Randy Maggard

Approvals recommended for Connected City pilot

November 16, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The framework for the Connected City corridor is falling into place.

Members of Pasco County’s development review committee recommended approval of new documents establishing fees that will be paid by developers, a utilities service plan and a master roadway plan.

State legislators approved the Connected City in 2015, and selected Pasco as the site for a 10-year pilot program to create communities and new jobs based on cutting edge technology, including gigabit Internet speeds.

The initiative also envisions alternative transportation, including lanes for golf carts, and trails and paths for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Pasco County commissioners will make the final decisions on implementing rules for the state-approved special development district, which covers about 7,800 acres in rural northeast Pasco.

Boundaries generally are Interstate 75, State Road 52, Overpass Road and Curley Road.

That final vote and public hearing, is tentatively scheduled for March 7.

But, the Pasco County Commission is scheduled to have a Dec. 6 workshop to discuss Connected City.

Though the state’s pilot program is for 10 years, build out in the district would take another 40 years, with completion expected around 2065.

Preliminary data from the county suggests that in the first phase, from 2016 to 2040, Connected City could generate on average about $20 million a year in property tax revenues. From 2040 to 2065, the annual haul in property tax revenues could be as much as $30 million a year.

The net affect on the county’s budget – balancing expenses and revenues – is not known yet, but county staff members are crunching data.

Within the district’s boundaries, it is up to property owners and developers if they want to participate in Connected City.

Rules provide an opt-in choice that requires an application process, and a mandated set of requirements and responsibilities.

Overall developers opting in would pay additional mobility fees and surcharges, but also receive incentive credits for such items as building alternative traffic lanes for golf carts and bicyclists.

Estimates peg infrastructure costs, including roads and new schools, at about $329 million over the 50-year time frame.

“We weren’t going to force anybody to participate in Connected City,” said Earnest Monaco, the county’s assistant planning and development director. “If they did nothing, they could continue business as usual.”

Oversight of projects would be transferred from the county’s development review committee and planning commission to a seven-member management committee. County commissioners would still make final approvals.

The goal is to speed up the process for land use changes, rezoning and permitting.

Members would include the District 1 county commissioner, three people appointed by Metro Development Group, one property owner not part of Connected City, one school district appointee, and a county staff member named by the county administrator.

Metro Development is partnering with Pasco on the initial projects in Connected City. The company plans to build a mixed-use community at Epperson Ranch, which will have a 7-acre manmade “Crystal Lagoon” as a featured centerpiece.

During public comment, concerns were raised about whether incentives given to Connected City property owners would be unfair to property owners who choose not to participate.

“I’m not sure how this is supposed to be,” said Randy Maggard, who owns property in the district. “Is this really a level playing field. That’s my concern. Is it fair and equitable for everybody at the end of the day?”

Attorney Joel Tew, who represents Metro Development Group, said data shows “there’s more than a level playing field.”

Residents along Kenton Road — which under the road plan would be expanded from two lanes to four lanes — were split in their support for Connected City.

Resident Jennifer McCarthy said she worried about losing the rural character of a two-lane road where residents enjoy open spaces.

Todd Stevenson, who also lives on Kenton, said he understands why developers are focused on this area of northeast Pasco.

“It’s largely undeveloped,” he said. “Of course, residents who live there are pretty upset. They like the peace and quiet of the unfiltered space. We have a lot of open space. We enjoy that. It (Connected City) potentially negates why we are there.”

But, Chris Joy said he welcomed Connected City even though he would lose land to the widening of Kenton Road.

His property fronts Kenton for nearly a mile, but he said, “It’s something in my opinion whose time has come. It’s not very pedestrian friendly. We’re very much in support of having this despite that our property is going to be split in two.”

Published November 16, 2016

Panel says no to charter in Pasco County

September 2, 2015 By Kathy Steele

With a one-vote margin, opponents of a charter-style government in Pasco County killed a proposal that had the backing of the county’s legislative delegation.

In an 8-7 vote, a 15-member appointed panel opted not to write a charter that could have significantly changed the way Pasco County’s government operates.

The vote came after the county’s five-member legislative delegation – State Rep. Richard Corcoran, State Rep. Amanda Murphy, State Rep. Danny Burgess, State Sen. Wilton Simpson, and State Sen. John Legg – had presented their case for pursuing a charter form of government. The charter could have included term limits, single member districts and a recall procedure to oust elected officials.

About 30 people attended the Aug. 24 committee meeting in New Port Richey.

After the vote, Corcoran expressed disappointment. He said he would prefer that voters had the final say on a charter.

Still, he said, “I’m glad we had the conversation. We had a good vetting. I’m happy.”

The seven votes favoring a charter came from panel members appointed by the delegation and two members appointed by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Corcoran had urged the Pasco County Commission to create a charter commission earlier this year that would have been required, under state law, to produce a charter.

Under that scenario, commissioners would not have been able to amend the charter document and voters would have the final say.

Commissioners resisted that approach, instead opting for a nonbinding panel which had the option of recommending a charter or not.

If the panel had approved a charter with a super-majority vote, commissioners had said they would present the matter to voters, without change, in a 2016 referendum.

But for a majority on the panel, the case for a charter didn’t pass muster despite assertions that other counties with charters were better off than Pasco.

“Where is this fantasy, premier, preeminent county?” asked panel member Chuck Grey. “What are we aspiring to be? Tell me a county we’re aspiring to be like.”

Delegation members repeatedly hit on the theme of voter accountability and empowering voters.

“There’s nothing bad when we talk about accountability,” Burgess said. “I believe a lot in autonomy.”
However, as a former Zephyrhills’ mayor, Burgess had one caveat, if a charter were adopted.

“I would prefer that we preserve local governments’ ability to determine their own destiny,” he said.

Simpson dismissed the notion of an elected county mayor, an idea initially raised by Corcoran when he presented the charter idea to Pasco County commissioners.

“My personal opinion is that would be a dreadful idea,” he said.

He did, however, find single member districts “not a bad idea.”

Corcoran urged the committee to include ideas they liked and let others alone. “If the county mayor is controversial, chuck it out the window,” he said.

Committee members Randy Maggard and Mike Ryan felt the committee’s vote was premature, and wanted to explore individual items, such as term limits and single member districts.

“We have not looked at all the issues in any depth to know right now,” said Ryan.

During public comment, only one speaker supported a charter.

“We have seen many county commissioners who have stayed on an enormously long time,” said New Port Richey resident Hugh Townsend. “I think turnover would be a good idea.”

Former Pasco County Commissioner Pat Mulieri said many unanswered questions remained about why Corcoran and others were pursuing a charter.

“You don’t want turmoil in Pasco County,” she said. “These changes could cause turmoil with government, when this is a time for stability with our economic growth.”

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano wondered why all the focus was on accountability at the local level.

“It concerns me that those who just left Tallahassee and didn’t do what they needed to are concerned about accountability,” he said.

Legislators recently ended a special session to redraw the state’s district maps under order from the Florida Supreme Court. They recessed without agreeing on a map, making it likely that the court will redraw the map.

At least for now, the charter issue in Pasco seems moot.

A grassroots group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, has expressed interest in a petition drive to collect 45,000 signatures required by state law to establish the charter commission that Corcoran wanted. Coalition members had anticipated that Corcoran would partner with them.

However, the lawmaker said he had no plans to join in their efforts.

“We’ll see. I’ll keep working for ways to make all levels of government accountable,” Corcoran said.

Published September 2, 2015

Legislative delegation to weigh in on charter

August 19, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Fish or cut bait?

Members of the Municipal Association of Pasco County, which represents the six cities in Pasco, want a final decision on whether the county should alter its form of government.

Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley) — Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

They likely will get their wish on Aug. 24 when the county’s appointed charter review panel has scheduled a vote on the matter. A previously scheduled vote on Aug. 10 was postponed until the charter panel could hear from Pasco’s legislative delegation.

State Representatives Richard Corcoran and Amanda Murphy, and State Senators John Legg and Wilton Simpson have confirmed they will attend the Aug. 24 meeting which will begin at 1 p.m., in the first floor board room, at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

Pasco’s cities have expressed opposition to a charter.

“We are very concerned at the implications a charter would have on our cities,” said Lance Smith, a Zephyrhills’ city councilman. He and St. Leo Mayor Pro Tem James Hallett addressed panel members at their Aug. 10 meeting in Dade City.

Among issues of concern, according to Smith, would be whether cities would retain control over establishing special tax districts, known as community redevelopment areas.

“We need this decision one way or another,” he said. “Fish or cut bait.”

Zephyrhills is one of six cities in the municipal association. Others are Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo and San Antonio.

The municipal association members met recently and approved a resolution opposing charter government.

The resolution urges panel members “to reconsider this…effort, and to provide for a more balanced and transparent review of our county government in the future.”

There also is concern that a charter “would infringe on the rights and duties of municipal elected officials and the citizens they represent,” according to the resolution.

Pasco County currently is governed under home rule with five districts, each with a representative elected by countywide vote.

Twenty of the state’s 67 counties operate with charters, including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Commissioners appointed the 15-member panel in May after Corcoran lobbied them earlier in the year to establish a charter commission.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 charter panel meeting. She opposes charter government.

However, the Pasco commissioners’ nonbinding panel has the option of approving or rejecting a charter-style government.

In contrast, state law requires that a charter commission, once formed, must produce a charter that voters would accept or reject.

An activist group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, announced in June that it would partner with Corcoran in a petition campaign to secure a required 45,000 signatures needed to establish such a commission.

Corcoran has said in the past that charters give more power to residents.

“That’s sort of the idea,” said panel member, Randy Maggard. “The people have more say.”

Maggard said the panel should explore specific elements of charters, such as single-member districts and term limits, before shutting the door on a charter.

“We’re going to make a decision without discussing these other things?” he said. “Everybody has made their minds up?”

If the panel votes on Aug. 24 not to pursue a charter, then the panel can disband. It would take 10 votes to support a charter, but if that is the decision then, members would have to buckle down for months of additional study and work.

They would have to produce a document detailing the operations of government including possible adoption of single-member districts, term limits, a recall process, an elected county administrator or elected county mayor. Pasco voters would approve or reject the panel’s recommendation in the November 2016 election.

Regardless of the panel’s decision, the grassroots charter coalition can move forward on its own to seek to establish the desired charter commission.

Residents who spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 meeting were skeptical of a charter.

“Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should,” said Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization. “I think it’s a very wrong way to approach the citizens about this thing.”

Branche told panel members he had attended some meetings of the charter coalition group, and doubted that it would get the required petition signatures.

No one from the charter coalition spoke during public comment.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger worried that a charter with single-member districts would work against east Pasco, which has fewer residents than the more developed west Pasco.

“I believe the current government works very well,” she said “To spend more time on a charter I think would be a waste.”

Published August 19, 2015

Charter panel’s first meeting sparks controversy

May 20, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Sparks flew at the first meeting of a charter review panel that could recommend major changes in how the county operates.

The meeting was called to take care of housekeeping chores, such as by-laws and scheduling decisions, but it got underway with a jolt.

Clay Colson interrupted Pasco County Chairman Ted Schrader’s introductions to declare a “point of order” and challenge the panel’s right to meet.

Colson argued that the May 11 meeting date failed to satisfy a 30-day deadline set by county commissioners when they approved the panel and appointed its members.

Schrader threatened to have a deputy sheriff remove anyone disrupting the meeting. And Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the date was chosen by consensus among panel members. He added that a court order would be needed to shut down the meeting.

Former Pasco County Commissioner Michael Cox will lead the charter panel and business owner Randy Maggard will serve as vice-chairman.

“I don’t personally believe county government is broken,” Cox said. “Can we make it better? That is my hope.”

Speaking during the public comment portion of the meeting, Colson said, “I don’t feel represented by a single one of you. None of you has my best interests at heart.”

Colson also told the panel he and others plan to gather the required signatures to establish a charter commission that would include members that reflect Pasco’s diversity.

Since its appointment in April, the panel has come under criticism because all 15 members are white, and only one panel member is a woman. There are five alternates.

Pasco’s five commissioners each made two appointments. The five members of Pasco County’s legislative delegation rounded out the panel, with one appointment each.

Under state law, either a majority of commissioners or a petition signed by 15 percent of the county’s registered voters – about 45,000 signatures – can create a charter commission. Once a commission is created, it must complete a charter that Pasco voters would approve or reject.

However, the Pasco commission created a panel, rather than a commission, to allow an option of recommending no change to Pasco’s government. If a charter were recommended, a vote likely would be scheduled in 2016.

The panel will consider issues such as whether the county should have single-member districts, whether commissioners should have term limits and whether the administrator should be appointed or there should be an elected administrator or mayor.

Panel members briefly introduced themselves and explained why they want to serve.

Real estate broker Patti Spoeth, an alternate, said she wanted only to do “what is best for our county.”

Attorney Robert Eckard said, “If there is a better way to do government, I think it behooves us to look at that.”

Panel members also adopted by-laws and agreed to broadcast future meetings on Pasco TV.

The next meeting will be June 8 with other meetings to follow on the second and fourth Mondays of each month for approximately 18 months.

During public comment, residents expressed concerns and displeasure with the panel.

Published May 20, 2015

Charter advisory panel all white, mostly male

March 23, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A 15-member charter advisory panel that will decide the future of Pasco County’s governing structure is in place. And Pasco commissioners approved a contract to pay a private Tallahassee consultant $60,000 to guide its efforts during the coming months.

But the panel’s all white, and nearly all-male make-up came under fire at the commissioners regular meeting in Dade City on March 10. Each Pasco County Commissioner appointed two members, plus an alternate to the panel. Pasco’s five state legislators also weighed in, with one appointment each.

Commissioner Mike Moore got some pushback for his selection of a county law enforcement officer supervised by Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco.

“I have concerns with a member of (Nocco’s) team being on the committee,” said Chairman Ted Schrader. “I think it would be appropriate to replace him with someone else.”

Moore defended Pasco Maj. Mel Eakley as the right choice based on Eakley’s credentials in law enforcement and his service as a military veteran.

“I kind of take offense to saying we don’t want anyone on the board who is an everyday average citizen,” he said.

Schrader said he wasn’t questioning Eakley’s qualifications.

Other commissioners and Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano also questioned Moore’s choice of Eakley.

“Perception is everything, ladies and gentlemen,” said Fasano in a public comment to the commission. He questioned the appointment of anyone “associated with constitutional officers.”

But no one made a formal challenge to Eakley’s appointment.

“I respect Mr. Moore,” Schrader said. “I’m really disappointed in his choice. I think it’s a conflict of interest, but it’s your choice.”

The lone woman on the panel will be banker Candace Glewen. She is a replacement for Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s first choice of Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley. Crumbley declined the appointment upon the advice of the school board’s attorney who cited the potential for a conflict of interest.

Commissioner Jack Mariano appointed a woman, Cami Austin, as an alternate.

Former commissioner Pat Mulieri took the commissioners to task for not appointing a more balanced panel to represent the community. “It is ironic,” she said during public comment. “I was supposed to speak at a luncheon (today) celebrating women.”

The panel will tackle critical issues, such as whether Pasco County should have single-member voting districts, term limits and whether the county’s structure should be changed to have an elected administrator rather than one that’s appointed.

Mulieri wondered: ”Why did the board feel only men could make these decisions?”

She also questioned the $60,000 cost “for a consultant you don’t need. I’m standing here today to tell you it will go to $100,000.”

The cost for services from Kurt Spitzer & Associates potentially could exceed $60,000 if the panel requests additional work or travel beyond the flat fee of $5,000 a month, said County Administrator Michele Baker. The fixed rate includes travel for 12 months for approximately 22 to 24 meetings, she said.

Moore suggested panel members might not need a consultant beyond the early organizational meetings. “That’s a pretty large consulting fee in my mind,” he said. “I think you need to leave it up to the committee.”

Baker said the terms of the contract allow Spitzer to terminate his service with a 30-day notice. It also allows the panel to cancel his services immediately upon written notice.

Moore and Commissioner Jack Mariano floated a proposal to allow panel members to approve recommendations based on a simple majority, but Starkey, Schrader and Wells said the requirement of a super-majority vote was essential.

The panel must meet within the next 30 days.

Its recommendations are due to the commission by June 1, 2016. If the panel recommends a charter government, the matter would go to voters in a referendum on the November 2016 general election ballot.

Members of the Pasco County charter advisory panel
Commission Chairman Ted Schrader appointed Billy E. Brown and John J. Gallagher to the panel, with Cliff McDuffie, as alternate

Commissioner Mike Moore appointed Mel Eakley and Gary Bradford, with Joseph Poblick, as alternate

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey appointed Candace Glewen and Dewey Mitchell, with Dominic Scannavino, as alternate

Commissioner Mike Wells Jr., appointed Steve Booth and Tim Holladay, with Jim Driscoll, as alternate

Commissioner Jack Mariano appointed Chuck Grey and Bill Woodard, with Cami Austin, as alternate

Members of the Pasco County legislative delegation appointed Michael Cox, Robert Eckard, John Kinsman, Randy Maggard and Mike Ryan

Published March 18, 2015