Flagler County commissioners had more questions than answers even as they approved going ahead with a $5 million acquisition of the deteriorated Plantation Bay water and sewer plant, and throwing the county, in a hazy partnership with Bunnell, in the utility business for the first time.
craig coffey
Commissioner Alan Peterson Logs His Last Meeting, But Not Without One Last Showdown
Flagler County Commissioner Alan Peterson served his last meeting Monday evening, but not before taking on Clerk of Court Gail Wadsworth’s raised for her employees and reminding fellow-commissioners what had made him their most ardent bean-counter.
Flagler Settles on a Design Firm In First Major Step Toward County Jail’s Expansion
The leading contender to design the project is Tallahassee-based Clemons, Rutherford & Associates, or CRA Architects, a small firm of 23 staffers (including eight architects) that’s designed 23 jails in the last 10 years, at least in parts.
Mulligan: County Re-Enacts Beach Dredging Meeting It Had Closed to the Public in July
A citizen had complained in July to the Flagler County Commission about a closed-door meeting on beach dredging proposals between the county administration and the U.S. Corps of Engineers that had nevertheless included three elected members of the Flagler Beach City Commission. Monday’s meeting was a redo for the public’s benefit.
3 Flagler Beach Commissioners Attend Closed-Door County Staff Meeting, Clouding Sunshine
Commissioners Jane Mealy, Kim Carney and Mayor Linda Provencher attended the July 12 county staff meeting on beach renourishment with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which was closed to the public. Dennis McDonald, a candidate for the county commission, raised issues with the potential sunshine violation.
County Concedes What Palm Coast Has Been Saying for Months: Sales Tax Plan a No-Go
The Flagler County Commission agreed to drop its current plan for a half-cent sales tax renewal and again seek out a compromise with the cities that may win their backing should the measure appear before voters on the November ballot.
12% Property Tax Increase and Reserves Will Close $4.6 Million County Budget Gap
The Flagler County Commission agreed in principle to raise the property tax 12 percent and use a combination of reserves and other one-time dollars to close what, going into the budget season, had been a gaping deficit provoked by new expenses, accounting issues and falling property values.
In a Snub to Cities, a Split County Commission Agrees to 15-Year Sales Tax for Jail Expansion
A 3-2 split of Flagler County commissioners agreed to place a continuation of a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot, but substantially increase the county’s share of the revenue at the expense of cities–a move Palm Coast and Flagler Beach oppose, and may jeopardize the levy’s success when voters have their say on Nov. 6.
County Extends Administrator Coffey’s Contract To 2016 Without Discussion or Public Evaluation
This year’s elections could result in turn-over of three of the five Flagler county commission seats. Coffey is looking to extend his contract to 2016, though his contract isn’t set to expire until December 2013. He makes $141,000 a year before allowances.
County Budget, Upended By Deficit of $3 to $4 Million, Sets Off Crisis Mode–and Pitfalls
The much larger-than-expected deficit, which forced the abrupt cancellation of a budget workshop, raises questions of accountability just months before four of the county commissioners face elections either to hold on to their seats or seek a higher office.
Palm Coast and the County Look for State Cavalry to Resolve a Dispute Over $2.4 Million
Palm Coast and the county are battling over $2.4 million each side wants to use for its own road projects. Their solution: getting the state to come up with that amount, essentially a new grant for the county. That may prove to be a tall order.
Another Blow for the County: Palm Coast Rejects Flagler’s Sales Tax “Compromise”
Citing the county’s “Taj Mahal” of an administration building and the city’s future growth needs (and revenue), the Palm Coast council on Tuesday stuck to its refusal to change the way sales tax revenue is split, a blow for county government.
Going Nose to Nose, Palm Coast and The County Remain Split on Half-Cent Sales Tax
Palm Coast wants to keep the split of the half-cent sales tax revenue what it is today. Flagler County wants to change the formula, which would decrease Palm Coast’s share by $500,000. The disagreement is jeopardizing a unified approach on a sales tax referendum both sides say is critical to their revenue needs.
Flagler County Government Faces Potential $3.3 Million Gap as Stresses and Needs Endure
The Flagler County Commission got its first budget overview of the year Monday, ahead of six months of discussions, debates and battles over budget priorities in the midst of an election year with its own unpredictable variables.
Bait, Tackle and BBQ at Bings Landing as Flagler Cooks Up Park’s Latest Shop Lease
Captain’s BBQ at Bings Landing will operate the concession shop and kayak,canoe and bike rentals for $500 a month’s rent in Flagler County’s latest attempt to give life to a handsome but commercially problematic location.
Warning of Brain Drain, Flagler Government Signals a Return of Employee Raises in 2012
County employees, including firefighters and sheriff’s deputies, haven’t had a raise in three years, and have seen their take-home pay severely erode through inflation, health care and retirement costs. County officials are now worried about losing employees to better-paid jobs.
Palm Coast Seethes as Flagler Ends Hammock Dunes DRI’s Obligations to County and City
The Flagler County Commission closed the books on the 28-year-old Hammock Dunes “development of regional impact,” angering Palm Coast over developer dollars the city contends should still be paid for widening Palm Harbor Parkway.
County and School Board Agree to New District Lines That Mostly Affect Politicians
The decennial redistricting exercise by the Flagler County Commission and School Board was virtually free of controversy and affects voters almost not at all–unlike legislative and congressional redistricting yet to come.
As Proposed County Budget Kills Enterprise Flagler, Ottati Asks for Up Or Down Vote
Mired in disarray, economic development’s future in Flagler County is mobilizing around two competing plans–the county’s and enterprise Flagler’s–with Enterprise Flagler asking for a vote and Palm Coast still sitting it all out.
Public Money, Public Purpose, Closed Doors: Enterprise Flagler and Chamber Carry On
In a closed-door session, the Flagler Chamber of Commerce is hosting a delegation from Enterprise Flagler today to discuss economic development plans that would be publicly funded and publicly governed.
With or Without Palm Coast, County Would Lead New Economic Development Council
The county’s proposal would mean the end of Enterprise Flagler and the creation of a 9-member council chaired by the county, with cities and private-sector membership overseeing a $410,000 budget. Palm Coast’s buy in is a question mark.
Flagler County Tax Rates Will Go Up 12%, But Tax Bills Are More Likely to Go Down
Flagler County’s tax rate is going up for the fourth year in a row to make up for collapsing valuations, but the rise will still not translate into a tax increase for most. The contrary may be true.
$460,000 And Counting: With Federal Aid Unlikely, Flagler Will Bear Fires’ Entire Costs
The still-rising costs don’t help the county’s budget, which is acing a $5.5 million revenue loss from dropping property values. Gov. Scott could have minimized the impact, but he refused to ask for a federal emergency declaration, though previous, lesser fires had gotten such a declaration.
Facing $6 Million Hit, County Begins Long Budget Season as Tax Hike Appears Inevitable
County commissioners are unlikely to elicit sympathy from taxpayers—or from employees facing a 3 percent pay cut from new retirement-contribution requirements, and a third year without raises.
County Property Values Fall Another 14%; Palm Coast: -12%; Tax Rates Heading Up
The declines, for the fourth year in a row, will define to what extent local governments must either raise taxes or cut services as they prepare next year’s budgets. Governments have little room to cut anymore, short of vitals services.
Mystery Scarring Unsolved, Malacompra Trail Policing Is Turned Over to Biking Group
The Malacompra mountain bike trail, for years a somewhat anarchic free-for-all recently torn up by bikers, will now, in an unusual arrangement, be policed by a mountain biking group and supervised by county authorities in cooperation with Hammock conservationists.
Blank Check: City and County Bankrolling Enterprise Flagler Without a Contract
Since 2006, Enterprise Flagler, the public-private economic development partnership, has received more than $1 million in taxpayer dollars from Palm Coast and Flagler County. Elected officials are just discovering there was no contract.
Palm Coast Appears to Retreat from Airport Annexation, But It’s No County Victory
A proposed agreement between the city and the county over the Flagler County Airport gives in to the county’s ownership rights, but with so many caveats that the airport zone would be a quasi city neighborhood.
County Commissioners Trip Into “Inadvertent” Sunshine Violations Through Emails
County administrator Craig Coffey solicited feedback from commissioners on an economic development document he was preparing. Two commissioners copied their replies to fellow-commissioners, a violation of the sunshine law.
For Jobless Flagler, 3 Economic Development Plans But Little Direction or Unity
As joblessness persists in Flagler County, local governments want to increase their role in economic development, but there’s no agreement about who would lead, and how.
Holland Walks Out on Palm Coast Council As It “Rewrites History” Over Annexation
Commissioner Milissa Holland had enough once Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon took credit for bringing in the National Guard to a Flagler County airport site, which is at the heart of an annexation controversy.
Bold and Bolder: County Commission Bashes Landon and Coffey Over Annexation Proposal
County administrator Craig Coffey and City Manager Jim Landon worked out an annexation deal for the 55 acres to be filled by a National Guard center near the airport. That was news to the county commission.
Carver Gym on the Drawing Board: Rosy Goals, Grayer Certainties
A committee set up to save Carver Gym from the cleaver isn’t lacking for ideas and objectives, but money and ownership remain the unanswered questions.
In 1st of 2 Rounds, County Adopts 14% Tax Rate Increase Against Scattered Criticism
The rate, $5.5905 per $1,000 in assessed value is up from $4.8894 per $1,000; for a $138 million budget that includes 287 county employees, down 64 positions in three years.
Memo To Enterprise Flagler: Why Your Tax Plan Is Fumbling (and What To Do About It)
From its message to its messenger, Enterprise Flagler’s tax-and-build plan is facing obstacles and unanswered questions of its own making. It may be too late to reverse opposition, but not too late to do the right thing.
Burned Just 4 Months Ago, County Cooks Yet Another Risky Deal With Ginn on Public Dime
The $4.75 million acquisition of 980 acres around Pellicer Creek is almost 10 times the land’s appraised value. Part of the buy rests on a creative but risky, long-term scheme.
Crunch Time for Carver Gym: County Will Keep It Open, But Debates How
The County Commission has backed off a proposal to close the gym, but is still wrangling over how to keep it open, paid for, and properly run with children’s programming.
Bunnell City Administration Will Occupy County Offices Rent-Free Through 2012
Bunnell will continue occupying a suite of county offices valued at $3,000 a month even though the old city hall is livable.
Beyond Sunshine: Maneuvers Over Carver Gym Reopen Wounds Flagler Claims to be Mending
Bunnell Commissioner Jenny Crain-Brady’s well-intentioned but half-secret meeting over Carver Gym undermined the very trust she claims to be building toward keeping the gym open.
What’s Eating Kimberle Weeks?
The Flagler County Supervisor of Elections and the County Commission have been at each other for over a year. They’re meeting Monday. Buckle up.
Holland Fails in Move to Fire County Administrator Coffey; He Gets 1 More Year
County Commissioner Milissa Holland leveled a withering attack on Administrator Craig Coffey’s record, but she got little support from a majority of commissioners.
County Administrator Craig Coffey’s Consent Problem
Against commission direction, County administrator Craig Coffee placed his contract renegotiation on a portion of the agenda that doesn’t usually get discussed.
Old Courthouse Plans Collapse; Holland Charges County Administrator “Railroaded” Her
A meeting on what to do with the old Flagler County Courthouse turned into a bitter clash between Commissioner Milissa Holland and County Administrator Craig Coffey.
White Elephants Grinding Down Flagler Airport
Commissioners on Monday learned of yet another county airport building for which taxpayers are left holding the bag.