Flagler County School Board member Sally Hunt today confirmed that she will resign her seat before November. She did not say when precisely between now and then. She appears to be purposefully doing so late enough to have prevented an election to fill the remaining two years of her terms.
Gov. Ron DeSantis would fill the seat with his own appointment, which could take months after the seat becomes vacant.
Hunt had coyly spoken about her impending resignation for months. Property records show she bought a $615,000 house in Peachtree, Ga., last November. A state law calls for the governor to make an appointment for a vacated seat “if there is less than 28 months remaining in the term; otherwise, until the first Tuesday after the first Monday following the next general election.” Hunt is at the 28-month mark of time left in her term.
The matter came up again toward the end of today’s workshop of the board when board members were discussing “board member requests,” which is when each member asks to have a certain topic, issue or procedure discussed at a later meeting.
Board member Cheryl Massaro had asked for a streamlined way of keeping track of such requests so they can be both documented and so they are not duplicated in the future. Hunt jumped in.
“The board to my knowledge is about to have three new members,” she said, going on a discursive tangent about how she’d bring things up at a workshop and it would go nowhere. She went on from there, talking about how “three new members” could benefit from different procedures in place.
Board member Colleen Conklin seized on her “three members” comment, twice repeated by Hunt with the kind of cryptic coyness she clearly intended.
“Can I just ask,” Conklin said, “I mean, our seats are up, but are you definitely resigning?”
“Oh, yeah,” Hunt said.
“So, when is that?” a startled Conklin asked.
“That is when I’m able to,” Hunt replied, again evading precision. She then hesitated, and added: “I will not be here in November.” She did not say when she will resign. Only that “there will be three new board members.”
Conklin and Massaro are not contesting their seats. With Hunt resigning, that ensures a turnover of three seats.
“The reason I guess I’m surprised,” Conklin said, “I didn’t believe that that was going to be the case. Because there could have been an election for that third seat, right?”
“And I did consider that,” Hunt said. But she appears to have purposefully opted against it, in essence intentionally denying voters the chance to fill the seat for the next two years.
“Now it’ll be an appointment,” Massaro said.
Conklin let out an “OK” in a disbelieving sigh.
Sparks says
I went to a few school board meetings. What a waste of time. So glad three seats available so we can get good people in that care about our Children. What they read, What they learn, respect for the teachers. I volunteer in one of the elementary schools.
Please don’t remove the police officers in schools we need them.
Bernie says
Sparks, Where did you get the crazy idea that police officers were going to be removed from the schools? NOT happening.
Mark says
Can’t believe my family signed her petitions to run then Voted for her, only to have her be bought off by someone or a group. I don’t know if it’s true, I just know, someone is pulling her strings and screwing all the taxpayers, parents and especially the children of Flagler County by her antics along with her puppet masters.
“That is when I’m able to,” Hunt replied, again evading precision.” What she really means is when her master tells her she can go only then will she obey and leave. Wake up Flagler County do you really want the GOP running your School Board anymore and playing around with your kids education, along with your tax dollars. Remember that the School Board Chair took in serious money from the Governor for his campaign and it’s been nothing but controversy on the Board since he, along with another member (just as crazy) got elected during the same cycle.
Good riddance Sally, the chapter door can’t close quick enough on you.
Pogo says
@Garbage in
…garbage out.
Terrance B Bryant says
The GOP is a sad bunch.
Charles says
Pathetic is more like it not to mention, against our democracy and Constitution. Now they fly our American flag upside down, that right there tells us they are against the USA for which it stands.
NJ says
Hunt and Hitler, two “wonderful people”!! Just RESIGN and let the voters decide! GA will be getting another RINO!
Crazy times says
How did she afford a $615k house? Check her form six. Her spouse didn’t work. Is she being paid off to give up that seat at a certain time?
Don’t vote for Vincent Sullivan. That board is being seized by developers attorneys. The school board has a direct hand in development approval and impact fees. Wake up!
Deborah Coffey says
Was she paid off to get the seat in the first place. She duped every Democrat in the county.
Look it up says
She hasn’t filed her 2023 form 6. She could be removed early from the board for that if someone presses it. If not then Renner will put his third friend up there to pillage the real estate holdings.
Lance Carroll says
Did Ms.Hunt not know the gravity of working together with the Board Of Education Flagler County?
Did Ms. Hunt find out that she is too busy to be bothered with the dumbed up realization of running public schools? It’s ok…
I mean not really…quitter!
School Board Sally My ... says
I don’t even think DeuhSantis would approve of Sally.. BUT… I gotta say a huge BUH BYE … to our worst Board Memeber in.. since.. .. well since Sally Hunt was elected! Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you! ;-)
Old Rumrunner says
No great loss. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Addition by subtraction.
You get the idea…..
Tired of it says
God riddance. She has accomplished nothing for the students in Palm Coast. She is incompetent and divisive. also easily manipulated.
Deborah Coffey says
The QUESTION: Who paid Sally Hunt to run as a Democrat? WHO? And, how much? Shouldn’t she be indicted for election fraud?
Dennis C Rathsam says
Only in Palm Coast could this happen! Its obvious this lady is a set up! She has done more harm to our kids, in her short time here! Not only are we happy to see you go, we will help you pack! You should be fired! Politics, should not be played for our kids sake.
Robjr says
Was she a paid plant who masqueraded to the Democratic organizations, going to fund raisers, accepting money for her campaign, saying what everyone who voted for her wanted to hear?
If she was or was not a plant she is / was a good actress. I spoke to her a couple of times, even invited her to speak at one of our functions. I engaged her in conversation and she made an off the wall comment, which I did not pick up at the time. I should have paid more attention.
Deborah Coffey says
Right. All of us should have paid more attention and done more research.
Citizen Cares says
Wow. Sally Hunt’s behavior as an elected official has consistently reflected laziness, bad intent, poor critical thinking, and overall emotional immaturity. Hope for her sake she uses this relocation to make a fresh start. Hope for our kids’ sake we are able to improve the quality of our future School Board officials.
Jim says
While I think it’s despicable that a sitting board member would purposely make her resignation late so there can be no election (and, God forbid, the voters of this county get the opportunity to pick the replacement), beyond that, why should any of us be upset about Hunt leaving? She’s a non-factor and has been useless since she was elected. Why would anyone expect her to do the right thing?
And, although I’m sure DeSantis will pick some crony to replace her, I don’t know that we’ll even notice a difference.
All of our time would be best spent on identifying good candidates to replace Massaro and Conklin. If we can get two decent people on the board, we can set the table for the next round of elections and get rid of the last two incompetents and then, maybe, our schools can get back on track. But isn’t it sad that we’ll have about 5 years of this crap before that can potentially happen.
dave says
Didn’t she say this a while ago as well. And here she still is and now saying it yet again. She is nothing but a disgrace. And while their at it, all school board members need to be replaced with people that actually care for our children not their ego’s.
Endless Dark Money says
They have a stranglehold on America and will do anything for more power including stealing supreme court appointments and pushing a fraud narrative if they loose even though they were committing the fraud. Im sure racist ron will put another moron in there for you.
Republican Insider says
Something stinks here.
She’s purchased at $615,000 house in Peachtree City, Georgia. That’s a very upscale community in the suburbs of Atlanta.
How’d she get that kind of money?
She worked for Walmart. Husband doesn’t work. Hasn’t sold the house in Palm Coast yet.
So where’s the money coming from? What group has been behind her all this time?
VERY FISHY.
She doesn’t care. She’s been someone’s useful idiot meant to sway the far right vote and only that.
Since the new expensive big house is in Georgia, and she voted with far right Will Furry and Christy Chong, Joe Mullins and his money comes to mind. He’s from Georgia. Hunt was backed by someone with a promised financial payoff.
The dirt and grime continues to get worse in Flagler county.
Laurel says
This shows that the far right White *Chrisitan* Nationalists are way more interested in working their way up through grass roots positions like the country’s school boards. She appears to be hanging on for a DeSantis replacement who has thicker skin. Nobody hangs around for a school board position where they are so not wanted, vehemently not wanted, by the residents.
Oh, those pesky residents again! They do tend to get in the way of things (hopefully more often).
James says
Now that screwball Sally has the experience of being on a school board added to her resume, I’m sure she’ll have a leg up on the competition as she climbs further up the political ladder in Georgia.
Perhaps a run for a seat on the city council of Peachtree?
Just say’n.
PDiddy says
Hey Sally C U Next Tuesday, what a disgrace to this community and Big let down to the students, parents, faculty and staff of FCSD. Peace out, don’t let the door hit you where the dog should have bit you….
Stephen says
Why will we let Desatis choose. He endorsed Jill Woolbright. I remember her wanting to stop someone from reading about fornication in the Bible a few years back. Do we really want her?
Just a Mom says
Good riddance. Your departure could never come too soon. We are sorry you ever got the vote in the first place. Just leave now. Why wait?
Flatsflyer says
I feel bad for her own children who she home schooled. She is too dumb to teach them their A,B,C’s and has proven her IQ is like those of DeSantis and Trump, below freezing.
We were lucky to have her, NOT! says
The most unprofessional, & unproductive member of the school board since caveman days.
Grey Man says
The hate for Sally Hunt is odd….You people wanted a Democrat and you voted her in. Elections have consequences.
Laurel says
Grey: The suspicion is that she ran as a Democrat, but that she was a plant as she actually followed and agreed with the two most far right wingdings on the Board, against the more common sense and experienced Board members. Its been all culture wars, and very little actual work for the schools and children. Many believe she has betrayed them by falsely running as a Democrat. The behavior very strongly suggests that.
Mindy Robertson Moore says
Wonder if Jill Woolbright will run for the seat? Anyone know if she’s still around?