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SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
Pasco is breaking growth records
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County’s growth has been so rapid that its staff can’t keep up with it — prompting the county to budget for additional positions to address the increasing development. The county plans to add 10 staff members to its planning and development department, two positions in code enforce-
ment and 14 positions in building construction services during the next fiscal year. “The county is experiencing unprecedented growth at this time.And, a lot of that growth impacts our branch, directly,” Sally Sherman, assistant county administrator for development services said, during a presentation at the Pasco County Commission’s Sept. 15 meeting. “As we strive to meet the demands of the customers for which we serve, we are also
looking to — ‘How are we doing, and can we do it better?’— all of the time. Along those lines, the branch’s staff put together a survey to gauge its performance, and to identify its strengths and weaknesses. “The survey went out to over 6,000 customers and those individuals who have literally had interactions with the branch. It received 644 responses, and of those See GROWTH, page 11A
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School funding issue highlights Pasco legislative delegation By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
More than 30 citizens and civic leaders made their voices heard on various hot-button issues during the annual Pasco County Legislative Delegation meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall. Refining funding for area schools was among the key themes at the Sept. 1 gathering. The annual event allows residents, elected officials, representatives of city and county governments, and civic organizations to speak directly to their legislators prior to the start of the next legislative session. Pasco’s delegation includes State Reps. Amber Mariano, Ardian Zika and Randy Maggard; and State Sens. Wilton Simpson (current Senate president), Ed Hooper and Danny Burgess, respectively. Maggard was absent at the delegation meeting. Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin opened the conversation on education — addressing the delegation on virtual school financing inequities. Beaudoin asked state leadership to consider an amendment that would strike language from a Florida statute that puts Pasco’s virtual program at a disadvantage to the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) program. Current law limits Pasco eSchool to earning full-time equivalency (FTE) funding during the 180-day school calendar, while the state’s virtual school can record FTEs throughout the summer, Beaudoin explained. This situation hurts students who wish to take online classes during the summer — whether that’s to meet graduation requirements or accelerate their learning, she said. She also noted that Pasco eSchool offers more than 50 courses that are not available from FLVS, including high-interest electives, dual-enrollment, Advanced Placement, and career and technical courses. “We want every opportunity to provide choice for our students and families,” said Beaudoin, a University of Tampa math instructor and department of education chair. Beaudoin put forth three instances of See FUNDING, page 11A
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SPECIAL SECTION inside this week
FRED BELLET
NHL’s next generation skates into Pasco Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, goalie Hugo Alnefelt, No. 60, blocks a shot by Carolina Hurricane prospect Blaker Murray, No. 85, during action at the 2021 Lightning Prospect Showcase at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. See story, page 12A.
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Shawn Element, No. 83, of Victoriaville, Quebec, who was invited by the Lightning to play on the team of prospective players, battles for possession with Carolina prospect Blake Murray, No. 85, of Canada.
Avery Winslow, No. 67, of Clearwater, was among the prospects to join the Tampa Bay Lightning. A member of the Islanders Hockey Club, Winslow was invited to showcase his hockey skills.
Dade City approves new pay scale for employees By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The City of Dade City is set to ring in fiscal year 2021-2022 with a slew of new positions and increased employee wages. The updated employee pay plan incorporates the greater of the following: 3% cost of living, new minimum pay rate and new minimum pay adjusted for years of service (1.5% per year of service greater than one year) in an attempt to help with wage compression issues. The pay plan has 19 salary steps, ranging from part-time crossing guard, which has a salary range of $23,400 to $35,100, all the way up to police chief, which has a range of $80,931.06 to $121,396.59. The pay plan also includes funding for 14 new positions, within the proposed budget, including the following: • Four police officers • A deputy city clerk • An executive assistant to the city manager/public relations specialist • A groundskeeper • A utility service worker • An engineering inspector • A utilities electrician • An assistant code enforcement officer • Three wastewater treatment plant operator trainees Other notable changes include bumping up paygrade levels for the city’s utility billing supervisor to be commensurate with other assistant crew leaders; upping the executive assistant to the city’s police chief to
FILE
The City of Dade City has adopted a new pay scale to address salary compression issues and to bring on more staffers.
the same grade as executive assistant to the city manager/public relations specialist; and, adding paygrade classification levels for fiscal assistants based on experience and duties. The new plan will increase personnel costs, and benefits, by an estimated $626,446 compared to the current year’s budget, according to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter. Dade City Commissioners approved the pay scale plan on a 5-0 vote during the commission’s Sept. 13 meeting. The plan is effective Oct. 1. Porter had outlined the city’s need to add staff and to budget additional money for payroll during a commission workshop
last month. She explained that more employees are needed to help manage the rapid growth and development planned throughout the municipality. About 6,500 new rooftops and several commercial properties have been approved to be built over the next two decades. Porter and Human Resources Director Patty Coram conducted an in-house salary study using pay information from seven comparable local governments, including Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Pasco County. The pay plan will make the city more competitive when it comes to attracting applicants, hiring candidates and retaining quality personnel, officials say. Moreover, officials say beginning to raise wages now will make for an easier transition to Florida’s $15 per hour mandatory minimum wage, which takes effect in 2026. Mayor Camille Hernandez voiced support for the justification of the comprehensive pay plan. She said it rewards long-term employees and will attract more qualified job-seekers, to ensure the municipality is fully and adequately staffed across all departments. “I do hope and pray with these new positions that we are adding, that we’re stepping it up a notch,” Hernandez said, addressing her comments to the city manager. “You’ve asked for things, we’re giving it.” The mayor also emphasized that expectaSee PAY, page 11A