Derek Barrs Resigns School Board Seat to Be Senior Advisor to Transportation Secretary Pending Confirmation

Flagler County School Board member Derek Barrs will log his last evening board meeting on Sept. 23 and resign his seat effective Sept. 30 as he prepares to assume the leadership of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. 

President Trump nominated him for the post in March. The Senate Transportation Committee confirmed him in late July two weeks after appearing before the committee. He is awaiting confirmation by the full Senate. No one knows when that may happen. 

“I’d just be guessing. They’re trying to strike a deal between the two parties so they can get the nominees through,” Barrs said today in an interview. 

Meanwhile, he will move to the nation’s capital at the end of the month and start working as a senior advisor to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Once confirmed, he’ll officially move over to the motor carrier side. Meanwhile today he signed a lease on an apartment within walking distance of the Department of Transportation on New Jersey Avenue in D.C., near the Washington Navy Yard. 

“This is so bittersweet, I tell you,” Barrs said. “I really enjoy serving on the school board. It’s been a privilege, it’s been an honor. I know these are kind of some buzzwords, but I wanted you to know it’s been an honor for me to serve on the school board and in this community.” 

Barrs tendered his resignation in a two-page letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had appointed Barrs to the seat at the end of last October, after the resignation of Sally Hunt. Barrs had run for a different seat in November’s election, losing to Janie Ruddy by 291 votes. DeSantis will have to make another appointment to fill out the term, which ends in 14 months. 

Three seats will be up for election on the board next year. Incumbent Kristy Chong has filed to run again. Will Furry will resign at the end of his term. He is running for a congressional seat. 

The politically minded DeSantis, who has taken more interest in school board seats than in any other local elected office, is almost certain to appoint an individual who is of the district (District 1), and who will presumably use the brief incumbency to retain the seat, though that’s not a given: Charles Gambaro, who was appointed to the Palm Coast City Council last fall, had been appointed to the School Board by Gov. Charlie Crist in June 2007 to fill the remaining term of Jim Guines, but Andy Dance defeated him when he ran the following year. 

“Serving Flagler Schools has been an extraordinary chapter of my public service life,” Barrs said in his resignation letter to the Governor. “From working alongside dedicated educators, staff and board members, to supporting our outstanding teachers and administrators, I have deeply valued the spirit of Children First, fostering Trust and Respect for All and striving to Empower Others.” (The capital letters are in the original.) Barrs sent a similarly toned letter to his colleagues on the board, and a separate letter to LaShakia Moore, the superintendent. 

“We are grateful for Mr. Barrs’ service to the students and families of Flagler Schools,” was quoted as saying in a release. “His time on the board reflected a strong commitment to collaboration and keeping students at the center of every decision. We wish him the very best as he continues his service at the national level.”

Barrs arrived on a board in turmoil and leaves it in a much calmer state. He said he’d advise More to continue to “build the relationships with the families and the communities and be responsive, tackling issues immediately. That’s so critical for this district.” As an example of building relationships with partners, he said, the district should regularly meet with other government agencies, not just when a contract is in play or a crisis has to be resolved, and it should keep in close contact with elected officials in other governments. 

Barrs intend to keep his property in Flagler Beach and to visit often. He will be helping the district by other means, especially through the Flagler Education Foundation. 

“Though I will be stepping into a new federal safety role, my love for Flagler Schools and our community remains steadfast,” Barrs wrote the governor. “I am confident in the board’s continued trajectory toward excellence and in its dedication to making Flagler County Schools the best choice for our students.

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