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owned by Inglis commissioner Drew White since 2006 and has served as a focal point for had hit the infant with a toy.

neighbors of the property, who want it shut down. White said when he purchased the 1.1

Wood told the detective: On July 15, the infant had gone to bed around 9:00 p.m.,

acre business he asked the Florida DEP to come in and do core samples. At that time he was and she had gone to bed about 11:00 p.m. The child awakened about 10:00 p.m., and she

told that location had been a junk yard since the 1940s and was contaminated, just don’t changed her diaper, and the baby went to sleep within thirty to forty-ﬁve minutes. She had

contaminate it any more.

no further contact with the baby until 7:40 a.m., although Williams had been up with the

White said the search warrant mentioned among other things, the improper dis- infant during the night. She awakened at 7:40 a.m., July 16, to ﬁnd the infant extremely cold

posal of waste oil in the soil. He said he contracts with a company that recovers all the oil to touch and having seizure-type movements of her arms and legs.

and hazardous liquid waste before cars are sold for crushing. He said in May of this year

Williams told Liotta: When Wood awakened him about 8:30 a.m and told him

the DEP inspected the property and he was given a letter of compliance stating the property that something was wrong with the baby, he saw that the she was gasping for air and, ‘not

was in compliance with state and federal rules on the handling of hazardous waste. (read herself.’ He said he suggested that Wood give her a bath, and after the bath, the baby went

full document on our website: thenewscaster.com) White said even though he has installed to sleep.

privacy fencing, the site is not secure. In December of 2007 the Inglis Code Enforcement

Both told Liotta, that on July 14 and 15, the infant had been vomiting in a projectile

board tried to shut down the business because of non-forming use under a 1968 ordinance. fashion. On July 14, a family member suggested that the baby be taken to a hospital to be

 

White said in order to prove it should be “grandfathered”, he hired an attorney to take a de- checked-out, and Wood said, if the baby continued to refuse food and vomit, she would, but

position from a man who worked at the salvage yard as early as 1964. He characterized the she did not seek medical treatment for the infant.

 on July 16 at approximately

whole ordeal as “ridiculous” and that he has hired an attorney, again.

Williams left the residence with mutual acquaintances

The Inglis police department has also been on scene. It is also public knowledge 11:00 a.m.theofwho was also left in care of the infant

 He left the infant in  sole care  Wood, 

that a long standing feud has existed between White and police chief Steve Dixon. White has a   saidthatshe for another child,

of  friend of Williams. Wood      was upset at being left to care

been critical of the Inglis police department and is now the commission liaison for the police which was supposed to be for a short period of time, but turned into several hours. She un-

     

department. Dixon’s current contract has been investigated by town attorney Bradly Bettin successfully attempted to contact Williams and the person who had left the other child with

and the commission has sought an opinion from the State’s Attorney General todetermine • Williams’absence, • morning feeding slept 

   

 

 • 

Wood said, the baby refused her

if the contract is valid. In a ten page memo to the Inglis town commission, interim attorneyuntilabout 2:30p.m.,sheand ‘kindof’

    when  awakened her   force-fed her.

Bradly Bettin indicated in his opinion there are problems with the police chief’s contract and About 2:30 p.m., July 16, another family member stopped by, unannounced, to visit. Wood

it may not be valid. Bettin was asked to review the timeline of approval of Chief Dixon’s

contract by Commission President Sally Price. The ﬁnal opinion from the state s attorney

Shell Super Stop

general s ofﬁce indicated that Dixon s contract is valid.

On July 2nd Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Opinion: “A written employment con-

tract of the Town of Inglis, the terms of which have been approved at a public meeting,

U.S. 19 at C.R. 40 • Inglis, Florida

is a public record available for inspection’ and copying pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida

Statutes. However, nothing in the Government in the Sunshine Law requires that such a pro-

  

posed written contract be subsequently presented to, considered Display Ad Town

Commission at a Sunshine Law compliant meeting.” Dixon’s contract was extended through

    

The current commission is in the process of negotiating a contract with thelLevy County

Sheriff’s Dept. for future police protection. This follows a Charter amendment that would

 

    

have dissolved the Inglis police dept. The amendment was passed by the voters in March



2013, but later was overturned by Levy circuit judge Ysleta -22-13 issue Mc-

5 W. McDonald. Judge



Donald issued a ﬁnal ruling on amendment three stating that “charter amendment three is



unconstitutional and shall therefore not take effect”.



    

What is Inglis commissioner Drinda Merritt’s role in all of this? At an Inglis spe-

     

cial meeting May 23, 2013 Merritt tried to block White’s participation in future police votes.

“Before you have any further discussion on police issues I want to make the com-

                

mission aware that a complaint has been ﬁled with the Ethics Commission on Mr White. Mr

White can no longer (pause) he has to recuse himself from police issues because he is under

        

investigation and if he continues to vote on police issues then those people voting with him

that know he is under investigation will also be held accountable. This is the Ethics Com-

       

mission violation that was ﬁled on him.”

White asked.. “By who?” Merritt said.. “I ﬁled it. It is common knowledge that

     

he is under investigation.” Attorney Bradly Bettin said “he could not conceive of a scenario

      

that would make this a conﬂict of interest. It would be an extremely troublesome scenario

if a police dept. could disqualify every member of this commission simply by launching an



investigation into their conduct.” Bettin said he would investigate the matter. You can listen

      

to this conversation on: thenewscaster.com. Click on the Inglis link at the top of the home

page and look for the 5-23-13 meeting audio. (available at about 1:18 into meeting).

       

Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board Meeting for Aug.

       

The Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board will hold regular meeting

at 10:30 A.M. on the 1st day of August, 2013 at the Citrus County Transit Center, 1300 S

Lecanto Hwy, Lecanto, FL 34460. Notice Is Hereby Given that The Annual Public Hearing

will be held before this meeting from 9:30AM – 10:30AM.

Any person requiring special accommodations or desiring further information re-

garding this meeting may contact the Transportation Supervisor of Citrus County Transit,

1410 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto, FL. 34461-9015. Telephone: (352) 527-7630.