Jules “Julius” Kwiatkowski, Flagler County’s longest-serving elected official after Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson–with 17 years on the East Flagler Mosquito Control District, many of them as chair–died Monday in Palm Coast, the district announced this evening. He would have been 91 on Jan. 4.
Kwiatkowski was one of only two Democrats still serving in elected office in Flagler County or its cities.
“Jules Kwiatkowski served the citizens of the East Flagler Mosquito Control District faithfully for 17 years; why?” Michael Martin, who chairs the three-member Mosquito Control board, said this evening. “Because he had a big heart and a passion for public service in the old-fashioned meaning of that term: serving the public, not himself. He was the chairman of the board of [the district] in troubled times and working together with Ralph Lightfoot and myself we brought the District back. I was proud to work with him, and we hope to give him a fitting memorial in the future. So take a moment to mourn a genuine good man: he will be missed.”
Lightfoot served on the board from 2020 to 2024, when Lance Alred was elected.
“Jules never missed a meeting. He was always engaging,” Lightfoot said. “Of course he was getting older when I got on there, but he still knew a lot about the early days and was very informative. He had a passion for what he did, which I think was great.” He was adamant about certain things he believed in–the importance of letting the public know about mosquitoes and environmental issues among them.
“Everybody there loved him,” Lightfoot said. “Everybody kind of took care of Jules, made sure he knew what was happening, and treated him with utmost respect, especially Mark Positano. They had a great relationship,” as did Nicole Graves, the district’s outreach specialist. Positano is the district’s executive director.
Kwiatkowski’s term has three years left. Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson will fill it by appointment. Meanwhile, a quorum of only two members is necessary for the district’s monthly meetings.
Kwiatkowski spent his working career in Edison, N.J., as a letter carrier for 30 years and a volunteer firefighter for 32. After moving to Palm Coast in 1992, he immediately joined the Palm Coast Fire Police and served 12 years there, and was deeply involved in the New Jersey Social Club and the Elks Club. He also served on the now-defunct Palm Coast Leisure Services Council for 16 years, and championed the arts locally.
In 1996, he was one of 10 candidates for the Mosquito District board (Paul Sammartano, Iona Moody and Wilbur Davie were elected that year). He was among eight candidates in 2004 (Sammartano and Moody won again, as did Margaret Davie). He finally won in 2008, defeating Barbara Sgroi and happily riding Obama’s coattails as local Democrats were dwindling from view. He served with Jan and Shawn Byrnes that term–the county’s first married couple on the same board.
According to a release issued by Graves this evening, “Jules became a steady, trusted presence on the Board. Jules was known for his dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to his community.”
He was married to his wife Kay for 62 years. She died in 2020.
“Jules’ commitment to public safety was especially visible during the 1998 Flagler County wildfires, the only time in Florida’s history that an entire county was evacuated due to wildfire danger,” the release states. “While many fled, Jules, who was then volunteering with the Fire Police, remained to assist first responders and support emergency operations when his community needed him most. Deeply moved by the experience, he began collecting newspaper clippings, photos, and documents from the fires. His collection later became a public display, ensuring this defining moment in Flagler’s history would never be forgotten.”
Kwiatkowski straddled some of the district’s most difficult years, when, shortly after it built a new headquarters on the grounds of the county airport in 2017, its finances soured. A state audit found irregularities but no fraud, and the county administration helped the district get its books back in order as Positano took over the administrative leadership from long-time director Joe Cash.
Kwiatkowski attended his last meeting in October. His health failed in November, and he was hospitalized. His family was with him when he died.
Kwiatkowski’s “leadership was grounded in humility, practicality, and a genuine desire to improve others’ lives,” the release states. “We extend our deepest condolences to Jules’ family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working with him. His legacy of service, courage, and community pride will live on throughout the community for years to come.”
“He really enjoyed doing the work of our organization,” Alred said. “I didn’t know him long, but he was always kind and considerate to me and to our staff. He was a good commissioner and, you could just tell, he was a good man too.”
Merrill Shapiro says
What a warm, welcoming, civilized man Jules was. Always pleasant, always a joy! He will be sorely missed in this era of hostile politics