We all drive the growth traffic

It’s Wednesday, so let’s talk about who’s to blame.

Is it you? Is it me?

The answer: Yes.

Quite an interesting and varied response to Tuesday’s blog about protecting Pirates Cove and Betz Farm from development. As with similar topics, the conversation meandered into who’s to blame for the growth that’s clogging our roadways.

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Citrus County natives blame the newcomers.

Newcomers blame the oldsters.

Somehow, length of stay as a Citrus Countian plays a role in whether someone’s opinion on our many challenges matters.

I’ve seen this debate for years. When I arrived as a newbie in 1987, the downtown Inverness roads were stacked much like they are today. I immediately started to complain about it.

Looking back, I realize how foolish and inconsiderate that was. Here I am, a newcomer in a beautiful community where I’ll write for the local newspaper, and within a week I have all the county’s problems figured out. Cuz I’m all that and a bag of chips.

So, yeah, there’s some deserved animosity toward the recent resident who’s going to tell us all how to get it right.

I haven’t viewed commission emails for several weeks, but it’s common for new residents of Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs to rather indignantly demand their roads be repaved. 

They read something like this: “Good afternoon, Councilor. My wife and I recently purchased a beautiful home in your community. It has all the pleasures we want, but our road is in terrible shape! My taxes pay for your salary and these roads, so please let me know when I can expect to see the problem fixed.”

Commissioners try to let these folks down easy by explaining the history of road resurfacing, but they don’t want to hear it. I pay taxes. Fix my road. End of story.

Those of us who have called Citrus home for years chuckle at such naive thinking.

I would argue, though, that the newcomer’s flaw is not that he’s new. It’s that he’s disconnected.

That's the rub. My opinion shouldn’t be weighed based on whether I attended Citrus High School or hitchhiked into Lecanto last week.

Instead, it’s about personal investment. It’s not the days I spend here, it’s what I do with those days.

See, growth is not the enemy. We can’t blame people for wanting to live here. And we can’t expect folks to leave their opinions back in Cleveland, or Fort Lauderdale, or wherever, and stay quiet simply because they’re new to Citrus County.

The point: Whether you’re a Citrus County native or still have your old state’s plates on the car, here are four ways for your opinion to carry weight:

— Get involved. Show up. Attend church services. Meet your kids’ teachers and volunteer in their classrooms. Check out the HOA. Read Just Wright Citrus and the Chronicle every morning. Have conversations with people who know much more about Citrus County than you do. Listen and learn. Ask questions.

— Join a political party. Citrus County has very active Democratic and Republican clubs. They are active politically, of course, but they’re also filled with community leaders. These are open doors to Citrus County knowledge.

Citizen's academies are also hugely helpful. The county and sheriff’s office have classes to inform folks of their programs and inner workings. Leadership Citrus, of which I’m a proud 2004 graduate (best class ever), is the ultimate academy.

We have numerous non-profit organizations and charities that are always looking for help. I saw someone the other night who has done a yeoman’s job in the community these last several months.

“All I want to do is help,” she said.

This is a person with enormous personal responsibilities and challenges. Frankly, knowing her life, I don’t know how she has time for anyone but her family. Yet, she’s caught the community spirit. My friend appreciates the paradox that we grow stronger collectively through our individual weaknesses. 

You can exist in this community or thrive in it. I recommend the latter.

— Do all of that and then participate in the conversation. Most serious conversation about Citrus County occurs every weekday on this blog. The variety of reader opinion, background, expertise, knowledge, and political sway is evident. Those observations help move the needle because we keep the conversation clean, on point, and absent of insults or innuendos.

I think you get the gist. There is so much here. Absolutely no reason for any Citrus County resident, no matter their length of residency, to live in ignorance of local issues or be separate from the community. Dive in, man.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends.

Join the discussion on our Facebook page.
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