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County commissioners consider working toward countywide systems an important issue for 2003.
By CARRIE JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 28, 2003
CRYSTAL RIVER -- For years, Citrus County officials have discussed the need for countywide water and sewer systems.
Now, perhaps, they are finally taking action.
During a goal-setting session Thursday, County Commission Chairman Jim Fowler said he planned to make the creation of water and sewer lines a priority in the coming year.
"I think it would be a real disservice to the citizens of this county and those who come after us not to do this," he said.
Fowler proposed considering the most environmentally sensitive areas of the county first, especially the lakes region on the east side. The coastal area west of U.S. 19 also would be a priority.
Eventually, water and sewer service would be extended to every area of the county, he said.
While county staff will continue to search for federal and state dollars to pay for the project, Fowler warned that residents probably would be asked to help with the cost at some point.
"I think there has been a recognition that the grant money for this type of project is going to be nonexistent," he said. "If we're going to move forward, we're going to have to find ways to pay for this on our own."
He recommended paying for the project by either charging residents who would benefit from the system or imposing a fee on all county property owners.
Commissioner Vicki Phillips, while voicing support for the proposal, suggested that the fee be based on property value.
Other commissioners expressed their approval for the plan, saying it was a step long overdue for a growing county.
"This is the right thing to do," Commissioner Gary Bartell said. "I'm with you 100 percent."
Fowler's proposal is still in the preliminary stages. It will now be up to staff to come up with a countywide water and sewer master plan, a project that has already started, according to County Administrator Richard Wesch.
The majority of county residents, about 95 percent, do not have government-operated water or sewer lines, Wesch said.
"It's just not the way the county was developed," he said.
The septic systems used by most residents can cause environmental and health problems, especially in sensitive wetlands areas, Wesch added. The tanks crack and leak, allowing sewage to seep into the soil.
Fowler said he was sure the proposal would create controversy once the county determines how much the project will cost. But he said the step was necessary for the longterm benefit of the county and, over time, the systems will pay for themselves.
"We need to start looking for customers," he said. "We need to get into the environmental protection business."
Another of Fowler's ideas didn't win as much support.
He suggested appointing a "special master" to advise commissioners on legal issues such as land use disputes.
Phillips said the position was unnecessary and would make the commission less responsive to the people they represent.
"It looks as though we're passing the buck, and it will appear to citizens that we're not shouldering the burden we were elected to do," she said.
She and Bartell said the commission already received all the input it needed from county staff and County Attorney Robert Battista.
Despite the opposition, Fowler said he planned to pursue the idea.
Code enforcement also was a hot topic during the more than four-hour session at Fort Island Trail Park.
Phillips said she would endorse rewriting the code enforcement standards to make it tougher on residents who keep junk in their yards or allow their grass to grow too high.
"I think what we have right now is left too much to the code officers' interpretations," she said.
Phillips also suggested that each commission member set up an individual e-mail account to receive input from citizens.
Commissioner Josh Wooten received a mixed reaction to his proposal to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a county holiday.
Wooten said a day for quiet contemplation would be good for staff morale.
"They could take a day to reflect on living in the greatest nation in the world, where anybody can do anything," he said.
But others were hesitant to authorize another paid vacation day for staff members.
"If we're not careful," Commissioner Roger Batchelor said, "we're going to get more and more requests for holidays. Where do you draw the line?"
-- Carrie Johnson can be reached at 860-7309 or cjohnson@sptimes.com .