News
Window on Pasco, June 23
TBO.com
Staff
Published: June 23, 2012
TAMPA - Pasco school boardwary on staffingStaff
Published: June 23, 2012
The Pasco County School Board recently gave a somewhat tentative and reluctant approval to the school district's proposed staffing plans for the coming school year.
Approval came only after Superintendent Heather Fiorentino and her staff reassured board members that they could still make changes through the summer as more information becomes available to them.
The staffing allocations call for funding 8,042 positions districtwide.
Pasco needs to cut jobs to deal with a budget shortfall of $24.7 million. At the same time, the district must add 107 teachers to meet state-mandated class-size requirements that limit how many students may be in core academic classes.
Group rescues dozensof dogs from shelters
Nearly three dozen dogs have a chance at a brighter future after an area rescue group stepped in last week.
Pasco County Animal Services was overwhelmed by the number of animals brought in recently. Officials are pleased when they can turn to animal rescue groups such as the Suncoast Animal League.
The county shelter must still euthanize to control their animal population. "We're coming close to about a 60 percent life release rate for all the animals that come in here," Animal Services' John Malley said.
He was grateful for the help from the Palm Harbor-based Suncoast Animal League, which took nearly two dozen dogs.
The "shelters take a lot of heat, but … it's the people out there that are dropping these animals off or dumping them out in the street … and that's where the real responsibility lies," Rick Chaboudy, the Suncoast Animal League founder, said.
Housing authorityofficial gets raise
Linda Wright, who stepped in as acting director while the Pasco County Housing Authority reeled from scandal last year, will get a $12,000-a-year raise.
But the authority board canceled plans for the rest of the agency's 32 employees to get cost-of-living raises of 5 percent.
Now that the authority has hired an executive director, Wright returned to her position as coordinator for the authority's Section 8 program — the only department at the housing authority that's generating positive cash flow. So her salary will be bumped up to $52,000 from $37,773.
The board also approved pay raises for all Section 8 housing specialists to bring their pay in line with other local housing authorities. Executive Director Dianne Morris said the raises are critical because three housing specialists have left for higher paying jobs.
Water safety eventfor hearing impaired
A free water safety program for children who are deaf or hard of hearing will be held 9-11 a.m. June 30 at the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center, 6630 Van Buren St.
Sign language interpreters will be available. Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation and the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services of Florida are sponsors.
Call Honey at (727) 853-1010 to reserve a spot.
Coffee with CityManager next week
City Manager John Schneiger will meet with residents during Coffee with the City Manager, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the second-floor meeting room of the New Port Richey Public Library, 5939 Main St.
Schneiger will discuss current issues and listen to questions and concerns of residents.
The free event is open to everyone. Coffee is donated by Starbucks store 13368.
Call (727) 853-1279 or (727) 853-1021 for further information.
Red Cross releasessmartphone app
The American Red Cross has launched a free first aid app offering simple lifesaving information to smartphone users on both the Android and iPhone platforms.
It gives instant access to information on how to handle the most common first aid situations, and includes videos and interactive quizzes. Users who take quizzes can earn badges they can share with friends through social media to show off their lifesaving knowledge.
The app also includes disaster preparedness information.
People may download the free app from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.
Suncoast Newsand Tampa Tribune Reports