[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6187984,"mediaKeyId","5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7","parentId",5064156,"title","Resident urges county action after finding high arsenic in private wells; commissioners say staff will follow up","audioSeconds",635,"startMs",669000,"endMs",1304000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7&start=669&end=1304","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7/thumbnail_669000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6187984/Citrus-County/Florida/Resident-urges-county-action-after-finding-high-arsenic-in-private-wells-commissioners-say-staff-will-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187984-6428d4708a22b2e9d6e71e27263b9245/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155116&Signature=VADunw4ON68xGGFCKrOUIx1vSsYE3ao7pH-uujWzoSrTlZh~REpin0N-CAaT0-ePTfb83TYdvW30T8fOi5Q2xPN11gylNXL9tch1TO9JjYmMy9d2Yy5wEE45grKOXR~4DFDeX9cjwzSB-g8jp0aTrFc5-~T9D1PLBBjwVMc2SV9EoQtFXCM6aQSITk2udjrqaGAa4pNmTrLGXsIZPKL17hK6DRB49OmiJm3g44-ct8nzyvne6rJ8EqXCHviaefDY3Hgg6xEEcrc0kMPCu6D7Jf~f3hBRUGU3btUN~j3WzsYL0Cv7PT4zLtBRYx2XMje5zA4Edk~vZysIlZuiexsSvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Citrus County, FL","date","2025-06-25T12:37:02.18Z","article","A Beverly Hills resident told the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners on June 23 that private wells on Holiday Drive contain high levels of arsenic and that some households are buying bottled water. The resident asked the county to extend public water lines where state grant funds had previously extended services to nearby areas.

Anthony Ayo told the board he had identified wells exceeding 24 parts per billion of arsenic, above the EPA's maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per billion, and said one household had additional contaminants that made the water unusable. \"We cannot allow them to go without clean drinking water,\" Ayo said.

County commissioners and staff responded that the county was \"concerned and taking care of any water issues\" and directed county staff (Veronica) to follow up with the resident and explore next steps. Chair Rebecca Bays and Commissioner Diane Finnegan suggested staff will investigate options such as extending county utility service or reviewing prior grant conditions.

No motion or formal board action was taken during the meeting. Staff agreed to talk with the resident offline and to report back to the board if an agenda item or funding request is required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioner - June 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Beverly Hills resident told commissioners he found arsenic levels above EPA recommendations in wells on Holiday Drive and asked the county to extend Citrus County Utilities service; commissioners said staff would follow up to determine next steps but no formal action was taken.","taxTitle","Citrus County, Florida","taxId",12756,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6187989,"Citrus County adopts ban on ex-commissioner lobbying and a lobbyist registration ordinance",452,2824000,3276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7&start=2824&end=3276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7/thumbnail_2824000.jpg","/articles/6187989/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-adopts-ban-on-ex-commissioner-lobbying-and-a-lobbyist-registration-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187989-5a5af5e0811648b3487b3b94f58fe81a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155116&Signature=CHgVZ8Mpn26XJ-P146XHyqQxuqyNOkLgYVeMBgIlAOI0bxCLGbI4a-7Jv2upYNSjELqwXzgMTeR2sVy43focoSa7QFcbN5OqikVBf8R1BBoat7oW5mHizwRHvLDBsh866x3NWAoHQeAKsmlxsBwp03iNL5puyt9lo8HSBnpFpnOBv3yvI4Dru4sc-Kwf0cM1oxZrDbZ0gP0CMUOfFzf4QtscNoTZOCT9tJyte9P5lcRH~4MqmA-Fu-Lq7~TEdgxbDPcmsiWtVI0xwFg-ym47A6Bh7VFRg5KmrGaVvI3FfGkR5-igUivJk1XRIZ9cvQ6k11lC2MTG5WyVHmmEVHP0FA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners on June 23 adopted two ordinances intended to increase transparency around advocacy to county government: an ordinance implementing a prohibition on former county commissioners lobbying their former boards consistent with the Florida Constitution, and a separate ordinance establishing a county lobbyist registration and expenditure-reporting system. Both measures passed by 5-0 votes.

County Attorney Denise A. Diamond Lin read the anti-lobbying ordinance into the record and noted a preamble typographical correction before the hearing. Several members of the public asked whether the county's prohibition included a time limit; staff clarified the rule follows the Florida Constitution and the related interpretation: a six-year limitation on former commissioners lobbying their former board.

The lobbyist registration ordinance will require lobbyists to register with the county and report expenditures. James Toy, the county's intergovernmental affairs manager, recommended an effective date of Aug. 1, 2025, for commencement of reporting to give administrators and external filers time to prepare; the board approved that start date as part of the ordinance.

Why it matters: County leaders said the measures are intended to improve public confidence and create a transparent, auditable record of lobbying activity before the county. The registration ordinance includes an application process to be administered by the intergovernmental affairs manager and requires IT and form work to host reporting tools on the county website.

Board action: Commissioner Finnegan moved to approve the anti-lobbying ordinance (H4 as read by the county attorney); Commissioner Barrick seconded and the motion passed 5-0. On the lobbyist registration ordinance (H5), the board approved the ordinance and set Aug. 1, 2025, as the date when lobbyists must begin reporting expenditures.

Ending: Staff said implementing the registration ordinance will require some website and administrative work; the county will provide forms, application guidance and an implementation timeline to the public and to prospective lobbyists.","Commissioners approved two ordinances: a county prohibition on former county commissioners lobbying their former boards consistent with Florida constitutional provisions and a new lobbyist registration and reporting ordinance that begins reporting on Aug. 1, 2025.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6187993,"Citrus County board approves hospital assessment to unlock Medicaid matching funds",386,2825000,3211000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7&start=2825&end=3211","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7/thumbnail_2825000.jpg","/articles/6187993/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-board-approves-hospital-assessment-to-unlock-Medicaid-matching-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187993-a9a883fa662202c6845131bb18c5302a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155117&Signature=cOWjSFBoHv~NYAgOhO1xquXCk9keTdj-g3cNoWlMO7rf-p0TWuAEsZys0NmLf3kkAlBh32VfvnUsfgF1lyT1pLQZxAX8ryzsxHfxbXT7sXn4hZesEHEqFrCvN2h1kAGMvh~qA7KExb~8seQ1BJX00m5M9WSRAxccH49EXDZcku7hhHgJGa0W9aLyUWF3~o6Cl1uvRe3Qr~hRg0LD1T647586r0CiZ7VL5zxw57JxqxeArXEnmFfFqXrI42EcIkVTjw5wdy67FWz9rn9Trbqn2-wFSJStFBiBDDw6dsN3Z6yADqj9qo8fl~gDwrymCBOYK2phIJfFETXeX3bGPPVFYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners on June 23 approved an annual local hospital assessment intended to feed a Local Provider Participation Fund (LPPF) and capture federal matching dollars for Medicaid-directed payments. The board approved the item unanimously.

Suhail Charba, representing county hospitals, told commissioners that Florida does not provide general revenue for Medicaid the way some states do. Instead, hospitals front provider assessments to a county fund that is then used to draw federal matching dollars. Charba described the measure as necessary to preserve funding that supports local hospitals' care for Medicaid and indigent patients.

\"Unlike the Californias and the New Yorks, Florida does not provide general revenue for Medicaid funding,\" Charba said. \"What happens in Florida instead is these hospitals have to front their own dollars, which they then send to the county in the fund that is sent to AHCA. And AHCA applies federal matching funds. That's how these hospitals continue to serve the Medicaid population in your county.\"

Tampa General Health System Senior Vice President Steve Harris and HCA Crystal River CEO Lisa Noomi spoke in support of the assessment, telling the board it \"costs the taxpayers of Citrus County nothing\" and that without time-sensitive approval hospitals risk losing access to state-authorized federal matching funds. Staff said the assessment is annual under the county ordinance and must be approved each year.

Board action: A motion to approve the assessment (H3B and C on the agenda) passed 5-0. Staff noted the ordinance requires annual re-authorization and hospitals said a number of other jurisdictions across Florida were adopting similar measures before July 4.

Ending: County staff will administer the assessment and coordinate with hospitals and the Agency for Health Care Administration to place the funds into the LPPF and pursue federal matches. Hospital representatives asked the board to act promptly to avoid interrupting the flow of supplemental Medicaid funds to local safety-net services.","Commissioners approved an annual local provider participation assessment to enable hospitals to capture federal matching dollars for Medicaid services; hospital officials said the assessment imposes no county taxpayer cost and will preserve local indigent-care funding.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6187998,"Citrus County ratifies termination of Inverness FBO lease after operator lost Part 141 certification",2300,5999000,8299000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7&start=5999&end=8299","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7/thumbnail_5999000.jpg","/articles/6187998/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-ratifies-termination-of-Inverness-FBO-lease-after-operator-lost-Part-141-certification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187998-c63536c8583a690b2040eabc55c5329c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155117&Signature=bgzF3pLsbsPZS020Ah187PEIgMHfXRKqBnRgL27FXNkBCOWS4EV3ws0~jRyFwkyZAqruff~p7QwvUdNk49Eyex9M30uDh-LnWEoXArxu7VenfNRlmAdV9n8ISAPYNu53qrueQCCgz37I8vewyRVYxwBN-zsLT~sGIuOkmXkqcfFeYSTVJRso1oK4CSKdJ1GTLk9AfL-YaJfy2R6VD4j7boetfRIy8zcg1H4by5svjOQPqho9iU5PMEn5wp9zkWIWYfYUxSYgphrNQXlmdh4telwhi-lejgx~PaTJBxPfGHvEaw02xKanztuTMQrppmjtABDoNKUT9pzzTPn1nVOG9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 on June 23 to ratify county staff and its aviation attorney's decision to terminate the fixed-base operator (FBO) lease at Inverness Airport for Wright Rudder/RightRider Aviation after staff determined the operator had not met key lease obligations.

The termination letter, sent under advice of aviation counsel, cited the loss of a Federal Aviation Administration Part 141 flight-school certification among the lease deficiencies. Public Works Director Carlton Hall told commissioners the county had first identified multiple lease discrepancies during an ongoing review and that, under the lease terms, the operator had 30 days to cure the deficiencies but had not done so.

Why it matters: The FBO operates services and facilities at Inverness Airport. Commissioners and staff said the county is reviewing leases across both airports to make operations more consistent, to better protect airport assets and to strengthen financial oversight.

Hall said county consultants and staff had been reviewing airport finances and leases for over a year. \"During that discussion we had last Monday it was brought up and asked what his thoughts for the future were... he mentioned he didn't need it,\" Hall said of the Part 141 certificate, referring to the operator's stated position. \"Because of the fact he's not meeting those minimum requirements, the lease was terminated as per the lease documents.\"

RightRider Aviation owner Andy Chan came to the public microphone and disputed that the operator had violated the lease. Chan said the negotiated lease language allowed RightRider to \"obtain\" a Part 141 certificate and try it, but not to be required to maintain it. Chan said the company had earned a Part 141 certificate, then allowed it to lapse because demand for Part 141 training was not present in their student mix and because maintaining the certification required substantial ongoing costs.

Commissioners described additional concerns in the backup and during discussion, including inconsistent documentation, hours of operation, fuel-farm and exclusivity language and an event at the airport that resulted in property damage. Several commissioners said the county had not previously enforced or updated lease terms consistently and that the current review aimed to correct that.

Board action and vote: Chair Rebecca Bays moved to ratify staff and the airport attorney's termination letter and to stand by the deadlines in that letter; Commissioner Diana Barrick seconded. The motion passed 4-1. Commissioner Jeff Kennard cast the lone dissent. After the vote staff said the county will issue an RFQ for the FBO slot; RightRider and other entities will be eligible to compete under a new solicitation.

Next steps: County staff said the action preserves county property and operations while the county develops a stronger, standardized set of lease, operating and reporting requirements for airport tenants. The county's aviation review includes a request for greater financial transparency from operators and a request to standardize lease years and extension language for hangars and fuel farms. Commissioner Diane Finnegan and others said the county plans to advertise the opportunity for a new FBO operator and to tighten security and operational requirements in future leases.","The board voted 4-1 to ratify staff and county counsel's termination of Wright Rudder (RightRider) Aviation's FBO lease at Inverness Airport after staff concluded the operator did not meet minimum lease requirements, including a Part 141 flight-school certification the lease required the operator to obtain.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188003,"Citrus County officials outline $40 million annual estimate to maintain county road network",2734,1482000,4216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7&start=1482&end=4216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064156-bb370200c8705b4c060bd167304b6ac7/thumbnail_1482000.jpg","/articles/6188003/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-officials-outline-40-million-annual-estimate-to-maintain-county-road-network","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188003-0736bc6daead4d0f36067d0acbfc60db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155117&Signature=Dc2IsvVUQ1KOIjVWBUGBXyd0hlsiLL0LGpMb~3NMEdWZYTYtAto3uFZEyM8RDSMCMjEjMs9CvxMo~nU30pF-YwnlFC6jDuigUsQxzBgIM1p4J3MdYFooAODdfE8Mw51qDNkLoYn6q3jkHMq7815ppi8j7clAxVlaANSMlrk-y8nvRsRgHx3L~KUF50bKpanDWboDbUA5WInrC2fQ4AiejVa4Mv8NXkIeMuGFm~B~9r9k6a9u3qLgsWm2QvrSWs81sapyWKIDOPnzuRdz8S6k-lPvGMvwO7VJhmBhlmJ7~tO4qqlT9DRGACr8bVnRafRg7kHc2o8wfoeFGXoV10dh~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Citrus County officials and outside counsel told the Board of County Commissioners on June 23 that maintaining the county's roads at an acceptable condition will likely cost roughly $40 million a year, and that larger capacity projects can carry individual per-mile price tags in the millions.

The county's presentation to the board explained how projects move from planning and study to design, right-of-way acquisition and construction, and why federal or state funding changes the process and the county's responsibilities.

County Tech Services Director Walt E. Spence and real property attorney Campbell McClain led the discussion. McClain said the work follows a set of repeatable steps and cautioned that failing to follow required procedures can jeopardize state or federal funding and the county's ability to acquire property by eminent domain. \"Local government is charged with protecting the health, safety and welfare of its citizens,\" McClain said. \"The failure to abide by the correct procedures will put at risk your ability to get state and federal funding and risk your ability to take property through eminent domain.\"

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff framed the presentation as both a technical primer and a warning about scale. The county maintains about 1,844 miles of roads (312 major/minor collectors and roughly 1,500 local roads), and staff said a Mott MacDonald modeling exercise produced a ballpark $40 million annual figure to maintain the network. County staff also reminded the board that some gas-tax revenues and impact fees have legal limits on use and that certain state gas-tax components are scheduled to sunset in 2034.

Major points from the presentation:

- Project stages: planners identify needs and list them in MPO and county documents; the county then secures funding, conducts studies (topographic, environmental, archaeological, hydrologic), designs the project and acquires right-of-way before construction. McClain described two common study approaches: county-led team studies and consultant-led PD&E (Project Development & Engineering) reports. He said PD&E reports are required when state or federal funds are involved but are usually more time-consuming and siloed.

- Funding and scope: staff presented a rough breakdown showing the county currently receives roughly $8'$9 million a year in gas tax revenue, about $3.2 million in impact fees and roughly $7.8 million from transportation ad valorem; that total is approximately half of the modeled $40 million maintenance need. Some commissioners pressed staff to provide the underlying data before publishing the estimate publicly.

- Grant and federalization effects: staff said when a project is federalized (even for one phase or element), the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) or federal agencies typically manage the project, and local matching commitments can be substantial. \"Once you federalize a project, even one piece, it is a total game changer,\" Spence said, adding typical county-led projects might take five to six years while DOT-managed projects can take 15 years or longer.

- Right-of-way and eminent domain: McClain described the two-stage Florida condemnation process and the Chapter 74 \"quick take\" deposit mechanism that allows construction to proceed while compensation disputes continue in court.

- Pavement and program numbers: staff noted FY 2025 resurfacing treated 64 miles at about $18.7 million. SCOP (Small County Outreach Program) funding for Citrus County is capped by DOT at about $1.8 million annually and is tied to population thresholds; counties that exceed the DOT population threshold can lose SCOP eligibility.

Board reaction and next steps: Commissioners asked for more detailed backup for the $40 million figure and for traffic-count and segment analyses from the MPO. Commissioner Jeff Kennard successfully moved that the board formally ask the Hernando-Citrus Metropolitan Planning Organization to conduct traffic counts and produce a traffic study for Citrus County roads; the motion was approved unanimously. Staff also flagged options the board has discussed to increase revenue, including MSBUs, adjustments to transportation ad valorem, sales tax measures and financing for major capital projects.

Ending: Staff said refined data and a five-year capital improvement program will be returned to the board for budget considerations, and that county efforts to identify revenue sources and prioritize resurfacing versus capacity projects will continue through the budget process.","County staff and outside counsel walked commissioners through how road projects are planned, funded and built, warning that maintaining the county's 1,844-mile network will require roughly $40 million per year and that federalization of projects can more than double time and local costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges county action after finding high arsenic in private wells; commissioners say staff will follow up

Citrus County adopts ban on ex-commissioner lobbying and a lobbyist registration ordinance

Citrus County board approves hospital assessment to unlock Medicaid matching funds

Citrus County ratifies termination of Inverness FBO lease after operator lost Part 141 certification

Citrus County officials outline $40 million annual estimate to maintain county road network