Three Flagler County School Board members–Christy Chong, Will Furry, Sally Hunt–voted Tuesday to close the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club to the public, 28 years after Commonwealth Palm Coast gifted the 11-acre property to the district, which has since run it as a membership facility with public access to a swimming pool, tennis courts and a fitness gym. The facility has been a headache and financial puzzle for the district for 10 years as well as a cherished institution for a loyal if diminished corps of members.
The closure to the public will not end the facility’s financial deficits. It will only reduce them. The facility will stay open for use by district students, by clubs that rent the pool as a training venue, like the Synchro Belles, and by private parties, at $50 an hour.
“So yes, we would still have additional costs, but the staffing will be reduced tremendously,” Furry said, significantly overstating the case: according to a February analysis by district staff, keeping the facility open without membership revenue and with minimal staffing will still cost the district $136,100. With memberships, it was projecting a loss of $177,000 this year.
The public membership component will end with the end of the fiscal year on June 30, when public access to the pool under that model will be closed. Since the facility has contracts with several health insurance companies that provides access to the gym, that access will continue either until the contracts run out by year’s end or the district reaches agreements with the companies to end them.
Last May the board in a split vote agreed to keep the facility open, especially with plans in Palm Coast to build a YMCA, but it wasn’t clear for how long. Chong was willing to give it “a whole fiscal year.” Board member Cheryl Massaro wanted until December 2024, with a decision to be made in September. Tuesday’s vote, on a motion by Chong, aborted that timeline either way.
“We made an ethical decision to maintain memberships until the end of August,” Massaro said. “If it didn’t meet the financial responsibilities, then we were going to go ahead and make it a use-of-facilities, allowing them time to notify. That’s an ethical decision that we made as a board. We made the motion, we passed the motion, and we renege on that, I think that looks really poor on us as a school board. Once again, we’re flip flopping. We’re flip flopping.”
Furry disagreed, citing the projected loss. “We can see a trend already,” he said.
But that wasn’t the point: Furry was pushing to go counter to last year’s vote. “I do feel like collectively we made a decision we would let it go till August,” Board member Colleen Conklin said. “We would do a mid-year check in evaluating where we’re at. We never made mention that we would basically pull the plug, if you will, midstream. We said we would let it work itself through till the end of August.”
Dave Freeman, chief of operational services and the point man on the issue from the administrative side, specified: The board had agreed in June 2023 to “come back at the July 16 [2024] board meeting and do an actual revenue-expenses. And then at the August workshop we would make a determination.”
“This is supposed to be the update, not the vote to shut it down,” Conklin said.
“We did not even have an update,” Freeman said.
Votes and procedures appeared not to matter to Furry, to whom the law, too, does not always matter. “When it comes to the commitment, I didn’t make a commitment with my vote to keep it open. I made a commitment to change the rate plan,” Furry said. “I’m speaking for myself.”
“But we’re a collective body and the majority decided,” Conklin said, with Massaro stressing: “We made a commitment as a board. We voted it. That’s the commitment.”
“Now we have a new commitment,” Furry said, claiming he was not losing credibility because “I’m saving the community on our schools $175,000”–another exaggeration, as Massaro pointed out: the saving may be closer to $50,000. As has almost always been the case, the deficit was different depending on who was interpreting it. In Board member Colleen Conklin’s calculation, when all current revenue and expenses are calculated, the gap is only $81,000.
“To cut the pool out from our residents and our community members and our children who don’t have pools,” Massaro said, “it seems ludicrous to me because there’s no guarantee we’re going to lose $176,000.”
The district itself was not clear on the actual deficit, without membership numbers. If a staff presentation had listed $136,100 as the cost of keeping the facility running without membership, Patti Wormeck, the district’s chief financial officer, said ” If we make it just for our school use, there will be an ongoing cost of $80,000.” She then added an Orwellian twist: “If we close it to the public and we turn it into a facility that we use for some other purpose, it then becomes an investment.”
“It’s still a cost,” Masssaro corrected.
“Yes, it’s still a cost,” Wormeck conceded.
“If you’re going to get into semantics over what label, the bottom line is that we’re going to lose less money as a student focused facility,” Furry said. “We have a history of this pool just bleeding losses. And facility continues to need more maintenance because of the wear and tear on it. I believe it’s just time that we make a change.” The facility’s capital needs, which are considerable, will not be eliminated without the public component, since it’s staying open and in the district’s hands: it will merely have less revenue to defray maintenance costs.
Several people addressed the board at both a 1 p.m. workshop and at its 6 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, urging it not to close the facility.
ITT had owned the property until 1996. It sold it to Commonwealth Palm Coast in March 1996, which gifted the property to the School Board that December. The district is required to use the acreage for a public purpose. For example, the district attempted a few years ago to solicit interest among private companies to buy or run the facility, but it was prevented from going further than leasing it to a non-profit. The YMCA was not interested in it, because of its age and layout, which does not lend itself to YMCA-type operations.
Conklin knew the battle was lost, but she insisted on an eulogy before the vote. “This was going to be a facility that the community would benefit from and the school district would benefit from,” Conklin–who’s been on the board for 24 of the 28 years that the district has owned Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club–said. “Either way you’re covering the costs of running the facility. It doesn’t matter. It seems as though over the last several years, some of us have been–excuse my language–but hell-bent on just closing the pool. It has been a nonstop negative, negative, negative, instead of looking at what are we going to do to increase programming? What are we going to do to increase revenue?”
She mentioned the arrangement with a non-profit swimming organization known as Fluid that reversed losses, but that the district then dismantled. “The idea that we’re more not attempting to look at additional programming to bring in revenue. I can’t understand.” She described the facility as a loss-leader. “These are taxpayers. They benefit from this property. This property was a gift to us. It buys support from the community. It is a give-back to the community and the taxpayers. There’s no reason why it can’t be a joint use. Regardless, if we ended, we’re still going to be spending $80,000 to just keep it running.”
To Hunt, however, the district’s staff should not be in the business of what she called “ideating” for new programs to make the facility viable. It should be focused on making the district an A district.
Chong motioned to close the club to the general public for pool memberships effective June 30, and gym memberships to be phased out by the end of 2024. Termination notices will be issued to members. Hunt seconded, and Furry joined the majority. Conklin and Massaro dissented.
“It is a sad day,” Conklin said.
Jane K. says
Of course! The three kooks on the board. Let’s vote wiser this time !
Angela L Smith says
The easiest solution is closing the pool but we understand that it is not the ethical solution.
Palm Coast wastes money in many other areas that do not have immediate mental health solutions for the impoverished. It is always easier to shut down opportunities than to consider new solutions. There is a solutions that meets both needs that has not been considered.
Jack says
One solution would be to have the pool open past 3 pm and on Sunday. They have really made it easy for them to show how it can’t make money.
Jim says
No issue here! Just the school board making another knee-jerk decision in contradiction to what they previously said. And to save somewhere around $50k! I guess they think this shows they are fiscally responsible…. But that doesn’t hold up well as we wait for the ex-attorney to file her lawsuit and win a small fortune at our expense!
What a wonderful group of board members.
The dude says
Vote for clowns, you get a circus.
For a couple years we tried to be members there, my family and I, but the clowns constantly dithering on it made me feel like this would happen eventually, so I decided to quit throwing good money after bad.
Mark says
Gang of 3 strikes again Voters, two of them you knew who YOU were Voting for and one hid her agenda. The School District should just turn it over to Palm Coast and the Gang of 3 can go mess something else up that will cost us more money.
Deborah Coffey says
You’re exactly right!
Charles says
Once again Flagler County School Board flops again.
Chris Conklin says
The school board did not fail just the 3 morons that were elected to the board. go to bed with dogs n wake up with fleas. they can’t get voted out fast enough
Joe D says
It comes down to a question of INTEGRITY!!!
We all have been told over the past 2 years, of the financial troubles of keeping the Swim club open (first debating whether to keep it open AT ALL , then just dropping public memberships) …public debate has been both STRONG and EMOTIONAL.
It’s not that the Club isn’t a financial concern, because it still IS a FINANCIAL CONCERN!
However, the School board made PROMISES (yes remember THOSE ideals, apparently long gone in public and private interactions )? It PROMISED to allow the Club management more time to make changes to the program currently BLEEDING money. Time tables were set for intermediate progress, then a final financial report and later a PUBLIC (remember those PESKY SUNSHINE laws, our CURRENT Flagler County School Board, appears to IGNORE, and have an almost COMPLETE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING) WORKSHOP for the public to voice concerns, and solutions to be discussed and FINAL decisions to be made, for later BOARD voting.
WELL….integrity appears lacking in our CURRENT BOARD….because all those PROMISES the board voted on in prior meetings…appear to have gone out the window! MAYBE the FACTS are accurate about the financial status of the Swim Club, but the FACTS of the situation, are the BOARD is RENEGING on its PROMISES…. Indicating that in the FUTURE, the public and government officials can’t BELIEVE what the BOARD promises in good faith!?! That is a VERY DANGEROUS precedent to set for the future.
I guess we should not expect more PROFESSIONALISM from a Board that has recently let an OUTSTANDING School Superintendent’s contract to go unrenewed ( essentially “firing” her), and the actual FIRING of the Board’s Legal consulting attorney (supposedly “for CAUSE”), although they REALLY couldn’t come up with ANY concrete reasons for letting her go! The County taxpayers STILL haven’t heard the last from the VALID legal results of that RIDICULOUS decision…..just WAIT until she SUES the County (OPPS…that’s right WE …not the offending Board members…as taxpayers will pay for the cost of settling THAT dispute).
I HOPE the County taxpayers/voters remember the CIRCUS this Board’s behavior has become at the NEXT election. It has become a laughing stock, not only LOCALLY, but in NATIONAL media…how EMBARRASSING to have friends forward me national news stories about the ANTICS of the Flagler County School Board!!
Hopefully the Swim Club financial issues can be REASONABLY addressed…but unfortunately the DAMAGE done to the REPUTATION of the School Board….will go on for an extremely long time…until the MAJORITY of the current School Board is voted out of office.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Here in P/C we have our own MOE, LARRY, & CURLY! Thought Sally was leaving….Cant see find the door!
Judy B says
That is probably why Mr. Furry held the vote now instead of August as he knew he’d have Ms. Hunt (who says she is leaving as soon as her house sells) vote!! Thanks so much to Ms. Massaro and Dr. Concklin who fought the good fight and showed so much integrity!!
Disappointed to announce says
FYI . . .
Hate to break it to you and everyone else . . . regarding your comment about Sally Hunt “who says she is leaving as soon as her house sells”. . .
Her house isn’t even for sale . . . I checked.
Just another example of Sally Hunt’s altered reality . . . says she’s leaving as soon as her house sells, but her house isn’t even for sale.
I think Sally Hunt has a need to create drama. It’s her way of staying in the spotlight. It’s a sick way of keeping people (the community) on tender hooks / guessing “when will she go???”
But then again, she is “off her rocker”. So maybe she imagines that her house is for sale when in reality it is not.
So we can all stop hoping. She isn’t going anywhere for now.
Jackson Gallagher says
well, I’ve never been there but i know my insurance covers a membership there. What else do they have beside the swimming pools?
Disgusted yet again in Flagler County and Palm Coast says
After swimming laps at Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club since the 1980s, guess I’ll have to find somewhere else to swim.
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Swimming also contributes positively to mental health in the way of creating endorphins from the physical activity as well as the social aspect of swimming itself. Most lap swimmers visit the pool at roughly the same time every day and so friendships are forged and people have interesting discussions about a myriad of topics.
I heard about Will Furry visiting the facility and “throwing his weight around” by being rude to the personnel, demanding things be moved, and stuffing his mouth with food from a function that was held to attract membership.
I don’t get the impression that any of the 3 voting school board members (Will Furry, Christy Chong and especially Sally Hunt) know anything about the positive effects of swimming, socially, physically and mental health-wise. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have voted the way they did. In fact, I don’t think any of the 3 aforementioned school board members have a clue about what contributes to mental health.
It’s also not lost on me that Will Furry has no business training, and by that I mean he doesn’t have ANY college degree, let alone a degree in business administration and/or running a for-profit business. In fact, prior to becoming just another realtor he worked for his father in a couple of business that went bankrupt. Sally Hunt surely doesn’t since she was a clerk at Walmart (even ‘tho during her campaign she claimed to have worked for “Fortune 500 companies” in leadership roles). So Hunt lied to the public during her campaign for school board. Christy Chong is a PA, which is a far cry from knowing how to run a business or how to improve a profit/loss situation in any organization.
The loss of Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club, which has been a staple in the community for over 40 years, and which has served many many people is a HUGE loss for the community.
Once again, you can thank the people who backed Will Furry, Christy Chong and Sally Hunt. And that would be Jill Woolbright, SHARON DEMERS, and the “fake” pastor Jearlyn Dennie, and all their hangers on. Sharon Demers is currently inserting her venom behind the scenes into the City of Palm Coast mayor’s campaign.
The people who voted for the 3 above school board members should be ashamed because Will Furry, Christy Chong and the “off her rocker” Sally Hunt have wreaked havoc upon Flagler County Schools as well as in the community as a whole including the now disastrous closing of Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club to the public. But guess what? They don’t care what you think.
Mark says
Very well said except
“It’s also not lost on me that Will Furry has no business training, and by that I mean he doesn’t have ANY college degree, let alone a degree in business administration and/or running a for-profit business. In fact, prior to becoming just another realtor he worked for his father in a couple of business that went bankrupt. Sally Hunt surely doesn’t since she was a clerk at Walmart…”
I don’t care if any elected official has a degree or not, a piece of paper will not stop stupidity.
Tiured of it says
The good former superintendent, Cheryl Tristam and the Youth orchestra, now the swim club, the firing of the board attorney for no cause…the three clowns are slowly destroying Palm Coast. But beware the lunatic fring is standing by waiting to regain control of the board. We will have some hard choices to make come election time.
They are the lunatic fringe says
The lunatic fringe already has control of the Flagler County School Board in the form of Will Furry, Christy Chong and Sally Hunt. Those 3 make the voting majority because they always vote in unison.
Fools says
Well Furry, you 3 clowns have a history of bleeding reckless and misguided decisions
jeffery cortland seib says
This again is an example of what we face with our elected officials. Yes, the club loses money. In St.Augustine they have a recreational center on the site of a new high school. The old school indoor gymnasium not torn down for the brand new school, has a full court basketball court and various rooms for other activities. It also has an outdoor Olympic size, heated, swimming pool that is used even in February. As does Ormond. Community amenities may have a cost involved. Our schools and jails have a cost involved. Parks and recreation serve a valuable purpose in helping to provide us with healthy activities that are good for us. If folks grouse about the cost they remember that where thay came from probably had the same or better facilities. This crew will sell that land off to the highest bidder as soon as they can.
BLINDSPOTTING says
The current city/county officials with the exception of a few do NOT CARE about the safety or
health for their county/city residents, it’s all about the money, that’s all you hear them cry about
it’s all about making the wishes of the developers come true, this includes these 3 board members
with the backing of Blose, Chuimento (Board of Commerce ) anyway they can scheme and plan
to get more money out of the residents (county Sullivan and Petito presenting false info re: the
half cent sales tax with one of Petitos famous letters) (recent Dance and Petito letter to Supertendant
of schools to defund police another one of Petitos famous letters which was not presented to a current
commissioner claims she never saw the letter) Alfin voting against the recent impact fee increase to
the developers showed where his loyalities lie.. Now Andy Dance has suddenly become a tree hugger
wanting to obtain an ordinance to save trees!! Looks like he fears losing the votes from the mommy bears
defending the police in our schools for their childrens safety maybe trying to get more of the dem/NPA
voters to make up for that despicable action. Dance how about saving the trees by not making it easy for
developers with your votes to clear the way for developers. You are very shifty indeed and lets not forget
that your spouse works as Petitos assistant which is a direct conflict of interest to the position you
hold on a county seat.
Celia Pugliese says
Lets hope that common sense sets in and the school board and city of Palm Cast officials strike a deal to keep this pool open to the residents membership as has now 1078 paying members and this pool is not self sufficient? We nee our city Parks and Recreation run this pool under some lease deal and school only pays the portion used by the school swim team and the county also collaborates as county students and residents use it as well, so can be brought under city Parks and Recreation to at least break even before taking it away from member residents. Elderly and families with children used this pool. We have long hot summers in Florida and most residents cant afford a home pool. Also our Synchro Belles aquatic performing ladies train in that pool last I knew. Lets see if common sense sets in.
Sandy Hebscher says
Celia, you’re a voice of sanity. So many of the community have benefited from the activities at “the pool” over the 30 yrs I’ve been here. It is impossible to think that a solution to not being self supporting to continue services has not been found but appt 3 members of the board don’t seem to have an interest in making this work. There could be a transfer of ownership. Or actual member financial support on sliding scale. It’s a health facility,there’s a medical component. There’s is the education/physical Ed component. And if adult Ed is still there,it is continuing education. I believe an awful lot of newer residents don’t even know it’s there! Let’s find a solution until some group like YMCA comes back to Palm Coast with a covered pool!!!
No Political Affiliation says
It’s called a public SERVICE for a reason, it doesn’t necessarily have to make money. Like the post office, we pay for it with our taxes, no one should HAVE TO profit from it in order for it to be considered successful. Everyone day we are paying more and getting less quality services because everyone has their hand out, and if their palm doesn’t get greased, no one gets anything.
Concerned Citizen says
My son,who’s still in grade school, learned how to swim and lost his fear of the water in that pool just last summer. We don’t go to the beach often because of the strong currents- these people who are supposedly supposed to look out for the best interests of Palm Coasts kids can’t seem to put two neurons together. I really hope everyone commenting on here shows up at the polls next election cycle and votes these inept board members OUT.
Common sense says
They should turn the site into
Their alternative school instead of wasting the building. I’m sure it’s enough rooms inside to facilitate thar program compared to the rotten buildings they are in now
Joe says
This is very sad what the school board is doing! We attended the recent meeting & were told not to clap for the residents voicing their opinion. We felt like we were in a third world country!! Palm Coast is primarily made up of senior citizens. Instead of building MORE housing or pickle ball courts, build another community pool where seniors can enjoy an hour of aerobics!!
Lost in Space says
Where’s the $700,000 that went missing? Inquiring minds want to know. I think the Board should be more concerned about that situation.
Jack says
No wonder the pool does not have that much revenue- It is hardly ever open. Who closes a pool at 3pm and then all day Sunday? This is clearly a great way they have created to reduce its use.
Celia Pugliese says
In a city with a 2023 budget of 328 millions a school Budget of 325 millions a county with a budget of 228 millions and they want to close the pool to the people over $50,000 to $81,000 deficit. Also no money to pave our roads and snot sufficient public works crews. But DeLorenzo wants to hire a Code Enforcement Manager Assistant at six figures probably growing the bureaucracy on our pockets probably as well? Something wrong with this picture.
Celia Pugliese says
Historical and grandfathering the 3 school board totalitarians Furry, Hunt and Chong have no right to close the pool to Palmcoasters but otherwise talk and arrange a deal with the city and county to agree that the pool remains open for the membership while a final agreement can be materialized and the city of Palm Coast can add it to Parks and Recreations and properly manage it.
In 2022″ https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/flagler/2022/12/21/flagler-school-board-considers-belle-terre-swim-racquet-club-future/69740784007/. To the affected residents with special needs, the elderly and the families with limited income that can have their children enjoying the pool other than loitering in the streets causing trouble I say try all you can to reverse totalitarianism in the school board, including calling free legal advise available: helpline Toll Free: (800) 405-1417
Helpline Hours: https://www.clsmf.org/contact-information/ aka Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida.
Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m: For denying a grandfathering service provided historically to our community by ITT since 1988.
Our local lawyer Mr. Marc Dwyer use to do work for the CLSMF shown above ; https://www.observerlocalnews.com/news/2022/jan/29/local-attorney-marc-dwyer-recognized-with-flagler-county-pro-bono-attorney-of-the-year-award/
Me says
So where do we swim now? Thanks for nothing.