Flagler County Attorney Al Hadeed said Friday that Planning Board member Heather Haywood, who has made false and public accusations against Commissioner Greg Hansen, has not been responsive to a public record request, and what she has submitted about “Hansen” is deemed “inauthentic”–that is, either fabricated or part of a scam.
The County Commission on Monday is to vote on whether to retain Haywood’s membership on the planning board or to remove her.
It isn’t clear who is at the source of the inauthentic record, other than Haywood being half of the alleged exchange. What is clear is that it did not come from Hansen. Yet when Haywood finally submitted a screen shot of the purported record, on Dec. 11–20 days after the initial request and a week after the County Commission voted to reconsider her membership on the board in light of her mischaracterization and apparent non-compliance–the subject line of her email with the record was: “Hansen’s Facebook.”
There was no indication from Haywood that she believed the text was inauthentic, or that she may have been the target of a common scam, when a Facebook user impersonates another and develops a phishing sales pitch, as seems obvious from the screen shot she did send. Rather, in her submittal email to Adam Mengel, the county’s planning director, she asked flippantly: “What’s the latest scandal drama around water cooler?” The county has not taken to her flippancy, paired as it has been with the disparity between Haywood’s claims, or the absence of evidence of her claims.
“The County Attorney’s office is not satisfied with where things stand and will so report to the County Commission meeting this coming Monday,” Hadeed said. “We are not persuaded that we have received everything that she may have. Additionally, we are concerned that the record which she most recently sent is inauthentic.”
The Facebook Messenger exchange purports to have been started by “Hansen” on Oct. 23, when he asked Haywood how she was. “I’m doing good Hansen how are you??” Haywood replied at a little after 6 p.m. At 2 a.m. the next day, “Hansen” tells her he tested positive for strep, was otherwise fine, and asked her, “have you heard about the OAG program?” The odd reference to a Social Security Administration program and the time of the text might have raised an eyebrow or two.
It’s not clear when Haywood answered. But she asked “Hansen” if she had received her “message.” He said he had not, nor has Haywood submitted that message as part of her compliance with the record request. She asked “Hansen” if they could “grab coffee.”
On Nov. 6, “Hansen” said he was too busy for coffee, then wrote: “Let me ask you, and I apologize, I heard that you are going through a divorce? I’m trying to figure out whether you have worked through your differences and if you are living back together?” Haywood replied: “Umm ?? No I am not going through a divorce. I am divorced. This is what we need to discuss. The wrong questions are being asked and I feel under attacked [sic.] by one of your board members. I don’t like it. When can we connect?”
The county’s attorney’s office had Hansen and the county’s IT department review the exchange. Both said it was inauthentic. Hansen does not use Facebook Messenger or its derivatives. Asked if Haywood has attempted to portray the message as a scam, Hadeed said: “If that’s what she’s claiming, I’m not aware of that. I don’t know. To my knowledge we’ve not had any clarifying explanation. We have advised her that we do not believe it’s authentic.” Haywood never attempted to authenticate the message with Hansen before making her accusation.
He added: “The Board of County Commissioners is going to make the decision about whether she can continue to hold her seat on the Planning and Development Review Board, and separately, we’ll have to make the decision about what to do with the lack of production of public records and with the submittal of what is apparently an inauthentic record.”
Haywood’s membership on the planning board was the subject of questions and controversy long before the records issue. The County Commission appointed Haywood to the seven-member board in February 2022 as an at-large member. After her election to the commission that November, Leann Pennington started questioning how Haywood, who was homesteaded in Volusia County, could be serving on a development board in Flagler. When she applied for the Flagler seat, Haywood had not disclosed her homestead status in Volusia. She listed her residence in Flagler, where she has rented since her divorce. She has also kept her DeLand home as the licensing address for her real estate license, and listed that DeLand address on her Planning Board application as her business address.
The matter came to a head at the October 19 meeting of the commission, when Pennington pressed for Haywood’s removal. Haywood was not the only non-homesteaded person on a local advisory board, or the planning board. In the end, commissioners agreed to clarify membership disclosure requirements and qualifications for the county’s various advisory boards, including removing any requirement of homesteading, as long as the applicant is a Flagler County resident. Commissioners also agreed to keep Haywood on the board. But none have an out-of-county homestead.
But a short time earlier, Haywood had addressed the commission to explain her circumstances after her divorce, describing her homestead status there as essentially a technicality. “This could have been resolved so much differently,” she told the commissioners, then, picking up her phone, read a statement that included her accusations: “I have dealt the last five months of rumors being spread by Leanne in the community about my divorce, who I was in good graces with, whose back pocket I have been in,” she said. “I have spent the last five months answering extremely personal questions via text message from the people that she has chosen to speak to, and Mr. Hansen, I answered your very, very personal questions via Facebook Messenger, despite the fact that I felt that they had very much crossed the line. My divorce is none of anybody’s business.”
Though she had her phone in her hand, presumably including the messages she was referring to, including Hansen’s, she at no point gave an example or more precisely documented her allegations.
FlaglerLive the next morning, on Nov. 21, filed a public record request to Haywood “for any and all electronic communications, including emails, texts or messenger communications, you have received or sent to anyone, including Greg Hansen, regarding the qualifications for or questions about your tenure on the county planning board, since Oct. 1 and through Nov. 21.” The message was copied to the county attorney’s office, with a note to the attorneys to ensure that the request is complied with, and that there would be “no patience for delays or resistance on Ms. Haywood’s part.”
Delays, resistance, truculence, offensive and bigoted comments by email from Haywood to the attorneys followed, referencing the “mongrel” author of the request, questioning his citizenship status, describing it as “harassing” and potentially “dangerous,” and making additional, false allegations about the requester “being in cahoots with Leann Pennington about my actions” (Pennington was not aware of the request).
Hadeed in a stern Nov. 30 email attempted to caution her about the consequences she may face if she did not comply. “You really need to complete the task as quickly as you can to reduce your jeopardy and the County’s,” the attorney wrote her. She did not do so.
On Dec. 4, Hadeed briefed the County Commission on Haywood’s “troubling” posturing and lack of response, given the seriousness of her allegation. Hansen said Haywood had “stood right there and lied” about him, and motioned to have her appointment to the planning board reconsidered at the Dec. 18 meeting, giving her some additional time to comply with the request. The commission agreed.
Minutes after Hadeed’s briefing, Haywood wrote him, saying she “did have time to comb my device for electronic communication [sic.]” and sent in two brief text exchanges between her and two friends (see here, here and here). None of the texts reflected the “five months” she claimed to have been “answering extremely personal questions” about her planning board status, and none included anything from Hansen. On Dec. 11, she sent the alleged “Hansen” message.
A planning board meeting was scheduled for Dec. 12. Haywood did not show up, nor did several members of the board. The meeting had to be adjourned for lack of a quorum.
She a hot mess..... says
Drama queen. We don’t someone on the planning board that doesn’t even live here.
The divorce situation, the way she tried to play Commissioner Hansen, she is dangerous. Not answering Commissioner Pennington’s questions properly.
She’s got to go, get rid of the drama queen before she cost us money from her mistakes. She seems like she is making plenty of them too….
TREEMAN says
We need a person with experience serving on a planning commission!!
Tired of it says
I may disagree with Comm. Hansen on many issues but her comments are completely out of character for him.He is a gentleman and far too intelligent to engage in such dialogue. Her actions, however speak to her character…or lack thereof. Maybe she should run for the school board, she would fit right in with the three amigos.
Michael Cocchiola says
As much as I may disagree with Greg Hansen on political issues, I know him as an honorable and principled man who would never engage in such nonsense.
Such is the life of a public figure these days.
Percy's mother says
It seems to me that people on these boards are given their positions based on who they know and who wants to push them in, not on their qualifications.
Example:
Flagler County Planning Board Chairman Fernando Melendez has close ties to Mayor David Alfin (a realtor) and former Palm Coast City councilman Eddie Branquinho (married to a realtor). His latest job is “property management”. Melendez was David Alfin’s campaign chairman when Alfin ran for mayor of Palm Coast back in 2021. Chairman Melendez has consistently lied about having a master’s degree in political science (he doesn’t) and his bachelor’s degree is also questionable. Other than the education he’s consistently lied about, he has no other qualifications for being appointed to the Flagler County Planning Board. Plus he’s only been in Flagler County for 5 years, which isn’t enough time to really know and understand the nuances of Flagler County, it’s issues and its citizens. How did Melendez get appointed to the City of Palm Coast Planning and Land Regulation Board? Most likely because of his close ties to Mayor Alfin and PC councilman Eddie Branquinho.
There are plenty of educated long-term residents of Flagler County who could fulfill the responsibilities of these board positions, but they go to people who are pushed in by the realtors they know and others with nefarious agendas (do I need to bring up the 3 school board members who’ve wreaked havoc since they were elected last year?)
How about a standardized set of requirements for anyone petitioning to be placed on any board? How about the following:
1. Education (verifiable).
2. Living and owning a home in Flagler County. In other words, is the person homesteaded in Flagler County? (but that shouldn’t be the only criteria.
3. How long have they lived in Flagler County? As a side note, there are people who’ve filed to run for public office 2024 who’ve only lived in Flagler County for a year. How could those people possibly know what’s best for Flagler County, Palm Coast and its citizens?
3. A “real” (not made up) resume, verifiable.
4. An in-person interview with each commissioner and/or city council-person.
Having close ties to realtors should be a red flag since there could be an issue with influence peddling.
In the case of Heather Haywood and Melendez, both have very close ties to Mayor David Alfin and Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston of Grand Living Realty.
Jan Reeger says
There may be plenty who “COULD” fill the positions, but they don’t apply. Note that all positions are filled by folks who APPLY. Commissioners don’t just “GO” choose the members. And I am getting very irritated at the constant INSULTS to Realtors. It is inappropriate to chastise a perfectly noble profession of many fine folks.
I wonder what your profession is. It may need a “red flag”. I also wonder if you have ever served on a board.
As to your requirements, Here are reasonable alternatives.
1. Education (high school or GED)
2. Residing in Flagler County is a must. (Ownership should definitely NOT be a requirement.)
3. A year should be sufficient. (My first year here, I knew more about the county than most ever do.)
4. One personal interview by Staff.
Laurel says
Jan Reeger: Do you feel it is a really big coincidence that so many people in local, Flagler government positions are realtors, and they have many close ties to each other? That, and the fact that development is out of control, with no real planning, just new subdivisions? Look at Palm Coast. Where the hell is downtown? Look at the Hammock, with a chain restaurant, where no chain restaurants were supposed to be allowed. Look at the more than 520 (registered) vacation rentals, owned by many out of state owners and companies, in just the Hammock alone, with results like unaffordable housing. Look at Flagler Beach, with a huge hotel going in right smack downtown, where there is already a serious lack of parking, and its plan approved without enough parking for guests and workers. Look at the big Live Oaks being torn down, and habitat lost. Look at all the very unnecessary impervious areas paving over big swaths of land, with flooding yards of residents.
Do you not see?
Again, why are so many realtors having a governmental say about what is happening here?
Ed says
Just an observation. “Do you feel it’s a really big coincidence that so many people in local Flagler government positions are realtors?”
Doesn’t it really beg to question why any Flagler Politician has a side gig or even a full time position outside the county?
Again no empirical data to support this line of thinking but wouldn’t a realtor position afford the flexibility to serve the county and still work an outside job? Flagler county is big enough that it should not be treated as a part time position.
My real point is a side gig or second job might not be necessary if the positions of authority paid enough that well qualified applicants would not have to take a financial reduction to serve. Is $65,000 enough? Assuming they are slackers and work only work 40 hours a week… $31.00/hour plus benefits may not be enough to keep them from seeking the additional “realtor’s income”
Would an effective commissioner work more hours? Probably.
Laurel says
Ed: Baloney. My husband was a commissioner in South Florida. He, and his best friend, a Silver Star, Purple Heart, Vietnam Veteran, and county Fire Fighter (man, you should have seen his funeral!) walked the whole district for votes. What they got for compensation as commissioners, was a small stipend for fuel, and no salary. They truly worked for their constituents, and listened to them. No special interests. Both had full time jobs, and still managed to get the commission jobs done. They definitely did not vote themselves raises, like these clowns, and did not capitalize on real estate, insider deals.
Percy's mother says
Well Jan, sorry you’re getting “very irritated”, but realtors don’t need a helluva lot of education, just a few (2-3) weeks of the real estate course a couple of days a week, and then the licensing exam. I also read your facebook post and noted your were also “very irritated” over on that site too.
By the way, I have more than 15+ years of additional professional education over and above high school and am licensed in the State of Florida. My license isn’t bogus, and neither is my education. My State of Florida license and education can be verified (via official transcripts). By the way, the additional 15+ yeas of education after high school doesn’t include preparing for and actually taking national board exams, licensing exams, continuing education, additional education for specialties just to name a few things. That education cost me upwards of $200,000.00 AND I paid back all my student loans, which by the way, accrue interest daily. Being able to survive through the incredible stress and intellectual grind is much different from taking a 2 to 3 (twice a week) week real estate course which only requires a high school education. So there’s something to be said for setting the bar HIGHER rather than continually lowering the bar for these positions.
What does it cost to get a real estate 2-3 week course and licensing? A few hundred dollars? Huge difference in mental capabilities. There’s no comparison in fund of knowledge and intellect to someone who has higher education versus a couple of weeks sitting in real estate school which requires nothing more than a high school education and a few hundred bucks. How many people can withstand what it takes to get a higher education? That connotes mental toughness, strength of character, someone with the strength to not give up despite all odds, someone who has the strength to keep going despite incredible exhaustion and incredible stress and someone who can continually jump through the nonstop hoops required to get to the finish line. These are just some of the traits that separate someone with a high school education and 2 to 3 weeks in a real estate course from someone with higher education, whether it be a college degree or something higher.
You were on the Bunnell City Commission. How did you benefit as a realtor and a real estate broker from that position? Did you disclose your ownership of “The Realty Shop” aka ‘R Shop” (your real estate brokerage) when you ran for that office? How many people did you tell when you were running for that seat in Bunnell that you were owner of a real estate brokerage here in Flagler County called, “The Realty Shop” also known as “R Shops” or “R Shop”. If you didn’t disclose, and weren’t transparent, why not?
This is a fact: Realtors have infiltrated the City of Palm Coast City Council, Flagler Beach Commission, Flagler County Board of Commissioners and you, on the City of Bunnell commission. PLUS the planning and regulation boards. PLUS staff positions for the City of Palm Coast. You can’t tell me none of you realtors haven’t benefitted from inside info.
I’ll state it again. Since the citizens of Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Flagler County and the City of Bunnell are very unhappy with all the development leading right back to the aforementioned city councils, city commissions, county commissions, city and county planning and land use regulation boards, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for those who apply for these seats to be completely transparent as to what their conflicts of interest may be.
By the way, I’ve been here for going on 40 years, and lived in south Florida before that (like you).
Finally, I’m very well aware that one has to APPLY to be on a board.
Maybe you’re “very irritated” because I’ve struck a nerve regarding realtors and transparency.
No need to reply to this, because I’m not interested in getting involved in a comment back and forth on FlaglerLive. I think its safe to say that a lot of citizens of Flagler County are sick and tired of realtors being involved in every city and county government entity, and that’s just the realtors we know about.
I stand by my original statement in that ALL members of city and county boards should be homesteaded.
Laurel says
Bazinga!
Thomas Hutson says
Heather Haywood
Enough already! There are more important issues in Flagler County than this ridiculous topic. All Flagler County Voters have to do to correct this problem is VOTE in 2024 for candidates that will remove all these “DRAMA” queens. It’s time to clean house starting at the top. Flagler County has TOO MANY appointed positions filled with “MINIONS” that answer to no one! Now is the time to tell them to start thinking of “WHERE am I going to be working if I am not working here?”
Fire Haywood and move on, Let Commissioner Hansen deal with the “Incendiary Accusation “if he feels the need. Then ask yourselves, “How did we get to this problem in the first place? Where was the County Attorney’s review of these appointments? Who is doing the VETTING of applicants?”
Sounds like a good place to start.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Ho Ho Ho…. Adam Mengel , our Chief Planning Guru does not LIVE in Flagler County, does not own PROPERTY in Flagler County and pays zero minus taxes to Flagler County and he is Flagler County Chief Planning Director. All he needs is to say adios, bye-bye-not even a suit case to pack and leave us with the zoning destruction and damage to our ambience… Who cares about HIM? Never mind this actress.
Ann Marie says
@Ms. Jane Gentile-Youd,
Mr. Mengel is neither elected nor appointed to his position. He is an employee and as such is NOT required to live in the County.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
To Ann Marie and FlaglerLive
My husand and I pay ( now) almost $4,000 yearly property taxes for almost 22 years; almost $70 on my car vanity license plate; I do most of my shopping in FLAGLER County and only cross the road into Volusia to Publix for BOGOs. I buy ALL my gas in Flagler County and I take offense that an employee who makes decisions on MY welfare who does not have to pay the consequences of his blighted misinformation ( including lying to his planning board ( and my HOA) about the current Agricultural -timber zoning on 19 acres of land which he lies and says is planned ( maybe 50 years from now) for needed housing which land pays $91 total yearly tax and has no nearby services except a gas station, a lovely restaurant and a disgusting shambles with newly dumped garbage across the street from Plantation Bay !
Flagler County is my home; I belong to the Flagler Association of Realtors, the Flagler Tiger ay Club I take extreme offense to false accusations and vicious insults. Most of our money is spent in Flagler County. People who buy gas here ut who live elsewhere do not have the right to make decisions affecting MY property value and my quality of life. Come look at the dump hotel with an illegal sign ( put up by Adam Mengel) falsely advertising a new restaurant and rebuilt. What we have here is crime going on – a suicide-drug deals and the Sheriff is smart enough to always make sure this abandoned piece of deteriorating crap is patrolled to insure the safety of those of us who live across the road. Shame on Flagler Live and Ann Marie for thinking an employee has no responsibility for his actions to those who LIVE and Pay dearly for proper municipal services – not the crap we have to look at!
Ann Marie says
Shame on you for running for office and not knowing the law re county employees. He was not appointed and he was not elected.
Laurel says
JGY: Wow, that was off the tracks. Mr. Mengel is an employee, and is not required to live in Flagler County. He does the Commissions’ bidding. Commissioners and Board members are voted in or appointed, and should live within Flagler County. It is they who make the decisions about what goes where. After that, it is the different departments, consisting of employees, who make sure that ordinances are followed. There is a big difference there.
I, too, am surprised you do not realize this.
FlaglerLive says
It is inaccurate to claim that because an individual doesn’t live in the county where the individual works, that individual pays “zero” taxes there: the individual by necessity contributes sales, gas and supplemental sales taxes, all of which have a local share component. It would be just as unfair, for example, to claim that a resident of Plantation Bay (to take one subdivision among many) is somehow betraying her county of residence’s rightful share of taxes because she chooses to hop a mile down the road to shop in Volusia County.
bob says
cluck, cluck, cluck … Adam is an employee and can live on a houseboat if he desires
Jan Reeger says
I am horrified that you speak poorly about Adam Mengel. He is one of the very best employees Flagler County has. He is extremely knowledgeable. His work complies with the law. If you don’t like what he does, it is the law that needs changing, not him.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Jan
You are misinformed about Department Heads jobs are. I do not support non county residents for department heads
Erod says
Just for thoroughness has the county peered over Commissioner Hansons, social media, Emails & phone records ?
Just saying for thoroughness.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
I ran for office yes and would never support hiring non Flagler residents being hired as any Department Head!
Laurel says
JGY: Should you run again, I surely will not vote for you as you still do not understand the simple difference between someone being an employee, and someone being voted in or appointed. I worked in local government, and this is the first time I have ever heard anyone complain about this.