Pasco County Public Services and New River Library
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Feb 7, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Feb 7, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 1h 50m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 20% of 109 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Life depend on you to keep them healthy. Excess fertilizer, grass clippings, trash, oils, and pet waste wash into gutters and storm drains when it rains. Stormwater carries these pollutants directly into our lakes and rivers, creating an unhealthy environment for fish, waterfowl, and other aquatic animals. Storm drains are meant for clean rainwater. Most other discharges are illegal. If you suspect an illicit discharge, please contact Pasco County Department of Public Works at seven two seven eight three four three six one one.
Mm-hmm.
Do you like having fun and staying fit?
Do you like to be creative?
Do you like being part of your community?
Do you like a little friendly competition?
Do you like hanging
out with friends?
If you're saying yes, then come join us here at Pasco County Senior Services. We have locations across the county for you to get out and enjoy great company every weekday.
And that's not all. Do you like good food?
We have free lunch every weekday for those 60 and older. Just come in and sign up. If you like what you see, come visit us at Senior Services.
We can't wait to see you!
At any given time, 4.8 million people are being sexually exploited across the globe.
Men, women, and children of all ages, races, and ethnicities are exploited for profit. Women and girls are disproportionately affected,
accounting for 99% of the victims in the commercial sex industry.
Over 300,000 of America's youth are at risk of sexual exploitation each year.
The US is one of the largest consumers of human trafficking victims worldwide. When it comes to sex trafficking, consumption means the purchase of sex.
This is a problem that we face right here in Pasco County.
When you buy sex, you are contributing to the trafficking of men, women, and children right here in Pasco County.
It comes down to supply and demand. There are simply more people trying to buy sex than there are those people Willing to sell their bodies. Thus, the opportunity for human trafficking to occur. Do you think people enjoy being bought and sold that they want to perform sex acts with strangers?
When it comes to buying sex, we want to make sure the word is out there that Pasco doesn't buy it. Every law enforcement agency in Pasco County, including the Pasco Sheriff's Office. The New Port Richey Department. The
Zephyrhills Department. Department. The Dade City Police Department. And the Port Ritchie Police Department.
We are working together to arrest and help to prosecute sex buyers.
Would you like for your spouse to find out that you're paying for sex? Would you like
your kids or their friends to find out? Or your mother?
Do you want your boss? Your co-workers or your clients to find out that you are buying sex. How would you like to have a criminal record? Buying sex is punishable with jail time and up to a $5,000 fine. We use state-of-the-art technology. We have highly trained, experienced officers. We are leveraging detailed intelligence and monitoring the online platforms that sex buyers use.
All of law enforcement is working together. If you're a sex buyer in Pasco County Administrator, We will find you.
Don't buy sex. If you do, you will be arrested.
Are you one of the nearly 50,000 veterans who live, work, and play in Pasco County? Our team at Pasco County Veteran Services is here to help you and your family, making sure you receive the benefits you deserve, from filing compensation and pension claims to crisis and aid and assistance. We're here to serve you.
So all of the Veterans Service officers here in Pasco County are retired from the military. We all come from different backgrounds, different branches of the military, but we all bring forth the experience and our expertise just through things that we have gained from our own personal military services.
You should come in and talk to a veteran service officer if you're trying to put together any type of claim that involves the VA.
I just think the team is great. Here, very uh caring, that's for sure. And um, they put their all to help you. You get total. attention from them when you do come in, which is awesome.
So I have had veterans that that came in with five dollars in their bank account and once their claims get approved now they're getting a monthly tax-free benefit of over $3,000 a month. That's
Sometimes we can do it over the phone, we can do it over video, but it's it feels more personable when you're sitting there across from someone who probably lived the same life you lived and they it's more under more understanding to your needs and your wants.
Give them a call, find out uh if you can come in, have your documents with you, ready to go, and they'll they'll help you.
Finding Rover is an application that is used both on website and smartphones, and you can download the app or use the website to upload photos of your own pet to help find them if they become lost. And the way it works best with us is that when those animals are being found as strays by our animal control officers or being brought in by another member of the community, their information is automatically being uploaded to Finding Rover system, their pictures are automatically being uploaded. And if they see their pet, they already know where they can go and find it.
I think one of the interesting things about our organization is our ability to help the public. We have so many different ways that we can do that. One of the most special ways we do that is being able to reunite pets with their owners. And anytime we can get some technology, a form of technology to help us do that is incredible. And with the Finding Rover app, we personally at Pasco County Animal Services have been able to reunite pets with their owners based on facial. Recognition technology, which that's some space stuff right there, but we make it work and we get animals back into their homes and it's absolutely incredible, not only for the animals, but for those people as well.
The application for Finding Rover is a free application for smartphones. You can use any picture that you find on your Facebook pages, on your private pictures, anywhere that you have them. If you're using your phone, it'll open up your camera roll and you can choose the photo that you'd like to use.
Uh we've been out to this address many times. Uh we've got a building violation, a minimum housing case on it. We're trying to determine whether to condemn the structure or not. And we brought the uh Sheriff's Department with us because they're uh it's a known drug house and they're squatters. So we want to make sure that uh for our safety that everything's cleared out first before we make that determination.
Heartbreaking. I helped the gentleman that got that years ago. You need to have it cleaned up or removed one or the other. I always say it gone. It'd be better better for never then. That one in the house next door to it. They're both Garage. Unbearable.
So anyway, we have a made our determination that this is gonna be a combination case under the Slum and Blight. I'll just check with the Sheriff's Office before we head out, make sure that uh everything is good on their side and uh go back to start the case.
Okay.
So we're working on it for you.
I appreciate it.
Okay, absolutely. Whoever the in whoever the initial investigator was, I'm gonna have them start the condemnation and do it start it today. Okay. It makes me feel really good because it'll make the whole neighborhood that m that much of a better place for everybody that lives here. This is exactly why I do what I do. Mhm. Absolutely.
Mm-hmm.
Ha ha ha
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Welcome to Pasco County, the fastest growing county in the Tampa Bay area. The Pasco Board of County Commissioners is a high-performing organization with 2,700 employees representing 57 lines of business, serving nearly 600,000 people over 740 square miles, and we're always looking for talented people to join our team. This is your opportunity to help make your community a better place to live, work, and play. If you're ready to be part Of a great success
story, consider a career with Pasco County government, recently recognized as a top workplace for 2021. Opportunities include careers in utilities, public works, traffic operations, solid waste, animal services, public transportation, information technology, libraries, parks, human services, recreation and natural resources, administration, senior services, Fire rescue. Nine
one one Fleet. Building construction services, code enforcement, planning, environmental science, and so much more. Plus, our benefits package is tough to beat. We offer employee wellness centers. Health, vision, and dental benefits? Paid holidays and tuition reimbursement, just to name a few. We are local government reimagined. We're progressive. Innovative and in many areas
Pasco County is leading the way. Want to learn more about what we do and how you can be part of it? Visit mypasco.net and click on Job and Volunteer Opportunities. Our team is more than 2,700 strong. Your neighbors, friends, and even family members.
Come join Pasco County and make a difference every day.
Here in Florida, we're no stranger to rain, and Pasco County Public Works wants to show you how we're working to improve drainage along your roads. Our crews work hard to keep your roads in great shape, and you'll notice after a heavy rain, we often see ponding or standing water on the road that doesn't easily drain away. Ponding can be a problem for a couple reasons. Most importantly, it can be a safety issue because when you drive through standing water, you can start to hydroplane
and lose control.
So why does ponding happen? In most cases, it's because the shoulder doesn't slope away from the road, so the water doesn't have anywhere else to go. Pasco crews are always on the lookout for these problem areas and have a relatively easy way to fix them. Most Pasco roads that have water ponding problems have a sod curb where the grass grows right up next to the road. Our crews use this machine, called a grater, to shave off about three feet of sod running along the road. This creates a slope,
allowing water to run away from the road. Our crews also use a loader to scoop debris? and a sweeper to clean the work site. Then finishing touches are added, like new sod or stone to prevent the fresh soil from washing away. And just like that Ponding is gone and your roads are protected. This easy, cost-effective fix doesn't alter the rights of way or affect your property in any way. Thanks for watching and please visit mypasco.net
to learn more about how Pasco is working for you.
Hey, I'm Kevin Jenkins, Water Quality Supervisor for Pasco County. What you see behind me tends to create a lot of questions for our department. People ask all the time, why are you wasting all that water or why is that thing still running? The answer is simple. We're not.
What you see happening right here is a state-regulated process called water quality flushing. It happens every day to keep your drinking water safe. Our team is responsible for checking more than 122,000 connections all over Pasco County. As you can imagine, it's a daunting task, but it's work we do proudly and take seriously. We service both residential and commercial connections and flush water management. Periodically for preventative maintenance. It helps get rid of impurities, sediment, and biologic growth.
This work can be done by a team member or by an automatic flushing device known as an A of D. AFDs can flush pipes remotely. So there you have it and now you know. That's our flushing process in a nutshell. Pasco County works hard to maintain the best water quality. This is just one way we get to that point. To learn more about this and other Pasco County utilities information, please visit our website at mypasco.net.
Hi, I'm Angelo Lorenzo, Regional Manager at the New River Library. We're putting on the final touches at your favorite branch. There are lots of changes inside and out, starting with the parking. As you know, we've moved the entrance drive to the east side of the building, and on your way to the parking lot, you pass a book return kiosk under cover from the elements. to keep you nice and dry when you are just dropping off a book. We've added new landscaping to the
entrance and a bright new sign to keep you informed of events and happenings at the library at a glance. Inside, the flooring is complete, along with the ceilings and lighting. An expansive new front desk is the hub of the library, with friendly staff ready to assist you quickly and efficiently. The furniture, shelves, and fixtures are in place, and we're preparing to deliver the books to the branch soon. The Discovery Gardens at New River are the gem
of the library. We'll have a variety of display gardens, sensory features, and of course, garden beds for your use. We've also installed a covered area for holding seminars and demonstrations. We know you're anxious to enjoy the remodeled New River Library, and we're eager to show it off. Follow our social media pages and PascoLibraries.org for updates and for the opening date. Thank you.
We provide a place to seek support and services.
We provide you a way to keep going.
We provide affordable housing opportunities and create community partnerships.
We provide a place to play and preserve precious resources.
We provide you a place to learn and create.
We provide you a place to rescue and care for your furry friends.
We provide a place for you to flourish and to grow.
We provide your destination. So invite on your next adventure. We believe it's essential
to give the best resources to you, your family, and our community. We are humble and proud to serve you. We are Pasco County Public Services.
My name is Gina Botticello. I'm the Pet Services Supervisor here at Pasco County Animal Services. I am very blessed to work with our rescue partners every single day as they visit our shelter to remove animals that are not eligible for adoption, either due to severe medical or behavioral concerns. Our rescue partners are essential in helping us meet our Save 90 mission to ensure that at least ninety percent of our animals are live released. My
name is Robert Splato from Norman's Royal Rescue.
Hi, I'm Devlin and I'm with Rue
Guys Rescue and Project Golden Years. I'm Robin Vetro, the president of Norman's Royal Rescue.
I am Dr. Carrie Bureck. I am a rescue coordinator for Sun Coast Animal League in Palm Marbour,
Florida. I love and work with my county because my shelter loves and respects our rescue. We have a large development and an educational boundary that knows we take the special cases.
I think the best thing about rescuing is that as low as as low as it can get, I'm probably gonna get emotional with this. As b as bad as it can get and the things that we see as bad as they are, um we know that we have the ability to make them better. We have the ability to make these animals' lives amazing.
It's it's just that these poor animals, what they go through. And they're a lot of them with their backstory is where they come from. And all they want is somebody to love them. So we figure if we can rescue 'em, whether they're injured, sometimes behavioral. We rehabilitate them and find them that home. I it's just something that we're the voice of them. They d they don't have a voice unfortunately.
About five years ago we adopted a dog that was a rescue dog. His name was Norman. He lived here. Um He showed us that whole world where there were these dogs that people just overlooked because they were different.
Pasco County Administrator is an excellent partner to Sunko's Animal League. I mean we have a great relationship. We work together in rescuing animals and improving the animals' lives and um getting these animals out, getting them the medical care that they need and um getting them where they need to go.
As far as Pasco County Administrator in the five counties we've visited. We actually live in Hernando, um, but we visit all the shelters and we get the most help, the most love from the people that work here, the people that volunteer here. They become family and that means more To us as a rescue because we have a support system outside our foster
base. Our county has come so far from where it had been 12 years ago when I was director at the SBCA locally. We have come so far. Feats and boundaries, where dogs like R-Tex here, who was a hit by a car, who was a very stressed-out, not a really appropriate shelter dog that we wouldn't have been able to treat here. the shelter. We get that phone call, hey, can you you're you're one of our partners that'll do car cases like this in the car on the way. Not a problem.
For us it's just an invaluable partnership, you know, and I think that we've managed to changed the lives of so many animals, save the lives of so many animals because of this partnership and it is just a really cool thing.
They serve, as I did, to fight for our freedoms. We here at GoPasco want to return the favor by serving you. GoPasco offers all active duty military and veterans unlimited free rides on our fixed-route buses. When you step on the bus, just show the driver one of these forms: Military ID card, DD Form 2, Valid VA card, V on your driver's license, or GoPasco Veteran ID. Go Pasco, where veterans ride free.
No. Alright. Woo!
Back a couple years ago, this was just a bridge. This was Overpass Bridge from Old Pasco Road all the way over to Boyette and and beyond. And what we've done is take it and turn it into a full interchange with I-75. So full access, northbound, southbound, big difference from what we had before.
This is all about quality of life for our residents. When you think about how long people have to sit in traffic these days, especially It this is about again getting people to work, getting people home, getting people to their uh sporting events so they quicker so they can spend more time with their families. Again, quality of life.
It'll separate that traffic from 56, 54, and up to 52. And it'll spread that traffic out and our citizens need that. They're it's really congested out there.
By working together, we can often advance projects many years. And we've had a number of good examples in Pasco County, this being the latest, but the State Row 56 extension, the new 52 realignment, all great projects. And if the county and the state had not worked together, we'd probably be looking at years before we'd be able to deliver them.
You know, we have a great relationship with Secretary Gwynn and the F DOT, and it it took about 10 years to bring this interchange to fruition, but we knew how important it would be. for this area and it's not it's not a normal thing when you're able to get a new inner interchange like this. So um so we're very excited about it.
Yeah, the river's not so high. Right now we should be already. It's pretty good flow to it though. I grew up thinking if I could just drive a truck around in the woods or being out in in nature, that'd be a perfect job, and I kind of found that here at the district. Being able to airboat to different lands, drive out in portions of the Wittacoochie or boat down at the river's length is just absolutely amazing to me. Out here I'd relax. It's just a wonderful place to be in the spend time and it's amazing to me that I'm able to do that. The Withacoochie River has about a 2,000 square mile watershed, which
means this is the area, the portions surrounding the river that when it rains it can potentially flow into and feed the river. I'm Dr. Mark Fulkerson, a senior professional engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Withacoochie is where I call home. It's where I grew up, it's where I was born and raised developing a great love for the outdoors. Currently I'm the project manager for the Withoutchee River Watershed Initiative. As you paddle down the river, you never know what you might encounter. It might be a snake, a turtle, a gaiter, a bird. And this is GS 108, the Withlacoochie
River Watershed Initiative is a really a multi-year effort that is designed to better understand the dynamics of the river and its watershed.
Okay, go out in the center line.
To identify how certain alterations may or may not have affected the river system and to try to identify different ways that we can better manage the river.
Got it.
The Withacuche River is 160 miles long. It begins in the Green Swamp and passes through all or part of eight different counties before eventually discharging into the Gulf of Mexico. This is one of the few rivers that runs northward. The name Withlicoochie is derived from a Creek Indian word meaning little big water, which likely defines the high and low fluctuations that the river naturally experiences. Understanding the fact that the river is going to fluctuate low and high is a critical component. This is a pretty good indication that water's been this high, likely from the 2004 hurricanes.
In addition to these natural fluctuations, man has changed the river over the last several decades and really over the last hundred years. years on an effort to transform its natural function into one that benefited private needs. And really they were in in the name of navigation or certain industries like the phosphate industry or timber or citrus. Because the Withlacoochie River has experienced extreme highs and extreme lows in really the last several decades, and also because there were many man-made alterations to the river system, because of that there are a lot of public concerns. The Southwest
Florida Water Management District has been working on this effort since 2006. Really, this the work began six years prior to that, in the year 2000, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began looking at the entire watershed. Realizing we needed to come up with a comprehensive tool to analyze the entire system as a whole. How can we build a tool of the entire watershed? How can we look at all 2100 square miles as a whole instead of just focusing on one area? We realized we really needed to map out the entire river system. The accuracy of a model is only as good as the data
we put in, and for this effort, we really went above and beyond collecting probably 70. thousand bottom elevations all the way down the Withacucci River to put a bit of place into this model to characterize it accurately. In order to gather the information we've needed for this effort, I've basically walked or boated the entire stretch of the Withucuechee River, gathering the data, and that took over two summers.
It was really kind of like a pioneering in a sense. Probably not many people that have seen that portion of the Withukee River. Yeah, it looks like the river's come up a little bit since yesterday. It was difficult, you know, we Many times we just kind of have to traverse ahead a ways, walk through the walk the banks a long ways to try to figure out where the river goes. It's not very well defined in many portions of the green swamp. As we marched down the river, you know, we were locating our position by GPS. We were using the survey rod, putting it down
to the bottom of the river to get that elevation. Many days, you know, just chopping along the banks of the river so that we could have that clear line of sight. We were walking from eight thirty until dark just about every day.
One of the main goals of this study is to get a better understanding of the entire river system as a whole and to be able to use that understanding to make management decisions that are going to enhance the resources. There were many meetings, public workshops, working groups, initiatives that brought the public in and together to kind of identify what are the issues in the river system. The first step in identifying those issues.