Local

Fight over trash causing big stink among Lake County commissioners

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A fight about trash is escalating in Lake County after the County Commission voted in April to cut trash pickup from two days per week to one day.

Now, angry residents are being encouraged to drop their extra trash on the lawns of the commissioners that voted to cut the service.

"It's just something for people to jump on because they're angry about something else. I've sat and watched those exchanges at the meetings and some of them are personal," said Vance Jochim of the Lake County Fiscal Rangers.

One of those exchanges was between county commissioners Leslie Campione and Jimmy Conner.

Jochim, who writes a blog on county politics, said he was shocked by recent posts on a site called the Right Side of the Lake.

Commissioners Conner, Sean Parks and Welton Cadwell have been sharply criticized for their support of the new trash deal.

A post on Right Side of the Lake read, "All Lake County residents are encouraged to drop their excess garbage off every week on the lawns of the commissioners who voted on the reduction of trash services. This is an independent comment that in no way reflects the opinion of my wife."

The post was written under the name of Jack Cassel, whose wife is Campione.

Jochim believes it's time to clear the air.

"Flush all these attacks and everything else out and say what's true and what's not true and settle it for the record," he said. "Otherwise, it'll just fester."

Campione and her husband could not be reached for comment.