Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Rambling Asides on Election 2026

“between the Idea and the Reality … Falls the Shadow.”

–T. S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

I’m certainly not a literary analyst – an academic who examines poems, prose, and symbolism, focusing on the minutia of linguistic phenomena in hopes of interpreting someone else’s meaning – but I think what Eliot was trying to convey is what we imagine possible is often far different than what we can communally achieve.

According to my casual theory, Eliot’s shadow describes our inability to turn intention into reality by political means, because there will always be those with a mercenary self-interest and the wherewithal to manipulate outcomes to their personal advantage, despite detrimental impacts to the collective good.

Yet, despite the odds, somehow each election cycle we see small positive changes in the local power dynamic.

When I write these screeds, I naturally assume that your interpretation of the complex issues of the day will be different from mine.  My hope is those opposing perspectives will organically drive a larger discussion in the community.

That’s a good thing.

The debate of ideas will always lead to better results than acquiescence, personal attacks, or the refusal to communicate due to partisan hostilities and counterproductive squabbling (sorry for the redundancy…)

The fact you are reading Barker’s View tells me we have both taken the time to consider the issues independently; to view how local politics and governance effect our lives and livelihoods through a unique lens, then consider a different perspective.

That brings me hope that not everyone has succumbed to the mindless lockstep loyalty demanded by a political faction, party, or rabid ideologue.

In a representative democracy, if We, The Little People don’t like the direction of our government, we have the right and responsibility to change it at the ballot box.

Is it perfect? Not by a long shot.

From a skewed campaign finance system that has turned Florida politics into a Turkish bazaar and our state capitol into the Biggest Whorehouse in the World – to the back-alley tactics that give our local elections the appearance of a bloody knife fight – election cycles are becoming tougher to stomach.

In one instance, during a nasty campaign for the District 1 Volusia County School Board seat, winning candidate Brenda Berry was attacked on social media for the number of times she had been married. In my view, it was a personal, non-political, ad hominem assault on the character of a woman by loser/incumbent Jamie Haynes’ meanspirited collaborators.

Good riddance.

In other races things appeared equally troubling as ruthless political operatives viciously attacked their opponent’s supporters in the most personal/private/familial ways possible – crossing the Rubicon of decency – intent on destroying engaged citizens who seek to participate, support a candidate, or voice an opinion.

Per usual, the “glossy mailer” strategy of using shadowy “Political Action Committees” to spread bald-faced lies without direct accountability was used to full effect in this election; and there was the prolific use of fictitious AI generated images, and the shameless gaslighting that allows incumbent candidates to repeatedly dupe an electorate who suffer from an increasingly short memory…

In my view, those base tactics are a shining example of the whale-shit depths some candidates (always through their surrogates) are willing to go in a win-at-all-costs system that has turned many potential candidates away from the fray.

These scorched earth campaign practices, coupled with the fact that our major political parties seem intent on fielding the worst possible human beings as candidates, are why voter apathy has become a real problem.

What’s done is done.

Now, this dehumanization of those intrepid souls who threw their hats in the ring and merely asked to serve will be dismissed as the fog of a “hard-fought campaign,” and the system will emerge slightly weaker, sicker, and more conflicted than it was before.

Despite its deep flaws, our electoral system remains the best in the world.

In every political contest there is courage and cowardice, honor, and ignominy and “fair” remains a place where they judge pigs…

For instance, in Volusia County, each election cycle some very influential people spend incredible sums of money to ensure their hand-picked candidates for public office prevail.

Why do you think that is?

Because these malleable finger-puppets wrap themselves in the flag with a bible in their hand and stand for truth, justice, and the American way?

Bullshit.

The pernicious pattern of stuffing the war chests of malleable lapdogs with artificially high contributions continued unabated this year. Now, many voters are rightfully asking if these massive expenditures represent a campaign contribution or a return on investment?

During this election season we finally came face-to-face with that important question…

Last month, during an innocuous discussion of Volusia ECHO grant funding for The Brown Museum of Arts and Sciences – the philanthropic namesake of billionaire insurance magnate and political bankroller J. Hyatt Brown – Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower rhetorically asked if those council members who have received large campaign contributions from Mr. Brown should recuse themselves from the vote?

It was a legitimate (if deliciously uncomfortable) question and, in my view, represented one of the most important discussions of the 2026 election season.

For many, the campaign funding cycle represents more of the same – a pay-to-play transactional system based on the expected return on financial/political investment – where the personal and for-profit interests of those with the resources to shower thousands of dollars on compliant candidates will always hold more weight than the needs of those who don’t…

To the 59% of Volusia County voters who took the time to cast your ballot and honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives to preserve our right to democratic self-determination please know you did your part.

You fulfilled what I believe is the sacred duty of all who enjoy the freedoms entrusted to us by our Founding Fathers.

Now that the election is over, I encourage you to take a break – tune this shit out – “touch grass” (as the kids say), read a good book, take long walks, spend time around moving water, and enjoy your family and friends for the Holidays.

As the great Walter Sobchak so eloquently said, “Screw It, Dude, Let’s Go Bowling…”

The work of remaining vigilant, protecting what’s left of our endangered environment, and demanding better from those who have been granted the privilege to serve, protect, and improve the lives and livelihoods of their neighbors – including those who disagree with them – will return soon enough.

But it will be different than before.

Those who were elected or returned to office on Tuesday now serve in an era where the ability of our hometowns to fund essential services is limited after the Florida legislature forced the Catch 22 of Amendment 3 on voters.

In my view, it was a brazen big government power grab funded by realtors and developers that already has local governments worried about their continued viability, and some dedicated public safety professionals whispering about moving out of Florida, considering more financially stable areas of the nation that appreciate their service to the community.

Different indeed.

Don’t take my word for it, just watch how community amenities and essential services change over the next several years – and its impact on our quality of life and infrastructure as growth continues its malignant spread across the state.

I hope the promised savings to homesteaded property owners will be worth all that we will ultimately sacrifice to achieve it…

To those ascending or returning to high office here on the “Fun Coast,” here’s some unsolicited advice – important lessons learned during a long public life – that may help once the brief euphoria of the “big win” and self-aggrandizing celebrations have ended.

Consider this the last gift you’ll receive in your new role with no strings attached:

All people really want is to be heard and have their concerns considered.

Pay attention to those who pay the bills.

Make a place at the table for your constituents, hear them out, respect their hard-earned experience and opinions, fight for their right to participate in a meaningful way, then incorporate their concerns and suggestions into the decision-making process.

Practice humility – the willingness to admit honest mistakes then work hard to correct them.

Honesty, fair dealing, and avoiding even the appearance of impropriety is omnipotent to winning and keeping the public’s trust.

Never forget that people can forgive those errors and omissions they see themselves making.

Your constituents – your neighbors – understand that you are human, but they expect and deserve a commitment to ethical, moral, and honorable behavior that respects human dignity, obeys Constitutional protections and the rule of law, and brings honor to public service.

That means keeping your public and private life unsullied as an example to all.

(Read that again.)

Citizens also demand that their elected representatives hold themselves and others in positions of power accountable for their actions. Anything less weakens the system.

As hard as it may seem at the time, effective servant-leaders use the withering criticism they frequently receive from loudmouths like me as a barometer of community sentiment. These screeds of mine are pointed – but they aren’t personal. Once you are out-of-office and no longer relevant to the discussion, you’ll never hear from me again…

The loudest person in the room is not always right. They aren’t always wrong, either.

Support those career civil servants who do the heavy lifting and deliver essential services to the community. Listen to their suggestions and never use them as pawns or scapegoats for political expediency.

Demand exacting standards of excellence from the city/county manager – he or she holds more cards than any one elected official – and they are the gatekeeper to the information you need to make an informed decision.

In public service, moral courage is defined as the mental and ethical strength that sees us through challenges and ensures we do the right thing – despite the personal or political cost. Do the right thing, for the right reasons, even when no one is watching.

Ride for the brand. Fight for your constituents – demonstrate courage and independence. Never kowtow to powerful special interests or compromised government officials who often try to bully smaller entities into submission.

Lead by personal example as you make the tough decisions that impact the lives and livelihoods of those you serve, and always consider our threatened environment and natural resources, especially when the existence of our greenspace conflicts with for-profit interests.

Find that moral courage – hold firm to your sacred oath of office and core values – and take pride in the fact your neighbors have put their confidence in your ability to lead, work collaboratively, and establish a clear vision for our collective future.

Most important – when influential people, senior administrators, and powerful special interests (who wouldn’t give you the time of day before Tuesday) laugh at your jokes, slap you on the back, and seem intently interested in your thoughts and ideas – never forget:

Sic transit gloria mundi (All glory is fleeting…)

I’ll have more thoughts on this week’s election and what it means for We, The Little People in coming weeks.

From the refreshing new look (power dynamic) of the Volusia County School Board and County Council, to changes on municipal councils and commissions, the raging shitstorm that is the City of Daytona Beach, the impacts of Amendment 3, the potential for real change in the Lost City of Deltona, etc., there’s a lot to digest…

That’s all for me. Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Compounding the Problem – Ethical Questions Expand at Volusia County Schools

“The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that’s also a hypocrite!”

–Tennessee Williams

There is another time-honored proverb that elected and appointed officials who seek to malign others for political or professional gain should remember:

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones…

Last week in this space, I shared my thoughts on Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin, and her obsequious toady, Chief Communications Officer Mike Micallef – the very face of the district – using their official Facebook accounts to express approval, support, or appreciation for political advertisements posted on the campaign pages “Ruben Colón for Volusia County School Board, District 5” and “Re-elect Jamie M. Haynes, Volusia County School Board, District 1.”

That’s a problem…

With election day looming, and School Board incumbent Jamie Haynes is in the fight of her political life against newcomer Brenda Beery, many feel Balgobin and Micallef’s use of official resources and communications channels to support incumbent Haynes’ messaging may have violated statutory prohibitions on using a public office to influence another person’s vote.

Why else would they have “liked” a specific candidates’ campaign posts?

Things worsened last week when someone in the Ivory Tower of Power thought it appropriate to simply delete Balgobin and Micallef’s “likes” from the campaign pages.

In my view, that comes dangerously close to violating Florida’s Sunshine law, which states that official social media communications are public records and cannot be deleted unless they meet a specific legal exception.

Guess what? Being called out for ignoring Florida law and ethics rules, then tidying things up, isn’t a legally acceptable exception…

In my view, the real problem here is the utter hypocrisy of Balgobin, Micallef, and their sycophantic co-conspirators on the Volusia County School Board.

After School Board member Donna Brosemer fought for passage of a Bill of Rights for school board members in Tallahassee, brought attention to the scam of assigning the district an “A” grade based on a skewed system where earning just 66% over twelve FDOE categories is considered academic excellence, and calling attention to Balgobin’s unilateral decision to bar citizens from commenting on official social media posts, she became a tag-team target.

The plan to destroy Ms. Brosmer personally and politically began with a still veiled allegation brought by Mouthpiece Micallef claiming a social media post by Ms. Brosemer critical of the decision to stop public comment amounts to an “ethical” violation.

You read that right.

That opened the door for District 2 member Krista Goodrich – a shameless self-promoter with the political ethics of a broke-back snake – to defame Brosemer in an open meeting, claiming she was the subject of an “ethics complaint” (insinuating a public corruption allegation to the Florida Ethics Commission), before attempting to clean herself up by rephrasing the nature of the accusation and announcing she called for a $300 an hour open-ended outside “investigation” by a Tampa law firm.

To investigate what?

That Ms. Brosemer used her personal Facebook account to engage in protected political speech on a public forum?

None of it mattered. Before the board authorized Kangaroo Kourt could be convened to “investigate” Micallef’s hurt feelings, the damage to Brosmer’s political reputation was complete.

In my view, when this tax-funded organization flagrantly flaunts public records law by deleting Balgobin and Micallef’s “likes” on campaign sites, it sends a message that the rules don’t apply in the lofty halls of power. Suggesting a sense of immunity by those in high‑status positions who feel they are above normal rules, ethics, and consequences.

In my view, the Balgobin administrations inability to follow the rules and obey the laws that protect public confidence results in a perception of entitlement.

So, when will the now compromised School Board Chair Ruben Colón and member Jamie Haynes move to censure and remove Superintendent Balgobin and Mouthpiece Micallef from their highly compensated roles for their barefaced political activities?

As our able State Attorney R. J. Larizza has so eloquently said, “Accountability breeds justice.”

Here’s hoping Mr. Larizza holds Superintendent Balgobin, Mike Micallef, and anyone else who directed the removal of official social media posts to account.

Final Thoughts on Amendment 3 – Who’s Funding It and Why?

“Florida Realtors aren’t the only ones funding their “Yes on 3” political committee to help push an increased homestead exemption over the hump next month.

The National Association of Realtors is also ponying up, with a $2,016,500 donation on Oct. 9.

As of that date, the committee recorded $21,516,510, with roughly $7 million left to spend.

This was the first contribution that did not come from the Florida Realtors, and it comes amid questions about the viability of the property tax question.

Polling released this week by South Florida-based consulting firms EDGE Communications and MDW Communications, as well as McLaughlin & Associates, shows the amendment at 50% and 53%, respectively, short of the 60% threshold for passage.

Opposition comes from many sources, including historically conservative ones such as Florida TaxWatch, local Chambers of Commerce, the Florida Professional Firefighters, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, and the Florida Sheriffs Association, which has launched ads claiming the property tax proposal “rips out Florida’s biggest source of public safety funding with no plan to replace it.”

–A. G. Gancarski, writing in Florida Politics, “National Association of Realtors helps push pro-Amendment 3 committee over $21M raised,” Saturday, October 17, 2026

I am vehemently opposed to Amendment 3 – the half-baked tax shift and Tallahassee power-grab disguised as an increase in the homestead exemption.

In the lead up to election day, I have had thoughtful discussions with friends, neighbors, business owners, homeowners, and elected officials, all of whom understand the need for meaningful tax and spending reforms.

Most of those I have spoken to explained that after much consideration and analysis, they still harbored concerns about the consequences (both intended and unintended) to their hometown services, and the reasons special interests are funding the push for Amendment 3…

I’ve also been talked over by hyper-excitable zealots – those self-styled “political experts,” dim-witted know-it-alls who “win” by talking louder than you – small-minded extremists who cannot think for themselves, so they regurgitate canned bullshit at top volume.

Fringe players who refuse to consider the wider ramifications of immediately reducing revenue to local governments during a period of extraordinary growth using a constitutional amendment or are pathologically incapable of looking beyond their own self-interests.

As Aldous Huxley said, “A fanatic is a man who consciously overcompensates a secret doubt…”

Frankly, few things in what passes for Florida politics and governance has frightened (or angered) me more than the manner and means by which this abominable dilemma was foisted on the electorate.

The fact is, I oppose additional intrusion on my quality of life to accommodate the voracious appetites of Florida’s influential real estate and development industry, special interests who are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to pass the ballot measure. Compromised greed-hogs who are intent on paving over every square inch of the Sunshine State to shoehorn more, more, more 3/2 zero lot line cracker boxes.

Amendment 3 was flawed from its rushed inception.

Now, independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer advocates like Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Policy Institute say it is bad for Florida, with the potential to gut local essential services and posing an existential threat to small local governments who actually live within their means.

As a result, Amendment 3 is now the abandoned bastard child of state lawmakers who are increasingly distancing themselves from its disastrous impacts, claiming they were strongarmed into passing the ballot initiative when Gov. Ron DeSantis held up the state budget, and warning the proposal would seriously impact those communities least able to absorb it.

Earlier this week, republican Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, who once congratulated his chamber for placing Amendment 3 on the ballot, now says he opposes the ill-considered measure, a bill that was passed in just 36-hours during a special session without any budget analysis or direction to those communities who will be most affected.

“As a native of Florida’s heartland, our rural communities are near and dear to my heart. It’s who I am. Amendment 3 would eliminate up to 30% of resources for Florida’s rural counties, gutting essential services for law enforcement, emergency response services, and critical infrastructure,” he said.

In addition, former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo announced earlier this month that she is also voting against Amendment 3, saying “I think it is a well-intentioned bill, but you know, the road to hell is paved with them.”

In my view, Florida’s real estate and development industry has a mercenary interest in seeing the amendment pass. Recently, industry economists estimated it would immediately increase home prices 7% to 9%, with first-time buyers taking the hit.

Guess who benefits from more real estate transactions at higher prices?

Having witnessed the effects of unchecked greed across the width and breadth of our state, now is not the time to allow those with a profit motive to further undermine our quality of life by exsanguinating local emergency services, utilities infrastructure, libraries, youth and senior programs, parks, conservation efforts, and other essential civic amenities as demand increases exponentially.

Floridians deserve responsible tax and spending reform, this isn’t it.

My hope is that once Florida voters show Tallahassee we won’t sacrifice more of what makes Florida special to satiate the greed of a few, you will join me on the frontlines as we demand those jacklegs that comprise our legislative delegation fight for responsible, measured, and economically sound solutions to Florida’s spending and affordability issues.

That should include equitable improvements in how state and local governments are funded, changes that will increase affordability while ensuring vital services are protected for all Floridians during this period of explosive exploitation.

As you head to the voting booth, please ask yourself, when did those bought-and-paid-for political whores in Tallahassee – or their puppeteers in the real estate/development industry – have your family’s best interests at heart?

Please support your hometown heroes by voting “No” on Amendment 3.

Quote of the Week

“The deadline has come and gone, but the state audit has yet to arrive, leaving Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick L. Henry looking for answers.

At the Oct. 7 City Commission meeting, Henry proposed sending letters requesting an update on the audit, which commissioners had been told to expect by late August or early September.

“We’re not combative or trying to fight with (the state auditor); we want some information so that we’re not in the dark,” Henry said.

Commissioners Quanita May, Monica Paris and Stacy Cantu questioned whether the proposed letter accurately reflected the views of the entire commission, with concerns that it primarily represented Henry’s position.”

–Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry, as quoted by correspondent Jacqueline Lee, writing in Hometown News Volusia, “Daytona Beach Commission presses for delayed audit, mayor addresses threats,” Monday, October 19, 2026

I have a bad feeling about this.

In my view, when you are about to be devoured by a bear, I’m not sure urging him to ‘get on with it’ is the most prudent course of action – but Mayor Derrick Henry makes a point…

Last month, I opined about the danger of the rampant rumor and speculation being fueled by a protracted criminal investigation by the Statewide Prosecutors Office and a concurrent external audit of the City of Daytona Beach finances by the Florida Auditor General.

I worried that unchecked gossip would sweep the community if these important inquiries were allowed to drag on – leaving residents (voters) to speculate on what’s true, and what’s not – something that could result in irreparable damage to the public trust and the personal reputations of those elected and appointed officials who may have done nothing wrong.

Recently, that conjecture spilled onto social media when unconfirmed reports claimed state Sen. Tom Wright – whose inquiry into city spending was the impetus for the state’s intervention – reportedly spoke of pending arrests at City Hall during a recent town hall meeting with Daytona Beach residents.

I have no idea if Sen. Wright made that statement or not – I wasn’t there.

But the anecdote was enough to cause a stir among residents who have waited months for a resolution to questions of misspending and the maladministration of permitting funds.

In his letter on behalf of the City of Daytona Beach to the Auditor General of the State of Florida, Mayor Derrick Henry wrote:

“Having relied on the timeline your office provided to City staff, we shared that expectation with our residents, who have been waiting for these results. As that date has come and gone, we are hearing growing frustration from the community, along with a loss of confidence in the process.”

In my view, Mayor Henry is right about one thing – the taxpayers of Daytona Beach have the right to timely answers to the serious questions posed by the state investigations – information that will allow citizens to hold government officials politically accountable for their fiscal stewardship and ethical conduct.

I understand the time involved in conducting in-depth investigations – especially complex cases involving questions of public integrity and possible financial crimes.  Unfortunately, protracted examinations can make the process seem like it is dragging on indefinitely, which can lead to claims the system is being abused for political purposes – especially when one group of politicians investigates another.

In my view, it is time for the state of Florida to show its cards.

And Another Thing!

“I understand that people want something different, and there’s a desire to want to assure them that you’re taking steps to show them that you’re taking this matter seriously, as it should be,” Hayes said. “I think again, the planning director has done a really good job of coming up with some solutions for you. It doesn’t really matter what you put in your policy. If somebody wants to challenge it, they’re going to find a way to challenge it.”

–Ormond Beach City Attorney Randy Hayes, as quoted by reporter Jarleene Almenas, writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Ormond Beach codifies data center ban,” Wednesday, October 21, 2026

One of the few positive aspects of an election year is that, for a brief moment, our typically aloof elected dullards on the dais of power feign interest in issues that We, The Little People actually care about.

Trust me, their attentiveness is short-lived – and once election day has come and gone – surviving incumbents will quickly return to serving the moneygrubbing interests of their political benefactors.

But for a few fleeting moments, this weird pay-to-play oligarchy takes on the appearance of a responsive representative democracy…

On Tuesday, the Volusia County Council voted to enact a ban on “large-scale” data centers in unincorporated areas, defined as “…a single location, with a data center on site, that has an anticipated monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more, calculated as the highest average load over a 15-minute interval.”

According to the Observer’s report, on Tuesday, the Ormond Beach City Commission also voted to unanimously to approve land use amendments confirming “…that data centers are not allowed under the city’s current Land Development Code and comprehensive plan, defined and allowed on-premise server rooms as an accessory use to a business, and established policies to prohibit development that creates “extraordinary demands” on city utility infrastructure systems.”

During the discussion, the intrepid environmental activist Suzanne Scheiber of Dream Green Volusia, offered suggestions for strengthening protections:

“While the county ban by ordinance addresses over 50 megawatts to date, there’s no specific policy in the comprehensive plan or land development code amendments in unincorporated Volusia,” she said. “The city of Ormond Beach has a responsibility to its residents to protect our water bodies and our way of life. The ordinances are clear within the city of Ormond. However, outside of the municipality, extraordinary is not defined by any measure for size, electrical usage, water usage, or wastewater usage in the ordinance before you tonight. Extraordinary is subjective.”

That’s when Ormond Beach City Attorney Randy Haynes dropped the proverbial turd in the celebratory punchbowl when he was quick to point out that while the City Commission has control of potential annexations, they cannot impose regulations on land outside the city boundaries.

In my view, these bans, moratoriums, and feel-good land use changes are a meaningless gesture, orchestrated during an election season, as several incumbents are rightfully struggling for their political lives.

That’s why our elected officials are taking a victory lap and patting themselves on the back for doing “something” to address citizen concerns.

It’s also why I hate to be the bearer of unwelcome news.

Just days before the Volusia County Council voted to ban large-scale data centers, their own Planning and Land Development Regulation Committee recommended continuing the discussion…

“Let’s sit back. Take a pause for 12 months.  We need to give it a little more light, not just take the witch and burn her at the stake because we don’t like the way it’s going,” Planning Commissioner Frank Costa said.

Hummmm…

I guess not everyone in Volusia County government is ready to kill a goose – filthy as that bird may be – that will eventually lay golden eggs?

I hate to say it, but data centers will eventually find their way to the “Fun Coast” – and while the state currently allows counties and municipalities to regulate the facilities – once the money starts to flow into Tallahassee coffers, that rare nod to home rule autonomy will quickly change…

Here in the “Biggest Whorehouse in the World,” money talks and our quality of life (and sensitive environment) be damned.

The handwriting is on the wall…

I recently spoke with a friend from Northern Virginia involved in the development of data centers across the nation.  It is an increasingly necessary multi-billion-dollar industry, and the income being generated for trade workers, designers, support staff, and technical experts who are working to incorporate closed-circuit cooling systems, on-site power generation, quiet technology, and other environmental safeguards is astronomical.

According to reports, there are currently 847 active projects, to include “hyperscale” sites, across the nation each utilizing 800–1,400 electricians simultaneously. In high demand areas, journeymen electricians are earning $200k+ annually.

When you factor in the potential taxes, fees, fines, and other state/local revenues generated by data centers it won’t be long until Florida legislators determine on which side their bread is buttered…

Let’s hope I’m wrong. About a lot of things.

That’s all for me. Please take advantage of early voting, and have a great weekend, y’all!

Note to the Barker’s View Tribe:

Barker’s View will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks.

During the break, please feel free to enjoy some past screeds from the copious BV achieves at the bottom of this page. It’s fun to take a look in the rearview mirror with the clarity of hindsight, and see what has changed, and what’s remains the same, here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”

All the Best & Happy Halloween!

MDB

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

‘Politics As Usual’ Exposes Ethical Questions at Volusia County Schools

“Voters deserve to know more than whether someone voted in a general election,” she wrote in an email to The News-Journal. “They deserve to know how their elected School Board has spent more than a billion dollars of taxpayer money each year and whether those decisions represent responsible stewardship of public funds.”

–Volusia County District 1 School Board candidate Brenda Beery, as quoted by The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia County School Board race heats up over political mailer,” Friday, October 9, 2026

The good, bad, and ugly of politics is a part of public education.

With school board members elected to provide oversight, set policy, and steward tax dollars there will always be campaigning (and all that comes with it). Unfortunately, in today’s political environment, that includes aggressive electioneering fueled by big money from external influencers with a chip in the game.

As election day approaches, the infamous “glossy mailer” has made its appearance – this time in the District 1 Volusia County School Board race featuring political newcomer Brenda Beery challenging incumbent sluggard Jamie Haynes.

The key element of the postcard strategy is to find the most despicable mistake a candidate has ever made (or manufacture one, if necessary) then shotgun it by mail to potential voters as a means of besmirching the character and reputation of one’s opponent.

In this case, the mailer targeting Ms. Beery originated from a “political action committee,” which allows plausible deniability for the candidate who stands to benefit from the ad hominem smear of their rival.

Of Course, Haynes feigned faux outrage to full effect, clutching her pearls and gasping, “I would have never…”

Bullshit.

In an article by reporter Kairi Lowery writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we learned:

“A political mailer circulating in Volusia County questions School Board Zone 1 candidate Brenda Beery’s voting record.

As voters gear up for the Nov. 3 election, campaign ads — many of them sharply critical of candidates running for office — have begun filling local mailboxes. And a Volusia County School Board race has become the latest.

Some Volusia County residents may have recently received a red, black and yellow campaign ad depicting District 1 School Board candidate Brenda Beery as untrustworthy due to her sparse voting record.

The ad, paid for by the Committee to Protect Florida, a Tallahassee-based political committee, claims Beery voted twice in the last 16 years — once in 2014 and once in 2024.”

That’s all you’ve got, Ms. Haynes?

Look, no on takes voting more seriously than I do.

In fact, I consider casting a ballot our sacred obligation as citizens of a free and democratic nation. It’s important because, (to mangle a long-forgotten quote) “Bad public officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

Unfortunately, we live in a time when both political parties seem intent on fielding the worst possible candidates for high office. Hand-select marionettes capable of being manipulated by those special interests who fund both sides in a massive influence peddling scheme that seeks to divide us along every demographical line imaginable.

The perpetual nature of the pay-to-play ruse has left many voters apathetic, dispirited, and indifferent.

Admittedly, there have been times in the not-to-distant past when I’ve held my nose to suppress a gag reflex when voting in these godforsaken dilemmas that pass for local political contests…

Perhaps Ms. Beery chose service over political participation – or, like so many these days, she had no interest in politics and governance until she experienced the grim results of the stagnant status quo?

I don’t know Brenda Beery, but she is clearly not part of the “in-crowd” at Volusia County Schools – and her candidacy is making those anointed hierarchs in the Ivory Tower of Power extremely nervous.

For example, in what I consider an incredibly unethical professional conflict, Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin, and her brown-nosed minion Chief Communications Director Mike Micallef, used public communications resources in the form of their official Facebook pages to tacitly endorse Jamie Haynes’ campaign advertisements on the social media platform…

For the uninitiated, on Facebook, a “Like” is a small thumbs-up emoji signifying one’s public approval, support, or appreciation for a post, page, or comment.

In my view, by using her official Facebook profile, “Dr. Carmen Balgobin, Superintendent Volusia County Schools,” to “like” posts on the campaign site “Re-elect Jamie M. Haynes, Volusia County School Board, District 1” – posts clearly marked as a “Political advertisement paid for and approved by Jamie Haynes, nonpartisan, for School Board District 1” – Superintendent Balgobin crossed a very bright line.

In addition, VCS Chief Communications Director Mike Micallef – the literal face of the district’s public information apparatus – also used his official VCS Facebook page to post a similar “like” on the Facebook campaign site “Ruben Colón for Volusia County School Board, District 5,” after School Board Chairman Colón posted his political endorsement of Jamie Haynes’ re-election.

Disturbing.

Especially when you consider the district’s wholly unqualified Chief Mouthpiece Mike Micallef reportedly filed a complaint against District 4 School Board member Donna Brosemer claiming a social media post critical of Balgobin’s decision to eliminate public comment on district social media accounts amounts to an “ethical” violation.

In turn, the School Board has approved an agreement with Tampa-based Brown Law & Consulting to conduct a formal investigation into Micallef’s defamatory accusation against Ms. Brosemer.

With no time constraints or cap on expenses, the firm will receive $300 an hour for attorney time, $200 an hour for a senior human resources consultant, and $90 an hour for paralegal services, to include reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses as they ferret out how a meme posted by Donna Brosmer hurt Mr. Micallef’s feewings…

With Superintendent Balgobin and her dutiful toady, Mouthpiece Micallef, now using district resources and communications channels to lend the influence and imprimatur of their official public office to the advantage of an incumbent candidate for school board, perhaps someone with a badge in their pocket and a duty to protect the public trust should do some sleuthing of their own…

So, what does Ms. Haynes plan to do about Balgobin and Micallef’s clear ethical lapse in her role as a school board member?

After all, ethics rules and standards of professional conduct should apply equally to everyone, or they should apply to no one.

A Lesson in Leadership and Compassion in Flagler County

“When you are in an emergency, you don’t ask permission from anybody except God to keep that emergency shelter open,” Carney said. “I don’t need to hear from 4-H and Mr. and Mrs. So and So, I don’t need to hear that this is an emergency shelter.

We don’t need the general public to understand or approve who’s in it. It does not make sense. The state would not have given us $10,000 [actually, $10 million] if we were going to ask every party privy to this destination if it’s okay to use it. I’m not doing it. That was why I made the motion, and I’m standing with my motion.”

— Flagler Board of County Commissioners District 3/Vice Chair Kim Carney, as quoted by Flaglerlive.com, “Petty Stinginess and Unseemly 4-H Frets as Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter Wins Fairgrounds Home,” Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Following an oddly contentious exchange, the Flagler Board of County Commissioners recently voted to amend an interlocal agreement with Palm Coast, Bunnell, and Flagler Beach to provide cold-weather sheltering for its most vulnerable population.

Under the agreement, The Sheltering Tree – which operates Flagler County’s only homeless shelter – will be permitted to use the fairground’s Expo Hall (as grant funds demand), with support costs of $1,500 each night the shelter is operational split between the county and signatory cities.

The shelter was open 24 nights last winter.

After Vice Chair Carney fanned a tempest in a teapot over a $500 cost increase (support that provides each person seeking shelter with transportation, dinner, breakfast, security, and bedding), Commissioner Andy Dance went a step too far, suggesting the onerous requirement that other users of the fairgrounds be consulted before the amendment was approved.

Specifically, Commissioner Dance mentioned the 4-H Club livestock barn – whose parents and participants reportedly expressed “concerns” about being in proximity to homeless persons sheltering at the fairgrounds (?)…

According to FlaglerLive.com, Commissioner Dance explained “…parents of 4-H children had concerns, and that the proposal should be tabled until other users of the fairgrounds were consulted. He wants “rules, and guidelines about the operations.”

The shelter does not generally operate when 4-H or other organizations use the fairgrounds (from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., on nights when the temperature falls below 40 degrees, not usually the sort of periods when the fairgrounds are hopping).

Pennington and Commissioner Greg Hansen pushed back on Dance’s suggestion. “Andy, you’re stepping into some real, real bad ground that we don’t want to get into,” Hansen said. “It’s a shelter. It’s a shelter.”

Given the lifesaving benefit of sheltering those most vulnerable during a winter weather emergency, I was confused by what those “concerns” may represent; especially when a key tenet of the 4-H program is “…developing young people who are empowered, confident, hard-working, determined, responsible and compassionate—seeing a world beyond themselves…”

Whenever I see politicians sitting on a dais – with full-bellies and a roof over their heads – dithering over ‘what to do’ with those unfortunate souls who, for myriad reasons of insanity, infirmity, destitution, and addiction – find themselves without adequate shelter during life-threatening weather events, I pay close attention.

If you consider yourself an educated voter, you should too.

In my experience, you can learn a lot about the priorities and leadership of a community in those moments.

If you have ever been cold – I mean truly hypothermic – when the wind and biting chill are so inescapable it leaves you feeling claustrophobic, then you know what a mental and physical toll freezing weather can extract. Even in Florida, where the humidity, or something else, always seems to makes the ambient temperature feel even colder.

For those at the mercy of the elements – taking shelter from extreme weather is not a matter of comfort – it is the difference between life and death.

Perhaps there is a lesson in compassion, and a practical example of “seeing the world beyond themselves,” for those young members of the Flagler 4-H – and the Flagler Board of County Commissioners – to be found in the timeless wisdom of Thomas Jefferson’s truism, “The measure of society is how it treats the weakest members.”

Quote of the Week

“It’s like a bad dream you can’t really wake up from,” said Melissa Lammers of Ormond Beach.

This particular Volusia Forever purchase was handled differently from previous ones, she and another Sierra Club leader, Steve Wonderly, explained.

Normally, the land purchase doesn’t go through unless Volusia Forever gets matching funds from another agency, such as the state government. Then, any infrastructure needed — bike paths, picnic tables, etc. — is paid for by the county’s ECHO fund, which stands for Environmental, Cultural, Historic, and Outdoors.

But for this purchase, the county council “matched” the Volusia Forever funding by pulling money from its ECHO fund, they said. The county matched ITSELF, using money that’s never before been used for buying land.”

–Environmental Reporter Craig Pittman, writing in the Florida Phoenix, “Florida county wants motocross course on land bought for conservation,” Thursday, October 8, 2026

Volusia County government once again found itself in a larger spotlight last week when someone from outside our sandy microcosm here on the “Fun Coast” realized that using voter-approved conservation funds for the construction of a commercial motorcross facility is “a problem.”

Most of us who live here already knew that…

Last week, veteran Tampa Bay Times environmental reporter (and recognized “Florida Literary Legend”) Craig Pittman wrote a biting essay in Florida Politics pointing out the strange contradiction of how the very place where tax-supported land preservation began used millions in conservation funds to facilitate the noise and environmental impacts of a professional motocross facility.

“Volusia County, where Florida’s practice of preserving land for environmental purposes has a rich history, has gotten itself tied into knots over the proper use of some recently purchased conservation property.

The county spent $4.6 million in taxpayer-approved preservation funding to purchase 365 acres. Then, after the deal went through, county officials decided to preserve only 279 of those acres.

The other 77, they said, would be used for a county-sponsored motocross course.

They voted for motocross even though that land is smack in the middle of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. It’s supposed to be for bears, bobcats, and panthers, not dirt bikes,” Pittman wrote.

Sounds even more asinine when you hear it from an outsider, eh?

Featured prominently in Mr. Pittman’s exposé is Volusia County Councilman Don Dempsey, who is widely considered the progenitor of the great “bait and switch” that, in my view, supplanted tax-supported conservation funds to facilitate his family hobby.

For the record, Councilman Dempsey is currently hanging on by his fingernails in the District 1 race against political newcomer Wendy Anderson, a Ph.D. biologist and Chair of Environmental Science and Studies at Stetson University.

According to the op/ed, “The county official pushing hardest for motocross is a DeLand lawyer named Don Dempsey. He’s a Volusia County Council member whose son just happens to be — surprise! — a motocross racer.

Dempsey denied he’s pursuing this for personal reasons.

“I’m not doing this for me or my son,” he said, according to the Daytona Beach News Journal. “I’m doing this for the community.”

Sure he is.

Because nothing says comprehensive outdoor recreation in an established wildlife corridor quite like the earsplitting “Braaaaaap-Braaaaaap” of a high-performance 450cc motocross bike making hot laps around a technical motocross track…

Whatever.

In my view, despite Mr. Dempsey’s repeated denials that his push for a county-funded track is anything less than a pet project to accommodate his family pastime, many believe his argument is disingenuous, and it casts doubt on everything else he says and does from his lofty perch on the dais of power.

For instance, is anyone else confused by the fact Councilman Dempsey, in a politically expedient move, has opposed “toilet to tap” – the disgusting reuse of treated sewage as drinking water to facilitate more development – while simultaneously seeking to eliminate the permanency provisions of Volusia FOREVER?

During a December 2025 council workshop (and again in March 2026), Dempsey pounded his fists, dug in his heels, and bellowed that he didn’t like the idea of future council members being blocked from building a nuclear reactor in Volusia County should the need arise…

By Dempsey’s bizarre logic – when fossil fuels are exhausted and the Floridan aquifer runs dry – “Fun Coast” residents 1,000 years hence will be doomed to a Mad Max dystopia because we voted for a conservation program where forever meant just that.

Why?

Because we prehistoric inhabitants of Volusia County once perceived an existential threat of our own and selfishly voted to conserve some ecologically sensitive greenspace at a time when every inch of ground was being slashed, burned, and churned into a black muck to accommodate more, more, more sprawl…

In supporting his thesis that preservation goals can get skewed at the nexus of pet projects and public funds, Mr. Pittman wrote, “Nature is never enough for some people. Even though we see less and less of it, these people think a quiet natural area is a waste of space. They want some big, noisy manmade distraction.

I did a quick search of Volusia County Property Appraiser records and Dempsy owns a lot of land. I bet he’s got room to build his own commercial motocross course without using any taxpayer dollars. Then the conservation land the county bought could be used for what the voters intended.

I tried calling Dempsey several times to make this suggestion, but I could never reach him. Maybe he couldn’t hear the phone ringing over all the motorcycles. I SAID, MAYBE HE COULDN’T HEAR THE PHONE!”

Well said.

If Mr. Dempsey thinks a commercial motocross facility is financially viable in Volusia County (experts say it isn’t at the site the county purchased) then he should put his own money where his mouth is, take an entrepreneurial roll of the dice, and stop using our tax-supported Volusia ECHO and Forever funds to finance his private amusement.

From a tax funded motocross facility, to eviscerating the perpetuity provisions of Volusia Forever, even voting against a registry that protects potential victims from those previously convicted of domestic violence (?), “Drama Don” Dempsey seems to feed on confusing his constituents with contrived controversy.

In my view, that’s not leadership.  It is self-serving opportunism that benefits a few at the expense of many.

Here’s hoping the long-suffering residents of District 1 have had enough.

And Another Thing!

“One of the most striking things about Florida’s Amendment 3 is that almost everybody who’s actually studied this plan thinks it’s a bad idea.

Fiscal watchdogs and Wall Street Analysts. Sheriffs and first responders. Republican and Democratic leaders of cities and counties both rural and urban.

The proposal is billed as a tax cut, but will actually jack up housing costs for millions of Floridians.

And it was so poorly thought out — rushed through a 48-hour special legislative session without analysis — that even fiscally conservative groups that normally promote tax breaks have said this one’s flawed.”

–Editorialist Scott Maxwell, writing in the Orlando Sentinel, “Florida sheriffs, fiscal watchdogs say Amendment 3 is a misleading, financial disaster,” Friday, October 2, 2026

(Read the rest of Mr. Maxwell’s disturbing essay here: https://tinyurl.com/yrhazw8t )

You may have noticed that rather than openly endorse candidates and causes during an election, I typically make my opinions known than let readers make up their own mind based upon all available information (or past performance…)

When it comes to Florida’s incredibly divisive Amendment 3, most citizens – including those hapless state legislators who opted to put it on the ballot – don’t have a clue about the potential threats to our collective quality of life and the financial future of our hometowns.

They can’t – because the unintended (and intended) consequences remain unknown.

Recently, I discussed the potential ramifications of the Amendment 3 tax shift with smart political minds that I admire.

They agreed this sham is the worst piece of legislative horseshit ever foisted on the electorate – a constitutional amendment that claims to reduce property taxes – while intentionally concealing the fact it merely shifts costs for essential services.

In fact, the tax shift effectively exsanguinates local essential services like law enforcement, fire, emergency medical response, flood control, right-of-way maintenance, mosquito control, hospital funding, critical emergency management functions, etc.

It also defunds those amenities that make our hometowns so special – youth and senior programs, fireworks displays, public libraries, parades, parks, and recreational opportunities – those things that enhance civic pride and make a community attractive for residential and commercial investment.

Last week, the orchestrated effort by Florida’s real estate and development industries – those special interests who will financially benefit from Amendment 3 – heated up on social media and beyond.

Frankly, I was shocked by some of the unvetted agitprop being spewed by members of the real estate industry, one that has long relied on strict ethical standards for its legitimacy.

The fact these mercenary special interests failed to consider the urgent cautions of local legislators who claimed they were strongarmed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to put the item on the ballot – and now admit Amendment 3 is bad for Florida – speaks volumes about the real estate/development industry’s mercenary motivations.

I have consistently used this space to criticize big government spending while praising those small and midsized municipalities who, by necessity, live within their means while providing residents with tailored services, an excellent quality of life, and a unique civic identity.

From enormous executive salaries in large bureaucracies, Taj Mahal facilities, and gross mismanagement; to the bastardization of environmental and conservation programs, and a lack of citizen input in budget decisions, I believe We, The Little People deserve a well-thought comprehensive overhaul of the tax structure in Florida.

Amendment 3 isn’t it.

As the bulldozers continue to roar across the width and breadth of Florida, saturating the state with more, more, more 3/2 homogenized cracker boxes, our civic infrastructure and essential service needs will increase exponentially, with no way to pay for it other than still undefined “alternative revenue sources.”

Please protect our hometowns and unique quality of life by voting “No” on Amendment 3.

That’s all for me. Have a great Biketoberfest 2026, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Volusia County Schools: Rewarding Incompetence to Perpetuate the Lie

“This highway leads to the shadowy tip of reality: you’re on a through route to the land of the different, the bizarre, the unexplainable…Go as far as you like on this road. Its limits are only those of the mind itself.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re entering the wondrous dimension of imagination.

Next stop…The Twilight Zone.”

a/k/a The Volusia County School Board…

It has been said there is nothing kind about a lie that feels like encouragement.

Unfortunately, it seems the majority of our elected representatives on the Volusia County School Board have been diluting the meaning of academic and administrative excellence for so long they have come to believe their own prevarications.

That’s a dangerous indulgence in a public school district with a budget north of $1 Billion…

In my view, it represents organizational pseudologia fantastica – pathological lying – a pattern of compulsive and elaborate false narratives where the upper echelon of the Ivory Tower of Power eventually becomes convinced of thier own fabrications.

That irrational self-deception is facilitated by an environment where stakeholders naturally believe an “A” grade represents superior achievement.  Until we learn the fictitious grade is based on Florida’s skewed system where districts that obtain just 65% or higher over twelve categories are considered top-rated by the Florida Department of Education.

Volusia County Schools squeaked by with a mediocre 66%…

As a result, standards and traditional metrics have become meaningless, the process a means of organizational reassurance, rather than an objective measurement of performance.

Now, the district’s malignancy of lies continues, and that same perversion of academic achievement is being applied to Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s annual performance evaluation.

According to a disturbing article by reporter Mark Harper writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week:

“The board evaluated Balgobin ahead of the Sept. 8 meeting. The job performance assessment was raised as an agenda item, but no one discussed it in detail, nor were board members’ marks included in the public agenda. The News-Journal requested the five board members’ evaluations as public records and received them it on Sept. 21.”

“The evaluation tool covered seven goals, with 26 specific indicators within those goals. The superintendent received either a mark of proficient, reasonable progress toward expectation, and needs improvement on each of the 26.”

In a move that sent a chill down my spine, our recently reelected board chair Ruben Colón gave Superintendent Balgobin a perfect score…

Using the “back-to-back “A” grades” shim-sham to maximum effect, Chairman Colón swallowed what must be the tattered remnants of his dignity when he wrote, “The superintendent shows proactive leadership across instruction, staffing, safety, operations, technology, communications, and community engagement, he said, adding Balgobin “consistently communicated the district mission, vision and strategic priorities.”

Clearly, Mr. Colón forgot to go outside the silo of Balgobin’s executive suite and speak to those who suffer the district’s recurrent dysfunction, expensive systemic failures, payroll/tax/benefits maladministration, systems, and policies that continue to fail students, teachers, staff, and parents who approach the podium each meeting trying desperately to sound the alarm.

He has also forgotten the sound advice of Sen. Rosalind Osgood (D-Tamarac) who commented on the dysfunction of senior administrators in Volusia County Schools during a February hearing on Florida’s School Board Member Bill of Rights in Tallahassee.

Sen. Osgood asked whether Balgobin was elected or appointed?

When it was explained that the Superintendent was appointed, Osgood remarked, “Y’all should fire ’em…”

Remember? I do.

It is now clear that Chairman Colón – a malleable finger-puppet who parrots the district’s line and callously ignores the systemic failures and dysfunction that continue to plague Volusia County Schools – has become so blinded by the system that he has become a useless appendage on a board whose statutory raison d’être is independent oversight.

For her part, the administration’s attack/lap dog Krista Goodrich gave Balgobin 25 “proficient” marks and one “reasonable progress toward expectation” in the “communication and community engagement” category.

In addition, Goodrich gave Superintendent Balgobin a glowing endorsement, calling the district’s non-existent accomplishments “remarkable,” cementing her place as an obedient foot soldier of influential special interests who use those “A” grades as a cheap marketing tool…

As board member Jamie Haynes battles for her political life against newcomer Brenda Beery, she saw fit to mark all but two of Balgobin’s grades as “proficient;” while the no-longer-relevant Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson – an admitted liar and demonstrable looney-tune who was defeated in the August primary – made a mockery of the process by gifting the Superintendent 25 “proficient” grades.

Only in the Twilight Zone…

According to the News-Journal’s report, the one consistent servant-leader on the board – District 4 member Donna Brosemer – courageously “…rated Balgobin just 12% proficient, giving her 18 “needs improvement” marks out of 26 grades. Brosemer did not follow the instrument’s directions by giving comments on each specific needs-improvement grade, but offered a harsh overview, calling the district “the most toxic environment I have encountered in my 35 years in public policy.”

For her consistent defense of our children’s education and development, Ms. Brosmer has been marked as a troublemaker – publicly marginalized, accused, and maligned by the district’s cliquish “insiders” and those external influencers who run interference – for having the personal and political courage to speak the truth to power.

Now, it appears Ms. Brosemer is the target of an open-ended “investigation” – commissioned by the school board and paid for by taxpayers – as a means of punishing her for posting a meme on social media criticizing the Balgobin administration’s infringement on our first amendment rights by blocking citizen comments on official communications.

Read that again…

In a March 2026 essay discussing the hidden costs of lowering the educational bar, educator and writer Kate Martin said, “A society that can’t honestly assess competence is going to struggle to govern itself well. When grades stop meaning anything, trust erodes — not just in schools, but in credentials, in institutions, and eventually in the professions that depend on them.”

In my view, that thought is equally appliable to the evaluation of a public education executive commanding some $300,000 annually in salary and benefits…

As Ms. Martin explained, “Accountability requires differentiation. You can’t improve what you’re not allowed to honestly measure.”

Vote like your children’s education, academic integrity, and our tax dollars matter.

City of Bunnell: A Change of Leadership Restores Trust

Last week, the tenure of Bunnell’s embattle City Manager Alvin “Secret Squirrell” Jackson ended as enigmatically as one of his behind-closed-doors negotiations with a commercial developer when he (sort of) announced that he was resigning his role effective immediately.

Apparently, Jackson’s resignation came one step ahead of a move by City Commissioner John Rogers to fire him…

Last Friday, when FlaglerLive.com announced Jackson’s departure, it was the first many residents (and some city officials) had heard of it:

“Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson has resigned, ending an eight-year tenure that in the past several months unraveled as he was criticized by commissioners and members of the public for a lack of transparency, of machinating secret deals, and of improper, possibly illegal conduct, such as when he maneuvered secretly for a 610-acre garbage dump, negotiated with a fuel-dump company and contacted the employer of a resident who’d filed a public record request.”

According to the report, Mr. Jackson had originally planned to retire in February 2028, then recently expedited things to June 2027, amid mounting community outrage surrounding the mysterious “Project Butterfly” – which turned out to be a commercial landfill…

In an odd twist, rather than say goodbye and calm mounting rumors among city employees, the report claims Jackson called an all-hands/closed-door meeting on Thursday afternoon and spoke to staff as though he were still at the helm, even though he had already submitted his resignation (?).

According to FlaglerLive.com, rather than announce his departure to confused employees, Jackson “…celebrated himself, describing “the progress that we’re making” as “just astounding and magnificent,” and Bunnell as “truly becoming a very great city–a city that industry wants to come to, a city that residentials want to come to, a city that commercial development is happening.”

Most shocking, it was revealed that there may be state and federal audits forthcoming due, in part, to a four-day workweek Jackson implemented for city employees that may have run afoul of wage and hour laws.  The FlaglerLive.com report stated that during the staff meeting an employee explained “…we have got departments who have consistently ignored that, which means that we could potentially be audited either by the feds or the state, where somebody can make their complaint, and we could end up in court for millions. We can’t do that. That’s a huge risk.”

Wow.

In my experience, that’s the problem with secrecy in government – bad news never ages well…

On Monday, the Bunnel City Commission voted unanimously to accept Jackson’s resignation (he left City Hall on Friday), then voted 4-1 to deny Jackson a “pre-submitted” severance package. Mayor Catherine Robinson cast the lone vote in support of paying Mr. Jackson a severance, calling his departure a “forced resignation.”

According to reports, “…Jackson was asking for 12 weeks’ severance, to which he is not entitled, as well as health and other benefits, to which he is not entitled, and a payout for 13 holidays, to which he is also not entitled.”

In turn, the commission unanimously approved the appointment of the city’s competent Police Chief David Brannon as interim city manager, who stepped down from his law enforcement role to accept the temporary assignment.

Here’s hoping Chief Brannon can use his considerable talents to help restore the public trust – and mend difficult divisions on the Bunnell City Commission – as the city sets about the important task of recruiting, vetting, and hiring the transparent leadership residents deserve.

Quote of the Week

“The First Step Shelter has agreed to pay two former employees a total of $440,000 to settle a whistleblower lawsuit, according to a statement provided to The News-Journal.

Patrick Smith, the former director of philanthropy, will receive $300,000 in the settlement, according to his attorney, Kelly Chanfrau. Pamela Alexander, the former housing director, settled the case a couple of weeks earlier and received $140,000, said Chanfrau, who represented Alexander as well.

Smith and Alexander filed the lawsuit against First Step Shelter in December 2024, alleging they were fired in retaliation for their complaints against the shelter and had been publicly defamed by both the shelter and the city of Daytona Beach, according to a previous News-Journal story.

The city of Daytona Beach was subsequently dismissed from the lawsuit early in the case.

The lawsuit was amended to add Victoria Fahlberg as a defendant on April 1, 2025. At the time, Fahlberg was the executive director of the First Step Shelter, a post she had held since it opened. Fahlberg resigned in April 2026.”

–Reporter Frank Fernandez, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “First Step Shelter to pay whistleblowers $440K to settle lawsuit,” Friday, September 2, 2026

With the controversial reign of Victoria Fahlberg now a bad memory, a new executive director at the helm, and this ugly chapter in the shelter’s history now settled, perhaps it is time for the Daytona Beach City Commission to complete the transition to new leadership by replacing the First Step Board of Directors?

In my view, the boards ham-handed (if not cruel) mismanagement of this situation was a textbook example of what not to do when faced with whistleblower allegations.

For instance, by allowing board members to openly malign the character and reputation of whistleblowers in meetings and on social media – belittling their willingness to come forward and labeling concerns as “appalling and ridiculous,” a “scam,” and a “charade” – effectively ensuring that no other First Step employee would ever dare come forward again.

According to the News-Journal’s report, “The city of Daytona Beach was named in the lawsuit because it owns the shelter building west of Interstate 95, has oversight powers of the shelter board and has contributed $400,000 per year since the shelter opened five years ago, according to a story published in 2024.”

Unfortunately, the article also states that a representative for Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher directed all media inquiries to the city’s mouthpiece…

Given the turmoil that continues to shake the very foundation of the municipal government, in my view, this was another missed opportunity to demonstrate transparency and communicate a plan for inspiring positive change at First Step.

(This week I learned that the City of Daytona Beach has now taken to charging exorbitant fees to citizens seeking information through lawful public records requests – which begs the question – “What are they trying to hide?”)

I’ve said this before, but now is the time to mitigate further damage (and future liability) by purging the First Step Board of Directors.  In my view, the shelter’s new Executive Director Susan Clark – and the citizens of Daytona Beach – deserve new blood, innovative perspectives, and a fresh set of eyes to assist with the arduous process of rebuilding the organizations image and stewarding the First Step Shelter in a fresh new direction.

And Another Thing!

“In regard to voting on ECHO funding for The Brown, County Council Chair Brower asked the county attorney if three council members needed to recuse themselves, as each had received political campaign donations from Cici and Hyatt Brown — major donors, and the namesakes, to the museum’s renovation.

The three council members were Johansson, Danny Robins and David Santiago. Johansson is running for Florida Senate; Robins and Santiago are running for reelection on the council.

County Attorney Mike Dyer confirmed they did not need to recuse themselves, as campaign contributions do not create a conflict of interest for voting purposes, per the Florida Commission on Ethics.

County Councilman Troy Kent, who is not up for reelection, said Brower’s statements “crossed a line.”

“I feel like you’re putting not only the individuals that are running currently, but also Mr. Brown’s integrity, into question,” he said. “I think it’s wildly inappropriate. I don’t think it’s called for. I feel like the political season is ugly enough, and I just feel like as a body, we are better than that.”

Brower responded that the public needs to hear the clarification from the county attorney to clear up any concerns.

“I think it looks ugly to the public who depends on us to handle their money properly,” Brower said. “It makes them wonder.”

–Reporter Jarleene Almenas, writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Volusia County Council approves $13M in ECHO projects,” Tuesday, September 6, 2026

It appears Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower said the quiet part out loud.

Rather than stir a thoughtful discussion of the public’s perception of money and influence in local government – it went over like the proverbial fart in church…

During Tuesday mornings discussion of $13 million in ECHO projects, to include $2.5 million for a redesign of “The Brown/Museum of Arts and Sciences” in Daytona Beach – which is the philanthropic namesake of billionaire insurance magnate and political bankroller J. Hyatt Brown and his wife.

It is no secret that Mr. Brown, both personally and through various corporate entities, has donated handsomely to hand-select candidates for local public office for years, making Brown one of the heaviest hitters in Volusia County politics.

To his credit, Chairman Brower – who has historically been shunned by Mr. Brown and Volusia’s uber-wealthy kingmakers – took a clear swipe at his always adversarial “colleagues” by asking County Attorney Mike Dyer if Jake Johansson, Danny “Gaslight” Robins and David “No Show” Santiago, as recipients of Brown’s largesse, should recuse themselves from the vote?

I got a kick out of that…

In stirring the political pot, Chairman Brower rhetorically questioned if the acceptance of Mr. Brown’s campaign contributions created a potential conflict of interest for those sitting council members/candidates who would vote on “The Brown” funding request.

For good or ill, in Florida, the mere receipt of campaign contributions does not represent an ethical conflict of interest.  However, there are strict campaign finance disclosure requirements that identify donors by name/entity/amount, allowing voters to make up their own mind about a candidate’s loyalties and independence.

I think Mr. Brower knew that all along…

Per usual, Councilman Santiago – that pint-sized martinet who is running for his political life in the district 5 race – climbed up on his sanctimonious soapbox and labeled Brower’s question “political theater” (that’s rich, considering the source…)

According to the Observer’s report, “He (Brower) had the answers to that legal question already, because legal already looked at it days ago and told him and told us,” Santiago said. “This is the mockery that he makes of this council since he’s been here seven — excuse me, six years.”

In my view, Councilman “No Show” Santiago is a techy perennial politician with little visible means of support outside government/politics/influence.  I have been on the receiving end of his meanspirited attacks, lies, and distortions – and have watched as he viciously bullied civically engaged residents and advisory board volunteers from the dais.

That’s why his response demeaning Chairman Brower’s service isn’t surprising.

Since he took office, Chairman Brower has been the whipping boy of Volusia’s stagnant “Old Guard,” stodgy insiders who benefit from the status quo and to whom Robins and Santiago owe their political souls.

Despite Councilman Kent’s attempt to make nice-nice for Mr. Brown, the fact remains – the Volusia County Council is forever plagued by a corrosive cynicism and complete lack of public confidence known as the “trust issue.”

It’s a whole different game when the piñata hits back, and I find it refreshing to see Chairman Brower finally standing up to those compromised shills who have blocked, marginalized, and maligned every civic and environmental initiative he has brought forward over the last six-years.

Vote like your quality of life depends upon it.

That’s all for me. Have a great weekend, y’all!

Note:

Please help the City of Holly Hill celebrate its 125th Birthday on Saturday!

The community will host a “Block Party” on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 4:00pm to 8:30pm at Sunrise Park (1135 Riverside Drive). The hometown celebration will feature a performance by The Fabulous B Naturals, food trucks, family activities, and a drone show on the banks of the beautiful Halifax River!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Beyond the “Great Debate”: Robins v. White in Volusia County’s District 3 Race

Last week, Volusia County Council District 3 incumbent Danny Robins and his opponent, citizen advocate and political newcomer Byron White, faced off in a moderated debate held at The Magnolia at NSB.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it.

I wash my beard on Wednesday nights…

The fact is I don’t give a tinker’s damn what a sitting politician has to say – especially one with the well-documented track record of “Gaslight” Robins – who received his fitting moniker in this space for repeatedly doing just that to his constituents.

In politics, past is prelude, and previous votes are the best predictor of future performance.

In my experience, politicians rarely change their innate character or propensity for deception, quibbling, and outright lies, and when Mr. Robins took office six-years ago, it quickly became evident who (and what) he served.

It had nothing to do with protecting the interests of Volusia County residents.

In my view, the best example came during a grassroots push to mitigate countywide flooding concerns by mandating that developers incorporate low-impact practices in regional projects.

Commonsense (and the scientific study of hydrology) tells us that “fill and build” construction –including the proliferation of impervious surfaces that alter the natural drainage, retention, and percolation of stormwater – adversely impacts natural processes and increases the damaging effects of runoff, making adjacent areas prone to flooding.

It doesn’t take a civil engineer to understand the concept.

Simply invert a bowl on your counter and pour a glass of water over it. The results are easy to understand – and hard to argue…

Yet, in the face of recurrent flooding and unprecedented suffering, those rent-a-representatives on the Volusia County Council concluded that not only should one of the most flood prone counties in Florida make best practices optional, but they also agreed to provide lucrative incentives for their puppeteers in the development community who volunteer to apply accepted industry standards.

In perhaps the most profoundly stupid (and telling) statement ever uttered from that gilded dais of power in DeLand, Councilman Robins said:

“If there was data that would show mandatory LID practices would solve the county’s flooding concerns, Robins said, “there wouldn’t be any question up here.”

We have to pay attention to the data and the facts, and I think it’s very important,” he said. “We’ve been down this road several times and I’m ready to vote.”

Per usual, Mr. Robins conveniently ignored (to his political benefactor’s benefit) the fact that low-impact practices were designed by environmental scientists, hydrologists, and building industry experts to preserve natural drainage processes, reduce stormwater runoff, and help retain more rainfall onsite. 

The practice is widely supported by “data and facts” vetted by the United States Department of Environmental Protection who confirmed the practice “decreases costly flooding and property damage.“

In August 2025, Chairman Jeff Brower appeared before the Edgewater City Council to champion the waterlogged community’s opposition to the state’s preemption of growth management regulations in SB 180.

In one of his scripted harangues, Councilman Robins accused Mr. Brower of having “diarrhea of the mouth” and claimed the Chairman’s address to the Edgewater City Council undermined the intent of his fellow Caspar Milquetoasts (“the man who speaks softly and gets hit with a big stick”) on the Volusia County Council.

Instead of standing firm against the state’s aggression and joining with other local governments across the state who were considering a lawsuit against the attack on Home Rule, Councilman Robins and his “colleagues” opted to pule and beg on bended knee for amendments to SB 180.

In a shocking demonstration of what obsequious cowards Robins and the others have become – Mr. Robins mewled that, rather than defend local control and vehemently oppose the overreach of SB 180 – council members should be “…walking on eggshells and kissing their (legislators) butts to get this through for our citizens, not campaigning on the dais with this much at stake.”

Read that again…

As a political voyeur who spends an inordinate amount of time watching and commenting on local politics and governance, I could spend the rest of this essay itemizing the myriad ways Mr. Robins has manipulated facts to ingratiate himself with Volusia’s stagnant “Old Guard” and further the wants of his political benefactors.

From painting himself as the hero of conservation efforts, blocking any environmental/civic initiative brought by Chairman Brower or area environmentalists, ignoring citizen input, running interference for developers, kowtowing to state preemptions that threaten home rule, eliminating investment in the arts by callously reversing approved grant funding from local nonprofit organizations at the eleventh-hour, and repeatedly gaslighting his constituents to further the mercenary wants of special interests, Mr. Robins has proven who, and what, he represents.

In my view, Danny Robins – and his cowardly confederates currently defending their seats on the Volusia County Council – represent everything wrong with the “Fun Coast’s” warped version of “governance.”

That includes shameless political prostitutes like District 5 Councilman David “No Show” Santiago, shills who long-ago sold their civic souls to those who fund their self-serving ambitions (and work them like a finger-puppet), while callously ignoring the needs, wants, and quality of life of their long-suffering constituents.

Given the short memory of some voters – especially those well-meaning few trying to turn non-partisan local races into a show of party loyalty regardless of past performance (?) – I feel recent history should be remembered before we are doomed to repeat it…

When a sitting politician repeatedly shows you who they are: Believe them.

Trust is defined as a cumulative expectation of good faith based on experience; a reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.  Lies and deceptions – even minor ones – erode that expectation.

In my view, it is time Councilman “Gaslight” Robins and politicians like him learn that lesson at the ballot box.

“We, The Little People” deserve better.

Ormond Beach: Requiem for a Small Business

“I understand that Ormond Beach is growing, and I’m not asking Ormond Beach not to grow,” Ormond Farm Supply owner Renee Ruckert said. “What concerns me is what we may lose while we’re growing. It feels like some of the old way is disappearing. The local stores, the places with history.”

— Renee Ruckert, owner of Ormond Farm Supply, as quoted by reporter Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Ormond officials vote 4-1 to approve amendment that will pave way for new Tractor Supply store,” Thursday, September 24, 2026

The homogenization of Ormond Beach continues…

When I was growing up around these parts, back when the Halifax area was a much different place, Florida communities enjoyed unique civic identities – aesthetic, cultural, and environmental differences that set them apart and made them distinctive, even inimitable.

My hometown of Ormond Beach – “The Birthplace of Speed” – was once a standout.

Now the place where John D. Rockefeller, once the richest man in the universe, chose for his winter home citing it’s scenic setting and exceptional community virtues has slowly been transformed into a generic every place.

Across the state, large swaths of our sensitive environment, forests, wetlands, and aquifer recharge areas have been slashed and burned to make way for massive “developments of regional impact.” Always accompanied by those uniform chain stores and half-empty strip centers that sell new transplants more things to put in those ubiquitous “storage centers” that keep popping up like suppurating ulcers.

Slowly, ‘local charm’ has given way to a standardized (read: easy to replicate) “sameness,” full of cookie cutter 3/2 wood-frame cracker box tract homes crammed onto identical zero lot line postage stamp parcels.

The result is an impervious and visually monotonous concrete moonscape – now perversely known as the “Florida Model” – marked by unchecked sprawl in the form of large-scale suburban development without adequate civic infrastructure, a cart-before-the-horse “cram ten-pounds of shit into a five-pound bag” money grab that has destroyed what made us special.

This incredibly lucrative corporate model relies on malleable politicians who run interference in state and local governments by actively suppressing, perverting, and preempting commonsense land use regulations…

Sound familiar?

According to a recent article in the Ormond Beach Observer, “A Tractor Supply Company store will be coming to 890 N. U.S. 1 in Ormond Beach. The City Commission approved an amendment to a development order for the Tomoka Commerce Park project in a 4-1 vote on Wednesday, Sept. 23.”

The “commerce park” is being built on a 12.5-acre parcel located at 890 North U.S. 1., and is “…slated to have 56,108 square feet of office, warehouse and industrial space and a 21,901-square-foot Tractor Supply. The City Commission approved the project’s development order in February, but the amendment reduced the approved density of Tomoka Commerce Park, according to a city staff report. The number of buildings was lowered from 11 to six, reducing projected traffic impacts and impervious surface area.”

That’s how sitting officials feel better about themselves…

Unfortunately, a long-established small business located just two-blocks north – Ormond Farm Supply – will be summarily sacrificed on the altar of “progress,” a thirty-year community staple unable to complete with the larger corporate retailer, as the “McDonaldization” of Ormond Beach continues…

Of course, Ormond Beach elected officials lamented the pending death of another otherwise successful business with the standard, “Oh, well.  Nuttin’ we can do, y’all. Hands are tied.  Progress and all. We don’t get to pick what businesses come to town – best of luck, out with the old, in with the new!”

To his credit, lame duck Mayor Jason Leslie was the lone “No” vote – a largely symbolic gesture of support – as the shroud is slowly pulled on the latest commercial casualty of the homogenization of Ormond Beach.

According to the Observer, Mayor Leslie “…said he originally liked the project because of its concept to provide warehouse and office space to small businesses. These are still in the development plans, but the number of buildings were reduced.

Leslie said he opposed the Tractor Supply due to its impact on small businesses.

“I just don’t want to be in the business of putting people out of work and closing businesses,” he said.”

Requiescat in pace, Ormond Beach…

Quote of the Week

“All of this comes down to Mr. Jackson, who doesn’t live within the city,” Steve Wood, a Railroad Street resident in Bunnell, said from the podium, pointing at Jackson, “and has led us down the path to turning our city to shit, okay? You are the problem.” He called Jackson a “spineless jellyfish” for declining to appear on WNZF’s Free For All Friday with David Ayres (Jackson cancelled moments before the show last week), opting instead for the flattering infomercial Jearlyn Dennie pays for.

“If there was any more backside kissing that was going on in that interview, it was disgusting,” Wood told the city manager and the commission. “And for you to sit there and smirk and then be up and down and show these citizens the level of disrespect and contempt that you have for these people that live here, is disgusting. You are a fraud. You have committed fraud. The way you have done this is horrendous.” He accused Jackson of turning Bunnell “into a whorehouse” for money’s sake.”

–Bunnell resident Steve Wood, as quoted by FlaglerLive.com, “City Manager Alvin Jackson Called a ‘Fraud’ Turning Bunnell to ‘S***’ as Landfill Fouls Commission Meeting,” Tuesday, September 29, 2026

I publish this blog on the premise that if you care about good governance in your own backyard, you should care about openness and transparency everywhere.

That’s why in recent weeks I’ve followed the building public outcry to the revelation that Bunnell’s mysterious “Project Butterfly” was in fact a Class 1 landfill to be situated on 610-acres in the heart of rural Flagler County’s historic agriculture area.

The civic controversy began when Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson entered a non-disclosure agreement with a private company ostensibly to protect the site selection and planning stage of what was later disclosed to be a solid waste management facility.

The revelation came just hours before the city’s Planning and Zoning Board met to discuss the first/final approval of the landfill. The discovery came far too late for residents to mount an effective defense to their quality of life.

It didn’t matter anyway.

In the view of many, it seemed the planning apparatus had already rubber stamped the dump, with many blindsided residents feeling the meeting was a rushed formality by a board whose sitting majority seemed intent on approving the landfill without considering the potential catastrophic consequences of their decision.

According to FlaglerLive.com, the board members who pushed the project were “…Cory Romaniuk, Francena Koch and Gary Gardner. Chelsea Herbert, a member of the board, alone opposed the proposal and deconstructed the applicant’s rationales during the Sept. 1 planning board meeting. Lyn Lafferty, who is among the landowners of the proposed landfill site and who sits on the planning board, absented herself, as did Gary Matsen.”

As I understand it, Ms. Lafferty has since resigned from the city’s planning board…

In my view, it was the manner and means by which Mr. Jackson orchestrated the clandestine negotiations in effective darkness – pledging an oath of secrecy to keep critical information from his constituents until the last minute – that has galvanized the community and started a full-scale citizen revolt.

Good for Bunnell residents who are making their voices heard in easy-to-understand language.

In my view, longsuffering citizens have every right to demand answers, appeal the suspicious approval of a life altering solid waste facility located near homes and working farms – to include the potential for offensive odors, contaminated runoff, and the myriad health, safety, environmental, noise, and traffic concerns.

They also deserve to be told where the waste destined for the landfill will originate?

According to FlaglerLive.com:

“The owner of 141 acres in Bunnell, whose family owns about 900 acres in the city, said she and her family are “within a rock’s throw of the landfill. It is going to contaminate our pastures. It’s going to contaminate our property that we lease to farmers. It’s going to bankrupt the farmers,” she said. She described severe water issues now, before the landfill goes in, and called its opening “catastrophic,” if it were to happen. “My great grandparents came over in a buckboard wagon. They built this town. They didn’t build it for this. They didn’t build for their legacy to go down into a dump.”

Some 15 more people spoke likewise, among them Denise Calderwood, who called out Jackson for his secrecy, calling it “horseshit” (and drawing applause for it), some who spoke their concern about groundwater, about the “stink,” about dump trucks dropping garbage along the way, and some who called out Jackson personally.”

In my view, this unfolding catastrophe should be a wake-up call for all “Fun Coast” residents – what happens elsewhere can (and will) happen in your own backyard.

Vote like your quality of life depends upon it.

And Another Thing!

Earlier this month, the City of Daytona Beach’s internal auditor Abinet Belachew announced he is leaving the fray effective October 15.

In my view, Mr. Belachew’s efforts were incredibly effective, and the citizens of Daytona Beach have lost a true advocate in their fight for transparency, accountability, and good governance.

As a confirmed cynic, when Mr. Belachew’s appointment was announced last year, I didn’t hold out much hope for positive change.  He came to Daytona Beach from a similar role with the former United States Agency for International Development – the now dismantled relief organization that became the poster child for government waste, fraud, abuse.

Although many expressed doubt, it became readily apparent that the financial shitshow of USAID was the best preparation Mr. Belachew could have had for his new role in Daytona Beach government…

During his short tenure with the troubled municipality, Mr. Belachew proved to be a hard-charging watchdog – an exceptionally dedicated bean counter with a penchant for uncovering misspending – while upholding ethical and fiduciary standards that ensure the ethical stewardship of public funds.

He didn’t pull any punches when delivering the results.

In fact, Mr. Belachew’s plain talk caught some of his elected bosses and appointed colleagues by surprise as he uncovered a lack of effective fiscal policies, questionable long-term practices, and an initial lack of cooperation by some senior officials unaccustomed to independent oversight.

In effect, Mr. Belachew kicked down long closed doors inside Daytona’s historically cloistered City Hall and aired the dirty laundry for all to see…

During one of his first audits of city purchasing cards, Mr. Belachew uncovered travel irregularities, a lack of receipts and documentation, outdated and ignored policies, along with salacious allegations of an interdepartmental liaison possibly involving a supervisor and subordinate that may have compromised spending policies.

His approachability and professionalism seemed like fresh air and prompted several Daytona Beach employees to come forward.  Some assisted Mr. Belachew in ferreting out longstanding issues, while others utilized an anonymous hotline to report potential issues.

The resulting churn and roil led to a tumultuous period for the City of Daytona Beach, to include the rise of vocal citizen activists and struggling businessowners who, as my alter ego Howard Beale famously said, “…are mad as hell, and aren’t going to take it anymore…”

In April, Mr. Belachew publicly reported on his review of the city’s take-home vehicle program, along with an examination of the questionable spending habits of the Daytona Beach Fire Department over the last five-years.

In the wake of these internal audits – and a concurrent financial review by Florida’s Auditor General and an active criminal investigation by state law enforcement authorities – Assistant City Manager Andy Holmes, Chief Building Official Glenn Urquhart, and Fire Chief Dru Driscoll all resigned their positions.

Tumultuous indeed…

In keeping with how I think the system is supposed to work, Mr. Belachew’s good work was both prompted and championed by WFTV-9’s impressive investigative journalist Demie Johnson who courageously broke the story of Daytona Beach’s purchasing and oversight issues last year, then reported the audit findings to concerned residents.

As attention turns to the November election and the looming disaster of the real estate/development industry endorsed Amendment 3 tax shift – an utter sham which is being used to consolidate power in Tallahassee by exsanguinating our hometowns under the guise of “reducing” property taxes – perhaps instead we should be mandating aggressive boots-on-the-ground independent auditors in every municipal, county, and state agency in Florida?

These reviews should be accompanied by public presentations, like those Mr. Belachew became famous for, which explain the analytical findings in a practical, clear, and easy to understand manner, rather than presenting cold and indecipherable figures on an Excel spreadsheet parroted by the monotonic drone of some half-bright bureaucrat.

In fact, every local government should establish an anonymous waste, fraud, and abuse hotline – a confidential and independent outlet for whistleblowers beyond the State Auditor or Inspector General – both of which have stood idle during a period of rampant quid pro quo corruption and pay-to-play transactional politics in the Lupanare Grande of Tallahassee for far too long…

This independent internal oversight should go beyond the required annual financial audit and reporting to include active and ongoing divisional reviews of operational policies, spending, and internal compliance as a means of improving public trust, support, and cooperation.

In my view, Abinet Belachew set a high bar for the City of Daytona Beach and other local and state government entities who care about transparency and accountability. A standard I hope public officials will seek to emulate as our local governments face an uncertain financial future.

That’s all for me. Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Volusia County District Schools: Weaponizing Victimhood to Silence Dissent

“No, no, said the Queen.  Sentence first, verdict afterward!”

–Lewis Caroll, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”

For months, teachers, staff members, parents, citizen activists, and others who care about the education of our children (and the ongoing waste of our tax dollars) have warned about the fate that awaits anyone who refuses to go along and get along with Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s pathological push to spin a false narrative touting inflated “school grades,” rewarding substandard academic performance, and the campaign of toxic optimism that drives it.

Now it appears this obligatory obedience is being enforced through the wholesale destruction of an elected school board member’s personal and professional reputation…

Earlier this year, the Balgobin administration was called out by School Board District 4 representative Donna Brosemer for demanding public employees sign embarrassingly stupid non-disclosure agreements, a secrecy pledge preventing them from discussing budget data and other district financial information specifically open to review by public records statutes.

It also exposed the abject incompetence of the joint district/board legal apparatus…

The district’s weird secrecy policy resulted in a righteous rebuke by annoyed state legislators during passage of Florida’s first School Board Member Bill of Rights, a law which ultimately leveled the balance of power between our elected oversight and appointed district administrators throughout the state.

In reality, the catalyst for the much-needed legislation was the raging dysfunction in Volusia County that saw elected board members paying for public records and kowtowing to the administration for critical budget information.  The measure was championed by Donna Brosemer and Senator Tom Leek over the vehement opposition of the Balgobin administration and her obsequious minions on the School Board.

In fulfilling her statutory oversight obligation, Ms. Brosemer publicly questioned how graduation rates are calculated, wrote pointed editorials that ruffled the right feathers, exposed claims of retaliation, and spoke out about recurrent payroll problems, internal/external communications issues, employee morale, questionable land deals, etc.

During a July 2026 School Board meeting, Brosemer threw back the curtain and revealed that the district has become akin to a mafia “protection racket,” exposing an organized intimidation campaign that uses both district employees and outside influencers to silence dissent.

That same month, the district’s Communications apparatus announced it would be shutting down public comments on public social media sites in a clear attempt to suppress public criticism.

At that time, Ms. Brosemer – realizing the move represented a full-frontal assault on first amendment protections – voiced her opinion saying, “This 4th of July … we celebrate independence by ending free speech in our public schools.”

Then, in a cryptic agenda item earlier this month, the Volusia County School Board voted unanimously to approve an outside investigation by a St. Petersburg law firm, apparently into veiled allegations brought by the district’s wholly unqualified Chief Communications Officer Mike Micallef claiming a social media post by Ms. Brosemer amounts to an “ethical” violation.

The details?

Your guess is as good as mine – or Ms. Brosemer’s.

The district is now claiming a statutory exemption, apparently to protect this bogus finger pointing by a vindictive bureaucrat trying to score Brownie points, from public disclosure…

The only insight came from the Machiavellian District 2 member Krista Goodrich, who, after slandering Ms. Brosemer in an open meeting by stating she was the subject of an “ethics complaint” (insinuating a public corruption allegation to the Florida Ethics Commission), attempted to clean herself up by rephrasing the nature of the complaint and claiming she called for the open-ended outside investigation to ensure impartiality.

These manipulative shills have no shame…

According to an approved agreement with Tampa-based Brown Law & Consulting, the firm will receive $300 an hour for attorney time, $200 an hour for a senior human resources consultant, and $90 an hour for paralegal services, to include reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses.

Apparently, the cost of this tag-team political mauling isn’t a consideration, so there is no cap on expenses noted in the agreement…

During the discussion, VCS staff attorney Heidi Crimins could not provide an estimate of how long the investigation will take (?) – or how much this retaliatory charade will ultimately cost those of us who pay the bills.

For her part, Goodrich – a shameless self-promoter who initiated this vindictive witch hunt (no doubt at the insistence of influential outsiders who work her like a cheap sock puppet) – claims she is “devastated” that she had to put Volusia County taxpayers on the hook…

Bullshit.

During the discussion, Ms. Brosemer questioned the ultimate cost of the investigation, citing the fact “It doesn’t reference a statute, a rule, or policy or anything that is being evaluated, and considering the fact that board members are elected officials, there are varying levels of authority. So, what is the target here?”

I think the true target – and intent – of this conniving political persecution is now self-evident…

The cornerstone of American jurisprudence is the fundamental right to due process.  That legal principal is rooted in the United States Constitution and guarantees proper notice, an explanation of charges, the opportunity to respond, and the right to confront one’s accuser.

It also guarantees the right to be free from arbitrary or unreasonable government power – such as when a school board publicly exposes unsubstantiated “ethics” charges against a member to slander and defame – as a duplicitous means of influencing the official acts of an elected official.

In this case, it appears everyone except Donna Brosemer has been made aware that she is now accused of an “ethical” violation – one serious enough to warrant thousands-of-dollars in public funds to investigate – her name sullied and her reputation tarnished before the “investigation” even begins…

The crime?

Apparently, Ms. Brosemer exercised her first amendment right to voice an opinion on the everyman’s soapbox of social media.

What is the ‘investigator’ going to ask, “Point on the doll where Ms. Brosmer’s “meme” hurt you?”

Seriously. At $300 an hour, I’m asking…

My hope is when this diversionary (and incredibly expensive) hoax is exposed, Ms. Brosemer files suit against everyone involved for slander, libel, and false statement of facts by district officials and board members who defamed her character in the performance of her lawful oversight duties.

In my view, it is time for Senator Tom Leek and his fellow members of the Senate Committee on Education PreK-12 and the Florida Department of Education to protect those intrepid public servants who face reputational harm for calling attention to the abuse, obstruction, and dysfunction in Queen Balgobin’s Ivory Tower of Power and have those responsible removed from office.

This crybaby distraction and organized bullying should not stand.

Quote of the Week

“I just think for a lot of reasons we have to stop this. We just have to stop it. Put a spike in it,” County Commissioner Greg Hansen said to applause.

The administration of Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson kept the garbage dump proposal secret until 24 hours before it went before the PZA. It disclosed the proposal after Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri raised alarms at a public meeting over the secrecy, and FlaglerLive reported on Jackson’s secrecy, which in this case appeared broader than allowed by law: land use decisions are not covered by the state law that provides for confidentiality of certain aspects of economic development projects.

Nevertheless, county government had been aware of the proposal long before it was disclosed. “There were some details of the project that were known to staff,” Acting County Administrator Adam Mengel said, “but were not widely spread throughout the organization. And when we found out the full details the day before, I don’t think it gave us a real good opportunity for us to be able to come up with a good cogent response.”

“Had we known as a board, I think the board would have been driving the same direction we’re driving today,” County Commission Chair Leann Pennington said.”

–FlaglerLive.com, as excerpted from the article “County Joins Mounting Challenges Against Bunnell Board’s Approval of 610-Acre Garbage Dump,” Monday, September 14, 2026

In my experience, secrecy has no place in local government.

When operating in the sunshine, transparency is incompatible with keeping public affairs secret from those who will be most affected. Outside of active law enforcement investigations that require confidentiality, public policy and economic development discussions should be conducted in an open, honest, and fair manner that allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process.

In my view, when elected and appointed officials, as recipients of public funds, abrogate their duty to those they serve by pledging secrecy to a private for-profit interest – keeping property owners, residents, and commercial interests in effective darkness until the last minute – they cross a distinct ethical boundary.

In keeping with his well-earned ‘secret squirrel’ persona, last week, Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson told some members of the Bunnell City Commission that he was advancing his retirement timeline, while keeping others in the dark.

After developing a reputation for playing things close to the vest when it comes to controversial development projects, Jackson announced through the grapevine that he will be departing in June 2027.

Smart move…

Considering that Mr. Jackson has stirred up a hornet’s nest in the wake of the Bunnell Planning and Zoning Board’s rushed (and final) approval of a 610-acre landfill in the heart of Flagler County’s historic agricultural area, he will be lucky to squeak out another nine-months in the catbird seat.

In the view of many, the manner and means by which Mr. Jackson orchestrated a secretive effort to keep the solid waste management facility under wraps – totally devoid of citizen input – until one day before the city’s planning board convened, is counter to the spirit of the public planning process.

For reasons they claim were purely economic, the planning board ignored the potential environmental impacts to surrounding farms and landowners, to include water contamination, the safety of farm products, wildlife, property values, offensive odors, hazardous runoff, and the resulting quality of life issues.

In my view, these backroom machinations are inherently unfair, especially when statutory protections are misused to keep citizens in the dark this deep into the planning process.

Now, Flagler County and others affected by Jackson’s bureaucratic subterfuge are pushing back.

According to FlaglerLive.com, “Flagler County government will take legal steps that could culminate in a lawsuit to challenge Bunnell government’s approval of a 610-acre garbage dump off of State Road 100. The County Commission may not be alone in ultimately suing the city.

With unanimity and the backing of numerous members of the public, the County Commission at a workshop this afternoon directed its legal office to begin the process with an appeal of the decision to the Bunnell City Commission.”

Good for them. This ambush impacts our entire region.

I’ve said this before, but something stinks in Bunnell…

In my view, public officials should not be involved in shady deals that shield potentially harmful projects from those whose lives and livelihoods will be most affected by decisions made in the dark.

In my view, Bunnell’s secretive City Manager Alvin Jackson should be on his way, sooner rather than later…

And Another Thing!

Floridians can’t say they haven’t been warned…

Last week, diverse groups of bipartisan public safety professionals, environmentalists, non-profits, essential service providers, and concerned citizens cautioned voters on the potential effects of Amendment 3’s property tax shift on the viability of our hometowns and quality of life.

“Municipalities, hospitals, non-profits spent the summer telling voters that Amendment 3, which drastically reengineers property taxes in Florida, would impact services they rely upon.

Now law enforcement and firefighter associations have dropped a stunning rebuke, saying if the November ballot initiative passes, Florida residents can expect protection to crater.

This means we are going to have less deputies, slower 911 response, and ultimately more crime,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods and current president of the Florida Sheriffs Association said at an Orlando news conference Sept. 15.”

–Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, as quoted by USA Today Network, “Florida sheriffs launch ad blitz against Amendment 3,” Thursday, September 17, 2026

“Do you think the governor and a crew of professional politicians, whose loyalty is directly aligned with their juiciest campaign contributions, will care about Volusia County when larger, richer, and more influential places compete for state dollars?

This is a slow-rolling disaster and a power grab! Don’t be fooled by loud advertising. The folks behind this do not have your best interest at heart. Keep local control over our budgets and our lives. Vote “no” on Amendment 3!”

–DeLand resident Lane Jones, September 15, 2026

“The consequences of this amendment will be devastating as property taxes are a critical source of local revenue that supports county and city parks, land preserves, and other public spaces, as well as public safety, schools, and hospitals.

If Amendment 3 passes, municipalities will no longer be able to fund stormwater management and runoff programs, flood mitigation, and fire prevention and abatement at the level they do now.”

–Sierra Club Florida, September 2026

“Amendment 3 Would Leave Florida Growing Without a Plan

Florida is growing every day. Without reliable local funding, communities face unchecked development, more traffic, delayed infrastructure, crowded parks, stormwater challenges and fewer safeguards for the places people call home.

Know What’s Really at Stake. Vote No on Amendment 3.”

–Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association, September 2026

“So vote ‘No on 3’ now, and tell your legislators: ‘Get to work. I want tax relief, and I want my public safety protected. And by the way, I want my stormwater ditches clean, I want my mosquito control, I want my parks, I want my libraries,’” he said, standing in front of a sign reading ‘Amendment 3 is an Emergency.’ “You can have it all with responsible work by your legislators, but not with Amendment 3.”

–Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, September 17, 2026

“The witless legislators who voted to put Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 ballot should pray that the voters have better sense than they did. If it passes, counties and cities will be forced to beg Tallahassee to pay for the police, firefighters and free libraries that Amendment 3 would sacrifice.

The Legislature did nothing to determine what Amendment 3 would cost or how to make up for it. It all happened in less than three days with a shameful lack of policy discussion.”

–South Florida Sun Sentinel, as excerpted from the editorial “No, no, no on awful Amendment 3,” Saturday, September 19, 2026

It doesn’t stop there.

According to a recent study by Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research institute and government watchdog, local governments around the state would lose $4.9 billion the first-year Amendment 3 it goes into effect and $5.7 billion the next year.

Volusia County stands to lose $160.7 million the first year and $273.7 million in 2028.  Flagler County will lose $49.5 million the first year and $88.3 million the second.

In a recent essay in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the great editorialist Mark Lane explained those potential losses represent “A big hole. A hole that would be partly plugged with new and creative fees, a greater dependence on state government funding, service cutbacks, and deferred maintenance of roads, parks and facilities. And of course layoffs, program cuts and the occasional library closure.

It’s funny how the people who are most critical of local government are also the people who argue that those same governments will meet this fiscal challenge by cutting unnecessary programs and prudently pruning unneeded expenses. Nobody will feel a thing!”

The fact is nobody – to include those feckless state legislators who claim Gov. Ron DeSantis strongarmed them into putting Amendment 3 on the ballot by holding the budget hostage – have a clue how this Tallahassee power grab will affect our hometowns.

Anyone who tells you they know the ramifications – like the real estate industry who foresees a hike in home prices and influential developers who want to eliminate local land use regulations in favor consolidated central governments they can more easily control – is simply spewing bullshit…

One thing is certain, if Amendment 3 passes it will devastate your local government’s ability to provide essential services such as law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, utilities, flood control, right-of-way maintenance, transportation infrastructure, special events, etc., during this period of explosive growth.

According to Florida TaxWatch, “Because property taxes are one of the primary revenue sources supporting local government operations, any significant reductions in property tax collections could require changes to county budgets, service levels, taxes, fees, or alternative revenue sources. As a result, local governments would have to decide whether to cut funding for these services or raise revenue by other means. The most likely scenario is a combination of significant service level reductions and/or tax and fee increases.”

In recent weeks, I’ve seen various reasons ranging from the reasonable to ridiculous explaining why some claim they will vote to approve Amendment 3.

They include a few who want to punish law enforcement for individual grievances, some who say they want to see Republicans actually “defund the police,” others who simply hate government at all levels, and an uninformed few who want to starve public school districts (Amendment 3 doesn’t affect school funding) or suggest a two-cent increase in sales tax will solve all our problems.

I’ve also listened to the rational arguments from concerned homeowners who feel their property taxes are too high, and government needs better fiscal stewardship (I agree).

I have also heard from residents still on the fence who worry about access to emergency medical services, funding for their local police and fire departments, begging Tallahassee for money, libraries, youth programs, senior centers, summer camps, fireworks, parades, festivals, and other events that give a civic identity and help make a community home.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In my view, Florida taxpayers deserve responsible property tax and spending reform – not this ham-handed shim-sham that shifts the burden to creative revenue sources that could adversely impact those who can least afford it while transferring total control to Tallahassee…

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO, former Republican Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp explained last month:

“Moreover, Florida TaxWatch and Sachs Media this month conducted a statewide poll and tested that very message. After learning that a constitutionally required commission convenes in 2027 and could propose property tax reforms as early as 2028, about one in three initial ‘yes’ voters moved off a firm ‘yes’ into a ‘wait’ posture. If that argument holds with voters on Election Day, then topline approval would drop to 42 percent; well short of the 60 percent required for passage.”

When educated voters understand what Amendment 3’s Tallahassee power grab will do to our quality of life during this period of explosive growth they want nothing to do with it.

Ask yourself, when did those compromised shills in the Florida legislature who have repeatedly preempted local growth management regulations have my family’s – or our hometown’s – best interests at heart?

In my view, this rushed and ill-thought tax shift – gross political opportunism that favors influential developers and campaign contributors who seek to eliminate local growth management regulations at any cost – isn’t the way to affect responsible spending reforms or protect the interests of all Floridians.

Please vote “No” on Amendment 3.

That’s all for me. Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Patriot Day 2026: A Time to Remember  

Tomorrow is Patriot Day – September 11th – when we honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims who died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and those who perished when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

This day is also when we solemnly remember those valiant first responders who laid down their lives, courageously giving the ‘last full measure of devotion,’ and those who continue to succumb to illnesses related to their extraordinary service at Ground Zero.     

These vicious attacks on our nation by radical Islamic terrorists awoken us to our external vulnerabilities – and demonstrated how, in our darkest hour, American’s forget our differences and come together to protect those freedoms we hold dear.

With our nation so terribly divided by literally everything – race, age, gender, political affiliation, ideology – let us remember that this is the day we have set aside to honor those we lost and commemorate those shared values that bind us together as Americans, demonstrating to the world our collective resolve, and our enduring love for this great nation.

Never forget.

Tetchy Ormond Beach Officials Say “No” to Daytona’s Beachside Refugees

One bit of political theater gave rise to another last week when the Ormond Beach City Commission found it necessary to tell Daytona’s beachside residents they would not be welcoming them to what the late, great Big John referred to as the “Fingerbowl District.”

I think they knew that…

Last month, a group of frustrated Daytona Beach residents and business owners known as Daytona Beachside United began collecting petitions with the stated goal of “de-annexing” the beachside and allowing the area to incorporate as a separate city or become part of neighboring Ormond Beach. 

In my view, it was a highly effective way of calling attention to the blight, neglect, and myriad civic issues that continue to plague Daytona’s forgotten core tourist area as the big money moves west along Boomtown Boulevard…

According to a recent article by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer:  

“We deserve better,” said Sonja Sailor, one of the residents who organized the initiative. “We just want to keep our beachside clean and safe for our residents. We want thriving businesses. We don’t want no more neglect to the Boardwalk or beachside, and we want to have a quality of life. I don’t think that’s a lot to ask for from the city, and we figure if the city can’t help us, then it’s time for us to annex either into another community, or annex ourselves under a special act.”

In addition, civic activist and beachside business owner Louie Louizes said, “Ormond Beach doesn’t have people doing drugs on the sidewalks and stuff like that, and their roads are all nice and everything’s clean,” Louizes said. “The problem I have with the city is all they’re doing is developing west on LPGA, and they forgot about the crown jewel, which almost made everything here Daytona Beach is the Boardwalk. We’ve been left in the dust.”

I thought it was genius political satire – using exaggeration and irony to shine a bright light on the long-term issues dragging down what was once the World’s Most Famous Beach – a place where citizen input and dissent is typically ignored.

Given the media attention, widespread discussion, and well-deserved bureaucratic embarrassment the Beachside United’s nascent secession effort has garnered, it’s working…

Unfortunately, it appears the art of political sarcasm to draw attention and shape public perception was lost on stodgy Ormond Beach officials, who seemed genuinely perplexed by the facetious request to incorporate Daytona’s beachside. 

For instance, Commissioner Travis Sargent used the ridiculous discussion to curry political favor with those who worked to defeat Mayor Jason Leslie by attempting to spin a tempest in a teapot ahead of his own showdown with challenger Jennifer Bright for the Zone 2 seat in November.

During the August 25 Ormond Beach City Commission meeting, Commissioner Sargent got his knickers in an oddly indignant twist and engaged in some cheap political theater of his own, claiming he received “emails and phone calls” (?) after the beachside annexation suggestion was reported by WFTV. 

According to reports, when Mayor Leslie was approached with the idea of annexing Daytona’s beachside, he told the media outlet he was “interested” in the idea and would pass it along to city staff.

That apparently stirred the incendiary ire of the peevish Commissioner Sargent…  

“In the city of Ormond Beach, we are a city manager form of government,” Sargent crowed. “It takes three people to direct staff … I’m very sorry to the residents that this may have caused confusion for.”

Really?

For his part, Mayor Leslie explained “I didn’t really even know what it was because I didn’t know anything about it, and that was followed up by people from the media contacting me,” Leslie said. “…  there’s no conspiracy behind it, and I wasn’t trying to do something that was out of line. It was just me thanking the residents of Daytona Beach for thinking of us, of holding our city to a high standard, and thank you to everybody who makes this place a great place to live.”

In a silly ‘look at me’ pique, Commissioner Sargent turned what should have been a lighthearted moment – a unifying source of civic pride – into a prime example of all that’s wrong with Ormond Beach’s bickersome elected officials.

That includes kicking lame duck Mayor Leslie when he’s down…

Why?

Perhaps Daytona’s disenfranchised beachside might want to consider annexing into “The Shores” – an upscale community so tired of that dilapidated boat anchor to the north that they’ve put a referendum on the ballot to drop “Daytona Beach” from their name altogether? 

Having lived in Ormond Beach for over 60-years, I can report that once you scratch the carefully crafted civic façade of snobbish superiority, you’ll find the community has many of the same civic issues facing Daytona Beach and beyond.

In many ways, the political atmosphere in Ormond Beach has become similar to tumultuous places like the Lost City of Deltona and Palm Coast – no longer the special place I once knew, with little contrast from anywhere else in the greater Halifax area – now that our elected officials have become uninspired rubber stamps for the developers who fund their political ambitions.

Now that our once quaint community is trapped in the pincer of explosive growth on all fronts – with no shared vision beyond the monotonous proliferation of sprawling subdivisions, strip centers, itinerant chain restaurants, and storage facilities that have made our community just another homogenized “everyplace” – our elected “leadership” prefers the distraction of spiteful backbiting over strategic planning and placemaking.   

Now, we face two-years of Mayor-elect Lori Tolland – the perpetual victim of any land use attorney who rattles their saber – mewling her tone-deaf monologs and telling existing residents how much she hates overdevelopment, but votes for it every damn time… 

In Ormond Beach politics, you’re either part of the cliquish “in-crowd” or you aren’t.  The mercenary wants of developers and corporate executives who stroke campaign contributions now take precedence over the needs of We, The Little People. 

In other words, the stagnant status quo wins again…

Bunnell’s Secretive “Project Butterfly” Exposed – The Reality is Far from Idyllic… 

Each week, long-suffering residents of Florida’s “Fun Coast” are reminded we are mere pawns in a much larger game. 

We live in a weird place and time where plans that directly affect our lives and livelihoods are negotiated behind closed doors by those with a chip in the game, special interests who don’t give two-shits how their for-profit scheme will impact the rest of us.

Rather than listen to citizen input and openly discuss the potential impacts of projects in the sunshine, our “economic development” shills misuse competitive protections to keep projects cloaked in total secrecy. 

They use mysterious cryptonyms like “Project Butterfly,” while the beneficiaries clandestinely work out details with appointed officials in effective darkness, using a perverse bureaucratic sleight-of-hand that often has elected officials voting on projects of significant regional impact with little (if any) information on which to base a decision.    

The resulting sense of alienation and betrayal between citizens and those we elect to serve our interests is destroying public confidence in an environment where public policy is formed in seclusion, and greed is the operative ethic.

According to a disturbing piece by Pierre Tristam writing in FlaglerLive! entitled, “How Bunnell’s Backroom Bootlickers Sold Out West Flagler for a Trash Mountain,” that secret squirrel intrigue took center stage last week when the City of Bunnell Planning Board arbitrarily ignored the fervent pleas of residents and farmers to green-light a massive “610-acre commercial garbage dump in the heart of West Flagler’s agricultural community.” (Find more here: https://tinyurl.com/mv8rp8dt)

You read that right.

The board approved a “solid waste management facility” at 518 County Road 45 on property currently used as a sod farm.  According to reports, the area is zoned “Agriculture and Silviculture” under the City of Bunnell’s land development code.

Shockingly, the regionally impactful project was approved just 24-hours after the secretive “Project Butterfly” was publicly revealed by Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson, giving citizens little time to study the dynamics of the project, or present a proper defense.

What is the benefit to Bunnell residents who will be required to live and farm near a commercial landfill? 

The newly formed corporation that will operate the dump will reportedly pay a $1.50 per ton “host fee” to the city, although there is currently no written contract specifying the terms, ensuring adjustments for inflation, etc. 

According to a previous report in FlaglerLive!, “The meeting was attended by as many people standing as were sitting–the most heavily attended planning board meeting since the same board recommended approval of the city’s and one of Florida’s largest industrial rezoning in history last year.

Three and a half hours later, a motion by Chelsea Herbert to deny the application failed for lack of a second, a Herbert motion to table it for a month or two to give the public an adequate opportunity to study up on the proposal also failed.

Cory Romaniuk’s motion to approve the landfill carried 3-1.”

The six-person board sat with just four voting members after Lyn Lafferty (one of the landowners of parts of the 610 acres) and Chair Gary Matsen, were absent…

Despite pleas from the crowd – to include the concerns of Flagler County Chair Leann Pennington and Commissioner Andy Dance – the planning board ignored the fact that by the city’s own land use rules, the City Commission is the proper regulatory venue for commercial landfills.

In my view, something stinks in Bunnell – and I’m not talking about the coming olfactory offense wafting off 610-acres of fetid waste (from who knows where?) rotting in the Florida sun… 

For reasons they claim were purely economic, the Planning Board ignored the potential environmental impacts to surrounding farms and landowners, to include water contamination, the safety of food products, wildlife, property values, and quality of life.

Not to mention the potential traffic impacts of an estimated 15,000 loads of waste entering the site off S.R.-100 each year.

According to FlaglerLive!, “The question never asked or answered all evening was where would the overwhelming majority of the garbage would be imported from, as it would have to be if the facility is to live up to its promised numbers, and whether rail transport will be part of transfer process.”

Why the rush to approve a massive garbage dump in the heart of Flagler County’s historic agriculture belt before the first independent environmental study or economic analysis is complete?  

In my view, these backroom machinations are inherently unfair, especially when statutory protections are misused to keep citizens in the dark this deep into the planning and zoning process… 

Shielding trade secrets, protecting proprietary information, and maintaining a competitive advantage during the exploratory phase is one thing – announcing a proposed 610-acre landfill to citizens, generational landowners, and commercial agricultural interests just 24-hours before the first and final vote of an unelected regulatory board is counter to the concept of transparency, fairness, and government in the sunshine.

Quote of the Week

“A lobbying group for real estate agents just put $10 million into a campaign to pass Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would dramatically cut and cap local property taxes across Florida — while also forcing steep cuts to local government services and further consolidating governing power in Tallahassee.

Just-posted campaign finance reports show that the Florida Realtors parked the $10 million late last week in “Vote Yes on 3.” It’s a political committee the real estate lobbying group recently set up that can be used to pay for television commercials, neighborhood canvassers, and other campaign expenses in support of the November ballot measure, which will need support from at least 60 percent of voters to pass.

It’s the first major infusion of cash into the campaign for Amendment 3, which Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature rushed onto the ballot during a 27-hour special session in June — despite widespread confusion, even among the legislators who voted for it, about how the plan would actually work.”

–Reporter Jason Garcia, writing in Seeking Rents, “Real estate agents just put $10 million into campaign to pass property tax amendment,” Monday, September 7, 2026

Cui bono is a Latin phrase that means “Who benefits?”

It is often used as a reasoning tool, suggesting that those responsible for a certain crime or event are typically the ones who stand to gain the most from it.

In a December 2025 article by Keith Griffith writing in Realtor.com – an industry magazine founded by the National Association of Realtors – we learned that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ asinine “plan” to drastically cut and ultimately eliminate property taxes could result in an immediate 7% to 9% increase in home prices…

According to the news outlet, Amendment 3’s tax shift will also “…come at a heavy price for renters and first-time homebuyers.”

Interesting.

That would explain why Florida’s influential real estate and development industry is backing this horribly flawed constitutional amendment which, if passed by 60% of Florida voters in November, would gut the ability of local governments to fund essential services during a period of explosive growth – to include law enforcement, fire, emergency services, roads, utilities, community events, senior centers, etc. – along with a host of other impacts which would seriously impact our quality of life. 

For instance, last month, the independent, non-partisan, and non-profit Florida Policy Institute issued a dire warning: “If Amendment 3 passes in November, some public hospital districts in Florida will lose over half their revenue, resulting in less access to care, increased wait times, less staff availability, and decreased funding for community care and programs that serve Floridians with low income.”

According to the FPI study, the potential impact on Volusia hospital districts over the next three years would be $23,859,338, and an estimated $323 million statewide.

If you thought wait times at area emergency departments are long now – have a seat… 

The goal of Florida’s proposed tax shift – transferring the burden from occupied residential properties to commercial property owners, renters, businesses, industry, fees, assessments, and other taxes – has nothing to do with saving Floridians money and everything to do with consolidating power in Tallahassee, ultimately replacing our hometowns with an inaccessible amalgam of bureaucracies. 

Even local legislators who claim they were strongarmed by Gov. DeSantis into putting the half-backed referendum on the ballot during a 27-hour special session earlier this year say the ballot measure will place Floridians in a “bad situation.”

In a June 2026 article in the Ormond Beach Observer, Rep. Chase Tramont was quoted:

“When my vote took place a few weeks ago in the special session, it was not for the policy itself,” he said. “If it had gone through the legislative process as a legislative bill to be implemented right away, it wouldn’t have passed the House — I doubt it would have passed the Senate. The vote was to allow you to decide for it.”

Whether or not the amendment passes will come down to “massive education efforts,” Tramont said. People need to know what services will have to be cut, or, how funds will be replaced to keep them.

“So, is it really a tax relief?” Tramont said. “My fear is that it can hurt the lower-income people, because you get a lot of low-income homes and trailer parks that don’t pay any property taxes. Now all of a sudden they’re not exempt from getting an assessment to that property. Now, you’re going to get people on fixed incomes. It could be a bad situation.”

In my view, Floridian’s deserve true tax (read: spending) reform – that includes ‘right sizing’ government at all levels – and getting a handle on the out-of-control quid pro quo corruption in Tallahassee.   

This isn’t it.  

I hope you will consider the source of this ill-thought and suspiciously rushed initiative – and those mercenary special interests who stand to benefit the most.  Learn all you can about the flagrant power grab that is Amendment 3 and vote like your quality of life depends on it.

Because it does.

And Another Thing!

“We need to have students over 1500 SAT…there are not very many over 1500 in the state of Florida…for us to keep our ranking, we have to get it [students] [from] out-of-state because all these students we get from out-of-state, they have a higher SAT than in-state.”

–University of Florida Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini, urging the Florida Board of Governors not to place limitations on out-of-state admissions, citing that there aren’t enough in-state students passing standard admissions exams, Wednesday, September 2, 2026

According to a report by the College Board, of all 2025 graduating high school seniors in Florida (estimated at 205,000 last year) just 6,029 students earned a 1400-1600 on standardized scholastic assessments.  

In Volusia County, half of all high school students are below grade level in Mathematics and English. 

That’s a problem for state universities now operating under a last-minute mandate issued by the State Legislature (Tallahassee’s new modus operandi) which requires they accept lower performing in-state students at the risk of diluting the academic standards of Florida universities.

According to a report in the Florida Phoenix last week, reporter Jay Waagmeester explained the legislative intent “Put simply, the BOG, which supervises the State University System, can deny a university’s attempt to increase out-of-state tuition fees if the school enrolls more than the system-wide cap of non-Floridian students — now a max of 10% of the student body systemwide.”

For his part, Mr. Hosseini called the political intrusion in the admission process a “travesty,” and said he planned to “talk with legislators about addressing the policy during the next legislative session.”  Let’s hope he “talks” to legislators – and those school board members around the state who seem content with the erosion of academic standards – behind that ornate woodshed where he keeps the campaign donations…    

During the discussion, Florida State University Board of Trustees Chair Peter Collins said, “I think the question you have to ask yourselves is, how good do you want us to be? And if you don’t want us to be great, yeah, we can start admitting a lot more students that don’t meet the criteria. But I don’t think that that should be the goal.”

In turn, Mr. Hosseini voiced concern for Florida universities standing under the current national ranking system, “To achieve higher national rankings, a university may be incentivized to enroll fewer students to avoid disrupting its average academic performance, Hosseini said.

In pursuit of earning a top-five ranking, Hosseini said, “what is going to happen is this: If we can’t get the students out of state that are high GPA and high SAT/ACT, then what we are going to do is bring the number of students down so the percentages don’t affect us.”

If I understand correctly, Mr. Hosseini’s underlying point seems to be that Florida’s school districts aren’t producing a significant number of students with the scholastic aptitude necessary to compete with out-of-state applicants for admission to their own state’s places of higher learning. 

Now, we risk eroding academic excellence and jeopardizing national rankings to meet the politically motivated mandates of the state legislature.

I’m glad our High Panjandrum of Political Power, Mori Hosseini, said it and not me… 

Whenever anyone else points out the fact Volusia County District Schools have become more focused on image over substance – repeating, ad nauseum, the gross fabrication that Volusia County Schools earned back-to-back “A” grades – they are pilloried as naysaying assholes (or worse) and set upon by Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and her coterie of obsequious ass-kissers in the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand…  

In the view of many, Florida’s false imprimatur of educational excellence is based on a skewed system where districts that obtain just 65% or higher over twelve categories are considered “A” rated by the Florida Department of Education.

Volusia County Schools squeaked by with a mediocre 66%…

It is refreshing to see Mr. Hosseini say the quiet part out loud. 

For far too long Florida’s education policymakers have made it easier for rank opportunists like Superintendent Balgobin to give the false impression students are achieving academically simply by reducing performance standards. As a result, while school “grades” continue to increase – student comprehension in key subjects remains dismally low. 

That’s called lowering the bar – a malignant mediocrity that will have cascading repercussions for Florida’s university system and our states national/global competitiveness.  

Regardless of those frightening statistics, Volusia school administrators take perverse pride in the fact that, at the beginning of the 2025/26 school year, some 53% of students in traditional high schools were “below or far below their grade level in mathematics.”

Which is slightly better than the statewide average 55% of high school students who rank below grade level on standardized mathematics tests. 

That makes us the winner? 

As an uneducated rube and a mathematical illiterate, college was never in my cards.  As a lifelong experiential learner, I graduated magna cum laude from the School of Hard Knocks – the most expensive education there is…

That’s one reason I hold those with advanced degrees in high esteem – and why I worry about Florida’s future at the nexus of lower student expectations and reduced university entrance requirements – simply to accommodate the political whims of a compromised state legislature that has proven, time and again, that its hypocrisy knows no limits…

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Note to Readers:

Barker’s View will be on hiatus next week – a short ‘pause for the cause.’  

During the break, please feel free to enjoy some past screeds from the copious BV achieves at the bottom of this page.  Sometimes it’s fun to take a look in the rearview mirror and with the clarity of hindsight analyze what’s changed and what remains the same here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”   

All the best,

MDB

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Volusia County Schools: Abdicating Moral Responsibility Puts Children at Risk

In my view, organizational self-deception – defined as “a collective, systemic process in which members unconsciously manipulate, filter, or ignore information to maintain a favorable but inaccurate perception of the organization’s performance, risks, or professional ethics” – ultimately undermines trust and transparency when the ruse is exposed. 

In my experience, focusing on personal and professional self-preservation over substantive results, masking problems, avoiding responsibility, pointing fingers, manipulating facts, and the need to marginalize and suppress dissenting voices is dangerous, particularly in a setting where the safety and education of our children are at stake.

Recently, Mike Micallef, the wholly unqualified chief communications officer for Volusia County Schools, sent me an invitation (on social media?) to “…sit down with me and members of our Cabinet team for an open, candid conversation to answer your questions and provide any context needed to clear up myths or misinformation.”

I guess something I said hit close to home… 

His request for a “candid” conversation was in response to my pointed criticism of Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s ridiculous “positivity movement” – a perverse toxic optimism that continues to ignore serious challenges and promote the canard that Volusia County Schools “earned” back-to-back “A” grades.

The fabricated claim of academic excellence is based on a skewed system where districts that obtain just 65% or higher over twelve categories are considered an “A” rated district by the Florida Department of Education. 

Volusia County Schools squeaked by with a one over par 66%…

I have no intention of sitting down with Mr. Micallef – or anyone else in the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand.  Because I don’t trust them.

Here’s the latest incredibly disturbing reason why.

Last week, news broke of a five-year old kindergartener who was sexually assaulted by a 5^th grade student with a history of sexual violence.  The victim was attacked at Pathways Elementary in Ormond Beach during a district sanctioned after-school program presented by an outside provider in September 2024.

According to an unsettling report by Mark Harper writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the assault occurred when a “substitute paraprofessional employed by the Volusia district was in charge” and allowed the older boy to escort the younger child to the restroom.

“Once inside the bathroom and away from any adult supervision, L.P. sexually assaulted E.C.,” the suit states. “L.P. cornered E.C. in a bathroom stall and blocked his exit. He exposed his genitals to E.C. and attempted to force (the kindergartener) to perform oral sex. Terrified, E.C. refused (the older boy’s) demands.”

I won’t get into the horrific details of the circumstances surrounding the attack as graphically described in a report by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Department, but the victim escaped his traumatizing ordeal by crawling under a stall door.   

In my view, the secondary failure of Volusia County Schools was allowing the student (who admitted to perpetrating the crime) to remain on the school campus for five days following his attack on the kindergartener. That’s the statutory definition of criminal child neglect.

According to the News-Journal, “A Volusia Circuit Court complaint filed on Aug. 26 alleges the principal and other school district officials engaged in “bureaucratic maneuvering and attempts to distance” the district from responsibility for the Sept. 19, 2024, assault, which happened during an after-school program at Pathways Elementary in Ormond Beach.

“While (the 5-year-old victim’s) family pleaded for action, the School Board did nothing to remove (the perpetrator) from campus despite the known threat he posed to (the victim) and other students,” the complaint states.”

Shockingly, Mr. Micallef refused to respond to the News-Journal’s request for comment – an opportunity to calm the fears of parents and answer a shocked community’s growing questions.  Instead, the district’s “chief communications officer” quibbled something about “a district practice against commenting on pending litigation.”

Perhaps most disturbing, the report indicates that once advised of the assault, school officials at Pathways immediately began distancing Volusia County Schools from the incident by laying blame on the private contractor of the after-school program. 

According to the report, Volusia County Schools administrators Kristy Castellano and Carrie Crkvenac assured the victim’s parents there would be “consequences” for the “outside entity.”  

In addition, “Pathways Principal Kevin Berry also called the parents, using similar language and offering “a completely inadequate ‘safety plan’ to ensure” the boys would “not cross paths on campus,” rather than suspending or expelling L.P., the suit claims.”

Disturbing.

According to the report, the aggressor was removed from campus only after “intense, sustained pressure” from the victim’s family, attorney and law enforcement,” when Patty Corr, the district’s chief operating officer, announced the repeat offender would be transferred to another school.

In my view, the lawsuit accurately calls the district’s administrative bungling in the aftermath of the child’s violent sexual assault what it was, a “self-serving attempt to distance the School Board from a program advertised by the school, held on school property, and staffed by a School Board employee.”

Further, the suit describes the district’s gross negligence as “…a years-long failure to act on known sexual misconduct by the same student, on the same campus, involving the same method of isolating a 5-year-old child in a restroom, followed by the same tactic of demanding secrecy.”

If proven true, that level of culpable negligence and deflection of blame in an elementary school (or anywhere else) is unconscionable. 

In my view, in the interest of safety and accountability, everyone responsible for the district’s blatant failure to protect vulnerable students – to include Superintendent Balgobin – should be terminated and summarily investigated by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Professional Practices.

This abject dysfunction and pathological avoidance of responsibility cannot continue.

Kudos to News-Journal reporter Mark Harper for having the courage to tell this difficult story, and to the victim’s parents for exposing the district’s mind-boggling response to child safety concerns by demanding justice for their son’s continuing trauma.   

Now that the story is out, how will our ‘powers that be’ in the chamber of commerce set – those influential insiders who so willingly feed into Balgobin’s “positivity movement” when it serves their mercenary interests – spin this latest horror show?

What marketing nuggets will School Board member Krista Goodrich and her puppeteers mine from the inept mishandling of a violent on-campus sexual assault and the subsequent administrative cover-up so they can sell more 3/2 wood frame cracker boxes by touting an “A” district?    

In my view, District 4 School Board member Donna Brosemer is right – it is time our elected representatives stop the grandstanding and cheerleading and get serious about their statutory obligations.

Safety is a fundamental prerequisite and moral obligation in education.

This dangerous incompetence cannot stand. 

Here’s a candid question perhaps Chief Micallef can answer for all of us:

How long will School Board Chairman Ruben Colon, the administration’s hatchet-wielding Krista Goodrich, mewling Jamie Haynes, and lame duck Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson, support Balgobin & Company’s continued dysfunction, cover-up, and self-serving distractions?

Volusia County students, parents, teachers, and staff deserve better. Now.

City of Daytona Beach: Time to Clear the Air at City Hall

After months of rumor and speculation – much of it fueled by an active criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Statewide Prosecutors Office – last week, we learned that a concurrent external audit of city finances by the Florida Auditor General is now complete.

That’s good news.  Initially, residents were told the state audit of the city’s finances could take “a few years” to complete… 

According to a recent report by WFTV-9’s intrepid investigative reporter Demie Johnson:

“Although the state audit is complete, the findings will not be released immediately. The report is currently undergoing review and will then be presented to state leaders before the city receives the results.

Once the city receives the audit, city leaders will have 30 days to respond. The audit will then become public record. The separate criminal investigation by FDLE and the Attorney General’s Office is still ongoing.”  

Public sector audits ensure accountability, transparency, adherence with public finance regulations and identify waste, fraud, and abuse.  An important safeguard that provides independent, objective, and verifiable information to We, The Little People who pay the bills.

That allows citizens to hold government officials politically accountable for their stewardship at the ballot box.   

While I understand the importance of taking time to verify audit findings and allow the City of Daytona Beach to offer mitigating information, given the unusual circumstances, citizens deserve timely answers to valid questions surrounding city spending.  

Frankly, given the state government’s own abhorrent financial practices, I’m not sure how the Florida Auditor General had time to give Daytona Beach such a thorough proctological exam…

In my view, Tallahassee is the Biggest Whorehouse in the World – an open sewer of graft, quid pro quo corruption, cronyism, and good old-fashioned transactional politics.  That foul oligarchy controlled by influential insiders has resulted in many losing trust in the process by which state and local government hold themselves accountable.  

For instance, earlier this year, Florida’s recently elected CFO Blaise Ingoglia crisscrossed the state with his dubious dog-and-pony show labeled the “FAFO Tour” during which he claimed massive waste and overspending by cities and counties. 

Come to find out, it was all hype and horseshit…

After Flagler County officials rightfully pushed back against claims of “wasteful” and “excessive” spending, CFO Ingoglia’s calculations were exposed as little more than a wild-assed guess.  A politically motivated lie used to push Gov. Ron DeSantis’ horribly flawed property tax shift now known as Amendment 3 by fabricating sensationalized “audit” results.

In my view, that didn’t engender trust in the state’s ability to objectively investigate local governments…

Adding to the growing speculation in Daytona Beach, last week state investigators launched another round of subpoenas, this time requesting information on Mayor Derrick Henry’s payroll records, direct-deposit information, bank accounts, and routing numbers. 

This marks the fourth time investigators have subpoenaed information regarding Mayor Henry… 

According to the report by WFTV, “In April, 9 Investigates reported that Henry and six other city leaders were required to turn over their electronic devices to investigators.

In May, prosecutors asked for receipts and written justifications for Henry’s city credit-card transactions.

Then, in June, another subpoena ordered the city to provide records showing who requested and made changes to remove references to the mayor’s wife’s business from his official city biography page.

So far, state investigators have not announced any findings involving Henry or any other Daytona Beach city official.”

I understand the time involved in conducting in-depth investigations – especially complex cases involving public integrity and financial crimes.  Unfortunately, protracted examinations can make the process seem like it is dragging on indefinitely, which can lead to claims the system is being abused for political purposes – especially when one group of politicians investigates another.

No one can say Daytona Beach officials didn’t have it coming…

During a December 2025 appearance by Mayor Henry and city officials before the Florida Joint Auditing Committee in Tallahassee, the bipartisan oversight committee determined there were “a series of troubling financial management practices” that no longer appeared to be “isolated incidents.”   

In response, Daytona Beach City Commissioner Ken Strickland got frustrated and threw some sharp elbows, admonishing “Tallahassee needs to mind their own business…” 

That didn’t sit well with Sen. Jason Brodeur, who sent Daytona Beach officials an ominous message, “The appropriate response to us is not pound sand.  The appropriate response to us is how can we work with you to figure out the best use of taxpayer dollars. I was interested before on behalf of the taxpayers. But now I’m real interested.”

In turn, Rep. Chase Tramont (with all the faux indignation he could muster) piled on, “I would remind the commissioner that oversight IS our business.  Our business is to protect the taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud and abuse. Our business as legislators is oversight. Our business is to hold you accountable when you aren’t managing your business properly.”

Which is complete bullshit. 

If Rep. Tramont started ferreting out all the open “waste, fraud, and abuse” in state government he would have a long white beard by the time he finished prosecuting those elected and appointed thieves who treat state coffers like feral hogs at a smorgasbord… 

Regardless, Daytona Beach officials have no one to blame but themselves. 

Now, citizens deserve credible answers to the serious questions that have swirled around City Hall for years.    

The sooner that happens, the better… 

Quote of the Week

“A state grand jury found the DeSantis administration “misappropriated” taxpayer money when it diverted $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation, arguing the transfer was “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” according to a copy of the sealed grand jury report obtained by CBS News Miami.

The grand jury report said the money, which was supposed to be used to provide health insurance for poor children, was instead hastily passed through multiple organizations before eventually landing in the bank accounts of two political action committees and the Republican Party of Florida. Those funds were then used in 2024 to defeat Amendment 3, the citizen initiative to legalize marijuana in Florida.

“Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally,” the report concluded. “Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida… or had any memory of who made it.”

“We recognize that this would be an impediment to criminal prosecution,” the report noted. “While we can’t prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes and we would like to see changes made to prevent this from happening again.”

The grand jury identified the nexus for much of the activity surrounding the transfer as the state’s current attorney general, James Uthmeier.”

–Reporter Jim DeFede of CBS News Miami, “Grand jury: DeSantis administration misappropriated $10 million,” Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Find the rest of the shocking report here: https://tinyurl.com/rxrc2a63

In April 2025, Orlando Sentinel editorialist Scott Maxwell said of the building Hope Florida scandal, “State Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, said the money-moving “looks like criminal fraud by some of those involved.” And House Speaker Daniel Perez said the transaction “looks as if it could be illegal.”

Roger Stone, the often hyperbolic ally of Donald Trump, went so far as to predict that both DeSantises and A.G. Uthmeier “are going to prison.”

For the first time in my life, I agreed with Roger Stone… 

In 1985, Sol Wachtler, Chief Judge of New York’s State Court of Appeals, explained in an interview that prosecutors have so much control over grand juries that “…by and large, they could get them to ‘indict a ham sandwich’ if they wanted to.” 

Except in Leon County, Florida, that is.  Especially when the biggest names in state government are directly implicated in a “sophisticated scheme” to misappropriate $10 million in taxpayer funds for political purposes… 

According to the leaked report, the grand jury said, “Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally. Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida.”

Where does the “buck stop” in Tallahassee?

I’m asking.

After 31-years in law enforcement, I can report that criminals rarely take responsibility for their crimes, and a convenient memory shouldn’t be a successful defense in the hands of a competent prosecutor. 

In my view, the illegal diversion and misuse of public funds for political purposes represents a criminal fraud, and some high-level big shots in Tallahassee should be going to jail.

Instead, the CBS report concluded that the grand jury made two “suggestions,” apparently in an attempt to protect what remains of the tattered public trust in the aftermath:

“The Florida Legislature should enact a law to prevent this situation from occurring,” the report noted. “For example, a law that says any monies received by the state from any source must be deposited into the General Fund, and there should be real consequences for anyone violating this law.”

The grand jury also said the Legislature “should enact clear laws setting requirements how [groups like Hope Florida] can use taxpayer funds, ensuring usage of said funds are tracked and monitored, and providing consequences for violation of these mandates.”

The grand jury ended its report reaffirming its belief the $10 million was taxpayer money that was misappropriated.”

“As taxpayer money,” the grand jury found, “it should have been treated as such instead of being allocated for partisan political purposes and without transparency.”

Suggestions rather than indictments? 

Really?

We already have clear and applicable statutes in the books to prevent what occurred. 

In my view, laws are only effective if they are enforced firmly, fairly, consistently, and impartially – that includes holding high-ranking government officials and well-connected insiders accountable using the same standards applied to the rest of us.

Either the rule of law applies to everyone, or it should apply to no one.

This isn’t partisan politics as some with a chip in the game would have us believe. Republican lawmakers brought the allegations forward and conducted cursory committee hearings in April 2025.

In my view, this is a textbook miscarriage of justice – the “too big to prosecute” fallacy that is destroying faith in our representative democracy and exchanging it for an oligarchy.

Sadly, we are all so focused on the latest contrived political distraction – the manufactured ‘crisis du jour‘ like data centers and Flock cameras – to give two-shits about the continuing corruption in Tallahassee and beyond…

What the hell have we become?

As Dr. Hunter S. Thompson said, “In a closed society where everybody’s guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity…”

And Another Thing!

Earlier in the week, this little blog I keep hit a significant milestone: 1,000,000 all-time views.

In blogging parlance, a “view” counts each time someone reads an individual post, not the total number of visitors.  

After a decade of writing Barker’s View, some 620,000 people have stopped by to read one or more of these long-winded screeds one-million times…

Wow.   It doesn’t mean much to anyone else, but I find it incredibly humbling. 

None of it possible without you, the loyal members of the Barker’s View tribe. 

Since its inception, I have never asked for a subscription fee from the thousands who view this blog site each month, and I don’t accept advertising revenue. No ‘elite’ status or special insights behind a paywall, what you see is what you get…

Given the hypercritical nature of the site – just one man’s jaded opinions on the issues of the day, neither always right nor always wrong – I always felt monetizing the site with ads and “paid political announcements” from candidates and political committees would cheapen the message.

Besides, I’m certainly not a ‘professional journalist’ – merely a dilettante editorialist, a frustrated blowhard – writing my thoughts down and passing them around.  A means of keeping idle hands busy, stirring the pot in a constructive way, and (hopefully) prompting my neighbors to consider a different take on the civic issues we collectively face.  

After a lifetime spent clawing my way to middle-management in local municipal government and hanging on by my fingernails – literally the Dilbert Principle in action – the process of putting my thoughts and hard-earned experience on paper continues to be incredibly cathartic for me.  

Now that my productive life is over, this blog has restored a much-needed sense of purpose, and contemplating the issues then crudely crafting my thoughts keeps my Gin-soaked mind limber.

With this milestone, I am reminded how much I appreciate the many wonderful, often unlikely, relationships this blog has helped me build along the way. 

Truth be told, I have great friendships with some of those elected officials and “movers & shakers” I frequently take to the woodshed.  Some I’ve known since we were kids growing up together when the Halifax area was a very different place.  

While we don’t always agree, the insight and contributions those still in the arena bring are invaluable, and I appreciate their acceptance of these barbs and criticisms with due consideration and such good humor.   

It has been my long-held belief that everyone wants to be heard – to have our opinions considered and valued – especially by those we elect to represent our interests and establish public policy.

Thank you for listening to mine.

I sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback, the differing opinions, clarification of the fine points, and even the scathing “hate mail” I often receive when I hit a nerve – or gore the right ox…   

Thanks for keeping me honest.

If you read Barker’s View, I assume you are an informed and engaged citizen who cares about the myriad issues we face here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”  Smart people who analyze problems three-dimensionally and look beyond the white noise of politics to consider the hidden reasons and consequences, rather than accept the canned narrative or well-crafted party line. 

I hope you remain active and involved, run for elective office, serve on a committee, volunteer for a cause that moves you, participate, vote your conscience, challenge the status quo, stand up, speak out, and contribute your important voice to the discussion. 

Thank you all.

Your consideration of an alternative opinion and dedicated readership does this beat-up old heart good…

Cheers to a million more!

That’s all for me.  Have a great Labor Day Weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

FDOT District 5: Incompetence Over Ingenuity – Every.  Damn.  Time…

Hanlon’s razor is a philosophical rule of thumb that reminds us “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” 

A logical means of eliminating unlikely explanations for human or organizational behavior, similar to the popular reinterpretation of Arthur C. Clarke’s Third Law, which says, “Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.”

Instead of naturally assuming someone is out to get you, this heuristic encourages us to consider stupidity before malevolence… 

I was reminded of that maxim last week when it was reported that the Florida Department of Transportation is continuing its ill designed $13 million assault on commonsense along A-1-A from Ormond-by-the-Sea to the Flagler County line. 

An engineering nightmare that is systematically destroying the smooth flow of traffic on the busy oceanfront highway. 

According to a disturbing report by Molly Reed of News6:

“Employees at Lagerheads Bar and Grill say that while a major construction project is underway, not only are temporary barricades surrounding the property, but FDOT has also installed a permanent curb that blocks off their main parking lot entirely.

“People just ride past because they think we’re closed,” said Shannon Gutierrez, an employee at Lagerheads.

Despite appearances, Lagerheads employees Shannon Gutierrez and Bri Brannan say the restaurant is open. But the perception of being cut off has already taken a financial toll on their 30 employees and 20 musicians.

“Having to be cut back from 30 to 40 hours a week, people are now getting 18 to 25 a week, and some of our employees are single moms,” Gutierrez said.”

Essentially, the FDOT project has completely eliminated the popular beachside restaurant’s main parking lot, leaving only a small ten space lot down the hill behind the building. 

Why would a state transportation agency turn a small locally owned restaurant into what appears to be an inaccessible island to passersby?

According to the report, “News 6 emailed FDOT with several questions about the project and the curb installation. A spokesperson confirmed that Lagerheads’ parking spots are in FDOT’s right-of-way and that parking there “is no longer available.”

Now, many are asking: Is it a meanspirited lack of concern – or bureaucratic incompetence?

In addition, employees claim FDOT promised the restaurant a “Miami curb” – a sloping gutter system that can serve as a functional compromise when correcting accessibility issues like this.

That didn’t happen.  

Sounds like someone at FDOT District 5 dropped the ball.  Repeatedly… 

For over a year, residents and business owners from Ormond Beach to Daytona Beach have been unified in their utter distain for the $20.5 million abomination that FDOT committed on A-1-A. 

That includes the $9.2 million obstacle course that is now east/west Granada Boulevard through the city’s heavily traveled downtown, a barely navigable roadway ostensibly engineered to “encourage safer driving speeds and enhance pedestrian safety.”

Bullshit.

For many motorists, FDOT’s handiwork has become a daily nuisance – a dangerous impediment to the smooth flow of traffic on Ormond’s increasingly clogged streets and thoroughfares – a nonsensical slalom course complete with whoop-de-doos, moguls, “bulb-outs,” chicanes, and concrete extensions along the shoulder. 

As a result, the curb is increasingly marred with tire scuffing where vehicles have left the driving surface. 

Last year, FDOT was required to make expensive modifications to a section of the project after Chris Mavronas, owner of Steve’s Famous Diner in Daytona Beach, rightfully complained he was losing business after a raised median blocked customer access to his parking lot. 

Just down the road at the Bellaire Condominiums, the homeowner’s association reported that the roadwork had increased danger to motorists, describing the response of residents to the changes on A-1-A as “Absolute utter shock at the idiocy of it.”

Sound familiar?

By any metric, the project has been a five-alarm foul-up from its inception – one of those “only in government” fiascos – where bureaucrats analyze what works, conduct expensive engineering studies, investigate ways to expedite traffic, alleviate congestion, and enhance pedestrian safety – then do the exact opposite.

According to a social media post from Lagerheads, since the media attention, FDOT officials have been at the restaurant trying to find a workaround for the parking problem…

I’ll bet they have. 

But how many of these expensive gaffes are we going to be on the hook for?

In my view, it is time for state Sen. Tom Leek (who sits on the transportation appropriations committee) – and the always lethargic Rep. Bill “The Sluggard” Partington (who, unlike Sen. Leek, doesn’t appear to do much of anything in Tallahassee) – to get off their backsides and make official inquiry into the gross maladministration at the FDOT District 5 office in DeLand. 

How many more businesses will have their existence threatened before someone does something about this?

Our elected representatives should demand better for frustrated constituents and small business owners who have been repeatedly victimized by the bureaucratic incompetence of an uncaring and inaccessible state agency that has lost the confidence of those they exist to serve.

Volusia County Council: Smoke, Mirrors, and Data Center Bans

I’m not sure who wrote it, but I recently read an insightful essay on the politics of distraction and how those in power use it to capture our focus, especially during election cycles or times of controversy.

“Political distraction is not noise — it’s design. It’s a governing method — one that trades clarity for control. When citizens lose focus, power concentrates.

In modern democracies, control over attention has become control over accountability.”

On the eve of last week’s primary election, the Volusia County Council voted to enact a ban on “large-scale” data centers, defined as “…a single location, with a data center on site, that has an anticipated monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more, calculated as the highest average load over a 15-minute interval.”

According to reports, under SB 484 – which was recently signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis – these mega data centers are exempt from the overreaching preemptions of SB 180 – bad legislation which essentially removed all local growth management regulations and gifted the real estate development industry carte blanche to build when, where, and what they want.

These large-scale facilities house servers, storage systems, networking equipment, and other IT infrastructure that process massive quantities of digital data.  Depending on the size and type, data centers often consume enormous amounts of water and energy, emit sustained noise, and can produce noxious fumes from generators and industrial HVAC systems that make them incompatible with residential and commercial areas. 

Despite attempts to mediate these environmental impacts, data centers are an infernal nuisance for their neighbors but remain a necessity in our digital world. If you watch Netflix, search the internet, use social media, or are reading this blog, a data center is in the chain.

Fortunately, massive 50 MW or greater data centers are few and far between.

In my view, that’s why the specificity of a “large scale data center” ban was a cheap political ploy during a hard-fought election season for Volusia County Council members who have ignored our environment, weakened conservation programs, and made low-impact development practices optional and are now hoping we forget those insults as they seek reelection. 

The ensuing political theater provided an opportunity for more hot air from the dais and the chance to appear as though they listen to the concerns of their constituents who spoke in opposition to data centers. 

They don’t.

In my view, it was a meaningless gesture orchestrated for the eve of a primary which resulted in incumbents rightfully struggling for their political futures.  

After all the pap and fluff, the ban will only apply to unincorporated Volusia County and will be limited to one area north of Ormond Beach which is zoned I-2 (Heavy Industrial) that cannot accommodate a large-scale center. 

In my view, rather than focus on the low hanging fruit of “large-scale” centers, our elected officials in both Volusia County and the municipalities should be working on broad regulations for the various range and types of data centers that will inevitably seek to locate here.  

These should include changes to zoning and comprehensive plans directing where centers can be located, along with “pay your own way” requirement and ratepayer protections for power, utilities, and infrastructure; strict environmental and nuisance abatement protections, a means of enforcing the rules once a data center is built, and a provision that data centers will not be eligible for tax abatements, incentives, or non-disclosure protections.

In Volusia County, each municipality will need to address data centers on their own. 

Recently the City of Ormond Beach passed an 18-month moratorium on all types of data centers, Flagler County approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas, and the Edgewater City Council is placing a referendum on the November ballot that would prohibit the construction, expansion, or operation of new data centers anywhere in the city.

In DeSoto County, commissioners recently approved a one-year moratorium on new data center applications – but explicitly exempted projects already in the approval process – to include rezoning for a massive 4,000 MW 800-plus-acre data center project proposed earlier this year. 

The “hyperscale” facility has been described by industry experts as “one of the largest data center projects on earth.”

I appreciate the outpouring of support for Volusia’s ban by well-meaning environmentalists and citizens who are fighting hard to protect our quality of life in a place where common sense is under constant siege. 

In my view, this was just ‘bidness’ as usual’ for these masters of political distraction and procrastination… 

Do you think Councilmen Don “Motocross” Dempsey, David “No Show” Santiago, or Danny “Gaslight” Robins give two-shits about prohibiting data centers in Volusia County or anywhere else?

When was the last time that bunch of malleable shills told a developer with a profit motive what they can and cannot do on land they own, regardless of how onerous the civic and environmental impacts? 

How about our wholly compromised Florida legislature who continue to preempt local control and defund essential services during this period of explosive growth? 

Do you think they have our best interests at heart? 

Of course, the ‘mantra’ remains – “Property Rights Rule!”  Except for existing residential property owners who always come up short to those with a very lucrative chip in the game…

Here in the Biggest Whorehouse in the World, money talks – and I’ll just bet those who build and operate data centers of all types understand how to apply it to maximum effect…   

As I understand it, the majority of data facilities currently operating in Florida have an operating capacity of 12 MW or less.  I suspect we will see centers without the “large-scale” definition as specified in SB 484 – and Volusia County’s ban – coming to our region in the not-too-distant future…   

The next “hot button” distraction to divert attention away the political inattention to real threats to our lives, livelihoods, and environment: Flock cameras and tag readers…

While the bulldozers roar.

Quote of the Week

“A member of the Deltona City Commission is in the clear.

City Commissioner Dori Howington is not facing any charges resulting from an incident with one of her peers at City Hall in the spring.

The State Attorney’s Office has filed with the Circuit Court its intention not to charge Howington for allegedly touching Commissioner Emma Santiago on the shoulder and allegedly making a threatening statement against her.

“After reviewing the available evidence and considering the totality of the circumstances, this Office concludes that the interests of justice do not support the formal filing of criminal charges in this matter,” wrote Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Kramperth in a memorandum dated July 7. “This determination should not be interpreted as condoning the reported conduct, but instead reflects an exercise of prosecutorial discretion consistent with the purposes of criminal prosecution and the furtherance of justice.”

The touching incident took place May 5 at Deltona City Hall, where the two women encountered each other and “a verbal altercation” ensued. This encounter followed from the City Commission’s meeting the evening before. The account was part of a report taken by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and included in “a non-arrest affidavit” listing two possible charges against Howington. The possible charges then pending against Howington were battery and corrupt by threat of a public servant.” 

–Reporter Al Everson writing in the West Volusia Beacon, “Deltona elected official escapes charges,” Friday, August 21, 2026

I wonder if the State Attorney’s Office ever gets tired of playing WWE referee to the Lost City of Deltona’s seemingly endless horseshit histrionics and political chicanery? 

During a May 2026 meeting, during an audit report, Commissioner Emma Santiago set the stage by challenging Commissioner Howington’s job as chief financial officer for the Volusia County Clerk of the Court by asking for a legal opinion on a potential conflict of interest.

Why? Because the Clerk has ancillary dealings with the City of Deltona (and every other municipality in Volusia County).

During the subsequent exchange on the dais, Mayor Avila claims he overheard Howington say, sotto voce, “I’m going to get that bitch…”

That set up (literally) a verbal confrontation between Howington and Santiago the following day in a non-public area of City Hall – an exchange that was suspiciously captured on video by Mayor Avila (?) – who secreted himself behind a corner, hiding like the proverbial owl in the ivy, to surreptitiously record Howington’s communications without her knowledge or permission.

During the exchange, Howington could be seen lightly placing her hand on Santiago’s shoulder and allegedly said, “I know where you live.” As a result, Commissioner Santiago filed a criminal complaint charging Howington with battery and corruption by threats to a public official. 

According to media reports, Ms. Santiago’s complaint was forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for review. 

It was clear that the junta of compromised dullards who call the shots on and off the dais in Deltona wanted Commissioner Howington gone – and they didn’t particularly care what skeevy tactics they had to employ to accomplished it. 

At the time, Commissioner Santiago’ husband, Volusia County Councilman David “No Show” Santiago – a strange little man and perennial politician who is currently running for reelection against J. David Sosa – weighed in, huffing-and-puffing in mock indignation that Howington should resign.  

I’ve said this before, but the question remains valid this election season – I’m not sure what the Santiagos’ do for a living (outside of dragging on the public teat) but they certainly seem to have a lot of time on their hands for political intrigue, petty dustups with constituents, manipulating Deltona politics, and destroying the reputations of anyone who crosses them.   

In my view, the goal of Deltona’s insiders was ensuring that Howington was no longer an impediment to their political benefactors in the development community…

It was a heavy price to pay for challenging the status quo.    

Last week, the State Attorney’s Office announced it would not be pursuing a criminal prosecution in the matter – and Deltona voters signaled they have finally had their fill and sent Mayor Avila to the ash heap of history in his three-way race with Vice Mayor Maritza Vazquez and newcomer Jason Voelz.

Good.  On both fronts.

I hope the longsuffering residents of the Lost City of Deltona – and Volusia County’s District 5 – finally get the responsive, accessible, and community-focused representation they deserve. 

That begins at the ballot box in November.

And Another Thing!

“Getting to Yes (22 parcels, 14 of them in a CRA): With one exception, these are non-conforming lots, from 2,500-4,800 square feet.  Most of these parcels are vacant and of a similar size to their neighbors. While some could be considered for divestment to abutters, perhaps some could be considered for in-fill housing.

To smooth the way for in-fill housing, consider development of a program called Getting to Yes. This would be a program with pre-approved building plans designed to take the pain out of activating these parcels with housing. This would not be an affordable housing program, but rather a parcel activation program; houses could be more affordable if they are smaller and easier to build.”

–Civic Activist Anne Ruby, in a report presented to the Daytona Beach City Commission, “Study of Property Owned by the City of Daytona Beach,” Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Last week, one of the biggest assets the City of Daytona Beach has on its side – civic activist Anne Ruby – presented her in-depth study of vacant city owned properties.  Most important, Ms. Ruby may have planted a viable seed for supporting desperately needed neighborhood infill and redevelopment opportunities in the community.

The innovative concept is called “Getting to Yes,” an urban revitalization process which has seen success in South Bend, Indiana.  The program facilitates small to middle scale housing development in neighborhoods, primarily on small or non-conforming city owned lots which may remain vacant due to configuration, size, or current regulations.

The South Bend program supports neighborhood infill and economic opportunities for locals by offering a set of pre-approved building plans matched to the lot at no cost.  In essence, the city provides qualified applicants with a catalog of high-quality architectural designs – complete with preapproved building and site development approval – which results in significant time and cost savings for those seeking to build on languishing lots.  

According to a report by Rich Caroll writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, Ms. Ruby’s study “…found the city owns 385 parcels. Of those, 84 were identified as properties that could potentially be returned to the tax rolls after additional review. Twenty-two properties — including 14 within Community Redevelopment Areas — were placed in the “Getting to Yes” category. Most are vacant, nonconforming lots between about 2,500 and 4,800 square feet.

Ruby proposed developing pre-approved building plans designed specifically for small lots, such as a 50-by-50-foot property. Instead of requiring a property owner to begin the design and approval process from scratch, the city could have several house designs ready for use.

“The advantage of trying to get to yes would be that it would streamline the path to construction,” Ruby said. “It would be easier to build.” 

In my experience, commonsense solutions rarely originate in the cloistered confines of government offices – and good ideas never come from the unimaginative “that’s the way we’ve always done it” lockstep conformity of a strict regulatory environment.

It is said, “the antidote to stagnation is innovation.” 

In my view, the City of Daytona Beach was smart to engage with Anne Ruby.

Clearly, Ms. Ruby understands the importance of collaborative government, the ability to learn from others – seeing a need and seeking solutions outside the bureaucratic box – then pushing hard to see programs implemented locally that have been successful in other communities.    

That is the essence of citizen engagement, and few do it better that Anne Ruby.

Unfortunately, Daytona Beach isn’t the only area government that seems incapable of embracing new ideas, perspectives, and experiences – preferring to buy more time and distance with expensive studies – paralysis by analysis – then allowing the results to molder on a groaning shelf next to other unread reports in a dead records morgue…

According to the Observer’s report, “Commissioner Paula Reed said the concept could help residents who may own property but don’t know what they can build on it.

“I love your suggestions,” Reed said. “The report is great. I think if we were to take your suggestions, it would be proactive on our part.”

According to the report, the “Getting to Yes” program remains in the conceptual stage, and Ms. Ruby’s study suggests further evaluation of potential projects, annual reviews of city-owned properties, and plans for surplus properties in the city’s inventory.

Commissioners have expressed interest in holding a workshop to learn more about how the concept could benefit Daytona Beach.

Time is of the essence.

With area business owners and residents actively rallying to secede from the beachside and be annexed into Ormond Beach – and neighboring Daytona Beach Shores looking to ditch the “Daytona Beach” boat anchor and try their luck as “The Shores” – in my view, our “powers that be” should be lobbying local elected officials to embrace innovative suggestions for improvement regardless of where they originate.  

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

Volusia County Schools: The “Positivity Movement” = Institutional Deception

“The positivity movement is a good thing for our community,” Board member Krista Goodrich said. “Let’s keep it going. Let’s celebrate the achievements that every, student, every teacher, every principal, every district member has done.”

–Volusia County School Board Member Krista Goodrich, as quoted by reporter Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Observer, “Investing in students: Volusia County Schools celebrates its second consecutive ‘A’ grade,” Thursday, August 13, 2026  

In Elenor H. Porter’s 1913 classic Pollyanna, the title character is an eleven-year-old orphan who goes to Vermont to live with her dour Aunt Polly Harrington. 

In what has come to be known as the Pollyanna Principle, the child’s father taught her to focus on “The Glad Game,” a means of developing an overly optimistic outlook based on finding gratitude and positivity in every situation, regardless of how grim the reality may be.

It’s a wonderful work of fiction – and a demoralizing metaphor for what is happening in the cloistered confines of Volusia County District School’s senior administrative offices…

Unfortunately, those of us who live here in the often cruel and competitive “real world” understand that toxic optimism – the pathological compulsion to ignore problems, dismiss failures, and overlook challenges regardless of long-term consequences – leads to a sense of denial.

A self-deception that, regardless of outcome, always paints a rosy picture that furthers the professional progression of those who would otherwise be held accountable – and allows bragging rights for influential insiders – “big shots” with a chip in the game who rely on inflated education scores for their own self-enrichment.

Last week, Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and her coterie of incompetents in the Ivory Tower of Power, interrupted actual educational activities to hold a rah-rah session at Mainland High School again promoting the rank fallacy that the district “earned” two back-to-back “A” grades. 

It even came with a professionally constructed banner which plastered the faces of Superintendent Balgobin and Board Member Goodrich near the school. (I’m not sure what that blatant political/personal self-promotion has to do with an “A” district – especially when you and I paid for the billboard…)  

According to the report, “To be named an “A” for the 2025-2026 school year, the district obtained 66 percentage points; districts that earn 65% or higher are considered an “A” rated district by FDOE, which uses a grading formula based on 12 components. In total, VCS earned 797 points, the highest its ever earned, Balgobin said.”

Since when did 66% “earn” an “A”? 

Where I come from, that equates to a hard “D” – a 1.6 on a traditional 4.0 scale. 

When someone speaks the truth out loud, they are immediately set upon by Superintendent Balgobin and her toadies – marginalized, ostracized, their employers warned that the offenders continued employment might be bad for business – all for refusing to participate in the district’s contrived “positivity movement” – a cheap canard that cloaks mediocrity with the laurels of high achievement.

When “professional education administrators” engage in that level of shameless career protection at the expense of academic integrity, who do you think ultimately loses? 

Sadly, this has nothing to do with learning, measuring educational accomplishment, lauding student effort, or the good work of teachers at the point of the spear who do what they can with what they have. 

Don’t take my word for it, ask any of the talented educators who have fled Volusia County Schools citing a lack of support and respect, inadequate compensation, salary compression, dangerous student behavior, maladministration, targeting, and the overriding emphasis on image over substance.

Trust me.  I’ve received heartbreaking notes from incredibly dedicated teachers and professionals who resigned to teach elsewhere, or left the classroom altogether, disenchanted with a mediocracy in DeLand that rewards sycophants and stooges over competency.

That’s why I find it infernally frustrating that those overcompensated knobs in the Balgobin administration – and her fawning brownnosers on the Volusia County School Board – have the unmitigated gall to feign outrage and attack those who speak truth to power? 

Bullshit.

Fortunately, it appears the times they are a-changin’ based on the outcome of two of three School Board primary races this week.  While current Chair (and champion of the status quo) Ruben Colón won the District 5 race outright, there were major upsets with Dr. Grace Kellermeier routing incumbent Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson in District 3, and newcomer Brenda Beery taking 49.61% of the vote over incumbent Jamie Haynes, setting up a run-off in November.

In my view, the primary results spoke volumes about how Volusia County voters feel about the state of our schools and those who oversee the incredibly expensive operation from the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand.

Perhaps our elected representatives on the School Board might want to rethink Superintendent Balgobin’s “Positivity Movement” and focus on real solutions going forward…

Something tells me the current shadow puppetry that is the Volusia County School Board – a majority of malleable shills that enjoy gibbeting anyone who dares speak out against an administration that indulges institutional deception over the future of Volusia County students – is quickly coming to an end.

“The Vilest Primary in the Nation…”

“Top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, are denouncing a political ad targeting Florida Congressman Randy Fine as antisemitic.

Fine, who represents the 6th District, including the Daytona Beach area and all of Flagler County, is facing four challengers in the Republican primary. His most serious contender is Las Vegas businessman and influencer Dan Bilzerian, who entered the race in April as an opponent of the Iran war.

Bilzerian’s animus toward Fine − who is Jewish − has been front and center throughout the campaign, but appears to have reached a crescendo with his Aug. 14 posting on X of a 2-minute, 25-second ad featuring an attractive nightclub singer mixed with derisive AI-generated images of Fine, attacks on Israel, and, at one point, an appearance by an Adolf Hitler figure, with the lyric: “Should we revisit that Austrian painter’s opinions?”

–Reporter Mark Harper, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Antisemitic ad attacks Randy Fine, boosts Hitler’s opinions,” Sunday, August 16, 2026

I’m damn glad the primary election has come and gone – a spectacle one national media outlet called the “most vile primary in the nation.”  It is a relief to know that the flaming shit-heel Dan “Blitz” Bilzerian won’t be representing us in Washington. 

I still can’t believe I wrote the name “Bilzerian” and “representing us in “Washington” in the same sentence…

The avowed antisemite and Holocaust denier Bilzerian was not “one of us.” 

He did not share our values.   

These long-winded screeds of mine originate from Barker’s View HQ located on the eastern periphery of Florida’s 6^th Congressional District, which runs roughly south of Saint Augustine to South Daytona and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, Leesburg, and Sanford.

That makes me another disgruntled constituent of incumbent Congressman Randy Fine, a former member of the Florida House and Senate from Brevard County, who “changed his residence” and won the district 6 seat in a 2025 special election after Mike Waltz was named National Security Advisor by President Donald Trump.

By any metric, Rep. Fine is a personally repugnant and polarizing figure – incredibly outspoken, vulgar, and provocative – with a well-earned reputation for bombastic and hate-filled rhetoric of his own. 

His long history of personal and political controversies include being held in contempt of court in 2024 when a judge determined he made obscene gestures and mouthed curse words during a hearing.

In fact, following the special congressional election, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said of Fine, “He repels people…”

In my view, none of that justifies the vicious antisemitic attack launched by Fine’s carpetbagging opponent ahead of Tuesday’s primary – the self-styled social media influencer, professional hedonist, part-time actor, and Las Vegas resident Dan Bilzerian.

In my view, Bilzerian’s vitriolic video and hate-filled bluster gave our entire region a black eye.   

We can’t catch a break… 

I have a theory that this ground we call Florida’s Congressional District 6 (and 7, for that matter) is forever jinxed by an ancient Timucuan curse laid down by ol’ Chief Tomokie, who got a case of the ass after we ran his people off the land and allowed his once proud statute at Tomoka State Park to fall into utter disrepair.

In turn, the angry Chief doomed us all to shitty governance for a thousand years – setting loose a plague of malignant overdevelopment that is blanketing the land with a pox of zero lot line wood frame cracker boxes, fouling our water, and stressing our terribly inadequate transportation and utilities infrastructure like a swarm of diseased locusts.

Do you have a better explanation for how the celestial bodies might have aligned that saw Dan “King of Instagram” Bilzerian select our backyard to run for Congress? 

Sadly, it’s not much better next door in District 7, where scandal-plagued U.S. Representative Cory Mills – the subject of a House ethics investigation, credible allegations of stolen valor for misrepresenting his military record, accusations of unethical business dealings, reportedly assaulting a girlfriend, and the sexual extortion/stalking of another former girlfriend – shamelessly sought reelection.

Fortunately, he was defeated for the Republican nomination by Ryan Elijah on Tuesday.

In my view, when Bilzerian evoked Adolph Hitler as part of his brutal attack on Congressman Fine’s Jewish faith, it crossed a very bright line.  In my view, his dark and despicable actions denigrate the residents of Florida’s 6^th District and should offend decent people everywhere.

I couldn’t stomach watching the video, but reports indicate it claims Rep. Fine views his constituents as “goyim cattle,” accuses him of “raping kids,” being a “fat jew” and a “shylock,” and refers to him as a “satanic whore” posted over an image of Rep. Fine sprouting horns.  

On the eve of the primary, the video had been viewed over 1.4 million times.

For his part, Rep. Fine reposted the video and explained: “It is unheard of to share an opponent’s television commercial. But I want you to watch it. Every second. Celebrating Hitler. Having horns grow out of the heads of Jews. Showing me violently assaulted.

“And if this appeals to you, I don’t want your vote. We have a choice on Tuesday: either to embrace the kind of Nazism that led to the Holocaust or to repudiate this filth, and reaffirm American values and character.”

At the end of the day, Randy Fine won the Republican nomination with 59.95% of the vote.

Appallingly, Bilzerian’s bullshit resonated with 16,773 of our neighbors in District 6… 

In Florida’s United States Senate race, Angie Nixon, a theatrically angry state representative from Jacksonville and avowed member of the Democratic Socialists of America (a radical offshoot of the Democratic party who, among other anti-American objectives, seeks to replace capitalism with communism dressed in a ‘social equality’ costume) will now face Republican Ashley Moody in the US Senate general election.

You read that right: A self-professed socialist is the Democratic candidate to represent Florida in the United States Senate.

Komrade Nixon received the vote of 16,531 registered Democrats in Volusia County…   

Look, I’m not some handwringing Henny Penny, but the quality and character of some high-profile candidates for various local, state, and federal offices around our region is downright scary.   

In my view, the juvenile antics of candidates and their supporters across the spectrum of local races – verbal and physical swipes at polling places, asinine “sign wars,” ad hominem attacks by attack dogs more focused on character assassination than the issues facing my family and yours, massive campaign contributions from all the right last names, etc. – could well explain the abject apathy that resulted in the abysmal voter turnout on Tuesday…

In the aftermath, I find it hard to believe that some of these disgraceful candidates – and the back-alley tactics they employ – represent the very best we have to offer?

At the risk of sounding like the curmudgeonly ‘boomer’ I am, that causes me grave concern for what will remain of our venerated system of governance – the greatest representative democracy in the world – and what the future holds for my grandchildren and yours.

As Plato warned, “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferior…”

Quote of the Week

“Beachside residents and business owners in Daytona Beach are pushing for a big change. They want to break away from the city and be annexed into Ormond Beach.

The group said the beachside has been neglected for too long, and members believe Ormond Beach could do a better job addressing blight and improving the area.

This would have to be approved by both cities, but the group said it wants Ormond Beach to take over the beachside from Daytona Beach Shores to the Ormond Beach line along A1A.

If residents get their way, Daytona Beach would essentially no longer have a beach.

“We’re done waiting for great moments. We’re just done,” said Louie Louizes, owner of Ocean Avenue Gallery.

“We want to leave. We don’t want to be Daytona, that part of Daytona. We would rather be Daytona beachside in Ormond,” Daytona Beach resident Sonja Sailor said.” 

–WFTV-9 reporters Demie Johnson, “Daytona Beach residents push to join Ormond Beach due to ‘neglect,’” Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Wow…

Even if this push doesn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of coming to fruition – the Daytona Beach City Commission, Volusia County Council, the Convention and Visitors & Visitors Bureau, and its funding source, the Halifax Area Advertising Authority – should take the sentiment very seriously…

According to WFTV’s disturbing report, “In January, 9 Investigates exposed concerns about millions of dollars in unspent Daytona Beach community redevelopment agency, or CRA, funds intended to address blight.

We found the Main Street district had $11 million budgeted for projects, but only one had been approved. In another district, $279,000 went toward staff salaries, leaving only $21,000 for improvement projects.

“You have to almost rage on social media to get them to do anything. And all of a sudden, they may show up and paint a curb or put lights up around something, but it’s just a Band-Aid,” Louizes said.

We asked the City of Daytona Beach whether it would ever give up its beachside but have not received a response.”

In my experience, a non-response to pointed questions can be just as telling as a direct answer – because it often signals that something is being withheld – or that the problem being explored is more significant than it appears… 

One would have thought Mayor Derrick Henry would have learned that difficult lesson by now.

According to a recent unscientific survey taken by the City of Daytona Beach Shores, some 65.7% of respondents supported a charter amendment dropping the association with “Daytona Beach” from the beachside municipality’s name and rebranding with the local vernacular, “The Shores.”

In my view, a neighboring community seeking to disassociate themselves – along with a grassroots movement to secede from the City of Daytona Beach by desperate area merchants and frustrated residents – is not something the Chamber of Commerce set can (or should) easily dismiss.

And Another Thing!

“Eid: “If you notice any other state/city you visit that has beachside (it) is always the most beautiful!

“Why is Daytona Beach so neglected? We all know we are lacking entertainment and food and beverage. People aren’t going all the way to Daytona Beach with nothing to do.

“We are all going to hear the same story — Daytona Beach has a stigma, it is burned out, in need of improvement. The city of Daytona Beach needs a master plan.”

— Jonathan Eid, owner of the Daytona Beach Plaza Resort & Spa, speaking during a private meeting of hoteliers in September 2021, focusing on the “…decrepit state of Daytona’s core beachside,” as quoted by The Daytona Beach News-Journal, October 3, 2021  

Well, that didn’t age well…

Last week, long-suffering beachside residents and merchants learned that after sitting vacant since Hurricane Ian in September 2022, the historic Plaza Hotel and Spa is no closer to reopening than it was four-years ago.  

Following a recent meeting between city officials and owner Jonathan Eid, it was determined that the iconic Seabreeze Boulevard beach access tunnel will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice… 

Sounds like it’s going to be a lean end-of-summer for those whose livelihoods depend on beach access and a lively tourist trade.   

According to a report by Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “City and county officials met with Plaza Resort property owner Johnathan Eid and his contractor the morning of Aug. 14 before making the decision, according to Daytona Beach city government spokeswoman Susan Cerbone.”

“Officials carefully considered the importance of maintaining public access to the beach and explored every reasonable effort to keep the approach open,” Cerbone said. “Ultimately, however, the need to protect beachgoers and construction workers took precedence.”

We lost.

Perhaps most disturbing, last week WFTV-9 investigative reporter Demie Johnson broke the news that “…the owner of a Daytona Beach landmark property collected more than $20 million dollars in insurance payments after Hurricane Ian, yet the city says no permits have been pulled for repairs.”

Say what?

Now, members of the Plaza Homeowners Association have expressed concerns regarding the financial management of the association.  According to WFTV, “Unit owners are asking the city to make efforts to gain entry to the building to do its own inspection because they believe it’s a public safety concern that’s in need of emergency repairs.”

In addition, “Jonathan Eid told 9 Investigates over the phone that there were no individual unit owners; they only own air space to individual units. He has not agreed to do a sit-down interview to explain further.”

Disturbing…

I don’t know about you, but I find it shocking that for the past four-years Daytona Beach city officials have allowed the beachside’s century old signature resort to stagnate – a shuttered behemoth at the very epicenter of our core tourist area – apparently accumulating code, health, and safety violations which (finally) resulted in the hotel being declared “non-compliant” last week.

According to media reports, Mr. Eid has hired a new contractor and refreshed a building permit to complete necessary repairs, and Daytona Beach officials say the city plans to “expedite” the application review so work can “move along quickly.” 

Geez.  Let’s hope so.

In 2021, during the same meeting where Mr. Eid made his critical comments regarding the blight, neglect, and stagnation that has effectively destroyed a world-famous tourist destination, Jim Berkley, former general manager of the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, said the revitalization of Daytona’s beachside “…will take unified efforts from the city. The conversations that I’ve had with the city I was told we didn’t have the resources, staff, or equipment. There is a disconnect.”

I found Mr. Berkley’s professional assessment eerily similar to the findings of the long-ignored 2013 comprehensive analysis of Volusia County tourism marketing efforts which determined:

“There is no unified countywide plan to support the improvement of the tourism product, notably the beachside of Daytona Beach.  There needs to be a concerted effort involving county, city, and business leadership to upgrade the beachside of Daytona Beach.  This is a significant weakness in remaining competitive as a destination.”

What’s changed?

I mean, other than the fact fed-up beachside business owners and residents are now actively trying to disincorporate the World’ Most Famous Beach and be annexed into Ormond Beach…     

Perhaps the Daytona Beach City Commission should determine what senior staff meant when they told hoteliers that the deterioration of our core tourist area – a.k.a. the product – is due to a lack of “resources, staff, and equipment,” especially considering unanswered concerns about CRA spending.

Only then can responsible officials reorient priorities, eliminate redundant positions, engage with placemaking experts, and focus all available assets on the true revitalization of our downtrodden beachside while there’s still something left to worry about…

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!