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JUNE 17, 2015
Citizens’ coalition to pursue charter By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
A group of residents critical of current efforts to determine Pasco County’s future government structure are banding together to follow their own path toward a charterstyle government. On June 8, the newly formed Pasco Citizens Charter Coalition announced plans to gather 45,000 petition signatures needed
to establish a charter commission. If successful, the commission would be a counterpoint to the 15-member charter panel appointed by the Pasco Commission and the legislative delegation. Members had a press conference outside the Dade City Courthouse shortly before the start of the panel’s second meeting. “We want to keep government simple… and answerable to the people,” Clay Colson, a community activist, and a former
Independent candidate for the Pasco Commission, said in an interview. “We want government to be one that gives citizens control, not one that gives government control of citizens.” Colson said the petition is being drafted with language that will make clear that the charter commission should represent all segments of Pasco County. See COALITION, page 11A
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Stepping away, after a decade of progress By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
When Katherine Johnson came to Pasco County a decade ago, the educational institution she was leading was known by a different name. It had fewer campuses, fewer students and a smaller endowment fund, too. When Johnson came on board, the college was known as Pasco-Hernando Community College and had three campuses. In 2010, the college added its Spring Hill campus, and in 2014, it opened Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. The college also added baccalaureate degree programs in 2014 and changed its name to reflect its four-year degree programs. During the past decade, the college increased its graduation by 43 percent — a statistic that is perhaps most meaningful to Johnson, who herself graduated from what was then called a junior college. Johnson continued her education to complete a doctorate and become a college president, but it all began with the opportunity offered at the junior college. She is passionate about the educational opportunities offered by institutions like Pasco-Hernando State College. “My father couldn’t afford to send me to college. He was a railroad worker. My mother was a homemaker, and I didn’t have stellar grades. I wasn’t a poor student, but I wasn’t a stellar student, either,” she recalled. “Sometimes, community colleges are viewed as the red-headed stepchild — that we take any and all (students) — but quite honestly, I think that’s a wonderful mantra.” She believes that community colleges are sometimes the first option, sometimes the only option and sometimes the last option. Some students choose to attend a community college because they are on scholarship. Others choose it because it’s their only feasible option. And, sometimes they choose it because they can’t get in any other postsecondary institution. “We are an open-door institution,” Johnson said. Besides being an option for students on a traditional path, schools like PHSC offer opportunities for people who are in the work force or who have lost their jobs and need to develop new workplace skills. “We’ve had to adjust our programs of study, not just here at PHSC, but everywhere
PHOTO COURTESY OF PASCO-HERNANDO STATE COLLEGE
Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, retires on June 30, after a decade of leading the school.
Retirement receptions for Katherine M. Johnson Pasco-Hernando State College will host several upcoming farewell receptions for president Katherine Johnson: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 • 9 a.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road • 12:30 p.m., North Campus in Brooksville, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd. • 4 p.m., Spring Hill Campus in Spring Hill, 450 Beverly Court THURSDAY, JUNE 18 • 9 a.m., East Campus in Dade City, 36727 Blanton Road • 12:30 p.m., Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel, 2727 Mansfield Blvd. • 4 p.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road
due to technology, the changing work force, certainly, the economics, particularly crawling out of this recession,” Johnson said. “People had to learn to be flexible. They had to come back and learn new skills. And, so I think that the nimbleness of our institutions has provided access to perhaps many students who never even thought about coming back to college,” Johnson said. She uses these three As to describe PHSC’s mission: “It’s accountability, accessibility and affordability. Those three As truly make an equation for success,” Johnson said.
“Those are the three As that I’ve always tried to tie our mission to, so that we don’t lose our way,” she said. The college is focused on providing educational opportunities. “Students, students, students – are at the heart of what we do,” Johnson said. While she has played a visible role in steering the college through change and growth, she is quick to point out that there are many people behind the scenes who have played a vital role in the college’s daily operations, and its long-term success. As Johnson prepares to leave her post, she’s delighted that the administration building at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch will bear her name. “I was shocked that that would be a recommendation by the board, and that it would be so warmly engaged and approved by the board. I’m obviously humbled and honored to have my name on one of the buildings at Porter,” she said. She recalled meeting Don Porter on her first day as college president. At that very first lunch, Porter told Johnson about his vision for higher educational opportunities for students living in the community. The family’s later contribution of 60 acres for the campus played an instrumental role in making that vision come true, “Don Porter has to be smiling from up above because this was his vision. This was See DECADE, page 11A
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Pasco County growth puts strain on budget
PLUMBING LIC. #CFC1428982 ELECTRICAL LIC. #EC0001103
By Kathy Steele
program,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. By 2019, however, the county’s budget A tentative hike in storm water fees and would pick up personnel costs for the five a proposal to hire five additional K-9 deputies as a yearly recurring expense, fully deputies highlight growing demands on funded by Pasco County taxpayers. A hike Pasco County’s budgets for 2016 and into in the millage rate, which determines a homeowner’s property taxes, might be the future. At their June 9 meeting, Pasco County needed. commissioners gave the go-ahead for Sheriff Another option would be to layoff the KChris Nocco to apply for a federal COPS 9 deputies hired through the grant. grant that would pay 75 percent of the A decision would be based on a “recosts for five additional K-9 deputies. assessment of what our budget looks like,” The cost to the county for the deputies said Eakley. over three years would be about $757,000 Hiring additional K-9 deputies means the in matching funds. sheriff’s office can provide 24-hour coverThe application deadline is June 19, with age from this unit, he said. Currently, the grants announced in October. If awarded, drug and bomb-sniffing dogs and their hanthe sheriff’s office expects no additional dlers are scheduled only on the night shifts, funding needed from the county’s 2016 fis- he added. cal year budget. “We think it’s a great return on our in“We anticipate being able to absorb (the vestment,” Eakley said. expense) in its entirety,” said Pasco Major Pasco County commissioners also agreed Mel Eakley. to boost storm water fees by nearly 21 perThe sheriff’s office has current vacancies cent from $47 to $57 a year. That’s not the final word, however. as well as funds from the Penny for Pasco “It can always come down,” said program that could be applied in 2016 to cover salaries and equipment, Eakley told Chairman Ted Schrader. Pasco County commissioners had to setcommissioners. “I like the program. I think it’s a good tle on a maximum rate that will be
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published in the annual notice sent to area residents from the property appraiser’s office. The deadline for providing the rate is July 15. The final public hearing on the rate is set for Sept. 2. In response to a query about the county’s growth driving the need for more services and revenues, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said, “That’s a growth curve.Yes, it is.” The current $47 annual fee per residence was set in 2007 with the anticipation of collecting about $10 million a year. Revenues since have been closer to $12 million but are insufficient for a budget that covers operation and maintenance and capital improvement projects. Reserve funds over the years have all but vanished. At $57 a year, fees are expected to increase to about $14.7 million a year. The funds would be used for maintenance chores, such as cleaning out ditches and culverts. Without more revenue, there would be delays in service, Baker said. “People would be on the waiting list longer,” Baker said. “We get new calls for service every day.”