Last Updated: 12:31 p.m.
In a stunning move, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin this morning motioned to fire City Manager Denise Bevan, without cause. The motion carried, 3-2, with Alfin and Council members Ed Danko and Cathy Heighter in the majority. Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston was appointed acting manager.
The three votes came from the three most pro-development members of the council, with an explicit explanation from one of them: “Denise has done a well job but I do feel that we’re moving into a different era in this city,” Council member Cathy Heighter said. “We are a rapidly growing city and we do need strong management and we do need someone that’s going to address issues.”
The vote and Heighter’s comment were as clear a pair of indications as any that the council majority wanted a more development-minded manager at the till. Bevan made her way up the city’s ranks as an ecologist focused on balancing development with conservation and sustainability–and on a collegial, unpretentious management style easily mistaken for lack of command.
Council member Nick Klufas was left livid by the manner of the firing. “There’s no way that we can say this is a good precedent to set if we sit up here and we say without cause,” he said at the end of the meeting, which ran past noon. The chamber by then was empty but for four people. “That means that we haven’t even tried to improve the performance of one of our leaders so that we can work from a top down approach to ensure that everyone feels adequate safety and the ability to move up in this workforce.” He added: “This should have been something that we discussed amongst the team. This is also a problem for trying to acquire our next city manager.”
Alfin prefaced his motion by summarizing his 32-month tenure as mayor, saying he’d started at a time when the council was “leaderless” and in in “turmoil and one council member threatening another.” Matters have improved since, in his view, with debate replacing dysfunction.
He spoke of the city’s challenges and “opportunities,” describing a glass as “always full.” He spoke of the importance of maintaining the infrastructure and investing in the future, balancing those needs with keeping taxes low and avoiding government waste.
“Balancing these competing interests can be tricky,” Alfin said. “It requires focused leadership by this council and the expertise of city staff. Now that council is unified on the city’s direction, I want to take an additional action to lead this city into the future. I would like to make a change in our city manager position and with that, I’m going to pass the gavel.” He did so, passing it to Vice Mayor Danko.
Alfin made the motion to fire Bevan and replace her with an interim “with proven experience,” then look for a permanent replacement. Council member asked for a second. He got it from Heighter, who, even as she spoke highly of Bevan and of her relationship with her, complained about issues not getting addressed in a timely way. Her example was Florida Park Drive–an issue that has bedeviled every city manager and every council member going back to the first years of the city’s incorporation.
Steve Carr, a Florida Park Drive resident who had addressed the council earlier in the meeting–who has been addressing the council on the issue for about a decade–had complained that “nothing has been done” in those 10 years to alleviate traffic issues along the thoroughfare. Council member Nick Klufas took issue with Carr, calling his comment “disingenuous” before enumerating the series of measures the city has taken in response to residents’ complaints along that road, from banning truck traffic to conducting noise and air studies to a January appropriation of nearly $100,000 to analyze speeds there.
“I do feel that this city needs strong management and someone who is going to manage the job and be a leader and lead us into this new growing city that we are becoming,” Heighter said. “At the end of the day we can say job well done and not have to go through this again.”
There were a few public comments, including the suggestion–from Mike Norris, a candidate for mayor–to delay the decision until after the election, since the council will lose two members and could potentially turn over the mayoral seat. Council member Theresa Pontieri agreed with that. Others supported the move for a new manager.
“I think a leader is one who knows the way goes the way and shows the way,” Klufas said. “I think that’s what today’s has done. Leaders have a capacity to translate vision into reality. And I think that’s what we have been able to accomplish. I don’t support relieving Denise of her duties– I’m sorry, Ms. Bevan–and I’m fond of the way that she’s been able to lead the city.”
Pontieri said it was “inappropriate” to remove Bevan now considering the certain and possible turnover in the coming election. “You all are basically going to be voting on behalf of an entire city that you may not be representing in eight months,” Pontieri said. As for the complaints from citizens, she said it’s the council’s fault, not the city staff’s or the manager’s fault.
“We are wrongfully resting that on Denise’s shoulders, and I find that to be incredibly obtuse and unfair,” Pontieri said. “I agree that there needs to be a change in direction at a management level, but I think it more happens at the level of our directors, some of our directors, and I can tell you we should all know that that’s occurring right now.”
Moments later, Pontieri directly addressed Bevan, who had sat at her usual seat at the far end of the dais. “I want to thank you no matter what the vote is today,” Pontieri said. “Your integrity is unmatched. And that is not something that can be taught. Integrity is something that is natural. And you have it and I absolutely believe that Denise genuinely wants what’s best for the city of Palm Coast.”
After the vote Bevan stood up, dropped to the dais the city ID she’s worn since Feb. 26, 2007, gathered her belongings and walked off. Klufas and Pontieri stood up in applause. The three who voted to fire her did not.
There was no clarity on who the interim manager would be, other than Danko’s suggestion that the interim could carry the city through the election, leaving the new council to pick a new manager. Alfin had alluded to assistance from the Florida League of Cities.
The fact that an immediate interim was not named may signal the council’s lack of interest in looking from within, as was the case a little over two years ago, when then-Fire Chief Jerry Forte was appointed interim before Bevan got the manager’s job. Two candidates are in line for the interim job now: Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo and Johnston.
[This is a developing story.]
Mike says
Dirty dealings from Alfin! Time for Alfin to be fired for dirty politics!
sean b says
good old right two work the town voters don’t even have a right two make a choice in who they voted inn I really hope they sue sue sue
bill says
The mayor is full of crap. The minute he came in he raised everybody’s salary council members up to around 45% and he says we have to avoid government waste. Well he’s a waste and those salaries are a waste.
c says
W***T***F*** ??
Is Alfin demented? or just obsessed with his own sense of power?
“including the suggestion–from Mike Norris, a candidate for mayor–to delay the decision until after the election, since the council will lose two members and …… *** could potentially turn over the mayoral seat.”
This is hopefully gonna guarantee that the Mayor’s seat is overturned. Yet another election choice being forced into an ‘Anyone but HIM’ vote.
What a maroon! (with apologies to Bugs, and to maroons everywhere).
Charles says
Alfin is up for re-election that is when the taxpayers of the City of PC fires him.
Watchdog says
Regarding Bevan’s firing:
1. Long overdue. She was never qualified for the job. I remember Danko and Victor Barbosa asking her during a city council meeting if she wanted the job, and so she got the job. With a huge salary by the way.
Regarding never being qualified to be a city manager of any sort, she allegedly has a degree from Jacksonville State University in Alabama in ECOLOGY. How does a degree in ecology qualify anyone to be an administrator of any city?
2. How about background check for the next applicants for City Manager of Palm Coast?
3. How about VERIFICATION of all past work history as presented on an applicant’s resume?
4. How about VERIFICATION OF EDUCATION?
Background check AND VERIFICATION of all past employment should be mandatory for any applicant for the City of Palm Coast, especially for an engineering AND administrative position. Being a realtor should not qualify anyone to hold any type of position with the City of Palm Coast.
A bachelors degree in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION or an MBA from a REAL college or university which is accredited by the US Department of Education should be a requirement for the city manager position, nothing less. Official transcripts should be VERIFIED.
There are too many diploma mills, fake diplomas and fake degrees floating around out there, as already evidenced by a past school board member who has a fake “doctorate” and who called herself Dr.
It’s time to start hiring qualified people. Why are things in such a mess here in Palm Coast? Unqualified people in high positions within the City of Palm Coast with ZERO qualifications who bring in huge salaries for screwing everything up.
Watchdog says
Jason DeLorenzo is nothing but a realtor with a high school education. He’s another one who’s getting paid big bucks for working behind the scenes in his position as City of Palm Coast Chief of Staff for his real estate and builder buddies. He has ZERO qualifications to be interim ANYTHING.
Ditto Lauren Johnston. She was in charge of the splash pad fiasco at Holland Park and signed off on it even though everyone knew it was a shoddy job. After screwing up the splash pad at Holland Park, she was PROMOTED to deputy City Manager. That’s been covered up. Her gross mismanagement of the continuing fiasco of the splash pad at Holland Park should completely disqualify her for interim position of city manager and/or CITY manager. Alfin should tread lightly in even thinking about appointing her for interim city manager. She has ZERO qualifications for the deputy city manager position, let alone Palm Coast City Manager. She started off as City of Palm Coast camp counselor.
Should Alfin nominate either Jason DeLorenzo (a realtor with a high school education) or the screw-up Lauren Johnston for interim city manager, he might as well give up being re-elected to mayor of Palm Coast.
Should Alfin propose inserting Lauren Johnston as interim city manager and/or city manager (at his own re-election peril), it’s probably political payback since I do believe there’s a family relationship somewhere with the Flagler County Tax Assessor who’s stepping down as well as Suzie Johnston most recent mayor of Flagler Beach (another realtor).
BLINDSPOTTING says
Delorenzo and Cote are the ones who need to go, stop putting a
bandaid on issues, then we need to move to the county, Petito and
Hadeed should be on that list to go we also need a new airport director
someone who cares about our people in our communities, who wants
the airport to coexist with Palm Coast, not to out grow it, someone
who respects the rights of the residents and our environment as well
as the animals who inhabit it.
JimboXYZ says
Wow, what a blindside move to the voting public this is. Seems to be a habit, firing without cause. I think they went thru with it hoping the voters will forget or be preoccupied with the November General Election Trump vs Biden II. Nobody with a legitimate vote is going to forget locally what has been ongoing since 2021, Alfin or Biden.
Oldrumrunner says
And how much is this going to cost the City?
FirstTime says
Lauren Johnston is the most ineffective and toxic choice for the interim position. Her “leadership” is 100% responsible for the toxic culture that exists there today. It’s sad to see Pontieri and Klufas fall for it, when Johnston has ridden the backs of countless staff who easily outperform her, blamed countless others for her massive massive mistakes and missteps, and pulled the strings of her connections to get her to where she is. It will be a miracle if there isn’t a mass exodus of good and reliable staff who aren’t willing to deal with the mess getting ready to come their way. Council should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. Denise Bevan deserved so much more respect than she was shown today.
Mike says
Now that Bevan is gone it’s time to clean house, DeLorenzo and Johnston next. Both have no qualifications for the job. Alfin your gone at election time.
Randy Bentwick says
Your headline should have been “Alfin, Danko and Heighter Prove Once and For All They Have Their Heads Up Their A**es.”
Denise Bevan was the best City Manager Palm Coast has ever had. Any excuse they gave for firing her is pure horse hockey.
Other Brother Darryl says
Um, didn’t you just describe the very ones doing the firing? What makes them more “qualified”?
Pogo says
@A single sparrow falls
And not one commenter realizes what is happening. A more deserving group of characters by Dante, I’ve not met.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Dante&ia=web
Samuel says
Denis Bevan if you are reading these posts, please go hire yourself a good lawyer and sue that crap out of Alfin and take every dime out of him you can get.
A lot of taxpayers want to see him gone and this just add more reasons to why we want him out of our city.
John says
Did Alfin ask you to write this comment, sure seems that way.
JimboXYZ says
A room full of realtors determining the 2050 Vision of a Futuristic Palm Coast. What could possibly go wrong ?
Atwp says
Was she fired because she is a woman? Wow!
Billy says
Alfin must go! Before palm Coast looks like Orlando!
All the Mayor's of Kingtown.............. says
Give the job to Peter Johnson. He has so many degrees that he is the most intelligent candidate in the room—at least, that is what he tells people. He is an angry candidate with no business or political acumen to be the Mayor. He blames the “establishment ” when it’s the City’s bad management. Stop blaming everyone else if you want to be Mayor. Learn how to be respectful and stop being tossed out of the meeting, although it’s fun to watch when it does happen.
Mike Norris has completely changed since he started campaigning. Even he suggested not firing her until after the election. Good job, Mike Norris, for making a reasonable request.
Mayor Alfin should never have passed the gavel. Lauren Johnston has no business stepping in other than procedural and temporary. She was never held accountable for the mess at Holland Park when she was in charge of Park & Rec, so let’s reward her now. She’s just a patsy for Mayor Alfin.
Delorenzo! Please, you have no education or management skills to speak of. Besides, if he is in charge, you’ll give the keys to all the builders.
Let’s not forget Danko- He always wanted to fire Beven. For what reason?
Ok, Denise Beven was not experienced enough to run the City but she stepped up and should have been rewarded with returning back to her old position. At this, the board should have respected her with that.
Florida League of Cities can help with selecting someone. First, limit the search to only Florida or neighboring border states candidates.
Bob J says
How long has this been going on……….doubt it. The voters here don’t have a clue. Hopefully the come out and vote and overturn this city for the better.
Bob J says
And what qualified Alfin and Danko?
Randy Bentwick says
For a watchdog you aren’t very observant and you definitely know nothing about the city staff. Denise worked her way up the ladder and earned that position. The only reason she got fired was because Alfin and Danko don’t like the fact that she stood up for the city workers.
And to say she is unqualified because of her is just ignorant. Her two predecessors had the “proper qualifications” on paper and neither of them was worth a damn.
Celia Pugliese says
City Managers are to have a Masters in Public Administrations not just a Bachelors. Too many unhappy residents have showed up in droves in 2024 and some (the flooded one’s) complaining of no reply to their cards completed while attending council meetings. In 2021 Holland Administration approved two traffic calming islands in Florida Park Drive and a design and traffic studies at a cost of our hard earned taxes of $163,000 paid for. Then in 2022 as soon as Danko, Mayor Alfin elected along Flukas, Fanelli and Co voted NO build at an original contractor bid of 200,000 for both.
So our 163,000 went into the waste basked while traffic in FPD increased to the adjacent residents demise of 8,000 vehicles a day, speeding, toxic missions, rattling vibrations, noise and hazards worsening.
Meanwhile residents also fighting 5 G cell towers intended 200 feet or less from our homes. Our roads are cracking and potholing and no money enough to repave…But city community development invites a Wawa to sit in the middle of our overcrowded PC Pkwy. We lost our beloved Harborside Resort destination and the 371 hospitality jobs on it for town houses and condos ICW front. All culminating in the sad events of today’s 3/19@ 9 am council meeting. May God guide our steps now, but please we do not need dedicated elderly, veteran residents being blamed by Councilman Mr. Klufas from the powerful dais, for today’s events.
Jim k says
Any government or city job requires zero qualifications! Prove me wrong!
BLINDSPOTTING says
Plus she has the personality of a bulldozer, not people friendly like Denise is
is as dumb as dirt on top of it, if she is put in as interim or replacement it is
definitely nepotism, she has zero qualifications for this position!
Dennis C Rathsam says
Lets see if Stuff Em In Alfin has the that grin on his face come ellection day. THROW THE BUMB OUT!!!
Lori J Powell says
She was never qualified for the job anyway. The way she was hired wasn’t exactly the way things should be done.
The Sour Kraut says
The one that really needs to be fired is Alfin. His day is coming. Elections are not far off.
Russ says
Mike Norris was not in favor of firing Denise Bevans. The article misquoted him from the podium he stated they should wait and assess her performance after the election since 3 of the 5 will no longer be sitting in those seats and will lock those new council members and mayor into a city manager they never hired.
FlaglerLive says
The article did not misquote Mike Norris, since it did not quote him. Nor did the article mis-paraphrase Norris or misrepresent what he said. It reflected precisely what Norris said: “to delay the decision until after the election, since the council will lose two members and could potentially turn over the mayoral seat.” Norris, in his own words, said: “I would advise that if you’re going to terminate Miss Bevan and and get an interim man [manager] that that hire not be done until after this election because three of you are not going to be on this council anymore. Have a good day.”
Jim says
I don’t know if Ms. Bevan has done a good job or not. I can say that I haven’t read any negative articles on Flagler Live and I can say that I haven’t seen any synopsis of a Council meeting where any of the council members or mayor made negative comments about her job performance. I’m sure she gets a performance review every year. Did the last one indicate poor performance and – perhaps – a last change/final warning?
That said, what I do believe is that Alfin, Danko and Heighter did discuss this before the meeting – in violation of Sunshine laws – and this was a pre-ordained execution. In a follow-on article, I see that Danko left the meeting after this to campaign. (Side note: If you’re too busy campaigning to perform you current elected functions, you give me all the reason needed to vote against you in the next election – adios – Danko!!!) It appears that Klufas and Pontieri were caught completely by surprise. So, Major Alfin, if you think the council is “in agreement on the direction of Palm Coast”, your actions strongly indicate this is just a BS statement.
And I don’t understand how you can terminate someone without having a candidate to replace them especially when the reason(?) given is poor leadership. The message to Palm Coast is no leadership is better than poor leadership….
I don’t know what Alfin thinks makes him a good candidate to repeat as mayor and we’ll find out soon enough. But if leadership is one of the criteria for the job, Mr. Alfin, you have failed.
I can’t wait to see who the next city manager is. I can not imagine anyone qualified and having any sense at all applying for the job. There’s more job security as a hand grenade catcher than working for the Palm Coast city council.
On the positive side, for at least a little while, the council has replaced the school board as the most incompetent group of “leaders” in this county.
What a way to run a zoo, err… I mean city……
Steve says
Heads are in the sand that washed away long ago
jeffery cortland seib says
Although the firing today of city manager Bevan was perfectly within the rules of city government as all managers serve at the will of the council, but I would have hoped for a smidgen more of professionalism in any actions of this nature. If Alfin and the other votes were unhappy with her job performance the way to do it would have been to let her know exactly what they think is wrong and a mechanism to make it right. Then they should have set a timetable, a month, six weeks, for her to provide a framework, a plan, a suitable description of how she would deal with the issues that brought the ‘gang of three’ to their decision today. I have known Miss Bevan for ten years, she did work her way up to this position through experience and leadership. Today’s treatment was a slap in the face for that. Now we have the last three, counting Denise, city managers fired. How long will it take to get the next one? The quality of the new manager applicants may go down a notch as they know the history of Palm Coast city managers.
Steve says
Trump loves the uneducated
bill says
here’s the story from a guy who has been on the inside Alfin is the realtors and builders friend here so he wanted to pass this water increase on the residence so he can keep his building buddies without paying impact fees. He set up Devon and then he blames her that she did not push hard enough to pass this water fee on the residence. Also, Steve Flanigan was transferred to another position out of utilities by deal Lorenzo because he was not pushing for the increase of the water bill on the residence either. They’re all filthy they’re all dirty. It’s the swamp of Palm Coast just like DC Del Lorenzo is not fit to be in that job. He has no experience wait and see how far he gets up in that city and all making 6 figure salaries nothing but dirty dealings
Shark says
The sad thing is that if you vote against a republican you will just get another one just as bad.
Deborah Coffey says
Ditto!
Tina Olive says
Exactly what I thought…..
Tina Olive says
ALFINS RE-ELECTION IS IN PERIAL….THE TAX PAYERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH…..AND THIS IS THE STRAW THATS GOING TO BREAK THE CAMELS BACK……EVIL……
TR says
Yep you’re correct. I have had issues with Denise and she dropped the ball on all of them. Giving me the impression they weren’t important enough to address.
Alfin is next, unfortunately we have to wait until November for that to happen and he still can do a lot of damage to the residence of Palm Coast. IMO, he’s just doing things now to make it look like he cares when he should have been doing it all along and not push his personal agenda. Build, build, build. It’s stops now.
TR says
Absolutely not. She was fired because she wasn’t doing her job. Which is what should happen when someone doesn’t do their job.
Barbara lyons says
I couldn’t agree more
Denise says
HMMM why did he abruptly leave afterwards? P U S _ _? Perhaps they should get together and vote him OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! Conflict of interest with him and the realtors in the city!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
H b powell says
I have seen this in other Florida cities dealing with development . It doesn’t turn out well for quality of life issues for the average citizen .
Unless you want to be another Clearwater Beach or Key West.
Good luck with that .
Atwp says
I agree 100%. Great comment.
Len says
The fact that this Mayor and council gave themselves such a huge increase in salarys and the way they came across doing so raised a lot of Red flags. It’s called Lack of trust! They gave the population here the middle finger in doing so!
Nancy N. says
Alfin says debate has replaced dysfunction on the council as the council with virtually no debate votes out of the blue to fire without cause its city manager?
Irony is dead.
Been There says
Anyone who has first-hand knowledge knows this to be true. She was not qualified.
Been There says
All true.
So what if Lauren Johnston started as a camp counselor. She was a kid when she was a counselor. We all start off somewhere and rise through the ranks.
The problem is, her rise is without merit and she is also a bully. My own kid was one of her targets.
Endless Dark Money says
rest assured the republicons who fired her for no reason already have a replacement lined up. Shady backdoor dealings and terminations for no reason wont open the door to talented people but more the basement full of magats.
Mike McGuire says
Florida Park was designed to be a connector road and it always will be. Those who live around that road bought with the information clearly available. What would certainly help traffic on Florida Park is for the City to actually improve North Old Kings so there will be another easily usable north-south connector road on the east side. The City has spent millions elsewhere yet is always waiting for others to come in and fix this neglected road and this has been the case for over 20 years! Thank goodness we did not screw up traffic (ourselves) more with idiotic traffic calming (which does just the opposite). That will only make traffic WORSE on Florida Park. The answer is that the City will improve North Old Kings about the time they synchronize our traffic signals. The Date: Twelfth of Never.
Celia Pugliese says
I have to agree with Bill here. Flanagan being replaced by DeLorenzo is a real travesty and just because when Flanagan, was asked by Pontieri totally justified, if the studies showed that the requested fee increases for the residents were also due to growth, Flanagan responded yes! Flanagan just was warning us (the council) of a potential catastrophe that could interrupt our service if not resolved ahead of time and caused by this flash upward density rezonings and new service demands from an old overloaded utility! But these stakeholders developers having too much say in the way our taxes are wasted in their favor probably pressured the sad outcome sacrificing the brave! I feel really shocked regarding Mr. Flanagan replacement if so by one that doesn’t have a clue, regarding utilities, except his past directive of the Flagler-Palm Coast Home Builders Association. Otherwise look at all the flooded homes due to allowed higher backfill of infill lots, benefitting who? the builder. Also firing a manager without cause will prove very expensive for the city taxpayers. Regarding the manager assistant interim promotion; well the city needs to continue functioning and someone has to do it. Now I am still waiting her, (Mrs, Johnston) answer to my suggestion that Palm Coast Parkway lights should be synchronized, so is not a red stop and go on every light from east to west on PC Pkwy. This causes rage in drivers and a longer travel across I-95. The PC Pkwy lights programming /timing is at the expert wishes, as was told of Carl Cote’s Traffic Engineer Mr. Greenwald “to avoid speeding” ? I think causes the opposite! I asked just to give it a try for just a short while synchronizing and see what happens…but I guess my request fell on deaf ears. Thou promised Mrs. Johnston to be taking a ride in PC Pkwy with Mr. Greenwald and see the traffic mess caused by red on every intersection and see the possibility of my, actually our request, as I hear daily the complaints from neighbors and residents about it. Regarding the city current state of affairs I will describe it as very concerning, sad.
Celia Pugliese says
Jeffery I totally agree! This is one of my concerns as well. Who could venture to risk their careers working for Palm Coast with such a historical reference? A plan to address wrong doings and fixes should have been in place first. Now I am more concern that before when we go and present our requests, for granted solutions. Nevertheless we will continue battling unfazed for what we need.
TR says
If you think that, but Biden doesn’t know the difference between educated or uneducated.
Concerned in Palm Coast says
Party has ZERO to do with this or anything else. Both Parties are as corrupt as the day is long. How about stop voting for the Letter after their name and vote for policy for once. Anyone who blindly votes by party only is a sheep
Laurel says
Jim K: Engineering. You’re proven wrong.