Pasco County is continuing the process necessary to pave the way to transfer operations of the jail from the Sheriff’s Office to under the county’s control.
The Pasco County Commission approved a resolution on June 7, enabling it to stay on track for a potential Oct. 1 takeover.
“We have a draft interlocal (agreement) that we are reviewing internally,” County Administrator Dan Biles told the board.
A representative for the clerk’s office also informed the board that a firm has been hired to complete transition accounting that was authorized by the board and the work is expected to be completed on schedule.
Biles also informed board members that he’s “trying to make sure that the county has enough in the current budget to capture the costs that will be out there, when the county takes over the jail, on or about the first of October.”
The county administrator added: “The first of October is kind of an important date because that’s when all of the benefits are set in place for the year. That’s the easiest date to do the transition from an employee/employer relationship. We’re still targeting that date.”
On another matter, Biles reported that the county’s bond rating improved on its half-cent sales tax.
“Our new bonds are going out soon. We actually got an increase from Double A to Double A-plus, which probably will save us over $400,000, over the term of those bonds.”
In other action, the board:
- Approved additional purchasing authority for as-needed cremations and/or burial services with Dignity Funeral Services Inc., d/b/a Michels and Lundquist Funeral Home (Dignity Funeral Services), in the amount of $80,000, resulting in the new Not to Exceed (NTE) amount of $263,225 for fiscal year 2022, and a new cumulative total not-to-exceed amount of $629,675 for the three-year contract ending Sept. 30. The county’s Human Services department requests additional funding to prepare for the increase in cremations and burials that are anticipated.
- Approved the appropriation of $50,000 to begin the planning phase of the Villages of Pasadena Hills Super Park. The county’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department I is nearing the final phase of the land acquisition for the park. To prepare for the planning of the park site, the department will be conducting a study with Pasco County Schools to identify if the site is adequate to co-locate the school, with the park.
- Approved an agreement related to the county’s housing program to spend $100,000 to renovate a single-family residence. The residence will be used to provide safe and affordable rental housing for a family at, or below, 80% of the area median income.
- Approved the appointment of Lee Middleton to the CareerSource Pasco Hernando board.
- Approved a budget amendment to a Cares Act contract with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas to increase funding by $30,608 and to extend the term through Sept. 30.
Published June 22, 2022
