Citrus leaders know how to gel

Decades ago, a sadistic editor had a great idea to make my life miserable.

Go tour the nuclear plant and write a story about it, she said.

I looked at her blankly.

“Write a story about…how nuclear power is made?” I asked.

---

She smiled. “Yep.”

So that’s what I did. I spent an entire day at the Florida Power plant, came back to the office, and cranked out 500 words on how electricity comes from turbines (or something like that. You seriously don’t expect me to remember this, right?).

Editors have a way of demanding stories out of events that the rest of us find, well, story less.

Legislative Days, for example.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Citrus County Legislative Days. I’ve missed only one or two, and they generally provide plenty of writing material. This is valuable time for Citrus Countians, which is why the contingent grows each year.

It’s just not…how shall I say this…riveting. Very little actual news comes out of these meetings. They’re not designed to make headlines. They’re an introduction to the process of state government. And just reading that sentence shows why these things are such awful story assignments.


Even in my blog world, I have a lot of notes from Thursday's speakers that likely will never see the light of day. A few good subjects for future blogs, but nothing I want to spend a Friday writing about.

That doesn’t mean you’re off the hook completely. Two thoughts from this year’s Legislative Days:

— I was telling a friend how, when I first started Just Wright Citrus, I met individually with several community leaders who held a somewhat pessimistic view of things. Basically, they saw problems as overwhelming and that they alone could solve them.

That was a huge flag about silos. A feeling of isolation and desperation was beginning to permeate even among people who were successful in business and non-profit organizations.

I couldn’t understand why, in a county of such community firepower, this was happening.

The answer to that isolation came to me at Gerry Mulligan’s retirement party. Here about 200 people — politicians, business owners, community leaders, and ordinary folks — gathered in one room to celebrate the success of a local icon.

And that’s when it struck me: This community IS strong, we just need to remind ourselves every so often.

Large events such as Legislative Days do that. Over 100 people made the trek from Citrus County to Tallahassee this week to learn about state government, and how best they can participate in it. 

The showing is not lost on these state people. One after another, agency higher-ups and elected officials remarked about how Citrus County sets the standard for others to follow: Unified, enthusiastic, supportive, and engaged.

We have our differences, and we should encourage discussion on them. But it truly feels like community when Citrus County is in Tallahassee.

— Wednesday always culminates with dinner at the Governor’s Club. It’s a somewhat big deal and one of the few events these days I’ll wear a tie.

Usually, Citrus County legislators in the room will say a few words before dinner, and such was the case. Sen. Blaise Ingoglia was at the microphone when chamber CEO Josh Wooten knelt behind me at my table and quietly asked if I’d do the invocation.

Well, wow. It’s always a thrill when someone offers that opportunity. I remember when Commissioner Ruthie Davis Schlabach, as chairman last year, provided me the chance to lead the invocation at a County Commission meeting.

To publicly thank God for leaders in the room and to encourage them with his grace is a privilege I never take lightly. 

Josh, of course, joked about how I need God’s forgiveness more than anyone (no argument from me), and I joked that we’d have a special prayer for Josh later on. Then we bowed our heads, and I thanked the Lord for His incredible blessings and the privilege of serving Him in Citrus County.

Let me tell you something. It’s a solid deal, what we’ve got going on at home. Lots to debate, absolutely, and sometimes it can get a little heated. That’s OK. Just means we’re passionate about stuff that counts.

Here's the good news: Our community has leaders who are dedicated to its success. Many, many leaders.

Tallahassee this week reminded us of that.

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