Hi, kids!

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

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Volusia County Council

Has anyone ever listened to a State of the City/County address that began:

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have grim news to report. 

In our overweening desire to please those wealthy masters who finance our campaigns and control everything but the ebb and flow of the Atlantic tide here on the “Fun Coast,” we have allowed explosive growth to outpace infrastructure and essential services, resulting in massive flooding, the ongoing destruction of our sensitive environment and wildlife habitat, disruptive school rezoning, traffic gridlock, and myriad quality of life issues, all while saddling our children and grandchildren with the crippling debt that will ultimately be required to fix it. 

As such, our chief priority this fiscal year will be using your tax dollars to construct a $10.2 million motocross track…” 

Of course you haven’t.  Because that’s the unvarnished truth.

Following Chairman Jeff Brower’s State of the County address last month, it seems the remainder of our elected dullards on the dais of power didn’t like what he had to say.  I guess Brower’s call for an end to destroying wetlands to facilitate new development and open more of our beach to those who pay for it was too much for his “colleagues” to swallow… 

So, last Tuesday, the majority took it upon themselves to ignore the dictate of the Volusia County Charter and stripped Chairman Brower of his right to independently report to Volusia County residents on “the activities of county government,” and present “new and revised goals and objectives for future action.”

In yet another off-the-agenda “public policy by ambush” vote, the majority will now “review” the Chairman’s speech ahead of time – censoring the content to ensure dubious goals, objectives, and “accomplishments” fit neatly into their template of conformity.

As this latest timewasting political theater progressed, the bought and paid for chattel of our wealthy overseers took the opportunity to cut into Chairman Brower over his single-handed attempt to protect our environment, ensure water quality and quantity, and make our beach more accessible. 

Then, after spending the last year haranguing, opposing, and ridiculing him at every turn – they painted Mr. Brower as “unprofessional.”

Apparently, Volusia’s “Old Guard” – those behind-the-scenes puppeteers who control the rods-and-strings of their obsequious marionettes on the dais – also took exception to Brower’s stance on restoring beach driving from East ISB to the Boardwalk, citing “That taking of public beach has done great harm to the economy of local businesses in the area and our personal enjoyment.”

He’s right. 

Don’t take my word for it.  Ask struggling beachside business owners what they think of the idea…

In addition, the majority also demanded that Brower stop using county letterhead to correspond with Gov. Ron DeSantis and others touting any position that could be misconstrued as coming from the council as a whole.

That includes anything other than lockstep groupthink and faux optimism as Rome burns – and strategically blocks Mr. Brower’s future efforts to bring attention to the pending destruction of the Spruce Creek watershed with runoff from the proposed Pioneer Trail interchange, his staunch opposition to Belvedere Terminal’s plan to put a 13-million-gallon bulk fuel storage site in Ormond Beach, destructive flooding, and other ecological disasters in the making.   

Who are these egotistical shitheels to tell the County Chair what he will and won’t do in service to his constituents? 

An excellent article by Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week captured the spirit of their well-coordinated and meanspirited attack:

“District 3 Councilman Danny Robins raised concerns about arguments on the council.

“Think it’s highly unprofessional,” Robins said. “We all get our time up here. If we have opposing views, we use our time. We don’t get into a back-and-forth spat with each other. It just doesn’t look good. It looks like two fools arguing.”

Robins also took issue with Brower’s message to the governor.”

Bullshit. 

In his weird form of political gaslighting, Councilman Robins has repeatedly balled up his hands, stomped his little feet, and launched into one of his long-winded stream-of-consciousness blusters – openly goading Chairman Brower into an angry confrontation every time he has opened his mouth on an issue since he took office…

In turn, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago – who couldn’t be bothered to attend the State of the County address even though it was held in his district – got his licks in:

“That letter that’s out there should be corrected or taken down because I did get a copy of it from someone on social media — because it’s inaccurate,” Santiago said. “Again, I’m not trying to take anybody’s right to speak, but that’s what happens when you get into these areas. It gets dangerous. And if you make mistakes, you get called out on it. And that was one particular mistake, and I don’t appreciate words being put in my mouth.”

Santiago also criticized Brower for his comments on beach driving because that isn’t the position of the council.”

It didn’t end there… 

“At-Large Representative Jake Johansson said he believes it’s “extremely important” for the council to review a template of what the council will present at the “State of the County” event.

“This is not the president’s State of the Union. We don’t have a chief executive elected official,” he said.

Johansson added that he doesn’t want to be surprised by the contents of the “State of the County” event. Johansson made a motion to have the council pre-approve the contents of the “State of the County” event, including the chairman’s speech. Brower is running for reelection this year, so it’s not clear whether he’ll still be the chairman in 2025.

The County Council approved that motion 6-1, with Brower dissenting.”

In his defense, Brower explained that “…county staff told him the State of the County address is his speech and gave him “free rein.” Brower said he made clear in his speech what goals were his personal goals that he would bring to the council.”

Interesting set-up, eh?

The fact is, our County Charter directs the Chair to address both the Council and Volusia County residents annually – and some cheap power move by these carping Monarchical figureheads does not usurp that responsibility – or dictate that the Chairman only speak of things that feed the enormous egos of the other six…      

In my view, Chairman Brower should have made a point of publicly telling these lecturing weasels just where they could shove their haughty notion of ‘going along and getting along.’

In a pique of pomposity, Councilman Johansson said he would not attend next year’s address if it weren’t scripted in advance – then accused Chairman Brower of taking his brutal tag-team thrashing “a little personal.”

My God.  What a pretentious blowhard…  

Look, I’m the first to admit – Chairman Brower can be his own worst enemy. 

When he announced his reelection campaign last May, Mr. Brower promised supporters he was “taking the gloves off” – now, I’m not even sure he knows what the term means.  Let’s face it, being publicly kicked in the crotch repeatedly by petty politicians without punching back doesn’t inspire confidence…  

Regardless, this pernicious practice of Brower’s “colleagues” campaigning for his competition from the dais is horribly divisive – ethically and morally wrong – but it is nothing new.

Trust me.  There is a reason our uber-wealthy insiders want lockstep conformity on the Volusia County Council – and it has nothing to do with reducing the size and cost of government, making essential services more efficient, protecting our threatened environment, or preserving what remains of our increasingly claustrophobic quality of life. 

Chairman Brower was right about one thing:  Volusia County residents deserve better…

Asshole           Flagler County Administrator Heidi Petito

Once again, Flagler County Administrator Heidi Petito has left her elected bosses feverishly backpedaling, this time after she fired off a missive to School Superintendent LaShakia Moore suggesting Flagler County would be reducing or eliminating its $1.4 million commitment to the School District as part of a decade old 50/50 cost-sharing plan, most of which funds the School Resource Deputy program.

Let’s face it, this is not the first time Ms. Petito has left County Commissioners scratching their heads as they tried to recall authorizing one of her brusque communiques – which often have all the subtlety of a fart in church – such as insinuating to parents that protecting their children isn’t a priority for Flagler County Commissioners…   

According to an informative article in FlaglerLive! last week, we learned:

“Petito’s letter was phrased in a way that makes it seem as if the county has already made its decision. It has not: commissioners are interested in having that discussion, but Commission Chairman Andy Dance said the 50-50 cost-sharing approach is no longer sustainable. Dance was previously a school board member. He understands the district’s budget and the pressures it’s under.

“I am writing to inform you of an important decision regarding our ongoing financial commitment to the school district,” Petito wrote Moore on Feb. 13 (the day before the sixth anniversary of the Parkland school massacre), summarizing the county’s support “through various legacy expenditures” over the years. “However, after careful review and consideration, we have concluded that we can no longer sustain annual legacy expenditures that are not directly aligned with our strategic plan or mandated by state statute, while at the same time achieving our responsibility as county government.”

Wow.  Sounds cut-and-dried to me…

I’m just spit-balling here, but it seems like there are other areas to trim in Flagler County government before eliminating funding for school security – a point well made by Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly in a December 2023 letter to the Board of County Commissioners following a mention of the funding cut at a budget workshop.

Sheriff Staley said, in part:

“After the horrific tragedy of the high school shooting in Parkland in 2017, which left 17 students and staff dead and 17 injured, the Florida Legislature passed new laws in 2018 and 2019 encompassing a number of significant changes and requirements for school safety.

What they didn’t change was the Florida Department of Education Safe Schools funding formula, which they should have. The current formula, developed in the 1980s, penalizes school districts that are in low-crime rate counties, such as Flagler County. Now that school safety requirements are the same across every county, the formula should have been changed, too.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has 12 Deputies plus a supervisor assigned to Flagler County’s traditional schools, who provide security, investigate campus incidents, mentoring, and leadership to over 13,000 students at nine public schools, plus one charter school. Each campus has one SRD (School Resource Deputy), with the exception of our two High Schools, which have two SRDs at each campus.

These campuses, especially our high schools, are small cities. Flagler County SRDs are equipped with all necessary equipment to include medical kits with tourniquets, bandages, and gloves. They also wear ballistic vests with a rifle plate and have immediate access to an AR-15 to help protect them and others and to immediately stop a threat to our children.”

Now, parents, board members, and other stakeholders feel “blindsided” by Ms. Petito’s notice – and the tone of the correspondence left many believing the funding cuts had already been decided.  

A follow-up article in FlaglerLive! reported that both Dance and Commissioner Dave Sullivan walked back comments regarding Petito’s missive in an interview – with Dance claiming that his comments at the December workshop were merely to “open a discussion” about transitioning the expenses – and that the Commission had given consensus to “look” at the expenses,” clarifying that there was no agreement to end funding.  

In an earlier interview with FlaglerLive!, it was reported that Flagler County Commissioner Leann Pennington said she was “caught off guard” by Petito’s letter – and while she recalled the budget discussion regarding “legacy expenses,” Ms. Pennington could not remember the Commission giving consensus for Petito to act.

Last year, at the BOCC’s direction, Ms. Petito sent a letter to all Flagler County municipalities soliciting support for a sales tax increase – correspondence that some felt contained erroneous information – including a statistic that “..almost 40% of the funds collected will be paid by non- residents,” which was, in the view of many, complete bullshit.

That “miscommunication” turned into something of a good ‘ol Flagler County bruhaha that left County Commissioners red-faced… 

Now this? 

The ruckus prompted Flagler County Commission Chair Andy Dance to issue a long-winded manifesto this week – alternately blaming the messenger, FlaglerLive!, for the confusion – then reassuring parents that there is no “immediate threat” to alter current SRD funding, stating “…there will be meetings occurring soon to initiate a collaborative approach to evaluate funding constraints and opportunities that face the District and the County to address the County’s concerns. There is no predetermined timeline for action on these discussions. School Resource Deputies are not leaving school campuses.”

Find Chairman Dance’s rambling declaration here: http://tinyurl.com/mtxkmj5b

Regardless, as often happens when people feel “blindsided” on both sides of the dais – there remains righteous public backlash that has left the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners clearly scrambling with egg on their face…

That’s rarely a good look for a County Administrator…  

Given the explosive growth that Flagler County and Palm Coast officials continue to advance – it is time to determine how the infrastructure and essential services required to meet increasing demand will best be shared – preferably in an environment free of chaos, confusion, and mixed-signals from Ms. Petito. 

Angel               Defenders of the former Osceola Elementary School

It is bitter-sweet when those who take a stand against the machinations of those we have elected to represent our interests are vindicated – and this week it became apparent that the intrepid parents, staff, and officials who sensed something strange afoot and fought so hard to save Ormond Beach’s only beachside school were right all along…

In 2021, in a shambolic process that defied any reasonable concept of “due process” – with inadequate public notice and virtually no public input – the Volusia County School Board voted to close Osceola Elementary in favor of spending millions in public funds to build a new school on the site of the former Ortona Elementary in Daytona Beach, then consolidate students and teachers at the new Beachside Elementary.     

The decision, which disrupted hundreds of lives – one that had been clearly reached in advance – was challenged by parents and stakeholders of Osceola Elementary, to include a petition signed by some 600 concerned residents, and a controversial $2 million pledge by the City of Ormond Beach to help with renovations and repairs of the campus. 

In the end, none of it mattered.  

Then, last October, we began to hear rumblings that our district’s “brain trust” was considering relocating Riverview Learning Center – an “alternative education” program for students who have violated the “code of conduct” and been removed from other schools – from its current location on North Wild Olive Avenue (with a satellite location ten-miles away on Herbert Street) to the former Osceola Elementary campus in Ormond Beach.   

In turn, taxpayers heard the usual dirges about how the Riverview campus – constructed in the 1920’s – has been allowed to rot into such disrepair that renovations are now estimated at $5 million (I always assume those arbitrary estimates are arrived at by the same facilities maintenance, operations, and management “experts” who allowed the property to decay in the first place…)   

Whatever.

At the time, Elizabeth Albert, president of Volusia United Educators, the union representing teachers and paraprofessionals, demanded answers for those displaced during the consolidation: “They don’t understand this,” Albert said to the School Board, “Some of the comments here: ‘It wasn’t good enough to restore for us, but now it is?'”

To my knowledge, Ms. Albert never got an adequate explanation…

Neither did disappointed Ormond Beach residents. 

But now we know the miraculous answer. 

On Tuesday, the rumors and speculation inherent to Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s administration were confirmed when the School Board voted to approve the transfer of the Riverview campus to Osceola.   

In an excellent article this week by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, we learned:

“School Board members Ruben Colon and Anita Burnette said the district should commit to making some improvements to the Osceola campus to better accommodate the Riverview students. While School Board member Carl Persis agreed, he also said that the board needs to be informed of how much those improvements will cost and what they will look like.

“We decided to abandon Osceola because it was going to cost too much money to renovate it,” Persis said. “And we said, ‘Let’s just build a brand new school’ … I don’t want students to be a substandard facility.”

I found it interesting how much things have magically improved at the Osceola campus… 

According to the Observer, Superintendent Balgobin now reports “…the improvements suggested for the Osceola campus would be minimal. District staff confirmed that facilities, like the cafeteria, were in good shape.”

What about the dilapidated Riverview facility, you ask?   

Well, it appears that facility has also undergone some supernatural transformation and is now perfectly capable of housing offices for district staff!

According to Patty Corr, chief operating officer for Volusia County Schools:

“We were just having a conversation before the board meeting that we are in desperate need of space, for office space, for personnel in all parts of our county and looking at repurposing the physical building of Riverview,” Corr said.”

What a crazy coincidence!  

Amazing how everything has a way of miraculously working itself out when you simply ignore the input and objections of your constituents, eh? 

I hope Volusia County voters will remember this mystical legerdemain come election time…

Quote of the Week

“Imagine the following ad for the recruitment of a city manager for Deltona:

“HELP WANTED — Someone with the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, the humility of Jesus, the compassion of a missionary, the thick and armored “skin of an alligator,” the toughness of a Marine, the warmth of a golden retriever, and the resolve to maintain these qualities during natural disasters, storms and human-caused crises. Apply today.”

More than four years after Jane Shang exited as city manager, Deltona’s quest for someone to come into town and solve all the problems is once again gaining attention and traction. With the City Commission’s blessing, Colin Baenziger and Associates, the executive-search firm Deltona has contracted to lead the search, has prepared a brochure to supplement its advertising in publications and online to reach potential applicants for the position.

Newly appointed City Commissioner Troy Shimkus noted Deltona has a reputation for being “dysfunctional,” beset with plenty of challenges in a time of nonstop growth.”

–Reporter Al Everson, West Volusia Beacon, “HELP WANTED: Applications open in Deltona manager search,” Friday, February 23, 2024

The Lost City of Deltona’s advertisement for its next City Manager isn’t so much a call for applications as it is a cry for help – an “S.O.S.” of extreme distress – an urgent appeal by citizens and city staff desperately seeking stability. 

Sorting out this mess isn’t going to be easy…   

My three decades in public service provided many lessons about human nature and the effect of unbridled power on small minds in the confines of a municipal government – and the devastating fallout that ensues.    

One key lesson is that a community’s inability to attract and retain quality senior administrators is a key indicator of a government in crisis – and by that metric the Lost City of Deltona has soared past the “crisis stage” and is now an abject shit show – choreographed, produced, and performed in the raging inferno of a dumpster fire…

For instance, earlier this week, Deltona became a front-page/above the fold laughingstock when Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr. – for what he must have thought the best of reasons (?) – unilaterally named March 13 “L. Ron Hubbard Day” in honor of the controversial founder of the Church of Scientology – then clumsily rescinded the proclamation in a ham-handed social media post…   

Perhaps worse – after embarrassing himself, Mayor Avila couldn’t shut-up about it.  Later claiming in a solo statement on social media that he had single-handedly “made the choice” that the City of Deltona will no longer issue faith-based proclamations…

That on-going confusion is why not too many experienced administrators worth their salt – some of whom have been chewed up and spit out in internecine political wars in other unfortunate places – will be willing to try their hand at sorting the gut-wrenching dysfunction of a Civic Thunderdome like Deltona. 

In my view there is plenty of blame to go around – and that ugly history should be unpacked, spread out, and openly aired beyond a blurb in a headhunter’s brochure that reads, “…some in the public have lost trust in the government,” and “Commission meetings have, on occasion, become raucous.”

The sales pamphlet also (almost comically) warns, “Deltona has a variety of competing interests. The ideal candidate will be immune to pressure. He/she will be strong but diplomatic, and have the skin of an alligator. Finding common ground, and bringing people to a consensus will be key to success.”

Tall order.  I would add bring your own whip, chair, and asbestos underwear to the list… 

I’ve said this before, now is the time for the Deltona City Commission to put their petty personal agendas aside, act responsibly, and come together for the common good (look that term up in your “Elected Official” handbook) and remain vigilant at this critical time.

Because there will always be self-serving opportunists waiting to take advantage of a leadership void – fakes and frauds with one good suit and a briefcase – failed screwballs, and “managers in transition,” looking for their next victim – confidence artists who speak in acronyms and bureaucratese who will offer their services in hopes of backdooring a six-figure gig in the sun. 

As things play out, those behind-the-scenes power players in Deltona who manipulate their hand-select Muppets on the dais should allow this process to progress free of external meddling. 

There is a time to work the system – and a time to allow the system to work – and this one’s important…     

And Another Thing!

“Volusia County is giving serious consideration to the construction of a $10.2 million motocross track in the county.

The County Council heard a presentation this week from Hunden Strategic Partners about options for a track. The council asked for more information on each option presented by the consultant, so the matter will come back for further discussion.

The options include the county building and managing the track on its own or creating a public-private partnership, where a private firm manages operations and pays the county a share of the profits.

County officials are considering an area off Tomoka Farms Road west of the city of Port Orange.”

–Reporter Sheldon Gardner, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia council mulls $10.2M motocross facility,” Friday, February 23, 2024

“Come with me and you’ll be, In a world of pure imagination…”

“Take a look and you’ll see, Into your imagination…”

“We’ll begin with a spin, Traveling in the world of my creation, What we’ll see will defy explanation…”

–Willy Wonka, 1971

One year ago, Volusia County Councilman Troy Kent expressed interest in establishing what would later become a dog friendly section of beach.  He also resurrected the possibility of allowing double-taxed residents to drive on the beach toll-free by charging out-of-county visitors a little extra for vehicular access and parking in beachfront parks.

That didn’t happen… 

As you may recall, Kent’s suggestion dissolved into a grim discussion of metered parking in off-beach lots for everyone, and the specter of raising beach tolls and fees for residents and visitors alike.  

Remember?  I do. 

Initially, naysayers painted the dog beach idea as so prohibitively expensive that it would cause financial Armageddon for Volusia County.  At the time, Councilman Danny Robins moved to squash the idea early, wringing his hands, and moaning the Poormouth Blues:

“The big elephant in the room is, how are we going to pay for it?  I don’t want to hear that we have a $1.2 billion budget — that’s not a sufficient answer … We’re in an economic decline.”

In turn, Councilman Don Dempsey was more direct – warning that Volusia County families should “suck it up” and expect to pay more for a day at the beach.   

Yeah.  That didn’t age well…

In October 2023, in a blatant example of a self-absorbed elected official using public funds to feather their own nest – Councilman Dempsey sprung a cockamamie idea for a taxpayer funded “public motocross facility” in an off-the-agenda sleight-of-hand for the ages. 

While the rest of us rubes (Read: “Taxpayers”) are shaking in our boots over the complete lack of a comprehensive transportation infrastructure plan, overstressed public utilities, dwindling water quality in area rivers and lakes, massive flooding across the width and breadth of Volusia County, dangerous fuel terminals near residential areas, a complete lack of beach management and hodge-podge coastal erosion control, struggling emergency medical services, a broken zoning and permitting apparatus, dangerous conditions in correctional facilities, public safety concerns, lack of “high paying” jobs, safe and affordable housing, an artificial economy where government picks winners and losers, rising taxes and fees, density, congestion, malignant overdevelopment, etc., etc. – we learn that Councilman Dempsey’s most pressing priority – his Number One concern – the greatest single urgency facing Volusia County residents – is our lack of a motocross track? 

Really?

“It’s been proposed and we put it on the meeting agenda about two or three months ago when each councilman talked about what they think would be their priority if they had a wish list,” Dempsey said. “My priority was a motocross facility, because we have been needing it. We are 30 years past due for one.”

I don’t make this shit up, folks…                       

   

Unbelievably, what everyone thought was just a weird fantasy dancing around in Mr. Dempsey’s Wonkaesque imagination is now gaining traction as the Volusia County Council spent public funds hiring a consultant to tell them that a publicly funded motocross track, built on publicly-owned land near Port Orange, will cost you and I an estimated $10.2 million (I say “estimated” because I’ve never known a government project that came in close to the initial estimated budget, have you?) 

What?  You’re a senior citizen living on a fixed income, worried about the dearth of affordable housing, astronomical insurance premiums, and explosive sprawl that is making traffic unbearable and forcing you to wait hours for treatment in overcrowded area emergency rooms, and you don’t want your tax dollars shunted to a ridiculous $10.2+ million “nice to have”? 

Tough shit, Granny.  Don Dempsey has his ‘priorities’…

As history proves here on the “Fun Coast”, those malleable Good ‘ol Boys who “get along and go along” and protect the stagnant status quo get whatever they want – and those who refuse to conform and stand for the real needs of their long-suffering constituents get the Bastinado treatment on the dais – in front of God and everybody, during an election year – for even acknowledging the pressing issues of our time.    

Sound familiar? 

That’s all for me.  Have a great Bike Week 2024, y’all!