Chris Nocco

Budget talks start in Pasco

June 22, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The economy is picking up steam with new housing construction leading the way, and property tax revenues on the rise.

But, that won’t mean Pasco County commissioners will have an easy time figuring out how to spend tax dollars and hold the line on tax increases.

Commissioners face large budget requests including an increase of $6.5 million from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and smaller requests, including a circulator bus route in Land O’ Lakes. The bus route would cost about $365,000 in the first year and about $308,000 a year after that.

The county’s staff is not recommending a change in the millage rate, but homeowners could see an increase in taxes based on rising property values, officials said.

Commissioners met in a June 13 workshop to gather information about the upcoming 2017 budget. They heard multiple presentations from county department heads.

The largest dollar amount increase request is from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, which is seeking a 6.1 percent increase, which amounts to about $6.4 million in new funding. If approved, the sheriff’s budget would be $110 million in 2017.

This is the second consecutive year that Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has sought a budget increase of more than $6 million.

Last year, commissioners approved $2.7 million to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.

Nocco is seeking another round of pay raises to make deputies’ salaries more competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Hillsborough, Pinellas and the City of Tampa.

Data from the sheriff’s office shows the area’s average starting salary is almost $46,000, while Pasco’s is about $41,000. Pasco’s starting salary is the lowest in the region compared to Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee and Pinellas counties and also lags behind St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Tampa.

The sheriff’s budget also includes money for 10 new positions for the sheriff’s office and 15 for other agencies.

There also is a request for about $700,000 for laptop computers, an item previously funded from the Penny for Pasco program.

Last year’s budget discussions surrounding the sheriff’s budget often grew contentious.

But after his presentation, Nocco told The Laker/Lutz News: “Everybody has been positive. Everyone is working together.”

Other department heads also made their case for new revenues to increase staff and add services.

Libraries administrator Nancy Fredericks asked for staff needed to restore operating hours for libraries to pre-recession years.

Currently libraries are open five days a week and one night a week per location. Fredericks hopes for nearly $500,000 more to operate libraries six days a week, and on two to four nights a week.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore asked Fredericks to give commissioners options on operating hours. “Maybe we can work our way toward this in two to three years,” he said.

Commissioners approved a master plan for the county’s parks and recreation facilities in 2015. It would take an estimated $222 million to implement the plan.

As a start, Kelley Boree, parks, recreation and natural resources director, proposed hiring a consultant to craft a pilot campaign to help launch the plan. That would cost $75,000, but Boree said many counties hire consultants for this reason.

There is no one on the county’s staff that has the skill set to perform this work, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said.

“To me this is critically important because our parks are so underfunded,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey. “I’m talking about all types of recreation…We’ve been lax in this forever.”

The county also is proposing to hire a lobbyist to promote Pasco’s interests in Washington D.C., at a cost of $60,000 a year.

Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator, said Pasco would see benefits from a “closer relationship” with federal agencies, especially those dealing with transportation and environmental matters.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said he wasn’t opposed to the proposal, but said the county should avoid duplicating efforts already done by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“You’ve got to be specific on lobbying efforts on the federal level,” he said.

The building department wants about $403,000 to hire four new inspectors and a records clerk to implement a code enforcement ordinance approved amid controversy among Land O’ Lakes business owners.

The ordinance is meant to focus on cleanup efforts along major corridors including U.S. 41, U.S. 301 and U.S. 19. But, building officials now say they don’t have enough staff to enforce it.

In subsequent years, enforcement costs would be about $290,000.

Commissioners will meet individually with county staff in the next weeks to make their budget preferences known.

The budget will be presented on July 12, with final approval in September.

Published June 22, 2016

Tackling problems of opioid abuse

May 11, 2016 By B.C. Manion

A panel of local people working on the frontlines to reduce the problem of opioid drug abuse gained access to the nation’s drug czar last week in a Pasco County roundtable session initiated by Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis, of Palm Harbor.

No certain solutions were offered during the May 3 discussion with for Michael Botticelli, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

But panelists and people in the audience identified several areas needing improvement

They said:

The stigma surrounding drug addiction must be reduced
Parents need education to help prevent their children from becoming addicts
More tools and better access to care are needed to help people overcome addiction
Residential treatment programs should not be limited to 28 days
Innovative and creative approaches should be encouraged and shared
More community support is needed to help those who have completed treatment programs to avoid a relapse

Panelists said they appreciated the opportunity to talk directly with Botticelli.

Doug Leonardo, executive director of BayCare Behavioral Health put it like this: “I feel like I’m sitting next to a rock star. For folks in the field, this is the individual who has the president’s ear on policies related to substance abuse for this country. So, it’s really a big deal.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that opioids – a class of drugs that includes heroin and prescription pain medications – were involved in 28,648 deaths in 2014.

“We don’t have our arms around addiction and it continues to get worse,” Leonardo said. “It feels like two steps forward, one step back, sometimes.”

Part of the answer lies in changing the perception about people with addiction problems, speakers said.

“We’re talking about a brain disease,” Leonardo said. “We don’t put people in jail for having diabetes.”

Reducing that stigma can help lead to earlier intervention.

“We all tend to look the other way,” said Kelly Mothershead, a panelist who lost her only son to a prescription pill overdose. “You don’t want people to think you have a child addicted to drugs.”

Decision-makers often don’t understand the scope of the problem, said Nancy Hamilton, president and CEO of Operation PAR, an agency that screens about 30,000 people a year in seven counties.

“We admit about 14,000 into our continuum of care and we have over 4,000 people who are medicated-assisted treatment,” she said.

She hears decision-makers say, “They had their chance at treatment.”

They don’t realize that people addicted to opioids relapse most often, Hamilton said. “So, they may need two or more bites of the apple to put all of their act together.”

Dr. Laura Bajor, a psychiatrist at North Tampa Behavioral Health, said she came to a clearer understanding of the problem when she was working in Boston.

“We had a lot of clean-cut kids coming back (from the war). Guys who had joined the Marine Corps out of Catholic school and had been Eagle Scouts and football players, coming back getting paper bags full of opioids at Walter Reed (National Military Medical Center), showing back up in Dorchester and Southie (South Boston) and as soon as they ran out of the opioids, were targeted by heroin dealers that they had gone to high school with.

“It was a bit of an eye-opener to see such clean-cut guys overdosing and seeing their boot camp pictures in their obits and at their funerals.

“It really taught me that this is not a character issue or a class issue, it’s a human issue,” Bajor said.

The problem must addressed through enforcement and treatment, Botticelli said.

The Pasco County’s Sheriff’s Office agrees.

The law enforcement agency takes aim at the supply side, but also recognizes that it can’t arrest its way out of the problem.

It deals daily with problems caused by addiction.

The county jail is “probably the largest detox facility in the county,” said Capt. Chris Beaman, of the sheriff’s office.

It is working with BayCare to increase intervention.

When responding to a call, sheriff’s deputies sometimes encounter people who have hit rock bottom, Beaman said. “Maybe, at that time, we can get them to make the decision to get treatment.”

Parents need to learn what to look for and need advice on prevention strategies, and it should be offered at work places, so parents have a chance to receive it, Mothershead said.

“We have to educate before it happens,” Mothershead said.

More education is needed, agreed Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

“Right now, if there is any parent who doesn’t understand what SPICE is, and they think it’s something in their cabinet, we’re in trouble,” Nocco said. Abuse of SPICE, which are synethetic drugs, is growing.

Botticelli asked Leonardo to describe what he sees “as critical ingredients to get people to long-term recovery.”

Leonardo said ingredients leading to long-term recovery include some element of support, either family or someone like family; access to appropriate type of treatment for the individual; and, a supportive environment after treatment, he said.

Botticelli agreed: “We want a continuum of care, not just short-term treatment. This is a chronic disease and people need long-term care

“We have to make our communities safe and supportive for people in recovery,” said Botticelli, who has been in recovery himself for more than two decades.

Innovation and creativity are important, too, Leonardo said.

“Creativity is key because nobody is going to throw money at this problem,” Bajor said.

Closer collaboration would help, Bajor said. “We would love to network with other providers in the area to close some of the gaps that our clients tend to fall into.”

Botticelli asked Judge Shawn Crane: “What do you see as kind of the unique needs of veterans?”

Crane replied: “What we have really learned is that veterans respond better in groups of veterans.”

That’s because veterans have a unique set of experiences and a lingo that’s all their own, Crane said.

“When you are a Marine recon sniper, there’s not much of a job for you when you come back out of the service,” the judge said.

“I took people who were in Drug Court and put them into Veterans Court and into Veterans groups and they just flourished. They just felt so much at ease,” Crane said.

“We do need to look at these guys as being a little bit unique,” agreed Bajor, who was a Navy pilot. The North Tampa Behavioral Center has a program designed specifically for veterans.

“They push each other more than we push them,” Bajor said.

Published May 11, 2016

Fallen officers honored at memorial service

May 4, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Dozens of citizens, along with well over a hundred Pasco County law enforcement officers, joined together at the Historic Dade City Courthouse to honor fallen officers — both past and present.

Fallen officers, both locally and nationally, were honored during a 90-minute ceremony at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service on April 29.

During the solemn occasion, several speakers — including Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera — discussed the importance of law enforcement, commemorating those that have fallen, and those who presently serve the community.

Lopez-Cantera highlighted the state’s 2015 crime rate dip, saying, “We talk about how great it is to live in Florida and we talk about how many people are moving to our state, but don’t think for one second that we don’t always remember and recognize that we would not have these communities, these businesses moving to Florida if we did not have a 44-year low in our crime rate.

Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom addresses the crowd at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the Historic Courthouse in Dade City. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos) — Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom addresses the crowd at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the Historic Courthouse in Dade City.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

“We do not forget that these men and woman protect our families, protect our business and even protect those that level meritless criticism against them,” Lopez-Cantera added. “We say, ‘thank you’ to those that have served, currently serve and their families.”

Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom told the crowd he hopes “some year we could come to these services to remember those that have only lost their lives in the line of duty in the past, and we would have no new names to add to the memorials here or across the country.”

The 35-year veteran of law enforcement pointed out nationwide increases in line-of-duty deaths by gunfire, with 17 incidents thus far in 2016.

“We wonder why this is going on and despite all the many changes we’ve made over the years, we still see the violence and the death,” Velboom said, noting there’s been a national upheaval in policing since the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer. The shooting prompted protests for weeks in the city, a suburb of St. Louis.

“While it’s been proven the officer acted appropriately, the event cast a shadow over the department, its practices and cultures,” Velboom said, adding “and law enforcement all around the country is being painted with that same broad brush.”

Velboom acknowledged the importance of law enforcement officers to earn the trust and respect of the citizens they serve to prevent issues in the future.

“We must continue to work on building positive relationships with our community and be as transparent as we can,” he explained. “We must work on this every day, with every action.”

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco discussed the cultural significance of the “thin blue line,” a symbol of solidarity for police officers and their families.

More than 100 law enforcement officers and dozens of citizens were present for the memorial service.

“We sometimes hear a few people talk about the thin blue line in a negative manner — where they think the blue line represents a policy where law enforcement officers have a protocol…to protect criminals who wear a badge,” Nocco said.

But Nocco said, “We actually hold the greatest responsibility to hold up the integrity of the badge, especially to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while wearing it,” Nocco said.

Despite recent negativity and pessimism toward law enforcement nationwide, Nocco, Pasco’s sheriff since 2011, said, “our world consists of men and woman, and families who understand there is good and evil in this world and evil must be defeated, no matter how ugly that may look.”

The sheriff went on to say, “Most importantly, our world is made up with true heroes, who are filled with so much bravery and love that they’re willing to give up their earthly body to protect another human being.

“We honor their sacrifices — not just on one day, but every day,” Nocco said.

Pasco County fallen officers

• Lieutenant Charles A. “Bo” Harrison

End of Watch: June 1, 2003

Cause: Gunfire

• Deputy Sheriff John Herbert “Bert” McCabe

Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

End of Watch: June 26, 1948

Cause: Automobile accident

• Deputy Sheriff William Henry O’Berry

End of Watch: Jan. 1, 1926

Cause: Gunfire

Constable Arthur Fleece Crenshaw

End of Watch: Oct. 4, 1922

Cause: Gunfire

Deputy Sheriff Sheldon S. “Shelley” Nicks

End of Watch: May 8, 1909

Cause: Gunfire

Others honored:

• Deputy Sheriff John Charles Mecklenburg
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: July 3, 2011
Cause: Vehicle pursuit

• Trooper James Bradford-Jean Crooks
Florida Highway Patrol
End of Watch: May 19, 1998
Cause: Gunfire

• Federal Prohibition Agent John Van Waters
United States Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service – Prohibition Unit
End of Watch: Oct. 4, 1922
Cause: Gunfire

Putting the spotlight on substance abuse

May 4, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Taking aim at substance abuse requires a new mindset, if efforts are to succeed, speakers said at the fifth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference on April 29.

The biggest crisis hitting Florida today is the heroin and opioid epidemic, but the issue isn’t treated that way, said Mark Fontaine, executive director of Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.

“We have 13 cases of Zika virus and we write all about the 13 cases of Zika virus.

“We have people dying every day in this state from heroin and from other drugs — we have more deaths in Florida than from auto accidents or from firearms, from addiction. That is not on the front page every day.

“In the city of Delray, there were 163 overdoses from January through the end of March,” Fontaine added. “We need a higher profile around this issue.”

His remarks came during a panel discussion at a conference that drew about 400 people to the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. The conference was presented by BayCare Behavioral Health and the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).

The panel was just one of many ways that conference-goers could learn more about substance abuse issues and ways to tackle the problem. There were vendors there and numerous breakout sessions during the afternoon.

During the panel discussion, Fontaine said it’s not enough to merely focus attention on the problem of substance abuse, there’s also a need to shift society’s attitude about addressing it.

“This is a health condition. This is not a criminal justice condition. People have drug problems and they are addicted to drugs. We need to change the conversation to this being a condition that needs help, it needs assistance, it needs information, we need to make treatment available,” Fontaine said.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco characterized the issue as a community problem, requiring a united response.

“Our jail is probably the largest hospital in the county because we’re dealing with so much addiction,” Nocco said.
“Our role is to break up the criminal enterprise. But law enforcement alone cannot win the war on drugs,” he said.

People with substance abuse will find a way to fuel their addiction, he said. “That’s a mental health issue. That’s a healthcare issue.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said the issue hits close to home because she has a relative who has struggled. She said the county has taken aim at drug houses, through the county’s code enforcement efforts.

Michael J. Napier, administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, said a more coordinated approach is needed, tied to specific goals.

“We’re really at a point where we need to be able to do an assessment of — what is the status of Pasco County?” Napier said.

He suggests that it’s time to “put a stake in the ground, set some measures and then hold ourselves each accountable that we accomplish that measure.

“It isn’t always about dollars. It’s about organizations and aligning resources,” Napier said.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning agreed with both Nocco and Napier.

““It is a community problem. We are in this together. We have to get it fixed together,” Browning said. “We need to have a coordinated effort. We need to have a plan. We need to be committed to it.”

The substance abuse problem is widespread, Browning said. “We deal with affluent families and we deal with families in poverty. What I find is that substance abuse issues cut across all socioeconomics.”

It’s a problem that can affect any family, agreed Kelly Mothershead, owner of A Focus on Fitness, based in Wesley Chapel.

“I’m actually a parent of an only child who died from a prescription drug overdose five years ago. It was devastating,” Mothershead said. “None of us thinks our child will be a prescription drug addict.”

Her son was in culinary school and was injured at work. He was prescribed Oxycontin, and it snowballed from there. He went through rehab, was injured at work again, and once again received a prescription for Oxycontin – despite Motherhead’s objections. He died of an overdose three days later.

She decided to get involved.

“We need to talk about it. We don’t talk about drug addiction because there’s a stigma attached to it. We don’t want anyone to know that our child is addicted to drugs. We don’t want anyone to know that there’s someone in our family that’s a recovering addict,” Mothershead said.

That has to change, she added.

“It’s a disease and we need to come together to fix it.

“We have to educate ourselves, our businesses, our communities — not just our kids,” Mothershead said. She suggests delivering some of this education in the work place, to give working parents access to the information.

Involvement is exactly what’s needed, said Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Barack Obama’s National Heroin Task Force and was one of the event’s keynote speakers.

It’s difficult work, Muni said.

“There’s not very much recognition for doing this work. There is no fame. There is no fortune in this work,” he said.

But it’s essential to have goals, in order to make progress, he said.

He encouraged conference-goers to be inspired and to step up their efforts.

“The time will never be right. The place will never be right. The situation will never be right. You have to make the opportunity. You have to make the conscious decision that you want to do something great.

“Greatness is a lot of small things, done well. And, it’s done at a local level,” Muni said.

Published on May 5, 2016

Sharing strategies to prevent substance abuse

April 20, 2016 By B.C. Manion

While there are no easy ways to stop substance abuse, there are steps that can be taken to reduce it.

Those strategies will be the focus of discussion during the fifth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference planned for April 29 at Saddlebrook Resort.

The event is being presented by BayCare Behavioral Health and Pasco ASAP. The conference is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel.

Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin, will address the need for local heroes to help reduce substance abuse. (Photos courtesy of PascoAsap.com) — Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin, will address the need for local heroes to help reduce substance abuse.
(Photos courtesy of PascoAsap.com)

“It’s a community conference, so it’s really our opportunity to get new people to take a stake in the coalition and the work of the coalition,” said Monica Rousseau, Pasco County ASAP Coordinator and conference co-chair.

The conference theme is “Strengthening Our Community: Creating Healthy Solutions.”

Throughout the day, speakers and presenters will share their expertise, solutions and tools. There also will be more than 20 vendors representing behavioral health providers and businesses. There will be panel discussions and breakout sessions, as well as keynote speakers.

“From my perspective, the main goal is to get people pumped about tackling substance abuse disorders and substance misuse in Pasco County, and getting people to realize that everybody has a stake in this, and everybody can do something,” Rousseau said.

Substance abuse is a problem that has wide-ranging impacts and can’t simply be left to “others” to resolve, she said.

“These are not just issues that need to be solved by politicians. They’re not just issues that need to be solved by community leaders. Regular, everyday, community members — parents, teachers, people without kids. Everybody has a role,” Rousseau said.

“It’s not just people that are abusing or misusing drugs that are affected. Everybody is affected,” she added.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, a former Florida lawmaker who spearheaded the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, will open the conference.

BayCare Health System’s CEO Stephen R. Mason will talk about wellness and health care integration at the conference.

Other speakers include BayCare Healthcare System’s CEO Stephen R. Mason, who will talk about wellness and health care integration and Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin.

“The real takeaway from this conference is that people will learn strategies,” Rousseau said.

“You will come and be inspired to take home solutions to apply to where you live, work and play,” she added.

One panel will feature Kurt Browning, superintendent, Pasco County Schools; Doug Leonardo, executive director, BayCare Behavioral Health; Kelly Mothershead, owner, A Focus on Fitness Transformation Studio and Salon; Michael J. Napier, administrator, Florida Department of Health Pasco County; Chris Nocco, Pasco County Sheriff, and Kathryn Starkey, Pasco County Commissioner. Panelists will address the community’s response to substance abuse in Pasco County.

“Each of them are tackling substance abuse, in one way or another,” Rousseau said.

Young people will be moderating the Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s panel, and will be raising questions on a number of issues, Rousseau said.

The conference also will address an effort that’s underway to respond to substance abuse differently than in the past, she said.

Previously, she said, “substance abuse has been treated as a separate entity. We’re really trying to move toward integrating it into general health and wellness conversations.

“By treating it as something separate, we’re only facilitating that stigma,” she said.

Rousseau said the community also needs to change its mindset about the issue.

“When I moved here, people asked me: ‘Why would you move here? This is the pill capital of the world, and it’s never going to change.’ And, I would look at them and go, ‘No, I’m here to change that.’’’

People need to realize: “You’re making it worse by saying that,” Rousseau said.

She hopes the conference will help inspire more people to get involved in her coalition, which is made up of volunteers.

“We know anecdotally that teachers really need help. They don’t know how to de-escalate the situation. They don’t know what to do with students who are presenting with behavioral problems. And, it’s burning them out.

“We need to teach them (teachers) strategies. We need to teach parents strategies.

“In order to do that and have a big impact, we need community members who are interested enough and passionate enough to learn this information, and share it,” Rousseau said.

Fifth annual Substance Abuse Conference
Speakers will talk about strategies to reduce substance abuse
When: April 29, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Saddlebrook Resort, 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel
Cost: $15 until April 20; $25 after that. Lunch is included.
To learn more about the conference and to register, visit PascoAsap.com.

Published April 20, 2016

Pasco County resolves call center dispute

April 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners have reorganized the leadership chart at county’s emergency call center — settling an ongoing dispute between Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

Commissioners approved a plan on April 12 to create a new emergency services department with a communications division and emergency management division.

Newly-appointed Emergency Services Director Kevin Guthrie talked with reporters after Pasco County commissioners approved a plan to improve operations at the 911 call center. (Courtesy of Pasco County) — Newly-appointed Emergency Services Director Kevin Guthrie talked with reporters after Pasco County commissioners approved a plan to improve operations at the 911 call center.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

They promoted newly hired Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to the new job of emergency services director. He will oversee both the 911 center’s operations and emergency management.

Lt. Dan Olds, of the sheriff’s office, will serve as assistant director of the communications division, a role he had before the reorganization.

The county will advertise for the new position of assistant director of emergency management.

Nocco favored the plan.

“Everyone seems to have hit the ground running. I look forward to seeing in the next 30 days what their evaluations are,” Nocco said. “I have full confidence in these two men.”

Nearly three weeks ago operations at the center came under renewed scrutiny due to a mishandled emergency call for a wrong-way driver and other dropped or unanswered calls.

It led to a testy commission meeting when Nocco recommended that Olds be appointed permanent director, and the county’s fire and rescue department name an assistant director.

Commissioners put off a decision for two weeks.

In the interim, Baker and Nocco sent letters to Pasco County Chairman Kathryn Starkey outlining their proposals to resolve the center’s leadership dilemma.

Baker also removed Jody Kenyon as acting director of the 911 center and placed Guthrie in that role. Guthrie previously served in Flagler County where he was in charge of both public safety communications and emergency management.

The county and sheriff’s office consolidated the center’s emergency operations in 2013.

Kenyon stepped in as acting director in 2014, when the director resigned. He remains as technical services manager.

Nocco has cited trust issues as reasons for not speaking with Baker, and leaving discussions to his staff members.

Baker has cited what she described as “half truths and inaccuracies” in Nocco’s statements.

Baker said Nocco still doesn’t speak to her.

But, there were no fireworks at the April 12 meeting.

Instead, there was a presentation and quick vote to approve the new leadership.

“I’m looking forward to seeing improvements,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Guthrie told commissioners in the past two weeks he already has seen faster response times on calls to the center. He plans to update commissioners on progress in 60 days.

“There’s nothing more important than having a quick response on a 911 call,” Starkey said.

The resolution was “a long time coming,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. But, he added, “I think we’re on the right path.”

Published April 20, 2016

Sparks flying over 911 center

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Controversy is swirling over the leadership of Pasco County’s 911 center, after a dispatcher mishandled an emergency call regarding a wrong-way driver on Interstate 75.

Pasco County commissioners also say that residents have reported instances of dropped calls or unanswered calls to the center.

“I think it’s gotten to the point we need to think outside the box,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said during the commissioners’ March 29 meeting.

Despite additional staff members working at the center, Moore said, “There have been too many missteps.”

A solution could come at the commissioners’ April 12 meeting in Dade City, when the issue is expected to be reviewed again.

The center has been without a permanent director for about 18 months.

On two occasions, candidates backed away. One cited family related reasons. The other gave no reason.

The issue of who will lead the county’s emergency center has evolved into a tussle between Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

Baker and Nocco disagree over who should appoint the center’s leader, and how the county and sheriff’s office will divide responsibility for the center.

The county and the sheriff’s office began consolidating their emergency response operations into one center in 2013.

Nocco and Baker each fired off letters to the Pasco County commissioners after a sometimes heated discussion at the commissioners’ March 29 meeting.

At that meeting, Moore invited Nocco to present recommendations to be put to an immediate vote.

“We all want to find a solution,” Nocco said.

He proposed promoting Lt. Dan Olds to the position of director of the emergency center, and letting Pasco Fire & Rescue name one of its supervisors as assistant director.

Olds currently serves as the center’s assistant director for public safety communications, which includes the consolidated 911 center.

Jody Kenyon has served as acting director, pending the hiring of a permanent director. He began serving in October 2014, soon after Dona Fernandes resigned from the job.

Baker objected to Nocco’s proposal. She said the matter “needs a more detailed conversation.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader backed Baker.

“This is an important issue,” he said. “There’s a lot of us that haven’t had the benefit of all the facts.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey agreed that a vote should not be taken on something commissioners have not seen.

Schrader urged Nocco to meet with Baker to discuss the matter.

Nocco said his staff members would meet with Baker, but he would not.

“When trust is an issue, that’s a problem,” Nocco said.

Nocco sent a letter two days later to Starkey and the board, again laying out his solution.

Nocco’s letter states that he has met with Baker multiple times on the issue and “she has failed to provide any solutions for the Center.”

Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker

On March 31, Baker sent a lengthy letter to the commissioners, responding to Nocco and outlining three options for hiring a director for the emergency center.

In her letter, Baker objected to what she characterized as the sheriff’s “inaccuracies and half-truths.”

Baker states there haven’t been multiple meetings, and Nocco’s refusal to meet with her are what have prompted issues about trust.

“I am concerned that his delegates are either misunderstanding or misrepresenting our conversations,” Baker wrote.

Baker contends that Olds doesn’t meet minimum requirements established by the center’s consolidation board.

Baker also notified commissioners that she was removing Kenyon as acting director. He remains as technical services manager. She appointed newly-hired Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to take on additional duties as acting public safety communications director.

In her letter, Baker noted that Guthrie supervised both emergency management and emergency communications in Flagler County before being hired by Pasco.

In a second letter to commissioners, dated April 1, Nocco gave “conditional acceptance” to Guthrie, if he is appointed permanently and serves solely as the center’s director.

Baker is expected to recommend three options on April 12.

The county has full responsibility for the center, with the county administrator hiring the director, with commission approval.
The sheriff hires a director and takes responsibility of the center. The county would appoint the assistant director, and set up an enterprise budget to track expenditures.
The center would be under control of the Consolidated Communications Board, which would select an executive director and other management positions. Employees and support services would be under contract with the county.

Baker also noted: “I remain willing to transfer responsibility and authority of the entire (Consolidated Communications Center) to the Sheriff, if that is the Board’s desire.”

Published April 13, 2016

Zephyrhills man turns trash into art

March 2, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

From crafting hand drawings to designing T-shirts, Steven Spittka loves art.

The 51-year-old Zephyrhills resident and Navy veteran still recalls getting “straight A’s” in his high school art classes in Michigan.

Inside his workshop, Steven Spittka trims the edges of a soda can to make his art sculptures. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos) — Inside his workshop, Steven Spittka trims the edges of a soda can to make his art sculptures.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

Having that creative mindset sparked the idea that he could make art sculptures “out of trash” — about five years ago, when he saw empty cans littering the yard near the now-defunct Crosslight Baptist Church in Zephyrhills.

“I was cutting grass one day, and I saw trash all over the church’s yard and ditches. …I picked up an empty soda can, I looked at it, and I said, ‘You know what? You can make something out of this trash and give it away to other people,’ and that’s’ where I got started,” Spittka said.

“I can make somebody else happy out of trash and cans, basically.”

For Spittka, the projects are a fun hobby, and a way to give back to the local community.

He’s made soda can replicas for Woodland Elementary, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, and the Zephyrhills police and fire departments, without any charge.

Spittka even met with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, and presented him with a soda can sculpture that included two guns and a pair of handcuffs.

“He loved it,” Spittka said.

Steven Spittka creates everything from classic cars to musical instruments out of empty soda cans, hot glue and paint.

Most of Spittka’s artwork is given away for free, though some recipients insist on giving him “a few dollars.”

“Everybody says, ‘You are so kind-hearted that you give all your things away,’ and I say, ‘Well, that’s my nature,’ he said.

“I just enjoy doing things for other people,” he said.

With a combination of soda cans, hot glue, and paint, Spittka can design anything from classic cars and motorcycles to animals and musical instruments.

He noted he’s gotten “better and better” at creating figures from soda cans over the past few years.

Depending on the scope of the project, Spittka may use anywhere from a few soda cans to more than 50.

Some pieces may take less than an hour to several hours over multiple days.

His ideas for the art pieces come at a whim inside his personal workshop.

Spittka used recycled cans to create the patriotic image of a flag.

“I’ll go out there and think, ‘What can I make?’ So, I’ll start twiddling and cutting and molding the cans,” said Spittka, who also works at a local clothing store. “It’s all out of my head. I don’t look at anything.”

To find enough supplies to make all of his art, Spittka rides his bicycle around Zephyrhills searching out all sorts of empty soda cans. He also recycles the cans that his family has emptied to make sculptures.

“People just give me ideas. They’ll slip and give me a hint, like, ‘Oh, I like butterflies, and it triggers,’” Spittka said.

While Spittka could likely turn his skill into a side business, he prefers to just keep it as a hobby, and give away his works for free.

“I just enjoy doing things for other people,” he said. “It’s something different.”

Published March 2, 2016

Pasco County fills leadership jobs

December 9, 2015 By Kathy Steele

New hires will step into leadership roles at three Pasco County departments.

Pasco County commissioners approved the hiring choices at their Dec. 1 meeting in New Port Richey.

Brian Head, a former chief deputy with the Pasco County Sheriff’s office, will be assistant county administrator for public safety and administration. He served 12 years with the sheriff’s office before retiring in 2013 with the rank of colonel. Most recently, he has been employed by Pasco-Hernando State College at its law enforcement academy.

Kelley Boree, left, spoke to Paso County commissioners who appointed her the new director of Pasco County’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department. Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services, stands next to her. (Courtesy of Pasco County) — Kelley Boree, left, spoke to Paso County commissioners who appointed her the new director of Pasco County’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department. Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services, stands next to her.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

In 2011, Head was one of three finalists for the top cop job in Pasco County following the retirement of Bob White. Gov. Rick Scott appointed Chris Nocco as the county’s sheriff and, soon after, Head was promoted to second-in-command as deputy sheriff. He held that position at his retirement in 2013.

He is a graduate of Troy University with a degree in public administration, and also has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Head’s start date is Dec. 14 at an annual salary of $115,000. He will oversee Fire Rescue, emergency management and the county’s new 911 communications center. He replaces Randy TeBeest who left several weeks ago to move out of state.

“I believe he is exactly the right candidate to help us put the cherry on top of the consolidated communications center,” said Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

Cloyd “Flip” Mellinger will become assistant county administrator for utility services effective Dec. 9. His start date will overlap by a few weeks the remaining tenure of Bruce Kennedy, who plans to retire at the end of the year.

Mellinger currently is director of utility services in Marion County, a position he has had for about six years. Previously, he also served four years in supervisory positions with the same department.

He served in the U.S. Navy and is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and a master’s degree in science and environmental management.

His annual salary will be $128,000.

Kelley Boree will become director of parks, recreation and natural resources effective Jan. 4. She currently is parks and recreation director in Jacksonville.

She is a graduate of William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri with a degree in business administration. She has served in director level positions with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Her annual salary will be $105,000.

“I look forward to leading an awesome parks team,” said Boree in comments to commissioners prior to her appointment to the job.

Published December 9, 2015

Seeking to sweep away commercial blight

October 28, 2015 By Kathy Steele

For the first time Pasco County will enforce minimum standards for the upkeep of commercial buildings.

But owners who may need to repair their buildings will have until May 1 to get their property up to code.

Other provisions to cite and fine owners of “slum” buildings take effect immediately.

Pasco County commissioners on Oct. 20 unanimously approved an ordinance that mirrors one already in use to monitor and enforce standards for residential structures and properties.

The commercial ordinance, proposed by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, drew objections from several Land O’ Lakes business owners who said the new regulations would be unfair, and were an example of excessive government.

But during a public hearing, most speakers praised the effort to clean up commercial blight along the county’s major corridors including U.S. 19, U.S. 301 and U. S. 41.

“You’d think that people would clean up their own yards. The truth is they don’t,” said Greg Armstrong, representing of the West Pasco Board of Realtors. “Unfortunately everyone doesn’t do the right thing. Sometimes we have to prod them along. We have to remind people that we are all in this together.”

Appearance really does matter when encouraging economic development, said Hope Allen, executive director of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

“We also have these buildings in Wesley Chapel,” she said. “We are very much in support of this ordinance.”

Stew Gibbons, the incoming president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, also backed the ordinance.

Moore met with residents on two occasions in the past two months to explain his reasons for pursuing the ordinance. The first time, he met with about 50 Land O’ Lakes business owners who strongly opposed the ordinance.

He found a friendlier crowd at a town hall meeting in September.

Moore said he listened to the criticisms, and requested county staff members to tweak the ordinance. For instance, owners won’t have to worry about code enforcement inspectors defining buildings that had too much peeling paint.

“It’s very hard to measure that so we took it off,” he said.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco supported the ordinance as a tool to raze abandoned buildings that are havens for criminal activities.

Nearly 600 service calls have been answered so far this year around the intersection of U.S. 19 and State Road 52 where there is an empty retail store, fast-food restaurant and a boarded up bank building. And, the Sheriff’s Office has responded to more than 200 calls from an area near U.S. 19 and Alternate U.S. 19, near a closed medical clinic, according to the law enforcement agency’s data.

But not everybody agrees with tougher restrictions.

Greg Conaty told commissioners he worries that the county doesn’t have the manpower to take on new regulations.

“I’m worried about the selective enforcement of it,” said Conaty, whose family owns Land O’ Lakes Recycling on U.S. 41, south of Ehren Cutoff. He said his business has been the focus of code enforcement in past disputes with another nearby business.

“I’m not sure we need more rules if we can’t enforce rules we already have on the books,” Conaty said. “I believe something should be done but it should be fair and across the board for everyone.”

Elizabeth Villanova, a 10-year Pasco County resident, was among a group of Land O’ Lakes business owners and residents who lobbied Moore for help in taking on commercial blight. She created a Facebook page for “Land O’ Lakes Beautification Efforts”, a grassroots campaign that has garnered about 570 signatures on a petition to clean up U.S. 41.

Property values can drop because of blighted buildings, she said.

“It’s been depressing to watch the complete degradation of (U.S.) 41 specifically. We desperately want this enforced on U.S. 41.”

Published October 28, 2015