It just isn’t Pete Young’s year–not for the Bunnell City Commission, anyway: tonight the former Florida Highway Patrol traffic homicide investigator resigned his commission seat before taking it.
Twice in the last five months Young tried to become a Bunnell city commissioner, as he once had been a decade and a half ago. He lost the election in March. When Bob Barnes resigned for health reasons, the city commission two weeks ago, after a pitch by Young himself, appointed him to serve until next March, when he’d have to run to keep the seat. He was grateful.
The appointment was to be formalized tonight with a swearing in. But it was nowhere on the agenda. It’s customary that a judge swears in new officials. No judge was in the room. Not even the mayor knew why. When Young himself was asked about it before the meeting, he waved off the question. “You’ll see,” he said.
After the meeting started, Robinson invited him up. “He wants to make a statement. So we want to hear what he has to say,” Robinson said.
Turns out the Florida Retirement System bars him from taking certain government jobs just yet. The state requires state employees who retire to wait a certain period before taking another job in a government that’s also part of FRS, as is Bunnell government. Neither he nor city officials had thought to verify those qualifications two weeks ago.
“It goes six months prior to, or when you first receive your retirement money or take a draw,” Young told the commission. “We we ran into some complications and had some options to choose from. But I went ahead and chose that at this time I’d like to ask you all to accept my letter of formal notice of resignation from the position of city commissioner, effective today.”
The restriction will expire in December, he said, giving him the opportunity to get involved likely in next March’s election. He said on further reflection he should have just taken the time off after his retirement, at least for a year. “At least I got some new clothes out of the deal, my wife got some good deals,” he said.
“Disappointing to say the least,” Robinson said.
It also places the city in a difficult position it was trying to avoid two weeks ago, when it appointed Young. At the time, the commission had several choices: to make an immediate appointment, to open the field to applicants and choose from that pool after 30 days, or to have a special election in conjunction with the primary election.
It could have done that had it chosen that route that very evening–Aug. 9, giving the supervisor of elections just enough time to add the special election on the November ballot. (The charter requires that the special election be held at the next “general” election. It doesn’t specify whether that’s the city’s general election or any general election.)
Commissioner John Rogers went as far as making a motion to that end, which was seconded by Commissioner Tonya Gordon. But then Young spoke to the commission, suggesting that since he was a runner-up in last March’s election, and since he already had commission experience, albeit from a different decade (Bunnell was a different city then), fairness would suggest he should have the nod. Young wrapped his pitch among a couple of other options. Commissioner Tina-Marie Schultz, who opposed his appointment, had suggested going the route of appointments.
After Young spoke, Rogers withdrew his motion, and a 3-1 vote installed Young.
Now that he’s resigned, the commission faces the same dilemma it did two weeks ago. The city charter states that the commission “shall” appoint a replacement until the next election can be held. But the charter doesn’t specify a timeline. The city attorney two weeks ago gave commissioners the option of letting the position go vacant until next March, though there wasn’t much appetite for that.
The commission did not discuss the succession other than to decide to place the matter on the agenda of the September 12 meeting for a decision.
coyote says
What a sad, sad irony – to find out that we have a potential political officeholder with honesty, ethics, and integrity – and we have to find out all of this about him by his obeyance of the law and resigning with no muss, no fuss, no theatrics or drama. Kind of makes Pete stand out in Flagler county.
Erobot says
Words fail. 🤪
I call BS says
Once again City Staff and City Manager not doing their jobs. Never any follow-up.
The best part is the Commission will give staff a lollipop and say it’s ok without any kind of reprimand.
There is no good management at that City.
Tony says
Just asking…..how did he get some new clothes out of the deal and his wife got some good deals? What does this mean? A backdoor deal? Or a payoff? Or just what?
Denali says
Always seeing the worst. His wife got got some good deals on new clothes for him to wear in his new position as a city representative. You know the same good deals you could get if you ever went shopping on your own . . . Believe it or not, there is not a thief behind every tree.
SteveO2 says
He was stating that his wife had purchased him some new civilian professional clothes for his new job as a City Commissioner. As a 40+ year FHP/Flagler Deputy the man is as honest as they come. About as levelheaded as you will ever meet.
Anthony says
Unreal.
Flamingo Gary says
I cant believe that FRS would be concerned with someone being a commissioner of a po dunk town like Bunnell. We are the armpit of Flagler County and need all the help we can get.
SteveO2 says
The issue is that the City of Bunnell is enrolled in the FRS system (Florida Retirement System). State law says you cannot enter back into the system for 1 year since you retired in the same system. Pete is doing it right, abiding by the law.
SteveO2 says
The issue is the City of Bunnell is enrolled in the FRS (Florida Retirement System) City Commissioners included. Florida law states that you cannot be enrolled in the FRS within 1 year of retiring from FRS, which Pete just did after serving 40+ years with FHP/Flagler S.O. He is being honest and wanted to clarify that he cannot hold the office for several more months. Had he, he could have caused issues for himself or the city.
Leo says
Its a shame people are allowed to get on here and call Bunnell the armpit of the county. Wish he would share what he has done personally to make it better.
The Geode says
What is a “shame” about it? It’s their opinion. I was born and raised here and heard Bunnell described as worse. I’m not questioning the intentions of somebody calling a particular place they don’t care for an “arm-pit” but the intentions of the people living here to change the perceptions of “arm-pit”. I would also be interested in knowing what have YOU done…