A publication that drew a response to Citrus County Development Services nominee Vince Cautero fired back today after receiving an e-mail on Sunday from Cautero.

Southwest Florida Online today said it stands by its report, and clarified its charges.

Cautero's claims that he didn't have the responsibility of a say in the collection of developer impact fees, which Cautero said were the responsibility of three engineers. But publication editor Don Browne said, "his statement seems contrary to the findings of a special audit report ordered by the Collier County Commissioners in 2001, investigating county officials' failure to collect golf course developer impact fees.

"The report (on page 9) says: ''Once an impact fee ordinance was enacted, the responsibility for assessing and collecting any impact fees lay in the Community Development Division and the Revenue Department, respectively.''

Cautero was the head of the Development Division and that time, charged with assessing the fees, Browne said.

Cautero's also asserted that the publication got the date of his membership in the American Planning Association wrong. Cautero said he has been a member of the APA since 1961, but Browne said his information about Cautero's being a member since only 1986 came from a reliable source - the American Planning Association.

• Read more at Southwest Florida Online