Bunnell City Commissioner John Rogers surprised his colleagues when he made a motion at Monday evening’s meeting to return a $10 million subsidy to the Florida Department of Commerce, ending any prospect that would have resulted in a fuel farm in the city–the same proposed fuel farm Palm Coast and Ormond Beach had rejected.
Bunnell
Bunnell Commission Sets High Stakes Landfill Appeals as Post-Jackson Era Cleanups Begin
Bunnell commissioners set Oct. 28 for a daylong hearing on 18 appeals of the city’s planning board approval of a controversial 610-acre garbage dump off State Road 100. Commissioners voted to restore public meeting livestreams following the abrupt departure of former City Manager Alvin Jackson. Some residents and appelants questioned the fairness of introducing entirely new evidence in the upcoming proceedings.
After Alvin Jackson’s Last Stealthy Drop, Bunnell Commission Reveals Its Vulnerabilities to Manipulation
Part of Monday’s special meeting to accept Alvin Jackson’s resignation revealed to what extent the Bunnell City Commission could be clueless about authority and responsibilities. It also revealed how vulnerable it is to political or legal maneuvers that end up making commission votes less than what they seem. And it revealed at least one commissioner’s doubt about the city attorney’s ability to steer the commission correctly.
Bunnell Commission Rejects Severance for Alvin Jackson and Appoints Police Chief Brannon as Interim Manager
Bunnell commissioners unanimously accepted the abrupt resignation of City Manager Alvin Jackson and subsequently voted to deny his controversial requests for severance, holiday payouts, and unearned benefits. Former police chief Dave Brannon was appointed the interim city manager by a unanimous vote, setting the stage for new municipal leadership.
Alvin Jackson’s Insulting Golden Parachute Demands: Don’t Let It Be Another Trash Day in Bunnell
Alvin Jackson resigned this week as Bunnell city manager after a tenure of controversy, secrecy and charlatanry. Jackson now demands tens of thousands of dollars in unearned severance, paid holidays, and health benefits despite submitting a voluntary resignation. City commissioners must reject the demands at their special meeting Monday rather than once again rubber-stamping an outrage.
Bunnell Manager Alvin Jackson Resigns Even as He Withholds Decision From Staff in Closed-Door Meeting
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson has resigned, ending an eight-year tenure that in the past several months unraveled as he was criticized by commissioners and members of the public for a lack of transparency, of machinating secret deals, and of improper, possibly illegal conduct. Bunnell Police Chief Dave Brannon is set to be named interim manager at a special meeting Monday.
Flagler Forum Exposes Deep Uncertainty and Evasions on Proposed Amendment 3 Homestead Exemptions
At a Flagler Tiger Bay Forum Wednesday evening, former Sen. Jeff Brandes warned of catastrophic local revenue losses and severe service cuts if Amendment 3, the proposal to raise the homestead exemption and sharply cut local tax revenue is approved in November. Constitutional officers voiced alarm as well, contrasting sharply with Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri, who defended the tax shift through user fees and dismissed opposition as “propaganda.”
A Resident Requested Public Records from Bunnell. City Manager Alvin Jackson Called Her Employer.
Bunnell City Commissioner John Rogers suggested that City Manager Alvin Jackson retaliated against a citizen opposing a garbage dump project by contacting her employer after she filed public records requests. Rogers confronted Jackson, who falsely claimed the request came from the vendor’s legal department, exposing potential government intimidation and dishonesty regarding public transparency.
City Manager Alvin Jackson Called a ‘Fraud’ Turning Bunnell to ‘S***’ as Landfill Fouls Commission Meeting
Some two dozen Bunnell residents and others confronted City Manager Alvin Jackson and the City Commission Monday evening with sharp, at times bitter and at times emotional, public opposition to the 610-acre landfill Jackson shepherded through regulatory approval four weeks ago. Jackson himself was criticized for his secrecy and methods.
Cold-Weather Shelter May Move to New Hall at County Fairgrounds as Local Governments Increase Support
Flagler County’s only cold weather homeless shelter lost its previous location at Church on the Rock in Bunnell and is now evaluating two options–the county fairgrounds’ Expo Hall, rent-free, or First United Methodist Church in Flagler Beach. The Sheltering Tree is leaning toward the fairgrounds. County officials say they will “bend over backward” to help the shelter there, and are increasing local county and city contributions to defray shelter costs.
Bunnell Commissioners Deliver Deeply Divided Evaluations of City Manager Alvin Jackson
Bunnell commissioners delivered sharply polarized annual evaluations for city manager Alvin Jackson, highlighting deep political fractures on the board. Three members praised his exceptional leadership and granted a three percent raise. Two commissioners issued failing grades, citing secrecy, poor communication, and community alienation. Jackson just moved up his retirement to next June.
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson Moves Up His Exit Amid Growing Transparency Scrutiny
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson accelerated his planned retirement date to June 2027 following intense public scrutiny regarding administrative secrecy, controversial development projects, and fractured communication with city commissioners, one of whom discovered the news through outside reports rather than direct internal notification from the embattled top executive.
County Joins Mounting Challenges Against Bunnell Board’s Approval of 610-Acre Garbage Dump
Flagler County commissioners unanimously agreed to appeal the Bunnell planning board’s approval, barely past months of secrecy, of a 610-acre landfill, initiating administrative pushback, and exploring dispute resolutions ahead of a potential lawsuit. The county’s actions may not be the only litigation Bunnell will face over the landfill.
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson Cancels Radio Appearance, Avoiding Landfill and Fuel Depot Questions
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson abruptly canceled his scheduled radio appearance moments before airtime, dodging critical questions regarding a controversial 610-acre garbage dump, ongoing secrecy surrounding fuel depot negotiations, and structural issues at City Hall, leaving host David Ayres and invited guests to discuss the hidden municipal initiatives without him.
Flagler County Memories of 9/11, pt. 2:
‘A Day Remembered for Unimaginable Courage and Sacrifice’
In the second of two parts commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11, 19 prominent members of the Flagler County community remember that day and reflect on how it changed them, and how it changed the nation. Today’s contributors are Bobby Bossardet, Colleen Walsh Conklin, Ty Miller, Howard Holley, Jonathan Lord, Lance Blanchette, Jay Livingston, Kyle Berryhill, Michael Rodriguez, Brynn Newton, Kyle Totten, Jane Mealy, Michael McGlothlin, David Ayres, Jeff Douglas, Rick de Yampert, Linda Hansen, Alvin Jackson and Monica Campana.
Bunnell in Secret Development Agreement With Fuel Depot Company Palm Coast and Ormond Beach Rejected
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson conducted secret negotiations with Belvedere Terminals after Ormond Beach and Palm Coast rejected the firm’s rail-fed fuel depot. Disguised under Jackson’s personal catchphrase as Project “Another Great Day,” the City Commission approved a secret development agreement and grant, shielding public disclosure through statutory exemptions, though a commissioner now says one land deal recently fell through.
How Bunnell’s Backroom Bootlickers Sold Out West Flagler for a Trash Mountain
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson kept a plan for a 610-acre garbage dump in the heart of West Flagler–a landfill almost a third the size of Fresh Kills, New York City’s old landfill on Staten Island–long enough to ensure its approval by a spineless, misinformed planning board, with Chelsea Herbert’s lone exception. The planning board, coached by the city attorney and Jackson’s administration, acted arbitrarily, illegally and unethically. Residents must sue.
Bunnell Planning Board Approves Landfill in 3-1 Vote Despite Secrecy, Questions and Public Revolt
Rejecting the unanimous opposition of scores of residents, farmers and neighbors, the Bunnell planning board this evening approved an application for a 610-acre garbage dump planned for west Flagler along State Road 100. Unless the decision is appealed by a member of the public, the City Commission will not hear the matter and the landfill will proceed.
Bunnell Was Trying to Keep Secret a Planned 610-Acre Landfill Off State Road 100
Bunnell officials abandoned their possibly illegal attempt to keep Project Butterfly a secret and revealed plans for a 610-acre garbage dump off State Road 100, not far from Daytona North, or the Mondex. Cocomero LLC seeks a special land-use exception to build the facility on agricultural property and claims questionable economic projections while potential traffic hazards on State Road 100 are not addressed.
Bunnell’s New $10 Million City Hall Plagued by Leaks and Mold Since Day 1. Manager Hid Problems From Commission.
Bunnell Vice Mayor John Rogers was incensed to learn that the newly built $10 million City Hall and Police Department has been leaking since it opened a year ago. Black mold is growing as well. City Manager Alvin Jackson hid the construction defects from the Bunnell City Commission even as the city is considering a lawsuit against the contractors to ensure necessary repairs.
Palm Coast and County Officials Raise Alarms Over Bunnell’s Secrecy on Zoning Change
Bunnell government is withholding all details regarding a special zoning exception for a confidential economic development effort dubbed Project Butterfly. The city’s planning board plans to vote on the special exception on Sept. 1 without disclosing the applicant, the location, the purpose or the land use. Palm Coast and Flagler County elected officials are formally objecting to what Mayor Norris calls “gangsta” methods, and demanding a legal review.
Sheriff Arrests Former Bunnell Auto Dealer For Rape After 2015 Cold Case Yields New Drug Evidence
Kaivan Rahbar, 65, a former Palm Coast resident and Bunnell used car dealer was extradited from New York and charged with rape following new toxicology findings Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced today. Detectives reopened the 2015 cold case after advanced testing detected a sedative in the victim’s system, corroborating the woman’s original allegations.
Organizers Seek 250 Veterans for the Fourth Annual Flagler County Veterans Day Parade
The cities of Bunnell, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, in partnership with Flagler County Government, Flagler Schools, and numerous community organizations, invite the public to participate in the Fourth Annual Flagler County Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
2nd Highest Burden of Bunnell’s General Fund, After Police Department, Is Debt Payment for New City Hall
The Bunnell City Commission approved its tentative property tax rate and budget without releasing the documents to the public on Monday. The commission maintained a flat tax rate for the fourth consecutive year. The undisclosed budget includes $1 million in debt payments for the new City Hall spending cuts for parks, stormwater infrastructure, and community development.
Palm Coast Dog Trainer Arrested After Two Labrador Retrievers Die Inside Hot Storage Unit
Palm Coast’s Alexia V. Barquet, 21, owner of Rapidfire Retrievers LLC, a dog-training and grooming company, faces two felony aggravated animal cruelty charges after two labrador retrievers died inside a hot Bunnell storage unit she lists as the business’ address. Authorities warned Barquet in March against keeping animals inside the facility. Police officers discovered the deceased dogs following complaints of severe odors.
Bunnell Breaks Ground on $4.5 Million Brackish Water Treatment Plant to Supplement Potable Supplies
Bunnell broke ground on a state-funded $4.5-million brackish water reverse osmosis system at its utility plant Thursday. The system will provide 200,000 gallons of drinking water daily by September and will use two upper Floridian aquifer wells of brackish water to reduce strain on freshwater sources. The infrastructure project serves the existing city utility independently from the future 6,100-home Haw Creek Reserve development.
Palm Coast Planning Board Unanimously Rejects 22,000-Home Western Expansion Over Unanswered Questions
The Palm Coast Planning Board unanimously voted down land use and rezoning changes for a 22,000-home western expansion by Raydient Wednesday evening as board members cited inadequate information on infrastructure, school capacity, tax base diversification and other issues. They expressed concern over the loss of regulatory control to future developers. The non-binding denial moves the requests to the City Council for a decision.
Site Plan for Florida State Guard Training Facility in Bunnell Approved, But Questions Loom Over Its Future
The Florida State Guard training facility in Bunnell remains unbuilt almost two years after its groundbreaking ceremony. The Bunnell Planning Board on Tuesday approved the site plan, which still hinges on the State Guard paying long-overdue review fees. Sheriff Staly is deeply frustrated with the state Department of Management Services over continuous administrative delays and severe budget overruns, putting in question whether the facility will actually get built or even used by a Guard facing its own budget cutbacks.
Flagler County Celebrates 250th Independence Day with Floats, Hot Diggity Dogs, Warbirds and Fireworks
Flagler County municipalities coordinated the 2026 United Flagler Fourth celebration to mark America’s 250th independence anniversary with a daylong event that began with a morning parade in Flagler Beach then, at the county airport, veteran tributes, a historic warbird flyover, and an inaugural hot dog eating contest. A fireworks display concluded the free regional festival.
July 3 and 4 Celebration of 250th Anniversary from Flagler Beach Parade to Palm Coast Fireworks at County Airport
Flagler County Government and the Cities of Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell invite all Flagler County residents and visitors to the 2026 United Flagler Community Celebration on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, this time for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration and American independence. It’ll start with First Friday in Flagler Beach and culminate with a 15-16 minute firework show featuring thousands of shells at the county airport. All events are free.
Kash Patel Marks Bunnell Police Lt. Shane Groth’s FBI Academy Graduation
Bunnell Police Lt. Shane Groth graduated Thursday from the 298th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, marking a first for the small department. He is the first member of the agency to attend and graduate from the law enforcement leadership program. FBI Director Kash Patel in a remarkably non-controversial moment shook hands with Groth as he handed him his certificate.
Bunnell Police Say Man Broke Into Ex-Girlfriend’s Apartment Masked and Gloved and Raped Her At Knifepoint
After allegedly taking several steps that prosecutors would say underscore the extent of premeditation, including disabling the victim’s internet and wearing gloves and a mask, Antonio Figueroa-Acevedo, a 30-year-old resident of Anderson Street in Bunnell, is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment, imprisoning her in her bedroom and strangling her after she screamed for help, then forcibly raping her while holding a knife to her neck, according to an arrest report filed by Bunnell Police Detective Joe Traylor.
Bunnell Police Chief Brannon Completes Elite FBI National Command Leadership Course
Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon completed the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Command Course for small-agency executives. The week-long program gathered 52 law enforcement leaders to address budget constraints, staffing limitations, and public trust. Participants studied historical leadership at Mount Vernon and the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
A Man Dies in RV Fire on Lake Drive in Bunnell
Bunnell Police Department officers and detectives today investigated an early morning fire involving a recreational vehicle that killed one occupant on Lake Drive in Bunnell, the neighborhood just north of Gospel Gardens and Old Moody Boulevard.
Sergeant Adrian Zapata Named Officer Of The Year During Bunnell Police Awards Presentation
The Bunnell Police Department presented its annual awards on Monday during a city commission meeting coinciding with National Police Week. Sergeant Adrian Zapata received the 2025 Officer of the Year designation following two lifesaving incidents. Volunteer Chaplain Larry Hobbs earned the Chief’s Commendation. The agency reported significant progress, highlighting major annual crime reductions across person, society, and property categories throughout the city.
Judge Deals All But Fatal Blow to Chelsea Herbert Suit Challenging Bunnell’s 1,259-Acre Industrial Rezoning
Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch today denied a motion for an extension to amend a petition filed by Bunnell resident Chelsea Herbert seeking to quash the industrial rezoning of 1,259 acres in Bunnell. The judge ruled the initial filing was a bare-bones document intended to circumvent 30-day jurisdictional deadlines. The decision complicates the legal challenge as settlement negotiations continue.
Every Bunnell Police Officer to Carry AED Following Major Grant From Firehouse Subs Safety Foundation
The Bunnell Police Department received a $20,930 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. This award provides 14 Zoll AEDs, first aid kits, and trauma kits, ensuring every officer and 2 civilian public safety officers are equipped for cardiac emergencies. Chief David Brannon emphasized that the new gear allows first responders to provide immediate life-saving measures to the community while on patrol.
An Obituary
Harry Franklin “Frank” Clegg, 1928-2026
Harry Franklin “Frank” Clegg, 98, died on February 27, 2026. A native of Haw Creek, Florida, and a University of Florida graduate, Frank was a veteran, forester, and carpenter. Deeply committed to his faith and family, he served as a deacon and volunteered nationwide with Campers on Missions. Services will be held March 5 at Flagler Beach Community Church and Seville Cemetery.
Florida Ethics Commission Dismisses Unrelated Complaints Against Three Flagler County and City Officials
The Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed three complaints against former Acting Palm Coast City Manager Lauren Johnston, Flagler Executive Airport Director Roy Sieger, and Bunnell Planning Board member Lynn Lafferty, ruling them legally insufficient. The commission found that allegations of conflicts of interest and mismanagement lacked substantive evidence or fell outside their jurisdiction.
$15 Million Over Budget, Nothing Built Since State Guard Facility ‘Broke Ground’ in Bunnell in 2024. Sheriff Is Not Pleased.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly is frustrated over the stalled $10 million Florida State Guard training facility in Bunnell. The state-managed project is over two years behind schedule and facing projected costs of $25 million. Staly criticized the Department of Management Services for inefficiency and massive budget overruns, suggesting the project would already be finished if he’d managed it through a direct state grant.
Incumbents John Rogers and Pete Young Re-elected Unopposed in Bunnell Despite Growth Controversies
Bunnell City Commissioners John Rogers and Pete Young were automatically re-elected today after no challengers qualified to run against them, leading to the cancellation of the March 3 election. Despite a year marked by heated debates over massive residential developments and industrial rezoning, the incumbents retained their seats without opposition. While Rogers opposed the major growth initiatives and Young supported them, voters expressed apparent satisfaction or indifference toward the current commission’s direction.
Palm Coast and Flagler County Holiday Schedule for Garbage Pick-Ups, Libraries, Transportation and Government Hours
Here’s the holiday schedule for Palm Coast and Flagler County government services, including courts, garbage pick-up, library hours, and public transportation.
Bunnell Approves 1,259-Acre Industrial Rezoning 3-2, Brushing Aside Commissioner’s Warning of ‘Blank Check’
A split Bunnell City Commission voted 3-2 to rezone 1,259 acres for industrial use, overriding sharp public opposition. Dissenters warned the approval is a “blank check” that explicitly permits a garbage transfer station. While proponents promised millions in future tax revenue, the figures appear off the mark compared to the city’s actual budget and comparatively bullish projections for Palm Coast’s Town Center 20 years ago. Critics blasted the lack of specific plans or identified businesses for the vast tract west of U.S. 1.
New Fire Station 51 Replacing Espanola Relic Promises Faster Response Times for Mondex and West Flagler
For the second time in three weeks, Flagler County Fire Rescue marked a fire station groundbreaking Monday, for Station 51, at the intersection of County Road 305 and State Road 100. The station will replace the current Station 51 in isolated Espanola. The ceremony was for an $8.7 million, 10,000-square-foot building next to the big red barn that’s become home to the county’s roads and bridges division. The station was initially planned as a $4 million facility. That was before Covid, inflation and tariffs. It should open in a year.
County Opens Nexus Center in Bunnell, Giving West Side ‘True Jewel’ Library Albanese Imagined 19 Years Ago
Flagler County officials opened the $16 million Nexus Center in Bunnell on Thursday, delivering a long-awaited standalone library to the county’s west side. The 23,000-square-foot facility on Commerce Parkway replaces a cramped storefront and now houses both the library branch and the Health and Human Services Department.
A Year and A Half Investigation of Drive-By Shooting Leads to Arrest, and Almost Immediate Release
Traycan Verdell, 27, accused of a drive-by shooting into an occupied house in Bunnell in June 2024, was arrested on a Flagler County warrant in Daytona Beach last week, but was almost immediately released after posting bond, and after Bunnell police spent a year and a half investigating the shooting.
Housing Authority Will Demolish 132 Duplexes in Bunnell and Build 272-Unit Apartment Complex in Privatizing Scheme
In the most consequential change affecting affordable housing in the county in 75 years, the Flagler County Housing Authority plans to demolish its 132 public housing duplexes in South Bunnell, seek private investors, and rebuild what it calls Carver Village into a huge apartment complex of 272 apartments in three- and four-story buildings, including an 80-apartment senior-housing building. Public housing will be privatized as all the units will be turned into Section 8 housing under what the federal Housing and Urban Development department calls “repositioning,”
Charles ‘Skeeter’ Cowart Back in Jail for 1st Time in 7 Years After Axe-Wielding Rampage at His Apartment
Charles Larkin Cowart, the 42-year-old West Flagler resident known as Skeeter, spent a decade and a half until 2018 in and out of jail, often resulting from bizarre behavior. Last Wednesday, Cowart was back in jail facing three felony charges, including two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after allegedly splitting with an axe the door to his apartment where a teenage boy–his wife’s son–was staying, and allegedly nearly striking another man with his car. But the arrest report by Bunnell police may be problematic.
Grand Reserve Shows Its Muscle as Bunnell City Commission Rejects Voting Districts in Close Vote
Despite the increasingly disproportionate influence of Grand Reserve, the city’s largest subdivision, the Bunnell City Commission this week narrowly rejected a proposal to ask voters in a referendum whether they’d favor adopting voting districts to even out electoral representation across the city. But the matter may soon return before the commission. The 3-2 majority opposing the proposal included two commissioners–David Atkinson and Dean Sechrist–who live in Grand Reserve. If districts were in effect, only one of them could serve on the commission.
Concrete Company Looking to Open Batch Plant on Hargrove Lane in Palm Coast Gets Approved for One in Bunnell
In January a split Bunnell City Commission rejected a request by Hard Rock Materials to rezone 1.4 acres at the end of Hibiscus Avenue for a concrete batch plant. Neighborhood residents had objected, fearing noise and raising safety concerns. On Monday, the commission unanimously reversed itself, saying the conditions Hard Rock is willing to abide by are sufficient to warrant a change of heart.