Stirring the Citrus melting pot

Happy Monday! Let’s chat about us.

That’s right. You and me, the Citrus Countian.

It’s a fairly wide net — 160,000. Some older, some younger. Some live on King’s Bay. Others in a single-wide trailer on the outskirts of Pineola.

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We work, are retired, go to school, play golf, or swim at the YMCA. It seems half of us are on S.R. 44 headed into Inverness at 4 in the afternoon, and the other half are headed into Crystal River on the same road at the same time.

We are, by and large, a happy community. Of course, we gripe — it’s an American institution, right? I doubt we gripe more than other places.

I’ve noticed an interesting angle to the community debates as of late.

In the discussion on how much growth is too much, the debate within us depends on your Citrus County length of stay. I’ve divided these folks into three basic groups:

— Oldtimers who were in Citrus County when no one outside of Citrus County knew anything about it. I call this the 9,000 and under crowd. In 1960, two years after I was born, the Citrus County population was around 9,000. There are a few people my age who were born in Citrus or moved here while very young and basically lived their entire lives here.

These are the folks who talk of crystal-clear Gulf Coast water, the finest freshwater bass fishing on the planet, and knew when Norvell Bryant was a real estate developer and not the name of a busy east-west roadway.

Some of these long-timers are thrilled with the growth. Most, however, wonder what the heck happened to their slice of paradise.

I never, ever want to lose their voices, especially now. Some of our loyal readers are in the 9,000 club, and I'm thankful for those voices. They bring a perspective we cannot lose.

— Just about everybody else. I’ve called Inverness my home for 37 years this month. Well over half my life, and easily longer than anyplace I’ve lived before. 

But I’m still a newbie in the eyes of the 9,000 crowd, and it’s a little hypocritical of me to start shouting that we curtail growth when I’m one of the people who added to the problem.

It’s simple. If I had a life somewhere else, and now it’s in Citrus County, I’m a statistic. I’ve mostly rented here, but my ex-wife and I owned a house in the Inverness Highlands that was brand new when we bought it.

You see my point? All of us who make up the lion’s share of Citrus County’s population better look in the mirror before we start complaining about all those NEW people coming here.

Yet, we are the heart of this county. Lord knows I love the 9,000 crowd, but it’s those who moved here 5, 10, 20, 30 years ago or more and adopted this place as their own — those movers and shakers haven’t stopped moving or shaking. They are active in their communities and truly want to do good. This is home and they treat it as such.

Because of that our opinions should count for something. A great deal of Just Wright Citrus readers fit this category, and those folks have some bite to their bark. (Or something like that. I just like the phrase. This is a late-night edit, so cut me some slack.) They're what I call an "informed electorate." Oftentimes they know a lot more than I do.

— Newbies. In general, it takes two years to get to know the community. When I first moved to Citrus County, I spent all free time with Citrus County map in hand visiting every nook and cranny. I wanted to know all about where I had planted my flag. It didn't happen overnight, but it was (and is) a great adventure.

That's the charge. If you haven't done so already, get out and become familiar with the county. Visit the Ozello boat ramp and the Withlacoochee River at the end of Turner Camp Road. Drive — on purpose — in Citrus County’s traffic nightmares, and then discover ways to avoid them. Attend a meeting of the County Commission, City Council, or School Board. Read the Chronicle. Read this blog and show it to your friends.

(And a free Just Wright Citrus T-shirt to the first person who can tell me where I’m standing for today’s photo.)

If part of what I described is part of your daily routine, congratulations! Tell your neighbors.

In short, get to know your new home. The good and the challenges. Then by all means jump in with your time, your energy, your talents, and your opinions.

I guess that's decent advice for us all.

This is such an exciting time in Citrus County. Glad we’re here for it.

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