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Meek’s plan punched by Duke
Crisis shapes county’s future
Dealing with Duke Energy’s failure to pay its entire tax bill, finding budget stability and partnering with the two cities are peaks of the six-point chairman’s plan presented Tuesday to the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
“Obviously, with the issue that we are facing right now with Duke Energy, the focus is on that,” said Joe Meek, chairman of the BOCC in his introduction. “The Duke Energy issue highlights some of the things that are on this chairman’s plan.”
Meek was making reference to the surprise move last week when Progress Energy, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owner of the Crystal River Power Station, delivered only a partial payment of $19 million of its ad valorem taxes. The sum is about $17 million less than its bill the county has budgeted for the current fiscal year that began two months ago.
One by one, Meek detailed the points of his operation plan for the year ahead. Many of his points are directly affected by Duke’s action, especially the first one: “Address and confront budget issues.”
“Some of the issue with Duke and us highlights the fact that we are so relying on one particular industry, one particular taxpayer,” Meek said. “It really shines a light on things we need to do here.”
The board will take up revenue analysis, a topic brought forward by Commissioner Rebecca Bays at the end of the last budget cycle. On Nov. 6, the BOCC heard a report from Heather Encinosa, an attorney with the firm of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, about the possibilities of raising revenue through creating Municipal Services Taxing Units to levy millage on existing services and Municipal Service Benefits Units to fund capital facilities. Other sources would include a local-option sales tax, surtaxes and a utility availability fee.
“We are going to do a complete review of revenue and expense analysis,” Meek said.
Budget discussions would be brought forward at the beginning of 2013 for the next budget cycle.
The second point was to develop partnerships with the cities of Crystal River and Inverness to improve relationships.
With Inverness, “Whispering Pines has been a sticking point for many years,” Meek said. “That needs to come to resolution this year.”
With Crystal River, Commissioner Dennis Damato presented an update on current King’s Bay projects. He also presented a printed plan called “Partnership for a New Beginning” that he will deliver Monday to Crystal River City Council.
The third point was to develop a comprehensive and detailed long-range plan.
“I would encourage board members to look at Pasco County and what they’ve gone through over the past three years,” Meek said. “Pasco County is not known for growth management and planning. They are often used as the poster child for what happens when you don’t have policies in place. They had a drastic change in heart about three and a half years ago where they underwent a major process within their community.”
Meek said he would invite representatives of Pasco County to give the board a presentation about its comprehensive strategic plan.
The fourth point was to focus on a specific environmental project within King’s Bay.
“I’d like us to pick a specific project and get the state, the county and the city all on the same page toward a specific project and a common goal,” Meek said.
With several groups having started with a cleanup of the bay, Meek said he hoped it would become a master plan addressing the issue of water runoff into the bay.
The fifth point was assigning specific areas and issues to individual commissioners.
“I would like to have each of us as board members identify areas of interest and concentration to focus our time and talents on,” Meek said.
Originally, Meek raised the subject during his swearing-in ceremony Nov. 20, mentioning his knowledge about each commissioner’s possible area of expertise.
“It’s not to limit any commissioner’s ability or involvement, but we’re going to get an understanding among the five of us,” Meek said.
The last point was enhancing economic development initiatives.
“This is illustrated with the Duke Energy issue,” Meek said. “One of the major issues we have to confront is market diversification. We can no longer rely on single industries. We relied on construction, and now basically the only other aspect was the utility. We are now seeing the result of having all of our eggs in one basket. Both of those areas are either gone or being threatened right now. We have to focus on such things as infrastructure investment, tourism — those types of things need to be a focus of this commission.”
The task would be to create an environment to encourage things to happen.
Meek made board liaison appointments, which kept members in their current positions.
In other business:
* The board directed staff to prepare a Legislative Policy Statement for the Citrus County Legislative Delegation meeting Wednesday. The board included a policy to promote all-terrain family recreational trails in the Withlacoochee Forest proposed by Commissioner Scott Adams and a policy regarding the Duke Energy issue. The policy list was passed unanimously.
* Meek said from Jan. 1, the agenda item for public input always would be at 1:30 p.m. during regular commission meetings.
* The BOCC approved a proclamation declaring Dec. 7 as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
* The board conducted a public hearing and adopted a resolution regarding the method for levy of assessment of properties in the Harbor Isle area of the 2010 Citrus County/City of Crystal River Wastewater Special Assessment district.
* The board agreed to tree-cutting for clearance of the north-south grass runway at the Crystal River Airport.
* The board accepted Citrus County Transit fare increases.
* During public input time, John Grannan, president of the Citrus County Historical Society, asked that society representatives would be part of any discussion about closing the Old Courthouse in Inverness in any budget-cutting effort. Grannan also asked the board maintain the position of the historic resources officer.
* The board agreed on new annual fees for Chassahowitzka River Campground. From Jan. 1, an annual parking pass covering seven days a week but no overnight parking will cost $350. The fee for Monday through Thursday with no overnight parking will be $150.
Chronicle reporter Chris Van Ormer can be reached at cvanormer@chronicleonline.com or 352-564-2916.
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TO BAD BREALISTIC DOSENT HAVE THE A/V I HAVE ON DAWSEY
I HAVE DAWSEY DRUNK @THE COVE PLUS SOME HOMEVIDEO THAT WAS LEAKED TO ME BY1 OF MRS HILLARD SOCALLED FRIENDS YOU SHOULD HERE DAWSEY IN HIS COMFORT ZONE.AND HE ADMITS WHAT ARE WE GOING TODO ABOUT THE SEAGREE CASE????ALSO HAVE AUDIO OF JUSTIN FERRERRA AND HIS BROTHER RICKY WAS JUST ARRESTED IN THIS 18 PERSON STING BET THEY SPELT HIS NAME WRONG IN THE COMICLE AND CCSO ARREST REPORTS????? ALSO MR RICKY FARRARA was also busted during the jason jones case where they found over 100 lbs of weed and ferrerra MUST HAVE SOME INSIDE KNOWLEDGE!!!!ADMIT IT DASWEY GET ON TV AND SAY YOUR LEUTINENTS BROTHER IS A DRUG DEALER AS WELL AS JUSTIN ADDICTED TO DILLUADID IALSO HAVE THAT ON AUDIO....I THINK I WILL GIVE IT TO PAM BONDI SEE YA IN FED COURT
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
The real problem
When is the BOCC going to take responsibility for the "real problem"? Which is that the BOCC has not created a large tax base of many small businesses and instead chose to completely rely on one large business. This is not Duke/Progress Energys problem. They are a business and have an obligation to their share holders and customers. They are well within their legal rights to dispute their tax bill. This would be a non-issue if we had other tax revenue to rely on. It is so shocking to me that Dawsey, Himmel and Meeks hold news conferences to blame Duke/Progress energy. The blame falls squarely on the BOCC. They should have seen this situation coming and not put all their eggs in one basket. Citrus County makes it so difficult for new businesses to come here and even difficult for existing businesses to grow. I know of a small business here that was trying to expand and the owner hit road blocks from the county at every turn. The same county officials keep talking about encouraging tourism. Tourism is not going to pull us out of this. How is Citrus going to compete when Disney, Seaworld and Universal are our competition? Again it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the tourist dollar is going straight to Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Citrus cannot count on that. Its time to put blame where it lies on the BOCC and not on Progress Energy. The only way to get out of this mess is through encouraging many small, diverse businesses here in Citrus County. Seriously, the power plant has been off line since 2009 and there is no effort being made to bring it back up. It is just a matter of time until they completely pull out of Citrus and then what was Citrus going to do? Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. BOCC it is time to grow up, take responsibility and fix this mess.
Left jab....
And Duke will keep punching until they have drained, via legal fees, every dime they can out of this county. It's happened before and will continue. Duke Power is famous for this. BTW, they say the plant is safe, maybe so but look at the safety record of the coal mines Duke owns. I'd be nervous.
Straight from the shoulder plan!
Anything NEW which was planned which relied on "expected" funds from tax revenues which did not materialize should be abandoned. For example if the Sheriff Office budget was increased to hire new deputies, reverse the decision. If Transportation was provided additional funding for new routes, reverse the decisions.
This is the ONLY course of action which will resurrect the faith of the BOCC to MANAGE our affairs.
Bite the bullet, stop the spending, all of the spending, not just the spending affected by the $18 million shortage, ALL new items that were dependent upon the property taxes.
Then reassess the priority of each request with the NEW budget in mind. Approve some and cancel others. There should be no favorite County division. Terminate employees, sell assets. This is an emergency financial situation which warrants full-time (40 hours / week) attention by each of the respective commissioners.
Congratulations to Commissioner Meek. Like the President he inherited a deficit which he had no control but he will be put to task to repair it, as best he can do.
"Follow the money trail!"
Budget Savings
One way to consolidate services would be to merge the County's GIS with the Property Appraiser. The data model is very similar. The only difference requires the PA to recognize contiguous property as a single entity while the county requires individual lot identification to link to its business model.
Hardware and staff could be significantly reduced if the Property Appraiser took ownership of the GIS operation. The needs of the BOCC could be met by its staff who know how to analyze the GIS data. The need to update and maintain the complex database would be eliminated, the responsibility being the property appraiser's domain.
I recommended this cost saving action in 2009 when I was the County's GIS Manager.
Meek Did NOT Inherit a Deficit, HE CREATED ONE!
Al, where in the world did you come up with Meek inheriting a deficit? He was part of the BOCC that created the debt that we have. Just because he was voted the leader of the pack by the other BOCC members doesn't mean he inherited it! It just means he's been creating the debt and covering this up along with Sheriff Dawsy, Sandra Himmel and his other cohorts of the BOCC! He is as CORRUPT as the rest of them and until he is removed and the BOCC has a new face we will never see any change and debt will continue to build! They put us here and the MORON'S still went out and re-elected them anyway! That's not just disappointing that's devastation!
Brealistic
The BOCC inherited the tax payment refusal
The BOCC, in approving the budgets, believed the funding would be there, ergo, Meek inherited a problem which would have occurred whomsoever was the Chair.
"Follow the money trail!"
He Created It!
Defend him all you like! He was in office prior to the election and he created tax shortfalls throughout his terms as BOCC! Therefore, being in office and running as an incumbent and Meek was aware of the tax shortfall that was coming a year in advance of becoming the BOCC Leader! Therefore, he created this before his nomination and did nothing about it.....just like he is doing now and will do in the future! He only wants to raise taxes because of his failed proposals and cannot create enough to overcome the overwhelming shortfall that was created by the good ole Board! Oh, I mean good ole boys!
Brealistic
Politicians Are The Cause of The Situation: Take Responsibility
Politicians of the BOCC, The CCSO, & the School Board are the reason Citrus County is in the situation it is in. For years, Citrus has enjoyed the over taxation of business. Why voters & The Comical have never entertained this situation and issue, until now, 30 days AFTER the election. What voters need to know:
1. Meek, Bays, Damato, & Kennedy have all promised voters more industry and more jobs in Citrus County. Yet, they have done nothing to enhance this situation or address the issue. They have driven big box retailers and manufacturing out of Citrus County, instead! They have contemplated this so-called "enterprise zone" which is just not favorable. That's all they've done.......contemplated! I do this from home and come up with better solutions than they have for 8 years. And, I don't COVER-UP a huge issue concerning taxes and the economic situation of a county because of an upcoming election that might have turned out differently if this information was made available to the Public before going to the polls! Yet, they waited and covered this up until 23 days AFTER THE ELECTION to let the public be aware when they new several months prior to the election that this was an issue that needed attention and in order to get re-elected these officials decided to keep it quiet until AFTER the election. I think this is illegal and I am researching what can be done to reject their announcements of acquiring their positions/seats and hold a new election since vital information was withheld from the public by the Chronicle & By publicly elected Officials. They think they are safe but, not while I'm on the job!
2. The BOCC has continually favored keeping Citrus County OPPRESSED with their mentality of keeping Citrus a Historical County instead of progressing toward an Innovative and Economically stable commuter county! The want to rely on what was....NOT on what we could do! That's ashame for residents here looking to build a family and a career because these are the people that are moving out of Citrus and telling others that this is NOT the place to go. They don't want tourism and the only tourist attraction that is worth mentioning is Homosassa Springs and that's a dump, basically! The Historical Value of Citrus County is not even worth mentioning because they are just delapidated buildings that should be torn down and re-built. It's just not bringing in tourism for sure!
3. Then, we have Sandra Himmel and Mr. Kennedy lobbying for Citrus County residents to continue paying IMPACT FEES that have expired by the STATE but, they want YOU & I to keep paying them because, why? Just because we should? Himmel and Kennedy already collected these expired taxes and used them and are now trying to legally compensate for tax fraud! Sounds great doesn't it? And, you just re-elected Himmel....can you see how these two are corrupt and yet, many of you voted for Himmel and I suppose many of you will vote for Kennedy in 2014 because you just cannot see the error of your ways!
4. Sheriff Dawsy & the CCSO is a corrupt part of Citrus County Government and has exploited many innocent lives throughout this county. With the help from the voters and the BOCC, Sheriff Dawsy has continually put lives at stake from lack of ethics. Sheriff Dawsy tells you one day we are the 2nd safest county in the state and then, 23 days after the election All Of A Sudden he needs more money and cannot protect the county! Which is it? The BOCC, over the last 12 years, has forked over county money to the Sheriffs Office to protect the future but, that's never the case is it? What ashame that Duke's/Progress Energy's tax withholding law suit wasn't presented to voters before the election? How nice, huh? Would you still have voted for these individuals?
Brealistic
duke power mt brealistic and als coments
BOTH ABOVE HAVE SOME GOOD POINTS KEEP IT UP ALL DOES ANYBODY AGREE