Truth is fleeting in the 491 mess

Happy Tuesday! Let’s discuss my favorite subject.

I hope readers caught Editor Jim’s column in the weekend Chronicle regarding the 491 mess. In it, he chastises Commissioners Janet Barek and Diana Finegan for making hay over what most agree was a highly improper act.

This paragraph stopped me:

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“At the heart of the drama is a $3 million request to the state for a traffic study along County Road 491. The board voted to pursue state funding back in December. Everyone — including Barek and Finegan — supported it. The money would help with planning and design for a road expected to carry thousands of new residents once a major housing development is built out.”

Well, how about that? Turns out the County Commission voted to support this legislative request. Oops. Time to move on.

Except. 

The point of Editor Jim’s remarks — County Commissioners voted to pursue state funding for 491 — never happened. I haven’t a clue what he’s referring to. 

I sent Jim an email on Friday requesting clarification. I wrote:

“Can you please tell me when the board ‘voted’ in December to pursue state funding? I can't find it. What I've seen is a workshop where it was discussed and everyone — including (Rebecca) Bays — agreed to leave it off the legislative list.

“If you could clear that up, I'd appreciate it.”

No response. And, no correction, so I’m guessing he’s taking this mistruth to the bank.

(Here’s some background on the 491 mess. And some more.)

I spent Monday reviewing files, videos, and meeting minutes. I’m saying that so you know everything contained herein can be backed up by the public record.

I wanted to find out what exactly has been publicly said about widening C.R. 491 between Pine Ridge Boulevard and S.R. 200. How deep are we into this project? Is there even a project?

Here’s what I learned:

— In October, the board voted unanimously for a $927,500 corridor study of C.R. 491. A corridor study precedes the start of any significant road widening project. This study will set a proposed alignment, provide right-of-way estimates, and lay the financial groundwork of what a road project of that magnitude looks like. Impact fees paid for the study.

No idea when it’s due back. I’m sure before the end of the year, at least. Until then, 491 is in the pre-project stage.

— In December, the board had one regular meeting and one workshop. I read the minutes of the regular meeting. No mention of C.R. 491 widening. No vote. 

So, when Editor Jim writes, “The board voted to pursue state funding back in December,” I could find no public record to support that statement. 

— Also in December, the board had a workshop to discuss its legislative priorities. During three hours of discussion (I attended the meeting and then rewatched most of it Monday), ALL FIVE commissioners agreed to seek funding for three projects: Barge Canal boat ramp, fire station at Inverness Airport, and multi-use path on Halls River Road.

Commissioners didn’t ignore 491. They placed it, along with nine other items, on a “requests for special consideration” list. Now, a little government geek stuff…this is NOT a list for legislative funding. Anyone who says otherwise either doesn’t understand the process or is being disingenuous.

Rather, this is a list of mainly statewide projects with local impact, where the county asks the state to continue funding agencies that oversee these projects.

Here’s the full report. You can see how specific funding requests are in one category and that 491 is in a separate category.

Freshman Rep. JJ Grow attended the workshop and offered a few words of advice. He said the Florida Department of Transportation has $300 million in its five-year work program in Citrus County, more than any but the most populated counties in the state.

He MADE A POINT of suggesting commissioners avoid transportation in their legislative requests.

“For us to go in right now and start asking for money, I think we need to get creative in how we do that when it comes to roads.”

(By “creative,” I’m sure he didn’t mean developer through lobbyist to commissioner/administrator outside of the sunshine. Just guessing.)

— The board formalized the legislative requests in January. Again, C.R. 491 didn’t come up EXCEPT in that category for special consideration, which passed unanimously.

In sum, the County Commission never voted to seek a dime for C.R. 491, despite what Editor Jim wrote, and others have parroted. Commissioners included 491 on a “requests for special consideration” list, but only someone unfamiliar with the process would equate that to a specific funding request.

Nope. There’s only one way for the County Commission to seek specific legislative funding for a local project, and that’s through a public vote. Which didn't happen here.

You know, this goes against my grain. I rarely comment on opinion pieces written by others. I usually stick with my stuff and be happy with it.

But I can’t help but notice that Just Wright Citrus's blowing the lid off this fiasco has ruffled some feathers among certain corners of the county. Here’s the thing: I back every point. I’m either linking it, or I have the documents in my possession. Can those trying to make this disappear say the same thing?

The 491 mess is serious, serious business. I’m not taking it lightly and readers shouldn’t either.

It’s coming to a head at the board’s May 13 meeting. I’ll have more to say before then.

And that’s the truth.

Have a spectacular Tuesday, friends.

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