School Board member Andy Dance announce he’ll resign his seat in 2020 in a run for Flagler County Commission Charlie Ericksen’s seat, which Ericksen will not contest.
Flagler County Commission
‘Hammock Harbor’ Redevelopment Proposing Shops and Boat Storage off A1A Riles New Opposition
A proposed redevelopment of the old Newcastle Marine boat manufacturing site in the Hammock, with a boat-storage facility for 240 boats and a half dozen businesses, is turning into that region’s latest battle between a developer and residents represented by the Hammock Community Association.
Joe Mullins Steps Back From Harsher Homeless and Panhandling Rules After Hearing St. Augustine’s Rigid Approach
Flagler’s Public Safety Council heard how the homeless and panhandlers have been largely (but not completely) criminalized in St. Augustine, but were not eager to replicate the approach in Flagler.
Flagler County and Bunnell Governments Lose Their Finance Directors in Middle Of Budget Season
Bunnell lost virtually the entirety of its finance department when four employees resigned and the new finance chief was forced to resign in an unexpected shake-up, with the county sending in help.
County Awards $76,000 in Tourism Grants to 24 Organizations But Rejects 8, Raising Questions
The Flagler County Commission on Monday approved 24 grants totaling $76,000 for mostly local organizations’ cultural and sports events, festivals and professional meetings, money to be drawn from the county’s tourist tax revenue.
Between Mass Shootings and ‘Overkill,’ Flagler’s Elections Office Will Add New Security Barriers
Flagler Elections Supervisor asked for and received $15,300 from the county commission to build glass partitions separating her front-desk staff and another area in the office from the public.
In a Flagler First, U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz Holds Probing Round-Table With County Directors
First-year Congressman Mike Waltz did what none of his predecessors have ever done, sitting down with Flagler County government directors and hearing issues and concerns for an hour Monday.
On Notice at 11th Hour, Sheriff Staly and Clerk of Court Bexley Meet and Resolve Courthouse Space Impasse
After a wild day of hopeful negotiations, then a declared impasse, Sheriff Rick Staly and Clerk of Court Tom Bexley met and resolve the controversy over space for sheriff’s uses at the courthouse.
County Will Sue Clerk of Court Bexley as Courthouse Space Negotiations for Sheriff Fail ‘Over 200 Feet’
Flagler County government late Thursday started the process to sue Clerk of Court Tom Bexley as intense negotiations over space for the sheriff reached a final impasse over a mere 200 square feet of space in contention.
Clerk of Court Bexley Offers 1,000 Extra Square Feet for Sheriff’s Uses, 4,000 Short of County’s Request
Clerk of Court’s “final offer” consists of 1,000 additional square feet of space for use by sheriff’s personnel at the courthouse, enlarging and segregating the zone used by the agency’s detectives.
Breakthrough In the Works as Court Clerk Bexley Proposes ‘Generous’ Plan for Sheriff’s Space at Courthouse
Clerk of Court Tom Bexley made a “Final offer” to the county, proposing new space at the courthouse for the sheriff’s office, potentially ending what had been heading for a legal confrontation between the clerk and the county, and resolving a serious space issue for the sheriff.
What Will Tom Bexley Do? Ultimatum Clock Stops as He Calls For Key Meeting on Courthouse Impasse Monday
In a sign of a possible breakthrough, Clerk of Court Tom Bexley called County Commission Chairman Donald O’Brien to set a Monday meeting and discuss the county’s ultimatum for a space study and more space for the sheriff at the courthouse.
A Routine Staff Meeting Turns Town Hall on The Gardens Development, Revealing Coming Strategies
A routine meeting of Flagler County’s Technical Review Committee drew almost 100 people and turned into a quasi-public town hall session, revealing opponents’ legal strategy and the county’s own various concerns about the controversial proposed Gardens Development on John Anderson Highway.
County Agrees To $680,000 Tax Rebate Over 10 Years For an Unnamed Furniture Company
The unanimous vote capped a brief presentation followed by a nearly hour-long stream of public support and commissioners’ applause, though most elements of the package remain hidden, and, enthusiasm aside, many of the statements were speculative, exaggerated or inaccurate.
County Threatens to Sue Clerk of Court Bexley in 48 Hours Over Space Request for Sheriff at Courthouse
The county commission will sue Clerk of Court Tom Bexley in 48 hours of he does not agree to a space study at the courthouse, and to abide with the study’s results, in the commission’s latest effort to gain extra space for the sheriff.
Chief Judge Warns Against ‘Taking’ of Courthouse As Sheriff’s Picture in Murder Investigation Lobbies Commission on Space
Chief Judge Raul Zambrano issued a forcefully written, potentially game-changing letter on the sheriff occupying space at the Flagler courthouse even as the sheriff himself was lobbying the county commission with an illustration of constraints on his troops.
County Sends Ultimatum to Clerk of Court, Asking For Additional Space at Courthouse For Sheriff By July 31
The ultimatum was prompted by by County Commissioner Dave Sullivan, who pushed the administration to follow through on a county commission vote almost two months old to secure more space for the sheriff at the courthouse.
Dennis McDonald Now Owes County $70,000 Over Frivolous Case, But Says He Won’t Pay
An administrative law judge is recommending that Dennis McDonald, the former candidate for local office, pay $11,000 to cover the county’s costs in an appeal McDonald had filed against having to pay an earlier judgment of $59,000. So the combined amount he owes is now $70,000.
In Big Breakthrough, County and City Will Jointly Accommodate Palm Coast Little League and Other Fields of Need
Palm Coast and county governments are drafting an agreement that would significantly relax the proprietary lock on each sides’ fields, instead prioretizing public need, with Palm Coast Little League the vanguard beneficiary.
A New Hospital For Flagler? Credibility Gap Yawns Between Commissioner Joe Mullins’s Pledges and County Administration’s Caution
The stories told by Mullins’s hyper-optimism and the county administration’s more cautious and deliberate approach illustrate a recurring gulf between the politician’s wishes and promises and what the government administration is in fact delivering (or not).
Boos, Jeers and Defiance as Flagler Beach Voices Its Opposition to The Gardens Development on John Anderson
Some 300 to 400 people turned out at a Palm Coast meeting hosted Monday by the developers of a planned 3,966-unit project on John Anderson Highway, the crowd promising staunch opposition.
The Gardens Project Off John Anderson Highway: The View From the Developers’ Perspective
The Gardens is an 825-acre, 3,966-unit mixed-use development proposed off John Anderson Highway by SunBelt Land Management as a successor to a Ginn proposal a decade ago. Ken Belshe, a member of the development group, describes the scope and intent of the project.
Flagler County Officials Disavow Confederate Flag That Flew at Princess Place Preserve’s Caretaker Grounds
A Confederate flag hung at the grounds of the caretakers for Flagler County’s Princess Place Preserve even as county employees came and went on the public park’s lands–until a Palm Coast resident noticed it and complained.
Out of Patience, Sheriff Demands County Action on Space Needs: ‘This Situation Cannot Continue’
The sheriff’s letter to the county commission chairman echoes the same urgency and call for action that the sheriff used just over a year ago to compel the county to provide a healthier space for employees than the troubled Operations Center.
To Sue or Not to Sue: County Wrestles With Sheriff’s Space Needs at Courthouse
Despite a county commission vote ordering its administration to find more space for the sheriff at the county courthouse, the county administrator and the county attorney have demurred.
In Reversal, County Approves 50-Home Development That Will Change Complexion of Hammock’s Jungle Hut Road
The Flagler County Commission approved a zoning change that will enable a 50-home subdivision on a 12-acre parcel between Jungle Hut Road and Hammock Beach Parkway in the Hammock.
Flagler About To Sign 50-Year, $100 Million Deal to Rebuild 2.6 Miles of Dunes in Flagler Beach. It Has Only a Fraction of the Money.
Flagler County is teaming with the federal government to split the $100 million cost of dune renourishment in Flagler Beach, but the deal is fraught with uncertainties, and Flagler can only pay its first phase.
‘Are You Kidding?’ Deeper Inspection Finds Captain’s BBQ Building Sound and Repairable for $60,000
In a dramatic turnaround, an inspection concluded that the Captain’s BBQ building at Bing’s doesn’t have to be replaced or destroyed and can be repaired for a small sum of money, changing a year’s worth of assumptions.
County Calms Bunnell’s Anger Over Sheriff’s Move to Palm Coast, Disarming Threats of Lawsuit
Sheriff Rick Staly’s and County Manager Jerry Cameron’s joint appearance before the Bunnell City Commission on Monday went a significant distance to disarm the city’s threats of a lawsuit and calm its anger over the sheriff’s move to Palm Coast.
Captain’s BBQ Sues Flagler County, Alleging ‘Politically Motivated’ Breach of Contract
The owners of Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing filed a four-count lawsuit against Flagler County government, alleging breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $15,000.
County Will take Back Control of All Plans and Construction for Captain’s at Bing’s in Major Concession to Hammock Group
Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s will not get to build its own, larger building as the County Commission today voted to take over all future plans, whether to repair the existing structure or build a new, smaller one.
Inmate at Flagler Jail Manages to Facebook Live, Breaching Security and Angering Sheriff Over County’s IT Protocols
A inmate Facebooked live during a GED class at the jail, the second such breach in two months after sheriff’s officials warned the county, which handles the sheriff’s IT, to address the issue. A county employee has been suspended.
A Trust-Worthy Inspection of Captain’s Building at Bing’s Is Essential Before Any Decision
The Hammock Community Association is urging the County Commission to delay any decision on Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s pending a reliable inspection of the restaurant building. The association is willing to pay up to $4,000 for the inspection.
In Bing’s Twist, County and Captain’s BBQ Are Co-Defendants in Negligence Lawsuit
Notable elements in the case are its concurrence with Captain’s other challenges, its alignment of two antagonists on the same side, and the way the case illustrates the county’s responsibilities for the building.
Janet and Dennis McDonald Agree to Settle Ethics Case for $500 Each, Reflecting Minor Disclosure Violations
School Board member Janet McDonald and her husband Dennis McDonald agreed to settle a three-year-old case with the Florida Commission on Ethics, conceding that they had made minor and unintended violations on their financial disclosure forms.
It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again: Sheriff’s Palm Coast Precinct Will Return to Former Space On Old Kings Road
The space at 17 Old Kings Road is 2,000 square feet, or 1,000 square feet less than the space at City Marketplace. But it’s $3,500 a month.
County Orders Space Reallocation For Sheriff at Courthouse; ‘We’re Going to Stand Our Ground,’ Bexley Says
The County Commission acting as landlord is directing its administrator to come up with the necessary additional space for the sheriff at the courthouse, where Clerk Tom Bexley says it’s useless to try.
Flagler County Readies to Approve $6 Million Fix of Plantation Bay Utility, Borrowing $3.8 Million
County officials say the entire cost will be borne through Plantation Bay’s utility system and its rate-payers, without affecting county taxpayers at large.
Sheriff’s Precinct on Utility Drive? Palm Coast Explores Bailing Out County’s Search for Space
City, county and sheriff’s officials spent Thursday exploring various buildings, among them Palm Coast’s Utility Department building off Old Kings Road, as potential sites for the sheriff’s Palm Coast precinct.
County’s Intention To Seek Damages Over Sears Building Fiasco Belies Cozy Relations With Broker in Run-Up to Sale
Flagler County today sent letters of intent to sue for damages to the parties involved in the purchase of the mold-infested Sears building, including the real estate broker the county had a very close relationship with for years.
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: County’s Just-Acquired Sears Building for Sheriff Has Water Intrusion and ‘Substantial Mold’
Flagler County officials discovered today the $1.1 million Sears building they just agreed to buy is plagued by water intrusion and “substantial mold,” just like the sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell.
Tom Bexley: There Really Is No More Room For Sheriff’s Operations in the Courthouse
Flagler County Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, weighing in on the space issues with sheriff’s operations at the courthouse, says clerk operations would be fragmented and jeopardized if further accommodations were made.
Community Paramedic: How Flagler Fire Rescue’s Caryn Prather Brought Back House Calls
Flaglere County Fire Rescue’s Prather’s made nearly 500 house calls last year, serving a client base started with people who were frequent users of the 9-1-1 system for non-emergency medical needs and transportation to the hospital. Since its inception, these calls have decreased by 80 percent.
Photographic Tour of Courthouse Illustrates Crunch and Tensions Between Sheriff and Clerk Staffs
Here’s the first detailed, photographic illustration of the space issues the sheriff, the clerk and county officials have been wrestling with over the past months at the county courthouse as the three sides try to reach an understanding on future space use.
Homeless Man Known as Marc Smith, 45, Found Dead Near Flagler Plaza Parking Lot
Marc Smith had been living in a lesser-known homeless camp off Old Kings Road and frequently sat beneath the State Road 100 I-95 overpass, where he was recently captured in an image.
Joe Mullins Wants Cities and the County to Draft Homeless ‘Legislation,’ But He’s ‘Out on a Limb’
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins is pressing the county administrator to develop an ordinance regulating homeless panhandling and tent-pitching with city managers, but none of the local governments other than Bunnell have discussed such policies.
Faced With ‘Disgraceful’ Rent Increase at City Marketplace, Sheriff Will Move Palm Coast District Office to Old Sears Building
It’s only the latest example of the county’s largely self-inflicted and costly turmoil over land and building projects gone awry, going back to the Eden-gone-Hades of the old Memorial hospital and conversion into a sheriff’s operations center in 2013.
County Considers Nuclear Option: Forcing Clerk To Cede Space to Sheriff at Courthouse
With Clerk of Court Tom Bexley and Sheriff Rick Staly at an impasse over space needs at the courthouse, commissioners are raising the possibility that they will force Bexley to give ground.
Latest 2 Proposals for Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing Again Collapse as Sides Harden or Shift Positions
Captain’s BBQ says it won;t pay for a sewer extension even though the extension is needed only because Captain’s wants to expand, and the Hammock Community Association is no longer supportive of a new building site.
As Bunnell and Flagler Fight Over Sheriff’s HQ, Nassau County’s Example May Point The Way
As Bunnell serves notice to Flagler County that it intends to go ahead with its challenge of the county’s decision to build a sheriff’s district office in Palm Coast, the county is opening its own possibility of extending the county seat to Palm Coast to get around any constitutional issues.
