It all comes to a head on Tuesday

Good Thursday, friends! There’s a whole bunch of stuff on Tuesday's County Commission agenda regarding the 491 mess, so let’s pick it apart.
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First, to address a reader who wondered whether we are making the matter worse by continuing to talk about it. That’s a point worth discussing.

Well, there’s a practical reason for the continuing conversation. It’s going to sound dumb, but here it is: Three weeks between commission meetings.

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See, the normal news cycle on the County Commission is two weeks. The board generally has two weeks between meetings, and conversation tends to stay in that framework.

This time, we have three weeks. Left hanging from the board’s April 22 meeting was one commissioner calling for heads to roll, and another commissioner wanting new rules. Plenty has been said and written since then.

I bring this up for a purpose. I look at the Tuesday, May 13 meeting like an election day. I plan to make all my points by Tuesday, then I’m done. We’re not going to drag this out like a Library Guy soap opera. What happens — or doesn’t happen — Tuesday, that’s the deal.

I’m always open to new conversations, but we can’t keep banging this drum. Commissioners, by now, should have a clear view of where the public stands. Come Tuesday, it’s time to fish or cut bait.

That’s not to say whatever happens won’t linger into the 2026 political season.

With that, thoughts on Tuesday’s agenda:

— Commissioner Janet Barek first. She wants three things: an ethics complaint from the board against former Commissioner-turned-lobbyist Ruthie Schlabach, fire County Administrator Steve Howard, and adopt a resolution against Chair Rebecca Bays for her “inappropriate” role in the C.R. 491 state budget request.

I’ll take these one by one.

First, I realize the angst against Schlabach. I dedicated an entire blog to her part in all the 491 mess. This idea, however, just isn’t going to fly. There is no way Commissioners Holly Davis, Jeff Kinnard, or Bays will go for it. I mean…our board chair and county administrator were willing partners. Does Citrus County want to get dragged into a state ethics investigation? Likely not.

Plus, it’s a punitive move by the commissioner who defeated Schlabach at the polls. Not sure this is a fight we want to pick. It serves no public purpose for Citrus Countians. 

Firing Howard? Not for that either. I’ll get into this next week, but he definitely needs some type of reprimand. Commissioners who let him off the hook, without even a letter in the personnel file, are essentially flipping the bird to all other county employees. Discipline isn’t equal, that’s the message.

As for Bays, I mentioned last week that commissioners censuring colleagues is a waste of time. Again, what’s the purpose? Still, wouldn't hurt to clear the air. Commissioners know that, without board backing, they can’t direct the administrator to do anything. Yet, we’re seeing this more and more. It’s wrong and needs to stop.

— Davis is proposing an ordinance requiring commissioners to disclose receiving communication or evidence from a developer with a pending application. This is the quasi-judicial part of land-use cases that I’ve referred to.

First off, I was surprised to learn we don’t require that now. Turns out, the current ordinance only allows for the attorney to ask if commissioners have had ex-parte communication with anyone in a land-use case. It doesn’t require them to say yes or no.

I’m for Holly’s idea with this suggestion: Commissioners should disclose that information as it happens, not months later during the public hearing. 

— Commissioner Diana Finegan has three proposed ordinances. One would prohibit the county staff and commissioners from aiding lobbyists for developers while their land-use application is pending. I’m not sure what the point of this is.

The second one would prohibit former commissioners from lobbying the county for six years. This mirrors the state Constitution, and I’m all for it.

Her third idea, already in the works before this episode: Lobbying registration for Citrus County. Meaning anyone lobbying the county would need to register locally, same as those in Tallahassee who lobby state government. Again, totally in favor.

Some of these ideas have merit, some have no merit. But they’re all on the table for Tuesday.

— The JWC Inner Circle has its inaugural chat scheduled for 1 p.m. today. We might have a few things to discuss, doncha think? Join the Inner Circle by clicking the link just below.

Have a lovely Thursday, friends.

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