Zephyrhills considers up to $31M in bonds for improvement projects
By JOE POTTER
Council:
Zephyrhills City Council approved on its first reading a resolution needed for the City to issue bonds for debt financing public works facilities, Zephyr Park and Alice Hall during their Aug. 11 meeting.
This was done because the City “has determined that the need exists to incur debt in order to finance the costs of all or a portion of various capital improvements including without limitation a public works facility project, improvements to Zephyr Park and various other capital improvements, approved by the City, as such plans may be modified from time to time (collectively, the "Project")
“It is reasonably expected that the total amount of debt to be incurred by the City with respect to the Project will not exceed $31,000,000,” the resolution said.
Further action will need to be taken by the Council before the bonds may be issued.
In other business, Council members:
Approved a contract with Stellar Development Inc. of Sarasota, to build Box Hangars at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Stellar Development was awarded the bid for this project on July 25.
The Box Hangars project will be paid for through a combination of grant funding and approximately $2.3 million in airport reserves. It’s anticipated that the work will be completed by Sept. 30, 2026.
Approved a contract for $1,298,192 with RCM Utilities for the Emergency Generator Grant Project. Florida’s Department of Environmental Management will pay $973,644 and the City’s share of the cost will be $324,548.
Heard a presentation by Nick Walton, executive director of the Sarah Vande Berg (SVB) Tennis Foundation, regarding activities that SVB has participated in within East Pasco.
The Foundation held its 5th Annual “Raising the Racquet” Fundraising Event in November 2024 at Zephyrhills’Mouratoglou Tennis Academy located at 6585 Simons Road.
The funds raised during that event help the Foundation to serve over 600 students per year across 16 program locations including 12 schools in East Pasco.
The Council’s Vice President, Steven Spina, Ph.D., suggested that the City provide the Foundation with $20,000 this year to help finance its summer recreation programs. City Manager William C. “Billy” Poe, Jr., said he would see if those funds were available.
The Mouratogloufacility was previously known as the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center. It had been named after Miss Vande Berg, a Zephyrhills High School alumni who received a scholarship to play tennis at USC Upstate.
Tragically, Miss Vande Berg, 21, along with three other USC athletes, died in 2015 as the result of a single vehicle accident.
Saw Zephyrhills Police Department Chief Derek Brewer swear in Alexander Diaz as a new police officer.
Diaz received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI.
He began his career in law enforcement with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Department and had a year of experience before deciding to become a police officer in his home county.
