 Tampa Bay Times photo T’was scrolling Tuesday through another ordinary batch of county commission emails when an old friend’s name caught my eye.
Jimmie T. Smith. And he wanted answers. Suddenly my day brightened.  This year, so we’re promised, the county will start construction on the widening of C.R. 491 in Lecanto, somewhere between Allen Ridge and C.R. 486.
When finished, it will complete the four-laning of 491 to C.R. 486 which we all agree has taken WAY too long.  We usually like to start the week with some hard-hitting theme but a certain sporting event Sunday interfered with my writing time.
Sunday through Thursday I start writing around 4:30 p.m. and get it all done and posted by about 9. I’m a zombie when that schedule is messed with, as it was this weekend, forcing me to write much earlier in the day when my brain was still finishing up the weekend.  Starin’ at the laptop screen and it’s starin’ back…
— Lord knows I enjoy writing about Citrus County government and politics but after a week like this one, I need to back down for a few days. For me, that means an aimless drive.  Well, that’s one way to get noticed.
How else to explain Commissioner Jeff Kinnard forcing a vote Tuesday on committing $2 million for “services” associated with the LifeStream Baker Act facility being planned for Lecanto?  Before I get into what I really want to discuss, two quick items from Tuesday’s county commission meeting:
1. The Betz Farm buyer gets another 90 days to secure a conditional Swiftmud permit before closing on the property. We’re crossing our $6.6 million fingers he gets that permit.  No big plans for the day? Mosey over to Inverness at 1 p.m. for the Citrus County Commission meeting.
It’s a big day for this new board. A few agenda items may test their ability to debate issues of significance and keep cool heads.  A county commissioner uttered a word the other day that I had not heard in quite some time. Commissioners were discussing growth, and in particular the stores and homes coming to the Central Ridge area north of C.R. 486 and along the C.R. 491 corridor.  Every so often I get a great idea for a blog early in the day but by the time I sit down to write it’s four hours later and the idea gets shoved aside because something better came along.
Boy, I wish that were the case here. Nope, the fun blog idea will have to wait because I spent all of Thursday figuring out my income taxes.  It’s the first Thursday in February and you know what means — county commission email!
We haven’t had much to report lately because there hasn’t been much coming in. Could be the holidays, changing of the guard, a little lapse in news. |
AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 37 years. 
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