Monday Briefing: Unemployment Report, Spring Break, Travel Policy, FPC Snow, Mencken on Poetry

The Flagler County Homeless & Housing Taskforce, a part of FlaglerCares, meets from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast.

The Flagler County School Board meets for an agenda workshop at 3 p.m. Training Room 3, 3rd floor, Government Services Building, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bunnell. The meeting is an information workshop only. The agenda workshop focuses on items the board will take action on at its next regular meeting.

The school board’s full agenda is accessible here.

See previous board meeting videos here.

The School Board members and their email addresses:

• Andy Dance (District 1)
• Janet McDonald (District 2)
• Colleen Conklin (District 3)
• Trevor Tucker (District 4)
• Maria Barbosa (District 5)
• Superintendent Jim Tager

Flagler Beach’s Planning and Architectural Review (PAR) Board meets at City Hall at 5:30 p.m., 105 S 2nd St Flagler Beach.

The Planning and Architectural Review Board consists of seven residents:

Paul Chestnut, Term Length: May 10, 2017 – May 9, 2020
Don Deal, Term Length: Feb. 26, 2019 – Feb. 25, 2022
Catherine Feind, Term Length: May 10, 2017 – May 9, 2020
Butch Naylor, Term Length: Feb. 26, 2019- Feb. 25, 2022
Joseph Pozzuoli, Term Length: May 10, 2017 – May 9, 2020
Roseanne Stocker, Term Length: Feb. 26, 2019 – Feb. 25, 2022
Joann Soman, Term Length: May 26, 2018- May 25, 2021

Chess on the Porch (and backgammon): The Humidor at European Village hosts an open chess evening starting at 6 p.m. Anyone and everyone welcome. Bring your chessboard if you have one. Great beer and wine, plus cigars. 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy, Palm Coast. Call 386.445.2221.

The Palm Coast City Council meets at City Hall in Town Center.

The Flagler Sportsfishing Club holds its monthly meeting, starting with a Quick Tips speaker at 7 p.m. and a guest speaker at 7:30, at the VFW, 47 Old Kings Rd N, Palm Coast. The club focuses on educating members on local fishing techniques, laws and regulations. Non-members are always welcome as well. Click here to become a member. Membership is $70 a year for an individual.

The Hammock Community Association holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at the Hammock Community Center, 79 MalaCompra Road, Palm Coast.

To join the association as a member, click here.

Becoming a member of The Hammock Community Association ensures that you are kept informed on what is going on in the community such as:

• upcoming development projects, including commercial, gated communities or expansions to existing resorts.

• new ordinances that may affect the quality of life in The Hammock.

• invitations to monthly meetings where you can hear, first hand, about information that will shape your community.

The Public Safety Coordinating Council, which gathers law enforcement, judicial, social service and government agencies, meets at 8:45 a.m. at the Emergency Operations Center in Bunnell. But the regularity of its meetings is fitful. See agendas, when they’re posted (also a rarity), here.

The Blue Power 2020 Action Forum, 12:30 p.m. at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 North U.S. Highway 1, Palm Coast (just north of Whiteview Parkway). Come and join other progressive Democrats to discuss local, state and national issues, and propose actions to influence elected leaders. The Forum is open and informal and all opinions and ideas are welcomed. This is your opportunity to meet and lend your voice and knowledge to people who share your values. For more information, contact Mike Cocchiola, [email protected] The Blue Power forum meets every Wednesday. Republicans, Independents and Whigs welcome.

The Airport Advisory Board holds its monthly meeting at Airport Corporate Center, Third Floor Conference Room, 120 Airport Rd, Palm Coast. The meeting is open to the public. The advisory board makes recommendations to the County Commission on matters pertaining to the Flagler County Airport.

Paws to Read at the Flagler County Public Library 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast, in the Children’s Department. The Flagler County Public Library in partnership with the Flagler Humane Society offer the opportunity for kids ages 4-8 to read to a real dog. Every Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. First Come – First Serve. Contact: Alyssa Gilbert or Theresa Ten Eyck at 386-446-6763 or email: [email protected]

Walks with Palm Coast Mayor Holland and Guest: Are you participating in the Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge? Mayor Holland is getting active with weekly activities! A beautiful walk along Waterfront Park is a great way to get those miles in. Register at www.parksandrec.fun/events. More info: 386-986-2323. More info on the Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge in the Palm Coast Connect app, www.palmcoastconnect.com, or 386-986-2323.

The Bunnell Code Enforcement Board meets at 7 p.m. in City Commission Chambers, Building 3, 201 West Moody Boulevard, Bunnell. See agendas here and listen to the meetings here.

Code Enforcement Board members are Joy Allen, Delories Hall, Kenneth Gordon, Julie Auiar and Stephen Woodin Sr.

The Widow, Widower’s Support Group meets at 10 a.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Pkwy. NE. Have you suffered the loss of your significant other? This is a chance to meet others who have had a similar loss in their life. Free but please register at www.parksandrec.fun/seniors. More info: 386-986-2323.

A weekly study and discussion of the book, “A Course in Miracles,” led by Aynne McAvoy, Thursdays 1 p.m. at the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, 1500 Central Ave, Palm Coast. This group has been in existence at least 20 years. It doesn’t matter if you have been studying for years or are brand new, we welcome you. There is a $2 donation to cover the use of our room at the Arts Foundation for our meetings. We also have extra books for people to use during the meeting if you do not have one.

The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South 2nd Street. Full agendas and minutes are accessible here.

Mayor, City Commissioners and City Manager emails:

• Mayor Linda Provencher
• Commission Chair Jane Mealy
• Commissioner Kim Carney
• Commissioner Eric Cooley
• Commissioner Rick Belhumeur
• Commissioner Marshall Shupe
• City Manager Larry Newsom

Quit Tobacco Your Way: AdventHealth Palm Coast, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., weekly on Thursdays through April 23, AdventHealth Palm Coast 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, Conference Room C. This class provides you with the skills to Develop a quit plan and learn to overcome barriers, Learn to manage triggers, cravings, withdrawals, and stress, Understand the benefits of quitting, and Relapse prevention. Each participant is given: A workbook, quit bag, educational materials, and quit tools. Up to a free 4-week supply of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, (patch, lozenge, or gum). Call Northeast Florida Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at (904)482-0189 for more information or to register!

Three farmers’ markets operate over the weekend in Flagler County. The Flagler Beach farmers’ market is on Friday from 8 a.m. to early afternoon, downtown at 111 South Central Ave. Contact the market by email here. The European Village Farmers’ Market at 101 Palm Harbor Parkway is Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., featuring music jams as well. The Salt Air Farmers’ Market is on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Marineland’s parking area near the marina, on the West side of A1a.

Palm Coast Book Club 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Pkwy. NE. Do you love to read? Once a book is selected, participants will need to purchase and read it on their own. Each month we will meet to discuss the chosen book and share our impressions, reactions, and feelings about it. Free but registration required. Book title and registration at www.parksandrec.fun/adults. More info: 386-986-2323.

Midnight Fishing Frenzy at the Flagler Beach Pier. The frenzy is set for every second Saturday of the month, midnight to 6 a.m. For any questions, please contact the Pier bait shop at 386-517-2436.

Palm Coast Historical Society Lecture Series:, the second Saturday of the month at the Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Pkwy. NE. A free event. Registration not required. More info: www.palmcoasthistory.org/events and 386-986-2323.

Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, join the Friends of Washington Oaks from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Greenhouse area. With Master Gardeners on hand, you are sure to get the personal attention and advice you are looking for. Specializing in Florida friendly and natives, with some unique and hard to find plants for your home and yard. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, 6400 North Oceanshore Blvd.

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Flagler Branch meets at 11 a.m. at Pine Lakes Country Club, 400 Pine Lakes Pkwy., N., Palm Coast. Lunch is available for $18.00 per person. For reservations and menu options, please contact Sally Smeaton by email: [email protected].

Linda Cole Sunday Jazz Rendezvous, with the Linda Cole Trio, 12:30 p.m. at Cue Note Billiard Room, 160 Cypress Point Pkwy (City Marketplace), Suite C114, Palm Coast.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) open and closed meetings take place throughout the day seven days a week in various places in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell. Alcoholics Anonymous has six to nine meetings daily. See the full list here. Locations include AdventHealth, St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Belle Terre Parkway, Silver Dollar 2 on East Moody Boulevard in Bunnell, United Methodist Church in Flagler Beach, Dewey’s World in Daytona North, also known as the Mondex, Hammock First Baptist Church, and other locations. See Flagler County’s AA website here. Learn more about AA here. Read a daily reflection here.

Narcotics Anonymous has almost two dozen meetings throughout the week in the area, including at AdventHealth, Saint Mark’s by the Sea and Linear Park in Palm Coast, Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach, and the Sunshine Business Complex in Bunnell. Go here for a complete list.

For Palm Coast Alateen Sereniteen and Al-Anon meetings, go here.

For help with alcoholism or if you think you have a problem with alcohol you can contact the Flagler County Helpline at 386-445-help (386-445-4357). SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357) is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, SAMHSA will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. SAMHSA can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The Flagler County Land Acquisition Committee meeting is cancelled. The committee was to meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Government Services Building, First Floor Conference Room, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bldg 2, Bunnell. The committee is an advisory board to the county commission on the acquisition and management of environmentally sensitive lands, recreation, and water recharge areas. The committee is scheduled to meet once a month, but seldom does.

Committee members:

Anne Wilson – 05/06/1996 to 05/17/2019
Walter Mahler – 03/02/2015 to 03/02/2021
Brynn Newton – 02/06/1989 to 02/01/2019
Ann Moore – 04/20/2009 to 04/20/2021
Mike Kuypers – 06/19/1989 to 08/03/2021
Richard Hamilton – 10/20/2008 to 11/07/2020

The Flagler County Library Board of Trustees meets at 4:30 p.m. in the Doug Cisney Room at the main library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway. See minutes and agendas here.

The board members and their terms are as follows:
Chairman Jim Ulsamer – 07/09/2007 to 07/09/2019
County Commissioner David Sullivan – to 11/30/2019
Sharon Atack – 06/07/1993 to 07/07/2020
Jan Cullinane – 03/02/2009 to 03/02/2021
Armando Mustiga – 05/16/2011 to 12/12/2018
Bernard Barczak – 03/01/2019 to 03/01/2022
George Hanns – 05/01/2017 to 05/01/2020
Reginald Kirven – 09/05/18 to 09/05/21

Daytona State College’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) seminar series: today, Marine Turtle Movement, Diet, and Population Dynamics: Implications for Protected Species Policies; Erin Seney, Ph.D., Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Biology, University of Central Florida. The one-hour seminars are held on Mondays, starting promptly at 5 p.m. in the Madorsky Theater, located in the Hosseini Center on DSC’s Daytona Beach Campus at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. All STEMinars are free and open to the public.

The Nar-Anon Family Group for those affected by someone else’s addiction meets at 6 p.m. at St Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, 303 Palm Coast Pkwy. There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. We’re never affiliated with any other organization or outside entity. Do you need Nar-Anon? Ask yourself these questions.

Addiction is a family disease. It affects the relationships of those close to the addict: parents, spouses, siblings, children, longtime friends, and employers.  If someone’s addiction is affecting you, first you must help yourself. Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts. There are no dues or fees to join. Just come to a meeting. You will hear others, who are going through similar problems, talk about how they cope and find recovery. Watch the video:

The Bunnell City Commission meets at City Hall at 7 p.m., Commission Chamber, City Hall Building 3, 201 West Moody Boulevard. See all agendas and background materials here. Listen to the meetings here.

The city commissioners’ email:

City Manager Alvin Jackson

Palm Coast Alateen Sereniteen and Al-Anon meetings: Alateen, part of Al-Anon Family Groups, is for teens bothered by someone else’s drinking. The group meets at 8 p.m. every Monday at Advent Health, 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, Palm Coast, at the south entrance, in meeting room D. Al-Anon meets at the same time. For more information about Alateen or Al-Anon, call toll free 1-888-4AL-ANON, or visit www.al-anon.org. Note: All Alateen meetings are only open to teenagers who have been affected by another person’s drinking.

For AA and NA meetings in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell, go here.

The Flagler County Affordable Housing Committee meets at 8:30 a.m., Emergency Operations Center, Room A, 1769 E. Moody Blvd. Building 3, Bunnell. The County Commission  established the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee/ Housing Task Force, under Section 16-77 of the Flagler County Code, to make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding specific initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing in Flagler County. Meetings are held on the Second Tuesday of each month. Staff Liaison is Devrie Paradowski , 386-586-2324 Option 5. See the committee bylaws here, and committee agendas here, though they’re posted only spottily.

Flagler’s Community Traffic Safety Team meets at 9 a.m. at Flagler Technical Institute, 5400 E. Hwy 100, just west of Flagler Palm Coast High School. The meeting is open to all who have a concern with road safety.

The Palm Coast City Council meets in workshop at 9 a.m. at City Hall in Town Center…

The St. Johns River Water Management District Board meets at the district’s headquarters, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka. Times vary: Check this list for this meeting’s time.

The Flagler Beach Library Book Club meets at 5 p.m. at the Flagler Beach Library, 315 S Seventh Street, Flagler Beach. 

The Flagler County Planning and Development Board meets at 6 p.m. in Board Chambers at the Government Services Building, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bldg. 2, first floor, Bunnell.

See full agendas here.

The Flagler County Technical Review Committee meets at 9 a.m. in the First Floor Conference Room, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bldg. 2, Bunnell, FL. See the agendas here.

The Flagler County Tourist Development Council meets at 9 a.m. at the Government Services Building, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bunnell.

The council is a collection of government representatives and tourism-related business representatives, appointed by the county commission to oversee the nearly $3 million in revenue generated by the county’s 5 percent sales surtax on hotel, motel, short-term rentals and other short-term lodging in the county. The budget is divided three ways between capital projects that enhance the local tourism experience, beach protection, and promotion and marketing of tourism events, including grants to local and national cultural, non-profit and for-profit organizations that put on events attractive to visitors. See budget figures here.

Council members are County Commissioner Greg Hansen, chairman, Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley, Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, Stephen Baker, Ryan Crabb, Marc Richardson, Pamela Walker, John Lulgjuraj, and Felicia Robinson Cook. See agendas here.

The Blue Power 2020 Action Forum, 12:30 p.m. at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 North U.S. Highway 1, Palm Coast (just north of Whiteview Parkway). Come and join other progressive Democrats to discuss local, state and national issues, and propose actions to influence elected leaders. The Forum is open and informal and all opinions and ideas are welcomed. This is your opportunity to meet and lend your voice and knowledge to people who share your values. For more information, contact Mike Cocchiola, [email protected] The Blue Power forum meets every Wednesday. Republicans, Independents and Whigs welcome.

Paws to Read at the Flagler County Public Library 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast, in the Children’s Department. The Flagler County Public Library in partnership with the Flagler Humane Society offer the opportunity for kids ages 4-8 to read to a real dog. Every Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. First Come – First Serve. Contact: Alyssa Gilbert or Theresa Ten Eyck at 386-446-6763 or email: [email protected]

The Flagler County Contractor Review Board meets at 5 p.m. at the Government Services Building, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bunnell.

The board approves or denies applications of Flagler County authorized contractor licenses and enforces the provisions of the Code in regulation of Class I, Class II, and local specialty and unlicensed contracting. The board hears appeals of decisions and interpretations of the building official and the licensing administrator, including determinations of unsafe building, and issues orders necessary to bring a violation into compliance. The board usually consists of 10 members elected to four-year terms, but some seats aren’t always filled. The current board consist of Luis Medeiros, William Dudley, Jr., William Sink, James Wingo, Glenn Torre, Howard Edgin, and Jill Snyder. See agendas here.

The Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Board meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, City Hall, 160 Lake Avenue. The planning board is responsible for recommending land development regulations to the city council. See the agendas here.