Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications and inspection reports for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD –Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23

Maybe it’s a coincidence that this move by the Citrus BOCC comes a month after Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida 2025-08-06.
https://wwals.net/?p=68529

The Citrus County Commissioners approved authorizing seven named staff members to sign permit applications and inspection reports on behalf of the county, with no mention of any further approval by the Commissioners. This authorization is for each of FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD, which are exactly the three Florida state agencies that are involved in permitting the huge borrow pit next to the Suncoast Parkway Phase 3A Extension in Citrus County.

I’ve never seen this before, and I go to many county commission meetings in Florida and Georgia, and I watch more counties online. It’s common for counties to put specific items on their agenda to authorize a specific staff member to sign a specific document, but I’ve never seen a blanket authorization like this, especially not for seven different staff for three different agencies.

Further, the listing in the Consent Agenda does not match the actual authorizations later in the board packet, and those authorizations seem to extend the authorization to the actual permits, not just applications.

Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications, etc., for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD –Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23

Much background on this proposed sand mine is here:
https://stopthesandminecc.wixsite.com/stopthesandmine

See also the Stop the Sand Mine change.org petition:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-sand-mine

This is upstream from Crystal River, south of the Withlacoochee (South) River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Local opponents are rightly concerned about local issues.

WWALS is also concerned that this would be another step towards running the Suncoast Parkway north across the Suwannee River.

On its Consent Agenda for September 23, 2025, the Citrus Board of County Commissioners approved item C.12:

The purpose of these resolutions is to authorize selected County staff to sign permit applications and inspection reports on behalf of the County for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and Southwest Florida Waste[sic] Management District (SWFWMD),

Brief Overview and Recommended Action
PDF

That’s what page 200 of the board packet says. But page 4 with the actual Consent Agenda says it’s about authorizing the Chair to execute (not sign) and it’s for “Resolutions & Certificates of Incumbency and Authority”, not “permit applications and inspection reports”.

Adopt and authorize the Chair to execute Resolutions & Certificates of Incumbency and Authority on behalf of Citrus County for the Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Southwest Florida Waste[sic] Management District. (Carlton Hall, Public Works Director)

C.9 – C.12
PDF

This looks hastily written. The Consent Agenda listing doesn’t agree with the board packet item, and they don’t even get SWFWMD’s name right. They do know it’s supposed to be Water, not Waste in that name, because they get it right in each Resolution for that agency.

Resolution about SWFWMD
PDF

Further, is this just for applications for permits? Look closely at the wording of the “CERTIFICATE OF INCUMBENCY AND AUTHORITY” for each of the three agencies (FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD). It includes:

“…and that the execution and delivery of any such permit and all instruments in connection therewith for and on behalf of CITRUS COUNTY are not prohibited by, or in any manner restricted by, the terms of CITRUS COUNTY’S Certification of incorporation, its bylaws, or of any loan agreement, indenture or contract to which CITRUS COUNTY is a party or under which it is bound.”

Certificate of Incumbency and Authority about SWFWMD
PDF

That looks like the “and all instruments” in “any appplication for permits and all instruments” extends to the actual final permit.

So what is going on here?

There are more images below from these documents retrieved from https://citrusclerk.portal.civicclerk.com, and copies of the actual documents are on the WWALS website.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Resolution about FDOT
PDF