County officials asked the Citrus County legislative delegation to consider three infrastructure projects they say would improve response times, reduce homeowner insurance burdens and expand recreational access.

Commissioner Rebecca Bays outlined three priorities: a $2.3 million appropriation to relocate Fire Station 8 to the Inverness Airport, a $10 million state request (to be matched by the county) to complete the Florida Cross Barge Canal boat ramp, and funding for a 3.2-mile, 10–12-foot-wide Halls River multi-use asphalt path linking Riverview Circle to U.S. 19.

Bays said moving Fire Station 8 would restore better ISO (insurance) ratings for roughly 20,000 residents and improve response times by placing the station near the airport and Highway 4144. On the boat ramp, Bays and county staff described constrained parking at existing residential ramps, manatee-protection limits on new ramps, and a long-running project to shift regional launch traffic onto the Barge Canal; the county says King’s Bay and regional restoration work increase urgency as inflation has pushed prior cost estimates from roughly $15 million toward $20 million.

Bays described the Halls River multi-use path as a pedestrian and tourism investment that would connect neighborhoods and businesses, create safer travel for nonmotorized users and support local commerce.

Why it matters: Delegation members and local officials said the projects would have regional economic and public-safety benefits — lowering homeowner insurance premiums in affected neighborhoods, creating safer pedestrian and bike connections and reducing pressure on small residential boat ramps.

Budget and timeline notes: Bays requested $2,300,000 for the fire station relocation and $10,000,000 for the boat ramp (county will match); the multi-use path amount was identified as an appropriation request but a specific dollar figure was not recorded in the transcript. Bays said the boat-ramp project has been on county plans since about 2012 and noted recent inflation-driven cost increases. Local boards have approved these requests, she said.