It’s agreed I think—I hope—that Flagler County’s greatest tourist asset is its beach. Take that away, and there’s not much left. The problem is that Hurricane Matthew did take away a good chunk of the beach, literally (and for once the use of this word is neither incorrect nor exaggerated). The county and Flagler Beach are trying to rebuild. It’s going to be expensive, though the actual figure is fluid. The cost started at more than $60 million. It’s now closer to half that amount depending on what dunes and beaches are rebuilt, how densely, how frequently they are maintained, and whether Flagler Beach’s needs are included in the bargain (they have not been of late, per county snub).
The state is willing to help. But local government must raise more matching dollars. Revenue sources are limited but not absent. We have a 4 percent surcharge on our sales tax that people who stay in hotels and motels pay. It generates about $2 million a year. That money is used to pay for the county’s tourism budget: a small portion of it goes to beach restoration (10 percent). The largest portion goes to promoting the county so more tourists come here (a shade over 66 percent). Those splits are about to change.
The county administration is proposing to raise the tourism tax to 5 percent and shift more revenue to beach restoration. Great idea, until you look at the fine print. The shift would be temporary. Much too temporary: two years, at most. The administration is using the beach restoration bait to actually increase the promotion bite, which is absurd, giving the promotions budget’s indefensible splurging (see below), and to do so at the expense of the beaches, of capital projects, and at the expense of Flagler Beach in particular, which is crying for help.
As it is, the county approved a $1.38 million promotions budget for this year. It wants to raise that by a couple of hundred thousand dollars, and more, if projected increases in tax revenue come in. The increase in beach spending would jump to $1 million next year, but would be cut in half by 2019, even though rebuilding these beaches will take several years. The increase in the promotions budget, to $1.5 million, would be permanent.
What’s really going on here is that County Administrator Craig Coffey and Tourism Director Matt Dunn want to have more play money for their sandbox. But that sandbox is already more unaccountable slush fund than legitimate tourism spending. It’s ripe for investigation, not more gluttony.
By promotional, you’d think that money means promoting the county—advertising it so tourists can be enticed to come here. The reality is that only a little more than a third of that money goes to promoting Flagler, if that. A quarter of the money goes to paying salaries and benefits, including Dunn’s own more-than hundred-thousand dollar package (his salary alone is $82,000). Another $61,000 goes to travel, conferences and something euphemistically called “education and training,” which is another excuse for travel. That’s where Dunn gets to trek around the country on Flagler taxpayers’ dime, with staffers and expense accounts in tow.
It’s where the county robs Peter to rob Paul: last year the county ended its tourism contract with the Flagler Chamber of Commerce and moved its tourism offices into larger spaces, away from State Road 100 frontage, and into an office building on airport property. If that alone isn’t idiotic enough for a tourism office, the rent the county was paying at the chamber was $18,000 a year. It’s now paying nearly double that–$33,000, even though it’s taking public money to pay another public entity: the county airport, and act as if it’s filled another space on airport grounds. If the county was so indifferent to its tourism office having direct frontage on a main artery, it could have moved those offices to the Government Services Building and saved the money. But why deny county government its own swipe at the public troth.
That alleged promotions fund is also how Dunn spends close to $300,000 bribing for-profit organizations to hold their sports events or conferences in the county. It’s what the budget calls “discretionary event funding,” subsidizing places like Hammock Beach Resort by giving dubious organizations $25,000 and $30,000 and $40,000 “bidding fees” to entice them to hold their events in the area. That has as much to do with exposing visitors to Flagler County as the Magic Kingdom exposes visitors to Orlando’s John Young Parkway. That “discretionary” fund was non-existent three years ago. It was $150,000 in 2015. It jumped to $215,000 the following year. Now it’s at $300,000. The accounting is bogus: there’s no correlation between the money spent and lasting benefit to county tourism, though there’s a clear profit to specific businesses benefiting from the splurge. They’re not your mom and pop stores.
As the year-over-year figures show, Dunn’s “discretionary” slush fund is out of control, and the Tourist Development Council, the county-appointed advisory board that’s supposed to oversee the operation, spends its monthly meetings greasing its rubber stamp and pleasuring Dunn, whatever he asks for. That’s what you get when such a board is made up by law mostly of cherry-picked individuals in the tourism business, with the county commission doing the cherry-picking. What government representatives do serve on the board are either outnumbered or blind. There is no clearer example of a legalized conflict of interest in local government. It’s not oversight. It’s another form of discretionary bribery.
This is the sort of bogus tourism spending that’s gotten legislators in Tallahassee like our own Paul Renner rightfully suspicious of Visit Florida’s bloated budget. It’s no different than paying rapper Pitbull $1 million to “promote” the state, as one of Visit Florida’s most egregious abuses of public money did. We don’t need more of this locally. We need less. We need a beach that advertises itself, when it isn’t ravaged by natural calamities. Meanwhile, we need a beach fix that will entice visitors better than any bribe to special event promoters segregated in clubbish enclaves.
County Commissioner Donald O’Brien is proposing a slightly better fix, shifting more money to beach restoration next year ($1.5 million) and less money to promotions ($1 million), though only for a year. Dunn, who clearly doesn’t know his place, sees his play money threatened. As an email he wrote tourism council members indicated, he sought to politically and inappropriately lobby commissioners and members of the county’s tourism advisory board to block O’Brien’s move. County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin, who chairs the tourism board as well, saw that O’Brien had the votes, so he maneuvered for a delay in hopes of derailing it.
On Thursday, Dunn’s name appeared alongside that of County Administrator Craig Coffey’s in a memo to commissioners, ostensibly offering support either to his option or to O’Brien’s. The memo would have you believe that the administration is seeing the larger picture. It isn’t. It’s a clean-up act, an admission of Dunn’s political blunder, and a shrewd attempt to take the temporary loss of a year’s fatter funding for promotions to preserve future years’ fat funds. It’s still a play for more promotions dollars, proportionally and substantially less for everything else, and a big lid on the real problem in the tourism bureau.
The memo also unwittingly reveals that the $1.38 million budget the county commission approved—the budget posted for public examination, the budget we assume is accurate and reliable until the county administrator decides it’s not anymore–was a fantasy: Coffey now quietly admits that the actual budget is $1.61 million. Why that $230,000 in extra spending? To what projects? What “discretionary” bribes? He doesn’t say, though last year he and Dunn used $300,000 of the public’s money, out of tourism funds, to buy bleachers, floodlights and a stage, none of it having anything to do with promoting Flagler County, at least if we still agree to the English rather than Dunnish definition of “promotions.” That money has to be made up somehow.
This is the larger problem, which would be scandalous under any supposedly conservative oversight (every county commissioner is a small-government republican, or at least plays one on community-access TV): this “promotions” budget is $700,000 larger than it was just three years ago, when it was $911,000. That’s a $700,000 increase, or 76 percent. What government program anywhere, other than emergency funds following cataclysmic events, or maybe war or epidemics, can justifiably grow 76 percent in three years in this day and age?
Why, Matt Dunn’s sandbox budget can. And did. And he wants more.
So Coffey and Dunn in their oh-so-accommodating memo now pretend that the “promotions” budget is not sustainable without dipping into reserves. And nowhere in their memo to commissioners do they mention the obvious: That if the promotions budget is unstainable, it’s not because of lack of revenue, but because it’s out of control. That if the promotions budget must be made sustainable, cuts, not more revenue, are the answer. Serious cuts. Lasting cuts. The cuts O’Brien proposes for next year, but would be necessary for several years after that.
There’s something seriously wrong at Flagler County’s tourism department, and no one in charge of oversight—not the useless Tourist Development Council, not the County Commission, certainly not the county administrator—is doing anything about it. Maybe that’s an unsustainable problem for another day, though it’s impossible to divorce it from the current false dilemma over how to split tourism revenue, and from how Flagler Beach is getting shafted.
The tourism council and County Commissioners all vote on the O’Brien proposal Monday. We’ll find out which of them truly believe in beach restoration and the public interest, and which believe in Matt Dunn’s junket-ridden slush fund.
Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor. Reach him by email here or follow him @PierreTristam. A version of this piece aired on WNZF.
Michael Boileau says
Fire them!
Bc says
We pay them we vote them in office wake up people vote them out. good read Pierre
YankeeExPat says
To Rely on Tourism as an economic engine to such an extent is Foolish and short sited. But that’s ingrained in Florida Culture, so folks get what they deserve. Sunshine doesn’t make up for Low wages and a Low standard of living. A.K.A. the working Poor.
SB Stolley says
And this surprises us because….
Sheri Bradfield says
Criminal.
Sw says
Sleaze bags
Steve Robinson says
While we are all consumed by the paranoid lunacy and serial lies of the so-called Trump presidency, it is important to remember that, for most Americans, it is the actions of their local governments that have the largest daily impact on their lives. And we in Flagler are among the fortunate few counties to have an aggressive, online news site that strives to keep our public officials honest as they manage–or mismanage–our tax dollars. It’s called reporting, and it’s the thin strand that lays between citizens and tyranny.
Lazaruis says
MATT’S SLUSH FUND NEEDS TO BE CUT BACK AND PUT THE RESTORATION OF THE BEACHES OUT PAST 2020 OR LONGER .
WHO VOTES THESE PEOPLE IN ?
DON’T THE VOTER’S SEE WHAT’S GOING ON?
Fredrick says
Pierre you are starting to scare me. Another editorial that I agree with you on. Something has happened within the matrix. You would think that with all of this crap going on we still had Democrats in control of the commission.
Sherry says
“THINK”. . . actually pull that brain out and turn off FOX and ALL TV! OK. . . now do your very own analysis of what kind of jobs the highly touted “TOURIST” industry creates for “non-owners”:
* Chef = 30-60K
* Waitress = 25-50K
* Cleaner/Maid = 20-30K
* Disney Host= 30-50K
Etc Etc
Our political leaders should STOP focusing on “PAYING” to lure companies who cater to the “TOURIST” industry. . . which only creates low paying, dead end jobs! Florida should be focusing on educating our kids and families for “careers” of the future. . . . instead of the past!!!
Sherry says
Now. . . read this excellent article again. . . you should be completely outraged!!!! Dunn and Coffey should be FIRED!!!
Wishful thinking says
Pierre
Without your determination and dedication to we the people I believe a lot more wool be pulled over our eyes. Thank you for your passion for decency and contempt for corruption.
You make a real difference in upholding whatever integrity is left around here. Thank You!
Frank Cianchetta says
Fix the beach first . Forget about the street light
Jason Williams says
Good article.
BlueJammers says
One of your finest, Mr. Tristam. Thank you for your journalism!
I truly underline @Wishful thinking.
Marcio Santos says
Let me get this straight a city that have a beach as main destination won’t invest money to repair after the hurricane but spends more on tourism promotion for the beach that lacks care great job guys
beach bum says
(his salary alone is $82,000). Another $61,000 goes to travel, Dang where was this job on career day in school, I’d signed up for that one immediately, 91 grand to play golf with buddies, and say your promoting the county! This is beyond absurd, this beautiful place we live in promotes itself, at the most you could pay a teenager, 500 bucks a year to keep us current on Facebook. The beach, beachside restaurants, and the parks bring the tourists, you can’t stop em.
Surprised says
It never ceases to amaze me that every time news of shady and seedy dealings in Flagler County that the name of Coffey or Landon show up? These types of shady and seedy deals have been going on for over a decade with these two! What surprises me the most about these actions is how it seems like so many residents seem to place there heads in the sand and turn a blind eye to it all! Wake up and speak up people!
Realist says
Not surprised our money is being wasted. The corruption in this county is out of control. Beaches need to be repaired with SAND and not coquina. I rarely go to the beach but when I do, I go to Matanzas. Much better.
DoubleGator says
Fix the damn beach first and fast! That’s where you’ll find the tourists. Their opinions are what bring more tourists.
Brian Riehle says
So we’re talking about $2 million dollars in bed taxes paid by tourists who stay in local hotels and motels.
None of whom are Flagler County residents,
And it’s money specifically raised for the organization that is spending it.
And the taxpayers of Flagler County aren’t being harmed financially.
Aside from the fact that it’s difficult to measure the effectiveness of the Tourism Board, it sounds like they have a pretty good thing going for them. Why should they have to defend their budget from Beach Restoration needs ?
.
Heading North says
Pierre, I’m forced to agree with Frederick! This article is so to the point and true, you’re beginning to scare me!!
Coffee and his henchmen should be publicly chastised, humiliated, and run out of town if not tarred and feathered, at least on a rail!
This is one of your best Pierre – keep after them!!!!
Mark101 says
Can someone tell me how do you replace a county administrator ? its time .
Common Sense says
Pierre, thank you, once again.
Wishful Thinking says
to ‘Mark101’… a majority of commissioners hire and fire a County Administrator – but it ain’t gonna happen – not while the 3rd ‘gang’ member is the County Commission Chair – Nate McLaughlin….
( ‘DNC’ has a new meaning in Fagler County: Dunn Nate Coffey) . Nate will never dump Coffey and Coffey will not dump Dunn. It’s up to us to make them walk a straight line . Pierre is giving us all the amo we need. The rest is in our hands,
snapperhead says
Commissioner O’Briens proposal doesn’t go far enough. Beach restoration should get 2/3 of bed tax revenue for the foreseeable future to pay for restoration and build a reserve for future destructive events, instead of having to beg the state or federal government for funds. How dumb do you have to be to not see that the beach generates a bulk of bed tax revenue. Most of which would still come in without promotion. Of course Dunn will gin up some BS return on investment documents to justify his bribes to for profit companies, bloated salary and travel junkets on the bed tax funds and the Tourist Development Council and County Commission will rubber stamp it without discussion or examination and business as usual will continue. There is a way to determine the impact of TDC funds and the revenue it generates. Get rid of it for a couple years and see where bed tax collections go. If the total collected drops but is still more than what the county would receive when you exclude the expense of the “promotion” department it’s more funds to be spent on what it’s intended for. If it costs $1.5 million for “promotions” then the county is really only garnering $1 million for restoration and other projects. I highly doubt without Mr Dunn and his promotions department bed tax revenue would drop 66%.
j. michael kelley says
Good article. Not hard to calculate when you consider the following There are as I understand it three parts of their budget. #1) Capitol Improvements. This is dedicated money which cannot be spent elsewhere.
#2)Beach Restoration. Also dedicated money which cannot be spent elsewhere. #3) Promotions. This is the “cookie jar” where the funds can go anywhere within so called reason. is it any wonder those involved
would like more “cookies”.
woodchuck says
Replace him?He’s probably going to give himself a raise.He could be as bad as Landon-naaaa
Will says
I don’t think public dollars should be used to bring events to private businesses like Hammock Dunes. The volleyball tournament was silly – about ten people watching. I just bought an $8 bottle of water and left. What dies Hammock Dunes need county tourism support? They appear to be doing quite well.
.Jimmy 2 shoes says
How can anyone blame Nate, He went Bankrupt and lost everything except what he hid in a trailer (heard him telling Meeker at a workshop) the poor guy just wants top be able to take his Mistress out every now and again and show her a good time. Too bad it’s your expense! And Flagler Live warned everyone years ago about the Bankrupt Boys…..but you voted him in!