Perhaps it’s something in the water. When the Palm Coast City Council deals with its water and sewer utility, tempers flare and the gavel bangs, as was the case on two occasions Tuesday evening during council approvals of expensive but unremarkable and expected appropriations for long-planned infrastructure improvements.
One resident was silenced, if appropriately so–she appeared to be violating the council’s public speaking rules–another (a council candidate) was almost thrown out, and a third (a county commission candidate) lectured the council about its public comment segments and warned that “you are on your way to a major lawsuit.”
All this over pedestrian approvals that nevertheless are intended to show the public the transparency of the city’s utility improvements.
Palm Coast’s Wastewater Treatment Plant 1 in the Woodlands, its oldest, is under a consent order from the state Department of Environmental Protection to build up capacity, which is at times overwhelmed during heavy rain events (though never to the point that sewer service in the city is compromised). The consent order was also the trigger for the council to do what the council a year earlier had declined to do–approve an extensive, nearly $600 million utility-improvement plan that hinges on a $330 million bond issue.
The expansion and modernization of the plant will account for about a third of that–“the critical element of the consent order,” Utility Director Brian Roche said. To put the figures in perspective: the city’s general fund, which pays for all municipal services such as public safety, fire, parks, code enforcement and government administration, totals $67 million.
The existing plant processes 6.83 million gallons per day. It accounts for 75 percent of the city’s effluents, serving customers between U.S. 1 and Palm Coast’s eastern boundary. The expansion will allow for an extra 4 million gallons per day, producing what Roche described as “high-quality” effluent–meaning that treatment will filter it in a more environmentally friendly way.
The council previously approved spending $6.89 million for pre-construction services and electrical upgrades. The $3.6 million appropriation the council approved Tuesday is to build ground-stabilizing foundations for the coming expansion. The foundations of stone columns would reduce the potential for ground settlement. “Still a very large amount of money, but small compared to the overall project,” Roche said. “A good bit of this is funded through the bond funds,” with a small portion covered by grants.
The next ask from Roche to the council, in about six months, will be closer to $100 million.
“We’ve approved a major, major program to upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plant 1, millions and millions of dollars,” Council member Dave Sullivan said. “Bringing these back individually as you start to do the job realizes that this isn’t just one deal. This is going to be multiple actions that had to be taken to complete that project. I think it’s good.” He said the public often questions the visibility of the city’s works. “Well, this is visible. Nobody’s hiding anything here,” he said.
That did not stop an F-Section resident, Marilyn Mack, from almost immediately attacking Sullivan’s claim. “That’s really laughable, that you don’t have anything to hide,” she charged.
“On this particular point, I am correct,” Sullivan snapped, drawing a caution from Mayor Mike Norris to ensure that the resident’s three minutes in the public comment segment on the given item were not interrupted.
“I just want to make a public comment here while I’m back after a year and a half, and not coming here to this clown show,” Mack said. The moment she said that, it was Norris who interrupted her, questioning whether she was in fact addressing the utility item specifically, as required by the public comment rules. She said she was, but then started talking about the city hiring a consultant for the utility fund and never auditing it in 27 years, which is not accurate. The fund is audited yearly, as are all city funds. (See the 2025 audit here.)
“I’m going to have to cut you off,” Norris told Mack. “You are not talking about this specific item.” She eventually went back to her seat and the council approved the item unanimously.
The council moved on to another utility item, a $4.7 million management plan that would address a half dozen aspects of the utility system, from compliance details with the consent order to planning needs for the next 20 years, including an analysis for a third wastewater plant. “These are the extra steps that we need to do to make sure that we meet all regulatory requirements,” Roche said.
“Yes, this has a high price tag, but to your point, this is a multi-million dollar project,” Council member Theresa Pontieri said. “So we need to make sure we’re doing everything right, not wasting money by not properly planning.” The contract is with Dallas-based Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. The company may not exceed the contracted amount.
As the council opened the floor before its vote, one of the speakers was Jeani Duarte, the council candidate who has been removed from the chamber twice before. “Violating a resident’s rights to speak is also a violation of our rights to be informed,” she began, then referred to “toilet-to-tap” water before drawing an interruption from the mayor. “You’re not sticking to the agenda. We have policies and procedures for public comment,” he said.
There was a verbal duel, a gaveling, a directive by the mayor to a sheriff’s deputy to remove Duarte, but City Attorney Marcus Duffy put on his blue helmet, advised Duarte that she could address other topics at the end of the meeting, and to stick to the contract if she intended to speak at that given point. Duarte returned to her seat. The council–after a comment from Darlene Shelley, yet another candidate in this year’s election, about transparency in spending–voted, again unanimously to approve the contract.
“We are doing everything we can from an impact fee standpoint for utilities,” Pontieri said, addressing Shelley’s concerns. “None of us wanted to enter into $250 million worth of debt, that’s for sure. But a lot of this should have been addressed back in 2018, 2020 and we were just so far behind the ball. We had to. First of all, we do have the DEP consent order that we have to comply with. But from a health and safety standpoint, this was a step that had to be taken, and there is no feasible way of getting it done. You’re talking about–ultimately to Brian’s point–a $600 million project in total, and we had to take out a loan for this.”
If there is a silver lining, Pontieri said, it is that future residents–future rate-payers–will be assuming a share of the bond repayments.
That’s assuming future rate-payers materialize on the city’s timetable. The city made the same bet during the previous vast housing expansion in 2004-2008, only to face a housing crash and raise rates on current residents to make up for payments nonexistent new residents were not generating. That risk looms. (See, from 2013: “Palm Coast Approves 17.6% Water-Rate Hike, Pleasing Bond-Holders More Than Residents.”)
It was Ray Royer, the county commission candidate–he is running as an independent in the same District 2 race in which Pontieri, along with Greg Feldman, are running–spoke to the council about its public-comment periods, and of its risking a lawsuit. (The risk appears slight, considering the council’s explicit rules and the combined arbitration and mediation of the mayor and the city attorney.)
There seemed at Tuesday’s meeting to be a concerted–if not quite orchestrated–effort to attack incumbents, as Pontieri herself took fire, seemingly out of nowhere and based on misinformation, from the previous president of the Palm Coast Historical Society over cultural grant awards the council itself had ratified but not selected.
JimboXYZ says
Is this STF expansion project merely the approval for the ritual of spending the money that the utility (8%) rate increases for everything water, that we are getting/paying from 2025-2028 ? I guess since they’ve been collecting that money, they might as well spend it on the projects that the money is being collected/appropriated for ? Like it or not Alfinville, FL is going forward for Westward expansion & Bunnell growth approvals. Where’s that tax base that was going to pay for itself/all of this ? The rest of us picking up the tab for it all ? And we can all see how this ties into the Property Tax Legislation, expect the inflation & Cost of Living implemented by Biden-Harris to continue to cheat people out of their life savings & time on this miserable planet.
Notice the cycles ? Had Biden-Harris-Walz gotten another 4 years the same 5th year timeline happens as it did Obama-Biden 2009-2013 vs the 2021-2025 for utility base fee & utility rate increases.
Deborah Coffey says
Are you an AI bot with BDS (Biden Derangement Syndrome)?
JimboXYZ says
It would be BDS (or probably more appropriately Irritable Biden Syndrome, like Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Look at the dates, I mere;y called balls & strikes for those that did it to us all Obama & Biden, Biden-Harris. Same playbook only a dozen years later. I didn’t write the article Feb 2013 for rate increases, didn’t fabricate those facts. Just as I didn’t come up with 4 years of 8% increases in early 2025. Biden-Harris-Walz left that in the legacy of Alfinville, FL. Mayor Norris, just as the rest of us, were screwed walking into the next era of pre-approved Vision of 2050. That’s not a Derangement Syndrome, it’s called paying attention to my individual finances for those that were so generously spending it. It’s always easier to spend someone else’s resources down, rather than be the one that has to earn & accumulate anything to spend. And that’s Bidenomics. Forced spending at inflated prices. There’s real inflation & then there’s what happened under Biden-Harris. See there is not shortage of anything much on planet Earth for resources, you be surprised how quickly they’ll find those scarce resources once the extortion & contract has been signed off. Until then nobody does a whole heck of a lot of anything, and they’ll spend what’s covered by tax revenue to make it passably usable at the next round of gouge & inflation for flimsy excuses.
https://flaglerlive.com/palm-coast-water-rates/
I’m not ever going to let anyone forget Biden-Harris for what era it has ushered in. I believe in giving those folks full credit. Just as I intend to fully give the Alfin era it’s due credit for the sandbagging of the Norris era. The 8 years of Bush, same thing, we are where they did this to us. So he gets credit for his hand in setting the table for Obama-Biden. Trump as we saw from 2019-2020, even 2021-2024 for the weaponization of the Justice System. Who knows if the next mayoral election brings a new mayor or not, but can’t really place this mess on Norris, not with the pre-approvals of Alfin era. I’m on record of knowing that Trump-Vance had their work cut out for them to undo the damage of Biden-Harris, that’s if it could even be relatively repaired. But I do know Biden-Harris for 4 more years (for what we’re getting Trump-Vance) would be worse with any combination of Biden-Harris-Walz. Imagine if Alfin got another 4 years, how bad that would be.
Laurel says
Man, you are so stuck.
Whenever I see your comments, I quickly scan over for ridicule of Biden-Harris. When I see it, I know it’s not worth reading.
Paulette H. says
It’s a sad day when five individuals attack the City Council with insulting misinformation and one who had blasted the Council is overly complimenting the Council and Stormwater Department all during a less than two hour meeting.
Bless him but please leave the other five at home next meeting!
celia says
Paulette H: Mayor Norris was very wrong 7/7 while telling Mr. Royer “he is running for political office and making statements” so he referred same about Mrs. Duarte and Mrs. Shelley and all the while after he tried to denied Mrs. Duarte and Ms. MJ Mack their right to speak their 3 minutes in their addressed agenda item. None of the 3 candidates that attended ever said a word about their political campaign, but Norris did it! Mayor seem to forget as far as I remember that he started attending council meetings about the time he decided to run for office and further more he hollered his way in his 3 minutes several times, even threaten Mayor Alfin that he will take him from office, as he did. and Alfin never had him taken off the room, for that he was a better Mayor. Jeani Duarte and Darlene Shelley have been attending city council and even county commission meetings for many years since 2019 and always lobbying for us the residents and looks like now Mayor wants to silence them by accusing their 3 minutes speech as politicking? They are not politicking, they are lobbying for us all Palmcoasters and they deserve Norris respect because furthermore they voted for him as I did. TG for attorney Duffy that prevented him from expelling once more Jeani Duarte from the meeting very inexcusable mayoral attitude . I do not hesitate to openly support the Mayor when he is right (letter in the Observer) but can condone his offensive behavior 7/7. Also what about the total off line dark Why the Chicken Cross the Road joke to Jeani Duarte interrupting her from the start…what did the Mayor intend? then he wants to silence residents about going off line? By the way would be nice if the Mayor would enforce the 3 minutes time in a non selective way, including Mr. Amaral…Also when a resident after being flooded for years over over lack of storm water proper service, his issue is resolved of course will very much appreciate the end of his nightmare complimenting all and what is wrong with that? Or we are all supposed to be always appreciative and complimenting no matter what?
JC says
My lord lady do you use paragraphs when posting your opinion posts?
celia says
I am so glad and happily overwhelmed that I got 12 likes and understood my post, versus your negative critique! What are you a Masters in English language? By the way how many languages do you speak?
JC says
Can’t wait to vote against Jeani Duarte in short time, Palm Coast don’t need any more angry boomers who can’t follow instructions.
celia says
Then you will be voting for a builder/developer or a just arrival business man that doesn’t know a thing about Palm Coast and that we never seen him before in a city council meeting lobbying for us but is strongly endorsed by the Mayor, that as is said around the city, happens to be his neighbor…
t.o. Doug says
She has had plenty of time to learn the difference between stormwater, wastewater, reclaim water, and drinking water. She deliberately conflates them all constantly just to create a panic. That is not leadership, and it’s the last thing this city needs right now.
Callmeishmael says
Doesn’t, not don’t.
If you’re going to criticize how someone writes, at least use proper grammar.
john stove says
The problem in the past and now is that Utilities Staff have not made any effort to analyze the city growth and develop incremental Capital Improvement Plans for the Utilities. Everything with them and this town is “Its an emergency”….”we cant pay for it out of our collected taxes”……”we need to impose a fee”…..
Incompetence and no accountability
Michael Morris says
You are wrong to blame the Utilities staff. The real blame lays with prior City councils who ignored their concerns putting us in the position we are in now.
tulip says
Out waste water treatment plans do need expanding in order to be able to safely and properly take care of our hugely expanded population. That’s an easily understood explanation for the money being spent. Just think about the consequences if the current size of the ones we have can’t handle it anymore. nuf said
JimboXYZ says
Not a penny of the State Grant Money to even grossly underfund STF projects like other projects should jave made any growth & Vision of 2050 contingent upon State Grant Funding. Even Westward Expansion for roads was about 50% funded. They approved the growth and then knew the STF’s were inadequate to handle the Vision of 2050 growth. The growth was never going to pay for itself as Alfin sold the Vision on. Building the roads & expanding the infrastructure vs building & selling the dwellings for the actual tax base that would pay for it are 2 different animals. Both of them lies really. How long does the new residential construction sit on the market before a sale happens at inflated & unaffordable housing ? Anyone wanna tell me what the occupancy for any of the affordable housing projects is currently ? Anyone wanna report that Boston Whaler has fully implemented the closing of that facility ? Or if we all act like it never happened maybe that will make it forgettable, less painless somehow that 300 jobs evaporated on the fantasy that the Vision of 2050 was nothing more than a pack of lies ? I don’t get how anyone can transfer funds to cover their water bill every month and not see it as the Alfin Tax, the cost of a Real Estate mayor that is now harvesting what he can for managing rental duplexes, seller/buyer of the new residential construction inventory. Astonishes me that every investigation that nobody could see that Alfin was padding the inventory with inflated properties. He makes more commissions for real estate than he would ever be paid for being Mayor, after approving those raises for themselves ? And what did the rest of us get for that legacy handover to Norris ? This sad mess of a Vision of 2050, that stalled & crashed in 2025. Every month that I pay more for Water & Garbage Collection. That the price (tax) of Holland resigning 6 months into her re-election & 3.5 years of Alfin. That’s another thing, what is the Holland Park Splash Pad costing us these days ? When does that come off the books for being paid for the correction of the original build/installation ? When does the tax rate for a splash pad budget become maintenance instead of additional repairs to correct the errors of the original build for inferior quality construction & parts ?
Deborah Coffey says
Just think about if Democrats had been running the county that this would have been getting done all along as growth was taking place. Now, it’s an emergency. Is this any way to run a government?
Jeani Duarte says
Make sure you get this right. I was not interrupted for making the rights violation statement. I was interrupted after I had mentioned the Toilet To Tap and Boil Water Notices.
Chris Jackson says
Filing a major lawsuit because you don’t like the public comment rules? Ray Royer needs a reality check. Bullying the council with empty legal threats doesn’t make you look tough, it just makes you look desperate for attention.
We don’t need that kind of toxic grandstanding representing us.
Bob says
He’s also threatening the planning board because they won’t give him the variance he needs for a ridiculous pump house for his pool. He thinks he should be able to do whatever he wants with his property
Bob says
He also threatened the zoning board with a lawsuit because they denied him 4 times over a ridiculous pool pump building. He wants a variance to do whatever he wants. He thinks because he owns the property that he can do whatever he wants! He’ll be the next Joe Mullins!
Chris Jackson says
Good to know. It will be a pleasure to vote for his opponent.
Big money says
Palm Coast water
Pound for pound cost more than gold ?
Dennis C Rathsam says
Its the same yellow c0l0r of the crap coming out of my faucets& Ive got 2 filtration systems, the salt system is yellow the reverse osmoses is ok
Ed Danko, former Vice-Mayor PC says
“TAX & SPEND THERESA” is now claiming there is a “silver lining” to the 600 million loan council took out to pay for the utility system expansion. According to her “future rate-payers” will assume the bond repayments. Bureaucrats like her, as Flaglerlive noted, made that same bet right before the last housing crash, and residents had to make up for payments that nonexistent new residents were not there to make. Seems like Pontieri will say anything to get elected County Commissioner!
NJ says
Ed should stay under his rock and never come out again!!
Mark R says
We are in this situation because of you, and your predecessors, chose to continually kick the can down the road. None of you want to make tough decisions for fear of not being reelected. We’ve now reached the end of the road and the can can’t be kicked any further.
Ed P says
The actual problem is 2 fold for any new commissioner.
Historically District #2 (island and Hammock area) has disproportionately paid 30% of all the county’s property taxes but is 10% of the population. Talk about overpaying for services.
And yet, we will be tagged with a MSBU for beach nourishment eventhough the other 70% enjoy the benefits.
Secondly, the Island needs a strong candidate that resides in the district and understands the lifestyle differences from PC.
Who ever is elected will have a yeoman’s job just fitting in and dealing with the existing administration.
Regardless of our representation, we will continue to be underserved based on the current climate and county environment. Just the reality.
Laurel says
On this, Ed P, I completely agree with you.
The dude says
““TAX & SPEND THERESA” is now claiming”…
While liddle eddie stanko is sitting on the sidelines because the lil fella was banished from the game by the voters.
It must really hurt to know that “tax and spend Theresa” is still on the council, while “lie his ass off Liddle Eddie” has been rejected by a county full of MAGA morons like him.
Callmeishmael says
Dude, it must be pretty bad when even the MAGATS don’t like Little Eddie Stanko, former APPOINTED vice mayor of Palm Coast, who was subsequently run out of Flagler/PC politics by his own MAGA club and bootlicking Republican voters (which is pretty much this whole county).
In the words of Joey Ramone:
There’s one thing that makes me sick
It’s when someone tries to hide behind their politics
I wish their time could go by fast
But somehow they manage to make it last.
Here hold my beer... says
Durte, Mack, Shelley, Pugliese, Jones.
They know not a thing about how to run government, so they do what they do best run their mouths and accomplish nothing!
Please move to another City…
Gina Weiss says
Why don’t you use your REAL NAME when you post about people
and talk s**t about them, goes to show you are a bully.
celia says
While let your beer do the talk and hiding because probably you are too close to the special interest or proffiteering off the very issues we all fight off. Take off your mask coward or maybe your pay is at risk if you do so?
celia says
Actually I feel you sound very much like KKKlufus with your alleged expertise in crooked governance.
Laurel says
Isn’t growth just wonderful? Let’s attract thousands more to supposedly help pay our bills.
Y’all ain’t seen nothing yet.
Still Time says
This needs to be done but it is being done at the expense of the wrong people. The people of Palm Coast asked for a building and development moratorium to stop the raw sewage from being dumped into the woods that is now the issue, namely the FL Department of Environmental Protection suing the city as the development of urban sprawl has overwhelmed the sewage treatment plant. The logical solution was halt development before this became a peoblem and priortize instead the ecotourism that actually conserves our property value. Instead, lax state political oversight and local corruption have empowered developers at the expense of the existing community.
Soon our state political leaders may even strip property tax totally away, which would make the sewage problem the state created by empowering developers entirely their financial problem.
This can should have been kicked down the road one more year. Doing so would save this city over how much if we lose property tax?
Over $600,000,000.00.
Why are our representatives wasting our potentially last property tax payers dollars to promote more development at our communities expense?
This is exactly the opposite of the ecotourism we prefer it be spent on. These are some incredibly disheartening aspects of all of this, especially as it could have all been prevented if our political representatives actually represented the communities over the special interests. This isn’t a hindsight is 20/20 thing. We could all see this coming and there is still time to get out of the way.