Lake commissioners should stand firm on sand hauling ban from Lake Norris preserve

Today, we’ll be checking in around the county to see what’s up in various parts, starting by catching up on the sand mine dispute at Lake Norris Conservation Area.

More than a month ago, Lake County commissioners pulled sharply on the reins of a plan to truck sand out of the conservation east of Eustis, but now the wheels of negotiation have begun to grind again.

Of course, they have. The opposition estimates that up to $24 million hinges on whether commissioners will give haulers the OK. The water district expects to take in about $2 million.

Lake County won’t get anything — except broken up roads and neighbors sick of truck traffic.

Residents who travel Hart Ranch Road and county roads 44, 44A, 437 and 439 have banded together to fight the truck traffic. The owner of the company moving the sand estimated his firm would haul 2.5 million to 3 million cubic yards with trucks running 12 hours a day, five days a week for five years.

Of course, the St. Johns River Water Management District doesn’t care a whit about people who live in that very rural area — its governor-appointed board has acted like the objections of Lake residents are somehow personal, and they were angry when commissioners imposed a weight limit on every road the haulers could have used, shutting down the proposal.

Former County Commissioner Elaine Renick, who is building a “green” home on property situated in the middle of the preserve, predicted the area around Lake Norris would turn into “industrial Lake County” if the haulers get permission to move the sand.

The matter isn’t on an agenda yet for county commissioners to consider. But, soon. Very soon. Folks with millions to lose seldom walk away without virtual bloodshed. Let’s hope commissioners stand fast to preserve the quiet rural character around Lake Norris.

Groveland rumor

In Groveland, let’s lay to rest a rumor that the city had to return a grant of nearly $500,000 to the St. Johns district recently. The money was to build a tank to store treated water for reuse.

The total cost of the construction was $1.4 million, and the St. Johns was to pay about 33 percent of the project or $450,120. The truth is that the city didn’t have to repay any funds, but it did lose a chance to collect as much as it could have done.

The project was supposed to be finished by the end of 2016 and instead wasn’t completed until Feb. 11, 2017. The St. Johns wouldn’t roll the grant into the next year, so, the city was reimbursed only for what it billed in 2016, which was $269,352.

It’s a shame the city couldn’t get the full amount from the district — Lake County municipalities don’t always get much attention or money from the water district.

Political shenanigans

Subtlety isn’t a trait not often observed in Mount Dora city politics, and today’s example is no exception.

Former City Council member Tom Eppich, who hasn’t lived in the city for several years, queried candidate Crissy Stile, owner of a bookshop downtown, in an email about her views, then met with her.

She said he tried to convince her that her opponent Donnie Stroud, a retiree, was a better candidate, and she should drop out. When she declined, Eppich sent her a condescending email reminding her that being on council takes time — lots of time, more time than she could possibly dedicate, he implied.

“As an example, there are nine city council sessions scheduled between now and the end of 2018 during daytime hours on top of the twice a month regularly scheduled evening meetings. Both budget workshops, as examples, are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays,” Eppich wrote on June 11. “[City Manager] Robin Hayes has recently gravitated to the use more and more of afternoon workshops from 3-5 p.m. to do the ‘heavy lifting’ in discussing key topics.

“The agenda packets of info that need to be reviewed can sometimes be overwhelming. The last one was over 500 pages long.”

Oh, dear. He forgot to mention that council members have to walk to the meetings, uphill both ways and through snowdrifts.

Lritchie@orlandosentinel.com.