Jeffrey Seib, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview

Jeffrey Seib is one of four candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 1.  It’s an open seat, as Council member Ed Danko, who is running for a County Commission seat, will resign by November. The candidates who qualified are Kathy Austrino, Shara Brodsky, Ty Miller and Seib.

This is a non-partisan, at-large election. That means all registered voters in Palm Coast–and only Palm Coast–regardless of party or non-party affiliation–Democrats, Republicans, independents and others–may cast a ballot for Palm Coast mayor. If a candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, that candidate is elected (or re-elected) mayor. If none of the candidates garner more than a 50 percent majority, the leading two vote-getters move on to a runoff to be decided in the Nov. 5 general election.




A city council member is paid $24,097 a year plus a $1,200 car allowance and a $910 communication allowance each year, plus full health care benefits.

FlaglerLive submitted identical questions to all candidates, with the understanding that additional questions might be tailored to candidates individually and some follow-up questions may be asked, with all exchanges conducted by email and on the record.

The Live Interview’s aim is to elicit as much candor and transparency as possible. We have asked candidates to refrain from making campaign speeches or make lists of accomplishments. We have also asked candidates to reasonably document their claims. It’s ultimately up to the reader to judge the quality and sincerity of a candidate’s answers.

The Questions in Summary: Quick Links

• Basics
• Preparation, character and champions
• Council’s performance
• Goals
• Taxes
• Development
• Arts and culture
• Westward expansion
• Saltwater canals
• City manager
• Policing
• Rap sheet

The Basics: Jeffrey Seib

Place and Date of Birth: Maplewood, N.J., Feb. 20, 1949.
Current job: Retired since 2011.
Party Affiliation: Democrat.
Financial Disclosures.
Resume.

1. How have you specifically prepared yourself to be ready to succeed from day one? If you’re an incumbent, what have you learned from your time on the council that has changed your governing method, and in what way? Tell us about the character flaws and unique perspectives you bring to the council. Who do you admire most in office today among elected officials in Flagler County—the person you’d consider a model of leadership? Who in the world at large (beyond Flagler), and among the living, do you consider a role model of political or intellectual leadership?




For the last two years I have attended and spoken out on the issues at every city council meeting. Some topics I have brought up with the council are drainage and swale problems, tax issues for senior citizens and young families, and the extremely rapid rate of population growth. To prepare to speak it is important to understand the subject matter and that my comments will be factual and present solutions to the problems being discussed. My eight years on the city’s Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee (BEAC) the last four years as committee chairperson has presented to me a picture of how the internal city government functions.

For character flaws my being a perfectionist who is always continuing to research can sometimes lead to over-analysis. My unique perspectives of a long history and knowledge of Palm Coast and Flagler County includes my participation in revisions to the Land Development Code, Chapter 11 landscaping requirements. My love of the environment and my never-ending belief in the goodness and untapped abilities of all people. Council members Heighter and Pontieri always come to the council meetings prepared on the issues and their views most align with mine. For the world at large Pope Francis is a faith-based leader of millions whose lifelong message is one of peace, love, and helping one another.

Your regular appearances at council meetings and workshops have in fact been almost unfailing, which brings up a curious point: can you cite one or two arguments or ideas you have presented to the Council that led the council to change course and adopt your approach? Your attendance at council meetings aside, aside, to what extend have you had preparatory discussions with top city staff to be prepared to tackle council issues from Day One?

The process of petitioning one’s government, whether at the top or at the local level such as the city council, is not a one-time affair due to the complicated nature of the various points of view that must be considered by governmental leaders prior to making any decisions. But this factor does not deter me from making my views known to the city council. In that regard I feel my input to the council on the forensic audit situation, adding my support and comments to those made by Mr. Steven Carr and Mrs. Cecia Pugliese concerning the traffic situation on Florida Park Drive, the nature of prioritizing items for the state appropriation process, and others. I have had conversations with the former city manager, the now acting city manager, the chief of staff, the stormwater manager, the planning manager, the fire chief, and the city clerk. Studying the issues, I know what’s going on with our city’s operations.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

2. Give the council a letter grade on its performance in the last two years. Explain with specific examples where it has been lacking and where it has excelled, and what specific experience and qualities you will bring to improve its effectiveness.

Having had a firsthand view of and interactions with the city council by attending every meeting and on other occasions for the last two years I would give them a letter grade of B. They have achieved much but much is still left to do. Shortcomings include as of this time the council has not yet recognized the effects of the incredible rate of growth in the city that could have the result of paralyzing everything. One development where the developer and the planning department approved a change of zoning from ‘greenbelt’, one home per acre, to a regular single family home development of four homes per acre is an action I would not have approved because we need a diversity of land uses in the city that projects a mosaic pattern of homes and open, green spaces. Another that I consider a low point was the surprise firing of the city manager. I would have followed the procedures that corporate America utilizes as professional practices. A bright spot was the work by Parks and Recreation to alter the sport fields environment of Ralph Carter Park in response to nearby residents’ concerns. I would bring to the council a vast knowledge and experience in many different career, volunteer, and personal life aspects along with a long-term knowledge of the history of Palm Coast and my long-held belief in finding the ‘win-win’ solution where everyone benefits. Working together with a positive, solution-oriented atmosphere would allow us much greater opportunities for advancement than a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

3. What are two goals where you are most aligned with the current council’s “Strategic Action Plan,” two with which you differ, and two you would seek to add, and explain how you intend to convince the council to follow your lead.

The ‘Strategic Action Plan’ (SAP) is the framework for the city conducting its business. I support the objectives and major themes of the Strategic Action Plan such as maintaining a strong resilient economy, economic development, timely customer service, and a sustainable environment and infrastructure improvements. SAP presents the vision and instructions for any and all city functions. The ‘Economic Development ‘objective needs diversification so as to broaden the economic base and be able to step in to keep the city economy strong when home building becomes a lesser economic function. I would work to add a new green spaces program that rewards developers to enhance their property by adding larger vegetative buffers, retaining more wetlands by utilizing tax incentives, conservation easement programs and/or density increases. I would return the Arts District concept to the area designated for Arts in the Town Center and push for a robust and thriving art presence in the city by collaborative programs with Daytona State and UNF.

Tax incentives for maintaining wetlands and rewards for developers for green spaces: Can you explain what tax incentives you would use, at what expense, and from what funds?

Wetlands already have protections in the comprehensive plan and Land Development Codes (LDC). If any incentives were needed I would look at the same incentives that are proposed by city staff when a new business is considering locating in Palm Coast. On the Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee (BEAC) I presented to the city a proposal for tax incentives when apartment projects install Electric Vehicle charging stations and when new and existing buildings are recognized by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) group. The setting aside of green spaces by developers is important and has been extensively declared by the public as something necessary in our community so that for developers we need to encourage open spaces by things such as considering an expedited permitting process, wavering permitting fees, reevaluation of landscaping requirements, and other mechanisms done in many other communities to achieve a more open and greener Palm Coast.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

4. Taxes and revenue: Where do you stand on property tax increases, including adopting tax rates that are not at rollback (which amounts to a tax increase under Florida law)? Where do you stand on supporting a countywide increase in the sales tax, on adopting a public service tax, or adopting a utility franchise fee? Short of new sources of revenue, and if you intend to stick to a rolled back tax rate, which nearly limits any growth in the budget, what city programs would you eliminate and what service levels would you reduce to achieve that?

At a recent city council meeting (June 11, 2024) on the budget and taxes city staff presented a chart on ‘Millage Rate and Property Tax History.’ From that information we see that property values in Palm Coast have increased approximately 13% per year from 2020 to 2025. In that same time there has been a 10.6% increase in property tax receipts. The 2025 rolled back millage rate will give us a 13% increase in property tax receipts over 2024 and more than the average regular millage rate over the 2020 to 2025 period. These numbers show that the rolled back rate is still an increase in received tax receipts. Seniors on fixed income like me and young families with tight budgets may be priced out of Palm Coast because of never ending property tax increases. Secondly Palm Coast does not need any proposed new taxes in the form of utility franchise or FPL taxes. We need to live within our means as a family and as a city. However, we do have increasing expenses. Sheriff Staley presented to the city council his need for more deputies’ vehicles 911 operators and other investigative services for Palm Coast and gave us the cost involved. No one in Palm Coast would agree to a lesser level of security services. If we need a tax increase we should keep the amount below the state average of 3% and devote the increase in funds only to projects that would help to alleviate and plan for additional population increases. Every city department, city clerk, and accounting employees should have a budget cutting or efficiencies in operation attitude to address and minimize increasing expenses.

Your statement that “The 2025 rolled back millage rate will give us a 13% increase in property tax receipts over 2024” is incorrect, since the rolled back rate by definition restricts the city to taking in revenue equal to the revenue it took in the previous year, with the exception of new construction, which would amounts to roughly a 6 percent increase in year-over-year revenue. The 13 percent increase would result from the city adopting the same tax rate for 2025 as it had in 2024. Council member Pontieri has argued, as every dictionary definition would support, that keeping the tax rate flat is not a tax increase. It only is so under Florida’s odd definition that a tax increase results from any increase in year-over-year revenue (new construction excluded). Do you disagree with Pontieri, and are you saying that you would align yourself with, say, the Danko approach of only adopting rolled-back rates year after year?

Looking at the numbers on the TRIM report, they show an increase in property tax receipts of 13 percent for 2025 utilizing the 2024 ‘rolled back’ milage rate. But I agree with Councilmember Pontieri, as do other council members, on this as she is very well versed in these matters. Considering the needs of our community, I could never be locked into any one policy on fiscal matters from year to year. We always have to look at what we have and what we need for the people. But I would work to keep taxes and fees at a rate that would not hamstring young families and seniors on fixed incomes.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

5. Palm Coast’s population continues to grow rapidly, absorbing most of the net increase of 16,000 people between 2020 and 2022. Evaluate the quality and quantity of development in the last few years. What sort of land use or development would you oppose, if it were to come before the council for approval, and why? What percentage of our housing stock should be single-family houses on traditional lots as opposed to apartments or other multi-family complexes? Would you approve raising the density and height of multi-family, or apartment, structures in select areas of the city zoned for the purpose?

The recent city staff budget presentation had a US Census Bureau Palm Coast population growth estimate of six thousand new residents in 2025. This is an alarming number for me. This translates into five hundred new residents per month, almost twenty per day. At this rate we would have 30,000 new residents in five years. The city government is not prepared for this. I would insist we are certain we have the natural resources to support this rate of growth. For example, in the recent dry spell the city reported having to utilize different water wells due to a lack of water resources. What are we going to do with a 30% increase in water users in a brief period of time? The city needs to develop more water wells in areas of western Palm Coast that are undisturbed and away from any dangers of saltwater intrusion. The process of housing development approval whether apartments or single-family homes is based on elements of the Comprehensive Plan and moved through the process by city planning staff, the ‘Planning and Land Development Review Board’ (PLDRB) and the developers. The city of Palm Coast ‘Zoning Map’ specifies types of allowable land uses such as single-family homes, apartments, commercial properties, conservation etc. When development orders get to the city council for approval it’s usually a done deal. Rarely, if ever, are they turned down at that time. The mechanisms of development approval in the initial stages are where council members could have an impact. There are major changes that I would attempt to put into place to achieve a better development approval process.

We are not aware of Census Bureau projections for 2025, as the Bureau provides estimates on past years, not projections of future years. Its latest estimate was that Flagler County as a whole, not just Palm Coast, added 16,000 people in three years, ending in 2023. The University of Florida’s projection for 2025 is 126,400 at the low end, 137,400 at the medium end,  but again, that’s for the whole county, with the Census Bureau currently placing its 2023 population estimate for Flagler at 131,400. The number you provide also appears to clash with a slowdown in local building permitting activity. If you have a documented projection by the Census Bureau of 6,000 new residents in 2025, can you provide it? Can you cite two examples of the “major changes” you would implement to achieve a better development process, and show us how legal those changes would be, in accordance with property rights?

This population projection is contained in the city of Palm Coast business meeting agenda on the TRIM property taxes presentation to the city council at the meeting held on June 11, 2024, that has also been covered and reported on by Flagler Live. The reference cited on the TRIM chart presented by city accounting staff shows a US census bureau population estimate for 2025 of over one hundred and seven thousand from the current population listed as one hundred one thousand, resulting in a net population increase for 2025 of over six thousand. We all hope the information presented by city staff is accurate and well documented as this population projection appeared to be. One of the items that I have been disappointed by in the development process that I would look into is the exclusion of the public from commenting on development projects in the city pipeline that city planning staff and developers cite as ‘quasi-judicial’ which results in stifling public comments except for the last two hearings where the second hearing is the vote by the council, so the public essentially has one shot to present objections to the entire process.

[Note: Jeffrey Seib’s reference to the city document of June 11 is correct. The city document attributed its 2025 estimate of 107,859 people in 2025 to the Census Bureau, though the Census Bureau nowhere makes that estimate for 2025.]

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

6. The City Council created an arts district in Town center in 2020, but the district has been moribund, and more recently may be further elbowed by a planned YMCA on land previously dedicated for an arts center. What role should the city have in facilitating (not creating, to be sure) arts and culture? Is the city doing enough? Would you favor dedicating a permanent source of revenue from the Town Center CRA to the arts, as had been the original intention in 2020?

I would be in favor of the Town Center arts contribution, and I would encourage the city staff responsible to look into all sources of assistance for the arts such as state, federal, and private philanthropic organizations. The city of Palm Coast at one time had a very robust arts movement. Sadly, in recent years that program has floundered, and the arts have suffered. As simple as the ‘Turtle Trail’ meant arts had a place here. The arts need a place here. On the Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee (BEAC) I was nominated and served as the city’s representative to the Arts Commission, so I had a firsthand look at all projects. The BEAC and the Arts commission approved the placement of the ‘Burro with bird” sculpture at Central Park Lake when Melissa Holland was Mayor. The private Arts foundations that were prevalent in the past here need to be reinvigorated with initiatives such as local schools and colleges arts programs. Arts have the ability to take us away from our daily struggles and look at the world differently.

 Your tenue on the Beautification board coincided with the floundering of the art scene in Palm Coast, as you describe it. Can you explain  why the board had no influence stemming that decline–and if it had no such influence, what use, really, is the board?

The Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee (BEAC) is tasked with a number of varied responsibilities. Among which are: landscaping found on major roadways such as Belle Terre Parkway, approval of Heroes Park monuments such as the veterans PTSD monument, approval of dedication-naming of parks after prominent figures, placement of monuments along roadways such as the Rep. Shirley Chisholm monument on Pine Lakes Parkway, approval of the Turtles found on city property and the sculpture at Central Park Lake. On the Arts Commission I served as liaison between the city and arts organizations. Arts funding was not the responsibility of the BEAC. When the major private arts foundation closed due to the passing of the founder, it began the crippling of the arts in Palm Coast and ended the seven-sculpture plan for Central Park Lake that would have been a wonderful addition to the beauty of our city. The Covid epidemic also interrupted the arts participation. I was personally responsible for the donation by the artist Ron Wallace, the placement, and with the artist the naming of the ‘Chuolata’ American Eagle sculpture located in the City Hall Business wing. In addition, the BEAC has been involved in promoting sound environmental policies such as saving Monarch Butterflies and all pollinators, encouraging the city to assist in the placement of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and just like the city hall and community center encouraging and rewarding buildings that are recognized by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) group.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

7. The West Side, west of U.S. 1, is poised to potentially double Palm Coast’s size, or close to it, with the development of the acreage through which the city secured substantial funding for the connector road from Matanzas Parkway to Palm Coast Parkway. Is the city capable of handling that expansion even as its existing infrastructure—stormwater, roads (think congestion), parks—east of U.S. 1 experiences shortfalls and draws residents’ complaints? How would you balance that expansion with the needs in east Palm Coast—or change infrastructure management?

This massive Palm Coast altering project has been in contention for several years since Mayor Alfin first proposed it. When it was first presented two years ago I spoke to the city council and urged them to hold off on this for a time in order to get the now existing Palm Coast into a condition with the roads, drainage, water supply, everything, be at the stage where we can handle the potential population doubling effect of this project. I believed at the time and still do that this project would be a money sponge for the city and a distraction of city staff from solving the issues that are with us right now due to the greater numbers of residents here now and moving in almost daily. Recently, it has come out that Palm Coast will receive a state appropriation of $83 million dollars from the state budget for this road expansion. After this I addressed and questioned the city council as to why this was not brought up in an open council meeting. All funding and state appropriations requests must be done out in the open for public scrutiny. Transparency and public involvement in major city decisions are crucial for effective city government functioning. We have so many uses for funding right here, right now like road widenings, saltwater canals, and freshwater canals so it’s important to keep these decisions out in the sunshine.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

8. Palm Coast’s saltwater canals may need dredging. It’s never been done in the 50-year existence of the city and its ITT antecedent. But the canals—like those recreational amenities mentioned above–are limited to a few neighborhoods. If and when it comes to that, who should pay for the dredging, and through what taxing mechanism?

The Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee (BEAC) was alerted to the saltwater canal silting issue by a canal resident prior to the Covid pandemic. I prepared a PowerPoint presentation of the situation after a tour by boat of the canals with the resident. At that time city staff informed the BEAC that we will not be dealing with this problem. Now many years later the problem did not get better all by itself. An engineering firm, Taylor Engineering, was hired to prepare a dredging plan and cost estimate. The cost as presented only for the most silted areas was $25 million. An entire saltwater canal dredging could cost twice that or more. The bulkheads around homes on the canal are considered the homeowners responsibility. Many are in poor condition in need of repair or replacement prior to any dredging. In addition, the silt removed from the canals must be evaluated for the presence of hazardous toxic materials such as hydrocarbons pesticide’s fertilizers and other substances which if are present in enough quantity could drastically increase the costs involved due to requiring special handling. This is further compromised by the fact that little state, federal, water management district, or FIND money would be available due to the closed system of the canals. So, what would be a solution to this critical issue? Any amount of state funding utilizing the appropriation method would be a great benefit to our city as the way it looks now this will have to wait for another year. If we can achieve a 50 percent reduction in the total cost by a state appropriation or any means the rest would be navigable through a cost sharing process where one-half of the remaining bill (25 percent of total) for dredging would be shared by the entire population of Palm Coast and the other 25 percent paid for by the canal homeowners in the form of a canal lot owners special tax district. But there are a lot of ifs in this equation.

Considering that the state legislature, even before the budget got to the governor, was unwilling to fund certain key road, water and environmental projects in the city that benefit everyone, it is a safe bet, would you not agree, that the legislature is not about to provide half the cost, if any cost at all, for the dredging of canals that are largely seen as benefiting certain homeowners, and that have some, but limited value in the city’s overall stormwater system. So going from that premise–which you also noted, when you suggested, as did the city’s consultant, that any form of grants are unlikely–would you still apply what appears to be a split approach, spreading the cost to all city residents, as opposed to a graduated approach, with canal residents paying the larger share?

The engineering firm, Taylor Engineering, hired for consultation on the saltwater canal dredging project returned without locating any alternative funding sources available pay for the dredging costs they estimated at twenty five million. This will have to be accomplished ‘in house’ with whatever work can be accomplished from annual budgetary funding. Some dredging has been completed on certain areas of the freshwater canals. The freshwater canal system is in the same condition, to a greater or lesser degree, of silting as the saltwater canals. The city should begin a process of dredging all the canals as a budgetary item.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

9. Describe in one paragraph the principal qualities you will seek in the new city manager you will be responsible for hiring, and what expectations you will have from that manager from day one.

The qualities of a candidate for city manager that I view as important or even critical are as follows. The candidate must have an academic background in city planning methodology. The candidate must have some experience which can be positively judged in recent managerial environments. A knowledge of Palm Coast’s situation, ability to trouble shoot, excellence in communication skills, an in depth understanding of the way in which the managerial form of city government operates and adherence to the highest degree of professionalism in the day-to-day city interactions with staff, the public, and the city council are critical parameters for any candidate. The city manager should also have a philosophical alignment with the goals and objectives of the city council and the city itself. The selection process should involve verification of all documentation provided, references checked, interviews with city staff and council members, and several open to the public information and question and answer meetings.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

10. Palm Coast relies on the sheriff for policing. Evaluate that relationship as it stands today. What is your analysis of the latest method of hiring what would amount to five additional deputies a year for the next three years, based primarily on call volume, and how would you pay for it? Do you favor an independent police department for the city, now or in the near future? 

At this point in time Sheriff Staley has been re-elected on the basis of no challengers. This is a good indicator of what both Flagler County and Palm Coast residents think of his job performance to date. He has done what he said he would do and operates a tight ship. The many programs that convicted persons can enroll in while incarcerated to learn job and life skills are essential to control a percentage of those inmates from being trapped in the revolving door of recidivism. The sheriff came to city hall on June 18, 2024 and gave a presentation to the city council and the public detailing the need for and the expenses involved in training and equipping the new deputies and call center personnel. The city has no spare funds available and unless programs that will assist in law enforcement expenses are available the funds will have to be disbursed from the city budget. A separate police department for Palm Coast would be an extremely expensive proposition costing much more than the expenses of sheriff’s office protection at this time so sometime in the future but not at this time.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller

 

11. Have you ever been charged with a felony or a misdemeanor anywhere in Flagler, Florida or the United States (other than a speeding ticket), or faced a civil action other than a divorce, but including bankruptcies, or faced any investigative or disciplinary action through a professional board such as the bar or a medical board? Have you ever been demoted? If so, please explain, including cases where charges or claims did not lead to conviction or disciplinary action.

No to all questions.

See how the other candidates answered:
Kathy Austrino | Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller