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EAST PASCO EDITION
MARCH 1, 2017
City collects resident feedback
Kevin Weiss
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
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Hundreds of Zephyrhills residents have voiced their sentiments on key emerging issues and opportunities facing the city — both now and in the future. And, several of their thoughts and ideas — collected via a community-wide survey and a series of roundtable discussions — will be used in crafting an update to the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan. Planning director Todd Vande berg and Tammy Vrana, an urban planning consultant, presented the findings in a summarized report during the Feb. 13 meeting of the Zephyrhills City Council. The City of Zephyrhills launched a community opinion survey in September to identify the city’s key issues and opportunities across the next 15 years, for the Zephyrhills 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The survey had more than 700 responses,Vande berg said. Some of the main themes: • The city is rich in assets, and downtown is its greatest asset
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Last fall, hundreds of residents provided input on key issues facing the city via surveys and roundtable discussions. The exercise was to gather feedback and input for the Zephyrhills 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
• Downtown has challenges — such as blighted properties • The city needs more housing choices • Demographics are changing Zephyrhills’ identity — poorer, younger • School quality is declining, as is community spirit • The city needs to address emerging
health trends, including obesity • Growth is strong, but happening in places mostly outside the city’s control • South of Zephyrhills represents a development opportunity • Opportunities for economic development are in place • Traffic is growing The Zephyrhills Comprehensive Plan projects forward 15 years to envision where residents will “live, work, learn, play, socialize, maintain health, and preserve assets for benefits of current and future generations.” The plan — which should be complete by the end of 2017 — also seeks to address the city’s growth and development priorities and opportunities. Per state law, comprehensive plans must be evaluated every seven years and updated as needed. Additionally, city consultants and planning department staff conducted interviews of more than 50 people with different backgrounds and interests. Roundtable discussions were held on a number of issues, including real estate, ecoSee FEEDBACK, page 13A
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Rattlesnake fest not hiss-tory Pasco OKs By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
New organizers have stepped forward to take over the management of the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival & Run, an event that had appeared to be headed toward extinction. The Thomas Promise Foundation will be taking over reins of running the festival, that has been a mainstay in the City of San Antonio for a half-century. The San Antonio Rotary Club had been the festival’s primary organizer and had announced on Feb. 1 that 50th festival, which was held in October, would be its last. In announcing that decision, Betty Burke, festival chair, said the club decided to step away from the festival because it was too much for the small club to handle. After that announcement, however, five organizations stepped forward, expressing interest in taking over the event. Club members talked about those willing to take over the festival during the club’s Feb. 21 meeting, and after discussing the various pros and cons of each of the interested groups, they reached a consensus,
deciding that Thomas Promise would be the best fit for the festival’s original mission. Burke then headed to the San Antonio City Commission meeting to share the news. This isn’t the first time the festival has had a new organizer. Burke recapped the festival’s history, in her announcement about the festival’s demise. The festival originally was conceived by founders Eddie Herrmann and Willy Post, as a rattlesnake roundup — to replace the San Antonio Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Fun Day, which was being discontinued. The Jaycees presented the first Rattlesnake Roundup on Nov. 4, 1967, in City Park, in San Antonio, according to a history compiled by Burke. Its aim was to entertain and to give funds back to the community. The event continued for nearly a decade with few changes, until the Jaycees, gave up their chapter.That prompted Herrmann and other members to form the See RATTLESNAKE, page 13A
medical marijuana dispensaries
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
The Pasco County Commission has approved medical marijuana dispensaries, on a limited scale, to open for business in the county. Commissioners approved an ordinance on Feb. 21 that permits two medical marijuana dispensaries. The permits will be issued only for a low-level form of the product, known as Charlotte’s web. The permits also will be issued to two separate applicants, who will be able to open locations within the county’s industrial districts. And, the ordinance stipulates that if the number of qualified patients exceeds 1,200, a third dispensary can be permitted. Qualified patients must be state resiSee MARIJUANA, page 13A
JANUARY 27, 2016
Pasco administrator to retire in
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker expects to be very busy over the next year and a half. She’ll be crossing off a to-do list, one by one, before leaving in 2017 to go on a lengthy road trip with her husband. The couple will hit the road with their recreational vehicle and their motorcycles, on a tour of as many baseball parks and national parks as they can squeeze into a year. “That’s been our dream,” Baker said, so letting her contract lapse in July 2017 makes sense. But, don’t expect a lame duck administrator. “There’s no kicking back here,” Baker said.“This isn’t me slowing down. ” Baker has told Pasco County commissioners she won’t seek renewal of her current two-year contract, which makes her
2017
last day July 9, 2017. the jail and construction of new fire stations By then, Baker will • Relocating have worked 35 years central Pasco more government offices to in public service, 24 Baker also plans to fill vacancies for a of those years with few key leadership positions that remain, Pasco County. cluding an assistant county administrator infor Her to-do list, in public safety and administration. short form, includes: Progress has been made, Baker said, but • Completing mas- government services still could be more ter plans and updates customer-friendly. for storm water, solid A culture that was decades in the waste and tourism making is being changed, she said.“You don’t • Funding and building a diverging get to dia- turn a canoe.You’re turning mond road design to ease traffic congestion a ship.” Public service wasn’t Baker’s first at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 career choice. • Completing the State Road 56 extenOver the years she worked sion as a waitress, • Nurturing SunWest Park, the county’s flight attendant and a theater manager. She also served in the U.S.Air Force Reserve. fledgling aqua park Her undergraduate degree was in • Replacing and repairing aging busiinfra- ness administration. structure and roads damaged by the It wasn’t until she accepted a secretarial summer flooding • Making progress on the expansion of See RETIRE, page 11A Michele Baker
Kumquats reign supreme at area festival
Five candidates vying to be Pasco administrator
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
®
Saturday, January 30, 2016 9 AM - 5 PM Historic Downtown Dade City
FREE ADMISSION KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS
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David Loyd, vice president of the Pasco County Fair Association, in charge of the Celebrity ‘Milk-Off,’ measures the quantity of milk acquired by Shauna McKinnon, chief executive officer of Bayfront Health Dade City. She came in second in a field of dozens with 13 ounces milked in two heats.
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Amici Pizza plans stand-alone location
The site is located at the corner of of heading toward a construction start Magnolia Boulevard and Wesley Chapel Amici Plaza in spring with an opening likely Boulevard, which is also known as County ksteele@lakerlutznews.com by the end of 2016. Road 54. Pasco County records show a conceptual Pasco County is moving forward with acOwners of Amici Pizza & Deli are planthe plan with about 3,000 square feet for Road ning to build a new stand-alone restaurant, for quisition of right-of-way along County restaurant, and about 1,800 square feet 54 to prepare for the expansion of the twowith additional retail space, on Wesley retail. the lane road into a four-lane road at Chapel Boulevard. “We’d like to have our own building and 54 junction of State Road 56 and State Road The new restaurant is a short distance a bigger kitchen,” said Andrea Mannino. from the existing Amici restaurant in Grand No decisions have been made on the adSee PIZZA, page 13A Oaks Square, at Wesley Chapel and Pet Lane. ditional retail space, he said. Andrea and Josephine Mannino, are
INSIDE, PAGE 1B
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut
anticipate
Lakes in spring. opening their craft brewery in Land O’
I th
The first kumquat tree in St. Joseph took root more than 100 years ago, when C.J. Nathe planted it in his backyard. He added a few more, and soon he had small grove on an acre of fertile ground. a The kumquat king, as Nathe was later dubbed, transformed a quiet back road community into the Kumquat Capital of the World. An open house will take place on Jan. and Jan. 29 at the Kumquat Growers 28 pack- Margie Neuhofer and her i h h b dJ d
By Kathy Steele KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO
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Five candidates, out of a potential list of 11, made the cutoff and will be brought to Pasco County to interview as the replacement for outgoing County Administrator Michele Baker. Baker is scheduled to leave office in July. She notified county commissioners last year that she planned to retire and would
not seek to renew her contract. A group tour of Pasco, an invitation-only meet-and-greet, and interviews at a county commission meeting are anticipated in midMarch for the candidate finalists. County commissioners got a preview of 11 candidates at the Feb. 21 meeting in New Port Richey from Mark Morien, vice president of Chicago-based GovHR USA. Commissioners received packets on each candidate, including resumes and com-
ments from references, and candidate interviews. They voted to select five of the 11 candidates to interview. GovHR USA received a total of 54 resumes, from 18 states. Gabriel Papadopoulos, manager of Pasco County’s elderly nutrition program, was the lone internal candidate to apply. Although Papadopoulos wasn’t among See ADMINISTRATOR, page 13A