,000 rehabilitation of approximately 100 manholes
  • $75,000 lift station generator
  • $70,000 digester cleaning
  • $60,000 new truck
  • $30,000 sludge holding tank coating

Aside from big-ticket departmental expenses, the city budgeted $2.3 million for U.S. 301/Pretty Pond intersection improvements, which is coming from a state appropriation; and $1.1 million towards County Road 54 improvements east of Hercules Park, funded via Penny for Pasco revenues. Elsewhere, the city allocated $40,000 in funding for the East Pasco Family YMCA, and $14,000 for youth sports program grants.

Published September 23, 2020

Working around the threat of COVID-19

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The spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) — and efforts to stay out of harm’s way  — have sparked creativity and ingenuity across The Laker/Lutz News region.

Kynlee Kuberski, center, who lives in Connerton, reacts, after Pasco County Fire Rescue truck, drives by her Land O’ Lakes home to wish her a happy 11th birthday on March 26. Kynlee’s mother, Jessi, is on the left, and older sister Kalyn is on the right. (Christine Holtzman)

When plans to celebrate Kynlee Kuberski’s 11th birthday at Universal Studios were canceled because of COVID-19, dozens of people came by her Connerton home, to wish her a happy birthday.

They came on foot, on bikes, in cars and even in a Pasco County Fire Rescue truck — to help her celebrate at a safe distance — in response to a request by her Kynlee’s mom, Jessi, on her neighborhood Facebook page.

Kynlee’s teacher, Macy Kendrick, from Connerton Elementary, was among the well-wishers, some of whom honked their horns as a birthday greeting.

Meanwhile, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano found a way to serve customers — despite closing his offices to in-person lobby services. All five tax collector offices are handling limited transactions through drive-thru. They’re processing automobile, boat and mobile home registration renewals, property tax payments, and handicapped permit applications.

Eleven-year-old Kynlee Kuberski, of Land O’ Lakes, smiles, as family, friends and neighbors sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. No one could get closer because of social distancing, due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). (Christine Holtzman)

The Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center also has come up with a way to help adopters who are interested in having a self-isolation sidekick but can’t physically come into the shelter. They’re calling that program Curbside Cuddles.

There’s another program for adopters who can’t come to the center that they’re calling Cuddles Shuttles. Find out more about these programs by calling (813) 744-5660.

On another front, Michele Northrup — former Lutz Guv’na — is using her entrepreneurial skills to help vendors — including her own business — that have watched their scheduled events evaporate.

“I’ve been doing markets for years, and helping run markets and shows. I have a group of maybe 200 to 250 vendors that I pull from to do these different shows and markets.

“Well, now these vendors have nothing. They have no income,” she said.

Michele Northrup and Cynthia Cicala packing bags to be delivered to customers. (B.C. Manion)

“What do you do when your markets close?” she asked. “Find new markets,” she responded.

Northrup put out the word that she’d like to create vendor boxes and, in essence, bring the Farmer’s Market to people’s doors.

The boxes sell for $60 and $100 each, and include such items as fresh produce, honey, artisan soaps, homemade disinfectant spray, sauces, spices and fresh Cuban bread.

Each week, the boxes will vary.

The first deliveries were made over the weekend.

Northrup hoped for at least 22 orders on the first shipment and wound up with 39.

Orders are being taken for the next shipment on SaucyQueen.com.

Many other businesses and shops also are changing the way they serve customers, including Hungry Harry’s Bar-B-Que, on U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. It is also still smokin’ — offering pit carryout, of its full menu.

A sign on both sides of the restaurant encourages people to call ahead for faster service.

Hungry Harry’s Bar-B-Que, a community staple, is still serving up its barbecued meals through carryout, on the pit side. Patrons are encouraged to call ahead. (B.C. Manion)

Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves offered two examples of organizations adapting to limitations imposed by COVID-19.

For one, the Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club held its first virtual meeting using Zoom.

She also noted: “Keystone Community Church did a drive-in worship service on Sunday. It was really good. We were honking horns, instead of clapping.”

Many churches are adjusting to COVID-19 by live-streaming their services.

The Rev. Adrienne Hymes said Wesley Chapel Episcopal Church is using technology to keep the congregation connected, but also is using old-fashioned one-on-one telephone calls to keep in touch.

Atonement Lutheran Church, in Wesley Chapel, plans a drive-thru service, to hand out palms and a blessing on Palm Sunday.

 Christine Holtzman contributed to this story.

Published April 1, 2020