Kathy Austrino, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview

Kathy Austrino 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 Austrino, Shara Brodsky, Ty Miller and Jeffrey 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 City Council. If a candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, that candidate is elected. 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: Kathy Austrino

Place and Date of Birth: Boston, Nov. 19, 1970.
Current job: Real Estate Services.
Party Affiliation: Republican.
Financial Disclosure.
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?

Preparation: I have been watching the political environment here in Flagler County for over 20 years. Both participating in processes and watching other participants.

Character: I’m frequently stoic and while some don’t know what to make of that they assume I’m just cold when truly I’m just assessing situations, relationships and surroundings. I often fail in keeping what I’m thinking to myself – if my words don’t blurt out my thoughts then my face will. I am a resident like anyone else with only the difference from most of paying close attention to our community governance for over 20 years. Until the Mayor’s Special Election a few years ago I had no desire to run for any office. As I said then and am saying now – our residents are being bamboozled by special interest folks looking to fill the seats with their yes-men.

Admirable office-holder: This is a difficult question to answer as there are more than one. Then if I had to narrow it down to the one; I believe that person would not like to be discussed in situations that don’t involve them (like a race they aren’t in). I will say they are absolutely “of the people” and in no way are a yes-person.

Trish Giaccone – she is a very impressive power-house with all she has done as the director of The Family Life Center. She is in the trenches with those she employs, those she serves, and tolerates the political and bureaucratic non-sense to make sure we all have her and her team in our community. I know; I didn’t go beyond Flagler – I just didn’t need to.




The question about a current office holder you admire (other than Rick Staly) could not possibly make your choice uncomfortable since the person holds office and is used to be in the public eye. It’s relevant to ask candidates who they admire, to give voters an insight into their thinking beyond policy matters. So the question is posed, and you may cite more than one person if you prefer.

I understand, though I disagree.  Just because someone is in the public eye doesn’t mean it’s okay to align them in any way to another’s political campaign.  As well, to admire another person’s efforts does not mean you agree with them on all matters, this point could get lost with some.  

Can you cite a couple of examples of special interests, and explain how those would be different from, say, Little League, environmental or cultural advocates lobbying the city, all of whom might be seen as special interests?

Attorneys, Developers, Folks who are in positions to shape our landscape to their desires and benefits that may not concern themselves with the desires of the residents. Back during the Matanzas Golf area neighborhood meeting – some in the room, on behalf of that Developer, were treating folks very poorly. We absolutely must work together, though if our residents continuously seem to be the last priority – that’s a problem. The Cascades re-hearing attempt to push over 800 units was so disrespectful to our residents around it. Any group to come before the Council should be welcome with the Council’s top priority in all of those engagements being the benefit or impact to the community.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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.

C, average – This was also difficult. To discuss this I feel that my opinion wavers between situations.  I am very unimpressed by how the flooding concerns of our residents were handled; I believe there is some measure of responsibility belonging to the city.  I also understand that there is truth to the fact that older homes lost their original drainage structure and perhaps need to adjust for that.  However, in cases similar to the home on Perrotti Lane – there is no way an inspector couldn’t imagine the height of that lot would prove problematic.  There has to be some accountability there.

I worry that if we didn’t call the Council out on the Cascades development re-hearing in Seminole Woods would they have come to the compromise that they did – the compromise being the added 98 units as opposed to the more than 400 that was the actual goal of the applicant.

The firing of our City Manager – it was like watching a well-planned show with regard to some Council members.  Of course, I can’t speak to who knew what, though the perception was that some knew and some didn’t.  If someone must be let go it’s safest for the organization to remove them immediately.  However, I feel like some on the Council were blindsided and should have been given the opportunity of a workshop.  And that brings us to the attempted hiring of a possible temporary replacement – if I didn’t retain the history of our past experiences and call out the possibility of hidden agendas; would we be repeating the past county experiences within our city.

I’m not delighted with how long it is taking to address our residents’ concerns with having a forensic audit…we’re coming up on a year from this formal request.  Additionally, I don’t care for the term forensic audit as it rings as accusatory.  I do believe our inner workings need to be examined for efficiency, best use of our staffing dollars, and to assure our residents there is no form of fraud (or if found, deal with it appropriately).

Lastly, what’s good – that they recognize the Connect App is not fantastic and are addressing it, most do listen to the residents, and some take the desires of the people to heart.  When it comes to the budget some are very dedicated to sniffing out any & every possible cut.  I do like that when facing difficult decisions; prior to doing so some were looking for a compromise to be sure the residents were engaged in some way (ie. the franchise fee).  I think their approach to the Comprehensive Plan insofar as involving the community was excellent (Imagine 2050).

Having been immersed here in the community with a decent memory of what has transpired over the years, some of the behaviors and situations I observe is like watching a movie and I frequently see what the next scene may be ahead of time.  I’m very good at separating relationships – business is business, friendships are friendships.  We just need to get the work done and that is to, as best we can, execute the will of the folks we represent first & foremost.  As well, we must be sure we are future thinking in all that we do.  All while being as transparent as possible.

Regarding your reference to a forensic audit (the administration has secured a firm to present to the council on what such an audit means, what it entails, what it costs), it’s not clear if, given your discomfort with the accusatory implication of a forensic audit, you are saying that current audits are sufficient to assure against fraud, or whether you would still press for a forensic audit regardless of what the informational presentation may offer up, and regardless of cost?




No, I am not saying that the current audit is sufficient. The presentation we’ll have in August, first, has taken far too long to come about. The residents won’t be satisfied with the presentation as some feel the presentation will be influenced by the very folks they don’t trust in the City. I have been communicating with a third firm that will not be presenting (though I did request her and her partner to come meet with folks so that our residents would be more knowledgeable prior to the City’s presentations). I understand that we can have a Municipal Forensic Audit for all operations or some. If we find that a full Municipal Forensic Audit is too costly then we can look at certain operations. As I’ve shared, I have concerns with our staffing dollars and the number of supervisor and assistant supervisor and similar roles. My desire would be to prioritize our staffing dollars. I want to see that our support staff are well supported. I want to see that decisions that are being made by staff are not items that should at least be introduced to the Council. The word “forensic” insinuates criminal – there may be things that need change though that doesn’t mean it will be criminal – I don’t want anyone in the City to worry that they’re being looked at as a criminal, on the other hand if that is what is found we need to address it.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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.

Aligned: 1) Develop a fast-tracking process to cut red tape, minimize delays in opening, and make more financially feasible.  2) Staff to develop an infrastructure plan to include public safety, conservation, water resources, transportation, and economic resiliency.

Differ: 1) Provide electric vehicle fast charging stations across multiple locations in the City. – This is the only one that I could say that I differ and only to a degree.  I don’t believe this would reach the desired revenue goal.  I don’t differ regarding the others.

Desired additions: 1) When focusing upon the opportunity of the Westward expansion specifically keep the intention on commercial development, higher paying employment opportunities.  2) Focus on making our housing affordable. I truly believe one approach to address housing affordability lay in the opportunity of employment offering higher pay. Also, there is revenue opportunity in a variety of taxed dollars spent by visitors.  The discussions of a possible sport complex offer these wonderful opportunities and should be highly focused on.  I believe there is no need at this time to consider any residential units for that area.  Build up the commercial and get the revenue flowing for our residents.  Given the lack of funding for immediate results, we must prioritize all commercial opportunities foremost.

Do you support entering into a private-public partnership with a company that would front the money for the sports complex, then run it and take parts of the profit?

Yes.

How would the westward expansion’s focus on commercial alone work without a residential base of consumers to support it when even businesses in the existing part of Palm Coast struggle to find that critical mass–which is the reason why larger retailers have tended to shun the city? 

The City has long been known as unfriendly to businesses, this must be looked at.  For example some years ago I gave a portion of my company to a friend, he let me know that he was having trouble getting his new company through the City.  I went to the city for him and argued that they didn’t have a right to try to stop this gentleman.  In this particular instance it was racially motivated and the person no longer works for the City (not due to this event).  It leads you to wonder what else – what opportunities have we lost based on an employee’s personal choices.  I feel the push for more housing units is overshadowing the fact that we need higher paying jobs.  Certainly there are enough housing units in the pipeline that we should be focused on Commercial.  There will come a time for subdivisions out there – down the road.

[Editor’s note: A city administration proposal to provide EV charging stations in certain parts of the city was shelved after opposition from the council.] 

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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?

I’m not a fan, nobody that I know desires increased taxes. If our hands are tied – I’m not going to say that I wouldn’t cautiously explore all of those options.  I would lean toward sales tax as that is choice spending for the most part.  Also, sales tax captures dollars of folks traveling through or visiting.  I am uncomfortable with utility franchise fees especially if it is a 30-year contract.  However, until we scrutinize every dollar for its efficient use, specifically our staffing structure, our hands are not tied. This is very difficult to address since I believe there is no good reason we haven’t fully explored our finances as were asked for almost a year ago and our staffing structure.  I’m not interested in taking anything away from anyone until it is proven that the money we are spending concerning the staffing structure isn’t off balance.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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?

For those of us that came in the early 2000s it doesn’t feel like the construction zones we once lived through, back when there were portable toilets every street we traveled.  We certainly see more self-contained development and there is some good to that, as far as when there is some form of an association created those added streets are not for the City to maintain and there is no discount on the Ad Valorem/property Tax. With these types of developments our main concern is the impact on our current roads.  I wish, for the sake of traffic, that acceleration and deceleration lanes are considered.  I’m not interested in re-zoning to add residential zoning within the City as we know it today.  If it is zoned for business or commercial opportunity it must stay that way until we have a community comfortable with higher paying employment offerings.

If our owner-occupied housing rate, according to the US Census Bureau, was just under 78% in 2023, Miami is 30%, Jacksonville is 30%, St. Augustine is 57% – it would be dangerous to our quality of life to inch too much closer to even 70% at this time…with what future builds have already been approved, are we there yet?

If a decision made in the past has a particular zoning already in place, then I don’t have an issue moving forward with that decision.  If you’re asking if I would rezone to accomplish someone’s desire to increase density & height where it is currently not zoned for, no.

Your ideas about owner-occupied housing rates are a bit confusing. Can you clarify? 

I apologize and thank you for the opportunity to clarify.  I looked toward areas that are for the most part overly congested as compared with Palm Coast.  We don’t want Palm Coast to be the next Miami, Jacksonville, or even St. Augustine.  There is a need for apartments and we have plenty in the pipeline at this time.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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? 

A vital role – our area is rich in historical culture; I learn a new bit about our history regularly, the City & the County.  Now we’re a melting pot of many cultures.  One of my favorite things to do is to learn about others’ perception of our world through their expression of it. Our staff surely does put great effort in executing events that bring the community together and they, in my experience, do so with great energy.  There’s always something more we could do.

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?

Yes.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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?

No, we are not ready.  However, we need to get on the necessary infrastructure, and we should not look at that land and think about residential units, not yet.  First, the sports complex or another route that would support higher paying jobs and an influx of revenue. I can’t say it enough, that expansion needs to begin with revenue in mind…not homes. Since the appropriations shared wonderfully with the westward expansion there is nothing with regard to ongoing progress we need to worry about there for the moment.  Some pressing needs missed out on appropriations with the added opportunity for grants that we can seek out.  We need to go after every possible grant; new, old, & unknown grants.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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?

I do believe those canals are available for all to enjoy. The City should dredge where needed in the center staying 6 feet away from private docks.  The homeowners will need to care for the dredging around their docks.  Unfortunately, a project that carries a $10 to $20 million price tag cannot be prioritized over our roads and water that every single resident absolutely uses every day.  In the meantime, perhaps we explore FDEP for grant help.

How are the canals available for all to enjoy when they are overwhelmingly, if not almost exclusively, used by occupants along the docks?

Boat enthusiasts can, if they choose to, enter those canals.

Assuming the city’s consultant is correct and grants are a very, very long shot, leaving no other way for the city to dredge but to pay for it itself, would you spread that cost evenly across the city, whether through the genera revenue and a property tax increase, or a special taxing district, or apply it in a more gradual way–those in the canal zones paying more, those elsewhere paying less?

 I would be more favorable to spread the cost evenly across the city.  I pay for schools I no longer use, I pay for trails I do not walk, I pay for parks I do not splash in – I could if I chose to.  I don’t know why we would treat the canals any differently.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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.

I prefer someone experienced in a larger community with the ability to understand and maintain the perception and desires of a small-town citizen base. They need to have the ability to make hard choices while maintaining a pleasant environment with high standards of customer service (to include inter-departmental customer service).  They need to maintain an open mind and have a team-based mentality.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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? 

I don’t believe 5 new deputies a year with our current growth is unreasonable.  This is something I would have no problem accessing sales tax revenue for.  As we continue to grow, which we cannot halt, we must above all else fund fire, police, safety.  Perhaps in the future we may find that our revenue can support making that choice.  Just not now, we simply cannot take on the cost of equipment to take on such an endeavor at this time, never mind staffing it.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib

 

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, but for one bankruptcy 16 years ago during the recession.

See how the other candidates answered:
Shara Brodsky | Ty Miller | Jeffrey Seib