Thu, Jul 30, 2026 17:53 (2 hr 20 mins)

Citra Improvement Society General Meeting

Commissioner Candidate Forum

 

Board Business and Financial Updates

• Donald Barber opened the meeting with a roll call, confirming a quorum with board members Wanda Lasher, Mary Carter, Mark Helzer, and Joanne Brayton.

• Mary Carter presented the treasurer's report for June, showing an ending balance of $6,017.81 across the historical, general, and electronic accounts.

• The historical account paid a $1,265.05 fire insurance bill for the year, which the board is currently working to reimburse.

• Joanne Brayton announced that the Citra Improvement Society received a $5,000 grant from SECO for Florida-friendly landscaping and irrigation, and has two additional $5,000 grant applications pending.

• The board officially adopted the minutes for the two recent workshops and last month’s general meeting.

• Joanne announced that the Orange-A-Fai Health Fair is scheduled for March 20, 2027, at Wrigley Fields.

Commission Candidate Introductions

• Candidates for Marion County Commission Districts 2 and 4, including Matt Cretul, Randall Alvord, Jeff Bairstow, Wanda Lasher, and Sherry Meadows, introduced themselves and shared their backgrounds as veterans and business owners.

• Ashley spoke on behalf of Jacqueline "Jackie" Randall, a candidate for State House Representative who previously served as the mayor of Hawthorne and works as a healthcare professional and college professor.

• Steve Shutt (District 3) and Buddy Whitecroft (District 4) introduced themselves as candidates for the school board.

• All commission candidates confirmed their support for preserving the rural character of North Marion County and committed to holding regular town hall meetings in the area if elected.

Growth and Rural Preservation

• Matt Cretul argued for a clear distinction between economic development and sprawling growth, suggesting that existing buildings should be repurposed before new footprints are created.

• Randall Alvord noted that several large developments, such as the Sutton Farm platted for 240 homes, were approved decades ago and suggested that new entitlements should include "sunset" provisions to prevent long-term legal issues.

• Sherry Meadows emphasized that every land-use decision is also a water decision and urged citizens to use data and process knowledge to fight for compatibility in development.

• Jeff Bairstow advocated for maintaining the county's 2050 comprehensive plan as a "roadmap" to protect the current rural character.

Water Management and Utilities

• Matt Cretul explained that while he supports central water and sewer to address environmental contamination from aging septic tanks, it should not be used as a precursor to unchecked development.

• Sherry Meadows shared an account of residents successfully blocking a large county well project in Salt Springs by demanding a town hall and questioning the lack of community notice.

• Randall Alvord and Jeff Bairstow expressed a preference for individual wells and nitrogen-reducing septic tanks, which can reduce nitrates by 99% without forcing rural residents onto public utilities.

• Donald Barber noted that converting small cities from septic to sewer can cost upwards of $60 million for just over 1,000 residents, highlighting the significant financial burden of such projects.

Road Maintenance and Infrastructure

• Wanda Lasher and Sherry Meadows identified specific road maintenance failures in rural areas, such as potholes in Lakes and Meadows and the repeated patching of Northeast 22nd Court.

• Randall Alvord criticized the efficiency of county road crews, comparing a month-long shoulder-lowering project by the county to a week-long project completed by a private contractor.

• Jeff Bairstow highlighted safety hazards on Highway 318, where overgrown tree branches are forcing large trucks to swerve into oncoming traffic.

• Matt Cretul stressed the need for better coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to manage interchanges at I-75 and east-west corridors like 318 and 316.

Public Safety and Emergency Services

• The candidates discussed the recent $20,000 raise for county firefighters and the move toward a fourth shift to reduce burnout and improve response times.

• Sherry Meadows described the "community paramedicine" program, which uses SUVs to respond to frequent, non-emergency callers to keep fire trucks available for true life-and-death situations.

• Wanda Lasher urged residents to improve the visibility of their house numbers to ensure first responders do not lose valuable time searching for locations.

• Most candidates agreed that they would not support a ban on firefighters holding second jobs, arguing that employees should be free to manage their own time off despite the recent pay increase.

Closing Statements and Community Support

• Matt Cretul proposed reducing state and federal red tape for small "direct-to-consumer" farms to allow residents to sell farm products like eggs without facing prohibitive regulatory costs.

• Sherry Meadows suggested shifting the tax burden from local residents to tourists through expanded ecotourism initiatives.

• Randall Alvord encouraged residents to volunteer for citizen advisory boards, such as planning and zoning, to have a direct hand in local governance.

• Donald Barker closed the meeting by encouraging attendees to talk one-on-one with the candidates and reminded everyone to participate in early voting.

 

 

Suggested Action Items

• Ashley to provide flyers for Jacqueline Randall's campaign to the attendees.

• Residents to check and improve the visibility of their house numbers for emergency responders.

• Matt Credle to follow up on organizing digital literacy and online safety seminars through the IFAS extension office for Citra residents.

• Candidates to remain after the meeting for individual Q&A with residents.