They don’t call it housekeeping for nothing: it’s dull, it’s plodding and it’s repetitive, but it has to be done, and so it was Tuesday evening: Flagler County’s re-born economic development council met for the first time after a few years’ hiatus and under a slightly new name but the same acronym (the Economic Development Commission, disbanded in 2008, is now the Economic Development Council, with the word “opportunity” thrown somewhere along the way) and far greater expectations. The council has the impossible task of doing what Barack Obama, Rick Scott and almost every governor in the land has had trouble doing for the past three years: create jobs. It must do so in a county with an unemployment rate approaching that of Spain and with the budget of a struggling mom-and-pop store. And it must do so in the sunshine—in the open, like all government entities must under Florida law.
So the first order of business for the nine-member council—one of whose members, Mike Gill, who commutes between Palm Coast and a suburb of Kansas City, was a no-show and most of whom looked in various stages of glum—was to listen to a detailed lecture from County Attorney Al Hadeed on open government. As business people, the members of the panel are used to conducting business privately and without second thoughts as to who they can talk to. They were told that from here on, they were all off limits to each other except in public meetings. They were told that aside from their doodles, even their notes relating to the council can be subject to public record requests. They were told that if they were taken to court over sunshine or public record issues, they were on their own: the county attorney was not their attorney, though he gave them his direct phone line and described himself as a “safe harbor” should they have questions.
The seven businessmen and one woman—all white, all on the leeward side of middle age—listened with poker faces, asking hardly any questions. The county commission had made a big deal of the council’s openness and public accountability. Secrecy and perceptions of secrecy had done plenty to undermine the credibility of Enterprise Flagler, the public-private economic development organization Palm Coast and the county had mostly paid for until dooming the organization by cutting off funding in summer. The council’s meetings, the commission promised, would all be conducted in public and, like the commission’s own meetings and those of the Tourist Development Council, televised live. “Keep in mind,” Hadeed said, “that you’re a very high-profile committee.”
Stunningly, one of the first effective acts by Barbara Revels, who chairs the economic development council and had represented the county at Enterprise Flagler, was to suggest moving some or all of the meetings out of the main chambers of the Government Services Building, where the meetings can be televised, and into the conference room at the Emergency Operations Center, behind the administrative building—where meetings cannot be televised absent a staff of three. There, they’d only be broadcast on the web, by audio.
Revels said the seating arrangement at the EOC makes for easier face to face discussions between members. And Craig Coffey, the county administrator who had also assured commission and public—including in his written outlines and projections about the new panel—that all EDC meetings would be televised, at one point told the panel that there was no requirement that the meetings be either televised or have an audio feed.
Coffey is right: there is no such requirement in law. But it was a county promise and condition of the conduct of the new council, and both Revels and Coffey were now backtracking, literally minutes after Hadeed had stressed to council members, in a different contest, that “your success is partly going to rely on the integrity of this body.” Revels after the meeting appeared aware of the contradiction and said she’d talk to Coffey about possibly resolving it even if the meetings are held at the EOC. She reiterated that her only intention in moving the meetings there was to make deliberations easier.
Hadeed’s portion of the meeting over, the council heard from Joe Mayer, the county’s employment director, who briefed the members on the 63 applications the county received in response to its want-ad for an economic development “CEO.” County staff whittled the applications down to a shortlist of about a dozen. Those will be interviewed by phone on Dec. 14, from 1 to 5 p.m., by county staff, and whittled down to six. Those six will be invited for personal interviews with all nine members in a day-long round-robin, one-on-one format on Jan. 15 (the public may sit in on those interviews), similar to the speed-dating interviews commissioners conducted to choose council members. The council will then recommend three ranked choices and send those to the county commission for its own approval.
County staff’s short-listing is not binding, but intended only as a guide for council members. In other words, council members are free to draw up a list of their own if they so choose, and whittle down their choices at a coming meeting. But they appeared quite willing to defer to the staff for those early rounds.
The executive will be paid somewhere between $73,000 and $110,000, or a quarter of the $400,000 budget the council has to play with. Another quarter will go toward additional salaries of staff members the executive will hire, leaving the council with barely $200,000 a year to tackle that 14 percent unemployment rate, when the operation is ready to function. “You’re probably talking the beginning of March before that individual starts,” Mayer said. And likely another year before the individual learns the lay of Flagler’s economic development quick sands: five of the county’s top six choices are from out of state.
The only action the board took was vote on a vice-chairman. That role, after a long moment of silence when Revels asked for volunteers, went to Greg Federline.
For all its high profile, the first meeting of the council drew scant attendance: six county staffers, four reporters, and just three more people in the audience, two of whom had been applicants to the council, including Bill McGuire, the recently elected Palm Coast City Council member. After the meeting, McGuire was perplexed: there was not a single member of the county chamber of commerce present, he said, wondering why. The answer is probably somewhere between politics and pettiness: the chamber’s candidate for the council—Lea Stokes, who chairs the chamber board this year—was not picked. But the chamber will hold a social event for the candidates for the executive job who’ll be invited for interviews.
The next meeting of the council, originally scheduled for Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. at the main chamber of the Government Services Building, was moved to the EOC, at 4:30 p.m.
Oneofthe10%whovoted says
Business as usual in Flagler County. Why are we wasting our money? In most communities this would be a volunteer organization with a couple of paid staff and the members of the commission.
Why do we insist on making it a cottage industry here in Flagler? Isn’t this what we pay our commissioners for?
The way we do it here ensures lifetime careers for the members of the commission.
steve says
$215,000,000.00 that was suppose to be used in Florida for high speed rail and was spurned and rejected by Rick Scott was given to California High Speed Rail Authority yesterday for a total of $1,000,000,000 from the Dept of Transportation. California thanks you Gov Scott.
Charles Ericksen, Jr says
If I’m reading this article correctly, “County staff” has whittled down, the list of CEO candidates, to 12, by reviewing the information submitted. The list will be further reduced to 6 , via a “County staff”telephone conversation…Then the 6 will be interviewed, by the 9 appointed, Council members, resulting in 3 names being sent to the BOCC for final selection. So, you have individuals with little to none ED experience selecting ,( Greg W,excluded) the person who will lead our efforts. I think you know, where my assessment of the effort to date is going. This is totally back assward. The new individual, should have been selected initially, and then allowed to select the support staff/council for themself. Right now, the ED environment is even more competitive , than in good times. We need a cutthroat, know it all, experienced veteran of the trenches. Anything less, will result in failure…Let me ask one more question.. Just who do WE, the bill payer here, hold accountible for results.? The new hire, who is dealing with a Council, who honestly lacks an understanding of what ED is? If I were to be offered a job like this, I’d expect to “hire” my own staff and support..They all must be in step. PS.. Remember, the GOOD candidates are probably NOT looking for work..
FlaglerLive says
Charles, the article should have been clearer that the short-listing by staff is intended as a guide only, not as a final say. The council members themselves are free to go through all the applications (they each received a CD with the resumes) and draw up their own list. That’s now been clarified in the article.
Jojo says
It’s really a simple solution that needn’t be complicated. So simple that sometimes we complicate it. We need industry, companies and mom and pop stores to set up shop within our borders. We create all these committees, boards, organizations, director(s), lawyer(s) and staff to entice jobs. Now we throw in Sunshine laws to keep it clean which prevent people talking about it. Just another much ado about nothing in Flagler County for someone to get big money at taxpayer expense.
Why not do like Volusia County did. Get five powerful members of the Volusia County Council who chipped in $100,000 of their own money and hired defunct Daytona State College President, Kent Sharples (I keep playing that news video of President Nixon saying, “I’m Not A Crook,” over and over.).
http://nsbnews.net/content/393627-daytona-beach-news-journal-marketing-kent-sharples-forgets-past
palmcoaster says
Just a big hand out of our hard earned and dwindling tax payers funds…They are planning to pay some high end flashy big college name cartel and no experience 100,000 and 73,000 to end up being guided by these ED council that from the start wants to cut off televising the meetings. So disappointing Ms. Revels.
The continuous failing red tape to accommodate few from the distinctive elite and overpaid as well …never ends and as covered as it can be.
Why don’t you promote ED by rewarding any resident that invites and convince a small business owner and friend from the same cities they moved from, to visit Flagler and see our amenities, the advantage of no income tax, the bargains in housing and also rents, much lower than in NY, NJ, MA, Ct and the like. Our so many sports at hands reach and so much more affordable. Our free access parks to these waters with free boat ramps and 300 miles of picturesque canals, fishing, golfing, tennis, kayaking, cycling and miles of walk and bike ways and our beautiful beaches and white sandy inlets. Like I didn’t know back in 1989, most are not aware of our jewels here and only takes them to be invited by friends to come, see, get informed and fall in love with this county…..and bring their job creating small businesses along. Does not take an absent ED just appointed councilman, or any 2 or more pseudo rocket scientist at 100,000 and 73,000 compensation and over $400,000 budget of my dollars for that.
No less important, is that any child raising young couple can start that very advantageous Florida scholarship monthly saving for their child since their birthday. Put all these in writing to attract small businesses to move here and create jobs. Get a bunch of our retired professional to volunteer for some call calling as well and reward them when successful. Only problem is in this way none of the elite can take the big slice of the pie, correct…?
SAW says
Our representatives at the county level continue day dreaming at our expense, half a million here, half a million there, after all it’s only our money not theirs.
Common sense should tell them, that if our county was unable to build it’s so -called economic base, back in the height of the building boom when we had a porto potty on every other lot, why on earth would they think they can do it now.
Talk about being out of touch with reality.
Kip Durocher says
Off to a rousing start. Once again it’s a big “Screw You” to the citizens form the elected officals and the public employees.
Their motto is ~ just tell enough lies so we get what we want then the hell with the citizens.
Cozy back room crony capitalism again.
This is exactly what the Occupy people are protesting ~ the same short stick as usual.
First meeting ~ break all the promises made.
These folks can not even keep their word for a few months. It is time to hold them accountable for their lies and vote them out.
Morgan Monaco says
Another set of idiot yoyo’s, they cannot figure out what to do & waisting time & money
Ella says
Palm Coaster, That WAS an impressive list of schools last night, wasn’t it? With the credentials these people have in their backgrounds and their experience, Flagler County should have a good chance at making this work. Now this group can work with the Chamber and BAC and maybe even the schools to see what is up and coming… Imagine the possibilities if everyone works together!
Oneofthe10%whovoted says
Ella, you do not get to take taxpayer funds and then do as you damn will please. Impressive or not, the biggest hurdle faced by this group will be keeping it open to public scrutiny.
We don’t have a great track record.
palmcoaster says
Sorry Ella, but this waste of money by County was done over and over again until now …and one of your mentioned schooled excellences of this new ED committee/council, had better things to do in the first meeting than be present, at least out of respect for the dunce representatives that elected him for this position to represent “our best interest in ED”. In Florida if he does not show up for 3 meetings is out!
County wants Ed, then learn from the City of Palm Coast that now at least is trying to stay in the right track for ED on their own and as I see so far has great success at least with Lisa Gardner the City Event Coordinator organizing these self sufficient events like the Seafood Festival and the Rock Music Event at European Village, a great success and this morning Smith Races First City Thanksgiving Run that gather 375 competitors running out of our Daytona Beach College Palm Coast Campus (big Thanks to Mr. Kent Ryan at DBCC of Palm Coast Campus for the location made available). One third of the competitors were from out of town….that itself puts Palm Coast in the physical fitness map and cost nothing to the tax payers. A big appreciation to our City of Palm Coast Lisa Gardner organizer and our City Manager Mr. Landon and City Council for supporting these very positive sport and music and food events that also promote Economic Development and are not only self funding may leave a little revenue after all services paid. http://www.racesmith.com/results/2011results/FeetToFeast5K112411ag.html
Ella says
Palm Coaster, Yes, Lisa and Jim Landon do a good job in Palm Coast. I mentioned the EOC
working with the BAC in Palm Coast which serves all of Flagler. Joe Roy has some very good ideas. If having self sufficient events is your goal, how would that fit with growth in the county that could be marketed globally? Are you proposing we be a festival destination? To use the Palm Coast model, the EOC would need to have the brains behind Palm Coast’s success as a member or a mentor.
Oneofthe10%whovoted says
Well, Ella, the more open these meetings are, the more we will hear about these great efforts. I think that would be to the benefit of us all, don’t you?
Oneofthe10%whovoted says
I think the real problem is that people have had it with the unelected deciding how to spend our tax dollars. Until that bears some sort of fruit, you may expect sour grapes.
palmcoaster says
Ella…yes why not being a Festival and Sports Event destination also. That brings in outsiders to spend locally in hotels restaurants and shopping and puts us in the map. After all Florida was and maybe still is a tourism geared state. These events attract tourism and also create jobs and generate ED. Even yet more important is to attract some small businesses with nation wide and international markets with local operations to move our way….we just need to show them how much fun would be to have their small business in our playground accessing very affordable golf, tennis courses, kayaking, boating, sailing, fishing, scuba, surfing, kite surfing and wind surfing, cycling and power walking in our gorgeous free admission city and county parks.
We have a county skate boarding park in Rte 100 for those competitive kids, also basketball, soccer and football courts “free” allover the place. We just need the skate boarders invited to compete here too.
We have all that is needed including very low taxes for those small business owners elsewhere, to relocate here and start enjoying their lives better.
I just came back from the Jacksonville Airport and I see their colorful glossy free welcome media on their racks and going thru their pages I saw a collaboration and also advertising on them not only about Jacksonville Beaches etc., but also about, Pontevedra, Saint Augustine and places in Georgia, then I tell myself how come Flagler County is not mentioned? Marineland, Our fishing Pier, golf resorts in the ocean front. We use that airport as well and a amicable agreement should be presented to the Jax Airport Authority about featuring also Flagler county as didn’t see neither one brochure or rack card, about us, this morning there.
TDC and county give fortunes to FCCOC for all types of media including printed. So how come I see none of it on neither closest airport Daytona or Jax.? Much less I have ever seeing any of our costly printed media in Orlando Airport. If not our individual own, then at least have shown in those Jacksonville magazines, like Pontevedra, St Augustine and Georgia attractions do. How much cost to place and ad in the Travel Host, as was one of them at Jax Airport! If anything will be consider regarding this suggestion all three airports should be contacted as Flagler County residents use them as well and should have the right of a little more exposure.
Oneofthe10%whovoted says
Well said, Palmcoaster. We should be doing the same at all 3 airports. Have never seen another community with the failure rate this one has over economic development.
If we had a Chamber worth it’s salt, they’d be meeting regularly and PUBLICLY with their PAYING MEMBERS over ideas like this. That is what a Chamber is supposed to do. What exactly is it they DO over there?
palmcoaster says
@Onofthe10%whovoted. Exactly the Chamber staff and board activities are all fixed at lobbying hard and all the time for receiving more taxpayers monies and also lobbying for developers like Ginn’s and Centex charades. I still have the deceiving T–Shirt with the Palm Coast Resort rendition handed by them. Today a vacant parcel in place of our beloved hotel and the centenary oaks gone. At the same time are very much embroiled in these political follies manipulating candidates of their choice that will lobby as well in their favor if elected. That is a lot of hard work right there. Then comes the hard work of using and distributing those taxpayers funds once acquire and in the most advantageous ways to benefit their chosen elite circle…never mind about tourism promotion or economic development. That is why that costly media can only be seeing, if any, just in this county, so they can prove they invested in some, other than strategically displayed in our aiports or tourism magazines.
Regarding what they do for their members?. If one is not on their favorite elite circle they do nothing else than contact you to sell you ads in their Chamber phone book or Chamber Magazine which production is outsource out of this county, never mind their local business members to be awarded those jobs and like everything else they produce for Tourism Development Council media etc. So they can raise more money to pay the salaries of the ever growing staff and “their pat each others backs” in selected invitational functions at Ginn’s Sundance yacht. Red tape bureaucracy is what the local FCCO(U)O is busy at, while our County Commisioners and TDC hand them out our hard earned tax dollars.
PalmCoastPioneers says
Reply to Palm Coaster – We didn’t get any Tee Shirts…and we paid a lot for all these Amenities the first time around in 1971…
Palm Coaster – You must be in one of the elite clubs to get a free tee shirt; we didn’t get any…but…we are only in the ‘paying for it twice club’…are you a member of that Club or don’t you want to be a member…no free tee shirts for this club tho’…?
We checked and checked and checked the ‘Official Records’ at H.U.D. and the ‘ Official Records ‘ of the Federal Trade Commissions’ ‘Consent Agreement’ and Federally ordered ‘Compliance Report’ for Palm Coast….and sadly there is no mention of ITT having to give us Tee Shirts as Redress – they were only federally ordered to give us as REDRESS many multi million dollar Amenities with features and acreage and Improvements….but no tee shirts sadly..
ROFLMAO…..
twice
palmcoaster says
@PalmCoastPioneers. Those T-shirts were handed down by the Chamber of Commerce reps present to all that wanted one, at the meeting for the residents, government officials, Chamber and their lobbyed Centex, held at (if I recall well) in the FlaglerAuditorium to present us and convince us all of the wonderful Palm Coast Resort to be built replacing our beloved former Sheraton Hotel that will also create double than the current 300 jobs then, in the exhisting ITT hotel. Never said those centenary oaks will be destroyed, never said the Palm Coast Marina launching ramp will be closed to us. I think that was around 2000.
Next link describes the ongoing saga of what today is a vacant land that replaced our beloved hotel our the centenary oaks and its 300 jobs, never to be recovered and next to the boarded launching ramp and Marina now. So far, I was not able to find the way to create a link showing this T-shirt pic. I haven’t given up yet.
http://www.gotoby.com/news/Centex_drops_Palm_Coast_Resort_hotel_project.htm
Dear Pioneer I am not in any elite circle…all my information including T-shirt, I get by being involved and inquisitive to what is the past present and future of our lovely Palm Coast and this county. To me is just a matter of preserving what is the best of what we have and not let special greedy interest, to destroy it, if can be prevented.
PalmCoastPioneers says
Palmcoaster – we were only teasing you about the free Tee Shirts which we didn’t get.
(-:
PalmCoastPioneers says
Palmcoaster – Did you see that Stantec Corporation right now is evaluating ‘The Core’ of Palm Coast called ‘Palm Coast Parkway East’ Project.
palmcoaster says
PCPioneer I always like your comments even if teasing. Back then sure, you got much more than a Tee Shirt as those were the real nice times. I sure miss that ocean front pool for Palm Coasters and also the one at the Tennis Players Club that we could access via annual membership of only $250/year. I do not care to have a pool at my house is too much work at my age. I miss our ITT Sheraton on the Intracoastal for quiet dinners and fun cocktails at the often crowded bar, where a familiar face always welcomed us…kind of like in Cheers. Our good FC Chamber then, holding our social hours there as well as the gourmet festivals at the huge Intracoastal gazebo. No more…..I can’t wait for our city to recover that Marina and vacant land from Pulte now an open a nice bar /finger food on the water for boaters and all creating some of the 300 jobs lost. After all was our ammenity grandfathering and taken away and neither Centex and or Pulte are in compliance now. Perfect time for take over! Daytona Beach owns the marina on the Intracoastal as well as the whole adjacent Halifax complex, why can’t we. Now is the time.
Bob E. says
palmcoaster, I am at a loss to understand what you are saying about Centex or Pulte being not in compliance with the Palm Coast Resort property. What are they not in compliance with? They have paid the taxes yearly and are in compliance with that, meaning they are current. What have they done that makes you want the government you dislike so much to “recover that Marina” and “Perfect time for take over”!. How can the government take someone’s property, it is not an eminent domain issue. On what basis would they do that? There is no requirement that Centex or Pulte provide anything on this property, just as there is no requirement that you do the same on your property.
palmcoaster says
Yes unfortunately I am aware of the Parkway East proposals.. In the meeting…thou Councilman Meeker said city wanted beautify and redevelop our area of the Parkway East, after about 3 hours, of telling us allover again what we all know, the real reason surfaced….about “some advised/ projected new and modern malls as gathering places for us” like the ones in the several Villages around Florida. In fact is all about the owners of these vacant parcels wanting to over build more. Like we need more empty mall stores correct? Do we need anymore condos in this side also….? What we need is to get back the amenities that were taken away from us and put them back to work as our Palm Harbor Golf course was done. Enforce that the current bank or whoever owns the Tennis Players Courts facilities in Palm Harbor Pkwy, maintain them or just repossess them. They want now 4 million for those and are out of their mind overpriced on our current real state markets. The Old Hammock condos development and what “it seemed like a million boat docks” proposed years ago and that we opposed for lack of sufficient infrastructure and fire fighting sufficient access. That is the parcel on the island to the south side of the Club House Drive bridge. So better go to the next meeting…because these parcel owners probably are asking for all types of exceptions to achieve their development goals.
The consultant even hinted maybe some type of commercial development where the old Tennis Players Club is located. My question is how come these banks denied better mortgage deals or mortgages at all now for residential, but are willing to fund these millionaire commercial property blunders that are defaulting loans allover, as well. Differential bank treatment..naahhhh!
palmcoaster&Matanzas Woods says
Our Matanzas Woods neighbors saga. How much “we the taxpayers” aka city paid for the land in Rte 100 next Town Center in Bulldog Drive…wasn’t that like 2.5 million? Please confirm. Now this Putnam Bank has the 11 acres in Matanzas for sale as preapproved Saw Grass Development for condos against those residents best interest and for a price of half a million and no takers? Well city “should not swap”, but instead make an offer for the greedy bank acres in Matanzas and lower than the 500,000 asking price, as so far no takers. Then city sells the land in Rte 100 at “over 2.5 million” that we paid for. This should be the way to conduct business benefiting us the city tax payers and the city coffers. Why a swap, where we, the tax payers, that own the valuable land in Rte 100, then will be sold cheap? The fact the land doesn’t have utilities should no be a reason for selling it for less. What is valuable is location, location, location in Town Center. No swap please..The bank has a lawyer discussing the deal? so we do and is our city attorney!
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2011/11/27/palm-coast-land-deal-pursued-to-soothe-
matanzas-woods-residents.html
palmcoaster&Matanzas Woods says
To Bob E. are you a latest arrival? Looks like you missed to read my line; “was our amenity grand fathering and taken away”
As per the ITT/ICDC filing with the Federal Trade Commission when developing Palm Coast late seventies and also while these amenities were advertised to all the buyers of these house/lots properties by ICDC. I bought here knowing that I would have the ammenities as Palm Coaster to: the free launching ramp at the Marina and could pay the membership and enjoy the Players Tennis Club and the Sun Sport Resort pool on the ocean front as well. Then ITT decided to leave and take our amenities away by selling them. Something wrong with that picture no matter which way is looked at. Is it lawful to sell the same item twice? What makes you think I dislike our local government..? I just dislike only, the costly mistakes made over and over again by insisting to put the wagon in front of the horse too often.
Ella says
Palm Coaster, If money is being spent on marketing and no materials are present in Jax, where IS our information being shown? Palm Coast sent out postcards for very little money… How does the Sportiing Events and Festival Theme fit in with the regional plan for the next 5 years? Is it compatitable?
palmcoaster says
To Bob E. are you a latest arrival? Looks like you missed to read my line; ” was our amenity grand fathering and taken away”
As per the ITT/ICDC filing with the Federal Trade Commission when developing Palm Coast and also while these amenities were advertised to all the buyers of these house/lots properties by ICDC. I bought here knowing that I would have the ammenities as Palm Coaster to: the free launching ramp at the Marina and could pay the membership and enjoy the Players Tennis Club and the Sun Sport Resort pool on the ocean front as well. Then ITT decided to leave and take our amenities away by selling them. Something wrong with that picture no matter which way is looked at. Is it lawful to sale the same item twice? What makes you think I dislike our local government..? I just dislike only, the costly mistakes made over and over again by the insisting to put the wagon in front of the horse too often. See PC Pioneer lines above regarding our amenities…”they were only federally ordered to give us as REDRESS many multi million dollar Amenities with features and acreage and Improvements…”
PalmCoastPioneers says
Reply :
Based on the United States Federal Trade Commission ‘Consent Agreement’ C-2854 and Federally ordered 15 year ‘Compliance Report’ with Exhibits A and Exhibits B for Palm Coast.
Real simple. We are here; the Federally ordered REDRESS for us and newer Palm Coasters isn’t.
palmcoaster says
Ella, I am making the same question to myself all the time .I believe we are being duped big time by the local Chamber when it comes to the “very costly publicity, printed or aired” that is not being strategically display or just seeing. If you are one of their members should have the right to ask them or TDC that funds it and while you are at it ask them proof of how many scholarships have they funded in the last 9 years, as they flag. But not here say, documentation instead. I think the Festivals plans are very compatible with our regional development and the City is doing great on this so far.. The city of Palm Coast try for the first time mailing those information cards/packets to the lot owners. The outcome yet not made public and would be beneficial to know wether positive or not that outcome was, as is a way of learning what works.
Festival events are self sufficient and good source of revenue as the next example shown and taken with I-Phones:
http://news.yahoo.com/andrea-bocelli-live-central-park-tenors-free-concert-175607444.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6tG4r3TP7E&feature=related
palmcoaster says
The Matanzas issue I tried to post incorrectly before about our Matanzas Woods neighbors saga.
How much “we the taxpayers” aka city paid for the land in Rte 100 next Town Center in Bulldog Drive…wasn’t that like 2.5 million? Please confirm. Now this Putnam Bank has the 11 acres in Matanzas for sale as pre approved Saw Grass Development for condos against those residents best interest and for a price of half a million and no takers? Well city “should not swap”, but instead make an offer for the greedy bank acres in Matanzas and lower than the 500,000 asking price, as so far no takers. Then city sells the land in Rte 100 at “over 2.5 million” that we paid for. This should be the way to conduct business benefiting us the city tax payers and the city coffers. Why a swap, where we, the tax payers, that own the valuable land in Rte 100, then will be sold cheap? The fact the land doesn’t have utilities should no be a reason for selling it for less. What is valuable is location, location, location in Town Center. No swap please..The bank has a lawyer discussing the deal? so we do and is our city attorney!
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2011/11/27/palm-coast-land-deal-pursued-to-soothe-
matanzas-woods-residents.html
PalmCoastPioneers says
Reply to Palm Coaster:
The parcels you speak of in Matanzas Woods are the parcels set aside by ITT known as ‘Reserved Parcels’ set aside for future Schools, or Police Department, or a Firehouse , Cemetary , or a Park for their Matanzas Woods Neighborhood and for any and all other items that the Community of Matanzas Woods would need when they reached ‘Build Out’.
They are also under ‘AGREEMENTS” for Palm Coast with I.T.T. and The State of Florida Deparment of Community Affairs. To our knowledge there are ‘Three Agreements’ with the State of Florida for Palm Coast.
They are known as ‘Blue Lands’. There are very specific uses only that those parcels set aside in ALL the Communities of Palm Coast can be used for…as long as they do NOT exceed the Density Requirements.
To our knowledge the density should be ‘…..2.7 per acre…less than that of Beverly Hills…’
‘Multi Family’ is NOT listed in the approved land uses for these ‘Reserved Parcels’.
ALL Parcels are ‘Color Coded’ in Palm Coast. ie. the ‘Blue Lands’ are the ‘Reserved Parcels’, then there are tan lands, yellow lands, orange for the Four Industrial Parks we are supposed to have, etc. They are in the MAP ROOM at the Department of Community Affairs.
We pleaded with the Department of Community Affairs to PLEASE not throw out the MAPS when the Department of Community Affairs recently underwent a change. We were assured they would be saved since they are Palm Coast Heritage and History and could be retrieved when and if Palm Coast ever gets a Museum as Flagler Beach and other Florida Leadership Cities already have.
Every Prospective Buyer received a copy of these MAPS so the prospective Buyers could use serious and mature thought as to WHERE they wanted to buy their parcel of land. Obviously the closer to the Amenities, the higher the prices; the furthest away , the least expensive.
These MAPS were required by Federal Order and the Federal ‘Consent Agreement’ required ITT to inform all ‘ Future Salespersons’ of the Federal Orders / Agreements.
The issues facing the Community of Matanzas Woods will face ALL the Communities of Palm Coast. For instance, for the Community of Palm Harbor – the designated and recorded streets of Country Club Cove, Cambridge Court, and Cypress Court all listed and recorded in the ‘Official Records’ as supposed to be ….Single Family….
Palm Coaster – thats why we asked about STANTEC, a Canadian Co. operating under Canadian Law and how they were approaching the United States Federal Law since ‘Country Club Cove’, ‘Cambridge Court’ and ‘Cypress Court’ fall within the Federally Ordered United States ‘Compliance ‘ Report for Palm Coast. We do not know International Law.
PalmCoaster..we share all the above becauase we would like to know .what did STANTEC say about these areas within the United States Federal Trade Commissions’ ‘Consent Agreement’ and United States Federal Trade Commissions’ Federally ordered ‘Compliance Report’ for the lands/ acreage of Palm Coast ?
Advise please, Thank You!
Layla says
Maybe it is time to hire a law firm for a class action lawsuit consult? Just to make sure we are being fairly treated under the terms of that federal agreement?
palmcoaster says
You got that right Lyla look what is happening to our Matanzas Woods neighbors now…they want to build apartments on lands that are still shown in the county maps as originally assigned and filed with the Federal Trade Commission by ITT/ICDC (ITT Community Development Corporation) as “single family units location” only. No multifamily condos. On top of the awful neglected Matanzas Golf Course they are enduring now.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2011/11/29/group-closes-deal-for-3-palm-coast-golf-courses.html
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2011/11/27/palm-coast-land-deal-pursued-to-soothe-matanzas-woods-residents.html
http://matanzaswoods.webs.com/neighborhhoodcontacts.html
We residents in the city need to go for class action on a contingency basis to recover all our amenities and original land designations “as we were sold” before 2001 when we bought from the developer ICDC. I am now gathering the information on the Parkway East meeting notified to adjacent residents regarding redevelopment with (just learned Canadian owned) Stantec. This take more time to answer to PC Pioneers, as I do it while busy working, as yet, I am not retired or either up there with the 1%
Layla says
It’s happening everywhere in Palm Coast. Until I arrived here, I was stupid enough to believe that a comprehensive plan could not be changed.
If people could see some of the developments ALREADY APPROVED that they don’t know about, they’d flip. They’d also flip if they knew that there was good ol’ government funding going into some.
You might want to take a gander at the following and then start asking questions:
http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/sustainable-development-article.html
It appears there is now a construction “incentive” to build these high rises, whether the community can support them or not.
palmcoaster says
Right now coming back from Publix I see at the Community Center signs for a Public Hearing…there from 5 to 7PM now…and when I asked told me is about the Matanzas Parkway and interchange with I95….? Anyone going here?
PalmCoastPioneers says
Reply to Palm Coaster:
We are sorry to impose it is just that we contacted Statec Corporate in Canada and also asked the Project Manager to answer our two little questions.
They are
1. What is their Mission Statements of the Parkway East Project.
2. What are their Goals and Objectives of this Parkway East Project.
We haven’t received any answers from Stantec; perhaps they are busy .
Thank you again and we will watch here at Flaglerlive and await the info. if you have it.
Thanks.
palmcoaster says
I went to this public hearing called in by Flagler County above, about the Matanzas Woods Pkwy project to access I95 by the interchange ramps. The total cost will be about over 35 millions and will be completed in 3 stages. First one will cost “initially” 9 millions for the ramps into I95 itself. The county will contribute $700,000 the rest of the first face is federally and state funded and will be done by 2015.
Second and third stage will include the needed widening of Matanzas Parkway west to Rte 1 and east to Old Kings Rd for the remaining of the 35 millions that surely could be more by then. Funds will be acquired thru federal and state grants. Matanzas Parkway overpass bridge will be widen to enclose 4 lanes of 12′ wide each and a 8 ft sidewalk in the south side and a 5 ft sidewalk in the north side…The whole project may be finished around 2020 as presented. We were about 40 residents present and only 5 spoke after the presentation one resident very strongly welcoming the project and asking to do start with it right now. Three other residents strongly opposed it because its location next to the high school and the negative impact on it as well as the surrounding homes regarding safety risk for potential criminal element accessing their neighborhoods from I 95, Also the lack of commercial services like gas stations etc. to service the access.. 36 and 49 homes will be impacted by noise on those ramps that will have to be addressed as well. This was questioned as well by the last resident speaker.
My account above only gives a general information of this meeting…any errors found, be my guest to correct. probably something about it documentation can be found in the city of Palm Coast or County web sites. I asked some questions regarding the funding of this project and “our lady county engineer” was very gracious and cordial to answer it.
PalmCoastPioneers says
Palmcoaster:
Thank you very much for the update of the Matanzas Parkway Meeting and Project.
We were though asking about Stantecs role in the ‘Parkway East Project’. Any news about that the Mission Statements and Goals and Objectives of that Project.
Thank you very much.
palmcoaster says
To Pioneer: Few written comments of some of the city notified residents on the meeting:
http://palmcoastgov.com/CityDocs/Misc/Comments%20from%20Public%20Workshop-November%2010.pdf
http://palmcoastgov.com/PEQ/
CITYWIDE AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP
On October 21, 2008, the City Council adopted Ordinance # 2008-23 whereby amending the City of Palm Coast Official Zoning Map. The purpose of a citywide amendment to the Official Zoning Map was to implement the provisions of the City’s first Unified (complete) Land Development Code that was adopted by City Council on August 19, 2008. The amended Official Zoning Map went into effect November 16, 2008 (90 days after adoption).
To view the Official Zoning Map adopted on August 19, 2008, visit Community Development on this website. http://palmcoastgov.com/Government/Departments/Community_Development/LDC.aspx
PalmCoastPioneers says
Reply to PalmCoaster:
Thank you very very much. You efforts are much appreciated by us.
We did not fill out the Questionnaire because we have regularly and repeatedly asked F. Meeker to give us back our stuff as suggested by Honorable State of Florida State Attorney Pam Bondi since she said either Lawyer Up…or contact local Authorities.
We have not heard back from F. Meeker; perhaps he is busy.
We have also still not heard back from Stantec; perhaps they are busy.
Sadly, it appears what is happening to the Community of Matanzas Woods with their ‘Reserved Parcels’ may be happening more in the Community of Palm Harbor RE: Country Club Place, Cambridge Court, and Cypress Court. Those are the recorded single family streets on the Golf Course side of Clubhouse Drive where our pledged Amenity 64′ on of a kind ‘Observation Tower’ was demolished.
We also share your thoughts; it is very sad to have NO TRESPASSING signs and fences up around our pledged Marina Complex / Palm Coast Resort #2 so we can’t enjoy the Boat Ramp, the Intracoastal Pavilion and the Intracoastal Dock. Very sad indeed.
plus losing 300 jobs for the struggling Palm Coasters…
Very sad indeed.
Again, Thank you very much. We will continue to watch *Flagler Live* for updates. Thank you also.
palmcoaster says
To Pioneer and all Palm Coasters:
We better be aware of the following events regarding the widening “needed and unavoidable due to traffic increment” of the Palm Coast Parkway and also the Hammock Dunes Bridge. The bridge at least is the obligation of ITT/ its subsidiary Admiral and their obligation ends coming February…Then we Palm Coasters will get stuck paying for the bridge and Palm Harbor widening….Better watch these county commissioners selling us cheap again like they did in our backs back since 1998 by associating with ITT like they did before and letting go free of their contractual and fiduciary obligation as developer of Palm Coast…They already sold our amenities violating the Federal Trade Commission filed redress and now they want to stick it again to us while associating to rich their greedy goals with Flagler County Commission. This time I have to appreciate our city council and city manager Landon for their stand as Palm Coast needs to win this issue.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2011/12/01/palm-coast-itt-subsidiary-spar-over-hammock-dunes-bridge-widening.html
palmcoaster says
Sorry my error, I meant to type: “reach” not “rich” their greeady goals. Very overwhelming full time job to keep up with with what is taking place around our local governments and their position regarding developers special interest versus residents best interest.
palmcoaster says
After finding one more typo, “greedy”, I am thinking that the “Lawyer up… class action on a contingency basis should be contemplated and now the obligation to fund the widening of the Hammock Dunes Bridge and Parkway should be added to: the list of amenities sold twice and stripped from us, all the comprehensive land development plans surreptitiously changed without input or knowledge notifications to the affected owners and the 5 million cost of repairing our Palm Harbor Golf Course damaged by Centex as well, after we got it back from them.