At the beginning of Tuesday evening’s Palm Coast City Council meeting–a meeting that somehow surpassed what had seemed unsurpassable abominations of council meetings going back to last November, since the accession of Council members Ed Danko and Victor Barbosa–Mayor Eddie Branquinho had a word of caution for the audience.
“We are in a political season,” he told the relatively sparse assembly, a reference to the special election for mayor on July 27 that has drawn six candidates. Two of them were in the audience. “I appreciate that if any candidates for office right now, do not, please do not.” Branquinho didn’t finish the sentence, but meant that candidates shouldn’t use the public comment periods to grandstand. “It’s against our rules or regulations, and it’s unethical to use this podium to campaign, so please do not.”
He had not figured on Danko doing so from the dais, and doing so repeatedly in the course of the nearly three-hour meeting. Danko is managing mayoral candidate Alan Lowe’s campaign. By the time he was done Tuesday evening, his barely veiled campaign stunts from the dais had–as always, on no evidence but that alleged by Danko–savaged City Manager Denise Bevan, City Attorney Bill Reischmann, Council member Nick Klufas, former Mayor Milissa Holland, former City Manager Matt Morton, and the Palm Coast Observer, whose reporter was in the room.
At one point he claimed that he’d received a “confidential” briefing from law enforcement telling him that Holland had resigned not because she wanted to take care of her ailing daughter. “She resigned because there were criminal charges in the ethics complaint that was filed against her,” Danko claimed. (It doesn’t work that way: charges filed with the state ethics commission are civil, and must be found to have probable cause before they are even levied. The alleged complaint against Holland has yet to get to that point. The State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office have all confirmed that there are no investigations against Holland, the State Attorney’s Office doing so again Tuesday evening.)
It is also unusual, if not impossible, that one council member would be given a secret briefing by law enforcement and not others. When Branquinho asked Danko at least to explain what law enforcement agency had briefed him. Danko refused. In full McCarthyist mode, he said it was confidential and “off the record,” moments after blatantly contradicting himself by speaking of the alleged criminal charges against Holland.
Danko declared he no longer trusted either the city manager or the attorney and would, presuming that Lowe won, call for their firing on day one of Lowe’s mayorship.
Bevan has been in her position barely a month but has been with the city a decade and a half in a stellar, spotless career until Danko’s smear Tuesday. The smear echoed that of Barbosa against the former city manager. Reischmann, whose firm has solidly represented the city almost as long, had been keeping what’s left of the council’s decorum together by cautiously intervening from time to time to keep the council’s wheels from falling off entirely.
It was a rank display of the politics of destruction, of an elected official lashing out publicly and brutally against his own colleagues and the only two people on the council who report to him. It was above all a preview of the sort of council to come if Danko gets Lowe elected and aligns with Barbosa, as he has continuously suggested–as he suggested again last night–to realign the council and the running of the city as he sees fit. With a three-voice majority, nothing would stop him but his own careens, though they may take the city down with him, as was proven clearly Monday regarding a routine but crucial item on the agenda.
Danko, who, with Lowe, claim to be supporters of law enforcement, almost succeeded in blocking funding for a routine contract to pay for construction and repairs of the city’s broadband network, called Fibernet. The network is the backbone of internet access for the sheriff’s office, the school board and the city, among other agencies and businesses. Failing to approve the contract would have meant the city had no one to repair a cut cable or any failure in service affecting the physical, 50-mile network of cables. It could have jeopardized the viability of the whole network and cut off the sheriff’s and school board’s access to the internet as well as the sheriff’s access to traffic cameras that have played a central role in local law enforcement. It would also have been a breach of contract with the city’s broadband customers.
Danko and Barbosa were set to vote against it, Branquinho and Klufas for it. With a council of four members, a 2-2 vote would have meant the contract was rejected. The motion to approve at first didn’t get a second.
Klufas spoke with controlled panic: “So if Councilman Danko, you don’t want to vote for this then if something were to happen, the city, and all of our staff are unable to use the internet,” he said. “That is why we should vote yes on this consent item.”
“You can vote yes. I’m not,” Danko said.
“That is very poor, risk management and catastrophic–” Klufas said, before Danko cut him off with a recurring retort against Klufas.
“I don’t need a lecture from you,” Danko said, though his stance on the issue suggested that he very much did. “I know you said that multiple times,” Klufas said. (“We shouldn’t make political grandstanding on certain elements of what we believe in in private versus public funding,” Klufas said later, urging fellow-council members to bring up these discussion points at workshops rather than spring them at meetings immediately before a vote. “It’s meant for workshop we can hash it out there.” But Danko was clearly going for the political splash of a council faced with a vote, which would not have been possible in a workshop setting.)
It was only after Reischmann spoke of the city’s contractual obligations “to maintain this infrastructure in order to continue providing these services,” and after a staffer told Barbosa that the city has made back its $10 million investment in Fibernet, that Barbosa offered up a second and the measure passed 3-1.
“I don’t know if laugh or cry, to be honest with you,” an already deflated Branquinho said. And the last segment of the meeting, with another public comment segment and council members’ comments, was still ahead.
Tensions arose during the initial public comment period at the beginning of the meeting when Perry Mitrano, the former solid waste director in Bunnell who Barbosa brought in to speak with Morton weeks ago about the city’s own problems with Waste Pro, the garbage hauler, asked for an apology from the council on Morton’s behalf. “Mr. Morton sent out a very, I have to say, disparaging email regarding me,” Mitrano told the council.
It’s not clear what Mitrano was referring to in that email. It refers to a conversation with Mitrano, but nowhere shows him in a bad light, or hints at anything like a bad light, at least regarding Mitrano. Morton was concerned about Barbosa’s maneuverings, not Mitrano. In an interview this morning, Mitrano said he was not aware of the context of the issues between Barbosa and Morton, and had read a line in the email (“ I was scared in the moment and was trying to de escalate the situation,” Morton wrote, clearly about his interactions with Barbosa) differently, and as pertaining to him. But he also agreed that the line could be read innocuously in his regard.
Danko, who’s never felt the need to apologize to the three employees who felt offended enough by his behavior to report or narrate it in detailed statements, seized on Mitrano’s appearance–which Mitrano said was not prompted by anyone–to press the council for an apology. It appeared again to be an opportunistic stunt enabling Danko (if not the Lowe campaign) to portray opposing council members as contemptuous of the public: it wasn’t Mitrano who was being shown in a bad light, it was Danko straining to show his colleagues in a bad light using Mitrano’s appearance–and diverting attention from the Morton email’s more damning descriptions of Danko as manipulative and threatening (“Danko made it very clear that if I did not follow his script [it] would go very badly for me and that I was [to] follow along,” Morton had written.
Klufas and Branquinho did not find the apology request appropriate, divorced as it was not only from the email’s fuller context but, as Klufas explained, “I don’t feel comfortable reprimanding someone who potentially was sending a whistleblower email, and I don’t know the contents of that email I haven’t read it all.”
When Danko’s turn came in the closing segment of the meeting, his fury was fully revved up: “I just want to make this known now. From now on when either of you folks want to communicate with me,” he told Bevan and Reischmann, “make it in writing, because I will not pick up the phone, I will not talk to you. I do not trust you. And rest assured once there’s a new mayor I will be making two motions on day one. Motion to cancel our contract with his law firm, and a motion to terminate you for cause as our interim city manager.”
Danko was incensed that Bevan had not closed an internal investigation that revealed three city employees’ complaints about Danko’s boorishness toward them. The internal investigation sustained the claim that he was interfering with staffers’ functions, a violation of the city charter. Launched last February after the city clerk lodged a complaint about Danko, the investigation was never closed. Bevan decided to outsource the investigation to an independent investigator with no stakes in the matter. Danko was furious, wanting the whole thing closed. So he attacked Bevan.
It is no small matter that Bevan and Reischmann both represent the last senior executives or council-level officials with any measure of institutional history and experience of the city. Both have deep understandings of the city’s functions, contracts, funds, revenue sources, interactions between departments, and so on, bridging that knowledge gap with a council largely still in its rookie phase. Currently, Klufas, with less than five years on the council, is the council member of longest tenure. Branquinho has just over two years.
Lowe, who usually speaks at council meetings, did not do so in this case. With Danko stage-managing, he didn’t need to. As if on cue, Lowe supporters quickly framed the meeting’s odium as a victory, one of them feeling the need to stress: “I will say one thing Alan Lowe had no part in telling Councilman Danko what to say or do.”
David Alfin was the only other mayoral candidate in the room, and was left stunned by the display. “I’m only as well as all of us today, I don’t have the words myself,” Alfin said this morning, after being contacted by a reporter. When he left the meeting last night, he’d been so troubled by what he’d witnessed that he took I-95 South, opposite the direction to his home in North Palm Coast, and had to turn around at Old Dixie Highway.
“The city council is now broken and is in desperate need of repair in the shortest term,” Alfin said. “The city council is not showing the ability to thoughtfully consider some of the most important issues to the city both for today or tomorrow. I don’t know how else to describe it. Broken. Broken is it. I don’t even know how to comment on the damage. I mean the personal damage–what was done to the city manager.” Alfin was referring to Bevan, and added in Reischmann’s name. “You know if it’s being done at that level, it’s being felt at every level. So the anxiety, fear and panic is palpable throughout the halls of City Hall.”
Contacted this morning, Holland, who has made a point of staying out of the public eye since her resignation, said: “I am really trying to focus on Tori, my mental and physical well being and work. I didn’t sleep an ounce last night, the first time in a while. I watched the meeting and felt so badly for Denise, Bill, Matt, the Observer and the entire City staff that does not deserve any of this.” She called Danko’s allegations “ludicrous, blatantly false and now libelous. Mr Danko is clearly trying to deflect from the issues and investigations he has brought upon himself. I have stated my reason for stepping down. I am at my daughter’s side, right where any loving parent would choose to be.”
protonbeam says
Danko and his merry band of misfits have absolutely crossed the line into slander and defamation in regards to current and former employees, now he is after the City Attorney, Interim Manager, Fire Chief, the Observor, Flagler Live, and on and on. Campaign season is brining about more lies and as the old ones have lost traction for the fables they were, new ones are now invented. Danko is showing the small minded, angry and hateful person he is and will undoubtedly land himself in real trouble if he continues to let his rage and nothing but lies and selfish ambition guide his antics. Recent emails may have been more right than many would have guessed in respects to Danko’s tendencies as a clueless political hack bent on destruction who spends more time inviting his cronies to city council meetings to launch false allegations than he does doing anything to serve as an elected official. For all the public garbage he gave Biden, calling him “basement Joe”, I find the irony supreme that he has advised Lowe to be “basement Lowe” and avoid any true public interaction that isn’t carefully scripted and orchestrated by Danko himself. Lowe a candidate of the people, not by a long stretch.
If you are paying attention, please support the sane members of Council (even if you have not always agreed with their decisions) – Klufas and Branquinho are, and have always been about the “city”. I am sure they could use some encouragement and support as we teeter on total destruction and surely they must be eyeing the exits.
James M. Mejuto says
This is a city, Palm Coast that has run amuck in Republican allegiance and today, we citizens are
paying the price. There’s not a single democrat on the City Council ! Imagine !
The city’s sleeping democrat party hasn’t any idea what to do. The Danko’s and the Mullins’ are
running the show with no democrat participation to challenge.
Danko has said several times he will run city gov’t once his protege Lowe is elected. Barbosa is
not far behind.
I guess trump will claim victory with those three loonies!
James M. Mejuto
Percy's mother says
James
It should be noted that although Lowe, Danko, Barbosa are registered Republican VOTERS, they are NOT affiliated with the legitimate Republican party in Flagler County.
The legitimate Republican party in Flagler County will have nothing to do with Danko or Lowe. That being the case, Lowe and Danko formed their own illegitimate Republican Club called The Trump Club.
Additionally, their close sidekick, (fake) “pastor” Jearlyn Dennie was booted out of the legitimate Republican party here in Flagler County at the end of 2020. She thereupon created her own “Republican” club which insinuates it is “THE” Republican Club in Flagler County. That is entirely false.
Neither Danko / Lowe or fake pastor’s Republican clubs are really affiliated with the true Republican hierarchy, as the real Republican hierarchy has disowned them and will have nothing to do with them.
Danko, Lowe and the fake pastor tell their followers that they are the True Republicans, yet the actual Republican hierarchy won’t touch any of them.
Many people in Flagler County are not aware of the political situation regarding Republicans in Flagler County
To sum it up, Danko, Lowe and the fake pastor are Republican voters but are considered untouchables within the REAL Republican hierarchy. No decent Republican wants anything to do with any of them. They are Republican VOTERS only. Hopefully I’ve made this more transparent for all voters in Flagler County.
The dude says
Not transparent enough… clearly.
Please work harder to right the wrongs you and yours have inadvertently foisted on this beautiful city.
MikeC says
Well then, traditional Flagler County Republicans need to get out there PUBLICLY and let your people know how dangerous this destructive group is. Because if enough of your Republican voters who don’t know these facts vote for Lowe, and Manfre and Alfin split the votes of all the reasonable informed voters of both parties, then Lowe will win and god help us all. Remember, this is a winner takes all election. Lowe could win with 15k votes or less. PLEASE JOIN WITH ALL REASONABLE CLEAR MINDED PEOPLE OF EITHER PARTY AND HELP US TO KEEP THESE PEOPLE FROM TAKING OVER OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY!!!!!
James M. Mejuto says
re: Percy’s Mother: Thank you for your much needed update on the Republican Party here in
Palm Coast.
Now, do you suppose the fugitive Barbosa will also be ejected from the
Republican Party?
James M. Mejuto
Christopher Todd Lemke says
There is not a single democrat because the people of Palm Coast have seen the destruction that they cause in the big cities. Don’t worry, though, as there are a good number of RINOS represented. Yes, Trump derangement syndrome is still alive and kickin’. LOL
MikeC says
Local politics in PC have absolutely nothing to do with what happens in Democratic run cities elsewhere in the country. (you know the states that provide 75% of all the wealth and tax revenue in the country). This is just Trump talking points and it shows a lack of independent thinking and knowledge of the facts, which of course mean nothing to Trumpers. Vote for intelligence, integrity, expertise, experience to run your city. It doesn’t matter what goddamn party they put down on their registration form.
Edith Campins says
Really? Perhaps this will clarify the reality:
“97 percent of the 100 poorest counties in America are in red states.”
Red states get more in federal money than they contribute to the US Treasury, in short Blue sates subsidize Republican controlled states.
A further example is the fact that all our recent disasters, i.e. the disastrous purchase of the old hospital building, the purchase of the unuiable Sears building, the purchase the falling apart water plant, the lawsuit with Captain’s Bbq, have all been done by the Republican controlled County Commission. And yes, the infamous splash pool at Holland park…all courtesy of our local Republican politicians.
You obviously couldn’t com eup with a defense for Danko’s appalling behavior so you deflected.
Jimmy says
Maybe the best comment I’ve ever read on here. Spot on.
bob says
disgusting
Steve says
IFF This is what you All want continue to Vote the way You are and in the end Residents only have themselves to blame. I wish FPC Luck but the Hopes are not high. Vote Accordingly. What a despicable little man.
John says
Danko, comes through again proving to the citizens of Palm Coast we don’t need him in our city government. Danko supports Lowe, Barbosa and Mullin that right there tells you don’t need to vote for as Mayor of Palm Coast. No way.
Percy's mother says
As a licensed physician in the State of Florida (an actual real license as opposed to a Maria Barbosa fake license), in my clinical opinion, DANKO is exhibiting signs of severe mental instability.
There should be a concerted effort by the citizens of Palm Coast to initiate an immediate RECALL of this deranged man.
There is a reason DANKO was booted out of Dare County, North Carolina. He brought his mental instability here to unleash it upon us.
RECALL, RECALL, RECALL, RECALL.
DANKO needs to be recalled ASAP.
Bill C says
Danko presents with problems associated with unresolved childhood issues with affection resulting in a need for attention and anger when he doesn’t get it.
Maerushka says
As his only sibling I am grateful his parents are deceased. They were nothing like him and would be so ashamed. Hey Ed. Isn’t time for you to shut up? Everywhere you go you create problems. Get some help. Glad your not in my state. You tried very hard to destroy my life. But looks like you’re just destroying your life
Wallingford says
Seems that Danko has learned the Trump school of politics; maybe he received a degree from Trump University. Baseless accusations in order to deflect from your own political troubles never works. Just follow the matters in front of the US Attorney for the Southern District and the NY Attorney General. Danko – Lowe must be defeated
And for those who think that these are the ravings of a Liberal Democrat, I am a card carrying Republican who believes in free speech and civility
Trailer Bob says
I totally agree with you Wallingford… and I even know where Wallingford is…so being a Republican has always put me in the minority. With the “Wallingford” reference, I am sure you know what I mean….lol
Mike Cocchiola says
Ed Danko is poisonous. He is bent on destroying all semblance of governance in Palm Coast. He is attempting to burn down the council and betting that he can get Lowe elected to rebuild the city of Palm Coast under the Trump Club’s unhinged leadership.
This is dangerous. We simply cannot put a hard-right Trump Club Republican in the mayor’s chair. Stop the craziness on July 27th. Vote for Cornelia Downing Manfre.
David S. says
Ed Danko has got to go period he is nothing but a *hit stain that continues to cause problems for everyone. He and Trump are one of the same a total waste of a human being.
What about Perry says
Mr. Perry “Karen” Mitrano you were up to no good. No one asked you for your opinion. The fact that you showed up to be Support Chimp for Danko reveals your true character.
If you wanted to give the City your guidance you could have written a letter to the City Manager, spoke at the council meeting offering your assistance based on your supposed expertise, or submitted a business proposal to Waste Management. Instead of doing any of the things a reasonable adult would do, you tried a back channel with your buddies. And then because you lack integrity and to serve your masters, you ask for an apology. What exactly did you think you were owed an apology for?
Percy's mother says
I do believe Perry Mitrano is a rabid Lowe supporter. Hence, his public comment (veiled political maneuver) at the city council meeting last evening.
Why make this claim? I’ve read his posts on social media.
FlaglerLive says
In his interview this morning he claimed he had not made up his mind.
Perry Mitrano says
Again, I don’t know how you seem to know my alliance.
You are just making lies up about me and what does this all have to do with solid waste?
Perry Mitrano says
What About Perry:
Nope, no alliances here I just wanted to assist the solid waste issue. You like attacking me. I can’t stop you from doing that.
At least I stepped up to help. You’re welcome.
Justme says
A little Napoleon with the complex included. A nasty little dude too big for his britches.
Enough says
Danko, a troubled feeble closed minded Trump minion has the class of a door stop. It appears the only way these Chump supporters attract attention is by creating baseless claims and chaos directed to anyone but themselves to reveal their own shortcomings. To date, nothing that this man has done has been a positive vibe for this city. And, by representing Lowe, I can only imagine how even more pathetic this city politics will deteriorate. These losers have to go and we the people need to smarten up and get it done.
Diane Ramirez says
Is this truly representative of all that Palm Coast has to offer – the best and the brightest? I feel like I stumbled into the ultimate dystopian play.
Jimmy says
No, but what educated family person with a decent job jumps into this BS?
Unfortunately, its getting to that point because these people (Lowe, Danko, etc) are really whacked out.
tulip says
We have ONE chance to eliminate Danko’s low life buddy Alan Lowe by carefully looking at the other candidates. Anyone is better than Lowe. Let’s do it right for a change and convince our neighbors and friends to pay attention to whom they vote for. And we can get rid of Danko at some point also.
Edith Campins says
The fact that Danko, who was thrown out of the Republican Party in N. Carolina, now sits on the city council is entirely on the Republicans in this county. As with Mullins, they voted for him just because he claimed to be one of them. They voted along party lines because, as I’ve often been told, a bad Republican is better than a good Democrat. None of them, Mullins, Danko, Barbossa, are interested in representing the citizens that elcted them. They are on an ego trip and as long as the Republican majority in this county continues to support them this is the kind of government we will get. Alfin is cut from the same cloth.
RitaMae says
As the signs around town say ‘Don’t Blame Me, I voted for Sims Jones’
Percy's mother says
Edith,
Please see my comments above directed to Mr. James Mejuto (when cleared for post).
As I explained to Mr. Mejuto, neither Danko nor Lowe are affiliated with the legitimate Republican Party. They are registered to vote Republican ONLY. The Flagler County Republican hierarchy has disowned Danko / Lowe / fake pastor groups. They then formed their own “Republican” groups called: The Flagler Trump Club and Dennie’s “Flagler County GOP” so named to trick the unsuspecting voters of Flagler County into thinking her fake political club was affiliated with the actual legitimate Republican hierarchy here in Flagler County, which wants nothing to do with any of the 3.
So please don’t group all Republicans with these 3 misfits that no one wants anything to do with (other than their deranged followers). But again, perhaps my more in depth post to Mr. Mejuto will prove more beneficial in explanation of the dynamics of what’s going on politically in Flagler County.
Edith Campins says
I understand your point, however, in order to get elected Danko, Mullins and Barbossa had to have the majority of local Republicans vote for them, not just the fringe groups. Just like at the number of votes they had.
Mythoughts says
After seeing what the Republicans are doing in our government around the country who in their right mind would vote for a Republican in the City of County governments.
No way, you have been be crazy to vote for any of them.
Roy Longo says
Danko makes Mullins look like a moderate. Holy crap!
BF says
‘Politics of Destruction’? or simply distraction? Danko successfully drew all the attention at the meeting and in the media after the meeting to himself. Away from candidate Lowe. Lowe didn’t speak at or after the meeting because Danko and others don’t want him to speak. Lowe didn’t respond to the FlaglerLive candidate survey because ‘he’s ahead’? But Danko did speak. Does anybody really believe a person who prefaces their remarks and then asserts facts that they learned via a ‘confidential briefing’ with law enforcement? Either he made that up (likely) or someone in law enforcement will never talk to him again. He wants to take out key, experienced leaders in Palm Coast government to replace them with new people that he and his cronies can manipulate. I hope Mr. Barbosa was paying close attention to this all. Because if Danko gets his way and Lowe is elected, Barbosa will become ‘the third vote’ and be expected to go along with whatever Danko and Lowe decide.
ASF says
I hope the people who vote for the likes of Danko and Mullins think that the destruction of our city governance (and our becoming an absolute laughingstock because of it) are worth indulging their petty private prejudices.
The dude says
WTF is wrong with this city???
For years I drove my family down from Atlanta 3-4 times a year and fell in love with the place… I guess when we decided to make the move permanent, I should’ve taken the time to better investigate how the city is run.
What I’ve found over the last year, is that the city itself is just a huge HOA (something I’ve studiously avoided all my adult life), and the area is chock full of $hitty, creepy folks, and busybodies who want nothing more than to tell you all how to live your lives, all the while screeching at you about freedom or something like that.
Percy's mother says
Why didn’t you do your due diligence in looking into codes, ordinances, rules and regulations for civil living if you spent so much time here before purchasing?
I would imagine that’s a mistake on your part.
Georgia was just today named as the #1 best state in the country to live. It’s not too late to throw in the towel if living civilly in Palm Coast isn’t your thing.
The dude says
As I admitted, I did not do my due diligence on the codes, ordinances, rules and regulations for living in this city of Karens.
Still unsure if myself, my tax dollars, and my purchasing power will be here too long. Which would be a shame as I’m in my prime earning years, and I do work that pays very well.
The way this city is growing, a good mix of earners and producers (like myself) will be needed to keep the city’s infrastructure in shape.
Going back to the northern Atlanta suburbs is not in the plans, but wherever I end up, I will in fact “live civilly”.
Who knows? Maybe one day when trash like Danko and his merry little cabal of hateful authoritarians are voted out, we can all live civilly here… a boy can dream I suppose.
Thank you for your concern.
From Palm Coast to Calm Poast says
We can all rest assured that as soon as this trio of Pit Vipers gets the power in PCF, they will turn on each other. Their loyalty to the trio is rice-paper thin and the second _____ no longer needs ___, he will expose the truth on _____ to look like they didn’t know about___. Ed knows exactly what I’m talking about and so does Vic. Lowe will be the last to know and the first to go…
The PCF power struggle will be a pleasure to watch unfold as they tear each other apart. By the way, you might want to stop deleting your emails Ed as they are already captured.
TTFN
Francisco Nogueira says
Please vote responsible. We can not have these 3 horrendously people
taken decisions for us.
Steve Robinson says
My question from a geographically distant vantage point: Do the folks at UNF and Jacksonville University have any idea what they’ve bought into?
Jimbo99 says
UNF & JU bought into expansion into Flagler county, they got what they were after, for them, like Boston Whaler or any other corporation that expands into Flagler, they’re after profitability & that growth. This is like asking whether Amazon whether they realize what they bought or entered into when they build & open a new warehousing hub. Recently, Amazon got a favorable deal to be in Daytona Beach, the day when the next smaller hub here in Flagler or St John’s county makes sense, they make that move & deal with whoever is in place to get those tax breaks. UNF & JU will take care of business on their end.
Politics has always been & will be a matter of who is on the gravy train of prosperity & it’s usually the wealthier business leaders of the area. Even with the Holland era, she works for the software app developers of the City app that was adopted. We saw a splash pad built in, & connecting dots, coincidentally Holland Park ? And now we see a pickleball expansion at a Tennis Center that was passed. Those projects, money could be used to shore up the proposed FCSO Office & even Fire Departments. The reason for doing the splash pad & tennis center deals was to attract families ? Well, neglect police & fire department and no family will want to relocate here as that infrastructure will be an unsafe community. I’ll take directing that money to FCSO & Fire Department over a Pickleball expansion any day. Unless the USTA is guaranteeing a near big major tournament in Flagler county, Flagler county & Palm Coast has no business building a Wimbledon/Flushing Meadows like tennis facility for Pickleball and claiming that is growing the county for the future with no plan of a relatively guaranteed revenue stream from the USTA.
I like some of the concepts the new direction is headed, dislike others that seem to be more self serving than for the good of the municipalities, cities & county as a whole. But again that’s politics. You’re always going to have the business community steering democracy for their concept of wealth building. For the most part that’s why anyone would be involved politically. Big money will always donate and steer politics & development as leadership.
Stick to the facts says
Why do we need to “shore up” FCSO office? Because the county wasted our tax dollars purchasing a sick building, for more than it was appraised? Because the Sheriff won’t move back even if the building is rehab and instead demands a costly new facility. And it seems that you don’t understad that FCSO stands for Flagler County not City of Palm Coast. And why do we need to shore up the FCSO when the Sherif has brought crime down by such numbers?
https://flaglerlive.com/164855/flagler-county-crime-2020/
As for the Fire Department…who says they are not adequately funded? Why do we need to shore them up?
Heidi says
I cannot believe what I saw watching the Tuesday meeting. To watch a council member lash out and bully Councilman Klufas , Denise Bevan and Bill Reischman was disturbing.
There is a lot to learn from city workers who know every number in the budget and how it got there. There are directors in departments who have been there for years and know how to make this city run smoothly. It’s one thing to say you won’t raise taxes and listen to your fans cheer in the audience but it’s a responsible representative who will question why that money is needed and learn from the answer. Some expenditures are needed for our safety. You can’t just say no to everything put in front of you. Eventually those cuts catch up to you and in this case you will have to answer to the people why are communication systems are down.
City council members are not suppose to run the city. This city runs by having award winning teams in different departments. They know their specialty and pass that knowledge on to council members. They need to rely on the directors, educate themselves on each project and then discuss things in a workshop not in front of the TV cameras.
I like Mr Lowe but after that meeting it was like a threat towards our city employees that when there’s three of them they will run everyone out of town.
I hope Mr Barbosa separates himself from that mentality.
tulip says
Barbosa is part of that mentality and will go the way his nasty buddies go, if they are elected. The Observer interviewed the candidates, except Lowe who refused. These videos of the candidates can be found by looking at the article in the Observer. They were very well done and I learned a lot because these were half hour long and the only “soft” question was ” how long have you lived in Palm Coast and are you an American citizen. I would suggest you might watch them, as well as reading the interiews on Flagler Live. It just might clear your mind as to whom you want to vote for.
Dennis C Rathsam says
I think its time to kick everyone out of the city council. EVERYONE!!!!!! We want a do over!!!!! This is not the crap we voted for. I have never seen a bunch of grown men, act like babies with a poopy diaper. We need leadership, not this constant bickering. We have big problems here in Palm Coast,weather it be all the traffic, the miss use of land, buying moldy buildings, ect… I call for a special election, lets see if the currant council members can get re ellected. I dont think they can, they already showed us they cant do the job.
Peaches McGee says
Let me repeat what I keep saying…
Palm Coast is regressing 20 years in the past.
Recall Ed Danko says
Why does Alan Lowe continue to use Ed Danko as his campaign manager?
Palm Coast City Council member Ed Danko refuses to apologize for harassing multiple female city employees and abusing his office. He is still under internal investigation. And now he’s smearing another female city employee. Why does Ed Danko hate women? Does Alan Lowe condone this abusive behavior?
Tell Ed Danko his time on the Palm Coast City Council is over!
Sign the petition: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/recall-ed-danko
Skibum says
Palm Coast residents beware, Danko and others who support him are intent on burning down city hall, destroying whatever consensus and cooperation the current council enjoys with working city staff members, and instituting their own power structure to reverse the years of progress that has sustained this city up to this point in history. He does not care who’s reputations he tramples on, and has no regard for the other more experienced and professional minded members of the city council and city departments, and will not hesitate to undermine anyone and everyone who dares object to his dangerous and radical scorched earth approach to get what he alone wants and to hell with everyone else. How such idiots get elected in the first place is something we ALL need to think about, and hopefully people will do more research in order to make better voter choices in future elections before Danko and others like him completely destroy ALL that many before him have worked so hard for over decades of decision making for the City of Palm Coast!
Right says
“It is also unusual, if not impossible, that one council member would be given a secret briefing by law enforcement and not others.”
Not that unusual…It happened when Mullins was under investigation. Certain people were told by a high ranking law enforcement official that there was enough in the complaint against him for charges. Perhaps it is this same law enforcement official.
Blerbfivefamily says
Here is a thought why don’t the citizens of Palm Coast vote to disolve the city and return to a service district. I think this is allowable under the charter and then again I could be mistaken but if that happened we would only have to deal with one government entity of looney toon characters.
Ray W. says
I am reminded of the very old joke about the young man who ran away from home to join the circus. His family spotted him shoveling elephant dung when the circus returned to town a year later. They begged him to come home, but he replied: “What? Leave show business?”
Jeff Sica says
Having lived in Palm Coast for 30yrs now, I can honestly say I’m embarrassed by the direction our local government is heading, thanks to the elections of Trumplicans like Danko and Barbosa. They both need to go, full stop. They, like the majority of Trumplicans in Washington, are a danger to our democracy. The saving of it begins on the local level, so let the rest of us, Democrats and sane Republicans, start by ousting these two buffoons while not letting Lowe within smelling distance of the mayor’s office.