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…

On Volusia: The more things change, the more they stay the same…  

When it comes to the machinations of government, the subtleties speak volumes.

Those clever codes and dog whistles that the bureaucracy uses to signal what is important to the behind-the-scenes string pullers who actually set public policy – and what is not. 

Those who determine which issues advance and which wither on the vine.

For instance, in advance of this week’s Volusia County Council meeting, I perused the agenda – specifically, a proposed ordinance that will allow five-lot subdivisions in rural and agricultural areas that meet certain specifications without the need for council approval.  Essentially, the action will now permit “…the subdivision of properties that are obviously large enough to meet all code requirements and where minimal development of infrastructure is required.”

On the agenda sheet, the purpose for the proposed ordinance was listed as “Increase Efficiency and Effectiveness of Government Operations,” one of five loose-fitting “Strategic Goals” where ordinances, resolutions, and council actions are pigeonholed for political insulation.

Attached was a three-page summary prepared by Growth and Resource Mismanagement Director Clay Ervin, complete with supporting minutes from the Planning and Land Development Regulations Commission, along with a draft of the proposed ordinance for council review. 

All neatly wrapped up in a glossy package and presented to the Council with a bow on it… 

Ergo, the bureaucracy and its supporting cast on the dais want the ability to approve small subdivisions without bringing the matter before the Council – or the public.  (It passed unanimously…)

Then I turned to the most critical issue of our time – Item 4. 

Chairman Jeff Brower’s request for a mere discussion of a proposed temporary moratorium on future development until flood mitigation and sustainable growth management regulations can be set – an emergency stopgap brought forth during Brower’s recent reelection campaign to address the most galvanizing and destructive issue of our time.

Somehow, Mr. Brower’s request didn’t meet any of the county’s identified strategic goals, including what would appear to be the items intended purpose to “Support a Solution-Oriented Culture.”  (Sorry.  I just upchucked in my mouth a little…)

To signal the opposition, the planned discussion of the “M word” was summarized as, “Chairman Brower requested this agenda item by the attached email on Saturday, November 9, 2024.”

That’s it.

The only supporting material attached to the agenda was an email sent by Chairman Brower to County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald and County Attorney Michael Dyer, listing a series of “compelling arguments” and legal precedents detailing why Volusia County should consider a temporary moratorium in the face of recurrent widespread flooding:

“The suffering of our constituents and the increased danger to every resident and county property has made this complicated but important responsibility a priority for this council. I believe we can and will accept the challenge put before us by the recent devastating damage and loss of our constituent’s property and future. I thank you for your consideration and I believe the public expects us to act decisively, boldly, and thoughtfully.”

Later in the week, a letter from Chairman Brower seeking cooperation from area municipal governments was attached.   

What do you think County Manager Recktenwald ($259,041 annually, not including benefits) and his paralytic senior staff was communicating to decision makers? 

That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to anyone paying attention when, on cue, things worked out just as they had been scripted ahead of time. 

Before the agenda had been approved, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago set the stage for kicking that rusty can down the dusty political trail – moving to wait for a minimum of “60-days” before even discussing flooding, because “I don’t have enough information to make a decision,” Santiago said.

After Santiago and the other do-nothings on the dais expended a lot of hot air justifying why, after years of flooding and decades of strategic procrastination on adopting low impact development practices, they still need more time to even talk about the most devastating problem of our time?

Callously, the remainder of the Council unanimously agreed on a 6-0 vote (with Councilman Matt Reinhart absent) to a “special meeting” on January 14, 2025…  

It was another public castration of Chairman Brower – and a slap in the face to the overflow crowd of soggy residents who jammed both the main gallery and a holding room downstairs – to demand that their elected representatives take action to mitigate flooding in Volusia County.

During citizen participation, the elected officials sat stone-faced while countless constituents gave nearly three-hours of emotional testimony, openly pleading for action on development-induced flooding – interspersed with a few developers, real estate brokers, commercial construction companies, and “economic development” shills – who told flashlight under the chin scary stories about how even a temporary moratorium on future development would result in financial Armageddon for those in the trades…   

Bullshit. 

At present, there is enough rehabilitation work in Volusia County to keep a construction company in business for generations…

Per usual, in the end, the institutionalized status quo of stagnation and mediocrity prevailed. 

And those with a chip in the game got sixty more days to fill and build…

Between County Manager Recktenwald’s hypnotic monotone, the asinine finger pointing, the handwringing hypocrisy, timewasting spit/spats, and David Santiago’s stall tactics and name-calling, the devastating issue of regional flooding almost got lost in the bureaucratic ether. 

Just as “No Show” Santiago intended… 

Once again, the same tired names in the cloistered halls of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building who got us into this mess in the first place will be given even more money – then permitted to cover their previous mistakes and formulate a “solution” to get us out of it. 

While the bulldozers continue to roar.

The very definition of insanity.

Perhaps it is time for frustrated victims of Volusia County’s growth at all cost strategy to demand federal and state agencies with the responsibility for protecting the public trust investigate the myriad allegations, whispered suspicions, and murky alliances at all levels of government that have resulted in this malicious foot-dragging on a clear and present danger to public health and safety? 

I’m asking. 

Because this choreographed strategic procrastination in the face of such widespread human suffering is obscene.

Whispering Sweet Nothings = Big Embarrassment for Volusia County Council

“Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.”

–Luke 16:10

Recently, reporter Sheldon Gardner published an important article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal blowing the whistle on a controversial but all too frequent practice: Off-the-record conversations between Volusia County Council members during public meetings.

In my view, Gardner’s excellent exposé left our embarrassed elected representatives scrambling to clarify if they are surreptitiously discussing official business in direct violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law – or just aloof, detached, and condescendingly inattentive to the ‘people’s business’ – safe in the knowledge that the decisions have already been made behind closed doors? 

Is there another explanation? 

For instance, during a Volusia County Council meeting earlier this year, a resident of Port Orange attempted to address her representatives regarding the noise and flooding many believe will accompany Councilman Don Dempsey’s proposed publicly funded motocross track – something that remains an issue of grave public concern – and residents want their voices heard.

As she spoke, the all-to-clubby Councilmen Danny “Gaslight” Robins and “Jake the Snake” Johansson struck up a private conversation in the middle of her appeal – arrogantly ignoring a citizen’s input – while chatting it up about who knows what off the microphone.

To her credit, the concerned resident paused and politely asked if she were interrupting before continuing with her presentation.   

A telling moment… 

According to the News-Journal’s report, “At the council meeting on Sept. 17, multiple councilmen spoke with each other off the microphone. District 4 Councilman Vice Chair Troy Kent and District 1 Councilman Don Dempsey engaged in a conversation that no one could hear.”

“It’s a common scenario at Volusia County Council meetings. Councilmen regularly make off-the-microphone comments to one another during meetings that no one can hear in the meeting room or on the recordings posted online. While councilmen assert they’re not talking about public business, an official with the Florida Center for Government Accountability said off-the-microphone comments shouldn’t happen either way.”

In Florida, public meetings must be open and accessible to everyone. 

In fact, state law holds that elected officials who discuss business that may come before them outside of a duly noticed public meeting can face a noncriminal infraction with a fine of up to $500 – or “a misdemeanor charge that could come with jail time, a fine, or both.”

Per usual, those council members who have been caught whispering sweet nothings now attempt to marginalize and dismiss the valid concerns of their constituents: 

“It’s small talk like, ‘How’s your family?'” Dempsey said.

Johansson said he might ask Robins to pass him a piece of candy or something trivial like that.

“What time’s dinner? What are you doing tomorrow morning?” Johansson said.

You know, just your typical backslappin’ ‘good ‘ol boy’ banter among buddies…  

“Robins said he doesn’t discuss any public business with other councilmen off the microphones.

“If I do talk to another council person up there, it is above board,” he said.

District 5 Councilman David Santiago described the off-the-mic chatter as “normal casual conversations” that never drift into policy.

“People are going to assume you’re doing something wrong. It’s probably sometimes because it’s what they would do,” Santiago said.

District 2 Councilman Matt Reinhart described the chats as discussions of everyday life, like Robins’ fishing trips, but nothing policy-related.

“First off, I know better,” Reinhart said.

Kent said that sometimes during the hours long meetings, a councilman may ask about his personal life or vice versa.”

Bullshit.  Talk fishing on your own damn time…        

Perhaps Councilman “No Show” Santiago should understand that We, The Little People naturally “assume” his off-the-record conversations are out-of-bounds – because they are – and his cheap counteraccusations only raise more questions about his skeevy practices both on and off the dais…  

It’s called “character” Mr. Santiago.  Look that concept up in your County Council Handbook.    

For his part, Chairman Jeff Brower told the News-Journal he plans to police the meetings closer in the future.  “I really don’t want a circus on the Council. I’m really going to start just politely calling it out and letting them know anything that is said is public comment, so they need to share it with everybody,” he said.”

To his credit, none of his chatty “colleagues” on the dais of power speak to Mr. Brower.  About anything. The sad fact is, Brower has been frozen out of the Ivory Tower of Power so hard he should be wearing an arctic parka…

Find the News-Journal’s informative piece here: https://tinyurl.com/mwm69cs2

Another concerning aspect of Volusia County’s “trust issue” was brought to my attention earlier this week when a Barker’s View reader wrote to ask if I knew why county government has failed to post council meeting minutes since June? 

Good question…

More important, the concerned citizen wanted to know why, after repeated attempts to communicate with her council members, none of our elected officials have bothered to respond to a taxpayer’s legitimate question? 

What gives?

Perhaps the resident is being blatantly ignored because she didn’t throw enough money around during election cycles?

On Tuesday, the Council voted to approve minutes from May 7, 2024, July 16, 2024, a July 23, 2024, Workshop, and the August 20, 2024, September 17, 2024, meetings. 

With a record budget now topping $1.6 Billion (you read that right), one would think someone inside that monstrously bloated, uncaring, and unwieldy machine could compile and post meeting minutes in a timely manner…

In the meantime, John & Jane Q. can wait to research issues and actions important to their lives and livelihoods until it’s convenient to the bureaucracy.

Then, just after midnight Wednesday morning, in another of example of an off-the-agenda public policy by ambush – the Volusia County Council voted 6-0 (with Reinhart absent) to limit their meetings to six hours, further pushing important issues down the dusty political trail and ensuring our elected representatives don’t exhaust themselves bumping their gums, obfuscating the issues, and avoiding the very real needs of Volusia County residents.

Of course, they forgot to vote on a corresponding reduction in their $48,926 annual stipend for a part-time job now limited to 12-hours each month (not including the all-important dinner break) …

I don’t make this shit up, folks.      

In my jaded view, these serious issues serve as another ugly example of the hubris and political arrogance that permeates every aspect of Volusia County government – from the top down.

The rules are for We, The Little People.  Nothing to see here, folks.  Keep moving…

In my view, these recurring public integrity questions, gross government inefficiency, and recurrent transparency issues highlight the “We do what we want, when we want” culture that exists whenever unbridled power and a sense of infallibility lead those in public office to believe the rules no longer applies to them in matters large and small.   

Quote of the Week

“Heated debates erupted at a Volusia County Council meeting Tuesday as residents demanded action on a proposed moratorium on new construction, aimed at addressing widespread flooding issues caused by recent hurricanes. 

Hundreds packed the meeting, frustrated by the council’s decision to delay a vote. The board opted to push the matter to a special meeting within the next 60 days, a move that drew boos, interruptions, and impassioned pleas from attendees. 

“You’d have to be deaf and dumb not to see how people are suffering,” one resident said during the meeting. “We know what you’re doing — you’re trying to get around it.” 

Many residents still displaced by Hurricane Milton shared their struggles. Pam Teator, holding back tears, pleaded for empathy. 

“As you go home today and prepare to sleep in your bed, please think of those of us who can’t do that,” she said. “As you prepare for the upcoming holiday, and you gather around your table at Thanksgiving, please think of those who can’t do that.” 

Others took a more direct approach. Allison Reaves of DeLand criticized the council for what he called a lack of response. 

“We have a flooding nightmare. All these people are hurting,” Reaves said. 

Tensions flared not only among residents but also between council members themselves. Heated exchanges included accusations of dishonesty and inaction.”

–Fox 35 News, “Volusia County residents weary from flooding clash with council over construction moratorium,” Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Volusia County flood victims are beginning to realize the depth to which those elected marionettes on the dais of power in DeLand will go to protect the very lucrative profit motives of those in the development community who fund their rise to power each election.

After that insult to all that is right and just on Tuesday, it should now be painfully obvious to Volusia County taxpayers exactly who controls the rods and strings of those well-choreographed puppet shows they stage twice a month (now limited to just six-hours…), which serve mainly to spend money, ram through zoning changes, defer impact fees, and rubber stamp more development.  

Most disappointing, Chairman Jeff Brower, who was recently returned to office with a citizen mandate to ramrod change on that ossified dais – continues to vote in lockstep with the very shills and obstructionists who tried their damndest to end his political career earlier this month.

So much for all that taking off the gloves, horseshit, eh? 

In my view, Brower should have opened this week’s charade by calling for the resignations of County Manager George Recktenwald, Director of Growth and Resource Mismanagement Clay Ervin, and Public Works Director Ben Bartlett.

That’s taking the gloves off – and a damn good start to solving the historical and intractable development-induced problems we face…  

In the words of the great Father Phil Egitto, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Daytona Beach, who spoke to the Volusia County Council on Tuesday, “Nothing changes, if nothing changes…”

And Another Thing!

As a veteran watcher of politics and governance here on this salty spit of land we call home, I understand better than most what our democratic process has devolved into.    

For instance, political campaigns for non-partisan Volusia County Council seats have for years been dominated by massive campaign contributions from influential insiders and skewed by blatant falsehoods printed on “glossy mailers” that are paid for with mysterious “dark money” that originates from equally enigmatic political action committees.

Even staunch Republicans have been left reeling by the shim-sham schemes of the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia and its dictatorial leadership who continue to engage in pay-to-play politics, endorsing anyone their uber-wealthy overseers tell them to support…  

Through habituation, I’ve become hardened by what passes for politics in Volusia County.   

After a lifetime spent in municipal government, with time and repetitive insult, I’ve developed a thick callous on my psyche that protects my fragile sanity from the hype and horseshit of the campaign cycle.   

That said, I must admit, the postelection kabuki performed by petty politicians (or their proxies) who attempt to rewrite history and paint themselves as victims still bothers me.  Because it is disingenuous and self-serving – caustic bilge that erodes the public trust.   

For instance, last week, Volusia County Councilman Matt Reinhart’s wife – who bills herself as a behind-the-scenes master of all political trades, “…Matt’s campaign manager, campaign treasurer, and responsible for his social media posts, and website,” published a diatribe on the popular social media site Volusia Issues decrying the “falsehoods,” “untruths,” “hostility,” and “slander” her delicate husband and “other candidates” were forced to endure during his recent reelection campaign.   

Mrs. Reinhart mewled, in part:

“The recent election was marred by numerous falsehoods presented as facts, particularly regarding “donations” from a candidate running for office. There was rhetoric suggesting that the council answers to donors rather than residents, along with other forms of misinformation that quickly spread on social media and at polling stations.

Due to Matt’s election, I stayed away from all political commentary and even the untruths that were spread about him and other candidates.

I cannot tell you how many falsehoods and fabricated stories I read about my husband and other candidates.

While people are entitled to their opinions, remember these candidates have families that love them, and it is painful to read the lies and the character assignation of your spouse or family member.”

Most shocking was the fact Mrs. Reinhart saw fit to post her spleen-venting harangue under numerous pictures of her family, children, and grandchildren (?). 

In doing so, she broke the cardinal rule of never parading family into the shit-pit of politics in some cheap attempt to garner sympathy – especially for a powerful elected official who accepts public funds to serve in the public interest – yet apparently can’t stand the heat of public scrutiny and righteous criticism come election time.  

In my view, the real reason for Mrs. Reinhart’s screed was to clean up that quid pro quo soiree that is the RECV’s annual Lincoln Dinner.

During the election, many longtime Volusia County Republicans were rightfully repulsed when they learned County Chair candidate “Car Guy” Randy Dye made an after-the-fact $5,000 donation to the RECV (ostensibly payable to the Lincoln Dinner) – then saw his name placed on the “Official Republican Voter Guide” – while Chairman Jeff Brower (also a Republican) was conspicuously omitted – even though he carried the August primary…

As questions of impropriety swirled, civic activist Cathrine Pante perfectly summarized the suspicions of many voters in a well-researched piece on the popular social media site Protect Volusia:  

“Exactly 8 days after the August 20th Primary, In which Jeff Brower captured 42% of the vote and Randy Dye 28 % in a four way race.  Randy Dye made a $5000 dollar donation, to the REC.  After this donation, The REC used Rule 8 in a sham vote to sideline Jeff Brower and keep him off the voter guide which is mailed to all Republicans and passed out at the polls.”

It just so happens that Mrs. Reinhart was the “Co-Chair for the 2024 Lincoln Dinner in Volusia County…”

Yeah.  I know.  In Volusia County, it helps to be a member of the inner circle…

In Simonizing the facts, Mrs. Reinhart wrote, in part:

“Sponsors of the Lincoln Dinner can buy tables ranging in price from $3,000 to $10,000. Their sponsorship includes complimentary valet parking, acknowledgment in the program, access to a Sponsor/VIP reception with an open bar and appetizers, and dinner accompanied by guest speakers.

VIP and dinner tickets are available for purchase. Most guests opt to pay in advance of the dinner, while some sponsors and a few guests choose to pay post-event. Payments are made via checks sent through mail, addressed to RECVC.

The candidate in question sponsored a table and paid after the event in late August. There was no nefarious activity that went on behind the scenes.”

Says who? 

In addition, Councilman Reinhart took criticism after accepting campaign donations from influential insiders – ultimately accumulating a war chest over $118,000 – more than twice that of his largely self-funded grassroot opponent.

In an informative article by reporter Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal before the election we learned:

“Reinhart’s top donors include businesses associated with developer Mori Hosseini, Cici and Hyatt Brown, of Brown and Brown Insurance, and associated entities and businesses; and entities related to the Avalon Park development and its officials.

Avalon Park Daytona Beach is expected to add 7,878 homes and a million square feet of commercial space on the south side of State Road 40/West Granada Boulevard, about a mile west of Interstate 95. As of January, the developers still needed to resolve concerns over traffic and wetlands, among other issues.

Reinhart defends the donations.

“These are individuals that reach out to me that are not looking for favors. They’re looking for good government,” he said.”

Of course they are…

Either Mrs. Reinhart is a sore winner, or she needs to learn something about ‘selling past the close…’

In my view, as a political operative, Mrs. Reinhart should understand that long-suffering Volusia County residents continue to deal with the fallout of a lack of representation and her husband’s staunch defense of the stagnant status quo.

That includes the unchecked sprawl, lack of preparedness and infrastructure to manage the massive growth to come, refusing to demand that developers to pay their fair share, and the cowardly inability of the Volusia County Council to reign in what residents perceive as the backroom collusions and return on investment that brought us to this sad, desperate, and increasingly waterlogged place in our history.

I don’t know about you, but as a Volusia County taxpayer – I want to hear directly from my elected representative on social media and websites – not from his doting ghostwriter, Mrs. Reinhart. 

She hasn’t been elected to anything…  

In my view, this pathetic shrinking violet act – wallowing in butthurt self-pity after winning a relatively benign campaign – paints the already weak Councilman Reinhart as even more ineffectual than his performance proves, as he dutifully fulfills his minor supporting role of voting in lockstep conformity with his fellow marionettes. 

Not a good look…

Grow some bark, Councilman Reinhart.

Seeking sympathy while your constituents are suffering is poor optics.  Your campaign manager should understand that.

To those much is given, much is expected – and your constituents are now demanding answers to the tough questions.  They need comprehensive solutions to the serious problems that are destroying their property values and quality of life this time around – and more obstructionism and procrastination is immoral and unacceptable.   

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

_______________

In keeping with tradition, Barker’s View will take a break next week as we join with family and friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving – a time to reflect and give grateful appreciation for all the wonderful gifts in our lives.

The friendship and loyalty of Barker’s View readers is a great blessing for me – and whether we agree or disagree on the issues of the day – I thank you for taking the time to read and consider an alternative opinion.  

My sincere hope is that you and yours enjoy all the bounty and blessings of this Joyous Season!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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…

The City of Edgewater Sets a Bold Example

In my recent autopsy of our local election results, I took some criticism for voicing the view that Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower’s victory represents a “mandate” for direct action on those environmental and growth issues he championed during his tumultuous first term.   

A reader suggested that my “…use of the word “mandate” in connection with a county-wide election having a margin of about 7,000 votes (about a percentage point) is ill-advised. More accurately, that’s a “squeaker.”

Although I hate explaining myself, the fact is, Mr. Brower’s grassroots campaign was outspent (4:1), he was openly maligned by his elected “colleagues” on the dais (who beat Brower like a borrowed mule at the bidding of their well-heeled overseers), he was falsely accused in a mysteriously funded glossy mailer of mollycoddling sex offenders, while his opponent received the ringing endorsement of all the right last names and the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia ran interference – yet, he still emerged victorious on a platform focused on smart growth initiatives.

So, I’ll stick to my original assessment… 

In my view, given all the internal and external obstacles he overcame, Brower’s win represents a clear citizen mandate for addressing the impacts of malignant growth on existing residents, infrastructure, and public utilities.

As evidence of that, just days before the election, Chairman Brower appeared on the steps of the Volusia County Courthouse in Daytona Beach flanked by flood victims to call for a temporary moratorium on development until a flood mitigation plan can be reached.

The angry response from development shills like District 3 Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins, At-Large Representative “Jake the Snake” Johansson, and Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry was telling – and demonstrated just how far some compromised politicians will go to kiss the sizeable asses of their political benefactors – always to the detriment of their waterlogged constituents.

Now, some observers are suggesting that the meanspirited kabuki staged by Robins and Johansson in the face of devastated flood victims represents what’s to come in Brower’s second term – others believe it signaled the exact second Jake and Danny’s political careers ended…

To prove the urgency many elected representatives across the region are giving the problem, last week the Edgewater City Council held a workshop to discuss two proposed moratoriums – a temporary pause to give them time to address flooding in the heavily affected community.

One would limit residential development citywide with exceptions for commercial development and Hurricane Milton repairs.  The other would place a hold on the issuance of building permits that may “increase impervious surfaces” in the Florida Shores Drainage Basin.

According to an informative piece by reporter Brenno Carillo writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Florida Shores moratorium “…would stop “consideration of building permits that would increase impervious surface area, such as, but not limited to, new single-family homes, additions, detached garages, sheds, pools, driveways, patios on any parcel within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin” area, according to the presentation.”

In addition, “The other moratorium would be citywide and imposed “on the consideration of annexations, rezonings, comprehensive plan amendments, site plans, preliminary plats and final plats,” according to Solstice.

The measure would only affect residential developments, not commercial or industrial projects.”

To his credit, Edgewater’s man-child Mayor Deizel Depew said he “cannot in good faith” approve more development until a comprehensive stormwater masterplan is in place.  

“I’ve lived in Florida Shores my whole, entire life,” DePew, 20, said. “We don’t know where our current watershed is going, we have several developments that have come on board since 2014. (The stormwater masterplan) needs to be updated as fast as can be.”

In my view, if Edgewater can see the dire need to tap the brakes while they evaluate changes to how and where they develop in the face of recurrent flooding, why can’t Volusia County take the lead on controlling fill and build development practices, improve stormwater management, and work cooperatively with the municipalities to find answers?   

That’s rhetorical… 

In my view, the glaringly obvious answer is the voracious greed of a real estate development industry that owns the political souls of the majority of the Volusia County Council – most of whom are bought and paid for marionettes with inherently corrupt instincts and an egoistic need to be considered part of the “in-crowd” – dull tools who dutifully serve their master’s to the detriment of those of us who are expected to pay the bills and suffer in silence. 

According to reports, Edgewater officials will hold a townhall meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, November 18, at the Bella Vista Baptist Church, 3232 South Ridgewood Avenue. 

Residents will be provided additional information on flood mitigation efforts and have an opportunity to ask questions.  In my view, if Edgewater officials hold the course and use lessons learned to form best practices, this dynamic community-oriented approach could be a blueprint for how Florida governments ultimately address development induced flooding.

DIY Engineering in Palm Coast?

Unlike the City of Edgewater, it appears Palm Coast officials are opting to deal with development induced and infill flooding by not dealing with it… 

Sound familiar?

When angry homeowners stormed Palm Coast City Hall last fall demanding answers to a flawed drainage system that allows runoff from new development and infill projects to flood adjoining properties, a temporary moratorium proposed by City Council member Theresa Pontieri was quickly nixed by the shortsighted majority. 

Instead, the city’s building and stormwater departments tweaked language in a “technical manual” that (finally) placed responsible height limits – no more than 22 inches above the crown of the road or more than a 10-inch height difference between the floor elevation of neighboring homes – on future growth. 

But what about waterlogged existing Palm Coast residents?

Well, dust off your civil engineering degrees, folks… 

Unbelievably, City officials – in cooperation with something called the Residential Drainage Advisory Committee – will now offer homeowners five cubic yards of city owned “surplus dirt” to use as they see fit to control stormwater runoff flowing from adjacent lots.

You read that right.

According to city press release, “It’s important to note that drainage fixes are not one-size-fits-all. Each property has unique needs, and some projects may require additional steps. If machinery is used to spread the dirt on the premises, homeowners will need to obtain a grading permit issued by the City of Palm Coast. The permit ensures compliance with local regulations and helps maintain proper drainage functionality.”

A grading permit will set resident’s back $82 bucks.

To fix a problem the City of Palm Coast created?

Whatever…

Because the City of Palm Coast cannot legally use public funds for private benefit, to keep things on the up-and-up, the “surplus” dirt will be available to all taxpaying residents of Palm Coast – not just those experiencing flooding. 

According to the release, the program has been assisted by a local surveyor who conducted surveys of 29 residential properties to help identify areas in “need of improvement.”

What could go wrong?

During a meeting earlier this week, bewildered Palm Coast residents voiced their logical concerns. 

According to an article in the Ormond Beach Observer:

“I’m telling you right now, this is not going to work,” resident Celia Pugliese said.

P Section resident Jeremy Davis has been one of the council’s most vocal critics on how the council and city has responded to residents’ drainage issues. He has told his story multiple times: a house was built in the empty lot next to his at a much higher height and since then, he said he has had water coming on to his property and even in his home that was never there before.

Davis called the 5 cubic yards offered “hilarious.”

“That’s not going to help me,” Davis said. “This is a waste of my time.”

Davis said it would be equally unfair for residents like himself to be required to pay for a permit to fix a problem caused by city staff and builders approving a home built higher than existing homes.

“Come up with real solutions,” Davis said.”

I agree with incredulous Palm Coast residents – but bureaucrats know that real problem solving can get expensive and time-consuming – while kicking the can down the dusty political trail costs nothing…

So, it appears the City of Palm Coast is opting to permit shade tree hydrological engineers to develop a hodgepodge of drainage “fixes” – 29 competing solutions, each designed to manage flooding on individual parcels – without ever addressing the mercurial problem of stormwater management.   

Look, there’s a reason doctors suggest you don’t remove your own inflamed appendix – or perform a root canal on that touchy molar – because those procedures are better left to trained professionals. Educated, experienced, and credentialed experts who can diagnose the problem holistically, find a solution, and develop a comprehensive treatment plan without doing more harm in the process.

In my view, like the remainder of Florida, the massive municipality of Palm Coast has been set upon by elected development shills who weaseled their way onto the dais of power and took full advantage of the shambolic dysfunction that permeates the City Council to foment more, more, more malignant growth and willy-nilly residential infill without any viable plan or smart growth regulations.

Now it is time for cities and counties who have adopted growth at all cost development strategies to be held legally and politically liable for permitting what they knew or should have known would have catastrophic impacts on existing residents.

In my view, that level of officially sanctioned negligence should be criminal…

Quote of the Week

“Several residents who live near the future development spoke before the board at its meeting on existing flooding issues, and voiced concerns that the development of Ormond Crossings will worsen conditions.

“It floods even if you do not have a hurricane, very, very badly,” Ormond Beach resident Jordan Huntley said.

Resident Darrel Bugno said he’s lived in his home in Durrance Lane for over 25 years and has experienced water in front of his driveway over 3-and-a-half feet deep.

“It happened last year,” he said. “It happened this year. And what’s going to happen next year? If this goes in, the people who have houses out there are all going to flood out. Water came within 10 feet of my house.”

On behalf of Ormond Crossings’ developer, representative Jamie Poulos said that as the development moves forward in more detail, a master stormwater plan will be created, to be reviewed by the city, the county St. Johns River Water Management District and FEMA.”

–Jarleene Almenas, Ormond Beach Observer, “Ormond Crossings amendment gets OK by Ormond Beach Planning Board,” Wednesday, October 30, 2024  

In the hubbub of the election, the first amendment to the slumbering behemoth known as Ormond Crossings escaped mention. 

For the uninitiated, the 3,000-acre project dates to 2002 when Ormond Beach was a much different place and will span the east and west side of I-95 and areas south of US-1, blanketing areas of Volusia and Flagler counties with 2,950 residential units and some 2.5 million square feet of retail, office, light industrial and warehouse space.

According to the Ormond Observer, last month, the Ormond Beach planning board voted to approve a request from the developer of Ormond Crossings to allow single-family homes in place of multifamily units in a portion of the property south of U.S. 1.

“Why the change from multifamily to single-family? Poulos said it’s because of the wetlands.

“We’re trying to minimize wetland impacts,” he said.”

Sure they are… 

I found it disturbing that while plans are moving swiftly through the approval process, the developer has yet to produce a master stormwater plan detailing how they will mitigate flooding concerns – especially now that longtime area residents have made it clear the area is already susceptible – going on record that the thousands of residential units proposed for Ormond Crossings will only exacerbate the problem. 

This one’s important.  Because if they get it wrong, our grandchildren will pay the price…

My hope is that Ormond Beach’s new Mayor Jason Leslie will provide the strong leadership necessary to address how development amendments are considered (let alone approved) without so much as a comprehensive stormwater plan in place – all while the experiential concerns of frightened existing residents are glossed over by some developer’s mouthpiece with a chip in the game.   

And Another Thing!

On Monday, I watched as the Deltona City Commission interrupted Veteran’s Day observances to hold a special meeting during which the solemn oath of office was administered to four newly elected members.    

A heady celebration of what many long-suffering resident’s hope foretells new beginnings, rather than more of the same…  

Time will tell. 

As I watched the transfer of power in the Lost City of Deltona – the typical ceremonial pomp, with the freshman commission members preening and posing for photographs with their proud families – I thought it fortunate that attendees were spared the acrimony many feared when former Commissioner “Jody Lee” ominously threatened to “name names” regarding what he described as “election interference” and issues with charter officers in a post-election interview with the West Volusia Beacon.  

In fact, neither “Jody Lee” or former Commissioner Dana McCool attended the special meeting…

Which was disappointing. 

But hard feelings run deep in politics – especially in Wild West Volusia… 

The last thing the longsuffering residents of Deltona need is more posturing and melodrama from the dais of power – and regardless of the venom and rancor of the campaign season – continuity of governance and confidence in our sacred democratic process demand an orderly transition. 

Unfortunately, despite the hopes of a new majority, Deltona’s external interests and influences were palpable in the Commission Chambers – like worms in the wood that forms the very structure of governance in that troubled place – entrenched, damaging, and hard to see from the outside looking in.

But on Monday, hope reigned supreme for long-suffering residents desperate for a way forward.

Those necessary changes begin with strong leadership. 

An end to bullying, obstructionism, and playing the martyred victim – more honest dialog, transparency, and attention to the real needs of those who pay the bills – less deference to influential special interests.    

My stock in trade is poking fun and making snide observations on the abject absurdity inherent to local politics – a jaundiced look at the weird machinations of governance here on Florida’s “Fun Coast” – my take on the interesting characters both in front and behind the curtain who manipulate the rods and strings.

In retirement, offering unsolicited advice, criticizing those actually in the arena, and pointing out where the strongman stumbled has become a guilty pleasure of mine.  After a lifetime in public service, these often-caustic screeds are cathartic – an ipecac of sorts – a creative outlet that helps purge my craw of the issues of the day…

The fact is, during a lengthy career in municipal government, I learned a few things about the importance of local governance and the delivery of essential services, including the actual role of elected officials in how the sausage gets made and the significance of accountability, accessibility, transparency, and trust.     

I originally posted a version of these maxims following the hotly contested elections of 2020, sort of an “Idiot’s Guide to local Governance” from an uneducated rube who clawed his way to middle management and hung on by my fingernails… 

In my view, these lessons remain relevant for newly elected officials, and a reminder for those incumbents who continue to wield power from their respective dais of power.   

During the campaign season, I took in the pie-in-the-sky goals of some of our newly elected officials who are about to experience their first sweet taste of power and influence in the microcosm of a local or regional government – where the haughty trappings of office and the obsequious fawning of their “new friends” with ulterior motives can be more intoxicating than 101 proof bourbon.

Meeting those highfalutin goals won’t be easy for most – and downright impossible for some – especially in places like the gilded Volusia County Council chamber where Chairman Jeff Brower learned a few things during his first term about what happens to campaign promises and legislative effectiveness when a square peg refuses to be forced into the round hole of conformity…

During my productive life, I once heard a story from a newly minted city commissioner who was invited to a congratulatory dinner by a prominent real estate developer.  The incredibly impressed neophyte politician – a service industry worker by trade – was over the moon with newfound hubris when the wealthy businessman paid for his dinner and drinks with a flashy “Black” American Express Centurion card.

It was an effective prop, of course.  The trappings of success.    

A physical reminder of all the fine things money and power can bring, and I thought how easily alliances are changed, ethics compromised, and campaign promises ignored when the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker enter this heady new world – a place where they are finally treated like “equals” by people who wouldn’t have given them the time of day before the election – a slippery slope where wide-eyed novice politicians are told anything is possible with the right application of the people’s money. 

An ultimately cruel and unforgiving place where the losers are immediately forgotten, like so much worthless rubbish when they no longer hold value for those once ingratiating “friends” who stand at the nexus of public funds and private profit motives.

Nobody said public service would be easy.  If someone did, they lied to you.   

Trust me – you’re going to hear a lot of artful avarice and misrepresentations during your term. 

If I were to purchase a gift for newly elected politicians preparing to take their seat it would be a simple hand mirror.

When the time comes – and it will – when the crown lays heavy and the feeling of infallibility overcomes the willingness to listen, when neighbors are screaming for their head, and chippie critics like me are bitching about how they screwed up the difficult calls, when compromising their personal ethics would be the easiest course, or when special interests who contributed to their campaign lobby hard for a controversial vote – they could use that mirror to take an introspective look at themselves and remember all the reasons why they sought to serve in the first place. 

To those ascending or returning to high office, here are some things I learned after a long public life that may help once the euphoria of the “big win” and self-aggrandizing celebrations have ended. 

Consider it the last gift you’ll receive with no strings attached:

Those rubber-chicken dinners – elegant “galas” with haughty elbow rubbing, ego massaging speeches, and silly plaques are not important.  Coffee with a concerned constituent is.

All people really want is to be heard.

Pay attention to those who pay the bills.  Make a place at the table for your constituents, hear them out, respect their hard-earned opinions, fight for their right to participate in a meaningful way, then incorporate their suggestions into the decision-making process.

Humility, and a true willingness to admit honest mistakes – then working hard to correct them – 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 the ultimate in ethical, moral, and honorable behavior that respects human dignity, obeys 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 receive as a barometer of community sentiment.  The loudest person in the room is not always right. 

They aren’t always wrong either.  

You can always tell when an elected official has gotten their feelings hurt when they drone on from the dais, sugarcoating their “service” and “accomplishments,” rewriting recorded history, marginalizing their detractors, and labeling critics “liars” – all while heaping accolades on senior staff members who sooth their ego by telling them exactly what they want to hear.

That sense of elitism springs organically in the cloistered Halls of Power…

When making decisions on development and zoning amendments, consider our fragile environment and water source. That’s not the popular approach with the “Rich & Powerful,” but protecting wildlife and greenspace should be nonnegotiable.

I encourage you to 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.

They were here when you came, and they will remain when you leave…

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. 

Give the executive the courtesy of frequent, fair, and objective performance reviews – criticize privately and praise the team’s effort publicly – so the manager always knows where they stand, what you expect, and how they can improve.

These professionals earn a lot of money and perquisites because they understand the responsibilities and volatility inherent to managing a machine with a lot of moving parts that is fueled by public funds.  

Should the time come, never hesitate to change tack, and bring new vision and leadership to the team.  In my experience, holding onto bad managers for the sake of short-term “stability” is the leading cause of governmental dysfunction – civic damage that can be extremely expensive to repair.

Most important – 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 potential personal or political cost.

Lead by personal example as you make the tough decisions that impact the lives and livelihoods of those you serve. 

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, to work collaboratively, and your vision for our collective future.

Lastly, remain humble, never lose sight of the impermanence of power and position.

“All glory is fleeting…”

That’s all for me.  Enjoy 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…

Decision 2024

“All power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people. That government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people, which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty and the right of acquiring property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. That the people have an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse or inadequate to the purpose of its institution.”

–James Madison

I’m not one to gloat or pout in the aftermath of an election.

“Magnanimous in victory, gracious in defeat” I say.   

Whether you agree with the outcome or not, the American people have spoken with their sacred vote – and our democracy worked as well as it can in 2024. The will of the people.  A peaceful transition of power.   

Some of the candidates and amendments I voted for won, others lost.  That’s what makes a horserace – and a government in this representative democracy…   

There was a time when we accepted the results of elections, coalesced as a nation and community, respected diverse opinions, worked toward a common goal, and moved forward with a clear understanding of the will and direction sought by the majority of voters. 

Not anymore. 

But at this pivotal moment, I believe how we as neighbors work out the serious issues facing our nation and community will define us – and the unblinking eye of history is watching…   

As loyal readers of these screeds know, I focus on the local issues important to your family and mine, and I was elated to see the biggest race on the local stage go to incumbent Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower in his epic fight against “Car Guy” Randy Dye. 

In my view, while Mr. Dye – a gentleman with a long history of civic and charitable involvement – may have gotten into the race with the best intentions, he was quickly used by Volusia’s stodgy “Old Guard” who saw him as their best hope for achieving lockstep conformity on the horribly compromised County Council.

As the race progressed, Mr. Dye seemed to embrace that role – even when he was being trotted out like a show horse by sitting Councilmen Danny Robins and Jake Johansson to publicly pooh-pooh the very real concerns of Volusia County flood victims – an ugly and callous scene that unfolded on the steps of a courthouse in Daytona Beach that painted Mr. Dye as just another dull tool of influential development interests… 

Not a good look – and something many believe will be remembered into 2026…     

Per usual, those stalwarts of the status quo pulled out all the stops, with the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia going as far as using some weird parliamentary shenanigans to intentionally block Brower from the infamous “Official Republican Voter Guide,” even after he carried the primary.

Something that left many local Republicans suggesting that Brower’s win on Tuesday represents the last time the tyrannical RECV Chair Paul Deering and Co. will manipulate an election…   

In addition, Tuesday saw a refreshing changing of the guard on the Volusia County School Board as perennial politician Carl Persis lost big to newcomer Donna Brosemer in District 4; while the impressive businesswoman and entrepreneur Krista Goodrich took the District 2 race.

The other half of Volusia’s former ‘power couple,’ Susan Persis, lost to freshman politician Jason Leslie – a virtual unknown in the cloistered world of Ormond Beach politics, where one’s pedigree seemed to command more respect than vision, leadership, or strategic thought.

Not anymore. 

Congratulations to Mayor-elect Leslie on doing what many thought was impossible – wrenching the reins of power from the entrenched influential insiders Ms. Persis represented… 

Over in Wild West Volusia, things took a distinctive turn on the Lost City of Deltona’s dais – where James “Nick” Lulli defeated incumbent Commissioner Jody Lee Storozuk in a nasty District 6 race – with Dori Howington defeating incumbent Commissioner Dana McCool in District 4.

In District 1, the intrepid Deltona civic activist Brandy Lee White lost to Davison Heriot.  I hope Ms. White continues to bring the heat to the Deltona City Commission.  She is more influential speaking her truth from the podium than if she had been taken into the confines of elective service.   

According to whispers I’ve received here at Barker’s View HQ this week, in coming hours/days Deltona residents are about to get hit with yet another fusillade of disturbing allegations and insinuations emanating from City Hall…not what Deltona needs now. 

To add insult, according to a report by the West Volusia Beacon, the now lame duck Commissioner “Jody Lee” plans to hold a special commission meeting to “…discuss two items. I want to talk about charter officers, and I want to talk about election interference in Deltona. People are not going to like what I have to say.”

“Storozuk said he plans “to name names” and give details about his allegations.

As for his loss at the polls, Storozuk decried the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee for refusing to endorse him over Lulli. Municipal elections are officially nonpartisan races, but the parties do usually support or oppose candidates for these local offices.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same…

Some Deltona residents I’ve heard from are concerned their “new” commission was tailored by powerful Volusia County political and special interests to accommodate the wants and whims of developers.  That’s disturbing. 

And therein lies the problem.  

Call it post-election fatigue – and I hate to sound blasé amid the post-election euphoria many Volusia County residents are feeling – but regardless of who “won” or “lost,” nothing changes anyway. 

On Florida’s fabled “Fun Coast” our entrenched bureaucratic “system” ensures that.

Here, the stagnant status quo is still protected by staggered elections, a deep pocketed and incredibly powerful Donor Class, and the strict obedience the “system” demands from those who serve it; all perpetuated by the legalized quid pro quo corruption of our skewed campaign finance scheme.    

Now that the bizarre théâtre de l’absurde that passes for our local elections is over, it is time for newly elected politicians to put their words into action and finally live up to the lofty promises that flowed so freely during the thrust and parry of the campaign season.  

They won’t. 

Sadly, these elected figureheads are just cogs on a wheel – and given the fact that incumbent District 2 Councilman Matt Reinhart will be returning to the dais following his defeat of Steve Miller – the composition and obstructionism of the Volusia County Council remains exactly the same… 

The only difference is the citizen mandate that Chairman Jeff Brower was handed on Tuesday – a demand by Volusia County residents to take control of the malignant sprawl that is destroying our remaining greenspace, overwhelming our existing infrastructure, and has resulted in recurrent development induced flooding.

But the fact remains, Chairman Brower is still just one vote. He cannot do it alone.

Time will tell if the remainder of the council got the memo and join with Brower to enact a temporary moratorium on growth until solutions can be found.

(Wanna guess how that vote will go?)

Regardless, the real power remains in the executive suites of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building, and they will continue to craft public policy behind the scenes as our future is dictated in spite of those we elect to represent our interests, not because of them.

That’s not unique to Volusia County government.   

Like every year before, in City Hall’s everywhere, senior staff and those political benefactors who invested so much money supporting hand-select candidates are busy taking their newly elected chattel into the maw of the horribly bloated bureaucracy by reminding them which side their bread is buttered on.  

(Mark my words, Ormond Beach Mayor-elect Jason Leslie, you’re about to have more “friends” than you know what to do with…)

Obsequious backslappers and “advice-givers” inside government and out who suddenly laugh at their jokes, feign interest in everything they say, and slowly receive them into the inner sanctum of the Ivory Tower of Power where they will remain welcome, relative to the discussion, and politically protected so long as they go along and have a good relationship with “the way things work” in Volusia County politics. 

And, once again, the cycle of bureaucratic self-protection comes full circle…

Don’t take my word for it.  Join me up here in the cheap seats and watch. 

Politicians who once promised to listen to We, The Little People, will soon view entrenched bureaucrats as the only “experts” on any issue coming before them, droning PowerPoints full of confusing acronyms will provide political insulation, and our “representatives” will become firmly convinced of their own infallibility, while constituent concerns (and solutions) are scoffed at.

Then, slowly but surely, our newly elected egomaniacs will transmogrify into everything they hated when entering politics… 

Most ominous, freshman commissioners and councilmembers learn that anyone who breaks from the carefully choreographed script becomes the victim of organized political shunning – the physical, parliamentary, and emotional rejection of a duly elected member of the Volusia County Council as a means of modifying behavior, limiting influence, and forcing allegiance to the status quo. 

Ask Chairman Jeff Brower how that works…

For good reason, we no longer expect much from our elected representatives – that sense of having someone on “our side” in the halls of power has been beaten out of us by the machinations of bait-and-switch campaign tactics – where politicians say one thing at election time, then do another once in office, painting rosy pictures that don’t comport with our experience, asking us to doubt what we see with our own eyes.

The result is a stodgy and homogenized conventionality, a rigid closed system protected and perpetuated by those elites with a chip in the game who use government for its power while perverting its purpose.

If we are in fact a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then those we elect should elevate that lofty goal in everything they do.  In my view, that begins by returning a more egalitarian and transparent system to Volusia County.

Each election, I am astounded by just how tone-deaf and selfish our local ‘movers-and-shakers’ can be. 

Call it an obtuse insensitivity to what the average Volusia County resident is feeling, or just a cruel indifference to the suffering of others, the sole focus being that the public teat remains patent and accessible for all the right last names…    

Regardless, there is a real disconnect between the social, civic, and economic elite on the “inside,” and those trying to eke out a living in this artificial economy, where incentives and infusions of public funds go to some well-connected businesses, while others are allowed to wither and die.

Now, add to that list waterlogged homeowners who have once again gutted their worldly possession after the latest flood and you see just how out-of-touch some “Very Important People” in our community truly are.  

Like I said, that “disconnect” was never more evident than in the waning days of the campaign season when flood victims gathered with Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower in Daytona Beach to demand a temporary moratorium on development until a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy can be developed.

Unbelievably, At-Large Councilman “Jake the Snake” Johansson and District 3 Councilman Danny Robins (both of whom have continuing political aspirations) marginalized the suffering of their constituents for political gain, while stumping for “Car Guy” Randy Dye – doing their collective duty to those who hold the paper on their political souls by kowtowing to the demands of their “Rich and Powerful” benefactors.

In my view, that wasn’t just cruel – it was stupid.      

In the view of many, the Brower/Dye matchup was a referendum of the “growth at all costs” strategy and the resultant detrimental impacts on flooding, density, and infrastructure that has forever altered our way of life.

Many also believe it foretells further political change in 2026…

Let’s hope so.

For now, the Cult of Mediocrity lives on – and it will continue unabated until enough Volusia County voters come to the realization that the truth is being manipulated each election cycle for the sole purpose of protecting and promoting the very lucrative status quo.

Let’s hope Chairman Brower’s important victory sends a clear message across the width and breadth of Volusia County that there is some shit We, The Little People won’t eat – and long-suffering taxpayers will no longer accept the greed-crazed profit motives of a few over the quality of life of exiting residents. 

Quote of the Week

“For example, the Flagler School Board prohibits public speakers from addressing board members or anyone but the chair by name, or–as do all local municipal boards–from directing a comment to anyone but the board chair, or from mentioning staffers by name. In other words, happy talk is ok, critical talk is not, the same way that boards approve of applause during happy occasions but ban it when they don’t want a speaker applauded. That’s content discrimination. It’s rampant at our local board meetings.

The court found those rules unconstitutional, especially since no board applies them when a speaker is lavishing praise on a board member or a staffer. The court ridiculed the prohibition on naming staffers. In Brevard, echoing similar and frequent censoring by current and past chairs in Flagler, the chair stopped one speaker with this Soviet-styled rebuke after the speaker mentioned an employee: “You’re putting their information out there in the public and it’s not yours to share.” Only at such board meetings is public information and names often documented in meeting materials considered “not yours to share.”

“Not only does this policy against personally directed speech not advance the goals that the Board claims it serves,” the court ruled, “it actively obstructs a core purpose of the Board’s meetings—educating the Board and the community about community members’ concerns. If a parent has a grievance about, say, a math teacher’s teaching style, it would be challenging to adequately explain the problem without referring to that math teacher. Or principal. Or coach. And so on. Likewise when a parent wishes to praise a teacher or administrator.

Such communications are the heart of a school board’s business, and the ill-defined and inconsistently enforced policy barring personally directed speech fundamentally impedes it without any coherent justification.”

Meetings may get tense, “But that is the price of admission under the First Amendment.”

–Pierre Tristam, FlaglerLive!, “Speech Codes at Flagler School Board and Palm Coast Council Are Now Illegal, Thanks to Moms for Liberty,” Friday, October 25, 2024

Last month, while most of us were busy cleaning up from Hurricane Milton and sorting through the inherent nastiness of “election season,” a federal appeals court ruled on an important constitutional challenge by the group Moms for Liberty against certain public participation policies of the Brevard County School Board. 

According to reports, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that policies targeting “abusive,” “obscene” and “personally directed” speech violated the First Amendment.

This important ruling has far-reaching implications for dictatorial edicts and subjective “rules of decorum” that elected boards, commissions, and councils often use for political insulation, a draconian means of silencing the fury of angry constituents seeking redress of grievances. 

In my view, our democratic processes work best when vigorous debate allows the truth to emerge – which is why the United States Constitution places such emphasis on protecting our inalienable right to free speech – allowing the competition of ideas to elevate the best solutions, resulting in informed and inclusive public policy. 

For far too long citizens in Volusia County and elsewhere have been told by petty politicians that their perspectives on the issues are wrong – or that we lack the capacity to understand the intricacies of things like impact fees and frivolous spending that has nothing to do with improving essential services and public infrastructure.    

The fact is, we live in a time and place where elected officials sit stone-faced on their gilded perch – gazing down on their subjects, placing stringent limitations on the public’s right to be involved in decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods – hiding behind one-sided “civility ordinances” while obstinately refusing to communicate, explain decisions, or listen to the fervent pleas of those they serve.   

Recently, I watched a Volusia County Council meeting where the acting chair repeatedly interrupted citizens as they respectfully addressed issues of concern to their elected officials, ordering that the speaker only direct comments to the chair, interjecting some ridiculous and bureaucratically contrived rule to dampen the foundational element of our democracy – citizen participation.

Bullshit. 

It seems the only time these monotonous marionettes break the fourth wall is when they are groveling for our vote (or a campaign contribution) during an election cycle – or whenever one of their extremely wealthy political benefactors enter the chamber.

When that happens, the mere presence the exalted insider renders the outcome painfully obvious as their obsequious hirelings preen and posture to the delight of their well-heeled masters…

As a result, citizen apathy reigns.

Knowing the deck is stacked against them, John & Jane Q. Public are no longer willing to take time off from work to attend public meetings, voice an opinion, or participate in their government – especially in an atmosphere where their thin-skinned elected representatives have made it clear that even constructive criticism is out-of-line.

The foundational principle of our representative democracy is that all power is derived from the will of the people. 

Go on – speak your mind, demand answers, hold those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest accountable – and do it fearlessly, boldly, and with civic purpose. 

Silence is complicity.  

Kudos to the 11th U.S. District Court of Appeals for striking a wide-ranging blow for our essential right to free and unfettered speech. 

And Another Thing!

“The first casualty of war is truth.”

–Sen. Hiram Warren Johnson, 1917

Many believe that the death of the American Dream – the end of our national post-war optimism – began with the death of President John F. Kennedy and the still lingering questions of what actually happened that day in Dallas.

Others say our national trust in government began to crack in May 1960, when a U-2 “spy plane” was shot down by the former Soviet Union while conducting an aerial reconnaissance flight. 

Initially, the Eisenhower administration explained in a lengthy release to the American people that a “civilian weather research aircraft” had gone missing after the pilot reported “oxygen difficulties.” 

The well-crafted cover-up lasted about a week – right up to the second Soviet Premiere Nikita Khrushchev paraded the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, into the public eye – along with parts of the U-2’s surveillance equipment taken from the crash…

While the need for secrecy and sensitivity was understandable, many were shocked that for the first time their government was caught in such a baldfaced fib to the American public. 

Regardless, our collective trust in those institutions we once held sacrosanct in this country has been on a downward trajectory for decades.

According to a 2023 opinion poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, just 22% of respondents reported that they “trust the federal government to do what’s right “most of the time” or “just about always.”   By contrast, in 1958, when the National Election Study asked the question, some 73% of American’s affirmed their trust in government… 

Now, six decades on, we live in a time of overwhelming cynicism in those institutions we once placed our trust in – government, the media, what many believe is a weaponized judicial system, the corruption of our democratic processes – made worse by political polarization, a politicized press, the misinformation firehose of social media, the emergence of “artificial intelligence,” etc., etc.  

In my view, this election cycle brought a new low in carefully crafted disinformation campaigns and the use of outright lies in the political process. 

Not exactly a new concept.

For instance, at present, one million Floridian’s legally use marijuana for medicinal purposes, with millions more actively using the substance illicitly, and still more who have experimented with it at some point in their lives. 

Yet, throughout the campaign cycle, we repeatedly saw popular elected sheriffs in uniform, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, doctors, politicians, and other once trusted figures who looked us square in the eye from our television screen and openly lied to us about adult-use marijuana – such as the ridiculous blather of how if the unsuccessful Amendment 3 had passed (it almost did) – Cheech and Chong would be openly smoking dope inside restaurants, stadiums, and theme parks…  

Most Floridian’s understood that the proposed constitutional amendment did nothing to weaken or overturn clean air regulations that already prohibit smoking in public spaces – yet that is exactly what those fearmongers who opposed the measure wanted us to believe.  

It worked.  Although Florida voters overwhelmingly said “Yes” to adult-use recreational marijuana – the measure failed to reach the 60% legislatively imposed threshold required to pass.   

But how will those authority figures who openly told us falsehoods ever command our trust again?

With the proposed amendment commanding over 55.9% of the vote – that’s a statewide total of 5,934,139 votes – was defeating legalized weed worth their sacred personal integrity?

Now, many are questioning whose bottom line these powerful politicians are supporting – controlled, regulated, and taxed marijuana producers – or the Mexican drug cartels? 

More important, why?

So, for now, the State of Florida and our myopic law enforcement apparatus will continue to do the same thing over-and-over while expecting a different result? 

What do you think – are we “winning the war” on illicit marijuana in your community?

Look, I am a realist – a pragmatic seeker of that which is real and possible – and I tend to dismiss those who live in some chimerical fantasyland created by those who stand to profit and parroted by elected officials who have been bought and paid for by those same special interests. 

For me, authenticity has always been infinitely more fascinating (and elusive) than political smoke and mirrors.  Perhaps because the truth is such a rare and precious commodity in modern life, I tend to critically question everything…   

My life experience, which includes graduating magna cum laude from the prestigious Institut des Coups Durs, has taught me that things are never quite as good – or bad – as we think they are.

But this inquisitive personality trait has made me hyper-suspicious of politicians, magicians, and snake oil salesmen (sorry for the redundancy) who spin the truth and use deceptive persuasion, half-truths, and exaggerated sleight-of-hand to create an alternate reality that, over time, we have come to accept as fact.

Now that the hype and horseshit of the election season is over, please don’t let your guard down.  

I encourage everyone who pays taxes and lives on this increasingly claustrophobic salty piece of land we share to remain vigilant, demand that our elected officials work collegially and cooperatively in our best interests, drop the obstructionism, political bullying, and one-upmanship to find answers to the disastrous effects of insatiable greed on our collective quality of life.

Demand they stop the political gaslighting and speak the truth.

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