Albanese has been been instrumental in significantly increasing library revenue through the library’s passport-issuance service, which she started. She is also keeping a planned expansion of the library–through a new building in Bunnell and an expanded one in palm Coast–on the county commission’s agenda.
Flagler County Commission
State Ethics Commission Will Hear Flagler’s Claim to Recoup Fees From Serial Complainers
It’s an unusual case: county government is seeking to recoup money spent to defend against the ethics cases filed against county commissioners and the county attorney by Kim Weeks, Mark Richter Jr. and Dennis McDonald.
Al Jones, Former County Commissioner
and Breakfast Club Impresario, Dies at 87
Al Jones was one of the most influential non-elected politicians and GOP officials in Flagler County for 25 years as his monthly breakfast became the essential stopping point for most of those hoping to be—or to remain—politicians.
Attorneys For Kimberle Weeks Will Seek to Dismiss All Felony Charges in Latest Maneuver
In the latest pre-trial in the case of Kimberle Weeks, who faces nine felony counts over allegedly secret recordings, her lawyer said he’d be seeking a dismissal of all charges, but that motion won’t be heard until the end of November.
Flagler Veterans Court Pitch Framed in Crude Attack on Court System by DeSantis Envoy
Randall Stapleford, a part-time staffer for Rep. Ron DeSantis, questioned the veracity of a Flagler County judge and leveled repeated attacks at Chief Judge Terence Perkins for allegedly delaying information related to a potential veterans court during a Flagler County Commission workshop Monday.
Sophie Zabas, 1942-2016: Commissioner George Hanns Mourns His Inspiration
Sophie Zabas, who died Friday of cancer at age 74, was Commissioner George Hanns’s companion of 23 years. Visitations are Friday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home.
Denise Calderwood, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Denise Calderwood is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 3. Her opponents in the Aug. 30 Republican primary is Donald O’Brien. The winner will face Democrat incumbent George Hanns in the Nov. 8 general election.
Jason France, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Jason France is a Republican candidate for the Flagler County Commission in District 3. He faces Dave Sullivan in the Aug. 30 Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Barbara Revels, who faces no primary opposition, in November.
Daniel Potter, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Daniel Potter is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 1. His opponents in the Aug. 30 Republican primary are incumbent Charlie Ericksen and Ken Mazzie. The winner will face Democrat Jason DeLorenzo in the Nov. 8 general election.
Ken Mazzie, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Ken Mazzie is a Republican candidate for the Flagler County Commission in District 1. He faces Charlie Ericksen and Dan Potter in the Aug. 3 Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Jason DeLorenzo, the departing Palm Coast City Council member.
5 Names Emerge as Maneuvering for Governor’s Appointment for Meeker’s Commission Seat Intensifies
David Alfin, Ed Fuller, Howard Holley, Jon Netts and Patrick Kelly are all confirmed likely applicants to Frank Meeker’s county commission seat, while Milissa Holland, Gail Wadsworth, Garry Lubi and Jim Ulsamer have ruled it out.
For Commissioner Frank Meeker, a Tribute From the Hearts of a Decade’s Colleagues
For an hour Monday morning, Meeker’s closest colleagues remembered the man death surprised at 61 on July 22, themselves not yet over the shock of having lost him after seen him in that seat just 16 days before his death.
Palm Coast Council Candidate Troy DuBose May Abandon Run and Opt For County Post
Troy DuBose, a candidate for the District 1 seat on the Palm Coast City Council, said he’ll drop out of he is appointed to the Flagler County Planning Board on Monday, where he is the only candidate who applied.
With Latest Claims Against County Government Thrown Out, Flagler Prevails in 25 of 26 Cases
The latest claims were filed by Dennis McDonald, who is running for Palm Coast mayor, and who is disputing the elections commission’s findings that his complaints were legally insufficient.
Missing Frank Meeker
Some elected officials leave a much bigger void than others when they die in office. Flagler County Commissioner Frank Meeker’s loss an interrupted legacy that was just hitting its stride.
Frank Meeker, County Commission Workhorse and Tenacious Optimist, Is Dead at 61
Meeker had been in and out of the hospital battling cancer the last few weeks, and was in the hospital this week as his condition worsened. He was moved to hospice overnight and died around 6 a.m.
Flagler Judge Gives Pot Plan a Lift, But Council And Whiff of Politics Again Delay Adoption
The proposal would reduce the penalty for first-time possession of pot to a $250 fine rather than a criminal charge, but it’ll be at least another month before the proposal gets out of a council, if then, and heads for approval (or rejection) by local governments.
Tables Turn on Dennis McDonald as Ethics Commission Investigates Assets Disclosures
Flagler County Commissioner Frank Meeker, saying he’s had enough, filed complaints against both Dennis McDonald and his wife, Janet, a school board member, alleging that they have not properly disclosed property and other assets they own.
At Flagler’s New Jail, Science of Self-Contained Cell Blocks To Make Captivity Safer for Inmates and Guards
It’s in the internal designs, the innumerable details and attention to logic, efficiency and security for inmates, guards and visitors that the jail–which opened today– impresses, and that its $17.3 million cost shows its value.
Yes, Palm Coast Wanted to Boot County EMS Crews Out of Station 22, But That Fire Is Out For Now
A closer look at the record shows that contrary to City Manager Jim Landon’s claim that the county was going on rumors, city officials, including Landon, very much wanted to see county EMS crews out of the fire station on Palm Coast Parkway.
Ethics Commission Dismisses Claim Against Flagler’s Craig Coffey, Adding to Pile of Frivolity
The complaint, by Mark Richter, had alleged that the county administrator had personally gained from the acquisition of the old hospital in Bunnell that became the sheriff’s operations center, among other claims the ethics commission found groundless.
Access Flagler First, County’s Outreach for the Poor, Celebrates 5 Years
Commission Chair Barbara Revels, along with commissioners Frank Meeker and Charlie Ericksen attended the celebration on behalf of the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners.
Scaling Some Opposition, Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Will Expand Seating Areas, But Not Capacity
Captain’s Bait, Tackle and BBQ at Bing’s Landing, the county park, scaled some opposition by Hammock residents to win county approval for an 800 square foot expansion that will not, however, add to the restaurant’s 200-seat capacity.
In Feud’s Latest Distortion, Palm Coast Blames County for “Killing” $600,000 City Road Grant
Palm Coast and the county are at it again, but in this case the city appears to have misrepresented the county’s intention not to violate the law in the latest flare-up of an ongoing feud between City Manager Jim Landon and County Administrator Craig Coffey.
Against 1 Objection, Flagler Commissioners Want to Increase Their Travel Budget 184%
Commissioner Barbara Revels called the proposed increase “obscene,” but Frank Meekera and Nate McLaughlin kept pressing for it–increasing the budget from $15,885 to $45,000 for the five commissioners.
Flagler Commissioners Press Case to Recover Fees from 5 More Frivolous Ethics Complainants
It’s the Flagler commission’s latest attempt to strike back against almost 30 ethics, elections, Florida bar and other complaints filed against commissioners and the administration since 2014, but a previous attempt to recover fees has been unsuccessful so far.
A Director’s Impassioned Plea for “Have-Nots” Wins Out: New Library Would Rise in Bunnell, Not Palm Coast
Flagler Public Library Director Holly Albanese insisted–in diametric disagreement from her boss–that a proposed new library branch should remain in Bunnell, and the county commission on Monday agreed.
County Government’s Health Costs Take $1.5 Million Hit, Clouding Brighter Budget Outlook
Property values are expected to improve by 4.5 percent, adding $2.5 million to county revenue absent tax-rate changes, but the county’s health costs are increasing dramatically, leaving county commissioners with difficult choices again.
Flagler County Quietly Scraps Plan for 3 New Emergency Communications Towers, For Now
After the Flagler County Commission voted down a planned 350-foot tower on John Anderson Highway, NexTower, which would have built three towers, pulled out of the deal entirely, returning the county’s planning for its emergency infrastructure’s backbone to close to near zero.
County Floats Consolidation of Fire Services And Finally Agree to Meet With Palm Coast
At a long-awaited workshop this afternoon Flagler County responded to Palm Coast’s pressing for a new way to deliver ambulance services, but by countering with a proposal the city is not likely to approve in any way.
Its Elections Equipment “Old Enough to Vote,” County Approves $545,000 For New Machines
The new voting machines will not be in use before the 2018 municipal elections, however, as the supervisor of elections office will need time to train its workers and conduct some voter education first.
County Approves Big Spending on Tourism Office Staff and Rigs and Hints at Raising Tax
County government absorbed the tourism office last fall and is spending big on it, raising staff pay, expanding staff, buying $300,000 worth of equipment and talking about raising the 4 percent sales tax supplement on short-term rentals to 5 percent.
“Go Forward!” Flagler Beach Tells County, Clearing Way for $900,000 Design of Beach-Erosion Project
The Flagler Beach City Commission endorsed the county’s decision to give up on federal dollars and instead spend county and state dollars on the first phase of what will amount to a hugely expensive, $44 million beach-protection project over the next 50 years.
For 2nd Time in 2 Months, County’s Emergency Communications Falter, and Agencies Chafe
A problem at a tower on John Anderson Highway hampered sheriff’s deputies’ ability to communicate for an hour Monday evening. The county is describing the issue as minor while Palm Coast and the sheriff’s office see it as more emblematic of a recurring problem.
In Major Shift, County Proposes Rebuilding Beach Without Federal Dollars For Now
With federal dollars unlikely to share in the $44 million project, Administrator Craig Coffey wants the county commission to share costs with state transportation and environmental agencies instead, though the plan is rife with uncertainties.
County Explores Big-Idea Energy Savings, But Through Long-Term Wedding With Contractor
Flagler County government is looking to go greener with its energy consumption, but some of those ideas may not be possible without wedding government to a single private contractor for a decade and a half or more.
Latest Ethics and Elections Complaints Against County Said to Set “New Highs for Creative Writing”
The complaints rehash allegations made in previous complaints related either to the 2013 county purchase of the old Memorial Hospital in Bunnell or to conflicts between the commission and Kimberle Weeks, the former elections supervisor currently under felony indictment.
County Takes Dim, Caustic View of Palm Coast’s “Efficiency” Push in Ambulance Services
County commissioners say if Palm Coast wants to make services more efficient, it’s the city’s problem, not theirs. But they’ve agreed to hold a joint meeting in May to discuss possibilities.
Flagler County Supportive of Broadening Discrimination Protection in Housing for LGBT
Barbara Revels, who chairs the county commission, is proposing an amendment to a housing ordinance to extend non-discrimination protection to individuals for sexual orientation.
With Less Accountability, Flagler’s Tourism Dollars Continue Shift To Big-Ticket Events
County government’s tourism arm, which manages $1.6 million in tax dollars, is diminishing emphasis on community events to push sports and conferences which draw people without necessarily promoting the county.
Flagler on “Budget-Signing Watch” as 4 Local Items Totaling $3 Million Await Scott Signature
Pending appropriations include $2 million for improvements to the Plantation Bay utility, $200,000 for the Malacompra drainage fix, and $200,000 for Flagler Beach’s stormwater improvements.
Palm Coast Floats New Rescue System in Name Of “Efficiency,” But County Sees Many Flaws
No one is complaining about ambulance service in Palm Coast, but the city council is favoring changing the system by adding two county ambulances and spreading manpower around. The county, which runs EMS, says the plan is costly and unnecessary.
Flagler’s Aveo Pandering: The Artful Way To Do a Groundbreaking, and the Bogus Way
It was rank manipulation when Aveo Engineering, county government and Rick Scott pretended to break ground on a factory at the Flagler County airport three years ago. It was never built.
Court Ruling Favoring Counties in Juvenile Detention Costs Could Send Flagler $300,000
An appeals court ruling could mean the state owes more than $100 million to counties in a long-running dispute about who pays to detain juvenile offenders.
Promising 300 Jobs 3 Years Ago, Aveo Engineering Bails on Airport Lease But Pledges to Remain in Flagler
Aveo Engineering, the much-touted LED parts manufacturer had promised 300 jobs by 2016 at the Flagler County Airport. Neither jobs nor facility have materialized, though the company is still pledging to grow in Flagler, but not at the airport.
Palm Coast Signals Going Its Own Way In Growing Rift With County Over Radio System
City Manager Jim Landon is pressuring the county to replace its emergency radio infrastructure–on which the city and sheriff depend– well before 2020. The county is resisting, citing costs.
Florida Bar Dismisses Complaint Against County Attorney in Latest of Many Defeats for Growlers
The Florida Bar’s dismissal keyed into the fact that one of the two complainants, Kimberle Weeks, had felony charges pending against her. The other tossed complaint was by John Ruffalo of the Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies.
As Flagler’s Emergency Communications Briefly Falter, Palm Coast and Sheriff Assail County Over Long-Term Plans
The county’s critical emergency radio system briefly failed when a tower lost its back-up power Thursday even as county, city and sheriff’s officials were meeting in the first high-level meeting since 2013 to deal with their differences over modernizing the emergency communications system.
County Attorney Hadeed Challenges State Ethics Panel’s Fee Denial and Calls for Appeal
County Attorney Al Hadeed says the Florida Ethics Commission was wrong to deny Flagler attorneys’ fees from frivolous complaints filed by government opponents. He wants the decision appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal.
Celebrated Emergency Services Chief Kevin Guthrie Resigns, Jolting Commissioners
Kevin Guthrie headed the county’s emergency services division since late 2013 to mostly rave reviews, but frustrations with the county administration may have led to his decision to leave.