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The LAKER LAND O’ LAKES/LUTZ EDITION
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FEBRUARY 18, 2015
Improvements planned on SR 54 By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pastoral scenes of as-yet untouched land in Pasco County still exist amid the office complexes, shopping centers and subdivision rooftops that dot parts of State Road 54. But the “for sale” and “for lease” signs planted on large open fields in between KATHY STEEL/STAFF PHOTO those developments porThe Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin work this month to widen State Road 54 tend the future story for from four lanes to six lanes from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ traffic counts on what is alLakes Boulevard). ready one of Pasco County’s busiest east-west corridors. State highway officials are ready to unveil p.m., at the Residence Inn at 2101 a $16 million road project to widen the Northpointe Parkway, off State Road 54, at Want to see the plans? highway from east of the Suncoast Parkway the Suncoast Parkway interchange and The Florida Department of to west of U.S. 41 from four lanes to six Northpointe Village. No formal presentation Transportation is having an open house to lanes. The widening will bring that section is planned. State road department staff will give the public a chance to see the plans of the roadway into alignment with the ex- be on hand to answer questions. for a construction project to widen a secisting six-lane divided highway that narrows The project will cover a 6.7-mile stretch tion of State Road 54, from east of the to four lanes at the Suncoast Parkway. of highway that passes by Long Lake Ranch, Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41(also Survey teams began work Feb. 9. a master-planned community that has its known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard). Construction is scheduled to be completed first homes on the market. The meeting will be Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. in spring 2016. Other subdivisions along the route are to 7 p.m., at the Residence Inn, 2101 Residents can look at the road design at Northpointe Parkway in Lutz. See SR 54, page7A an open house Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY
William J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr. addresses the audience at the Feb. 6 announcement of his selection as the next president of SaintLeo University. He’ll start work later this summer.
Meet Saint Leo’s new president: William J. Lennox, Jr. By Michael Murillo
United States Army three-star lieutenant general, has been named as the ninth president in the university’s history. He was introWhen Saint Leo University began the duced at a campus news conference on search for its next president, it knew it was Feb. 6. He assumes his new post this sumlooking for a star. mer. Instead, the search committee found “It feels great,” Lennox said about taking three stars. on his new job. “I think it’s an amazing instiWilliam J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr., a retired tution.”
mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
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Lennox is familiar with Saint Leo University. He served on the school’s board of trustees for six years before deciding to take on the president’s role. Lennox has been part of the selection process from its inception, but not always in the role of a candidate for the job. See PRESIDENT, page7A
Charter government discussions continue in Pasco By Kathy Steele Winner 2012, 2013, 2014
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813-949-4445
B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County commissioners spent nearly three hours at a special workshop on Feb 12 learning about the intricacies of the process for putting a charter-style form of government on the ballot, but they still have more to talk about. So they decided to take it up again at a Feb. 17 workshop. Commissioners could decide to vote on an ordinance to establish a charter advisory committee and that action could be decided at the commissioners’ Feb. 24 meeting. But the debate over the issue of shifting to a charter-style form of government could play out for months, and the earliest that voters are likely to weigh in on the matter would be in a referendum on the 2016 general election ballot. The idea of adopting an ordinance to appoint an advisory committee emerged
during the Feb. 12 workshop. That approach gives commissioners more control of the charter process than an autonomous charter commission. The issue is sparking interest. More than 50 people filled the commission chambers at the Feb. 12 workshop. Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller Paula S. O’Neil, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley and Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning were there, in addition to a number of residents who are interested in the issue. Ginger Delegal, general counsel for the Florida Association of Counties, provided a primer on charter governments and Kurt Spitzer, a Tallahassee-based private consultant, provided insights on how charter governments operate in various counties across Florida. Pasco now operates with five county commissioners elected countywide, and an
“What is the agenda? I cannot understand what is driving this because I don’t believe right now it’s the people of Pasco.” — Pat Mulieri
appointed county administrator. In recent months, State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, has advocated to give Pasco voters the option of changing to a charter style of government which could allow for such things as single-member districts for county commissioners, term limits, an elected county administrator or an elected county mayor. Twenty of the state’s 67 counties operate See CHARTER, page7A