When citizens have had enough

Happy Tuesday!

It doesn’t happen every year, or even every two years, but it happens enough for me to know when it’s about to happen again.

That “come to Jesus” moment when politicians realize citizens have had enough.
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Like we’re experiencing with Betz Farm.

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The tragedy of Betz Farm is it took an overabundance of public sentiment before the County Commission finally listened. By then, the developer had us over a barrel because of the county’s wink-and-a-nod approach of the past four years, and now a lawsuit seems imminent unless the County Commission folds.

I read with fascination a bunch of Betz Farm stuff on Monday. That, and data centers, is the talk of the county. Unlike data centers, where the county is attempting to get ahead of a public-interest issue, the County Commission painted itself into a corner on Betz Farm. One questionable decision after another.

It’s on the board agenda today. I guarantee you, someone won’t be happy with the outcome of that discussion. And this won’t end today, either.

So, I’m sitting in World Headquarters III with my thermostat set at a chilly 82 degrees, wondering why Betz Farm is such a big deal. The property was zoned for 1,500 homes decades ago, so what’s the problem?

Here’s the problem: We’ve had enough.

We've had enough of the growth. We’ve had enough traffic. We’ve had enough of politicians telling us, “Oh, growth is coming, we can’t stop it, let’s be responsible, blah, blah, blah.”

We’ve had enough.

It matters little that the residential growth is organic, meaning houses built on platted lots. The political landscape is much different. The perception is Citrus County is growing madly. In politics, perception is 99% of reality. If people think we're growing haphazardly, then we are.

That makes for a disconnect between the County Commission and citizens. They're both looking at the same parade from different angles. Citizens see Betz Farm as a line in the sand, a chance to say no to a developer without getting into a property rights debate. The County Commission sees revenue and seemingly couldn't care less about the growth impact.

That leaves citizens searching for board leadership. You know who’s the hero right now? Commissioner Janet Barek. Why? She’s doing exactly what her constituents want her to do.

Whether I agree or not with Barek’s approach to killing the Betz Farm deal is immaterial. Or, even if it’ll withstand the legal test. The point is she gets it, and Barek is one of five votes. 

I mean, I don’t know how else to say it. Betz Farm was a softball pitch, an easy swing for the fences. 

Instead of protecting that asset for the public value it has, the County Commission couldn't wait to unload it on the highest bidder. It’s a barter. The developer gets a yes vote. The county gets $6 million.

Now, the deal is history, and commissioners are in a world of hurt. 

The 491 mess from a year ago still stings, and it will sting until the County Commission understands that pushing against the public tide isn’t a smart move.

(I realize this isn’t universal. Many people think we’re growing just fine. They’re in the minority.)

Why is Betz Farm such a big deal? Because it represents everything that citizens have thrown their hands up about in the last four years: a County Commission seemingly blind to the political realities of its own community.

And now we have to endure the county’s attempt to squirm from this contract without paying significant damages or prepare for a lengthy legal fight. Or they can commit political suicide by agreeing with Commissioner Holly Davis to stick with the original Dicks plan — the one they voted just a month ago to cancel.

This county has numerous challenges; all related to growth. Citizens — voters — wonder if anyone listens to them.

Betz Farm? We’ve had more than enough.

Find something that brings a smile today, friends.

Join the discussion on our Facebook page.
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