Only four streets in the R Section will be repaved this year, beginning later this month, sharply contrasting with the 50-mile-a-year program that stretched over 10 years, but City Manager Jim Landon cautioned the city council that a more aggressive resurfacing program of perhaps 15 miles will have to be funded come next year, as streets again show deterioration.
local government budgets
Pay an Issue as Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito and Others Aim for Jobs Elsewhere
Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito is one of a growing list of senior county staffers, especially in the fire department, who have left or are seeking to leave the department for neighboring departments where pay is significantly higher, a brain-drain issue County Administrator Craig Coffey has been warning county commissioners about this summer.
Facing Mandatory Spending, County May Raise Taxes by Nearly $100 for Median Home
In previous years, tax rate increases didn’t mean much because they were either entirely or more than offset by decreases in property values. The end result was lower tax bills for most, even as tax rates went up. That’s over. And tax rates are set to go up in every city, too.
Palm Coast Proposes to Increase Its General Fund Budget by $700,000 and Add 9 Positions
For the first time in seven years, property values have increased in Palm Coast, if only fractionally. Even so, residents will likely see a small property tax rate increase that for most would mean a slightly higher tax bill as the city continues to balance tight budgets with residents’ demands for services, and loosen the tight belt somewhat.
Water Management District Tax Will Decline Slightly, to About $33 For Average Flagler House
All property owners in Flagler County, including all its cities, pay the St. Johns River Water Management District tax. The district’s $135.5 million proposed budget includes $13 million for 22 reclaimed water and water conservation projects, one of them in Flagler.
“Fiercely Independent” Flagler Beach Says No to County Fire Services and $100,000 Savings
Flagler County is ready to take over the Flagler Beach Fire Department, provide a higher level of service that would vastly improve the city’s fire insurance rating and lower property insurance rates, and net the city a $100,000 annual saving, not counting capital savings, but the city is not interested for now.
Rape Crisis Failure:
How the Children’s Advocacy Center Betrayed a Victim at Her Most Vulnerable
After a Flagler Beach woman was allegedly raped on June 14, the Children’s Advocacy Center in Daytona Beach was responsible for providing a certified nurse to conduct an exam and gather evidence in a private setting. It failed on all counts. A FlaglerLive investigation reveals the extent of a failure that local police have been contending with since the center opted to cut its ties with the provider who’d ensured a functioning system for many years.
Flagler Beach Plans to Eliminate Fire and Police Chief Posts, But Both Departments Survive
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell wants to replace the fire and police chiefs with captains, and see them working the streets when necessary. The change, tentatively approved by the city commission, would eliminate high salaries but with proposed raises for the ranks, would only slightly lower payroll costs in the fire department, and raise them in the police department.
Flagler’s Firefighting and Helicopter Costs Expose County Tensions Over Wants and Needs
Looking at the near certainty of a tax increase, Flagler County Commissioners Monday continued to wrestle with a budget submitted by their administration that is adding to their costs rather than making it easier to fill a budget gap, or keep taxes from increasing. But the administration argues there’s no room for going cheap short of eliminating services.
A “Nasty” Government Building Highlights County’s Priorities as Budget Spells Higher Taxes
An unclear Government Services Building and what it costs to maintain it properly was emblematic of the Flagler County Commission’s budget discussion this morning, as the government faces at least a $3.3 million gap, or more, if it hires an extra custodian, no new revenue, and the likelihood of higher taxes.