By the time Catherine Robinson takes the oath of office for her next term, she may face a very different commission, certainly with two new commissioners at the table, and possibly three.
Bunnell City Commission
In a Surprise, Bunnell Commissioner John Sowell Is Resigning, With Eye on County Seat
Bunnell City Commissioner John Sowell is resigning Friday and moving to a different part of the county, and is considering a run for the county commission seat held by Dave Sullivan.
Passing Over Nate McLaughlin, Bunnell Hires Ex-Manager Candidate Rodney Lucas as Development Director
Ex-County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin had applied for the $62,000-a-year community development director in Bunnell, but Manager Alvin Jackson picked Rodney Lucas, saying McLaughlin didn’t have the required experience.
Bunnell Takes Page From St. Augustine to Adopt Harshest Anti-Panhandling Rules in Flagler
Bunnell’s new ordinance prohibits panhandling within 20 feet of any business or commercial property, alongside drivers or diners, but limits penalties to fines.
Bunnell’s Charter Review Panel Submits 7 Amendments that May Go To Voters in March
The proposed amendments commissioners facing criminal charges, commissioners’ pay, the city manager’s geographical residential requirement, and who may serve on the charter committee, among others.
Bunnell Signs Manager Alvin Jackson, Who Makes a Point of Not Holding Cities “Hostage” With Severance
Bunnell commissioners unanimously voted to hire Alvin Jackson as their next manager for $82,000 and a purposefully restrained severance package that contrasts with Palm Coast’s experience.
Crashed Hydrant in Bunnell Cuts Off Water Citywide, Shutting Down Courthouse
A car crash against a hydrant caused the water pressure to fall and shut down service citywide in Bunnell in late morning. It was not expected to be restored until 5 p.m.
Bunnell Selects Self-Proclaimed Economic Development Guru Alvin Jackson as Manager
Alvin Jackson was the only candidate interviewed twice. His first interview turned off commissioners for being too flashy. His second was calmer, and he’d schmoozed commissioners behind the scenes.
Once Reviled, Bunnell Bypass’ New Direction Gets Eager Support as Economic Engine
The Flagler County Commission approved an application for an $8 million grant that would build a bypass around south Bunnell, seen as an economic development engine.
In Second Attempt, Bunnell Commission Will Interview 4 Candidates for City Manager
In Bunnell’s latest round of interviews, candidates include one from Iowa, one from Massachusetts, and two from Florida. Interviews are slated for Monday and Tuesday.
Only 6 New Names After Bunnell Re-Opened Call For City Manager Applicants
The Bunnell City Commission this evening will again select a new batch of candidates to interview for city manager after its previous attempt last month fell short.
Fearing Lawsuit, a Commissioner Questions Streaming Government Meetings
A deputy clerk in Bunnell and a city commissioners wanted to end streaming government meetings from fear of getting sued until the city attorney saw an overreaction.
Growing Rift as Bunnell Commission Lowers Standards in Renewed Search for City Manager
The Bunnell commission will again advertise for a city manager after failing to agree on a candidate last month, and will now make a master’s degree optional for applicants.
Soured, Bunnell Rejects Martin Murphy 2 Weeks After Voting to Offer Him City Manager Job
Residents and commissioners cited a series of “red flags” before a 3-2 vote to reject Martin Murphy’s candidacy Monday, two weeks after the city commission voted 3-2 to negotiate a contract with him.
Bunnell to Prospective Manager: “Not A Penny More” Than $80,000, and Thursday Deadline
It was not the friendliest of negotiations with Martin Murphy, the New York planner whose demands had rubbed some commissioners the wrong way.
Bunnell’s Manager Candidate Wants $10,000 More Than City Is Offering, Plus Extra Benefits
Martin Murphy, who’s negotiating to be Bunnell’s next city manager, wants $90,000 rather than $80,000, plus 33 days of leave time instead of 28, and health benefits starting immediately rather than in three months.
Bunnell Votes 3-2 To Hire Martin Murphy as Manager, a Planner From New York
The divided vote to hire Martin Murphy reflected the mayor’s wish for a second round of interviews and another commissioner hoping for a different candidate.
Bunnell Manager Interviews: Some Drop Out, Some Stand Out Some Evoke Testy Memories
The Bunnell commission interviewed ex-Bunnell Manager Lyndon Bonner and Martin Murphy Monday, and began taking up positions on narrowing the list of four remaining candidates.
In Bunnell Manager Interviews, a Commissioner Makes His Choice With 3 Candidates Yet To Go
Commissioner John Rogers declared himself for a candidate before the candidate’s interview was over, and before the commission is to interview three more next week.
Bunnell Short-Lists Six Men For City Manager, But May Have Violated Sunshine Law
The Bunnell City Commission short-listed six city manager candidates out of 18 outside of a public meeting, a method courts have found to violate the Sunshine law.
Flagler Fire Services Get Boost and 8th Ambulance With Heritage-Preserving Transfer of Bunnell Fire Station
Bunnell’s Fire Department no longer exists, but a Bunnell fire station lives on, improved, under county auspices, with better response times and expanded countywide services.
Bunnell Raises Bar For Next City Manager as Commission Plans For New Hire in 60 Days
The Bunnell City Commission in a special meeting Monday will issue a want-ad for its next manager today, requiring a minimum of a master’s degree and 10 years’ government experience preferred.
Bunnell’s Acting Manager Must Give Up Police Powers; Commission Will Set Search Criteria
The Bunnell City Commission holds a special meeting Monday to decide how to search for a new manager and set its acting manager Tom Foster’s salary. Foster must give up police powers in the new job.
Bunnell Commission Fires Manager Dan Davis in 3-1 Vote, Citing Internal ‘Unrest’ and
Other ‘Concerns’
The Bunnell City Commission hired Dan Davis as its manager in December 2015. Davis was fired this evening at the end of a discussion on his latest evaluation.
Spirit Ride’s Coffin Honoring Fallen Tow Operators and Other Emergency Responders Makes Ceremonial Stop in Bunnell
The ceremonial casket is part of American Towman’s Spirit Ride pilgrimage through 200 cities across the country to bring attention to the dangers emergency responders face every day.
Fuel Tanker Flips and Leaks 1,200 Gallons Before Spill Is Stopped at US1 and SR100 in Bunnell
The fuel truck’s driver was hospitalized and state agencies were at the scene to evaluate the extent of the clean-up necessary as fuel went into a retention ditch and drainage.
Bunnell’s Planning Board Defies City on Medical Pot Dispensaries, To No Avail
The Bunnell Planning Board voted unanimously against the city’s ban on pot dispensaries, only for the city commission to ignore the vote and vote unanimously for it Monday evening.
County And Bunnell Score Big Grants For Plantation Bay and Stormwater, Flagler Beach and Palm Coast Do Not
Flagler County won a $500,000 grant for improvements to its Plantation Bay utility, Bunnell won $460,000 for stormwater and sewer improvements from the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Bunnell Manager Dan Davis Placed on 6-Month Probation After Barrage of Criticism From Commissioners
Four of the five Bunnell city commissioners criticized Davis for his leadership style, his “demeaning” of employees or even commissioners, his lack of communications, but granted him a final reprieve.
After “Ugly” Confrontation With City Clerk, Bunnell Manager Skirts Close To Getting Fired
City Manager Dan Davis’s job appears secure for now after a commissioner laid out a series of conditions Davis has to meet. The confrontation with City Clerk Sandi Bolser was over a meeting snafu.
Historically Low School Tax Will Diminish Effects of Tax Increases in Palm Coast and County
Even though county government, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell are all increasing taxes, homeowners’ bills will not see a steep increase thanks to a lower school tax.
Bunnell, Citing Iffy Crime Figures, Will Be Holdout Against Medical Pot Dispensaries
Bunnell will be the only local government that will ban medical pot dispensaries. Officials there, on little or flimsy evidence, claim dispensaries would attract crime.
After Years of Resistance, County May Finally Absorb Bunnell Fire Department In Expansion
Bunnell government appears ready to cede its fire department’s property to the county, which is expanding its ambulance service from seven to eight 24-hour rigs, and would so so in Bunnell.
Gambling or Charity? Conflict Over Shut-Down of Electronic Bingo, Which Had Sustained Flagler Cats
Shamrock Bingo in Bunnell operated for years until an inspection found its 40 electronic machines to be illegal. Lawyers for the business are disputing the finding. The city will seek a state Attorney General’s opinion.
Sowell Sworn-In as Bunnell Commission’s Latest Rookie; Rogers, Almost Forgotten, Begins 3rd Term
Newly elected City Commissioner John Sowell, a largely unknown entity, and third-term Commissioner John Rogers were sworn-in in a brief ceremony in Bunnell this evening.
Unruly Palm Coast Crowd Cleared Out of Hearing Backing Bunnell Apartments Near E-Section
A proposed 250-unit apartment complex of SR100 in Bunnell but abutting the E-Section, drew out more than 100 Palm Coast residents at a zoning hearing that ended with the rom being cleared because of the crowd’s misbehavior.
City Elections: Flagler Beach Voters Stay With Shupe and Carney, Bunnell Elects John Sowell and Re-Elects Rogers
Flagler Beach voters gave Marshall Shupe and Kim Carney solid re-election numbers, while Bunnell voted out Bonita Robinson, replacing her with John Sowell, and re-electing John Rogers to three-year terms.
Qualifying Over in Flagler Beach and Bunnell March 7 Elections, Still Time to Register to Vote
Both cities’ incumbents and one challenger in each have qualified–Marshall Shupe, Kim Carney and Paul Eik in Flagler Beach, Bonita Robinson, John Rogers and John Sowell in Bunnell, with two seats in play in each government.
Why Is the County Chairman Meddling in Flagler Beach’s Business, and Why Was Flagler Beach’s Manager Job-Hunting in Bunnell?
Flagler Beach officials were perplexed and angered by County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin’s apparent interference in their city manager’s–and their city’s–business at a time when county and city are trying to work out difficult issues.
Craig Coffey, Jim Landon, Now Dan Davis: For 3rd Time in 2 Years, Top Manager’s Raise Request Is Rebuffed
Bunnell’s Dan Davis this week joined Palm Coast’s Jim Landon and Flagler’s Craig Coffey, all of whose elected boards rejected their raise requests in the past two years, though Davis and Coffey still got smaller raises.
Bunnell Manager Dan Davis Gets Mixed Reviews on 1st Evaluation, With Concerns About Communication
Depending on which of the Bunnell City Commission’s members you ask, City Manager Dan Davis is doing either an outstanding job, a satisfactory job, or a job that needs improvement.
Bunnell Fire Chief Derek Fraser Will Resign, Reviving Talk of Department’s Future
Derek Fraser worked for Bunnell for 25 years, nine of them as fire chief. In August he was put out for having to defend his job and his department before the city commission. A commissioner’s proposal to abolish the fire department is still on the table.
Help With Beach Recovery and an Additional County Judge Dominate Requests to Flagler’s Lawmakers
Post-Hurricane Matthew recovery occupied almost half the requests at the annual legislative delegation meeting Wednesday, when Flagler’s governments, non-profits, private associations and citizens submit wish lists to state lawmakers.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Will Have Contested City Elections in March as 2 Challengers Qualify
Flagler Beach incumbents Marshal Shupe and Kim Carney have drawn Paul Eik as an opponent. In Bunnell, John Sowell, a former pilot for Flagler County Fire Flight, will challenge incumbents Bonita Robinson and John Rogers.
With an Election Looming, Bunnell Commission Rebuffs Request to Raise Its Salaries Back Up
Commissioner Bill Baxley’s proposal to raise salaries cut in 2014 back up to $9,600 a year got no support from a commission with two members–John Rogers and Bonita Robinson–running for re-election in March.
Boil-Water Advisory In Bunnell as Water Plant Has a Problem For 3rd Time in 2 Months
Overnight Sunday, the water plant shut down again for about half an hour, the water pressure in pipes fell from 60 pounds per square inch to below 22 pounds, some customers may have gone without water for a while.
Bunnell Police Will Borrow $70,000 From Its Utility to Buy 2 Cop Cars as Department Grows
The city will borrow $70,400 from its own water and sewer fund, buy two patrol cars from a Polk County dealer and repay the fund over five years from the general fund, at 1.5 percent interest.
Taxes Will Stay Flat For Most Property Owners in Flagler and Its Cities in 2017
Taxes have increased in Flagler County and in all five cities, but will be largely offset by a tax decrease in school taxes, while values have increased only marginally.
For Bunnell’s Tucker, Sharp Loss on Firehouse Consolidation Signals Return to Minority
Bunnell Commissioner Elbert Tucker’s proposal to fold the Bunnell Fire Department into the county and shift savings to the city’s police department was rebuked Monday, and Tucker’s role on the commission appears to return to where it had been years ago: as a dissenter.
Bunnell Commission Honors Two Boys, 10 And 12, For Helping Save 88-Year-Old Woman
The Bunnell City Commission Monday evening awarded its Outstanding Citizen Award to two young city residents, Russell Rouson, 10, and Steven Dozier, 12, for alerting police and helping to save the life of an 88-year-old woman who had hurt herself in her home in June.