Meeting in Inverness on Thursday night, Citrus County's Transportation Planning Organization voted 4-3 to seek more applicants for the job of director.

Former county commissioner John Thrumston, who had previously sought the position at $38,000 yearly, left the building after the meeting without commenting to media.

Thrumston, who was defeated in the 2010 election cycle by Rebecca Bays, was instrumental in the formation of the TPO while county commission chairman. The TPO's formation was officially observed on July 8, 2010.

Thurmston has a number of qualifications, to include helping start the county's bus transit system and serving on the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) executive committee as Citrus County's representative.

After the 2010 elections, Thrumston was replaced by county commissioner Joe Meek.

Under the TPO concept, the entire county, including its cities, will operate under the TPO. Thrumston has previously said that such an arrangement will allow the county a "place at the table" when federal transportation funds are doled out.

Once selected and approved, the future TPO director will have a staff and office, and oversee the budget. He or she will also represent the county to any number of transportation-related agencies and bodies.

Looking even further afield, there has also been some talk during county commission meetings about the county eventually becoming its own Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). For now, however, the county must pitch its transportation tent on TBARTA acreage.