• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2022
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

Ethics Panel Ratifies $4,500 Fine Against Barbara Revels in Closing Blur on Distinguished Service

January 27, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 6 Comments

barbara revels
Barbara Revels, left, on Dec. 19, accepting recognition for her service through eight years on the County Commission. (© FlaglerLive)

In all of two minutes and 53 seconds this morning, the Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously approved a pre-probable-cause agreement that will have former Flagler County Commissioner Barbara Revels pay a $4,500 fine for making repeated errors on three years’ successive financial disclosure forms, from 2012 to 2014.


Revels had herself agreed to the settlement in order not to prolong the case further: it had been hanging over her since June 2015. It was the second time in two years that Revels was agreeing to a hefty fine from the ethics commission. In January 2015, she paid a $2,500 fine after she was found to have violated conflict-of-interest and disclosure rules in a case connected to the county’s purchase of the old Memorial hospital in Bunnell, what became the sheriff’s operations center.

The commission Friday also approved a public censure and reprimand of Revels who, in eight years on the commission, had been its most effective member: she could point to a series of concrete accomplishments (from reviving the fates of the old county courthouse or Bunnell’s Carver Gym to reinventing the county’s economic development initiatives and shepherding numerous social service initiatives to fruition). She had broad policy interests and superior parliamentary skills as a consensus builder and foe of idle chatter. Revels had equally numerous private-sector business interests.

It was the entanglement of private and public interests, along with a surprising inattention to detail but also toxic political opposition from the county’s hard-right, that twice led the ethics commission finding against her. Her local tormentors were members of the now-defunct but still radiating Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies of Flagler County, the group of local Republicans targeted Democrats and moderate Republicans by any means necessary to taint them or weaken their hold on office.

Revels was defeated in her bid for a third term last November, by Dave Sullivan, who had, ironically, entered the race on the Republican side to blunt the possibility of a challenge by a Reagan Assembly-affiliated candidate. No such candidate emerged in that race, but Sullivan, until then not broadly known beyond party circles, benefited from the Trump wave to sweep into office, as did other newcomers to local office. Revels has returned full time to her real estate and construction firm in Flagler Beach, which she had maintained through her years on the commission, though she is still involved on local boards such as that of Florida Hospital Flagler and the Carver Gym Foundation.

“I believe this is a fair agreement because it is a pre-probable cause agreement,” Elizabeth Miller, the commission’s advocate, told the panel this morning in open session in Tallahassee. Revels was represented by attorney Mark Herron, who had nothing to add other than to urge the commission to adopt the agreement. There were no questions from the ethics commission members, who quickly heard the motion, voted and moved on.

At her farewell reception, hosted by the county commission on Dec. 19, Revels was asked if she’d run again. “Not gonna happen,” she replied after a moment’s thought.  Later, she explained in more modulated terms: “I don’t think it’s in the cards. Not that I can see right now. Because Milissa Holland had told me that, you know, ‘I’m never going to run in a campaign again, I’m never going to this, I’m never going to that,’ so you don’t want to never say never, but right now I’m saying I do not want to be in a campaign again.” (Holland, who’d served on the county commission with Revels until 2012, then had an unsuccessful run for a Florida House seat, after which she said she’d not run again. She was elected mayor of Palm Coast in November with an overwhelming majority.)

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
You and your neighbors collectively read our articles about 25,000 times each day (that's not a typo) with up to 65,000 daily reads during emergencies like hurricanes. Flagler County residents rely on FlaglerLive for essential, bold and analytical journalism that cannot be found anywhere else. But we depend on your support. Please join our December fund drive! If you donate the cost of a scoop of ice cream, you will be helping us continue to provide comprehensive local news and honest, serious journalism for our community. If you can donate more or become a monthly donor, even better. Donations are tax deductible since FlaglerLive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donate by clicking anywhere in this box. Think of it as buying a scoop, in every sense of the term!  
All donors' identities are kept confidential and anonymous.
   

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. woodchuck says

    January 27, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    Distinguished service?Isn’t this her second fine?Just sayin.

    Reply
  2. palmcoaster says

    January 27, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    Shame …now who’s next?

    Reply
  3. Logically says

    January 27, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    Maybe some folks should lift up and put aside their business to serve the public and see what it’s like. Commenting on here doesn’t count as public service.

    Reply
  4. Wishful Thinking says

    January 28, 2017 at 8:48 am

    Barbara is a hard working, brilliant, smart and charming friendly lady. She had it all going for her in every way.. She unfortunately undid her great deeds with this mess. So very sad

    Reply
  5. Bob & p- s says

    January 29, 2017 at 10:31 am

    Barbara was a great asset to flagler beach I think she will be missed not being in office. Born and raised in flagler beach she knows what this city needs. Also she built my home with no issues. A very good business and building person. I bet she will be back.

    Reply
  6. USA Lover says

    January 29, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    These career politicians are never sorry until they get caught with their corrupt hands in the cookie jar. I thought it was a hoot that she got a grand send off party while facing an ethics fine. You can’t make this stuff up. I almost blew beer out of my nose when I read this. Good riddance to a local yokel politician on the dole.

    Reply
  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Recent Comments

  • G on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Sad Cookie Lover's Friend on Crumbl Cookies Opening Soon at Palm Coast’s Island Walk
  • Ahto Motive on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Mike the Texan on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Jimbo99 on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Mike the Texan on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Ben Hogarth on Flagler Sheriff’s Sgt. Breckwoldt, In Charge of Narcotics Unit, at Center of Abuse of Power Allegation
  • Anita on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • JOE D on He Was Convinced the School Board Was Pushing “Transgender BS.” He Was Arrested. And Emboldened.
  • djwhite077 on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Pogo on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Shirley on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Tired of it on Florida Will Publish Annual Index of Books Banned or Challenged in Schools
  • Hookah Smoking Caterpillar on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire
  • Edith Campins on Florida Will Publish Annual Index of Books Banned or Challenged in Schools
  • Jim on I’m Almost 67, I Worked 22 Years With Walmart, Yet Can’t Afford to Retire

Log in