“This is going to be a beautifully short meeting,” Chairwoman Kim Carney said, just before the Pledge starting the Flagler Beach City Commission’s bi-monthly meeting Thursday evening.
“Don’t say it,” Mealy said, fearing a jinx. Mealy has been on the commission quite a bit longer than Carney. She knows. And she was right.
The meeting was relatively short—10 items dealt with in 70 minutes. But it was book-ended by two ugly confrontations between Commissioner Steve Settle and Rick Belhumeur, a local resident and property owner. Belhumeur is an opponent of the city’s plan to buy a new so-called “quint” fire truck, for $600,000. Settle is a proponent.
The first confrontation was entirely Settle’s doing: he drew Belhumeur back to the podium after Belhumeur was done speaking. Settle then made statements some of his colleagues found unacceptable, including calling Belhumeur’s words to the commission “inappropriate,” because, Settle claimed, Belheumeur was “running for office,” which is not the case. Settle also asked Belhumeur what experience he had to “allow” him to make the statements he was making—again, raising a conditional bar on a speaker’s freedom to speak during public comments that no local government ever presumes to raise.
“I was kind of flabbergasted,” Commissioner Jane Mealy said today.
“It was not cordial, everyone left there with much tension, of course,” Carney said.
Carney did not intervene, though she found Settle’s comments themselves inappropriate—the more so when paired with the two men’s confrontation immediately after the meeting adjourned.
At that point, in a description Belhumeur described afterward and Carney corroborated, Belhumeur walked up to the dais, where Settle was standing with other commissioners still milling about, and asked to speak with him. “He turned around and looked at me and said, ‘what, do you want to fight?’ I don’t remember exactly what I said but it certainly was not ‘yes, let’s go at it,’” Belhumeur said. Rather, he told the commissioner that he had three minutes to speak to the commission, twice a month, and that the right to do so could not possibly be “inappropriate.”
“The volume got louder as it progressed, and it almost turned into a shouting match,” Belhumeur said. The confrontation lasted less than two minutes.
“It was so uncomfortable, I just tried to stay away from it,” Commissioner Jane Mealy, who’s had her run-ins with Settle before, said. She was no more comfortable by the way Settle had questioned Belheumeur during the public speaking period. “Steve went off on him and it just made it uncomfortable for everybody,” mealy said. “Basically, this should not be happening. Whether there was something more between them, I don’t know. I don’t think either side, whether commissioners or the public,should go off on each other like that.”
Settle did not return a call to his home Friday.
The meeting featured nothing more exciting than a financial review by City Manager Bruce Campbell. But it started with the usual opening to public comment. There were fewer than five people in the audience.
Fran Moore, a Flagler Beach resident, spoke in opposition to the proposed quint truck (and said that she’d relied for her statements on perspective by Art Woosley, the retired firefighter in Flagler Beach who’s often found himself at loggerheads with city policy over the fire department.) Moore asked the commission to place the matter of the truck on the March election ballot, enabling the public to have a straw poll. “By the next budget meeting we will have plenty of signatures on a petition, so I just want you to know that,” Moore said.
Belhumeur then stepped to the podium. He said the fire department would need $1.7 million over the next five years, according to the city’s own five-year capital spending plan, which includes the quint, a new brush truck, a new captain’s SUV, a new squad truck, a new ATV, a new boat and other items. “The commission has the responsibility to make wise decisions, and it seems as though we might be spending this infrastructure money faster than we’re getting it,” he said, referring to a specific fund that gets fed by the city’s share of the county’s sales tax—a diminishing fund, as the city’s portion has declined, in relation to the county’s, in the past two years. “I don’t think the quint is really something that the city really needs, I think it’s something that certain people want. We’ve got good equipment over there now that would put out fires in this town.”
He spoke for a few more seconds and began turning away when Settle jumped in, asking if he could ask Belhumeur a questions.
“Yes,” Belhumeur said.
“State for the record,” Settle asked, “what kind of experience you have to allow you to say this. Have you ever been a volunteer firefighter? Have you ever been to firefighter training school?” (Never had Settle, even as chairman of the commission, questioned a speaker’s right to speak based on the speaker’s experience regarding one matter or another. Never in recent memory has a local council or commission chairman equated a speaker’s experience with whether that speaker was “allowed” to address an issue or not.)
“No, but I talk to many firefighters,” Belhumeur said.
“With whom?”
“I talked to our county chief to start with.”
“You talked to our county chief.”
“Absolutely.”
“Oh, so we’re going back to—your purpose in being here is not really a quint. You’re talking about losing our fire department again,” Settle said.
“I am not!” Belhuemeur said, startled by the assumption: he had said nothing approaching that suggestion.
“Then what are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about a lot of money.”
“You talk to our county fire department, rather than our own fire chief.”
“When you want information you go to different people and get that information, not just to one person,” Belhumeur said.
“I think,” Settle said, “you are already running for office, and it’s inappropriate right now, so.”
“Oh, really! I’m being inappropriate,” Belhumeur said, walking away from the podium.
“OK,” Carney said, and picked up the thread of the remainder of the meeting. But she was uncomfortable, then and at the end of the meeting, when the confrontation resumed.
“I don’t know what happened,” Carney said today. “They were both a little angered, I would assume, nothing happened other than the exchanges, some inappropriate words. They didn’t treat each other very well. But public comment time is public comment time. Sometimes it’s not easy to have to hear.”
Carney has been a supporter of Belhumeur’s position. “He’s right, we are basically depleting that infrastructure surcharge account,” she said. “In my short three years it looks like people think its free money, but I don’t quite feel that way.”
Campbell, the city manager, did not stick around for the confrontation at the end of the meeting, though he’d heard of it by morning, and spoken with Belhumeur. “I don’t really want to get involved in that,” Campbell said, though he said Belhumeur’s figures, outlined during the public comment period, were correct. “I don’t know what happened with this big exchange between them. It is what it is.” As he described it, “I saw Rick approach the dais and I left. I didn’t want to be any part of it.”
“Funny thing is that I didn’t know I was running,” Belhumeur said. “Maybe [Settle] should be excused from the commission and I’ll take his place just like my father took a commissioner’s seat years ago.” Belhumeur said he is drafting a letter to the commission, demanding a public apology and a commission reprimand of Settle.
Carney said that as chairwoman she has no authority to address the matter. “I’m just going to leave this to Steve and Rick to Hash out,” She said.
SSDD says
Seems like the commission only likes to talk to one person to get their facts. I’m almost positive that last year when all the negative things were happening with the fire department, they only talked to Bruce Campbell. I would be willing to bet that not one of them contacted individuals involved to get their side of the story, only relying on what Campbell told them. So for Settle to say that Rick is out of line for talking to other agencies, he himself is one sided. Of course he wants him to talk to the FIRE CAPTAIN so he cans spin him the same BS story that he has told everyone else. My understanding is it was a demo truck. Has anyone besides Captain Pace spoke with the dealer? Is that truck even still available? I’m sure that $600,000 figure is going to go up by the time thus is all said and done and end up costing the citizens of Flagler Beach more around $750,000. We’ll just have to wait and see… Good Job Rick! Stand your ground!
Truth Seeker says
Typical Flagler Beach; disagree with them and your wrong.
Rick Belhumeur says
Note the pledge of civility attached to the podium where public comments are offered.
We will be respectful of one another even when we disagree.
We will direct all comments to the issues.
We will avoid personal attacks.
Keep in mind that Commissioner Settle is supposed to be supporting your best interest. Is he, or has he made this personal?
Robert Lewis says
Enough cackling from the peanut gallery.
The residents of Flagler Beach want to micromanage every aspect, including what equipment to buy. Only the most ignorant would say “we do not need that”. We rely on information from 2 Retirees (from different jurisdictions) that have no concept of community need.
While I do not agree with Captain Pace on his handling of previous situations. I must state my support in their effort to purchase new technology an equipment. Capital expenses are costly, but are necessary for the safety of their department. I believe that those within the department thy undertand community needs and how best to respond to them should be making the decisions.
It’s time for the peanut gallery to pipe down and allow the elected leaders to lead. This is a republic, not a democracy.
Purchase the truck and respond to the needs of the community.
A.S.F. says
Robert Lewis Says–That “peanut gallery” you are referring to is the citizenry that pays the taxes that supports the above-mentioned purchases. “The residents of Flagler Beach” have a right to “micromanage every aspect” of decisions and actions that affect both their budgets and the quality of their lives. To suggest otherwise is arrogant and autocratic. I AM THE KING–LET ‘EM EAT CAKE!
Genie says
@ ASF – Standing ovation for you!
Nancy N. says
You are missing a fine point of the article. There is a difference between letting the public have their say and then doing what you think as a commissioner is correct – and questioning the public’s right to even express an opinion. The problem here is that Mr. Settle essentially appears to have questioned the fundamental right of a voter in this country, which is to have an opinion about a public issue and express it to our elected leaders, by questioning whether the voter was to his satisfaction qualified to have an opinion. Mr Settle is free to regard or disregard a voter’s expressed opinion (and face the ramifications of his actions at the ballot box), but questioning the right of a voter to even have an opinion is elitist, un-constitutional, and un-American.
Observant says
Wow.
ignorance says
what a cowardly, petty ‘little’ man Settle is.
Cruz says
Tension in the County….tension in the State…tension in the Country ! Its so thick you can’t cut with a knife.
………………WHY is there so much TENSION…ANGER…AGGRESSION…VIOLENCE…………….
One Word: OBAMA
ogrethetop says
Really you think it’s cause Obama, talk about only listing to one side..
Genie says
@ Cruz and Ogrethetop: Hey! Somehow, the politicians in this country (BOTH SIDES) have forgotten who it is they work for and represent. Clearly we are having a problem with that here.
It’s tragic that in such a beautiful community we can’t get more people to run for office and even get people out to vote. Most just don’t give a damn. And THAT’S when you end up with politicians who attack citizens.
This country needs to grow the hell up and get it’s act together or we won’t have elections.
A.S.F. says
A bunch of bullies and cowards seem to running Flagler Beach. Are there any brave and sane adults who can step in and stop these hambones from embarrassing themselves and everyone else?
Retired FF says
It certainly appears that Mr. Belhumeur has taken the time to research the 5 year capital budget for the FD and bring it to the attention of the city elected officials. To spend in excess of $600K on a piece of fire apparatus that is not needed is irresponsible. Replace the out of date aerial truck with a good Class A Pumper that will serve the city for years and rely on the current automatic aid agreement to provide an aerial truck if and should it be needed.
In the event Mr. Settle should read this, I do have the experience to comment on this purchase. I worked many years in the fire service and was directly involved in the budgeting and purchase of many pieces of fire apparatus.
Rick Belhumeur says
There is a petition being circulated to stop the purchase of a $600.000 fire truck during the 2014-15 fiscal year. This petition is for Flagler Beach residents only! Copies can be obtained by emailing: [email protected] Mail completed petitions to P.O. Box 606 Flagler Beach 32136.
Happening now says
Oh for God’s sake. Just say NO!
A.S.F. says
…And the powers that be will do their best to bully you and shut you up, accordingly.
confidential says
Sign the petition as local government is running out of control when it comes to waste our hard earned and ever raising taxes!
Every time I drive by one of these many luscious huge fire stations and I see them surrounded by many neglected or vacant homes given foreclosures I tell myself…”something is wrong with this picture” in this second highest unemployment rate county in Florida. These capital projects in our pockets are out of hand…better don’t even start me on this PC city hall.
K says
Mr. Settle is an embarrassment and Chairwoman Carney is even worse in my opinion. As the so called leader of the council it is her duty to demand that civility is preserved. Shame on her for shirking her duties as an elected official.
Anonymous says
The commission and mayor of Flagler beach are way out of control. A slanted little group with much special interest and the citizens’ money. We certainly need competent leadership in Flagler Beach!
Genie says
@ Anonymous: We have elections coming up. GET OUT AND VOTE!