By Tom Bexley
I have been reading and hearing lately about the availability of space that my office has at the courthouse. Specifically, as it relates to the Sheriff’s needs at the courthouse and the current disruption of his office. While I do care about the disruption of his office and how it affects his operations, I have been asking myself lately about the current disruption to my office and how this has affected my operations.
While it was true at the time the sheriff evacuated the Operations Center in June that I had to limit my services to the public, I felt the need to help a fellow constitutional officer and his employees when it was declared that the Sheriff’s Operations Center was unsafe for his people. In fact, I was the one who initially offered the space that he is currently occupying. To be clear, that space included our wedding chapel, the information area space as you walk in past security, the IT training facility that his detectives currently occupy (which had to be dismantled), a portion of space in our criminal/civil division, an office in our records division, a portion of space in our finance suite and our entire injunction suite.
[See: “Photographic Tour of Courthouse Illustrates Crunch and Tensions Between Sheriff and Clerk Staffs.”]
All of this was done in the spirit of cooperation and was done willingly and without any input from the Flagler County sheriff or the Board of County Commissioners. While it did not completely accommodate all of the sheriff’s office’s needs, it did provide a safe working environment for 60 or so of his employees that currently occupy the courthouse, and he was grateful at the time.
Further consideration had been given to other parts of my office but no other space could be given without directly interfering with the core responsibilities dictated to me by the state Constitution, state law and by judicial rules.
I have heard the sheriff, the County Commission and others mention that the sheriff’s operations are now fragmented and have no continuity, which I have no doubt is true. However, I can’t help but ask that if more space is taken from my office, will my operations be just as fragmented and lack continuity? I think that is a fair question that needs to be asked more often and I think most of us know the answer, or most of us will once the services that my office provides are directly affected or are put at odds with the Constitution, state law and judicial rules.
Tom Bexley is the Flagler Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller.
Percy's mother says
Too late, Tom. The PR damage has already been done.
There’s plenty of space in the civil and criminal division from what I’ve seen when I’ve had occasion to visit that area as a citizen. Ditto for all the empty desks (area) in the recording department (which I have not had occasion to visit as a citizen).
How much room is needed for a training area?
A PR fiasco for Tom Bexley, which is hard to undo at this point, in my estimation.
Len Hann says
When schools get overcrowded they put kids in portables. Some districts will pull them on site for years rather than expand. Take a lesson here, go get portables and line em up in a parking lot somewhere and presto! you have a new operations center.
If its good enough for kids its good enough for cops!!
mark101 says
The little smirk on Tom Bexley face tells it all.
Dave says
Well put Tom, I cant think of a single reason we should put Bexleys operation in a stressful situation over the Sheriff, it’s not like the sheriff is more important or we need his service over Bexleys. Tom you have done so much for this county and with out your service and your team this county would fall apart. Go find more space somewhere else if that’s what you need, Bexley has given enough
Concerned Citizen says
Again 2 elected officials bickering at OUR expense.
The BOCC and County Administrator needs to make a command decision and end this. It’s obvious that the current situation isn’t working.
We are asking the BOCC and Administrator to find a workable permanent solution for the Sheriff. And without spending millions more of our dollars on bum real estate purchases.
Remember elections are nor far away.
Lnzc says
What wrong with the sears building
Reired says
It sounds like someone doesn’t like his empire to be breached. Get over yourself dude. You are not as important as you think you are. The Sheriff’s Office takes priority over your office. I do believe the Commissioners need to get there head out of their butts and take action. They are a disgrace to this County. Sorry FCSO, you aren’t important enough to these idiots. I suggest you make a complaint to the Governor’s Office and see how fast they act.
Buy my House says
I will sell them my house for $200,000.00 . That way they can have a location right in the center of all the citizens of Palm Coast. Now wouldn’t that be nice ?
Mary says
Tom Bexley is an immature whiner.
Lucky to have any job. So petty and
disrespectful regarding the FCSO.
Our law enforcement team has done
superbly with protecting our county.
It is so sad and disgusting that they
have not been provided with
appropriate operations space since
Day One. The most difficult and
dangerous responsibilities and then
made more difficult by being separated
from team members and resources.
Miss Mary
I Can See It says
I can see quite a bit of space available just in that picture. Take out those cubicle dividers, turn the desks to face the wall and you can easily put five more people in there. Look at that guy’s huge desk, it’s practically empty.
Agkistrodon says
But I’ll Bet Old Bexley still wants FCSO to guard the doors and courts, Just not have a place to “hang their hats” there. SAD………WHen you say one thing, but your face says another, You may be spreading barnyard fecal matter.
atilla says
Maybe they should build an OK corral and settle it there. Just stop the whining.
Ld says
Cooperate. Compromise. Team effort possible.
atilla says
Bexley said “I’m going to take my ball and go home”.
Dennis McDonald says
May I suggest that if anyone doubts Mr Bexley that they first ask for a on site tour before they pass judgement. Or better still Mr Bexley could advertise a time when he has an open house so the Taxpayers can eyeball the building for themselves. “Stand in the other guys shoes and see how it feels”.
Then consider that the BOCC has CONSISTENTLY gotten it WRONG !
A few EXAMPLES of Flagler BOCC Monopoly.
Purchase of the old hospital for $1,230,000,
then Give away of the old court house to Bunnell,[they gave it back a year later,giving Revels just enough
time to push the old hospital sale through]
then Purchase of the Plantation Bay utility for $6,000,000 which was under FDEP consent order,
then BING’s !
Did I mention that was it not for Bexley’s help providing records that the BOCC under then CHAIRMAN HANSEN refused to provide in Spring 2017 for the demolition of 21,000 sqft of Taxpayer property[old hospital wings] without a FDEP permit [yes the BOCC under Chairman Hansen was fined the Maximum by the FDEP] AND the fact that the 4,000 sqft building was never properly mitigated for asbestos [they did it twice now] that the Deputies would still be in that stinkhole being poisoned !
To this day Hansen[TeamMcLaughlin] still tells people there is nothing wrong with that building, the same song as Coffey sang until Mullins got the sheetrock off the walls proving Coffey wrong after 3 years. So why does the CDC NOT RELEASE the letter they wrote in December 2018 ???
It must be that there IS a problem and they want to avoid the current lawsuit that will cost Taxpayers many MILLIONS.
Still hopeful for…………Go directly to jail, do not pass go !