“It’s not often that this happens, in my experience,” County Commission Chairman Donald O’Brien said, introducing U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz at a round-table discussion with the county’s top staff this morning in Bunnell.
There’s no such meeting on record. Waltz’s predecessor, now Gov. Ron DeSantis, was mostly a no-show in Flagler in his five years as the district’s congressman. John Mica before him was frequently in the district but his meetings with administrative staff were limited to top administrators.
Waltz has been more visible since his election last November, appearing at local government meetings, civic events and fire stations. This morning he sat unassumingly on one side of a square of tables at the Emergency Operations Center, listing to each county director in turn summarizing his or her responsibilities and asking most a question or two that suggested he wasn’t here just for show.
“It’s the first time in history that the entire executive staff has sat down with [a] congressman to talk about what’s the issues of the county,” County Administrator Jerry Cameron said after the 60-minute session. “It’s really encouraging that it was the congressman’s idea to get to know the county better. It was really refreshing to me to watch the enthusiasm of the directors in presenting the issues they’re dealing with.”
“I’m here in listening mode and taking this back to my staff,” Waltz said. “This is a huge, huge part of the job.”
Many–but by no means all–of the issues the directors discussed were dependent on state federal policies. Jarrod Shupe, the county’s technology director, spoke of the need to increase funding for the 911 dispatch center, a $2 million operation that generates only $500,000 from the 40 cents surcharge on phone bills. The fee had been at 50 cents until former Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature lowered it to 40 cents. “We’re trying to make up that gap,” Shupe told the congressman, pointing to Alabama and Georgia as examples where the fee is more into the $1 range or more.
Along more federal lines, Shupe spoke of the “cookie-cutter lawsuits” filed under the guise of the American with Disabilities Act that are costing local governments thousands of dollars. Flagler County a few months ago paid out $16,000 to settle one of those suits, filed by a man who files similar suits across the state, alleging that local governments’ video and related access to public meetings is not ADA compliant. “The state cannot preempt the federal ruling on ADA,” Shupe said.
“So the onus is on the business or the county to have everything translatable and the ability to be verbally rendered,” Waltz asked County Attorney Al Hadeed. Hadeed said the county is trying to meet industry standards without having to exceed them at a much heavier cost to taxpayers. Waltz seemed surprised by the extent of the effort–and the costs. “That’s a tough one,” the congressman said.
Waltz said he’s been working on legislation related to supervisor of election offices’ security, after revelations that two (still unidentified) Florida counties’ election systems being hacked during the 2016 election–“penetrated by the Russians,” as Waltz put it. “My frustration wasn’t that that happened, my frustration was that no one knew about it,” Waltz said. “We have a lot of work to do there.”
He said if a company like Target were hacked and its data compromised, federal law requires disclosure. “If a foreign hostile power accesses your data, there is no requirement, and in fact the bureau has kept that classified, which we’ve asked them to declassify,” Waltz said.
He and most of Florida’s congressional delegation disagree with the cloak on disclosure. “The election supervisors is not the victim, the voter is the victim,” Waltz said. “That’s going to be a federal state and local issue, please stay in touch with us, that’s obviously critical to the foundation of our entire system.”
Periodically Waltz would take a moment to add notes in his cell phone, as he did when he spoke with County Engineer Faith al-Khatib, who urged more federal and state support for beach reconstruction efforts. Al-Khatib also spoke of the county’s need for more infrastructure funding to replace some 15 bridges. The federal highway fund reauthorization is due in September 2020, Waltz said. “I would like to get away from the gas tax and go to vehicle-miles traveled,” he said. Congress is hoping to put that transition in place. Those who are using the highways most would then pay proportionately more.
“If it’s not a federal issue, then I have no problem calling our good friend Paul Renner and get going on the state side,” Waltz said, referring to the Florida House Republican who represents Flagler. Waltz also mentioned Sen. Travis Hutson.
The discussion, which Cameron, the county administrator, opened to the press, was also a window into economic development issues of concern to the community, such as the future of the now-shuttered Sea Ray plant on the Intracoastal. The plant had provided some of the county’s highest-paid jobs until it closed last summer, with 440 people losing their job. Helga van Eckert, the county’s economic development director, said the county has been working with Sea Ray’s Realtor to find a buyer for the land. But Sea Ray is vetoing a sale to any boat manufacturer or company related in any way to boating. “It’s kind of limited the effectiveness” of sales talks, van Eckert said. Some companies that weren’t even competitors to Sea Ray “were not being considered by Sea Ray, or Brunswick Boat.”
Waltz was also concerned, and not aware, that the county airport operated without radar, an issue he said he’d take back to Washington.
Waltz and the directors were nearly losing track of time in their discussion until Cameron reminded the congressman of the time crunch ahead. He was to get a brief tour with Emergency Management Chief Jonathan Lord of the Emergency Operations Center, then have lunch with Cameron, O’Brien, Hadeed and van Eckert at Hijackers, the restaurant at the county airport. Waltz is due back on Thursday afternoon for a tour of the finished dunes-restoration project. He said he was interested in holding a similar session with Palm Coast’s directors.
Another bad idea says
To Representative Waltz, there already is a mileage use tax on highways.
It is called tolls.
Privacy and tracking concerns aside,
the gas prices in Flagler are among the highest in Florida due to one tax on top of another.
If you think for a moment that switching to a miles usage tax will result in price rollbacks for consumer savings at the pump, I have a bridge on Moody Blvd. that I will sell you.
S.Peters says
How nice that Mr. Waltz came to Flagler County to sit with County Directors. I wrote to him to ask if he plans a town hall meeting with constituents while on recess and have received NO answer. I really would like our representative to meet with us to hear what we think and need from our Federal Government. Too much to ask?
john dolan esq. says
Sea Ray can lay off 440 people and veto sales of land in Flagler County. Who gave Sea Ray the right to do this? Not only does the airport not have radar, it seems the County Commissioners don’t have a blip on their radar either!
Behind Schedule says
Taking the Congressman to lunch at Hijackers surely put more pressure on his schedule given their lackadaisical approach to customer service. Perhaps VIPs get better service than us common folk.