Goodbye to '25, messes and all

Happy Monday! Welcome to year-in-review time.

I’ve approached this on numerous fronts. One is the simple top-10 story list. Another is to compile a blog from reader suggestions.

Another is to comb through a year’s worth of blogs, take detailed notes, and write a timeline of 2025. That ain’t happening.

So, I’m going the tried-and-true JWC route. Meandering…

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— One for All gets top billing. No, we don’t yet have a County Commission decision on a local-option sales tax referendum, and that’s disappointing. I’ll cover all this in detail once the new year starts.

We talked about it. A lot. A heckuva lot. I started this conversation in 2023, and only a few caught on. I brought it back in earnest in January, and a few others caught on. I kept it up during the year, suggested a process for public input, and then watched it take off.

Now look. Opinions are plentiful.

The sales tax discussion is a little messed up from a process standpoint. I would have preferred commissioners butted out completely at this point, but some can’t help themselves. 

At least, we're talking about it. We’re debating the pros and cons. The One for All conversation is a win in my book.

— No Animal Shelter contract yet. The board approved seeking bids in January. We’ve gone an entire year. I love our animal people, but this is ridiculous. It’s been five years since the board said it wanted a new animal shelter. FIVE YEARS. We’re getting into IV 4 territory.

— Speaking of that, Inverness Villages 4 roads and drainage are still a mess. The non-developer was in the news this year quite a bit, but the county is no closer to a solution than it was a year ago. Truth time: These folks have fallen off the political radar. Commissioners would rather that citizens be happy, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

— “American Freedom Canal.” Oh boy. What this pointed out, more than anything, is commissioners look like fools when they waste time on stuff that doesn’t benefit the community or address specific needs. 

— I posted a blog about writing a commemorative sequel to "Back Home", Hampton Dunn’s Citrus County history book, that is 50 years old in 2026. I still like the idea but I haven’t done a thing with it. We’ll see.

— Commissioner Janet Barek’s first year in office was eventful, to no one’s surprise. She regularly casts the lone no vote on many motions, argues repeatedly that other commissioners are wrong and she’s right, and got herself in hot water for making a dumb remark in a staff briefing.

In other words, she’s doing EXACTLY as her constituents expected. 

— Not sure where the Hope Citrus conversation stands today, but I trust it’s still thriving. We’re going to talk A LOT in 2026 about the needy in our community. We cannot have conversations about taxes without discussing how they affect people.

— Cpl. Andy Lahera lost his courageous fight in September. Thank God for that man, his wife Michelle, and their beautiful family. 

— 491 mess. Well, well, well. Here’s what I will say: If county commissioners and the administrator weren’t humbled by that p.r. disaster, look out. It’ll get worse. Much, much worse. I believe they’ve begrudgingly accepted that lesson, but the proof is in how they handle the sales tax talk in 2026.

— Some residential/commercial developments were approved; some were denied. Traffic didn’t seem to get much worse than a year earlier. Your experience may differ.

— The next Suncoast Parkway section opened. We’re going to talk about parkway planning quite a bit in 2026 as well. 

— Library Guy and his pals are still a menace. We’ll watch how they seep into the 2026 political landscape.

— Lu the hippo died. We were longtime friends.

— A consultant’s report says the county’s failing road network will cost, oh, around, in the proximity of $90 jillion to fix. In a related item, another county consultant is seeking input for updates to the comp plan. Citizens are reportedly rushing in to push the “stop growth” button.

— Ralph Massullo was elected to the state Senate. Ralph and I are polar opposites politically, but Ralph and Rep. JJ Grow compose a solid team for Citrus County that should remain intact for several years. Plus, both are solid guys who will never embarrass us.

— Finally, October’s devastating loss of my Deb shut down nearly all the JWC political writing until, well, today. I’ve always known our caring community; I’m now a recipient. These last two months have totally altered my Citrus County outlook. I’d gotten way too personal with politicians and not focused on the bigger picture. 

I see good things in our community in 2026. A strong election, great voter turnout, with an engaged electorate. Citizens giving commissioners their 2 cents but also listening with an open mind. The city councils of Crystal River and Inverness locked arm-in-arm with their communities. The School Board and Superintendent are watching over our most valuable cargo.

Will we bicker, gripe, point fingers, and make wild accusations? Absolutely! Will we show up with supplies at the cold weather shelter, food at Daystar, and pizzas for volunteers dishing out hurricane relief in the hot sun? Of course.

That’s who we are. And, by golly, no one does Citrus County like we do.

That’s your look at 2025. Have a great Christmas Eve Eve Eve, friends.

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