Last Monday, following custom, the County Commission reorganized and elected Leann Pennington chair and Kim Carney vice chair. Andy Dance had been chair for two years. It took all of three minutes.
At one point Greg Hansen nominated Dance to continue as chair, but Dance immediately declined. That was typical of Dance, who since his election to the School Board in 2008 has been the model of statesmanship. He said it was time to let Pennington have the title. She was elected three years ago. She’s also been a model of critical and engaged representation. She earned it.
By seniority, Kim Carney and Greg Hansen could easily have made a play for the chair. They each have a decade’s service as elected officials. Both have chaired government boards before, both know the county and bring seasoned perspective to the table. But they refrained, because Hansen has term-limited himself, and because Carney knows she’ll get her turn in a year or two. Hansen and Carney also know that Pennington makes up in temperament and discerning judgment what little she may lack in experience.
Now compare that to the nine-hour Furry horror picture show the following day and night and day at the School Board. It didn’t take long after the departure of the measured Derek Barrs for the School Board to revert to its dysfunction. Its latest disgrace starred Will Furry as the best and the greatest there ever was in a grasp for vice, with Christy Chong winning the dishonor of most craven boot-licker in a supporting role.
After making a play for the chair herself, Lauren Ramirez gave her vote to Chong, figuring she’d get the vice chair role. She obviously did not know Furry and Chong don’t play by those rules. The board is their playground. Furry is the bully. Chong is the groupie.
They love their title. Governance seems beyond them. Furry was a mediocre shadow in real estate. Chong holds a real job as a nurse, but on the board she seems bored to no end. Both had the anointing of Parkview Church’s Greg Peters, who likes to play powerbroker between bouts of vanity. In three years neither has a signature initiative to their own credit other than firing people, banning pride symbols, flouting the Sunshine Law and trying like hell to arm school employees. They disingenuously count the hiring of Superintendent LaShakia Moore as credit. But that was atonement for the lynching of Cathy Mittlestadt, and more importantly, it was a collective effort unlikely to have happened without Colleen Conklin and Cheryl Massaro, especially since the others originally had someone else in mind.
With the departure of Conklin and Massaro two years ago, and with the support of a former unhinged board member, now also departed, Furry and Chong could slither into the leadership roles they sought Tuesday. When each nominee for chair took turns making the case for themselves, Janie Ruddy delivered the equivalent of a closing argument–with evidence of her accomplishments in just a year, reasoning, coherence–that would have swayed any jury. Ramirez did likewise, with controlled passion.
Chong said she wanted it because she wanted it. She’d run a good meeting. She’s viced for two years. That was it. She had nothing else to offer. She’s running for re-election, and saying “I’m chair of the school board” at least gives her something to say in her fourth year.
Furry, like Greg Hansen, has term-limited himself, though Furry has done so in a farcical run for Congress in a race he’s already lost. Even if he wasn’t running to nowhere, he should have let someone else take the vice chair role after two years as chair. Anything else is sleazy.
It was also an embarrassing display of mansplaining as Furry inaccurately condescended to Ramirez on her lack of experience in words he never used when his submissive vassal Chong, with less civic and business experience than Ramirez has in her middle finger, became vice two years ago. As she pressured Ramirez to yield, Chong kept silent the fact that Massaro and Conklin, who were chairing boards before Chong was born, handed her the vice chair role even though she had only one year on the board.
And for nine hours, Furry and Chong blocked the brainier side of the board as Ruddy and Ramirez offered eloquence and sanity to Furry and Chong’s tantrums.
In a final show of grace, and proving who the real leader was, Ramirez conceded. She and Moore, who’s always been the real chair of this board anyway, had conferences and meetings to get to far out of town the next day. Furry clearly had all day (it was 3 a.m. by then).
Furry and Chong are chair and vice chair in title only. They fought an ugly, vulgar battle that mirrored their character. They won the battle. They lost the School Board, and whatever respect they imagined they still bore in this community. The future, like the true leadership of this board, belongs to Ramirez and Ruddy.
Pierre Tristam is the editor of FlaglerLive. A version of this piece airs on WNZF.
Jim says
Of everything in the article, it was news to me that Chong is going to run for re-election! Oh, what great news! I really figured she’d have enough sense to know that she has no credibility and there are few, if any, in this county who have any respect for her or desire to see her on the board for another term.
So, long winded as I am, I’m looking forward to the next election. I’m just wondered how badly Chong will get crushed (by basically any breathing mammal that runs against her). It’ll be something to look forward to. And, after that happens, does anyone think she has the ability to finally understand that she’s been a nothing, a loser and Furry’s b—- all along?
Stay tuned!
The dude says
You vastly underestimate the power of the tribal olds in this area. A red hat gets them all excited and leaves them a little confused… that’s all it takes to win in central Floriduh.
Cares about quality education says
Furry and Chong clearly lack the intellect to serve on the school board, much less guide it. Hacks. And disgraceful. They’ve made our community look like a collection of bumpkins for having elected them. We cannot be rid of them soon enough.
Zuppa de pesce says
Sooo, Chong and Furry are the victims, because they wanted it, lol.
Thank God for Commissioner Lauren Ramirez
CC says
Just wondering why don’t we have at least one member of the school board be a teacher……someone who is familiar with our education system……..either elected or appointed by the superintendent?
FlaglerLive says
Janie Ruddy has more than a dozen years’ experience as a teacher.
Michael J Cocchiola says
MAGAs continue to maraud and pillage through our community. There will be consequences in the next election.
Joe D says
You are totally correct…there SHOULD be COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY during elections. Unfortunately in very RECENT YEARS….(technically outside of the SUPPOSEDLY “non-party affiliated” School Board candidates…until the current law to change it winds through Florida Courts)…once the local and National MAGA Leaders speak….too many MAGA “sheeple” just BLINDLY follow what “DONALD” or “RON” says, regardless of the candidate’s incompetence ( in my opinion)….Randy Fine as a local PRIME EXAMPLE (again in my opinion). ???the BEST candidates we can produce???
I was SADDENED when I saw the comment by someone on this Blog, quoting a Republican friend as saying, “They would rather vote for a bad Republican than a good Democrat.” REALLY!?! What does that say of our democracy?
I’ve voted in all but one election…local and National ( missed it due to having to work later than the polls were open) since my first one as an 18 yr old ( one of the first group of 18 yr olds allowed to vote)…now in my 70’s, I have voted for SEVERAL local, and National Republican AND Democratic candidates over the years…because I take time to look at the PERSON, and not only the PARTY! CLEARLY I am in the minority…
Now….the current administrations in Florida AND Washington…demand that I can favor only one side or the other….we currently have no COMPROMISED MIDDLE GROUND.
How UNFORTUNATE for the future of our Country. You can’t have a functioning democracy when you exclude approximately 1/2 of the population from meaningful input to how the government is run. I no longer see much of the terms “Bipartisanship” and “Working across the aisle,” when legislation is discussed. Even election “losers” still need to have a voice!
Here's my opinion says
Furry is a nothing and a loser.
The only reason he got elected is because of the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee (again). I was there in attendance at the monthly meetings at Pine Lakes Country Club, so I know. That’s along with all the other mindless voters in Flagler County who do no research on political candidates and just vote “R” only to then complain when these idiots get into office. He was also backed by a certain “pastor” and her minions who are also members of the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee.
Recently I drove by what used to be the long-time Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club. You know, the place with the 25 meter heated swimming pool that was open year-round, and which served many members of the community for pleasure and for health for many many years (at least 45 years, I know because I was swimming laps usually 2 miles a day there as far back as 1984).
The pool sits there maintained but completely unused since Chong and Furry closed the pool to the public thereby taking away a wonderful place of enjoyment for so many years. It was one of my primary sources of full body workout.
The demise of the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club is a testament to the negativity wrought by Will Furry and Christy Chong in the community of Palm Coast and Flagler County.
That 25 meter heated pool which was open year-round just sits there now unused. It still is and has to be maintained. Apparently it’s rented out for parties. Regardless of how many parties it’s rented out for at the weekend, that revenue most likely doesn’t cover the cost of maintenance. It’s still usable and maintained, but Chong and Furry made sure no one in the community is allowed to use it. Neither Furry nor Chong would ever admit they made a mistake. And yes, I’m aware that the gym facility was turned in to the Flagler Schools health center.
Also, Furry lied about his education. He has a high school education and that’s it. From my research he hadn’t done much with his life before the school board run and was apparently involved in some bankrupt enterprises. But the loser that he was and is got elected because of his backing by a certain “pastor” and the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee (one of the most destructive political forces in the county).
As usual, we get a lot of losers running for office claiming to be something they’re not and the general voting public is only too happy to go along with their charade. At least he didn’t claim to be a military veteran.
I’m hoping he disappears into the ether of Flagler County along with Christy Chong.
Regarding Christy Chong, based on her performance on the school board, I certainly wouldn’t want her as my healthcare provider.
At present there are ZERO swimming pools operating for the public in Flagler County and Palm Coast. In a community of over 100,000. If you want to swim, it’s a 30 minute drive to Ormond Beach or to the Daytona State College Aquatic Center (45 minutes). That’s one way.
The City of Palm Coast touts the “PC Aquatic Center”. But it’s currently closed for the winter and in the summer for some unknown reason, the city cuts operating hours to opening at 10AM and it closes at 6pm . . . that’s during the summer folks when sunrise is at 6am. It opens at the hottest part of the day. How’s that for how the City of Palm Coast operates? The pool is additionally closed during the year for “maintenance” which could have been done during the winter months when the facility is completely closed to the public.
Wrapping it up Furry and Chong but especially Furry have and will continue to cast negativity and destruction upon Flagler County in their school board positions. We can only pray that the months go quickly by until they get voted off the school board.
Judith G. Michaud says
How sad for Flagler schools! I pray they leave their Red Hat politics out of our school system, but I highly doubt it! What is wrong with the people here? Are the blind to what is being done to our educational system, let alone our freedoms? I get sick to my stomach as I still have 2 grandchildren in public schools here. Thirty years ago, this was a wonderful place to bring up kids ! MAGA has made a mess !
Taxpayer says
Can we please start electing new qualified faces in Flagler County with uplifting ideas for the best of the community.