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:

‘Toilet to Tap’ Prohibitions Advance in Volusia County and Daytona Beach

It’s no secret. 

We live in an age where Florida legislators now pass laws written by and for lobbyists representing some of the nation’s largest residential developers – state statutes that invariably pave the way for more, more, more malignant sprawl – to include expedited building permits, preemption of local growth management regulations, or reasonable protections for wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas, even some of the very budget language used to further enrich uber-wealthy landowners/campaign contributors originates from outside the Capitol.  

That said, it should come as no surprise that state lawmakers – working in concert with their dull tools in places like the Florida Department of Environmental Destruction and “water management” cronies around the state – will go to any length necessary to circumvent any impediment to more growth.

Regardless of how nonsensical new development may seem to claustrophobic Florida families.  

As crazy as this may seem, the State of Florida has been actively pursuing the implementation of potable reuse – using treated sewage to augment our dwindling drinking water supply in the face of massive overdevelopment – a process colloquially known as “toilet to tap” or “flush to faucet.”

Disgusted yet?  Me too. Even more so when you consider the process is being pushed on unsuspecting consumers for the sole purpose of circumventing natural limiters to facilitate the mercenary wants of real estate developers… 

When water quality activists and environmentalists sound the alarm, some compromised politicians claim that the process is akin to Dick Tracy’s two-way wrist communicator – technology years in the future and far from practical implementation – tut-tutting that thinking ahead or taking “proactive” measures is a timewasting exercise in protecting their anxious constituents from a nonexistent threat.  

Bullshit. 

Reuse testing has already been permitted all around us.    

In recent years, experimental reuse programs have been permitted in the City of Daytona Beach (thankfully, the process was never foisted on unsuspecting consumers) and test wells have been allowed by state regulators in Deltona that would permit water from Lake Monroe and reclaimed water to be injected and stored underground (read: in our source aquifer…)

After years of political procrastination, on Tuesday, the Volusia County Council took action to develop both a county ordinance and ballot language for a 2026 charter amendment prohibiting the practice of using treated “blackwater” – defined as sewage from toilets, urinals, kitchen drains, and showers – to augment drinking water or being injected into the aquifer. 

The prohibitions would only apply to Volusia County, and municipal or private utility service providers will need to take individual action to prohibit the practice elsewhere.

Discussion of the Toilet to Tap initiative – pushed to fruition by civic activist Greg Gimbert and his clean water advocacy Let Volusia Vote – prompted a presentation by Dream Green Volusia Founder and environmentalist Suzanne Scheiber regarding the bigger picture of demand reduction strategies and a holistic crisis plan for land/water conservation. 

Per usual, things got heated when Councilman Jake Johansson – a current candidate for Florida State Senate District 8 – attempted to paint the prohibitions as a solution in search of a problem, and Chairman Jeff Brower set him straight.

In an accurate transcript of the Johansson/Brower tête à tête as reported by Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week:

“It is here. It’s being done right now. There’s a proposal in Deltona to do it,” he said.

“To do what, sir,” Johansson interjected.

Brower replied, shouting, “To inject treated–“

“Lower,” Johansson urged.

“No, I’m not going to lower my voice,” Brower said. “To inject treated sewage water into our aquifer, which is more harmful.”

Following the discussion, Volusia County Attorney Mike Dyer – never seen as a ball-of-fire when it comes to expediting protections for residents – explained he was otherwise occupied and wouldn’t be able to get ‘around tuit’ until next month.  No doubt hoping the legislature will preempt local water reuse regulations to the state making the entire process moot…   

Time will tell.

Last night, the Daytona Beach City Commission voted 7 to 0 to direct the city attorney to prepare Charter amendment language for this year’s ballot banning toilet to tap for both recharge and direct to consumer applications.

In my view, that’s good news for Daytona Beach residents.

Here’s hoping every municipality in Volusia County will follow the leadership of Volusia County and Daytona Beach, agree to live within the carrying capacity of the land, control growth to preserve our finite resources, and prohibit the disgusting process of toilet to tap across our region.  

For now, I encourage everyone in Volusia County to sign the Let Volusia Vote petition and reinforce our collective opposition to drinking our own reclaimed sewage to extend the limits of our natural water supplies. 

Please find the petition and further instructions here:  https://tinyurl.com/3b2f8cej

A Call for Accountability: The Heat is On in the City of Daytona Beach  

From brief past experience, I can report that serving as a City Manager is a hard dollar. 

On a good day…

Serving the myriad whims, wants, and personal agendas of five to seven highly opinionated elected officials, the demands of angry constituents, keeping bureaucrats focused on established goals, and managing public employees – while remaining vigilant to the thousands of moving parts that make up a functioning municipality – requires the patience of Job, the situational awareness of a plate spinner, and a thick pair of asbestos underwear…   

At best, city management is itinerant labor.  An inherently unstable position, always vulnerable to the kneejerk impulses and self-protective slings-and-arrows of politicians and citizen factions looking for a scapegoat. Because of that political volatility, senior-level public executives are often incredibly well compensated and protected with lucrative “golden parachutes” that cushion their inevitable fall.    

When communities endure the always arduous search for a chief executive, selecting the “right fit” is important. 

What worked for one locality may not work elsewhere.  

As the battered citizens of Deltona can attest, when an unsuspecting community hires an incompetent, malevolent, or ineffectual chief executive – one who systematically destroys citizen confidence and employee morale – it can take years, tears, and millions-of-dollars to recover from the devastating effects.

In my view, Daytona Beach City Manager Derek Feacher is an incredibly nice person who possesses the education, experience, character, and diplomacy required of the role. 

Since coming aboard in 2021, Mr. Feacher has deftly navigated a period of unprecedented growth, while successfully keeping some intractable issues and eyesores that have plagued this slightly down-at-the-heels beachside community for decades at an inconspicuous simmer.  

Eventually, every community will weather their time in the barrel of public scrutiny – those inevitable periods under the microscope when salacious scandals and embarrassing errors that administrators would prefer to remain hidden are suddenly revealed.

I’ve been there, done that, still have what’s left of the t-shirt…  

When investigative journalists or state regulators start poking around, entrenched bureaucrats instinctively circle the wagons and elected officials get nervous.  You can bet it won’t be long until pitchfork wielding villagers start demanding hard answers – and calling for accountability…

In the wake of highly publicized controversies surrounding the city’s oversight of purchasing cards, antiquated travel policies, employees of the city-owned golf course pocketing instructional fees and gifting discounts, allegations of a supervisor/subordinate tryst that may have involved the misuse of public funds, and sidewalks that turned into a slip-n-slide in the Mosaic community, citizens are beginning to point fingers…

Adding to the intense pressure, the City of Daytona Beach is now being used as an example by the Florida legislature after the city banked millions in excess permit fees, then produced a cockamamie list of ways to spend the money, none of which made sense to taxpayers or state representatives.

According to a report by Sierra Williams writing in the Ormond Observer:

“…local state representatives Sen. Tom Leek and Rep. Chase Tramont have both filed legislation that would prohibit local governments from requesting funding from the state until excess building code funds have been spent. The bills would also prevent a local government from receiving state funds for while it is the subject of a legislative committee audit.

Daytona Beach would be subject to both criteria.”  

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. 

Last year, a city delegation – which included Mayor Derrick Henry – was summoned to Tallahassee where they were publicly gibbetted during an awkward appearance before the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.

That tetchy back-and-forth resulted in the city being subjected to a state sponsored proctological exam for the ages in the form of an external audit…

In a bold response, Daytona Beach City Commissioner Ken Strickland lashed back, accusing the state of meddling in city affairs, taunting “Tallahassee needs to mind their own business.  And I know they’re not. They should be representing us, not trying to ridicule us, make us look bad, make accusations they have no proof of.  And I am just absolutely disgusted with our representation up there.”

That jab didn’t sit well with Senator Leek…

According to the Observer’s report, Sen. Leek recently dropped an administrative MOAB on the City of Daytona Beach – and any other recalcitrant municipality who refuses to toe the line – “Leek said cities are “creatures of the legislature. They’re enacted by the legislature, and every year we dissolve cities.”

“I’m not threatening them with that. I want to be clear,” he said. “But the legislature has the ability to dissolve the city, so the idea that the city gets to do whatever it wants is false.”

Whoa…

It sounds like Sen. Leek is suggesting that legislatively “dissolving” the “World’s Most Famous Beach” is a real possibility if city leaders fail to come to heel?   

At least one concerned Daytona Beach resident isn’t waiting around and find out… 

Last week, beachside resident Rich Yost started a petition on Change.org asking the Daytona Beach City Commission to reject Mr. Feacher’s contract when it comes up for renewal in May and “…initiate a transparent, nationwide search for new executive leadership.”

According to an article by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week, “The petition page summary goes on to say that “recent events demonstrate repeated failures of oversight, control and administrative discipline at the highest level of city government. These are not isolated incidents – they reflect a persistent pattern of nonfeasance, misfeasance, and malfeasance.”

It appears the clock is ticking for City Manager Feacher. 

In my view, his fate will be determined by how adroitly he can lead the City of Daytona Beach out of this multifront quagmire.  Equally important will be whatever support he can muster from the elected officials, who will soon be considering their own political liability as external pressure continues to mount. 

Quote of the Week

“Citing a report in the online publication The Floridian, (Gov.) DeSantis and a spokesperson for (Attorney General) Uthmeier asserted that the probe into whether the governor’s administration illegally diverted millions of taxpayer dollars to a political campaign in 2024 was a “hoax.”

No federal investigation into the money has ever been confirmed. A separate state grand jury probe in Tallahassee has yet to announce any findings.

“Another hoax bites the dust,” DeSantis wrote on X. “The only difference is this one was manufactured by FL RiNOs working in conjunction with the leftist media.” (RINO is an acronym that stands for “Republican in name only.”)

The Floridian cited an unnamed U.S. Department of Justice official who said federal charges wouldn’t be brought. Spokespeople for the department did not respond to requests for comment to the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday.

Rumors have circulated in Tallahassee all week that charges would not be brought against DeSantis administration officials and allies over the diversion of $10 million from a Medicaid settlement.

In October, the state attorney’s office in Leon County convened a criminal grand jury to look into allegations related to the money that moved through the Hope Florida Foundation, a state-created charity championed by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis.”

–Tallahassee Bureau Reporter Alexandra Glorioso, writing in the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times, “DeSantis, citing report with anonymous source, declares victory in Hope Florida scandal,” Wednesday, February 4, 2026

It was all a “Hoax,” folks…

The great Dr. Hunter S. Thompson summed up my feelings on the Hope Florida debacle and the continuing corruption in plain sight in Tallahassee, where the wheels are greased with greenbacks, lawmakers see the legislative process as a pay-to-play bazaar, and criminal statutes are routinely ignored, little more than a tool to control We, The Little People:

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

Yeah, Doc.  You right…

Nothing to see here, folks…..just another hoax. Keep moving.  Move along, now…

And Another Thing!

“When Volusia County School Board member Donna Brosemer asked for school records, she was hit by a bill from the very District she oversees. Other times, she was ignored completely and left empty-handed, she said.

Meanwhile, some Volusia County Schools employees were required to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) about school business, leading to challenges.

All of those issues sparked new legislation moving through the House Education Administration Subcommittee (HB 1073). The bill would establish a School Board member’s bill of rights, making it clear that School Board members must get records timely and for free. It would also ban requiring school employees to sign NDAs.

The bill led to a spirited debate, with the subcommittee passing the measure with a 15-3 vote.

“For those of you who know me, this is my sixth Session,” said Rep. Traci Koster, a Tampa Republican sponsoring the bill. “I don’t file bills unless I perceive a real, true problem.”

–Reporter Gabrielle Russon writing in Florida Politics, “House subcommittee OKs bill sparked by Volusia County Schools drama,” Thursday, January 29, 2026

Last month, Volusia County Councilman David “No Show” Santiago – a professional snake oil salesman whose legislative forte is serving the whims of special interests while kicking issues of critical concern down the dusty political trail – took me to task on social media in a pique after I called out his brutal bullying of a citizen advisory board member who pointed out perceived issues with the Volusia ECHO strategic plan.

“I’d suggest paying close attention to who Mr. Barker writes positively about and who he consistently attacks. The pattern speaks volumes about his motivations. When you notice the same names always getting favorable treatment while others are relentlessly criticized regardless of the facts that should make you pause and do your own research.”

Considering the source, I’ll wear the criticism of this walking Napoleonic complex as a badge of honor…

As informed readers of Barker’s View have come to understand, the basic tenet of this alternative opinion blog is that I tout the good work and accomplishments of those elected and appointed officials who, in my view, consistently demonstrate their personal commitment to honorable, innovative, and inclusive governance in the best interests of their constituents. 

Conversely, these logorrheic screeds serve to purge my jaundiced craw on our well-established ‘pay-to-play’ system, and the machinations of those craven cowards with an elected honorific who unfailingly serve the mercenary wants of those campaign donors who own the paper on their political souls…  

For instance, one honorable servant/leader I have come to admire is Volusia County School Board member Donna Brosemer. A legitimate conservative with an independent voice and sharp mind who has courageously taken on an entrenched bureaucracy and earned a few political scars in the process.

To her credit, Ms. Brosemer continues to fight like a rabid badger for her constituents – often with one hand bureaucratically tied behind her back – as her “colleagues” (acting in concert with district insiders) marginalize her concerns, block her diligent search for information, and paint her as a contentious loose cannon.

I know a few spineless politicians around these parts who could learn something from Donna Brosemer’s independence, intestinal fortitude, intellect, and willingness to serve the needs of her constituents over her own self-interests. 

Last week, residents and district stakeholders who have supported Ms. Brosemer’s efforts to expose administrative incompetence and fiscal mismanagement at Volusia County Schools were heartened to learn that a proposed bill to grant expanded access and oversight for school board members through a “bill of rights” has passed an important hurdle in Tallahassee.

Recently, Ormond Beach’s Sen. Tom Leek filed a similar bill (SB 1620) which will be winding its way through the legislative labyrinth as the session progresses.

According to Florida Politics, “HB 1073 would codify that local School Board members have the right to freely access records that may be off limits to the public. The bill said those documents could be internal legal opinions, correspondence, memoranda or invoices. Florida also has a broad public records law that also allows journalists and the public to get many school documents if they don’t pertain to private student information.

The bill adds that School Board members have the right to consult the District’s Chief Financial Officer on the budget and spending matters. They “have access, upon request, to any detail or line item in any proposed or approved budget or in any financial transaction by the school district,” the bill says.”

In a shocking revelation of just how guarded things have gotten in that cloistered “Ivory Tower of Power” at Volusia County Schools, Ms. Brosemer said, “Because of this bill, the District’s line-item budget will be made available to us. It is currently not,” Brosemer said, adding that she can’t even find out how much money the District spent on legal fees.”

Read that again: The Volusia County School Board was not provided access to the line-item budget they are required to vote on…

On Tuesday, Sen. Leeks bill was heard by the Senate Committee on Education PreK-12 in Tallahassee. 

During the hearing, the remainder of the Volusia County School Board suddenly appeared en masse – complete with the board attorney and Superintendent Balgobin – to speak in opposition to provisions of a School Board Member Bill of Rights that would level the balance of power between elected oversight and district administration throughout the state.

In my view, the confederated board members attempted to paint Ms. Brosemer as working to undermine the Monarchical rule of Superintendent Balgobin, fueling “personal conflict,” and somehow overstepping her role.  

It was what it was: The cheap personal ambush of a fellow elected official fighting for transparency, accountability, and oversight by the compromised members of a school board more committed to protecting the stagnant status quo than ensuring informed public policy and sound fiscal stewardship.  

The bill passed the education committee 6-0 and now moves to the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Thanks to Ms. Brosemer’s diligent efforts – and the hard work of Rep. Traci Koster, Sen. Tom Leek, and others – Florida school board members may finally have the tools and information necessary to provide answers (and accountability) for concerned taxpayers, students, teachers, and staff who have been left in the dark for far too long.

That’s all for me.  Enjoy the 12th annual Granada Grand Festival of the Arts in Ormond Beach this Saturday, y’all!