The three local governments and one agency that each have a role in funding or running the Carver Center in South Bunnell have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against them filed by what they call a “disgruntled citizen” who doesn’t like the Flagler County Sheriff’s Police Athletic League’s involvement at the center, and who they say has no standing to sue.
Bunnell City Commission
Local Firebrand Sues Sheriff, County, Bunnell and School Board Over ‘Illicit’ Carver Center Agreement
Eric Josey, a retired New York cop with a brief, checkered history at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and an often controversial local firebrand in the name of African-American causes, is suing the Sheriff’s Office, the County Commission, the School Board and the city of Bunnell over the four agence’s recent joint agreement in running the Carver Center, also known as Carver Gym, in Bunnell.
The Day Bunnell Shook with Groundbreakings: New City Hall, New Road, New Urban Horizon
Bunnell and Flagler County government held a pair of groundbreakings today to mark the construction of a new Bunnell City Hall and the digging through of the future 1.7-mile Commerce Parkway from State Road 100 to U.S. 1. The opening of Commerce Parkway may re-balance the city geographically and economically, adding a commercial and industrial component to go with the heavy residential development of Grand Reserve to the north.
Bunnell’s Chicken Pantry Is No More After 68 Years of Joyfully Frying Everything That Moves
After 68 years in business under more than half a dozen owners and in two locations, Bunnell’s Chicken Pantry is no more. Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson, whose office is across the way, said he’d been hearing of the business having financial difficulties before he saw the iconic red chicken on State Road 100 had been removed.
AdventHealth Foundation Leads Community Business Drive to Donate 4 Defibrillators to Bunnell Police
The AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation and seven local businesses split the cost of four defibrillators, totaling $8,000, to jump start Bunnell’s effort to have 16 Automatic External Defibrillators for its police department.
20 Years Later, 1.7-Mile, $14.5 Million Commerce Parkway from SR100 Is a Go. Just Don’t Call It a ‘Bypass’ Anymore.
The concept of a new Bunnell road from State Road 100 to U.S. 1 has been talked about for 20 years. It’s been debated, opposed, embraced and finally funded. Monday, it’ll clear its last hurdle when the County Commission approves a $9.5 million contract to build the 1.7-mile, two-lane road going south from Commerce Parkway, past the Sheriff’s Operations Center and the future sites of the south branch of the Flagler County Public Library and Bunnell’s City Hall. The project will take between 18 months and two years.
Harry Kuleski Jr. Garlanded in Awards, Including Lifetime Achievement and Bunnel Police’s Medal of Merit
Harry Kuleski, Jr. was finally recognized at the regular city commission meeting this past Monday for years of service in the military and law enforcement, and thousands of hours of volunteer service.
Vidya Herbs Launches Its Manufacturing Plant in Bunnell, Promising 100 Jobs and Bounty of Extracts
Vidya Herbs, founded in India 24 years ago, launched its first American-based manufacturing operation in Bunnell today, where it projects 100 or more employees over the next four years as the plant manufactures a saw palmetto extract and other products.
Boil-Water Advisory in Effect Citywide After Power Surge Briefly Knocks Out Bunnell Plant
A power surge this morning briefly knocked the Bunnell water plant off line, interrupting water service city-wide, Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson said. The interruption resulted in a cautionary boil-water advisory for residents and businesses across the city today.
Open Burning Regulations Adopted in Bunnell
This ordinance enabled regulations for open burning and requirements for open burning permits for properties within the City limits.
Bunnell Lands a Nearly-All Flagler Team to Build Its City Hall and Police Station
Bunnell will have a nearly all-Flagler County team designing and building its future city hall on Commerce Boulevard, what’s being referred to as an 18,000 square foot Administration/Police Department Complex. It is slated to open in early 2024.
Pete Young Is Appointed to Bunnell City Commission, 2 Months Ahead of Swearing-In
Former FHP Cpl. Pete Young, who served on the Bunnell City Commission almost 20 years ago, was appointed to the commission Monday evening two and a half months before he is sworn-in to the seat he won in an uncontested election. He will fill out the vacancy created by the resignation of Bob Barnes in the meantime.
In Bunnell, Rogers and Gordon and, Finally, Pete Young All Elected Without Opposition
Commissioner John Rogers was re-elected for his fifth term, uncontested for the first time. Incumbent Commissioner Tonya Gordon ran in the special election to fill the seat Bob Barnes vacated last year, what will be a two-year term.
Bunnell’s Sizemore Welding Will Buy Former Sheriff’s Operations Building Ahead of Expansion
Duane Sizemore of Sizemore Welding–Bunnell’s largest manufacturer–confirmed that his company will be buying the former Sheriff’s Operation Center off State Road 100, for just over $3 million. The 36,000 square foot facility will be expanded by 15,000 square feet, and will receive a $96,000 incentive from the city.
18 Years in the Works, Commerce Parkway Connection from SR100 to US1 Is Finally a Go
The $15 million two-lane road (utilities included) will connect State Road 100 to U.S. 1 around Bunnell’s east side, with construction expected to start next summer. The County Commission cleared the project on Monday.
Westward Ho, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin Tells Realtors, with View to Double City’s Footprint
Palm Coast Mayor offered a bullish vision of Palm Coast’s westward expansion past U.S. 1 while speaking to fellow-Realtors at the annual Meet the Mayors event Wednesday, along side County Commissioner Greg Hansen, Bunnell mayor Catherine Robinson, Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston and Beverly beach Mayor Steve Emmett.
Bunnell Commission Votes 3-1 to Leave Seat Vacant Despite Charter’s Command to Fill It
The Bunnell City Commission voted 3-1 to leave vacant a seat on its panel for what will amount to eight months by the time a special election to fill it is held on March 7, even though the city charter explicitly requires that the seat be filled. Bunnell voters will be electing three candidates in March instead of two.
Pete Young Resigns the Bunnell Commission Seat to Which He Was Appointed 2 Weeks Ago
Two weeks after the Bunnell City Commission appointed Pete Young, a former FHP investigator, to serve until next March in the seat vacated by Bob Barnes, Young resigned without serving a day. He’d discovered that his retirement rules kept him from serving.
Appointed in 3-1 Vote, Pete Young Is a Bunnell City Commissioner Again, 14 Years Later
The Bunnell City Commission Monday evening voted 3-1 to appoint Pete Young, who had served one term on the commission between 2006 and 2008, to the seat vacated by the resignation in July of Robert Barnes. It is the sixth time in four years that a seat has turned over on the commission, the third by appointment.
In Wake of Robert Barnes’s Resignation, Bunnell Commission Grapples With What To Do Next
For the second time in 13 months, the Bunnell City Commission is grappling with a resignation and how–or whether–to fill the vacated seat before the next election, scheduled for March. The charter leaves certain parameters undefined.
Solution in Sight in Months-Long Conflict Over School Construction as Halt to Big Developments Looms
A compromise proposal suggested by School Board member Trevor Tucker may resolve a conflict that has divided Flagler County government and the School Board, along with some of the county’s cities, over how builders and developers are billed for school construction. Absent a resolution, more than a dozen large developments could be brought to a halt.
Citing Violent Crime, Commission Approves Costly Expansion of Surveillance Cameras in South Bunnell
The proposal drew unanimous approval from the five-member commission and near-unanimous approval from the public in attendance, including two former city commissioners and a former sheriff’s office sergeant, all three Black, all of whom either grew up in or still live in South Bunnell.
South Bunnell Is Focus of Big Volunteer Clean-Up Saturday as Part of City’s Outreach Efforts
The Bunnell Police Department is leading a volunteer drive to help residents of South Bunnell clean up yards and properties in a show of support and pride. The initiative was conceived by Bunnell Public Safety Officer Rommel Scalf and is led by Police Chief Dave Brannon.
Bunnell City Commission Recognizes Matanzas Senior and Gold Award Winner Kadance Nickmeyer
The Bunnell City Commission last week formally recognized Kadance Nickmeyer, the Matanzas High School junior who won an essay contest sponsored by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and the Girl Scouts’ highest award for a domestic-violence initiative she launched.
Recognizing Limited Capabilities, Bunnell Outsources Violent Crimes Investigations to Sheriff for $120,000
The Bunnell City Commission on Monday approved a $120,000 contract with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office to outsource investigations of its most violent crimes to the agency one of its commissioners calls “big brother.”
Mealy and Newcomer Sherman Win in Flagler Beach, Incumbents Barnes and Schultz Win in Bunnell
Long-time Commissioner Jane Mealy, one of the city’s more popular elected officials for over a decade and a half, again won handily, with James Sherman second, while in Bunnell incumbents Bob Barnes and Tina-Marie Schultz won, surprising recently retired FHP Cpl. Pete Young, a distant third.
New Bunnell Police Chief’s 1st Hours: Cop Assaulted and Injured, Car Thief Tased, Shooting Near Carver Center
Within minutes of new Bunnell Police Chief Dave Brannon’s swearing in Monday evening before the City Commission, one of his sergeants was involved in a high-risk pursuit and was assaulted by a car thief and injured. Hours later, Bunnell was the scene of burst of shooting reported by several residents near Church Street or the Carver Center.
New Bunnell Police Chief Dave Brannon Steps In as Interim Snead Offers Valentine of Firsts to City
Dave Brannon, for 26 years a member of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the commander of the DeLand and Deltona districts, will take-over as Bunnell Police Chief on Feb. 28 as Interim Chief Brannon Snead neared the end of his three-month tenure by presenting the commission with a series of firsts, including the department’s first-ever strategic plan.
Metronet Adds Flagler Beach and Bunnell to Gig Cities as Broadband Wiring of All Neighborhoods Starts in Spring
Metronet, the broadband company that announced it would make ultra high-speed service of 1 gig available across Palm Coast available by 2023, has now sealed similar agreements with Bunnell and Flagler Beach. Those agreements were secured with a lot less fanfare, if any, than the one with Palm Coast, which the city announced in mid-December.
Interim Bunnell Police Chief Snead Speaks as Someone Who’s Staying, If With Cringe-Worthy Humor
Last week Interim Bunnell Police Chief Brannon Snead was adamant that Monday would be his last day. Monday came and went. He’s still there, and spoke at a promotion ceremony for three new sergeants as if he was very much in the picture–if with uncomfortable reminders of why his career at the Florida Highway Patrol was cut short.
Days After He’s Named Bunnell’s Police Chief, Walker Opts Out of Job, and Interim Snead Says He’s ‘Done’
There’s no public explanation behind Michael Walker’s decision not to take the police chief’s job. Brannon Snead is linking his decision not to stay to the effects on his reputation from revelations of what led to his resignation from the Florida Highway Patrol in 2016.
Ex-Lake Helen Police Chief Michael Walker Takes Over a Bunnell Police Department in Turmoil After Rapid Search
Michael Anthony Walker, 57, Lake Helen’s police chief for 11 years, today was named Bunnell police chief, replacing Tom Foster in a department buffeted by low morale and the loss of its top three highest-ranked officers in a matter of weeks. Brannon Snead, the interim chief since Foster’s departure in early December, was not among the five applicants for the top job.
Under Fire, Sgt. Matt Mortimer Quits Troubled Bunnell Police–and Applies to be Deputy at Flagler Sheriff’s Office
Matt Mortimer, a 16-year veteran of Bunnell’s police department, resigned after being directly implicated in a withering disciplinary report against ex-Police Chief Tom Foster, whom the city manager criticized for protecting Mortimer and downplaying allegedly serious breaches of protocol and policies. Mortimer immediately applied to be a deputy at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Short-Listed for Chief 9 Years Ago, Brannon Snead Is Bunnell’s Interim Police Chief as Tom Foster Retires Suddenly
Brannon Snead, who spent the majority of his career with the Florida Highway Patrol, was named Bunnell’s interim police chief today as Tom Foster, who’d led the police department for eight years, retired. Snead said his priority is to get the Bunnell department accredited.
“No Response From 5111”: End of Watch for Sgt. Dominic Guida as Family and Community Mourn Young Cop’s Loss
Viewing and services for Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department, who died on Nov. 9 in the line of duty, brought throngs of law enforcement officers and first responders to First Baptist Church in Bunnell at noon today as part of a two-hour service that ended with Guida’s End of Watch Call. He was 43.
Public Viewing, Funeral Service and Honors Set for Sgt. Dominic Guida
Funeral services for Bunnell Police Officer Sgt. Dominic Guida are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 15 at First Baptist Church of Bunnell, with two public viewing sessions scheduled for Sunday afternoon and Monday morning at the church.
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson Gets ‘Exceptional’ Reviews from His Bosses, with Some Reserve About ‘Favoritism’
The five evaluations combined add up to an average rating of 2.75 out of a possible 3, placing Alvin Jackson in the “exceptional range.” He got perfect or near-perfect scores from Commissioner Tina Marie-Schultz, Mayor Catherine Robinson and Commissioner John Rogers. He was “highly effective” in the eyes of Robert Barnes, and merely “effective” in the eyes of Tonya Gordon, his harshest grader. His merit raise recommendations range from 1 to 3 percent, averaging 2.4 percent.
Driven Out by Mold, Bunnell Again Vacates City Hall; Will Squat 2 Years While $7 Million Building Is Built on Commerce Blvd.
Bunnell City Hall and its police department will again be squatting for two years as water intrusion forces it to vacate its premises. The city plans a new $7 million building on Commerce Parkway and will hold its meetings at the Government Services Building meanwhile, with offices at the Bunnell Commerce Business Center, behind the Chicken Pantry.
Tina-Marie Schultz and Robert Barnes Appointed to Bunnell City Commission for Next 8 Months
The Bunnell City Commission Monday evening appointed Robert Barnes and Tina-Marie Schultz to the commission for the next eight months to complete the terms of two commissioners, Bill Baxley and Donnie Nobles, who resigned in quick succession earlier this month.
Bunnell Commission Draws 7 Applicants for 2 Vacant Seats, But One Withdraws as County Invokes ‘Conflict’ Policy
The applicants for the two vacant seats on the Bunnell City Commission include two former commissioners, a planning board member, a former candidate for the commission and code enforcement board member, and an employee of county government’s emergency management division. The commission makes the appointments Monday.
Nobles’ Resignation Added to Baxley’s, Bunnell Invites Residents to Apply for 2 Commission Seat Appointments
The Bunnell commission decided on seeking two appointments within the month in an evening of farewells and surprises, with Commissioner John Rogers revealing that he had just been battling Covid-19, and had been gravely ill, and former County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin, looking fit and conversant, making his first public appearance in a government setting since he suffered a stroke in February.
In Bunnell, One Commissioner Resigns, Another Is Ailing and Absent, Leaving 2 Seats Vacant for Budget Season
Bunnell City Commissioner Bill Baxley resigned–or retired–after eight years on the commission, and Donnie Nobles has been absent after strokes, leaving the commission with the choice of leaving the seats vacant until next March, or making at least one appointment.
Despite Covid, Property Values Jump by 10% in Palm Coast, 9% Countywide, With Revenue Windfall from New Construction
New construction alone means an additional $1.2 million in revenue for Palm Coast, despite the Year of Covid. That will be compounded by millions of new dollars in government coffers drawn from the federal government’s stimulus. The two combined means that tax increases are very unlikely, and tax decreases possible.
Judge Orders 6 Dogs Permanently Seized from Bunnell Owner After They ‘Languished’ in Deplorable Conditions
The Flagler Humane Society seized eight dogs from a Booe Street home in early April as their owner was in jail for weeks in another county and had left the dogs with little or no care. One dog died. The owner abjured another, saying the dog had never belonged to her. The judge may ban the owner from ever owning dogs again.
Recalling Unhappy History, Water Leaks at City Hall Again Cause Some of Bunnell’s City Offices to Relocate
Twelve years ago Bunnell evacuated its city hall due to water leaks. Later this month it will evacuate some of its city offices at its City Hall to a strip mall due to water intrusion. The move will cost the city $800 a month and is indefinite.
Bunnell City Commission Raises Its Lawyers’ Pay to $90,000 After Seven Years
The Bunnell City Commission for the first time in over seven years approved an amendment to its contract with its city attorneys of the Winter Park-based Vose Law Firm, raising the contract’s value to from $84,000 a year to $90,000 a year.
Bunnell Commissioners Holding Secret Session to Devise Strategy in Fired Employee’s Lawsuit
The Bunnell City Commission is going behind closed doors this evening to discuss how to proceed with–and whether to settle–a lawsuit brought against the city by Lisa Moore, a former custodian who claims she was forced to resign at the end of 2019.
Bunnell Joins Palm Coast and Ag Museum in Cancelling Halloween Gigs; Sheriff’s Car Event Gridlocks
Bunnell’s big annual Halloween event at Saw Mill Estates was cancelled as the city worried of becoming the next superspreader, and the CDC is advising against large trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating events. The sheriff’s trunk-or-treat event at Rymfire Tuesday drew an outsized response and complaints about delays.
County and City Taxes Will Stay Flat for Most Homesteaded Properties Except for Spike in Bunnell
Residents of Flagler County and each of its cities will again see little to no change in their property tax bills next year as governments are adopting tax rates that either stay flat or roll back a little, with the exception of Bunnell.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Join Palm Coast in Requiring Masks, But Also Skirt Enforcement
All three governments’ resolutions passed unanimously, but all three expressly said they were not interested in a “mask police,” or having law enforcement involved in enforcing the requirement.