Mired in disarray, economic development’s future in Flagler County is mobilizing around two competing plans–the county’s and enterprise Flagler’s–with Enterprise Flagler asking for a vote and Palm Coast still sitting it all out.
Palm Coast
This Week in Flagler and Tallahassee: Garbage, Jobs and Nukes
The Flagler County Commission discusses Enterprise Flagler’s future, the Palm Coast City Council takes on garbage hauling, Bunnell debates adult video arcades, and the PSC takes on nuclear power construction costs.
Florida Hospital Flagler’s David Ottati Is Among Northeast’s Ultimate CEO Award Winners
The Jacksonville Business Journal’s fifth annual Ultimate CEO Award drew some 40 nominations from northeast Florida. Ottati, Florida Hospital Flagler’s CEO for the past five years, was among 13 winners.
Jail Follows Allegation of Shooting Up in a Kangaroo Bathroom With 4 Kids in the Car
The four children in Michelle Marie Smith’s car are 8 or younger, including twins who are turning 3 on Friday. She was charged with child abuse while a friend was charged with drug possession.
Palm Coast Council Shocked, Shocked To Hear It Ever Had $10 Million for City Hall
The Palm Coast city administration now says that it never had $10 million to build a city hall. The copious record on the matter says otherwise, raising questions about the city’s numbers and verbal shell games.
Palm Coast Data CEO John Meneough Resigns After 15 Years As Company Struggles
John Meneough, 62, had been with Palm Coast Data in its various incarnations since 1996. A successor has not been named. Meneough’s resignation is part of broader changes at Palm Coast Data parent Amrep Corp.
Palm Coast’s Fireworks, Canceled on July 4, Are Now Leveraged Over 3 Fall Dates
The $15,000 subsidy to Palm Coast will be split over fireworks shows on Labor Day and the two evenings of the city’s seafood festival in early November.
With or Without Palm Coast, County Would Lead New Economic Development Council
The county’s proposal would mean the end of Enterprise Flagler and the creation of a 9-member council chaired by the county, with cities and private-sector membership overseeing a $410,000 budget. Palm Coast’s buy in is a question mark.
Palm Coast Sets Intial Tax Rate 14% Higher With Goal of Whittling It Down By September
Palm Coast City Council members are trying desperately to hold the line on property tax increases, but will likely not succeed entirely. The final tax rate will still not translate into a tax increase for most.
Resuming Eastward March, Palm Coast Will Annex Graham Swamp’s 3,300 Acres
Palm Coast will annex the Graham Swamp area to better control its assets, which include the new Graham Swamp trail, but the annexation is also a beachhead on attractive property along Colbert Lane.
Slow-Cooked Success: Palm Coast’s Woody’s Bar•B•Q Marks 13th Year
Owned by Flagler County natives, Woody’s BarBQ on State Road 100 in Palm Coast has, like any business, weathered its share of difficulties in the past three years. “We’re not going anywhere,” its owner says.
Paying Tribute to Tea Party Faithfuls, City Council Candidates Hear Tax-Me-Not Earfuls
Opposition to tax increases in whatever form topped the list of concerns of several hundred people at a tea party-hosted encounter Palm Coast mayor and city council candidates.
Palm Coast Data Revenue Drops 20% in 2011; Parent Company Posts $7.6 Million Loss
Revenue at Palm Coast’s largest private-sector employer declined to $73.6 million, from $92 million the previous year. The company’s revenue has dropped 40 percent in four years.
To Save Tax Dollars, Consolidate Palm Coast and County Fire Departments Into One
In a year of cutbacks and falling revenue, the presidents of the Palm Coast and Flagler County firefighter unions are proposing to consolidate the two fire departments into one as a way to save taxpayer money and become more efficient.
Citing Deception, Council Rejects Reinke’s $10,000 Request for Palm Coast Half-Marathon
Adding to the Reinke Sports Group’s troubled history, it is the third time in two years that the Flagler Tourist Development Council rejects a request for subsidies for the Palm half-marathon. The Flagler Auditorium had an easier time with its $10,000 request.
Bryan Watts, a Postal Inspector, Charged With False Imprisonment–Of His Brother
Bryan Watts, 39, had traveled to Palm Coast to help his brother settle the estate of the two men’s late father, who lived on Village Circle. The pair ended up arguing, with Watts arming himself with a semi-automatic handgun.
Flagler 911: The Live Crime Blotter
A pit bull bites a 74-year-old woman and her dog, a son is charged with burglarizing his parents’ home, a Habitat for Humanity property is burglarized, vandals damage a foreclosed homes, and too many burglaries and larcenies to count.
Palm Coast Candidates Ask: When’s the Election? City: We’ll Get Back To You
Palm Coast’s city administration, responsible for running the city council and mayor elections scheduled for Sept. 13 and Nov. 8, hasn’t yet figured out whether to hold all elections in September or just the mayor’s race.
Despite Shelving Desalination, Palm Coast Clings to “Low Pulse” Plans–for $213,000
The $213,000, left over from $1.7 million budgeted for desalination project’s latest phase, would keep a consultant working through quarterly meetings, and Palm Coast hoping to draft new partners for the now-defunct, $200 million project.
Jim Landon On Children’s Memorial Garden: “This Is Very, Very Personal For Some of Us”
Palm Coast’s year-old Children’s Memorial Garden provoked rare emotions from the city manager Monday as the council wrestled with conflict over competing visions for the pastoral garden near Waterfront park.
Tax Fears and $2 Million Gap Have Palm Coast Talking Firehouse Layoffs or End to EMS
The Palm Coast City Council clearly favored more cuts in services than tax increases during its first serious budget discussion of the year Monday, with the city’s fire department appearing to be the likeliest target.
Two Brothers Accused of Armed Robbery at Palm Harbor’s Hancock Bank Are in Jail
Michael Cona, 28, and his brother Shawn, 30, of 48 Fischer Lane in Palm Coast, were charged with the June 22 armed robbery, which was witnessed by 14 people, including an 82-year-old woman.
Flagler 911: The Live Crime Blotter, July 1-7, 2011
A pasta and sauce theft, a fight over a cup of coffee, a fire demolishes an empty Bunnell house, a brazen heist at a public works yard, thefts, burglaries and more.
City Marketplace in Receivership; Public Sale of the Palm Coast Development Set for August
City Market Place, where Palm Coast has its municipal offices, has been mired in foreclosure proceedings since 2009. The changes aren’t expected to affect tenants except, perhaps, for the better.
Liquor Store in Town Center, Near Publix, Is Robbed
Suggesting he had a gun, the young robber took $200 in cash from the owner of Star Liquor Wednesday evening, after the owner wouldn’t let him buy liquor without an ID.
Flagler-Based Organized Crime Ring Ended As 6 Men Face Racketeering Charges
The six suspect, allegedly led by Grant Morse, had been robbing ATMs, pharmacies, cars and homes for almost three years. A multi-agency investigation started by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office helped end the spree.
Parades of Radiance From Heroes Park To Flagler Beach on America’s 235th
Solemnity and celebration at Heroes Park was followed by Flagler Beach’s July 4th parade at the start of a day and evening of revelry. A full image gallery of the celebrations.
They’re On: County Repeals Ban On Flagler Beach Fireworks in 4-1 Vote
Eleven days after cancelling the county’s Independence Day fireworks shows, the Flagler County Commission this afternoon voted to allow the Flagler Beach show to go on.
Hospital Donation Helps Campers Find Adventure at Palm Coast Summer Camp
Palm Coast summer camp for elementary and middle school children runs through August 12, at $75 a week. Scholarships are available. Children may attend as many (or as few) weeks as they choose.
“You Smirked, Mr. Chairman”: Tea Party Puts County Commission On Notice
A tea party throng of close to 100 people jammed a county commission budget workshop Monday, cheering a promise that any tax increase would result in commissioners being voted out. The math on display was less reliable.
Uncertainty Over: Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts Makes His Re-Election Bid Official
Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts has been on the council for 10 years, including Palm Coast’s most challenging years, and now faces what may be his most challenging election. “Of course I represent change,” he says. “The issue is, can you manage change?”
Armed Robbers Strike Hancock Bank In Palm Harbor Shopping Center
At least two robbers were involved in the 2:57 p.m. heist at Hancock Bank near Publix. They got away with money, It’s not known how much. No one was hurt.
Minor Wildfire in Populated Area of Palm Coast’s R Section as Brittle Conditions Persist
The wildfire, the first in Palm Coast outside of the Seminole Woods area, broke out at 3:30 at the intersection of Red Barn and Red Mill Drive in the R Section, not far from Rymfire Elementary, and very near homes.
As Mayor Netts Gives Up On New City Hall in Near Future, Tea Party Wants a Referendum
Palm Coast’s proposed $10 million city hall appears dead for now. Should it rise again, it would be financed by bonds, not cash, and would have to be approved in a referendum, Mayor Jon Netts says in a significant shift, disarming opponents.
Risk-Avoidance: July 4 Fireworks Canceled in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast’s Town Center
The Flagler County Commission canceled both fireworks shows, saying it would be too risky in fire-prone, drought conditions despite projected rains. The $30,000 worth of fireworks may be staged around Labor Day.
Miracle on Sligo Mill Court: Homes Saved From Another Seminole Woods Eruption
The fire in Seminole Woods burst and ran after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, coming within two feet of back porches and forcing evacuations of several homes. Firefighters managed to save every single one.
Palm Coast Council Reverses On Redistricting, Enabling Dennis Cross to Stay in the Race
The council voted 3-2 to adopt a less divisive map of voting districts, returning Dennis Cross to contention with Jason DeLorenzo in a race for city council this summer.
Flagler’s Economic Development Plans In the Air as County-Wide Summit Is Cancelled
Between the unfinished work of some committees and the divisive fallout from a proposed restructuring of Enterprise Flagler, what was to be the sixth summit since January is delayed to an uncertain date.
Hawking Stolen iPod on Craig’s List Leads to Charges Against 3 Palm Coast Teens
Charges stem from a May 26 burglary of a vehicle on Palm Coast’s Fernon Lane. The iPod in question had been part of a swap with an unsuspecting recipient, who then advertised the item online.
Coquina Defund: Palm Coast’s Desalination Hopes Dry Up As Last Partners Drop Out
The Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination project unveiled 14 general sites where the plant might be located in Palm Coast, but it may be a moot discussion as the city’s financial partners are quitting, and Palm Coast can’t afford it on its own.
When Will That Walmart Open on Old Kings Road? “Nobody Knows”
Expanding Old Kings Road was to guarantee Walmart’s opening by 2011, with 400 to 500 jobs. Instead, the city is left holding a bag-full of empty promises–and a $6.3 million loan from its utility fund.
Palm Coast Data Lays Off Dozens and Loses Large NRA Membership Services Account
The NRA account represented 5 million members and a lucrative source of income. The loss compounds other losses in magazine titles that are either closing or migrating to other fulfillment companies.
Palm Coast’s Redistricting McCarthyism: Rowdiness, But Same Disputed Outcome
The Palm Coast Redistricting Commission’s Louis McCarthy brooked no debate and little discussion in a testy meeting as the commission re-approved a recommendation that would eliminate a tea party favorite from this year’s municipal elections.
The Live Crime Blotter, May 16-30, 2011
A burglary at the Imagine School work site, a woman flees and eludes a cop all the way to her home, a dog licks a cop and trouble follows, a long list of larcenies from unlocked cars, and more.
Palm Coast Looking to Other Cities for Guidance on Storefront Gambling Regulations
The Palm Coast City Council is all for stopping new storefront casino-type “internet cafes” for six months, but is less clear on whether, and how, to regulate them beyond that.
Palm Coast Fence-Sitting Over Black and White Divide Around Ralph Carter Park
The mostly white neighbors complain of mostly black users of the park want a fence installed, at considerable cost to taxpayers. The city council is weighing its choices and delaying a decision.
Palm Coast Water Tower Free of Contaminants After Break-In, Tests Reveal; Questions Remain
The 500,00-gallon water tank along I-95 was broken into on May 17 by unknown vandals. It was isolated from the rest of the system. It’ll remain isolated pending a week’s worth of maintenance.
Palm Coast Redistricting Plan Disqualifies Dennis Cross From City Council Election
Meeting quietly for the first time on Thursday, Palm Coast’s redistricting commission voted 5-0 to adopt a plan that redraws the city’s voting-district boundaries. The city council must ratify the plan in public hearings.
Long Records for Suspects Arrested in String of B-Section Burglaries in Palm Coast
The four suspects–two of them 19, two of them 20–all have prior records in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Bond was set between $200,000 and $400,000, depending on the suspect.
In a Shift, and Despite Glut, State Approves 5,000-Home Palm Coast Development
Old Brick Township to Palm Coast’s northwest is just one of several planned developments and existing lots that would add 40,000 new homes and 9 million square feet of commercial and industrial zones, more than doubling Flagler’s and Palm Coast’s populations.