The Palm Coast City Council appears uninterested in hiring a search firm to conduct its impending search for a new city manager, its second in three years, opting for some form of process conducted by the administration and the council, and possibly including council members fronting their own choices.
Palm Coast City Council
Here’s Palm Coast’s Full ‘Difficult Citizens’ List, Its Origins, and the Kind of Offenses that Landed People On It
The full and controversial “Difficult Citizen List” Palm Coast government has kept since 2016 is revealed, along with its history: the city set up a task force on employee safety in 2015, resulting in guidelines for employees on how to deal with difficult customers. The list, kept largely secret, was one of the results. The city council is rethinking its approach.
Interim Palm Coast Manager Denise Bevan Signs Contract as Morton, Tenure Over, Vows to Exit Government Sector
Bevan will be paid the equivalent of $161,400 a year, plus a $400 monthly car allowance, health and other benefits. Her starting day as interim was Wednesday, the day Matt Morton exited City Hall and, according to him, government service for good.
After Blaming Workers for Staying Home, Waste Pro Pledges to do Better, and Pay Better, in Palm Coast
Waste Pro issued its latest service-improvement plan to Palm Coast government after fines the city levies for poor service against the company increased for six successive months and the government threatened last week to end its $9 million contract with the waste hauler.
Palm Coast Fire Department Dedicates New Ladder Truck to FPC Graduate Sgt. Zachary J. Walters, Killed in 2010
Marine Sergeant Zachary J. Walters, killed on June 8, 2010 while on patrol in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He was a graduate of Flagler Palm Coast High School, Class of 2005. The idea for dedicating a fire truck to the memory of a Fallen Solider was proposed by Firefighter-Paramedic Christopher Strozier, who is a Navy Veteran.
Palm Coast’s First Hybrid Citizens Academy Graduates 15 Students in 49th Session
This session’s graduates were Terri Belletto, Vincent Ciolino, James La Pierre Cutts, Felita Guy, Kelly Knott, Greg Lovekamp, Barb Lovekamp, Michael Martin, Devrie Paradowski, Nichol Sparrow, Michael West, Geraldine Wright, Andre Wright, Jim Wulff and Jan Wulff.
Palm Coast Appoints Denise Bevan Interim City Manager, Ending Matt Morton’s Tenure
The Palm Coast City Council this evening ended City Manager Matt Morton’s tenure, waiving his 30-day notice, and appointed Denise Bevan, a chief of staff, to the interim position.
Palm Coast Council Abolishes Secret and One-Sided ‘Difficult Citizens List’ Kept Since 2016
The list cited allegedly “difficult” residents by name, usually listed their addresses, and at times included their pictures. The list included four entries this year and 33 entries going back to the first in March 2016.
Candidates from the Obscure to the Expected Piling Up to Run for Palm Coast Mayor in Winner-Takes-All Election
The qualifying window for the special election for Palm Coast mayor doesn’t close until next Monday. But eight candidates have already filed to run. Six candidates are Republicans, two are Democrats. It’s a non-partisan election, but only ostensibly so. Three of the candidates are Realtors.
Days After Betraying His Country, Rep. Waltz Dares Address Gold Star Families at Palm Coast’s Memorial Ceremony
If Rep. Mike Waltz wanted to thank the Gold Star families, what about the families of Officer Brian Sicknick and all of the other officers harmed the day of the Jan. 6 insurrection? To Waltz and every other Republican out there who voted against a commission to examine the insurrection, your actions clearly state that their lives do not matter, writes Kathleen Brady.
County Administrator Jerry Cameron as Palm Coast Interim Manager? City Enfevered With Contingency Scenarios.
The speculation about Cameron is fueling the feverish politicized atmosphere in Palm Coast, an unbridgeable rift on the council, rampant apprehension within city staff ranks, and the manipulative hands of elected officials on and off the council, all in the context of a special election for mayor in less than two months and the government’s budget season starting even sooner.
Benjamin Allen Sobs, ‘It’s Pointless,’ as Jury Watches His Interview Before His Arrest for Murder
In the last day of trial before closing arguments, the jury watched a 56-minute interview between Benjamin Allen, who is accused of murder, and detectives, in the presence of his parents. He maintained his innocence, and broke down once the handcuffs were on.
A City in Turmoil: Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton Resigns
The resignation leaves the city in the hands of two newly appointed chiefs of staff, Lauren Johnston and Denise Bevan. But it is not entirely surprising: Morton was essentially a Holland protege, and without her on the council, he’d lost his support’s cornerstone.
Palm Coast Warns Waste Pro It May End Its Contract in 7 Days Over ‘Severe’ and ‘Unacceptable’ Deficiencies
Losing patience after repeated service failures by Waste Pro, Palm Coast government today declared the garbage hauler in breach of contract and began looking for other haulers while giving Waste Pro seven days to fix current problems.
After Holland
The resignation of Milissa Holland and the coming special election for mayor puts Palm Coast at a forking path between the course Holland set and a more radical change in a different direction. The two views seem to be represented by Alan Lowe and David Alfin, the leading contenders for the seat.
Projecting 750 High-Wage Jobs, Council Approves 4-Story Hospital and Medical Building on Palm Coast Parkway
Wally de Aquino, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said he’s projecting an initial 400 to 450 jobs at the hospital initially, and up to 700 to 750 jobs when the medical office building is completed. The 100-bed, 155,000-square-foot, four-story AdventHealth hospital will go up on 11 acres along Palm Coast Parkway.
Palm Coast Council Approves Manager Morton’s $9,000 Raise With No Discussion, and With Morton Nemesis’ Vote
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday quietly approved a $9,135 raise for City Manager Matt Morton on the heels of his second-year anniversary with the city and a performance evaluation that netted him strong and slightly better marks than last year despite a blistering set of numbers from Council Member Victor Barbosa.
Palm Coast Council Sets Special Election for Mayor on July 27, Requiring Petitions or Fee to Qualify
The council agreed unanimously to require candidates to qualify for the election either by gathering 497 signed and certified petition or by paying a $1,140 fee. Petitions may be gathered between May 24 and May 28. Qualifying is set between June 1 and June 7.
David Alfin and Alan Lowe Announce for Mayor as Palm Coast Council Readies to Set July 27 Special Election
David Alfin and Alan Lowe, both Republicans who ran unsuccessful campaigns last November–Lowe for mayor, Alfin for a council seat–said they would run in the special election to replace Mayor Milissa Holland the Palm Coast City Council is expected to schedule at a hurriedly-called special meeting this morning. The proposed date for the election is July 27.
Palm Coast Government Sets Special Meeting for Wednesday at 9 a.m., With Little Notice
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton Tuesday evening set a special meeting of the City Council for Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. in the wake of Milissa Holland’s resignation as mayor Tuesday evening. The meeting was noticed exclusively on the city’s webpage.
At Holland Park, Lush $5.1 Million Splash Pad Erupts Amid Cheers for Latest Free-Access Amenity
Some 75 people gathered for the opening of Holland Park’s 10,000-square foot splash pad Friday morning, the latest enhancement to Palm Coast’s marquee and most popular public park.
Palm Coast Resident Takes Issue With Councilman’s Code Enforcement Vigilantism on Social Media
After Palm Coast City Council member Victor Barbosa posted pictures and a video of a Seminole Woods property Barbosa considered unseemly, the property owner wrote the council to complain of Barbosa’s “abusive, conniving, and hypocritical” tactics.
‘I Just Wasn’t Sure If There Was a Gun That Was Brought Into Chambers’: Council Members Take Stock of Jolting Incident
Palm Coast City Council members today renewed calls for keeping “the temperature as low as possible” in meetings after last week’s incident involving the mayor and a member of the audience, as the mayor today revealed that she had at one point feared that the man had a gun.
Join City of Palm Coast for Memorial Day Ceremony on May 31 at 8 a.m.
Join the City of Palm Coast for a Memorial Day Ceremony, “Remembering America’s Heroes,” on Monday, May 31 from 8 – 9 a.m. at Heroes Memorial Park, 2860 Palm Coast Parkway. Parking is available along Corporate Drive and at the Library.
‘Enough’ Is Not Enough: Flagler’s Dangerous Leer at Extremism
What happened on Tuesday at the Palm Coast City Council is indefensible and dangerous. But it’s nothing new. We’ve simply not been paying attention to a perilous degradation of public discourse and behavior. We are slowly becoming a crueler community debased by primitive instincts, because no one in charge, or too few people in charge, are standing up and saying enough.
Man Who Rushed Mayor During Palm Coast Council Meeting Is Trespassed, and Says He Will Sue
Mark Phillips, a frequent presence at city and county meetings who aggressively rushed the dais during the Palm Coast City Council meeting Tuesday to confront Mayor Milissa Holland, was trespassed from City Hall the next day, records show. He has the right of appeal.
In Contrast With Flagler Beach, Palm Coast Will Go Ahead With Independence Day Fireworks in Town Center
The annual Palm Coast fireworks celebration of Independence Day will return this year on July 3 along with the traditional Central Park picnic, with no restrictions on attendance except for a recommendation of physical distancing.
Palm Coast Council Approves 240-Unit Apartment Complex Near Boston Whaler Plant on Colbert Lane
The developer of the Lighthouse Habor Luxury Apartments complex says the apartments will be marketed to “more affluent transitional folks” rather than workforce tenants, though Palm Coast is experiencing a shortage in workforce housing.
Behind Palm Coast’s $5.7 million Push for a Regional Racket Center, a Big Bet on Players and Partnerships
Palm Coast’s bet on a vast expansion of the Tennis Center into the Reilly Opelka Racquet Center rests on hopes for a much larger population ahead that would be keyed into tennis and pickleball, but optimistic–speculative–figures don’t match up with current trends despite a surge in 2020 in racket-sport participation.
A Tense Palm Coast Council Meeting Turns Menacing as a Man Rushes Dais to Affront Mayor Holland
An unnerving, and to Mayor Milissa Holland frightening, incident interrupted tonight’s Palm Coast City Council meeting as a man menacingly walked up to within a foot or two of the mayor before a Flagler County Sheriff’s commander quickly stepped between him and Holland and eventually directed the man away from the dais.
Palm Coast Doffs Mask Ordinance With a Few Theatrics and the Usual Disinformation
The Palm Coast City Council this evening revoked its year-long, never-enforced but influential mask mandate on the heels of the city administration lifting mask requirements in city facilities and county government doing likewise on Monday.
Palm Coast Asks Residents a Smidge Tendentiously: Is It Time to Relax Ban on Work Vehicles in Residential Driveways?
Palm Coast forbids commercial vehicles to park in residential driveways on anything but work calls, unless the commercial signs are covered. At least two council members want the rule relaxed. The council is issuing a public survey to gauge interest in that direction.
Mayor’s State of the City Address: The Year of Covid, Universities and Renewed, Robust Growth
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland delivered the annual State of the City address and recognized the year’s recipients of three awards, including Citizen of the Year and the Public Safety Award. Here’s the full text.
Palm Coast Swipes Sheriff’s Peerless PR Director Brittany Kershaw in Latest Revamp, at a Salary of $105,000
Palm Coast is elevating Brittany Kershaw’s position to the level of director, and in all local governments, directors’ salaries begin in the 90,000 and go up from there. She takes over a communications division that has been in flux, to put it mildly, since City Manager Matt Morton’s arrival two years ago.
Cimmaron Drive Residents Clamor for a Sidewalk, Citing Dangers and Degradation of Walking and Biking Experience
It was a matter of time before Palm Coast residents would start complaining about Cimmaron Drive’s degradation and its impact on their ability to walk it, ride it or skirt its often indifferent traffic. That time is now, as Cimmaron Drive may become the city’s next Florida Park Drive headache.
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton’s Evaluations at Year 2: One Brutal, One Good, 3 Glowing or Stellar
City Manager Matt Morton’s past year saw some of the city’s most challenging times during the pandemic, and some of its greatest successes, with the landing of two university campuses and the return of the city’s largest manufacturing company, with 300 to 400 jobs.
Citing Aesthetics and Law, Palm Coast Will Not Loosen Signage Ban, Whether for Realtors or Anyone Else
A majority of the Palm Coast Council rebuffed an attempt by Councilman Ed Danko to loosen the ban on Realtors’ open house and other signs in rights of way, saying both the city’s focus on beauty and a Supreme Court ruling on such signs leave no room for a shift away from current rules.
In a ‘Big Shift,’ Palm Coast Will Survey Residents On Relaxing Commercial Vehicle-Ban in Driveways
Palm Coast has always banned commercial vans and trucks from parking in residential driveways unless on a job, causing difficulties for many working people. The city council, willing to revisit the restrictions, will survey residents in a potential move toward relaxing the rules, which also affect signs on vans and trucks.
Mayor Holland and Councilman Branquinho Sharply School Barbosa on Conduct Unbecoming an Elected Official
Mayor Milissa Holland–diplomatically–and Councilman Eddie Branquinho–furiously–this afternoon ended an otherwise collegial four-hour workshop by schooling Barbosa on respect, rules of order, Facebook freelancing, council behavior and the meaning of the word “corruption,” with examples.
Hauler Aside, Expect Few Changes in Palm Coast’s Next Trash Service Contract as Residents Signal Satisfaction
Palm Coast City Council members aren’t interested in changing twice-a-week trash pick-up frequency or scaling back curbside recycling, but nothing guarantees Waste Pro another contract extension as the city bids out the contract later this year.
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton Considering Defamation Action Against Councilman Victor Barbosa
Citing county government’s “playbook” against ex-lections Supervisor Kim Weeks, Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton says he won’t sit idle while he’s being defamed, as he says he was by Council member Victor Barbosa, who last week called Morton “corrupt” and moved for his firing. Barbosa’s motion died.
UNF in Palm Coast Will Double Its Student Body to 50 and Make $1 Million Available in Scholarships
The University of North Florida’s Mednexus hub in Palm Coast’s Town Center will launch in August with 50 students and make $1 million available to them in scholarships. The university received a $1.5 million subsidy from Palm Coast government, one of its chief local partners. Others include Daytona State College and AdventHealth Palm Coast.
Foregoing Search for Deputy City Manager, Palm Coast’s Matt Morton Appoints Two Chiefs of Staff Drawn Internally
After getting 150 applications for a deputy city manager and finding them wanting, Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton had abandoned the search and changed track, instead drawing from within and appointing Denise Bevan and Lauren Johnston to newly created chiefs of staff positions, each overseeing a vast array of city departments.
The Odious Victor Barbosa
An examination of Palm Coast Councilman Victor Barbosa’s accusation of “corruption” against Manager Matt Morton reveals it to be baseless and defamatory, while Barbosa’s own methods, from trying to get city employees fired, meddling in administrative business, blindsiding the council and shaming of residents in the city’s name, raise questions about his own understanding of, or fitness for, the job.
Palm Coast Council’s Barbosa Calls for Firing Manager Matt Morton Over Nebulous Code Enforcement Tiff
Palm Coast Council member Victor Barbosa called for the firing of City Manager Matt Morton based on a a handful of internal code enforcement issues Barbosa raised, and a claim that Morton was inappropriately “tracking” his own code enforcement complaints about other residents. Barbosa’s move got no council support.
For Waste Pro in Palm Coast, Trashy Service Piles Up Complaints and Fines Again As City Nears New Bid
Waste Pro since March 2018 has accumulated $112,500 in fines over shoddy service. It had a good 2020, but the first three months of 2021 have been increasingly poor, and just as the city is preparing to bid out the contract, which expires in 2022. The company again blames a driver shortage. The city wants Waste Pro to live up to its contractual obligations.
Palm Coast Seeks Participants for Unique Citizens Academy Session, By Zoom
This year, to provide the utmost safe experience and still offer interaction among participants and local leaders, the City will host this session via Zoom. The sessions will begin April 26 and continue for five consecutive Mondays. The session is limited to 20 participants.
How Flagler Was Far More “Staly Country” than Trump’s in 2020, and How Grand Haven Saved Milissa Holland
An analysis of Flagler County’s precinct-by-precinct vote last November reveals a few surprises, among them how Grand Haven powered incumbent Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland to her win and how Flagler was not so much “Trump Country” as “Staly Country” as the incumbent sheriff won his second term with 70 percent of the vote, with no discernible weaknesses across precincts.
Palm Coast Community Center Awarded Prestigious Green Building Certification
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the world leading green building project and performance management system that delivers a comprehensive framework for green building design, construction, operations and performance.
Chillin’ Out: Palm Coast Residents Love Their Quality of Life and Safety, But Have Issues With Their City, Too
The 3,000 Palm Coast residents who responded to the city’s survey about living here were overwhelmingly 55 and over, appeared to have been little affected by the pandemic and declared themselves happy with the quality of life and safety of the city, but less so with economic, cultural and shopping opportunities.