Last Updated: 6:35 p.m.
The Flagler County Commission, pressured by Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks, held an emergency session at 11 today to re-ratify the ballot language of a referendum asking voters in August to approve the renewal of a half-cent sales tax supplement for school spending.
Weeks, in what county officials see as an unnecessary maneuver, demanded that the commission hold the emergency meeting to again ratify the wording of the amendment because it had been edited to remove such words as “and” and “or” to shorten from 89 words to 75 words. Commissioners and school officials were not pleased. They complied in order not to jeopardize the school board’s referendum in any way.
Barbara Revels, who chairs the commission, termed the maneuver “ridiculous” before holding her tongue, though she clearly wanted to say more. Colleen Conklin, a school board member, did.
“This is such nonsense,” Conklin said. “Last year or the year before, when we put the .25 on the referendum,” she said, referring to the small property-tax levy voters renewed for the school board, “we approved it in July. We were well beyond the qualifying date for candidates. So a precedent has already been set. I have never heard of this deadline of the qualifying period for candidates coinciding with the referendum and ballot language deadline. At all. I had said to Barbara before. What’s going on, why are we even here? Are we simply the fire hydrant between two dogs?”
Weeks, in an interview late Friday afternoon, said she did not force a meeting on anyone. “I didn’t call this meeting, I didn’t force this meeting, I just made them aware that it could possibly be challenged,” Weeks said, insisting that the problem could have been resolved ahead of time if the school board had adopted its resolution earlier. Absent a vote by both county and school boards, Weeks said, “they may be risking somebody challenging this referendum.”
Weeks said the county attorney could have himself prevented the matter from going down to the wire by noting the excessive length of the referendum language when it came across his desk from the school board. Al Hadeed, the county attorney, rejected that claim, saying the ballot language was originally under 60 words anyway: the supervisor was including the title language, which, according to Hadeed, is not material to the substance of the ballot language. The more pertinent point, Hadeed said, is the supervisor of election’s “arbitrary” deadline which she, not law, had set, including Weeks’s claim that the ballots are going to the printer next Tuesday.
But by publicizing the issue, including Weeks’s raising the issue of a legal challenge in her email to the school board attorney, the supervisor of elections was feeding a poison pill to both boards, and forcing a meeting. “The only way to make sure that this went forward on the ballot for the electorate on the primary was to comply with her deadline, to assure that outcome,” Hadeed said. “There was no choice. There was no real choice.”
The school board’s portion of the half-cent sales tax referendum has nothing to do with a similar referendum the county and cities are working on. That half-cent sales tax has also been on the books for the past 10 years, and is expiring at the end of the year. The county and the cities have not yet agreed on the renewal terms. The county wants to increase its share of the revenue. It’s too late, according to the supervisor of elections, for that referendum to make it onto the Aug. 14 primary ballot. But this latest incident between the county and the supervisor–the latest in a long series, dating back almost four years, to the beginning of Weeks’s tenure–has county officials worried about the referendum making it even onto the November ballot.
“It’s going to be a difficult task,” Revels said after the meeting. “It would require collegial cooperation among agencies that we would hope would occur, should we come to an agreement with the cities and the county on the dispensation of the half-cent sales tax.” That’s an obstacle that hadn’t been foreseen until today because commissioners, Revels said, “had taken it for granted that we could file it later.” That’s not now necessarily the case.
The school tax referendum is put forward by the Flagler County School Board. But the county commission must ratify all county-related referendums that appear on Flagler County election ballots. The school board approved the wording previously, as did the county commission on Monday. The wording, in fact, has barely changed. There were “technical revisions” by the school board that don’t change the intent of the referendum to reduce the length of the ballot language.
So the county scrambled to comply even though, according to Hadeed, that noon deadline has no bearing on county or school board referendums.
“Would not the ability to ratify the changed language at our next regularly scheduled meeting been appropriate and OK?” County Commission Chairman Barbara Revels asked Hadeed.
“There is no statute, nor agency rule, including from the division of elections of the state of Florida, nor any case, or even an attorney general opinion,” Hadeed said, “that prescribes the deadline for a referendum item, local, I’m talking about local, that goes to the supervisor of elections, that sets the deadline for the end of the qualifying period for candidates.”
Normally, Hadeed said, the issue would have been “collegially” addressed, without the need for an extraordinary meeting, “hopefully with the cooperation of the supervisor of elections.” There was no such cooperation. “It became impractical for us to act other than to do it in an emergency meeting,” Hadeed said.
Hadeed stressed that “the statute that govern qualifying do not even mention the word referendum. That’s handled totally separately. So if there is no legal deadline in words, in words, then what is the deadline? The deadline is when the supervisor of elections has to have the language finalized to send it to the printer,” so the ballot is ready when absentee ballots have to be sent out. That, Hadeed said, “is an administratiove function.”
The commission voted unanimously to approve the new language at 11:34 a.m.
“I don’t think you’re being fair to the public by bringing this meeting so suddenly,” Jack Carrell, the only member of the public in the room, told the commission, also blaming the school board for holding an emergency meeting. But he had missed the point: neither the school board nor the county commission thought the meeting necessary. Only the supervisor of elections–who was not at the meeting–did. (Aside from the commissioners, and Conklin, and two constitutional officers or their deputy and School Superintendent Janet Valentine was in the room, along with one reporter. The meeting was televised.)
The Kimberle Weeks email to county and school board officials from Thursday afternoon:
From: Kimberle Weeks [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 4:36 PM
To: ‘Christie L. Mayer’ [County Executive Assistant]
Cc: ‘[email protected]’; ‘Albert J. Hadeed’; ‘[email protected]’; ‘[email protected]’
Subject: June 7, 2012 Delivery of School Board Ballot Language
Importance: High
Christie,
Thank you for delivering the six page document to the elections office this afternoon regarding the revised language of the Flagler County School Board Referendum that is to be placed on the 2012 August 14, 2012 ballot.
Per our conversation I would to again remind you of the following:
I cannot refuse to place the language on the ballot; even if the new language has not gone before the board of county commissioners for approval prior to the submission deadline to the elections office; which is noon (12:00 p.m) June 8, 2012.
As was stated to you in our phone conversation, Mr. Hadeed should be aware of FS 101.161, and never should have signed off on the first language that exceeded the 75 word limitation.
As was also stated to you, School Board attorney, Kristy Gavin found the revised language important enough to take back before the school board for approval, that this should also be necessary to take back before the board of county commissioners to accept the revised language; language they have never seen or previously approved.
I am not refusing to place the language on the ballot as you have presented to me today, as my duties are ministerial, but I certainly prefer to follow the law, and prevent the risk of challenges.
Kimberle B. Weeks
Flagler County Supervisor of Elections
The Coffey memo and the ballot language”:
Craig Coffey Memo to Kim Weeks on half-cent sales tax ballot language.
Anon says
This isn’t the first “emergency” meeting Weeks has called. She had the entire staff of Wadsworth Elementary attend a last minute meeting at 3:30 pm to tell us to vote in the upcoming elections. She also mentioned that some voting places had changed and we should make sure to find out where to vote and then vote. Those of us who have car rider duty in the afternoon were 15 minutes late to the meeting and were worried we had missed something very important. All we missed was what I believe to be a ploy to get her name into the minds of the citizens of Flagler County because she’s up for re-election. By holding this last minute meeting in the way it went down instead of sending us all an email, and now reading about this emergency meeting SHE called and then neglected to attend, I have decided that I do NOT want to re-elect this person. What a waste….JMHO.
Anonymous says
Kimberly Weeks has been a loose cannon ever since she took office. She should not be re-elected.
Anonymous says
The meeting at Wadsworth Elementary School was scheduled by Kaiti Hanson, President of the teachers union.
Anonymous says
Since when does the Supervisor of Elections have the authority to call an emergency meeting in our local schools? Anon, you need to do some homework.
Teach says
She came to all schools. Instead of being able to plan, grade, etc., we were instructed on how to register to vote.
Anonymous says
Listening to these folks whine and cry you would think that Mrs Weeks can’t do anything right.
Every last one of them is paid to serve.
Rajon Rondo said the Miami Heat were whining and crying after every referee’s call.
Just substitute Flagler county commissioners and school board for Miami Heat and Mrs Weeks for every referee’s.
Now that would be a good fit.
How much wasting of time did the school board engage with that uniform policy that was projected to get rid of gangs and improve grades?
palmcoaster says
And the witch hunt from within proceeds….against another honest serving constitutional officer since 2004.
Regarding the improper unkind use of words about the calling of this meeting and probably needed decision of the SOE to comply with her responsibilityin the proper next election process, is just shameful. I read about collegiate work between cities and county for their half cent tax …. The word ridiculous does not show much collegiate attitude.
I would refresh BOCC Chair Mrs Revels memory that “what is actually ridiculous” that a county with a 3, 4 million or larger deficit, should fund her proposal to contract an advertising consultant for her mirage Economic Development Council, at no disclosed amount. We are half way into the year and with all her high paid crew …were are the jobs or new businesses your ED brought in to this county? This is really ridiculous. So much noise and attacks for one extra meeting Mrs Revels and Co.?
SOE is following policy because if she accepts the new wording without approval of the BOCC she will be blamed …meanwhile BOCC dragged their feet as I read here…maybe boycotting again the SOE? The current SOE has been disrespected by the current BOCC from the start and that reminds us all that “we the people and not you” elected Mrs Weeks into office and sure shows now, where the arrows directed to her, come from. Special interest at work moving BOCC to exercise pressure against another constitutional official. A past BOCC did the same in 2004 with Sheriff Jim Manfre.
Regarding Mrs Conklin’s remarks; don’t we pay the school board members close to what we pay BOCC members over 40,000 a year for just few meetings a month? Isn’t that enough pay? I guest is not enough given your complaint against this meeting called by SOE. The July deadline probably was not within a Presidential election year, the busier the process, the more time in advance required to get all documents ready. Sure SOE never criticized your performance in the School Board…do you also use the hydrant example in those school meetings? I see your comparison even lower than vulgar. So much for your collegiate language there.
Also the non cooperation by SOE regarded by the county attorney really makes me suspect of a well organized plan against the current SOE. Lets do no forget how important is that our election process needs to be clear of any good buddies influence within the process…and SOE has none as we see right now in this county, except the people that voted for her and is being tried to convince them that she is no good.
SOE also has to worry now, if she is going to receive in time the final approved referendum wording for the half cent sales tax to be split between the cities and the county after “their sparring for the biggest chunk of the pie is over among them”. SOE is subject to present his elections documents ( ballots, etc) to be printed by the government with enough time to finish that task before primaries and general elections and following policy. BOCC needs to comply its obligation in time.
I would advise Chair Mrs Revels and the rest of the BOCC to keep their wrath for Coffey and his out of the blue missing 3, 4 million and their fight to squeeze even more green blood out of Palm Coast. Lest do not use a sacrificial lamb to distract from the real fact of 3 -4 million missing and ongoing 1/2 cent battle with Palm Coast.
Anonymous says
Weeks did not call the Emergency Meeting for the School Board.
A quote from the above story:
“The school tax referendum is put forward by the Flagler County School Board. But the county commission must ratify all county-related referendums that appear on Flagler County election ballots”.
applesandoranges says
actually, she did call the emergency meeting and it was completely unnecessary
Anonymous says
What do you have to support this claim? Weeks was provided with a schedule from Kaiti Hansen, after Ms Hansen scheduled the meetings with all the schools.
gatorfan1 says
small town politics at it’s finest….nit pickers unite!!
kmedley says
Say it with me… WOW!
Bob says
If it has to be approved before its placed on the ballot why would Coffey, Hadeed and Revels think it could go before the board after the ballots are printed? Sound like the good ol boys have their own way of doing business; which differs from Weeks.
Why did Hadeed sign off on a 89 word item when the law permitted only 75 words? Must be some stuttering going on for only “and” and “the” to be removed. The same thing can’t be said in 75 words that can be said in 89. What is wrong with theses people to think that it can?
Without deadlines, the ballots could have gone to print before Weeks received the information; then what? What are these people thinking?
Weeks was looking out for the good of the people, again, and as usual, it got distorted.
Was the board meeting properly noticed? Can a meeting be called with less than a 24 hour notice to the public?
Better to be safe and do it right. Thanks Weeks.
Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth says
Weeks was not required to be at the meeting today, nor was Weeks ever noticed that a meeting was going to take place place this morning at 11 a.m.. She last communicated with the other side at 4:36 pm yesterday June 7, 2012. Glad to see Weeks’ advice was taken. It tough following the law and doing what is right isn’t it Conklin, Revels, Hadeed and Coffey? Nice try shifting the blame Hadeed.
Colleen Conklin says
Just wanted to address a few things that were mentioned. First, my comments were not hateful. They were how I felt. If I was wrong about my impression of the meeting I have no problem recognizing that. Bob, the School Board approved the language as did the County prior to all of this. It was an agenda item and went through all the appropriate processes according to the law to be approved and placed on the ballot in the sunshine. The issue was simple word smithing. In the past, issues like this, that did not change the intent of the language were always handled between staff collegially – all well within the law. You’re comment insinuates that both entities were attempting to skirt public input or statue. That is simply not the case at all. This isn’t the first time we’ve placed an item on the ballot. We’ve never been given a deadline that coincides with candidate qualifying. Please try to understand from my perspective it was unusual and I was/am struggling to make sense of it. The School Board has never had issues with the SOE office and have always had a professional working relationship. I am basing my perception on the information I have and the events that took place. This was odd and yes I felt like we were put in the middle of some kind of power struggle between the two entities. I apologize if my language offended some. However, it was a tad bit confusing as well as frustrating to receive an email at 4:36, the day before a 12 o’clock deadline on the following day. Again, If these were rules we had played by before and of course this would not have been an issue. Again, we are grateful the County Commission was willing to come together under an emergency meeting to ensure the ballot language was approved and placed on the ballot.
Get Real says
Did you not have a conference call with the elections Attorney, concerning this matter,Colleen Conklin? Wasn’t it made clear to you what he said, about what could happen, if the language wasn’t shortened. The county would risk the 40 million dollars that will be collected, over the next ten years. All Ms Weeks did was save your butt over this matter. You all talk about never having a ballot deadline concur with qualifying. Did it ever occur that ballots do not get printed the day before Early Voting. Ballots have to be tested, the board has to conduct a test and ballots mailed to overseas voters by a certain time and then ballots to local voters at a certain time. If the lawyers and BCC would learn the election laws, instead of relying on a County Attorney that doesn’t know the election laws, the election process would run smoother in our county. For the states election attorney to say the referendum was too long, the problem did not rest with Ms Weeks. The board wanted to do what they have been doing for years, with the disregard of laws and rules. I guess our County Attorney can’t count, the title is fifteen words and then the next two paragraphs is what has to be 75 words or less. If you want to see the original text turned in, do a public record request and count the words yourself, so you will know Ms Weeks was doing her job and watching out for the citizens of our county.
Think first, act second says
Yes Ms. Conklin, It is good that the county commissioners could adjust their extremely busy schedules and go to an unscheduled meeting (sarcasm intended). With only 4 meetings this month on the four mondays I am sure their time is busy.
Were they all there, there is nothing in any article I have read to say so, or not.
[All five commissioners attended the meeting, whose televised recording is available at the county’s website.–FL]
palmcoaster says
@ Mrs Conklin. I wish you good luck on your campaign…but after your totally out of line description of a situation between two governmental entities and your great inconvenient shown for having to attend one more meeting, this time you are not getting my vote.
Witch hunting is alive and well around here and we all have to try and stop unjustified attacks on good serving constitutional officers, from within the other government entities at least. Too bad that if our SOE is re-elected still will have to deal with BOCC Chair Revels. Better all voters keep in mind that Revels as a chair of the BOCC is also a member of the Board of elections that will certify or not, after all ballots are in, the provisional or any other questionable ballots count. Will be Revels (unless she declines) one county Judge (was always Atack) and the Elections Supervisor or Representative is she is in the ballot, I guess.
tulip says
@thinkfirst
If you’ve ever attended or watched a BOCC meeting, especially the first of the year, I think, you will see them all pick special projects or groups that they participate in and work with, as well as speaking to various organizations and attending seminars to learn more about government and related topics, workshops, budgets and studying agendas. Plus most of them have more than one project they work on, so being a commissioner is a full time job indeed, so I wouldn’t think they sit around all day and just show up on tv every 2 weeks.
I do watch/listen to some of the Palm Coast Council meetings and some of the BOCC meetings while I’m at my computer, and I am amazed at the amount of knowledge of things they have to know or learn from Mr. Hadeed. Of course sometimes the meetings are totally boring and I turn it off and listen to something else, flipping back to the BOCC during commercials.
Think first, act second says
Tulip,
You inspired me to check on some of the facts of your post and I found you are correct on the additional time “SOME” of the BOCC spend in doing what you said. There are workshops, budget and study agendas and seminars which are offer by the Florida Association of Counties. SOME of the commissioners have taken advantage of this and some of the current commissioners have not. I just checked the Florida Association of Counties website and found that Jim O’Connell had attended when he was a commissioner, Alan Peterson has accomplished all of the offered seminars, Revels has finished 1/2 of them, McLaughlin is working on the first of the two but he is a new commiss. and Hanns has never attended any of them since they were started in 1996. So yes some of our comm. do take advantage of extension education and one does not. I wonder how he spends his spare time?
I will have to do some more research on him to see. Love google.
tulip says
@thinkfirst
Wow, I knew the commissioners had busy schedules with seminars and things, but you actually found out who attended what courses, etc. I’m impressed–I wouldn’t know where to go and find it. From your signature, I presume you’ve been googling away.
Think first, act second says
Actually Tulip, The budget under discussion beginning this AM shows registration fees for McLaughlin and Revels for the Advanced courses. The Florida Association of Counties supplies the other info. By the way, I intentionally omitted Holland, who has attended none also, because she is leaving the BOCC in Nov.
willy says
Vote for anybody but Kim Weeks this fall…
The Clique says
I have come to realize that Ms Weeks is not part of the 2 cliques that run things, the Good Ole Boys and the Poli-chicks, and these power mongers who are never wrong will stop at nothing to discredit her. The 89 words should have never made it past Hadeed”s desk. The Buck should have stopped there! As a matter of fact, if the School Board was doing there part and being thorough, it would have never been created at 89 words to begin with! Ahh, those pesky Florida Statutes again!!!
And a word of advice to the Chidrens Cadidate, I feel that you are doing a half decent job, but you where elected to represent the BEST interests of the School system 24-7, and any risk or challenges that could have jeopardized the .25 referendem which generates a critical 4 million (py) for the school system should have been a Paramount concern to you and not have been ridiculed as nonsence. I truely hope the emergency meeting wasn’t a ( how dare they interupt my friday moment) and didn’t ruin or interupt your friday too much!
Colleen Conklin says
“Did you not have a conference call with the elections Attorney, concerning this matter,Colleen Conklin? Wasn’t it made clear to you what he said, about what could happen, if the language wasn’t shortened.” NO, I did not have any such call and NO it was never made clear to me what could happen if the language wasn’t shortened. There were no changes to the intent of the language. In the past this would have been handled between staff without having to go through a full ratifying by both boards. Of course we recognize the need for a printing deadline but the truth is we have never been given a deadline that coincided with candidate qualifying. Palmcoaster, I am sorry I’ve lost your support for how I described the situation but that is how it felt. Again, I apologize if it offended you and disappointed to know I’ve lost your support over it. No one said this meeting was inconvenient – it was definitely a surprise. I was there because I happen to be at an audit meeting that morning with the Superintendent and was asked to go. Our schedules are often filled with meetings outside of the normally scheduled business meetings and it can become difficult to coordinate everyone’s schedule. Regardless, I am thankful that in the 11th hour the commission was able to do pull together the meeting to approve the language.
palmcoaster says
@Mrs Conklin. Whom you should really be thanking to save your referendum, is our dedicated and honest SOE Mrs Weeks and apologize to her as well, as much as the BOCC Chair Revels should!!
This referendum wording approval meeting should be appreciated to Mrs Weeks and not the BOCC!
What is the problem with our Commissioner Revels against the current SOE? Maybe the difference in compensation between the county commissioner and the SOE? I am trying to figure out a reason here.
All the other constitutional officers are approved much higher budgets than the SOE with flying colors and wide smiles and are never publicly scorned or disrespected. When these unjustified attacks will stop?
Suppose says
Conklin-
Suppose SOE Weeks didn’t put a deadline on the filing of the referendum, and it was filed AFTER the ballots went to print. You would complain then too. I agree with Palm Coaster, you need to thank Weeks for looking out for the School Board and wanting the law to be filed.
What else has Hadeen flubbed up that we don’t know about?
This should be a wakeup call for the BOCC at how Coffey and Hadeed operate. They both need to go bye bye!
Weeks has my vote in 2012.
Think first, act second says
Suppose, since you say coffey and hadeed need to go, if I were you I wouldn’t vote for either of them in November.
Vote in the SOE race and vote for anyone but Weeks!
palmcoaster says
@Think First and act…I am wondering what is that you found at fault in Mrs Weeks. You had a way to try and twist “Suppose” statement, that is very clear about Coffey and Hadeed and is very clear to all that their positions are appointed, hired, contracted by the ones that we will elect..In the past Mr.Hadeed (late nineties think it was when Hutch King and others got elected to the BOCC), Hadeed was bye bye after incumbents lost. After a number of years I think that commissioner Melissa Holland brought him back.
Sarcasm at its best of yours, Thinkfirst.
Think first, act second says
palmcoaster,
Let me answer your question about what I find at fault with Ms. Weeks.
1. She thinks a budget is a line item budget if written on paper with lines on it.
2. She demonstrates great anger and lack of professionalism when confronted by county commissioners about explanations of her budget, line or not.
3. She recently rejected a written referendum which she claims contained 89 words, but in reality only contained 55 and then after an emergency meeting accepted a referendum with 58 (3 more than the original) document, all to exercise what she perceives as authority.
4. She has proposed a budget that is based on the same number of personnel required in 38 precincts but she has reduced the number of precincts to 22. You and I have both worked in precincts on election day, do you find this correct? How is this justifiable to you who is always complaining about county people unnecessarily spending yours and my tax money.
pollworker says
Ms Weeks knows nothing about running the SOE office. Save us all some grief and find a new one,PLEASE !!!
pollworker says
We are fortunate to have Mr. Hadeed working for us and the County.
You should get to know him before you criticize him. He puts more hours in his job than two of
Ms. Weeks.
palmcoaster says
@Think first. Because I have worked in precincts under Mrs Weeks is that I know that your perception of your 1 to 4 is totally distorted away of the reality of the current SOE, good work. This is nothing new as there are always individuals desperate to get some of our constitutional officials high paid jobs with the help of their buddies. I have seeing this in 2004 and the bad fall out afterwards, that we are still enduring. I totally disagree with you.
Think first, act second says
PC, you disagree with me, OK.
Did she not say that the lines on a page made her budget a line item budget. Youcan go back in FL archives and get the article.
Does she not show anger and no professionalism when confronting the BOCC, again go back in FL archives and get the recordings and articles.
Did she not propose a budget with 24 Clerks, 46 Assistant Clerks, 32 Ballot Box Inspectors, 128 Book Inspectors and 30 Deputies? Look up her budget on the Flagler County site and you will find the answer, or you can believe me, yes she did. That is after closing precincts to 23 and polling locations to 22. One of her opponents, Kimble Medley, offers the following suggested staffing, 23 Clerks, 23 Assistant Clerks, 23 Ballot Box Inspectors, 23 Deputies, 69 Book Inspectors (3 Inspectors per polling location/precinct), 46 Alternates.
Having worked in the polls, why do there need to be more than 1 deputy to man the door, not a total of 30? With 23 polling locations why are there 24 clerks, not 23, and 2 Asst clerks in each poll? How will 128 book inspectors function in 22 locations, almost 6 per poll?
You have been the one shouting most loudly about the county spending your hard earned taxes, why are you silent now with such an example of overspending. Support Weeks if you wish and good luck with that, but don’t think the rest of us don’t see egregious actions and poor management, professionally and budgetary, when we see it. We aren’t all stupid!
pollworker says
Some one else is always doing her work. If she knew how, we wouldn’t have half the problems we do.
palmcoaster says
@Think First. I see now your connections…Regarding the SOE budget you should be appreciative that she is trying to save us the taxpayers $$ with the redistricting in Florida and reducing redundant polling places.. She is not over budget as a matter of fact she is under budget returning to BOCC aver 30,000 a year on savings from her approved budget. You need to get into the archives and find this as well and not only what sustains in a distort way your point. SOE has saved us also the unneeded sheriff deputies cost escorting the clerk and one poll worker for the first time ever, back to the SOE offices after precincts close from last elections and on. She sure tighten her department financial belt. Our SOE as the lowest budget assigned of all our constitutional officers. I would never define our resident voters using your derogative word, maybe instead I am inclined to described as some being just misinformed. I can see that you also, are a fierce defendant of county BOCC attitudes no matter how damaging to many of us will be. Lets hope the voters will make an educated decision.
Think first, act second says
PC, I am very appreciative that she took commissioner petersons advise and looked at consolidating and closing some of the precincts to save money, but show me where the money savings are if she does not reduce the staff needed to conduct the elections. She has returned money each year to the county, as you say, but that is because she uses the same budget every year that she used the previous year and returned money to the county. Don’t you think, as a business person which you say you are, that if you over estimate your budgetary needs for 2 years then the third year you would reduce it?
You are also wrong when you say I have respect for this BOCC attitudes. I think replacements are needed this year of the two incumbents still available to be voted on, Revels gets a pass for this year, but I would throw her in with the other two if she had an opponent. Holland is leaving and hoping to go on to greener pastures, so we have the potential for a turnover of 2 in the new board if we vote out the incumbents.
Our SOE has the lowest budget, because she has the lowest staff. You can’t compare her budget with the other constitutionals who have many times the number of 5 employees which she has. Of course they have larger budgets, they have more staffing!
Incidentally I never disparaged our residents, in fact I stood up for them, we are not stupid!
Kimble Medley says
With regards to this particular issue, the language of the referendum to appear on the Primary ballot, this could have been and in my opinion, should have been addressed at the June 4th meeting, for which SOE Weeks was present. If you look at the archives, specifically the agenda and back up items for that particular meeting, page 303 provides the following ballot language for adoption:
SHALL A ONE-HALF CENT SALES SURTAX CONTINUE TO BE LEVIED IN FLAGLER COUNTY FOR A PERIOD OF. TEN (10) YEARS, BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2013, TO FINANCE RETROFITTING, IMPLEMENTATION AND FOR THE UPGRADING AND EQUIPPING OF ALL SCHOOLS
FOR TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT, HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE; AS WELL AS TO FINANCE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, REMODELING, ADDITIONS TO EXISTING
SCHOOLS, LAND ACQUISITION AND IMPROVEMENT; FOR THE FLAGLER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT?
http://flaglercounty.org/archives/67/6-4-12%20BOCC%20%20Revised%20Agenda%20&_RN2093.pdf
At first glance, it’s clear a Ballot Title is not discernible. As stated earlier, SOE Weeks was in attendance, as was the attorney for the School Board.
Questions:
1. Did SOE Weeks review the proposed language before attending the meeting?
2. Did she notice the problem with the title? If not, why?
3. If there was a problem, why wasn’t it addressed before the BOCC at this meeting or before the School Board when the language was first proposed?
Here’s the corrected language:
https://flaglerlive.com/wp-content/uploads/coffey-memo.pdf
You can now see the Title, followed by the summary, all of which totals 74 words. If you look at the original language, it totals 74 words. The title, which cannot exceed 15 words, is what was missing and the bulk of the title was drawn from the text. So the 89 word total was obtained by adding the original 74 words to the 15 needed for the title. All of this could have been taken care of at the June 4th meeting.
Simple question. Why wasn’t this addressed at the June 4th meeting or why wasn’t this noticed at the School Board meeting when the language was first adopted?