Zeros: Rays fail to score for third game in a row /B1 WEDNESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 87 60 percent LOW chance of showers. 71 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com JUNE 11, 2014 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 119 ISSUE 308 Commission votes to investigate Adams Board authorizes $35K to hire outside attorney Board votes to pay $14,750 to CHRIS VAN ORMER Thorpe against Commissioner the exhibits that Thorpe used AND MIKE WRIGHT Scott Adams. last week to substantiate his outsource administrator search Staff writers The board voted 4-1 Tuesday claims of work force harass- CHRIS VAN ORMER administrator. to approve County Attorney ment. Staff writer By a 4-1 vote, the Citrus INVERNESS — The county Kerry Parsons’ request for an “These are just allegations,” County Board of County Com- commission will spend up to outside counsel to look at Parsons said. “I’m not saying INVERNESS — A profes- missioners (BOCC) decided on $35,000 for an attorney to inves- Thorpe’s claims. they’re viable.” sional headhunter will be Tuesday to engage the services tigate allegations of workplace Parsons said she couldn’t in- Adams, who a half hour hired to find candidates to fill harassment brought on by vestigate the allegations be- the position of the next county See SEARCH/Page A5 County Administrator Brad cause she is named in some of See BOARD/ Page A9 Dairy wants to do its part MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Leon McClellan, of M&B Dairy, explains the operation of the dairy’s new concete-lined pond, which will be used to store reclaimed water for later use in irrigation. Business putting finishing touches on extensive project to recycle reclaimed water PAT FAHERTY million gallon-plus reclaimed “If it was square, it would be After separating out the him to set the irrigation Staff writer water storage facility. 165 feet wide and 340 feet long solids, the water — from flush- schedule using nutrient-rich It will eventually reduce the and about 10 feet deep,” ex- ing out the barns — is held in reclaimed water, reducing the Water use, one of the biggest amount of ground water used plained Leon McClellan. tanks until used for irrigating need for supplementary issues in agriculture, is getting while recycling nutrients back Agitators will keep sedi- the feed crops. But with lim- freshwater. The crops are har- special treatment at M&B into the feed crops, corns and ment suspended in the water, ited storage capacity, McClel- vested for feed. Dairy. oats. though the pond is designed lan said they have to irrigate “It’s all a big circle,” he said. Located in south central The large, wedge-shaped, so a tractor can drive and daily regardless of rainfall “So, there are no nutrients Citrus County, the dairy, concrete-lined pond under scrape out accumulated and pump freshwater when getting into the groundwater.” which milks about 675 cows, is construction is designed to solids. The sides are sloped conditions demand. in the process of building a hold a 30-day supply of water. for extra capacity. The new system will enable See DAIRY/ Page A2 Crystal River leaders face difficult choices Downturn in revenue requires reassessment of services; new kayak launch also under review A.B. SIDIBE On Monday, the city is $1,160.474. tract with the sheriff ’s of- (BOCC) to see what relief sheriff ’s office is provid- Staff writer council tabled for further At issue is outgoing city fice and again pay a county the commission can offer ing, which he called great. consultation and talks the manager Andy Houston’s levy for law enforcement. and also the sheriff or his He said it’s about the levy. CRYSTAL RIVER — adoption of an annual con- claim that city residents He has urged county offi- representative to talk Houston said any cuts in City officials are faced tract for police services are paying more than cials to offer relief, but he about what services may the contract could mean with a budget quandary between the city and the twice what a county resi- said nothing has been be lost in coverage should losing coverage, including that may result in a reduc- Citrus County Sheriff ’s Of- dent is paying for police forthcoming. the city opt to scale back marine patrol and slower tion in law enforcement fice. The subject will be re- services. Monday, the council re- its contract. response times to calls. services as they face an- visited at the July 14 Houston has asserted solved to invite the chair- Houston told the council However, he said it is up to other decline in taxable council meeting. The con- that it was unfair for city man of the Board of the issue has never been values. tract for 2014-15 fiscal year residents to pay for a con- County Commissioners the quality of service the See CHOICES/ Page A5 INDEX INSIDE Classifieds . .C8 Comics . .C7 Community . .C5 Crossword . .C6 Editorial . .A8 Entertainment . .A4 Horoscope . .A4 Lottery Numbers . .B3 Lottery Payouts . .B3 Movies . .C7 Obituaries . .A6 TV Listings . .C6 Drone on the range: School shooting: Books of summer: FAA confronts new technology as it OKs At least two reported dead in Oregon incident, County libraries host events to keep kids limited drone flights over land./A6 including suspected gunman./A10 reading during their break./C1 A2 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE ber mats and water beds. DAIRY He said it will provide a Local columnist to speak Friday soft layer to keep the cows Continued from Page A1 from rubbing their bodies on the rubber, in turn solv- Special to the Chronicle Cafe in his one-man exhibit, is limited and reservations The pond project was ing a big problem. “Both Sides of Fred should be made early. about a year in the plan- “I’ve always had a prob- Fred Brannen, noted for his pop- Brannen.” The Florida Artists ning and extra measures lem getting rid of all my ular “Slice of Life” column in the While Brannen’s paint- Gallery and Cafe are in the were added with an eye to- manure,” McClellan said. Citrus County Chronicle, will be the ings are not for sale, his historic Knight House at ward the future. While “And we wanted to make featured speaker Friday, June 13, at book will be available at the 8219 Orange Ave. in Floral they could have gotten by the beds comfortable for the Florida Artists Gallery & Cafe gallery, where he will auto- City. Both are open 10 a.m. with a cheaper type liner, the cows — so we got this Second Friday Dinner and Lecture graph copies. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. he said they invested in idea — the most important Series. Dinner will be served at Fred For reservations for Fred the concrete to make it thing is cow comfort.” Not only has Brannen recently the Gallery Cafe at 6 p.m. Brannen Brannen’s presentation, call permanent and leak-resis- Dale McClellan said the published his first book, a court- and Brannen’s presentation 352-344-9300. tant. It also gives them the project will end up being a room drama titled “At the Bottom of will follow at 7 p.m. For more information, go to option to build a methane million-dollar investment Biscayne Bay,” but his paintings are Admission for the evening is $25 www.flartistsgallery.com or find it digester and use the gas to using some federal grant currently on display in the Gallery per person, including dinner. Space on Facebook. generate their electricity. money. A second part of the He reiterated the added project involves a new value of reducing ground- compost barn. It will be water use while effectively identical in appearance to reusing the byproducts Tour showcases county’s recycling sites the dairy barns. from the dairy operation. The solids screened out He said the remaining Special to the Chronicle closest to Wendy’s. Partici- where participants will able for future tours of the water would be work will mostly be hook- pants will board a bus view the sorting process of planned for Sept. 26 and spread out in 10-foot wide, ing everything up, includ- Recycling conserves there and head first to the single stream recyclables Nov. 14. Keep Citrus County 6-foot tall, 200-foot long ing some floating pumps natural resources, re- county’s landfill to see the and see post-consumer Beautiful, in partnership windrows for the 10-week for drawing water from the duces the need for land- recycling opportunities products. The bus will then with Citrus 20/20 Inc, Citrus composting process. pond. fills and incinerators, there, tour the landfill to return to Walmart. County Solid Waste Divi- Temperature is monitored When it’s complete, the prevents pollution and learn how different types Registration is required sion, Single Stream Proces- and windrows are inverted pond will be landscaped saves energy. You can of materials are managed and space is limited. Call sors Inc. and Technology as necessary, eliminating with trees. learn more about recy- and how non-recyclable 352-201-0149 before June Conservation Group (TCG), bacteria and weed seeds. “It’s another step toward cling by participating in a items are disposed. 17 to reserve a seat. On is offering these tours to It will then be dry stored a greener operation and three-hour guided tour of The tour then continues the tour, wear closed-toe promote recycling. A $10 in the new barn for use as doing our part on the the recycling facilities in to Technology Conservation shoes and bring a hat.