PAGE 3 - July 23, 2008
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Citrus County administrator's
Squawk Box
from page 1
week. All I need is the local and national news and ESPN, Fox Sports, Sun Sports, ESPN
preliminary budget released
Classic and ESPN News. The only movies I will consider watching is Hoosiers, Remember the
Titans or possibly Rudy. If it ain't a sports movie it won't be playing at the Johnston house.
Also there is the matter of cleaning house. Believe it or not I am not a particularly messy
The Citrus County Administrator's tentative preliminary budget for fiscal year 2008-
person. But I will go the extra mile to avoid anything that requires cleaning or washing. For
2009 was delivered to county commissioners Tuesday, and it reflects a $9.5 million, or 11.6
instance, plastic cutlery and styrofoam plates do just fine and there is no washing dishes(it
percent, reduction in the property tax rate levy at the current year's millage rate, 6.6584 mills.
saves energy using hot water). Another thing I have learned is that making the bed is only
The total county budget is proposed for $222.85 million. Last year's total budget was
necessary the day that your wife returns or in this case the day that I leave to go meet her in
$278.14 million. The gross taxable value of the county tax roll decreased 11.5 percent from
West Virginia. Why make the bed when you are going to get right back in it that night? I would
about $12.4 billion in 2007 to $10.9 billion this year. The budget notes this year's revenue
have a problem with clean sheets, but I figure I can sleep on top of the bed spread and they
shortfall as a result of three factors, the impact of Amendment 1, the slowing economy, and the
will not get dirty.
downturn in property values based on current market conditions.
I share cooking and laundry duty with Kathie. I probably do 40% of those chores because
The proposed preliminary budget is scheduled to be posted on the Citrus County Court
of our work schedules so I'm not a rookie in those departments. But I can tell you that a Big
Clerk's website by midday Wednesday, June 16. You can log on to: www.thenewscaster.com
Mac and fries can fill the tummy and causes absolutely no mess, particularly if you eat it in
and go to the links page. Click on board minutes.
your truck or outside on the patio.
There is a hard copy of the proposed budget available for public viewing in the
I know my daughter and daughters-in-law will come over at least once while Kathie is
Citrus County Commission office on the second floor of the new courthouse in Inverness.
away to survey the situation. They will look at each other and conclude that they should
Commissioners will now review the budget and hold two Preliminary Budget Hear-
come back while I am on my way to meet Kathie and spruce the place up a bit. But that is just
ings on July 29 and 30. They are scheduled to adopt the tentative millage for the upcoming
the female mind set. They think we men are not capable of keeping a house in order. They
budget by the July 30th meeting. The commission can lower but not raise the tax rate after that
don't appreciate just how resourceful we men really are.
rate is set. They must finalize the budget for the new fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1, by their
I make sure I do things to eliminate messes before they are a problem. For instance, I eat
Sept. 23 budget public hearing.
soda crackers in full view of the cats. That way they will eat the crumbs that inevitably fall on
Citrus Sheriff Announces License, Safety
the sofa and floor. No muss-No fuss. Tell me we men don't know about keeping a house
clean. This was a reprint of a Squawk Box that originally ran in 2006.
Equipment Checkpoints
PSC Gives Okay - Continued from page 1
Sheriff’s Office deputies will be conducting driver’s license and safety equipment
checkpoints on Citrus County’s roadways in an effort to reduce violations of Florida’s motor
reactors. If built, the new plants would employ approximately 800 full-time, high-paying posi-
vehicle laws. These checkpoints will be conducted randomly on the following roads starting
tions, generate another 1,000 to 2,000 indirect jobs and employ about 3,000 people at the
Thursday, July 17, and continuing for four weeks through Thursday, August 14:N. Lecanto
height of construction.
Highway, Beverly Hills Boulevard, Roosevelt Boulevard, N. Forest Ridge Boulevard, N. Florida
If approved and built, the project would be among the first nuclear plants in the country to be
Avenue, S. Apopka Avenue, E. Anna Jo Drive, N. Citrus Springs Boulevard, N. Deltona Bou-
constructed on a greenfield site in more than 30 years, and it would involve development of
levard and W. Deltona Boulevard.The Sheriff’s Office says these checkpoints not only help
one of the single largest transmission infrastructure projects in Florida’s history. Today’s
ensure motorists’ compliance with Florida’s vehicular equipment and driver’s license laws,
approval is one step in a lengthy process to ensure that nuclear energy remains a viable
but contribute favorably to the agency’s overall highway safety objective.
resource option for the future.
The next steps to be taken at the state and federal levels include the filing for cost recovery
Paraphernalia charge- Continued from page 1
with the Florida PSC and the filing of a Combined Operating License (COL) application with
According to the arrest report, the deputy was aware that the man, Daniel K. Smith, has a
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), both expected later this summer. Gaining
previous criminal history and was recently released on grand theft charges. As Smith was in
these and other regulatory approvals in a timely manner is critical to moving the project
close proximity to the area where the burglary had just occurred, the deputy stopped to
forward.
question him.
If plans continue to move forward and are approved by state and federal regulators, the
Smith was carrying a black grocery bag and allowed the deputy to search it. The deputy
two new advanced-technology reactors could begin operating in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
found "a metal water spigot which," the deputy reported, "was being used as a pipe to smoke
The company estimates the total cost of the project to be approximately $14 billion for the
marijuana." The water spigot tested positive for cannabis. Smith told the deputy that he had
two units and an additional $3 billion for the necessary transmission equipment. This estimate
placed the pipe in his bag, but he was not aware of the marijuana residue and that he planned
includes land price, plant components, financing costs, construction, labor, regulatory fees
to sell the pipe/spigot for scrap metal. Smith was placed under arrest and charged with pos-
and reactor fuel for two units and about 200 miles of transmission lines and associated equip-
session of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility
ment.
where his bond was set at $500. Inside the bag, the deputy found several wire cutters and
The estimated average annual customer cost increase is expected to be between 3 percent
approximately ten pounds of copper wire. Smith explained that the wire came from several
and 4 percent from 2009 to 2018. When the plants begin commercial operation in 2016-17, fuel
locations which he could not remember.
savings – a direct cost savings benefit to customers – is estimated to be approximately $1
billion a year. The prices of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels have risen dramatically in the
What’s That Costing You?
from page 1
last couple of years and continue to be highly volatile.
The April to May billing for was for 673,500 gallons and the amount of the bill for that month
A.B.A.
was $5063.76. May 16 to June 18, 860,600 gallons were used costing DAB $6467.01.
According to water clerk Darlene, DAB is paying the same commercial rate as all commercial
A/C & Heating,Inc.
accounts. The base commercial rate is $35 for the 1st 3000 gallons and $8.00 per 1000 gallons
after the 1st 3000.
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