The recent purchase of Ottowa Avenue drew criticism again today before the Citrus County Commission.

A number of residents, and two candidates for county commission, quizzed county commissioners about the recent purchase of the property for $2.9 million, which will be used as a north-south connector road.

Renee McPheeters, the last-election cycle's unsuccessful candidate for County Commission District 1, which includes Crystal River, said she still had questions about the purchase. "I am asking that not one more cent be spent on Ottowa," McPheeters told commissioners. "And I am requesting an investigation (of the purchase) by the State Attorney General."

Lecanto resident Chris Lloyd said, "This ain't going away anytime soon." Llloyd asked why the decision had to be made on April 27 to purchase the property, and wondered why Citrus County government concluded the deal with Tampa developer Steve Tamposi for just the east side of the property and not the west side, as well.

County Commissioner Winn Webb replied that Tamposi only owned half of the property, and that the west side was owned by someone else.

Commissioner Dennis Damato added that, just like with the property purchase along County Road 486, the county is taking the long view of development with Ottowa, and not limiting itself to the short view. "It takes courage to plan," Damato said.

Commissioner Joe Meek said the traffic light at CR 486 and Ottawa Avenue was put there because of plans for a connector. "There was no rush to do anything," Meek said. Agreeing with Meek, Webb added, "We can keep beating a dead horse, but it's still gonna cost."

Damato noted that there had been a "lot of noise in the community" about the purchase of Ottowa Avenue, but that there was nothing based on fact.

Commissioner John Thrumston said the whole stir surrounding the purchase of Ottwa was politically motivated. "It's a political issue for candidates (for county commission) and newspapers. It's a political football. Shame on the people who used this to get here (on the county commission)."

The issue before the commission today, however, was not about the Ottowa Avenue purchase, Commissioner Gary Bartell said, but about acquiring rights of way from the owners of 15 properties along Ottowa.

Jim Burnswick, candidate for Thrumston's seat on the commission said he wanted to know if the properties being purchased were county or private properties. He was assured the properties belong to private individuals..

Phil Mulrain, candidate for Bartell's seat on the commission, asked about an old restricted covenant agreement between the county and Citrus Hills with regard to a connector road between CR 591 and Ottowa. He also wanted to know if the developer would pay the costs associated with the project.

He was told that such a connector was planned and that costs would be paid for by the developer. Damato added that there were developer plans for approximately 2,500 homes and an 18-hole golf course that would be built along that stretch of road.

Several residents complained that they weren't well informed about the events leading up to the Ottowa purchase, but commissioners and County Administrator Brad Thorpe said that the commission's actions were advertised in the proper publications, discussed at public hearings and were published on the county's Webb site.

As for the legality of the purchase of the property, County Attorney Richard Wesch said everything was done legally and in the proper order.

Thrumston, irked by political candidates' lack of knowledge on the purchase, quipped to Thorpe that he schedule a "class for political candidates" that would better inform them of the issues before the county.

The issue did not die with the ending of the regular meeting of county commissioners at 3:30 p.m. Following approval of the county's budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11 that began at 5:01 p.m., Thrumston had staff locate a previous commission resolution that gives Thorpe the authority to approve other purchases along Ottowa without having to bring each purchase before the commission.

Thrumston read the resolution to other commissioners to refresh their memories. "I don't see why any of these purchases should ever come before the county commission again," Thrumston said. "We've given staff the direction to proceed."

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