Mike Wright
Citrus County voters have a choice in two County Commission races: stay the course or change direction.
Incumbents Jeff Kinnard in District 1 and Ruthie Davis Schlabach in District 3 have touted their records in office as reasons for voters to return each for another four years.
Challengers Curtiss “CJ” Bryant and Janet Barek have other ideas.
Kinnard is seeking his third term. He is facing opposition for the first time since his initial run in 2016 in Bryant, who is a candidate for the first time.
This is also Schlabach’s third campaign, though her second in office. Barek, past President of the Citrus Springs Civic Association, is a mainstay at County Commission meetings.
The Kinnard-Bryant face-off speaks to the heart of the debate in Citrus County: growth.
Kinnard says he supports well-maintained growth. He often says he’d rather vote for a quality development that will add value to the community, than to deny a development based on fear of what growth may bring.
“Your county government has been planning and preparing for this growth for decades,” he said. “This growth brings options for dining, shopping, housing, physicians, specialists, and health care facilities.”
Bryant doesn’t see it that way. He has criticized Kinnard for approving development plans to upzone property, providing more homes than what’s allowed by right.
“This Commission, more than ever before, is changing the face of our county,” he said. “We need to learn to say no to developers and consultants.”
In District 3, Schlabach is running on a record that includes support for the Inverness Airport Business Park, a new animal shelter, and pickleball courts in Beverly Hills.
“Our county is in the middle of its most significant period of change in decades,” she said. “From improving our outdated and overrun infrastructure to accommodate our growth to finishing projects we’ve started, we still have miles to go.”
For Barek, the conversation often starts and ends with residential road resurfacing. As a resident of Citrus Springs, which has some of the worst neighborhood streets in the county, Barek said she has seen infrastructure deteriorate.
“The residents and businesses need good, paved roads,” she said. “To bring new industry to the county, businesses must have access to well-maintained roads for their workers, their raw materials, and for completed product shipment.”
Both incumbents hold sizable financial leads over their challengers.
Kinnard raised nearly $93,000 and spent close to $56,000; Bryant’s raised just $10,500 and spent all but $1,000 of it. Bryant’s spending includes the $4,393 filing fee.
Schlabach has $65,000 in contributions compared to Barek’s $3,200.
With only Republican candidates, both Primary races are open to all voters.
