 Citrus County government wants our opinion.
And, by golly, we’re going to help. The county is creating a communication plan. To help do that, a consultant is meeting with commissioners and staffers to develop a county “brand.”  Let's have a Monday conversation about communication from the Sheriff's Office to the public.
On Sunday someone led me to a pair of Facebook posts, each with dozens of responses, that made reference to an supposed shooting Friday night in a neighborhood off Dunnellon Road north of Crystal River. I’m not passing on the rumors, but residents were clear in what they witnessed: Ambulances and sheriff’s cars crammed the neighborhood. A sheriff’s helicopter hovered nearby. Crime scene tape everywhere.  There is a reality about this business that has always made me uncomfortable:
Sometimes I write things that friends take personal exception to. These friends are the newsmakers themselves, often elected officials or people who work in local government who I’ve built relationships with.  Wednesday was budget hearing day at the County Commission. Commissioners set the tentative tax rate and will finalize it in September.
While much of the budget talk wrapped around the big stuff, like the sheriff’s office and road resurfacing, it was a 15-minute debate that caught my attention.  Pardon me while I interrupt this week of news with a bit of personal adventure.
I was in a traffic crash Tuesday. No injuries, thank God. Both drivers escaped with only frustration. I’m not blaming Chipotle, though I was headed there to grab a photo in the moments after it opened on Main Street in Inverness.  Then there’s John Pricher’s demand letter. As Mike Bates reported in Sunday’s Chronicle, Pricher apparently believes the cards are in his favor as the county tries to dismiss him for going against board directive. Pricher’s letter, which County Administrator Steve Howard dismissed immediately, lays out a series of steps the county can take to save face and allow this valued employee to walk away.  SAVANNAH — In a crushing blow to the Citrus County economy, a local blogger has announced plans to relocate to this historic Southern city.
“Just Wright Savannah” kicks off today with a deep dive into Peach State politics. Sorry…had to do that.  A few odds to end the week:
— I appreciate readers who ask why my column isn’t in a particular Sunday Chronicle. Let’s talk about that for a minute. I very much enjoy the Chronicle column and am thrilled they asked me back into the opinion pages. Right away though, I sensed a real challenge: How do I make this column separate from Just Wright Citrus? I didn’t want to write a blog in print.  It’s Round One of the Pine Ridge Golf Club Classic.
A developer’s request to change the Pine Ridge master plan to allow 85 homes on what is now a closed golf course has the community rather riled. I’ve been reading emails to county commissioners the last few weeks from Pine Ridge residents who are unified in their opposition. The master plan says the golf course is set aside for recreation, not houses, and they want it kept that way.  One of the biggest challenges from writing a daily one-person blog is remembering what I’ve already written.
Let’s take Ken Frink as an example. You may have heard that Ken, who is marrying Councilwoman Cindi Guy and leaving a full-time city manager job, has applied for the position vacated by Councilman Pat Fitzpatrick’s death. |
AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 37 years. 
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