On toGREENErPastures
Doweever reallyknow someone completely? Wemay think thatwedo, but the
real answer isweonlyknowasmuchabout apersonas that person iswilling to
share.
TheCitrusCountyPropertyAppraiser’sOfficeknewofMr.GeoffreyGreene
afterhe filedapetition regardinghisAgricultural classificationdenial in2008.
A fewof usmetwithhimacross that table todiscuss the issueswith lawyers
present. Littledid the staff know that in less thanamonth this gentlemanwouldbeaperson thatwill
havewon thePrimaryElection inAugust of 2008, defeatingour formerPA. Changewas something
that theofficewas going tobe in for comeNovember.
Iwas introduced toMr.Greenebya formerPropertyAppraiser andHouseRepresentativeMr.Ronald
Schultz at apolitical functionprior to theNovemberElection. As Ihad sat across from thegentleman
duringVAB, one can imaginewhatwas going throughmyheadduring that “formal”meeting. Luckily
Mr. Schultz gavemehighpraise formyworkethicandMr.Greene softenedabit over the trivialVAB
issues. Mr.Greenewent on towin theNovember electionwith64%of thevotesgoing tohim. In
January2009Mr.Greenewas sworn intoofficeand the changes started. The first fewdayswerea
whirlwindof revolvingdoors and somegoodpeoplewere let go. If in thosedays youwere called into
hisoffice, the fearof being told that youwereno longerneededwashigh. Somenew faces also came
into theoffice, andoneof thebiggest surpriseswas thatMr.Greene’s opponent fromNovemberwas
hiredon. Mr.Greenewanted tobeknownasGeoff around theoffice, he createdmoreof a relaxed
atmosphere thanwhatwehadbeenused to. Geoffwas always in cowboyboots and jeans andap-
peared laidback. Well, letme rephrase that…hewasnot laidback; hewasabundleof uncontrolled
energy. IfGeoff brought over something tobe lookedat and toldyou “no rush” itwouldbe in thebest
interest of all theparties involved toget toworkon that right away. That tookmea coupleof times to
learn that lesson.
Geoff ledaveryproductive lifeprior tohis timeas thePA. Hewason theprobowling circuit, involved
inFireDepartments inSouthFloridaanddeveloped twoof theprominent subdivisions inour county.
Geoffwas abigkidat heart, always sharing stories and jokes and showingyou things thathadbeen
sent tohim fromhis familyand friends (andhehadmanyof them). Henever ceased toamaze some
of uswhenhe removedhis own staples after a surgeryonhis arm….hewasa character. Someof the
storiesof his variousbumps andbruiseshadus shakingourheads inwonder. Kindof like, “Iwonder
whathewas thinking”? Surgeriesdidn’tholdhimback; I rememberhim coming in theafternoonafter
amorningprocedure to catchupon some things.
Hewas alwayswilling tobe there for someone inneedandalways available to listen. A fewof uswon-
deredafter the tragic event inJanuary if therewas anything thatwe couldhavedone, if onlyhehad
sharedwithuswhathewas thinking. Theofficehasnot been the same sincehisdeparture: no longer
arewehearing the “DROID”whenhisphonewas left on, orhim callingyouout to the “patio” - aka
“smoking room” toaskabout something that caughthis attention. Geoffwas someone that had
brought lifeand spunk into theofficeandhehasbeengreatlymissed.
INMEMORYOFGEOFFGREENE
MarshaColeman, CFE
Spring2014Newsletterof theFCIAAO
17
