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Citrus slicesBy Times staff writers © St. Petersburg Times, published November 13, 2000 Never met a dollar he didn't like in protecting taxpayersCounty Commissioner Jim Fowler was a guest at a service club luncheon Tuesday but had to leave early to get to the County Commission's scheduled 1 p.m. meeting. As Fowler reached the door, he turned and announced to the audience with an affected flourish, "I'm off to a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to protect your tax dollars." Referring to the club's tradition of paying $1 bills for glad or sad occasions, he added, "That should be worth a happy dollar from all of you." Inverness City Council member John Sullivan was in the audience and leaned over to a fellow diner. "He's always spending someone else's money," Sullivan quipped. WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE: Speaking of Fowler, he took center stage last Monday as the master of ceremonies for Commissioner Brad Thorpe's farewell luncheon at Andre's of Citrus Hills. After Fowler finished his monologue and introduced the first speaker, he saw there was nowhere for him to sit except for an empty banquet table in the far corner of the room. "I'll just sit over here with my friends," Fowler said. MAKING IT LOOK EASY: While half a dozen local elected officials cruised to another term without facing an opponent this fall, Thorpe drew five challengers before deciding in May not to seek a third term. So, in a way, Citrus Times editor Greg Hamilton told the audience, we have Thorpe to thank for Scott Adams' raucous campaign. "Brad showed everyone that if he can do it, anybody can do it," Hamilton said. FUZZY MATH: At $14 a head, Thorpe's going-away luncheon was a bit pricey, but Interim County Administrator Richard Wesch later admitted that not all of the money went toward the food. "The charge to Andre's was $8, the charge for (Thorpe's going-away) gift was $2," Wesch said. "And the $4 was to hire people to come off the street to be in the audience." A LASTING LEGACY: development services director Gary Maidhof prepared a list of Thorpe's top 10 accomplishments. Our favorites: No. 7: He single-handedly united the community of Arrowhead. No. 3: The historic courthouse is now fully restored and the pigeons of Inverness can roost in safety and with pride. No. 1: The Citrus County Commission has never moved more muck in a single year's time than under his chairmanship. ABANDON SHIP: Fowler said Thorpe's decision to leave office is like the scene in the movie Titanic, in which the man who drew up the ship's faulty blueprint sneaks onto a lifeboat while others are left to go down with the ship. In that vein, Fowler noted, "Brad brought us the blueprint for the (Economic Development Council)." CRIME STATISTICS ARE DOWN . . . REALLY: Most of the roasting was for Thorpe, but Fowler did mention his reservations about approving Sheriff Jeff Dawsy's $16-million budget until Dawsy came up with one sign that he was doing a good job. "He said, "Since I've been sheriff, there has not been one report of theft of an in-ground swimming pool,' " Fowler said. "And you know, he's right." THE TRUTH COMES OUT: At the end of the luncheon, Thorpe went to the podium to set the record straight. His real reason for leaving the commission, he said, is because he believes he can accomplish more as a citizen activist who attends every meeting. "I've got a lot of ideas, and I know where all of the money is," Thorpe said with a grin. BEFORE THEIR TIME: Defeated candidates Ansel Briggs and Lee Cooper met up on the street outside the Citrus County Elections office after the final vote was in Tuesday night. They exchanged greetings, consoling each other for their defeats and joking about how they might go into business together as cough drop makers -- the Smith Brothers. The bearded men even mugged like the portrait on the famous cough medicine box for a moment to demonstrate their point. Then Cooper commented, "This county ain't ready for us." NOVELTY LICENSE PLATES WE LIKE: "Get even! Live long enough to be a problem to your kids." - Times staff writers Bridget Hall Grumet, Greg Hamilton, Barbara Behrendt and Jim Ross compiled this report.
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