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 Debacle at Daytona: Crossing the Rubicon

Primum non nocere

–The Golden Axiom of Chomal

One of the first lessons new medical professionals are taught is the honored concept of First, do no harm.  A precept often expressed as “given an existing problem, it may be better not to do something, or even to do nothing, than to risk causing more harm than good.”

In my view, that maxim should hold true for anyone in a profession that requires strict adherence to a strong moral code, and I cannot think of any pursuit worth doing that doesn’t incorporate guiding principles and values that shape ethical behavior in its practitioners.  

That is especially true for those who accept public funds and serve in the public interest.

My heart sank last week when the latest chapter in the Debacle at Daytona unfolded – first reported by the intrepid WFTV-9 investigative reporter Demie Johnson – regarding what many see as the retaliatory termination of Battalion Chief Andre Chaney, a 26-year veteran of the Daytona Beach Fire Department who was recently identified as a confidential whistleblower who has been assisting Internal Auditor Abinet Belachew in his inquiry into questionable spending practices in the fire department.   

Shockingly, Chaney was summarily terminated when he missed a “mandatory meeting” last month…  

  

As I understand it, Chaney believed he had received prior approval to skip the meeting in order to take his son to a doctor’s appointment. 

When the situation changed and he no longer had a family obligation, rather than attend the meeting, Cheney chose to teach at his part time job at Daytona State College’s fire training academy instead.

That apparently prompted a no-stone-unturned internal investigation that rivaled the Lindbergh case…  

According to reports, Deputy City Manager/Fire Chief Dru Driscoll believed the investigation proved Cheney lied about missing the meeting and he fired him for it. 

For his part, Chaney said he received a text message from a deputy chief before the meeting answering “Okay” to his request to be excused.  In my view, the deputy chief’s affirmative response could clearly be mistaken as approval – although the sender said he was merely acknowledging Chaney’s text.     

According to a report by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week, “On April 17, the same day Driscoll and Matthews received their subpoenas from the state attorney general’s office, Chaney was given a written notice of intent to terminate his employment with the fire department.”

I find that troubling.

In my experience, absent serious progressive discipline, what may well have been a miscommunication between Chaney and a superior is hardly a terminable offense for a highly trained and experienced 26-year veteran. Especially one who has been providing substantial assistance to the city’s auditor as a documented confidential whistleblower…   

In my view, given the questionable circumstances – and the potential legal ramifications/financial exposure under state and federal whistleblower and witness protections – Chaney’s abrupt termination unavoidably smacks of the vengeful and self-protective elimination of a whistleblower.  

According to Demie Johnson’s report:

“City Auditor Abinet Belachew confirmed that Chaney is a whistleblower who supplied him documents for his investigation. In a lengthy public records request, Fire Chief Dru Driscoll asks Belachew for all documents, call logs, voicemails, texts, and online submission forms for his audit.

Driscoll also asks for:

“A list of all employees of the city of Daytona beach who have reported claims or allegations to the city auditor and a list of all employees who have been granted whistleblower status.”

Belachew reminds the city clerk that “there are ongoing criminal investigations.”

Belachew then gets an email from city attorney Ben Gross citing public records laws. Gross said

“Should you continue to maintain your position that all audit workpapers and notes remain confidential… I will be obliged to present this issue to the city commission.”

Belachew eventually turns over his material, and Chaney is sent a notice of termination the next week.”

Increasingly concerned residents recently learned that a statewide prosecutor issued subpoenas to Deputy City Manager/Fire Chief Dru Driscoll and Deputy Fire Chief Jessica Matthews related to the findings of a recent “P-card” audit in the department.  The subpoenas were signed by Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Richard Mantei, who earlier this year was appointed to lead Florida’s Public Corruption Unit by Attorney General James Uthmeier. 

Although it is no indication of their involvement in unlawful activity, the subpoenas compelled Driscoll and Matthews to appear earlier this week before an assistant statewide prosecutor and provide a sworn statement and other materials related to a “lawful investigation.”

To his credit, Mr. Belachew cited active criminal investigations for his reluctance to reveal the names of confidential whistleblowers to the fire department’s command staff and city administrators.  Rightfully, Belachew cited the logical, necessary, and statutory exception to Florida’s public records law which protects the integrity of criminal investigations – and the names of confidential sources – from public disclosure. 

According to a follow-up report by WFTV, “In one email, Gross warned Belachew that refusing to release investigative work could lead to criminal consequences.”

Something tells me city attorney Gross either knew, or should have known, about the statutory exception before he threatened “criminal consequences.”

The law works both ways…

In my view, Mr. Gross made a terrible error in judgement by forcing the identification of confidential sources assisting the city auditor in ferreting out possible waste, fraud, and abuse in the fire department and elsewhere.

Given the extraordinary scrutiny and resultant speculation, exposing whistleblowers to adverse employment action or worse represents the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.  A vivid demarcation from honest mistakes, oversights, and policy failures to credible questions of something more sinister…     

In most council/manager forms of government, the latter has sole responsibility for hiring and firing decisions.  While department heads can recommend employees for termination, the separation comes under the signature and authority of the manager, and never without permitting the employee adequate due process under the law. 

In fact, the road to hell is paved with the smoldering careers of feckless public administrators who engaged in retaliatory terminations without first consulting a competent and objective labor attorney… 

The disturbing firing of an identified whistleblower represents an escalation – a point of no return – for beleaguered City Manager Deric Feacher, his deputy, Dru Driscoll, and city attorney Gross, who are forever tainted with the stench of reprisal, revenge, and coverup while the city is under an apparent criminal investigation.

In a follow-up report by Central Florida News 13 this week, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said, “We are committed to cooperating fully with the legal process. I remain committed to transparency in all city matters, and I expect the city manager to hold individuals accountable who have come short of their responsibilities. However, we will not rush to judgement and will always support fairness in our pursuit of accountability.”

Mr. Mayor, did the same concept of fairness apply to Battalion Chief Cheney? 

I’m asking. Because, at best, the circumstances stink, as they say, like rotten mackerel in the moonlight…

According to Ms. Johnson’s report, State Senators Tom Wright and Tom Leek “…both called the situation wrong.”

“Every day it seems more and more information comes to light about how the City of Daytona Beach is being run. This is yet another disappointing example of the city’s failure of leadership. If true, this is wrong and cannot and must not be tolerated. It’s time for a change.”

Senator Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach)

“It is my opinion that the City of Daytona Beach should be prepared for recourse in light of the fact that the state of Florida has the whistleblower act to protect those that take the courage to step forward when something is going wrong and potentially unlawfully wrong.

Further, the city would be wise to get prepared for additional subpoenas that are anticipated coming shortly.”

Senator Tom A. Wright

Look, it takes a helluva lot for me to agree with Sen. “Terrible” Tommy Wright – but he’s right… 

Florida’s Whistleblower Act protects public and private employees from discharge, suspension, demotion, or reduction in benefits when they report gross mismanagement or violations of law. In addition, there are strict statutory penalties for those who engage in the intentional intimidation of witnesses in criminal matters… 

Those protections ensure that public employees can disclose wrongdoing and expose possible acts of corruption, while promoting transparency and accountability, without fear of losing their jobs or being subject to other adverse actions.

In my view, now the irreparable harm is done, and the city’s internal auditing system will never again have the trust of potential whistleblowers. As City Commissioner Stacy Cantu has previously suggested, this alarming revelation will have a chilling effect on other employees who may fear coming forward.    

It also forces the hand of Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry and City Commissioners who – with the exception of Commissioners Cantu and Quanita May – have been content to politically procrastinate on the issue of City Manager Feacher’s continued fitness amid this raging dumpster fire that is quickly turning into a conflagration engulfing City Hall. 

A Safety Paradox: The Cost of Gross Incompetence in Ormond Beach

Those who are paid to think strategically call it the Safety Paradox – a counterintuitive phenomenon that occurs when efforts to increase safety actually create more dangerous conditions – a situation caused by a number of factors, to include piss-poor planning, “unintended consequences,” and old-fashioned incompetence.

Last week, flabbergasted residents and parishioners of Ormond Beach’s Prince of Peace Catholic Church on busy Nova Road, approached city and county officials to sound the alarm on a dangerous condition resulting from the $5.1 million “redesign” of Hand Avenue.

In short, an ill-thought median will block an entrance to the church, requiring that motorists accessing Prince of Peace make a U-turn on the incredibly congested thoroughfare…   

According to an article by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “The median, which is under construction, blocks the church’s entrance on Hand Avenue to drivers traveling east seeking to make a left-hand turn into Prince of Peace.

“We understand these projects are meant to benefit the broader community,” Prince of Peace Rev. Justin Vakko said. “However … the newly installed median directly in front of our west entrance has created a significant and unintended hardship.”

Look, I’m not a lawyer.  Just another rube wandering the wilderness, but I understand the legal and ethical obligation to act in a way that protects others from foreseeable harm. 

As I understand it, the “reasonable man” standard is a legal benchmark cited in negligence cases to determine whether a defendant breeched their duty of care.  The doctrine asks if a hypothetical ‘everyman’ – a person of reasonable intellect and ordinary “prudence and caution” – would have acted differently in a given situation. 

With that standard in mind, I was shocked to read the response church member John Malafronte – chairman of the church’s facilities committee – received after placing “numerous” calls to make Volusia County officials aware of the situation:

“When we started planning for our new store, we had to solicit input from our neighbors and businesses and hear their concerns,” Malafronte said. “We held open meetings for local residents and then asked the city of Ormond Beach for approval.”

The church wasn’t notified that its eastbound access from Hand Avenue would be impacted until the county placed the barriers for the new median.

After numerous calls to county staff members, Malafronte said he received a call back from County Engineer Tadd Kasbeer, who informed him the change was made for safety — and that those wanting to enter the church’s thrift shop can make a U-turn at the Wellington Station condominiums’ entrance.

“I asked him if there was an appeal process and he said no,” Malafronte said.”

Really?    

In my experience, when a fellow resident points out how a techy senior public official treated them when they pointed out a dangerous oversight – believe it. 

Rather than accept first-hand evidence of the inconvenience and safety hazard posed by forcing motorists to make a U-turn on Hand Avenue, County Engineer Tadd Kasbeer essentially explains “Don’t you understand, we had to make it more dangerous to make it safer!” then refuses a concerned citizen due process when he attempts to protect those who risk our lives transiting Hand Avenue. 

In my view, that’s not simple bureaucratic incompetence – it borders on the legal definition of gross negligence.

I don’t know about you, but I lost all confidence in Tadd Kasbeer when he was tapped to oversee construction of the Tom Stead Veterans Memorial Bridge in Daytona Beach.  The project that turned into an obscene joke, plagued by interminable delays and ham-handed missteps, ultimately taking nearly as long to complete as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

There were nonsensical ADA compliance issues, “superficial” (yet visible) cracks, bickering with contractors, simple misspellings on signage, etc., etc. – a comedy of errors performed by a confederacy of dunces – that would have seen most professional engineers seeking to put as much distance as possible between the problematic project and their future career path as possible.

But not here.

Instead, Mr. Kasbeer has remained firmly ensconced in Volusia County government – responsible for civil engineering during a period of explosive sprawl – unchecked growth that has resulted in widespread development-induced flooding, traffic gridlock, and growing civic claustrophobia as the bulldozers continue to roar…    

Given the almost criminal negligence committed by the Florida Department of Transportation on Granada Boulevard, A-1-A, and beyond – a careless redesign that fundamentally ruined the safe and smooth flow of traffic on increasingly congested Ormond Beach roadways – area residents have every right to up-in-arms over this latest monumental cluster on Hand Avenue. 

Here’s hoping Ormond Beach officials will listen to their concerned constituents and do more than send a tepid “pretty please” letter to Volusia County meekly asking that the Hand Avenue project be reworked by a competent traffic engineer before tragedy ensues…    

Quote of the Week

“Reports indicate the ruins of the Hewitt Sawmill site, built in the 1700s, may have been significantly damaged during the ongoing development of Sawmill Estates. The full extent of that damage remains unclear, but there is still an opportunity to prevent further loss. Ideally, the developer will work with local historians to protect what remains and incorporate the site as a meaningful community asset. Few places can offer residents the opportunity to live alongside and walk through a tangible piece of colonial-era history. This one can.

Local historians, as well as families who have lived here for generations, understand better than most what has already been lost. It is well documented that ITT Corporation bulldozed the remains of St. Joseph’s Plantation near Old Kings Road and Palm Coast Parkway. Once these resources are destroyed, they are gone forever.

Property rights have been a cornerstone of this country since the adoption of the United States Constitution, and they must be respected. But respect for property rights and preservation of history are not mutually exclusive. We can, and should, do both.”

— Flagler County commission District 2 candidate Greg Feldman, as excerpted from his op/ed in the Palm Coast Observer, “My View, Greg Feldman: Growth and heritage can coexist in Flagler County,” Friday, April 24, 2026

I don’t know Mr. Feldman, or anything about his campaign for the Flagler County BOCC, but he does a yeoman’s job threading the needle on the lopsided property rights v. historic preservation argument.

Unfortunately, it appears the “western expansion” of Palm Coast is coming, and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it. 

The preservation of our threatened historic sites be damned.  The future is paved with 3/2 wood framed zero-lot-line cracker boxes “from the $300’s…”

Given the way our state legislature has prepared the battlefield, absolutely nothing – certainly not commonsense environmental, archeological, or density regulations – will stand in the way of another 22,000 “dwelling units” and related commercial development, malignant sprawl that will nearly double the population of infrastructure starved Palm Coast over the next thirty-years.

The question, as Pierre Tristam, editor of FlaglerLive.com recently put it is:

“…can we preserve a few natural and historic treasures along the way? Old Brick Road is a national treasure. It is the last remnant of the Dixie Highway built in 1915 between Detroit and Miami. It is almost literally Flagler County’s equivalent of the Appian Way in Italy, the last remnant of a Roman road that, thanks to Roman engineering, endures to this day. Old Brick Road wasn’t built as well. Not even our interstates are built as well as Roman roads were. But close enough. It is being demolished by logging trucks, and the westward expansion risks reducing it to an enclave, starting with a planned highway that would parallel it way too closely and too many planned crossings of the road itself.”

To their credit, the Flagler Board of County Commissioners appears committed to preserving the county owned historic Old Brick Road (to the extent possible) using whatever limited local power hasn’t already been preempted by the state. 

That includes a possible agreement with the City of Palm Coast limiting at-grade crossings by requiring “flyovers,” ensuring adequate environmental buffers, placing limits on destructive utilities excavations, and assurances that the character of the increasingly fragile road and its surroundings will be preserved to the extent possible.   

Time will tell, but don’t hold your breath…

As Mr. Tristam so aptly put it, “Private development should not be subsidized at the expense of public treasures, though heaven knows this one has already been subsidized to the tune of $126 million so far (that state money Paul Renner’s generous cronyism appropriated on behalf of his friends at Rayonier for the “loop road” from Matanzas Woods Parkway to Palm Coast Parkway).”

For the uninitiated, former Speaker of the Florida House and developers shill Paul Renner of Palm Coast is a declared candidate for governor… 

Unfortunately, the evidence is now undeniable: Real estate developers (with the direct assistance of their bought-and-paid-for tools in the Florida legislature) have proven time-and-again they have no qualms destroying everything in their path – environmental, historical, cultural, old growth forests, wildlife habitat, and natural resources – in pursuit of more, more, more sprawl. 

Nothing of our heritage or unique environment is sacred, just something to be exploited.

Unfortunately, that’s nothing new.  

Now that our compromised state legislature has stripped virtually all local regulatory impediments to unchecked growth – and local opportunists like Volusia County Councilman Don Dempsey desperately trying to find a workaround to unambiguous terms like “perpetuity” and “forever” in regard to publicly owned conservation land – the deck is stacked in favor of speculative developers with a chip in the game.

In exchange, the quality of life of existing residents – and the future of our children and grandchildren who will be forced to live with the resultant environmental, historical, and cultural devastation – continues to be sacrificed on the altar of greed. 

I hope “Fun Coast” voters remember that at the ballot box this year.   

And Another Thing!

“Volusia County’s voters will decide on five proposed changes in the county’s home-rule charter later this year.

The 2026 Charter Review Commission [CRC] wrapped up its work April 13, when it issued its final report at its last scheduled meeting at Daytona Beach International Airport.

The charter amendments reported out by the CRC are:

— (1) Changing the method of choosing the county chair from a general election for a four-year term to having the seven-member County Council select one of its members to serve as chair for a one-year term;

— (2) Allowing members of the County Council to be reimbursed for work-related expenses;

— (3) Whether to eliminate now-obsolete language in the charter regarding the constitutional officers elected to serve in the county;

— (4) Whether to eliminate other outdated language now in the charter regarding the personnel and requiring a merit system for employees of the county government; and

— (5) Whether to establish a registry of county conservation lands and to provide for the addition or removal of such properties from the registry.”

–Reporter Al Everson, writing in the West Volusia Beacon, “Blue-ribbon panel OKs ballot measures for county charter,” Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Welp, there you have it, folks…  

By monarchical edict of the Volusia County Council, We, The Little People have been specifically prohibited from voting to protect our drinking water and limit future development by prohibiting “toilet to tap” – the practice of introducing treated sewage into our potable water supply – but a charter amendment to “reimburse them for work-related expenses” is a civic priority?    

Bullshit.

After months of deliberation – and many suggestions from concerned residents – at the end of the day, these lukewarm charter amendments (and a few equally tepid “policy recommendations”) represents the work product of Volusia’s “Blue Ribbon” 2026 Charter Review Commission. 

When you remove the housekeeping measures, these bureaucratically neutered ballot questions are essentially limited to removing We, The Little People’s ability to elect our County Chair, paying elected officials for “work-related” expenses (what the hell are their current county paychecks for?), and what appears to be a backhanded means for the VCC to offload conservation properties that we were promised would be held in “perpetuity” i.e., forever…   

According to the Beacon’s report, “Amendment 5 would create a registry of “conservation lands owned by the County of Volusia.”

The properties yet to be placed on the registry may not be added to the registry, sold or transferred unless the County Council approves such transactions with a supermajority vote, meaning a majority vote of its members plus one. Thus, with a seven-member council, a minimum of five members must vote in favor of the deal.

The conservation registry comes amid debate about the duration of terms like “in perpetuity” and “forever.”

Wait, do they mean the protections afforded by a “supermajority” of Volusia’s stagnant “Old Guard”? 

How many 6-1 votes has Chairman Jeff Brower found himself on the losing end over the past six-years anytime he tried to defend what remains of our environment, water quality, and greenspace?   

Whatever.

In addition, Amendment 2 would “remove charter limitations regarding reimbursement of work-related expenses incurred by County Council members. As matters now stand, council members receive salaries that are supposed to be “full compensation for all services and in-county expenses.”

As of 2025, the Volusia County Chair received $67,394.40 while individual council members command $56,162.00 in annual compensation.

For what?

This isn’t the first time this ludicrous notion of increasing the take for elected officials has come up. 

In 2020, that iteration of the Volusia County Council saw the handwriting on the wall and voted 4-3 to remove a ridiculous ballot question that would have drastically increased council salaries at a time when residents were out-of-work and losing their businesses due to the pandemic.

In my view, we should not pay council members anything beyond reasonable reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket expenses specifically related to county business that cannot be conducted during monthly meetings or workshops. 

That would exclude galas, “grip-n-grins,” political travel, what passes for “debates,” hobnobs, ass-kissing contests, and any other backslapping soiree staged for their own shameless self-promotion. 

Let’s make them whole.  Period.

Lucrative allowances for day-to-day “expenses” can quickly become something different when the public purse becomes their private piggybank.

In my view, if we’re going to continue pissing away good money paying salaries to elected officials (who are far more indebted to those special interests who stuff their campaign war chests), I suggest that the Volusia County Council consider a charter amendment setting attendance regulations. 

That includes establishing written procedures for approving authorized absences from council meetings, workshops, and ancillary committee assignments, such as the River to Sea Transportation Organization.

You know, rules that apply to anyone who receives public compensation to perform a service.

That’s fair to everyone.  For a change.

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

Hi, kids!

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

Leadership in Crisis: Questions Continue to Mount in Daytona Beach

“Decision making is easy when your values are clear.”

–Roy Disney  

There are a variety of reasons why the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker get involved in local politics.  That “fire in the belly” that spurs a call to civic duty, a means of advocating for one’s neighborhood, or the leverage to settle a score.  Others just need the paycheck or crave the inherent name recognition as a means of promoting themselves or their small business.

Some candidates are drafted by party bosses, identified as useful tools to further the needs of special interests.

In those cases, brains and leadership rarely play into it… 

Most of the time, local elected bodies administrate the mundane minutia of government, approving allocations required to sustain essential services, setting policy, legislating ordinances, approving zoning changes, holding required public hearings, cutting ribbons, presenting proclamations, rubber stamping the annual budget, etc.

Most of those elected to public office don’t have a clue what any of it means.  Fumbling over an agenda package stuffed with weird acronyms, purposely written in bureaucratese, issues framed in a way they cannot possibly understand – hoping to ‘fake it till they make it’ – amid the constant carping and criticism of cantankerous crackpots like me…    

Typically, local elected bodies have two direct reports – the city/county manager and the city/county attorney – both of whom know the stakes of the game.   

Unfortunately, when the wheel comes off the cart (and eventually it will), that’s when taxpayers look to their elected representative for strong leadership, guidance, and governance.  During times of crisis, We, The Little People expect our elected officials to make good on their campaign promises, demonstrate the character and stewardship we voted for, and take swift and decisive action to right the ship during turbulent times.

That’s when beleaguered elected officials look to the manager and attorney for answers.  When sound solutions aren’t forthcoming, that can be a real problem…    

It’s no secret that the City of Daytona Beach is in serious trouble.  A burgeoning crisis with the potential for long-term ramifications for this challenged community.     

The fact is, the city has been embroiled in a multifaceted mess for the past two-years – a real quagmire that has resulted in internal and external financial audits, scathing criticism from state lawmakers, dissention among city commissioners, and mounting evidence of fiscal mismanagement supported by inside whistleblowers.

A deteriorating situation now compounded with reports that two members of the Fire Department’s command staff have been issued subpoenas by state investigators – lending credence to suggestions that the recent audit of city purchasing cards may have triggered an active criminal investigation. 

That includes rumors that a ranking member of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeir’s recently formed Public Corruption Unit was seen at Daytona Beach City Hall in recent weeks…

In a report by WFTV-9 investigative reporter Demie Johnson – who broke the story of possible financial irregularities last year – a quote by Senator Tom Wright fueled the speculation, “I have heard that criminal charges are a possibility, and in that case I intend to offer full cooperation and I would encourage everyone involved to do the same.”

Adding to the confusion (and rampant speculation), in the same report, Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher claimed he was unaware of any investigation, “I am not aware of any active criminal investigations related to the audit findings. If any are initiated, I am confident they will be handled appropriately, professionally and without delay. Our administration remains committed to addressing the audit findings directly and maintaining the highest standards of transparency and accountability.”

Last week, concerned residents watched as the Daytona Beach City Commission decided to table a vote on renewing City Manager Feacher’s contract until next month.  During the meeting, Commissioner Stacy Cantu – who has been critical of the city’s administration and fiscal management – rightfully sought a comprehensive evaluation of Mr. Feacher’s performance before deciding whether or not to continue his five-year contract which expires May 31.

According to a report by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week:

“Cantu argued that since commissioners are about to each formally evaluate Feacher, it makes much more sense to decide whether to keep him on as city manager after those written evaluations have been completed and discussed.

City Commissioner Paula Reed said it would be enough just to talk about Feacher’s accomplishments and time as Daytona’s city manager. Feacher had employees in the city’s various departments submit reports on what has been achieved on Feacher’s watch, and commissioners could have considered that, Reed maintained.

But the mayor and two other city commissioners agreed with Cantu, which shut down the three commissioners who wanted to vote on the manager’s contract renewal before they walked out of City Hall for the night.” 

For reasons known only to them, Reed, Commissioner Ken Strickland, and Commissioner Dannette Henry wanted to vote on Feacher’s contract at last week’s meeting without any formal evaluation to guide them. Something many saw as an attempt to secure Feacher’s position despite the raging controversy that is rapidly consuming Daytona Beach City Hall.

Mayor Derrick Henry (who has an uncanny clairvoyance for sensing the political ramifications of any situation) swapped allegiance (for the moment) and astutely voted in support of Commissioner Cantu’s effort to table the matter until next month.

According to the News-Journal’s report, “(Commissioner) May said she has heard “strong concerns about the way the city is being run.” Cantu said she has as well.

Henry said he’s heard “a remarkable number of opinions” both critical of the city’s management over the past 6-12 months, and concerned that the city manager is “under persistent assault.”

In my experience, the role of city manager is a hard dollar, akin to a plate spinner precariously perched on the three-legged stool of a politically incendiary elected body, the myriad moving parts and personalities of a functional local government, and the citizens who pay the bills and expect to have an active role in determining how those dollars are spent.

That inherent instability is why the position typically pays far in excess of the median income of the community they serve – in Mr. Feacher’s case nearly $300,000 annually plus perquisites – along with a lucrative “Golden Parachute” to soften the fall when the inevitable happens… 

As a professional manager, I suspect Mr. Feacher understands the dynamics. 

The longer the Daytona Beach City Commission permits this multifaceted boil to fester, the more chance for it to systemically infect the rest of the body.  That’s when focus switches from an appointed itinerant administrator who understands the volatility of his role, to the longevity of elected representatives who are politically responsible to their angry neighbors.  

Something tells me things are about to get interesting…

First Step Shelter:  New Leadership – New Beginnings?

The First Step Shelter’s Executive Director Victoria Fahlberg abruptly resigned last week, a move that apparently blindsided the board of directors and threatened to leave the shelter rudderless, leaving citizens who foot the bulk of the bill speculating on the reasons for her departure amid larger concerns at Daytona Beach City Hall.   

In the aftermath, First Step board member and self-anointed mouthpiece Mike Panaggio was quick to point out on social media that Fahlberg is “retiring not quitting,” weird semantics which tend to contradict her ambivalent explanation in The Daytona Beach News-Journal that “I have some other options,” Fahlberg said. “I am talking to some people.”

Whatever.

In my view, Fahlberg’s departure mimicked much of her tenure – leaving more questions than answers…

When I learned that Fahlberg will be staying on until her replacement is seated, I thought that was the perfect opportunity for Daytona Beach officials to put Internal Auditor Abinet Belachew to work ensuring financial accountability – and the public’s trust – before she departs the building.  

Per usual, the always prickly Panaggio took exception to my valid suggestion (a best practice in most public and private organizations during a leadership transition), accusing me of “…looking for something negative.”

“As for oversight, the organization is audited annually, and governance is handled by a full board, not any single individual. The structure is exactly what it should be.

If you have constructive ideas that improve outcomes, bring them forward. If not, repeating vague criticisms does nothing to help the people you claim to care about.”

Welp.  There you have it – nothing to see here, folks!  Everything’s great over at First Step! 

How do we know that?  Because Mike Panaggio said so… 

Look, I’m an uneducated rube – a provincial bumpkin, devoid of any formal education, degrees, or academic credentials – a hillbilly Diogenes with a Mittyesque imagination, always tilting at windmills, real and perceived.

That said, something that has never sat well with me is that the First Step Shelter’s website states, “Dr. Fahlberg has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Public Health in Population and International Health from Harvard.”

That’s sorta accurate…I guess.

According to her LinkedIn curriculum vitae, Fahlberg says she holds a “Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology,” from the now defunct Union Institute and University of Cincinnati, Ohio, which went bankrupt last year and lost its accreditation after failing to pay employees and disperse federal student loan refunds. 

So, why isn’t Union Institute and University mentioned on the First Step Shelter’s “About Us” page?

I’m asking.

Because, in my view, the unfortunate wording of Dr. Fahlberg’s First Step bio leaves anyone visiting the site to speculate if this represents a grammatical error – or an intentional omission to add Harvard’s “Ivy League” imprimatur to her Doctorate?

I was reminded of Dr. Fahlberg’s credentials earlier this week when I learned that she has convinced the flummoxed FSS oversight board that she is the only one in the organization who can perform her role.  As a result, the majority of board members voted on a cockamamie plan that extends Fahlberg’s tenure beyond her May 10 resignation. 

What well-educated person operates a tax supported program without a sound continuity of operations plan? And what oversight board doesn’t demand one?

Apparently, the agreement allows her a one-week unpaid vacation – then picks up with a four-week renewable contract that would hike Fahlberg’s pay from the current $69 and hour to a whopping $125 an hour – nearly DOUBLE her current salary until a replacement can be found.

You read that right. 

To his credit, board member and Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie was the lone “No” vote to protect Volusia County taxpayers from this latest abuse of public funds at First Step Shelter, claiming he didn’t like the fact “Victoria has all the leverage.”

He’s right.  

So much for Mr. Panaggio’s perfect organizational structure that allows the executive director to hold the board over a barrel because she alone knows how to administrate the facility and program, eh?   

Something stinks at First Step…

As a Volusia County taxpayer, I’d feel much better if Mr. Belachew had the opportunity to have a look under the hood – conduct a comprehensive audit of spending, purchasing policies, and interview employees regarding actual fiscal management practices to guarantee accountability – especially in light of the fact that whistleblower lawsuits are still pending against the First Step Shelter.

Here are some “constructive ideas to improve outcomes” for Mr. Panaggio to consider: 

The departure of Victoria Fahlberg is the perfect opportunity to completely overhaul the management and oversight at First Step Shelter, and a chance to evaluate its role, practicality, and value going forward. 

That should include the fresh vision of a new board of directors – along with a comprehensive review to determine if the current program is meeting the needs of homeless persons – and the changing requirements of Volusia County municipalities – who continue to face the entrenched (and very visible) problem of homelessness and open vagrancy in a struggling tourist destination.    

When a Politician Tells You Who They Are – Believe Them  

“There were some organizations within the arts community that were promoting trans shows and some of these programs that weren’t appropriate use of tax dollars,” Robins said. “And I refuse to support and promote a well-known mental health issue — not with what we have going on now and not never.”

–District 3 Volusia County Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins, as quoted by The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia Pride criticizes councilman over ‘mental health’ comment,” Friday, April 17, 2026

Admittedly, I’m an unrepentant sinner and a congenital asshole.

I just assume other people have the same self-awareness to recognize and admit their own shortcomings.  Perhaps that’s why I am frequently disillusioned, especially by those egocentric self-promoters who hold themselves out for high office for all the wrong reasons…   

For instance, if you’re shocked that a sitting elected official allegedly “representing” Southeast Volusia is a homophobic nob, don’t be. 

This isn’t the first time Danny “Gaslight” Robins has exposed himself for what he is (and isn’t) or used this polarizing trope to influence bad public policy and play to the worst instincts of his crumbling base. 

What should anger you more is that Councilman Robins routinely plays fast and loose with the truth…     

Last year, Danny’s whaleshit tactics came into full view when – after initially approving the allocation of annual cultural grant funding – the Volusia County Council staged one of its flamboyant melodramas as Councilman Robins effectively killed artistic and cultural pursuits in Volusia County by callously pulling the rug out from under thirty-two local nonprofit organizations at the eleventh-hour.

Why?

Because Councilman Robins saw an opportunity for shameless self-promotion when he clutched his pearls and priggishly carped that the tiny Shoestring Theater, a Lake Helen playhouse that has served Volusia County for 75-years – allowed a privately funded “Volusia Pride Pageant” – while the iconic 103-year-old Athens Theater in DeLand permitted an outside group to rent the venue to screen an adult only production of the “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which included a “drag show” before the movie.

What Mr. Robins failed to mention was that both venues were rented by outside entities – privately funded – and no tax dollars or grant funds were used to produce or promote the events.  To my knowledge, not one person was shanghaied off the street by drag queens and forced to watch either production… 

However, in practiced fashion, when the facts are inconvenient to Mr. Robins’ narrative, he simply ignores them, and repeated his baldfaced lie for effect at a campaign event last week.

This wasn’t ‘institutional wokeness,’ as Robins has portrayed – it was two long-established nonprofit organizations who tried to live up to their obligation for self-sustainability by renting space to a private entity – then were publicly flogged because the productions didn’t appeal to Mr. Robins politically expedient taste.    

In March, the VCC voted 5-2 (with Robins and Councilman Troy Kent voting against) to release $572,000 to make good on the previously approved grants, partially fulfilling their broken promise to countywide arts and cultural organizations that sponsor fairs, art festivals, galleries, and theater productions that enhance our quality of life and add millions of dollars to our regional economy annually.

Not anymore. 

By majority vote, the Volusia County Council discontinued all future funding, essentially turning the “Fun Coast” into a cultural wasteland, all because Volusia Pride rented a theater that applied to a county grant solicitation.

At the end of the day, “Gaslight” Robins’ cheap political parlor trick prevailed – and everyone else in Volusia County lost.  

In my view, Danny Robins represents everything wrong with Volusia County’s warped version of “governance.”  A political whore who long-ago sold his political soul to those special interests who fund his ambitions (and work him like a finger-puppet), while callously ignoring the needs, wants, and quality of life of his constituents.

When candidates show you who (and what) they are: Believe them.

With so many quality candidates challenging the stagnant status quo this election season, I hope you will use the power of the ballot box to help send Danny “Gaslight” Robins, and his compromised confederates on the Volusia County Council of Cowards, to the political ash heap while there is still something left to protect.  

Quote of the Week

“Palm Coast and Flagler County officials live here. They hear from residents every day. They understand our unique coastal challenges, our growth patterns, and our desire for balanced, responsible development. Local control means faster permitting for projects that make sense here, smarter zoning that protects neighborhoods, and policies shaped by the people who will actually live with the results.

This is the Reagan form of government — the philosophy that built America’s postwar prosperity. Ronald Reagan reminded us that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” He believed in getting Washington — and by extension, any distant capital — out of the way so that free people, free markets, and local leaders could solve problems closest to them. Reagan trusted communities, not centralized power. Tallahassee should do the same.”

–Palm Coast Vice Mayor and candidate for Flagler County Commission Theresa Pontieri, as excerpted from her op/ed in the Palm Coast Observer, “My View, Theresa Pontieri: Keep housing decisions local — let the free market work,” Monday, April 20, 2026

I rarely agree with Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri and her “colleagues” on the Palm Coast City Council, but she makes a critical point – local government matters. 

The concept of representation and accountability – residents elected by, and accountable to, their neighbors – establishing public policies to address shared needs, ensuring adequate public infrastructure, providing tailored essential services, and safeguarding the unique character of their community by adopting responsible growth management strategies.

Local governments reduce barriers to government services, focus on neighborhood needs, and (in most cases) provide accessibility and encourage public participation in the process. 

That’s not the case in Tallahassee and beyond.

For various reasons (read: money) our state legislators have set about preempting local control of everything from rural and environmental protections, development regulations, to water quality – essentially tying the hands of city and county governments – in favor of handing their political benefactors in the development industry carte blanche to build when, where, and what they want.

When the session is over and the damage is done, they saunter home from Tallahassee – their campaign war chests groaning with newfound corporate contributions – ingratiating themselves on social media, and expect We, The Little People to welcome them “home” (and cast our ballots to reelect their compromised ass) as though nothing happened… 

Bullshit.  

In my view, the City of Palm Coast isn’t exactly the poster child for responsible growth – in fact, for decades, the municipal ‘powers that be’ have allowed themselves to be bullied, bought, and coerced by industry forces to the point growth has far outpaced current infrastructure.   

Inconceivably, existing residents are now facing the specter of a “westward expansion” that includes plans for some 10,000 new “dwelling units” – malignant growth that will require even more taxes and fees to pay for it all.  

Look, I’ve been around long enough to know that politicians say a lot of things during the election season, but it is refreshing to see a sitting elected official call the intimidation coming out of Tallahassee for what it is. 

(Please find Vice Mayor Pontieri’s recent criticism of Palm Coast’s westward expansion development proposal FlaglerLive.com here: https://tinyurl.com/m8pbdjt3 )

This election season, let’s hope claustrophobic “Fun Coast” residents start asking the tough questions of our state legislative delegation – like, why they act one way in front of voters, then sell themselves to the highest bidder once they are sequestered in the cloistered confines of the Florida State Capitol?  

And Another Thing!

In my view, employers have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure their employees receive an honest days pay for an honest day’s work.  That includes accurate withholding and IRS reporting to avoid long-term financial implications. 

As the largest employer in the region, Volusia County District Schools has an obligation to its staff to stop the canned excuses and find a technologically sound payroll and benefits system that works as advertised.    

In February, those of us who pay the bills and are expected to keep our pie holes shut or face the wrath of Superintendent Carmen Balgobin, learned that thousands of district employees were the victim of a “technical payroll error” that left some overpaid by thousands of dollars in retroactive pay.

According to a report last week in the Ormond Beach Observer, “The impacted employees included both current and former employees who were due retroactive pay after the recent salary raises.

The technical error caused these employees to receive close to double, and, in some cases, triple the slated amount of retroactive pay.

“It definitely was an eye opener to hear it from the employee perspective,” said Martina Henry, director of ERP and customer success for FOCUS, which works with 10 school districts in the state.”

I’ll bet it was… 

Of course, district leadership placed the blame on the vendor who sold them the system, with Superintendent Balgobin (per usual) pointing to more “misconceptions” that have been foisted on employees, before playing CYA and painting herself the hero:

“Implementing a system like FOCUS, Balgobin said, for any superintendent in the state’s 67 school district, is a “nerve-wracking process.”

“No matter how preventative you are and all of the parameters that you will put in place, there will be issues,” she said. “It’s about the understanding that we create and how we handle when issues arise.”

Whatever that means.

This week we learned that another technical snafu has resulted in errors on the 2025 W-2 tax forms of numerous district employees… 

According to yet another report in the Ormond Beach Observer, “The error was during last year’s payroll system migration from the district’s last enterprise resource planning system; the district has shifted from CrossPointe to Focus, with a full implementation scheduled to be complete by July 1.

“Many of the people who received this letter are teachers, support staff, and district staff who show up every single day for our kids,” Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said in the news release.

“They don’t come to work expecting to deal with a tax problem we created. That weighs on me personally. I acknowledge the responsibility and assure you that corrective actions are being taken promptly. All affected employees will receive comprehensive support throughout this process.”

The report states that affected employees will be made whole, with “free” tax accounting services available through Fix-It Accounting – or a $150 reimbursement should the employee opt to use their own accountant – with the district also agreeing to cover “…any penalties by the IRS and access to Addition Financial for those who need short-term financial help.”

In addition, the district has hired a third-party firm to conduct an audit of the system migration and payroll processes. 

No word on how much the remediation will ultimately cost – or who will pay for it… 

When does it end?

As Superintendent Balgobin admonished while besmirching this blogsite during a recent School Board meeting, “enough is enough.”

Eventually, our elected oversight on the Volusia County School Board will be forced to come to the realization that either the buck stops with the Superintendent – or with them – at the ballot box.  

Despite Balgobin’s patented ability to avoid accountability using blame deflection, finger wagging accusations of “misinformation” and “misconceptions,” and a thin camouflage of arrogant overconfidence, it is time for our elected representatives to stop the reactive management by crisis, change tack, restore stakeholder confidence, and replace this cheap charade with competent leadership going forward.  

That’s all for me.  Have a great Jeep Beach 2026 this 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:

Ormond Beach: Positive Change Begins with Civic Introspection

The undervalued concept of “civic introspection” refers to the process by which community leaders reflect on their values, reinforce a civic culture, identify responsibilities, determine accountability, examine needs, shortfalls, and encourage positive citizen engagement, particularly in response to significant events.

I’m not talking about bureaucratic navel gazing. Rather, a comprehensive review of what works, what doesn’t, and what can be changed organizationally and legislatively to better meet current and emerging challenges.

That’s not as easy as it sounds. 

Especially in the cloistered confines of a government administration building – or the politically-charged pressure cooker of an election year – when incumbents would prefer to keep warts and blemishes away from the light of day.

Last week, Ormond Beach City Commissioner Travis Sargent demonstrated the best qualities of civic self-reflection when he began to question how, when, where, and why his city’s legal staff seeks outside legal counsel. 

Commissioner Sargent’s questions came in the still smoldering aftermath of two development-related lawsuits – the travesty at Tomoka Oaks, which will see 254 homes shoehorned onto the former golf course – and the ongoing push-and-shove with the City of Daytona Beach over utility service to Avalon Park (the future “city within a city” that will fundamentally change both communities forever).

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer, “During his closing comments on Tuesday, April 7, City Commissioner Travis Sargent asked staff to look into the city ordinance on legal representation and bring back a consideration to add language concerning the use of lawyers outside of the city’s legal department.

“I’m not trying to take away anything,” Sargent said. “I’m just trying to add to our decision-making process.”

It was painfully apparent that the Tomoka Reserve development consortium’s ultra-sharp land use attorneys simply outpaced the city’s legal apparatus at every turn – publicly beating them like a cheap gong – leaving a battered and bullied Ormond Beach City Attorney Randy Hayes on his heels, with a grim thousand-yard stare, and a discernable trepidation about what the inevitable loss would look like.

It didn’t help that Ormond Beach was fighting with both hands and legs hogtied behind its back as the Florida legislature continues to serve its masters in the development industry, stack the deck, and preempt local growth management regulations…

In late March, the Commission rejected a settlement offer in the Avalon Park case, something many see as an increasingly risky (and expensive) proposition now that the developer and Daytona Beach have marched the matter into federal court.

According to the Observer, “…the commission once again rejected a $2.3 million settlement offer in the ongoing Avalon Park dispute with the developer and the City of Daytona Beach. A suit has now been filed at the federal level, claiming the delay in development caused by the utility dispute (Ormond was designated as the water provider for the land in 2006) has caused Avalon Park a $50 million loss.”

The vote to reject the settlement offer was 4-1, with Sargent casting the lone vote against.

In both cases, the City Attorney’s office engaged the same outside law firm…

In my experience, most local governments have a process whereby the elected body can authorize outside legal counsel and establish limits on compensation.  A commonsense (and fiscally responsible) procedure that puts everyone on the same page, establishes a scope of work, sets expectations and defines the services sought.

For his part, Mayor Jason Leslie said, “We have a lot of decisions to make here sitting on the dais, right, and then some of these other decisions are made outside of our purview here.  Things change. These ordinances that we have, things were probably done differently back then than they are now.”

In my view, it is refreshing in this election year to see Ormond Beach elected officials beginning to think beyond the “That’s the way we’ve always done it” civic myopia that keeps many communities mired in bureaucratic mediocrity.  

It is abundantly clear to anyone watching that it is time for the Ormond Beach City Commission to get their heads in the game – engage in a comprehensive self-examination – and take an active role in decisions that have been abdicated to senior staff for far too long.

Only then can the elected body begin the process of ensuring their constituents are being adequately (and aggressively) represented in matters with potentially catastrophic impacts on the community.   

Volusia’s County: “When First We Practice to Deceive…”

“When in danger or in doubt, run in circles scream and shout!”

–Herman Wouk, The Caine Mutiny

What I witnessed during a March meeting of the Volusia County Council still bugs me.  That weird uneasiness that comes when what we suspect is suddenly revealed – the unspoken said aloud, the glimpse behind the curtain, a brief revelation that suddenly proves our worst suspicions were true all along.

It caused me to recall ol’ Nick Copernicus’ thoughts on “epistemic humility,” the insight to recognize the limits of one’s knowledge: “To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.”

That hard-earned wisdom reminded me that We, The Little People have no idea what these people we elect to represent our interests are capable of when it comes to furthering their personal interests or those of their political benefactors. 

It is increasingly apparent that our elected officials on the Volusia County Council have given up on the concept of truth, transparency, and honor in public service in favor of some grossly chaotic sham – a weird pastiche of Three Stooges slapstick performed as a gut-wrenching Greek tragedy…

Those who hold senior public leadership positions know (at least they should) that perception becomes reality for outsiders peering in at the complex watchworks of a cloistered bureaucracy when what they are told does not comport with what they see with their own eyes.

Those suspicions became reality last month as concerned residents looked on in stunned silence as Councilman Don Dempsey’s cheese slipped off his cracker… 

During a March meeting, Dempsey suffered a very public meltdown, his petulant tantrum eerily reminiscent of the mad Captain Philip Francis Queeg in The Caine Mutiny, obsessing over Volusia Forever and the contractual provisions of conservation easements, perpetuity provisions, and partnerships with state environmental agencies.

In the view of many, it appeared Dempsey was suffering a weird delusional disorder, living in an illusory world where only he could sense the existential danger posed by partnerships that further the goals of the venerated voter-approved conservation program.

Many residents were taken aback when Dempsey began raving about urgent threats, like being contractually blocked from building a nuclear reactor in Volusia County when fossil fuels are exhausted and the Floridan aquifer runs dry – leaving “Fun Coast” residents 1,000 years from now doomed to a Mad Max dystopia – all because we selfishly voted to conserve some ecologically sensitive greenspace in a previous millennia… 

When Councilman Danny Robins made a motion to remove the discussion of “policy considerations” surrounding the voter-approved Volusia Forever conservation program from the agenda, many in the standing room only crowd that packed the Volusia County Council chambers were relieved.

But not Mr. Dempsey.  He continued to pout and pule like a recalcitrant child… 

Then, in a typical VCC eleventh-hour ambush, Dempsey continued to press the issue during closing comments, claiming his “colleagues” were attempting to “gag” him – publicly embarrassing his fellow elected officials by equating them to that moon bat California Governor Gavin Newsome – apoplectic that no one wanted to hear more of his Clarence Darrow routine.

At the end of the day (literally) Dempsey finagled a future workshop to discuss contractual issues and the potential effects of pending legislation on the tax supported conservation program.

It’s what happened next that raised eyebrows.

Many observers were shocked (not surprised) by the brazen suggestion of Councilman David Santiago to sanitize the intent of Dempsey’s “workshop” as a means of easing it past those who left thinking the issue was dead by rebranding it an “educational session.” 

That’s psychological semantics, not transparency.

This manipulative “small bites” tactic was also urged by County Manager George Recktenwald who explained:

“When you bring the whole thing, I think that it brings the impression that you are trying to overhaul.”

Many Volusia County residents enjoyed an “aha!” moment as the behind-the-scenes deception and choreography that routinely happens in the secluded inner sanctum was suddenly on public display:

How are we going to polish this turd to camouflage our intent?

How can we keep this contentious issue at a bureaucratic simmer while diverting the attention of our constituents?

In my view, this council’s pathological need to whitewash controversial issues is indicative of the conniving behavior that is destroying the public’s trust in their government.  Let me reassure everyone that what you hear and observe at what passes for Volusia County Council meetings is correct – hard to believe – but accurate.

It really is a shit-show of epic proportions.  

Your eyes aren’t playing tricks and the everyman’s soapbox of social media isn’t always wrong.  

We’re not all mistaken. 

Our cogent assessment of the acts, omissions, and premeditated procrastination we watch month in and month out is valid – and you have the right to form an alternative opinion to the bureaucracy’s carefully crafted narrative – free from the bullying and spite of hubristic perennial politicians.

That’s strategic distraction, not statesmanship.

These political finger puppets have already proven, time-and-again, who they work for – and it isn’t us…

This election season, I urge you to do your homework, get involved, become educated voters and elect quality local and state candidates with the temperament, ethical courage, transparency, and sense of civic and environmental responsibility to represent the interests of all Volusia County residents. 

We deserve better.

Quote of the Week

“If something has already been zoned a certain way, Board Chair Doug Thomas said he wasn’t interested in trying to take property rights away from owners and tell them what they can or can’t do.

“There’s a lot of residents in the city who would like you to put a sign out at the border of Georgia and say nobody else can move to Florida,” Thomas said. “But just because that’s what those people, that minority of people, say doesn’t mean that that’s what’s best for everyone.”

–Ormond Beach Planning Board Chairman Doug Thomas, as quoted by reporter Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Ormond Beach Planning Board members weigh property rights and city planning,” Friday, April 10, 2026

I’m sure Chairman Thomas and his fellow members of the Ormond Beach Planning Board have the best interests of established residents at heart. 

Right?   

Surely, they temper the cold letter of zoning regulations by considering our quality of life, health, safety, greenspace, and the unique character of our neighborhoods when making life-altering recommendations regarding the number, frequency, and physical appropriateness of residential and commercial projects that will our forever alter our grandchildren’s lives and livelihoods, right?    

Because when the chair of our planning board tells the Ormond Beach Observer he’s not interested in curbing obscene sprawl in this once quaint community because people want to move here – describing the overwhelming number of his neighbors who are screaming for commonsense planning and zoning regulations and an end to state preemptions as “that minority of people,” I get confused…

And concerned.

If our planning and zoning process has become little more than a Chinese menu, why do we need a “Planning Board” gumming up the works? 

In my experience, when a hotel reaches maximum occupancy, management hangs a “No Vacancy” sign to alert potential lodgers that the property currently has no more available space.

Because the alternative – packing guests like cordwood in every nook and cranny, placing cots in hallways and ballrooms, overburdening recreational amenities, gridlocked parking lots, and overcrowding limited facilities – is unsafe and unsanitary.

Letting potential customers know there is no room at the inn is a temporary measure that protects the property from the ravages of excess and overuse, frees staff to meet current needs, ensures existing guests have a quality experience, and allows management time to plan – and improve infrastructure to accommodate more customers within set parameters – so that expansion does not infringe on neighbors, current residents, or detract from the unique character of the hotel that attracted visitors to begin with.

Unfortunately, our ‘powers that be’ in local governments here on Florida’s Fun Coast – Ormond Beach included – have failed to grasp (or manage) the myriad issues that occur when one attempts to shove ten pounds of shit into a five pound sack – a crude metaphor for the malignant growth that is rapidly metastasizing along the spine of Volusia County from Farmton to the Flagler County line – sprawl that is now threatening once rural areas of West Volusia with high-density development and its detrimental impacts to our environment, infrastructure, and quality of life.

With evidence mounting that unchecked growth is the principal concern of residents across Volusia County, why do those we have elected and appointed to represent our interests continue to ignore the fears of their constituents?  

Elections have consequences.  This is one of them…

And Another Thing!

Since I retired, few things spark my legendary ire. 

During my productive life, I was rightfully accused of having sharp elbows, vociferously defending my position with no qualms engaging in an argument, fistfight, or footrace to prove I was right.  Call it passion, or the arrogance of an outsized ego (it was both), but I can admit now that my approach could have been different, softer, more collegial, less defensive, and far less confrontational…     

Now, in my old age, I get more annoyed than angry. 

For instance, running out of vermouth is a personal pet peeve – and I’m not a huge fan of the roar of a leaf blower on a quiet Sunday morning when I’m nursing the night before – but it takes a lot to ignite my incendiary anger as I age not-so-gracefully.

That said, sitting up here in the cheap seats watching elected and appointed officials – those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest – deflect responsibility for their actions, omissions, and procrastinations (and those of their subordinates), “gaslighting” their constituents with contrived narratives designed to avert accountability, while projecting blame on those with the courage to speak out on the issues, makes my blood boil, dammit…   

On Tuesday evening, during a contentious meeting of the Volusia County School Board, I watched as Superintendent Carmen Balgobin spun a whopper, openly crafting a skewed plot to escape the fact she was caught flatfooted sneaking through a half-baked plan to move the Riverview Learning Center – an alternative program for students of all grades with intense emotional, conduct, and behavioral needs – to a fenced off building on the Holly Hill K-5 campus.

Last week, Holly Hill city officials and residents were blindsided – taken by complete surprise – when news of the Riverview move escaped the cloistered confines of Balgobin’s Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand leaving confused stakeholders rightfully feeling left out of the planning process. 

Because they were.

Unconscionably, Balgobin used her sizeable soapbox Tuesday evening to mischaracterize the situation – claiming that her staff was “disrespected” in a meeting with overwrought city officials – turning the focus from her lack of transparency to a virtue signaling description of “our kids” in the Riverview program, insinuating those students assigned to the “alternative” program were mischaracterized as delinquents by what she described as a “handful of individuals” spreading “erroneous information.”

Bullshit.

This latest debacle has nothing to do with the virtues of Riverview Learning Center – which, according to Balgobin, spends up to $3 million a year to provide “mental health services” to just 30 students who, as Balgobin describes it, have experienced “trauma” – and everything to do with the district’s pathological secrecy and abysmal communication practices.     

For instance, in 2024, after the Balgobin administration caused a community uproar by failing to notify Ormond Beach residents and city officials that the Riverview facility was being moved to the Osceola Elementary campus, former District 4 School Board member Carl Persis was left staring dejectedly at his shoes, attempting to deflect blame using the same tired “misinformation” tactic in a report by WESH-2:

“Volusia County School Board Member Carl Persis said there’s a lot of misinformation out there about these students being dangerous.”

“These are just just regular kids that just made some some errors,” Persis said.”

“Persis says most of them are there because they either got into a fight, used some bad language, or brought a small amount of drugs to class, but none of these kids have been in jail.”

But that’s not the only reason Ormond Beach residents are upset, many near the former Osceola School say they weren’t properly notified this vote would happen.”

Sound familiar?

On Tuesday, to my complete surprise, Superintendent Balgobin denigrated Barker’s View from her high and mighty perch on the dais – accusing me of “never verifying” sources. 

How in the hell does Carmen Balgobin know who my “sources” are? 

Or how I vet information received from dedicated employees at all levels of Volusia County District Schools who reach out to express their silent disgust with Balgobin’s gross mismanagement, self-aggrandizement, and manipulation of data to skew outcomes and control the narrative?  

In turn, Balgobin unraveled in a paranoid lecture – spewing scary stories that we have people in our community who are “…truly committed to disrupting the educational process and the success of our students…”

Really?

It was a cheap diversion – a reversal of blame. Bureaucratic DARVO on full display.

How dare Superintendent Balgobin wag her finger in the face of engaged residents, taxpayers, staff, and stakeholders who voice their very real concerns for the education of Volusia County students – the very future of our community – and take exception to the gross mismanagement of a massive bureaucracy now commanding $1.4 billion annually amid declining enrollment and dubious school grades that defy logic?

Superintendent Balgobin ended her impetuous dressing down with an ominous “enough is enough.”

I agree. 

In this election year, I’ve had enough of those in government and publicly funded organizations that we generously compensate with our hard-earned tax dollars hectoring us with a constant stream of “you’re wrong, I’m right,” “miscommunication,” “erroneous information” while gaslighting constituents with virtuous tall tales as a means of disguising the blunders and secrecy of a bloated bureaucracy intent on covering its wide and increasingly obvious tracks.

Enough is enough.

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

 Hi, kids!

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

Volusia County District Schools: Here We Go Again?

Buckle up, y’all…

My literary hero Dr. Hunter S. Thompson had an interesting theory on the education of children.

“Children are like TV sets. When they start acting weird, whack them across the head with a big rubber basketball shoe…”

The reality is far more complex and expensive – both financially and societally. That’s why communities take such a profound interest in the administration of their schools and the educational system that shapes our children – and our future.

Residents and city officials in Ormond Beach are still reeling from the lack of transparency, baldfaced lies, and bait-and-switch tactics they experienced from Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and her administration during the blundering merger of the city’s only beachside school, Osceola Elementary, with Ortona Elementary in Daytona Beach.

When the district’s three-card monte flim-flam was over, Riverview Learning Center – an alternative school for students of all grades with intense emotional, conduct, and behavioral needs – was moved from Daytona Beach to the former Osceola campus…

The swap came on the recommendation of Superintendent Balgobin, who is married to Riverview’s principal Thomas Soli.

The decree left area residents fuming that they weren’t given sufficient notice – or even the courtesy of an explanation – by district officials.  The arrogant lack of community input left many feeling blindsided by the idea of placing the “alternative” facility in the long-established Seminole neighborhood that surrounds Osceola’s campus.

It was perceived as a monarchical edict, a “done deal” that was forced on the community by a faceless bureaucracy in DeLand.  In my view, that overwhelming sense of betrayal was a significant factor in the defeat of former District 4 School Board member Carl Persis, who spent much of his last year in office sheepishly apologizing for the district’s frequent “communication mistakes” on every media outlet in the region.     

Here we go again… 

Earlier this week, I learned that plans are afoot in Balgobin’s Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand to uproot the Riverview Learning Center and move the facility from the Osceola campus to a wholly inappropriate location at Holly Hill School, a traditional neighborhood school serving students from Kindergarten to Fifth grade.   

You read that right.

Preliminary information suggests the Osceola campus will be abandoned, razed, and sold – no doubt to a real estate developer who will shoehorn “residential units” on the property and forever change the character of one of Ormond’s most established beachside neighborhoods.

As I understand it, (and I’m not sure I do?) the “plan” calls for a building on the Holly Hill campus to be wrapped in barrier fencing, a very visible means of physically separating students placed at Riverview from the small children attending the K-5 school. 

In keeping with the “Alligator Alcatraz” feel of the barricaded new facility, none of Holly Hill School’s communal areas, cafeteria, or clinic will be shared with Riverview. 

I’m certainly not a child psychologist, but it seems interning students accused of conduct violations and quasi-criminal behavior behind a perimeter fence on an active elementary school campus will leave students on both sides of the secure compound naturally suspicious of the other.

In my experience, suspicion leads to fear and alienation…

The venerated Holly Hill School was initially established in 1885 – before the city’s incorporation in 1901 – and has served generations in that tightknit community in various iterations ever sense. 

Throughout its history, the city of Holly Hill has stood behind its school, actively participating in its programs, raising funds, and supporting its students in a variety of ways.  As evidence of the community’s enduring pride in its namesake, it was recently announced that – thanks to a generous $50,000 donation from Chuck Heinmiller, a retired city employee – the original Holly Hill School building (once known as “Volusia County School #32”) is being renovated and moved to a place of honor outside the Holly Hill History Museum.   

In my view, the secrecy surrounding this ill thought move is a mirror image of the spiteful tactics used on neighbors, parents, and staff two-years ago.  As this cockamamie “plan” progresses behind closed doors, key stakeholders in Holly Hill have not been told about the Riverview move, and I suspect they won’t be until it is too late. 

Sound familiar Ormond Beach?

If history repeats (and it always does in Volusia County), residents and city officials in Holly Hill will have the decision foist upon them in a midnight social media post…

In my view, Superintendent Balgobin continues to suffer from a raging superiority complex – bolstered by self-nominated awards and dubious accolades – a façade that drives her grandiose illusions of infallibility that allows the same mistakes to happen over-and-over again.

Is there another explanation? 

Unfortunately, the majority of our elected representatives on the Volusia County School Board have fallen victim to a weird authority bias.  Despite all evidence to the contrary, they believe Balgobin knows best, refusing to set reasonable public policies to stop the internal and external dysfunction, as the long series of blunders, gaffs, and “communication mistakes” that erode public confidence continue unabated.

Fortunately, District 4 School Board member Donna Brosemer now represents the residents of Ormond Beach and Holly Hill – an independent servant/leader who is about as far from the namby-pamby acquiescence of Carl Persis as one could hope – a true conservative voice who works hard for her constituents, not the administration…   

Trust me, she’s no pushover.

I suspect Ms. Brosemer will ask the tough questions and serve the best interests of Holly Hill residents – and the students, teachers, and staff of Holly Hill School – and help meet the needs of those who would be incarcerated behind physical and psychological concertina wire at the next iteration of Riverview.

In my view, perhaps the Volusia County School Board should be taking a hard look at Superintendent Balgobin’s top-heavy coterie and start paring the thick rind of fat off that bloated bureaucracy in DeLand, then reinvest those funds in an appropriate (and permanent) facility to serve the needs of Riverview students and staff and stop playing this asinine game of “musical campuses” once and for all.

Daytona Beach: “Without Accountability, There is No Trust…”

“Without accountability, there is no trust, and without trust, there is no leadership.”

–Dave Ramsey

The mounting questions regarding the financial oversight and purchasing policies of the City of Daytona Beach deepened last week as taxpayers were galvanized by a scathing report from the city’s internal auditor.  Add to that the abrupt departure of Chief Building Official Glen Urquhart, who submitted his resignation last week amid a wider state audit of city finances, and it is apparent all is not well within the cloistered confines of City Hall…   

After months of conjecture regarding the use of city purchasing cards, the troubling findings of Internal Auditor Abinet Belachew were the last straw for two Daytona Beach City Commissioners.   

During last week’s City Commission meeting, Mr. Belachew – the city’s no-nonsense bean counter with a passion for protecting public funds from waste, fraud, and abuse – reported on his review of the city’s take-home vehicle program (which costs taxpayers some $315,000 annually), along with an examination of the spending habits of the Daytona Beach Fire Department over the last five-years.

The audits were the latest in a series of reviews that have exposed purchasing anomalies, travel irregularities, a lack of proper documentation, inadequate oversight, and outdated/ignored policies that, in some cases, made it nearly impossible for Mr. Belachew to differentiate legitimate expenses from possible theft.

According to reports, Mr. Belachew determined that the Fire Department used public funds to purchase more than $50,000 worth of food and beverages – some from fast food locations – along with $500,000 for what was described as out of policy “vehicle maintenance expenditures” between 2021 and 2025.

In keeping with a process previously approved by the City Commission, Mr. Belachew submitted his draft report to City Manager Derek Feacher and Fire Chief/Deputy City Manager Dru Driscoll on February 20 – well in advance of its public release – which allowed time for the administration to submit challenges, provide evidence, and formulate corrective action plans, if necessary.

According to a report by investigative journalist Eileen Zaffiro-Kean writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, in his formal response, Mr. Feacher reiterated his commitment to ensuring fiscal responsibility citywide:

“I reaffirm my unwavering commitment to accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources,” Feacher wrote. “The audit’s conclusion that no fraudulent activity was identified demonstrates both the integrity of the city operations and our dedication to safeguarding taxpayer funds.”

Feacher went on to write that he won’t tolerate any misuse of public resources.

“We recognize the importance of addressing identified internal control gaps,” he said. “These findings are taken seriously, and corrective actions are being pursued promptly and diligently wherever warranted and if it is a cost benefit to the city.”

Feacher said he directed staff to take immediate action to ensure timely and accountable implementation of necessary corrective measures.”

Unfortunately, it appears Chief Driscoll took a more defensive tone after Mr. Belachew reported that during his review, he received unspecified internal and external “allegations” regarding the department’s leadership, along with concerns about retaliation for bringing issues to light… 

According to the News-Journal’s report, when Commissioner Quanita May asked about Driscoll’s accountability in the matter, the Fire Chief resorted to counteraccusations.

“I find it disturbing we have someone in charge of this department who’s not aware of this spending,” May charged.

Copies of about 30 receipts Belachew provided to a few reporters on April 2 are initialed “DD,” suggesting they were fire department purchases made or approved by Driscoll. The receipts are mainly for large food and beverage purchases in 2024 and 2025, everything from pizza to donuts to sandwiches to $114 worth of food from an Olive Garden restaurant.

Driscoll said Belachew’s report disparages firefighters who have nothing to do with purchases that are made by the administration.

Driscoll also said Belachew’s $50,000 tally for fire department food and beverage expenditures over a five-year period is about twice as large as it should be. Driscoll said he’s determined the total for his department is around $26,000.”

In turn, Belachew reminded everyone that he provided Chief Driscoll with a draft of his report well in advance of its release and any discrepancies could have been addressed and corrected based on sound evidence. 

“I clearly indicated my willingness to revise the report if supported by evidence,” Mr. Belachew said.

I found it odd that rather than defend his department using verifiable justifications, receipts, evidence of internal controls, and articulable needs, “Driscoll said he would welcome a third party, such as a state auditor, checking behind Belachew’s audit of the Daytona Beach Fire Department.”

It appears Chief Driscoll is about to get his wish…

According to reports, a “team of state auditors” arrived at City Hall last month and began a proctological examination of city finances and internal controls.  The “probe” comes after a tetchy exchange between city administrators and the Florida Joint Legislative Auditing Committee last December over the city’s inability to spend down excess licensing and permitting fees.

That ongoing review apparently led to Chief Building Official Glen Urquhart submitting his resignation last Friday. 

In a letter announcing his departure, Urquhart both defended his management of the department and cited “…ongoing concerns regarding workplace conditions, including unnecessary pressure, unreasonable requests, extreme micromanaging and personal attacks affecting both my professional integrity and my family, I have determined I can no longer continue in this role.”

State officials, citizens, and some commission members have been openly critical of purchases and oversight in Urquhart’s department.  According to reports, excess permitting fees were used to obtain a fleet of unmarked Ford F250 trucks and a boat, along with a previous request for a $1 million “mobile command post,” and a disastrous attempt to buy an asbestos-laden four-story building on Beach Street ostensibly to house the permitting and licensing division…

For the past two-years, Commissioner Stacy Cantu has openly questioned city spending and it appears she has finally seen enough. 

According to the News-Journal, “I don’t understand why no one is being held accountable,” Cantu said. “This is the taxpayers’ money, and we’re not holding anyone accountable.”

Shortly after saying that, Cantu called for Feacher’s ouster. She said she could give a list of reasons “a mile long” why Feacher’s contract shouldn’t be renewed next month.

“I’m done with this,” she said. “It keeps going on and on.”

Commissioner Cantu motioned to fire City Manager Deric Feacher with cause.  The vote failed 5-2, with Ms. Cantu and Commissioner May on the losing end…

Given Mr. Urquhart’s brusque departure during an active audit, perhaps someone who accepts public funds to serve in the public trust will do just that and determine what the city’s former chief building official meant by “unnecessary pressure, unreasonable requests” during this period of explosive growth…  

Per usual, as internal and external pressure mounts, the wagons are being circled at City Hall.  Some commissioners are now scolding the watchdog for barking, questioning the accuracy of Mr. Belachew’s findings.  An age-old bureaucratic defensive maneuver that entrenched insiders believe will prevent the inevitable.  

It won’t…

Meanwhile, Mayor Derrick Henry is doing what he does best – spewing empty platitudes – attempting to placate his angry constituents with a liberal application of more hot air, “Moving forward from this night we have to find a way as a city and a commission to move forward that’s more professional and proficient.”

“I do believe that the citizens of Daytona Beach deserve some things that are better than they are now.  We have some oversight issues that are problematic. But I’m not going to let anyone sell me on the idea that our city is in great decay when the reality is we have made a rapid and tremendous ascension. In a lot of ways, that need to be celebrated. So, those things that we don’t have right, let’s just get them right and continue to push forward, into our destiny.””

Whatever you say, Mayor… 

If you live, do business, or pay taxes in the Halifax area, you’ll want to stay tuned to WFTV-9’s impressive investigative journalist Demie Johnson who broke the story of Daytona Beach’s purchasing and oversight issues last year. 

This one bears watching.

Quote of the Week

“Last week Blaise Ingoglia, Florida’s chief financial officer, invited Flagler County’s top elected officials to their own public flogging. They had all submissively trooped into a room at the Hammock Beach Club for Ingoglia’s latest campaign stop disguised as a press conference–county commissioners, Palm Coast City Council members, constitutional officers, all of them wondering who Ingoglia was about to destroy next for what he calls “overspending.”

Gov. DeSantis appointed Ingoglia CFO on July 21. Since September, he’s been holding pseudo press conferences around the state to flog local governments over their excesses. He holds up rectangular flash cards to the camera to show by how much. Jacksonville: $200 million. Hillsborough, $279 million. Alachua, $85 million. Seminole, $48 million. Manatee, $112 million. Miami, $94 million. Miami-Dade, $303 million. He’s done at least 14 of these.

Last week it was Flagler County’s turn: $59 million.

The figures are supposedly the result of what he calls “high-level spending comparisons and audits.” Audits take weeks and months. These aren’t audits. They’re back-of-the-envelope tabulations a high school intern can do in five minutes based on Ingoglia’s crackpot formula: calculate population growth and inflation, add a 10 to 15 percent inefficiency factor, and compare that to actual general fund budget figures between 2019 and 2025. If the difference exceeds Ingoglia’s arbitrary benchmarks, it’s overspending. It’s robbing taxpayers. It’s fraud.

It’s a brilliant rhetorical appeal to taxpayers’ outrage. It’s also bullshit.”

–Editor Pierre Tristam writing in FlaglerLive, as excerpted from his op/ed “CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s Disinformation Campaign at Local Governments’ Expense,” April 4, 2026

Please find Mr. Tristam’s editorial here: https://tinyurl.com/2k6b92bu

If it isn’t painfully obvious, I’m not a journalist.  At best a dilettante editorialist, at worst a blowhard with internet access. 

I simply assume no one in their right mind would ever mistake these rambling screeds for fact-based reporting as my jumbled thoughts bounce around the page like a tilted pinball machine with a lot of flash, bells, and whistles.

The fact is, these loquacious diatribes are just one man’s thoughts on the news and newsmakers of the day – neither always right, nor always wrong – musings that I hope will foster a greater discussion of the issues we collectively face.  

It’s important that I (and you) recognize my limitations because the alternative is grim: Self-deception – lying to yourself – distorts reality and allows us to create false narratives that justify our thoughts and actions, even when the evidence contradicts them.

Last week in this space, I commented on a recent dog-and-pony-show starring Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia that rivaled anything P.T. Barnum could have produced.  A staged magic act during which he eviscerated Flagler County elected officials while claiming an “analysis” (that he conjured out of whole cloth) had determined the budget set by the Flagler Board of County Commissioner’s was “excessive” and “wasteful.”

Per the current political climate where the state rules local government by abject thuggery, Flagler County elected and appointed officials sat like stone-faced gargoyles and dutifully took their beating – with the feckless Flagler County Chair Leann Pennington using the confusing presentation for political capital by sycophantically praising Ingoglia’s message – without seeing a shred of evidence in support of his position…

According to an article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week, Pennington “…reiterated her long-held concerns regarding “rising project costs, increased staffing, and the overall growth of government.”

The problem is/was – CFO Ingoglia has failed to produce a legitimate budget analysis to confirm his claims of widespread waste and abuse in Flagler County…   

According to the News-Journal, “Ingoglia said at the time that he reached that number from a basic calculation: He compared how much the county spent in 2019 compared to what it spent in 2025-26, factoring in population growth and inflation. He didn’t mention the inflation rate.

In his March 26 press release, Ingoglia said Flagler County added “80 full-time administrative employees to accommodate a 32,564 increase in population growth” in the last six years. The CFO did not specify which county government positions were filled, whether they were high-level positions, nor what the employees’ salaries were.”

Unfortunately, no one from the CFO’s office is returning phone calls from legitimate journalists seeking specific answers regarding the multiple municipal and county “audits” that prompted Mr. Ingoglia’s statewide “FAFO” tour of shame…

What gives? 

It is increasingly apparent that Mr. Ingoglia’s Flagler County appearance was part of his publicly funded campaign tour – little more than political legerdemain embroidered with well-orchestrated smoke-and-mirrors – where he uses the same script and large billboards (with even larger numbers) around the state to stir what he calls a “property tax revolt.”  

Now, Florida’s CFO is fanning the flames by calling out local government spending while ignoring the state’s own pernicious pay-to-play scheme, one that routinely sells our quality of life to the highest bidder.

Unfortunately, the obsequious acquiescence of local elected officials who took their beatdown with “Thank you, sir.  May I have another?” obedience was extremely telling.  On Monday, Flagler County officials finally found their backbones and came to the stark realization that Ingoglia’s claims were fabricated horseshit.

According to a follow up report in the News-Journal, Commissioner Greg Hanson summed it up, “There is nothing (in Ingoglia’s report) that we can look at and say, ‘well, we can fix this or we can fix that,’” Hansen said. “There is nothing there. It’s a fluff report.”

“He went to call Ingoglia’s visit a “complete campaign trick.”

For his part, Commissioner Andy Dance explained that a one-size-fits-all formulation doesn’t work for all counties in the state, claiming all Ingoglia did “was come in and just blow apart our trust from the community.”

He’s right.

In my view, the initial silence (and subservience) of local elected representatives was a gross disservice to their constituents – who are being manipulated by Ingoglia and his political theater ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ politically motivated swansong: A cockamamie plan to destroy local growth management regulations and force large, unresponsive bureaucracies on Florida residents by exsanguinating their local governments through the elimination of property taxes.

I don’t always agree with Pierre Tristam’s thoughts in FlaglerLive, but his thorough examination of CFO Ingoglia’s true motivations is spot on:

“That’s Ingoglia’s end game: to trample local governments in a mush of malicious disinformation and reckless anti-government rhetoric on his way to his own electoral glory. Don’t fall for it. Our local governments aren’t the fraud. Blaise Ingoglia is.”

And Another Thing!

There is a theory being debated in legitimate scientific circles that our universe is in actuality an algorithmic simulation.  A computer-generated virtual world where our sense of “reality” is no more than a digital imitation, controlled by an unseen mind, or perhaps directed by some elaborate code running on futuristic hardware. 

Scoff all you want, but do you have a better explanation?

Each morning when I open the newspaper – or sit through one of those interminable freakshows that pass for public meetings around these parts – the invariable assault on my senses tells me there’s more to that weird “simulation hypothesis” than we might imagine… 

For instance, last week the insufferable Dan Bilzerian, a self-described social-media influencer, professional poker player, and “one of the most powerful forces in the entertainment business” (or, as I refer to him, “An antisemitic douchebag who represents all that’s wrong with the 21^st Century”) has – for reasons known only to him – announced he is running for Florida’s 6th Congressional District.

You read that right…

If you live anywhere on Florida’s “Fun Coast,” that should sound familiar.  The 6^th District covers an area roughly from South Daytona to just south of St. Augustine, along with a large swath of Central Florida to the west, or as we call it, “home.”  

According to an article by Mark Harper in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week, “Bilzerian, 45, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is a Tampa-born trust-fund celebrity, “the King of Instagram,” professional poker player, and entrepreneur with a messy business background whose criticism of Jews and Israel has brought allegations of antisemitism.”

“Yes, I’m running,” Bilzerian told The News-Journal in an April 1 text message. “Getting everything in order now.” 

He said he would be “happy” to talk about the race “as soon as I’m officially registered which should be within a week at the latest.”

As it turns out, Bilzerian’s threat wasn’t some sick April Fool’s joke…

The seat is currently held by the always controversial (and ridiculously bombastic) Randy Fine who is being challenged by a mediocre field that includes Republicans Aaron Baker and Charles Gambaro, and Democrats Jennifer Jenkins, Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera, Eric Yonce and Robert Cooper, II.

When he’s not playing his obnoxious role as a “hedonistic playboy,” bragging about the number of women he beds each night (an impressive nine one evening…by Dan’s count), Bilzerian finds time to offer his goofy opinions on world events and U.S. foreign policy, to include his opposition to Israel’s self-defense following Hamas’ murderous reign of terror on Oct. 7, 2023, claims that President John F. Kennedy was murdered by Israel’s Mossad, denying the Holocaust, railing against Operation Epic Fury in Iran, and inciting hatred by referring to Congressman Fine as a “fat jew.”

For his own contributions to the betterment of society in these United States, in 2017, Bilzerian founded Ignite International Brands Ltd., described as “a vape, cannabis and alcohol company.”

The News-Journal reports, “Federal prosecutors have alleged his father, Paul Bilzerian, actually ran the company behind the scenes. Paul Bilzerian, a corporate takeover specialist who had been convicted of securities fraud in 1989 and has been living abroad since his release from prison, was again indicted by the Department of Justice in 2024 on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States stemming from his original conviction.

The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained civil judgments totaling $62 million against the elder Bilzerian, who has “evaded enforcement of the judgments,” a justice department news release states. The judgement now exceeds $180 million.”

Now, Mr. Bilzerian wants to get his snout firmly wedged in the public trough as the most unlikely of candidates for Florida’s 6^th District…

How does this happen? 

Are we living in some strange video game? 

An artificially created animation generated and controlled by an unseen (and obscene) intelligence with the ability to engineer the most bizarre computational scenarios imaginable, then inject them into our physical experience?

Your guess is as good as mine.

I couldn’t make this shit up if I tried…  

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

 Hi, kids!

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

Daytona Beach Commissioner Stacy Cantu Ensures Accessibility on East ISB

Last week in this space, I made fun of a series of ornamental palm trees that were planted, well, in the dead center of a recently renovated sidewalk on East International Speedway Boulevard.  

Many were alerted to the situation after seeing a photograph published on social media by the intrepid civic activist Anne Ruby.  The weird landscaping caused some residents to question whether the space on either side of the oddly placed planters allowed enough room for persons who utilize wheelchairs and other mobility devices to pass as required by the American Disabilities Act. 

To her credit, Daytona Beach City Commissioner Stacy Cantu did the legwork and demonstrated true concern for her constituents when she took time to investigate the confusing situation. 

In a recent social media post, Ms. Cantu reported:

“After hearing concerns from a few residents and seeing a social media post regarding the sidewalk constructed by FDOT on A1A.  A photograph taken in the 400 block of East International Speedway Blvd is floating around on social media appeared not to be in compliance with ADA standards. It appears that it is not accessible to persons with disabilities.

I called the proper department within the city and they went out to the exact spot to look at the FDOT constructed sidewalk.

I posted a few pictures down below. It was determined that it meets the minimum standard for ADA compliance. The sidewalk is 29” wide at the narrowest point with tree stakes in place. Once the stakes can be removed including the walkable grate, the walk is 48” wide.

I thank the Public Works department for looking into the issue for the safety and concerns of the residents of Daytona Beach.”

I’ll keep my subjective thoughts on the aesthetics of planting trees in the middle of a sidewalk to myself, and reserve judgement until we see how the detritus that naturally falls from palm trees affects the sidewalk below.  It will also be interesting to observe the frequency with which FDOT weeds and maintains those “walkable grates.”

Kudos to Commissioner Cantu for her initiative, leadership, and sense of personal concern for those she represents. 

Well done!

Ormond Beach Residents Deserve Answers

In aviation, airframe and powerplant technicians will tell you of the importance of regular engine overhauls.  When conducted at regular intervals, this critical maintenance procedure helps ensure optimal performance and the safe operation of an aircraft.

The procedure includes disassembly, cleaning, inspection, replacement of faulty or outdated parts, reassembly, and testing. 

A methodical process that increases reliability and ensures all systems are functioning as intended.  It can be expensive and time-consuming, but it improves performance and serves as a cost-effective alternative to the catastrophic failures that can result from ignoring recurring issues.

Despite the best efforts of pilots and maintainers, when failures occur, those responsible for investigating aviation accidents do an excellent job of constructing an accurate timeline – determining the chain of errors – that led to the undesired outcome.

This includes a review of human factors (pilot error), aircraft systems, and environmental conditions, a holistic analysis of what happened, and most important, how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.  

Given the recent chain of events surrounding Tomoka Reserve, it looks like the City of Ormond Beach’s planning and zoning function is in desperate need of an overhaul and comprehensive assessment. 

In my role as a political voyeur, last month, I watched one of the most disturbing scenes in memory play out in the City Commission chamber when desperate residents from throughout the community gathered in a final push to convince their bureaucratically hamstrung elected officials to deny a development order allowing 254 homes to be shoehorned onto the former Tomoka Oaks Golf Course.

During that incredibly emotional hearing, over fifty neighbors approached their elected officials – many with tears in their eyes – imploring the commission to throw them a life ring, listen to viable solutions, deny the agreement, and continue the fight to preserve what remains of our increasingly crowded community.

At the end of that heart wrenching scene, the pleas of Ormond Beach residents failed to defeat the pessimistic drone of the city’s legal counsel and senior planning apparatus – who repeatedly assured the elected body that their hands were legally bound – while reinforcing the serious financial implications of fighting the inevitable…   

Traumatic events that shake the core of a community should not pass without a thorough review. 

It is important to autopsy the facts and circumstances, determine where things went wrong, and most important, how similar problems can be prevented in the future.

Given the widespread ramifications of the Tomoka Reserve debacle, residents deserve something more than another logorrheic screed from Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland explaining, ad nauseum, why she voted to approve the development… 

In my view, residents are owed an in-depth review, a thorough examination that culminates in a structured document explaining what happened, identifying lessons learned, and outlining actionable recommendations for future policy, personnel, and legislative changes.   

The inappropriateness of the unchecked and unplanned growth that has forever changed the face of this once quaint community has left Ormond Beach resident’s frustrated and confused by the monotonous mantra of planning officials who shrug their shoulders and mewl “Nuttin’ we can do, y’all” while wielding a rubberstamp with the speed and efficiency of a pneumatic hammer…

They are also tired of being surprised by the prospect of having bulk fuel terminals and other direct threats their family’s safety, welfare, and quality of life built in their backyards.  

As a result, residents from throughout the Halifax area have grown weary of asking: How could anyone who accepts public funds to serve in the public interest refuse to protect their constituents from the claustrophobic density, sticks-and-glue construction, and bone crushing traffic that is destroying everything that once made this place special?

It’s a legitimate question for all of Volusia County…

Given the intensity and emotional toll of the Tomoka Oaks fiasco, many residents felt that the developers pushing the project didn’t need to hire a land use attorney, claiming that the city’s planning staff did more to facilitate the project than defend the quality and character of their long-established neighborhood.   

Right or wrong, it was an authentic emotion from people who suddenly realize things will never be the same again…

That perception/reality was amplified when City Attorney Randy Hayes, having given up the fight, engaged in a tetchy exchange with Mayor Jason Leslie, openly accusing him of lying after Leslie suggested he didn’t have all the facts surrounding the developer’s lawsuit, and indicated he would be changing his vote to deny the development.

I think it’s safe to say that – even with the legislative limitations that drove the ultimate vote to approve – this wasn’t Mr. Hayes or City Planner Steve Spraker’s finest hour…    

In my view, Mr. Hayes has frequently been on his heels over the past few years, outpaced and outmaneuvered in a variety of high-profile situations that resulted in the City Commission dissolving into petty squabbles.  Backbiting and public spit-spats that allowed several civic issues to turn into politically charged conflagrations that swept the community.    

For instance, it appears Ormond Beach has finally selected an employee benefits provider after a monthslong ham-handed process that left many onlookers scratching their heads after Commissioners Travis Sergeant (who works for one of the insurance companies who submitted a bid) and Lori Tolland (whose son works for the same entity) abstained from the vote in keeping with Florida’s ethics laws, yet were somehow allowed to actively lobby their voting colleagues during subsequent discussions (?). 

Yeah.  I know.  It has a whiff of the shit about it…

In my view, the Ormond Beach City Commission has an obligation to determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the Tomoka Reserve disaster – then lay bare the good, the bad, and the ugly of how our elected representatives were painted into a legislative corner – and determine why some senior staff members in legal and planning seem completely out of sync with the residents they serve.

So much for the “Fix” we were promised…

“Local governments passed resolutions calling for amending or repealing the law (SB 180). Some joined lawsuits challenging the measure in courts. Others optimistically put off joining lawsuits because surely the Legislature will listen to cities and counties and amend a measure that has only grown more unpopular with time.

“If there’s anything else you’d like to talk about, we’re well aware of SB 180 being a problem,” an irritated Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, told a local forum last October. Your elected officials from all around the state were thoroughly sick of all the bellyaching from locals by the time the legislature met.”

And to be sure, the Senate unanimously passed a bill in February to limit the breathtakingly broad scope of SB 180 (SB 840), yet somehow that was the end it. The measure died in committee after it reached the House. It never came to a full House vote.”

–Editorialist Mark Lane, as excerpted from his op/ed in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Unpopular Florida law lives on as books close on another session,” Sunday, March 29, 2026

We were told by our state legislative delegation – and those local officials who acquiesced (or were intimidated into silence) – that they recognized the problems inherent to the preemptive overreach of SB 180 and promised a “fix” without the need for challenges and lawsuits.  

The sweeping law virtually stripped home rule authority from local governments and preempted land-use regulations under the guise of facilitating “emergency” home repairs following hurricanes. 

In actuality, the law gifted developer’s carte blanche to build when and where they want. 

In response, several municipalities wrote letters in opposition – Volusia County even genuflected before state legislators, careful not to “stir the pot” as Councilman Jake Johansson put it – offering “suggestions” and begging their forgiveness for having the temerity to question a state edict. 

Conversely, the city of Edgewater had the fortitude and independence to join a lawsuit as the provisions of SB 180 threatened the city’s building moratorium that was enacted in the face of widespread flooding.

The Lost City of Deltona initially joined the lawsuit, then turned tail and ran late last year when those capitulating pro-development cowards on the City Commission gained a likeminded majority.

In New Smyrna Beach, Mayor Fred Cleveland wrung his hands in fear, telling his waterlogged constituents scary stories of the threats he received from the state legislative delegation’s toadies on the Volusia County Council:

“I don’t want us to be on the blacklist of those that get punished, one way or another, under the radar.  A majority of our county commissioners have said to me we will get punished. And it’s not right, I don’t like it, but it’s human nature … I’m concerned about a suit being our first best step.” 

Punished?  Blacklisted?  That’s not governance – its thuggery. 

Last month, Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse explained the intentional blockage of amendments to the law in an interview with Florida Politics reporter Jesse Mendoza:

“The House did everything in its power to find ways of coming up with whatever rules they could do and every game they could play to avoid voting on that thing,” he said. “This wasn’t ‘they ran out of time.’ This was them intentionally not wanting to have this up for a vote. They didn’t even want people on record voting on that thing, that was never getting heard in the House.”

To add insult, around 4:30pm last Friday afternoon (in order to limit media coverage), it was announced that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping measure billed as a way to address Florida’s “affordable housing” crisis, a law that further erodes local control of development decisions.

According to a report in Florida Politics by reporter Jesse Scheckner, HB 399 “…requires local governments to tie development fees to the actual cost of project review, adopt more objective standards for evaluating whether projects are compatible with surrounding areas and provide written justifications when denying proposals.

It also directs cities and counties to identify potential conflicts earlier in the review process and suggest ways to resolve them, rather than outright rejecting applications.”

The preemptive law also contains a provision forcing local governments to grant variances to “large destination resorts” effectively bypassing community review processes, public input, and local oversight. 

That spiff is something many saw as Gov. DeSantis doing a favor for the billionaire owner of the famous Fontainebleau hotel in Miami who wants a controversial waterpark.  As it happens, the owner is said to have donated $1 million to the Governor’s failed presidential campaign while allowing Gov. DeSantis to fly on his private aircraft… 

The City of Miami Beach is considering legal action challenging the preemptions. 

Sound familiar?

Now, the 2026 legislative session has come and gone without a state budget or the changes to SB 180 we were promised, and with even more preemptions to local growth management regulations. 

Anyone see a pattern here?

Now we can expect several callbacks in coming weeks as legislators seek to address everything from the state budget to a half-baked/nonexistent plan to decimate local governments and consolidate power in Tallahassee by “eliminating” property taxes.

As the great editorialist Mark Lane summarized in his Sunday piece, “With so much still up in the air, legislators shouldn’t make vacation plans. Meanwhile, all indications are that counties and cities will be living with the effects of SB 180 for rest of 2026.

Stuck for another year. This could make for some new lively town-hall moments in the months to come.”

Let’s hope so.

In my view, we either stop this blatant power play in Tallahassee now, or live with the claustrophobic consequences of a compromised and corrupt pay to play system forever…    

Quote of the Week

“Our municipalities are limited by the State of Florida’s developer-friendly laws and constitution. So, if land is vacant, it will eventually be developed by the property owner (or a future owner with development in mind), and there are few legal routes a city council may take to stop it.

The forces pushing toward more dense development are twofold. One is the market; people want to move here; demand is very high. The other is the state Legislature via two prominent pieces of legislation: the Live Local Act, which makes it easier to build apartments in more zoning classifications, and the Bert Harris Act, which disarms cities of their power to effectively rezone property. In court, property owners and developers have had great success suing cities to claim prior zoning classifications under this law.

The only way to truly prevent a property from being developed is for a public entity, organization or individual to purchase the land and preserve it from future use. DeBary has been doing this for about five years now, acquiring 229 acres to stop multifamily developments and place property under protection. However, we simply cannot afford to purchase every undeveloped parcel.

So here is my proposal: The DeBary Land Bank. By buying property (via a small property tax, about $40 per year), the city will be able to stop overdevelopment of acquired parcels completely and permanently. Yes, this costs taxpayers money, but it pales in comparison to the cost of these monstrosities of apartments that pop up all over the county.”

–City of DeBary Councilmember Jim Pappalardo, as excerpted from his op/ed in the West Volusia Beacon, “DeBary Land Bank: Cities must buy land,” Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Interesting…

And Another Thing!

It’s no secret that here in The Biggest Whorehouse in the World our state legislators have set about neutering and alienating local governments.

Because that’s what their donors in the development industry have told them to do.

Elected and appointed state officials routinely humiliate citizens – the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker – with the courage to stand for local elective office, officiously questioning county and municipal spending, while looking the other way as sketchy land deals, local preemptions, and “no-bid” state contracts go to all the right last names in a quid pro quo sham for the ages.

In my view, it’s corruption in plain sight.

That’s disheartening.  And it’s getting worse.   

Last week, elected and appointed government officials from throughout Flagler County sat submissively as Florida CFO Blais Ingoglia publicly disemboweled them (during an election year) – claiming that “…government is spending too much, government is taxing too much” – while fingering Flagler County as the most wasteful spendthrift in the state. 

In keeping with his canned message, CFO Ingoglia stood at a podium adorned with all the right theater props, including one emblazoned “FAFO” – ostensibly signifying the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight – but something everyone knows is an acronym for fuck around and find out…

It’s the latest tasteless double entendre the state has chosen to point out “excessive local spending” while hoping We, The Little People will ignore the state’s own drunken sailor routine. 

In fact, it was the height of hypocrisy… 

According to a report last week in FlaglerLive.com, “Flagler’s officials didn’t say a word, took it, and applauded. The performance lasted 32 minutes. The officials seemed ready for a performance twice as long.  None had known what government–county or municipal–Ingoglia would attack.”

More puzzling, the outlet reports Mr. Ingoglia’s appearance was invitation only (?) – attended by a host of county, municipal, and party officials – yet the CFO spoke like he was preaching to the choir, “I’m going to be in this position for another eight years. So, if you think I’m going away and all these are going to stop you are sorely mistaken,” he said.

“I’m not going to stop even with property tax reform,” he said with trademark in-your-face rhetoric. “If you think, just because of property tax reform, I’m going to go away, what do you think, I’m going to give governments a free pass? Heck no, I’m here to protect you guys. I’m not here to protect the government.”

So, when does Mr. Ingoglia plan to clean his own house?

The Flagler County appearance was part of Mr. Ingoglia’s publicly funded campaign tour, a series of dog-and-pony-shows, all similar in nature, where he uses the same script and large cards with even larger numbers on them, to call out (insert local government here) spending. 

In my view, the obsequious acquiescence of local elected officials who took their beatdown without so much as a whimper in self-defense was extremely telling.  

In my view, Mr. Ingoglia’s purpose was frighteningly clear: More optics and political theater ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ swansong…   

Following a series of showy audits which used a dubious methodology to prove county and municipal overspending, Mr. Ingoglia is on tour to promote what will eventually be Gov. DeSantis’ politically motivated valediction: The shim-sham of “eliminating property taxes” in favor of – well – we just don’t know.

Neither does Gov. DeSantis, or the state legislature, but facing the most critical decision to the future of Florida in our 181-year existence, they hope to quickly cobble something together to place on the ballot during a “mini session” in a few weeks.

Hopefully after they get around to passing a state budget…  

This isn’t about lowering our tax burden or reducing government spending – it’s about power – and who controls it.  It is about our right to self-determination through accessible and responsive local government and the essential services it provides.  

Our quality-of-life hangs in the balance.

By any metric, Florida is facing a massive crisis of overdevelopment – a hyperaggressive carcinomatosis spreading across the width and breadth of the state – facilitated by a state legislature wholly controlled by development interests who now routinely eliminate local control by preempting growth management regulations.

Local control of our water quality, quantity, and wetland protections is next.

Anything to appease those corporate donors who are directing state representatives to act against their local counterparts – using preemptive legislation, public humiliation, political attacks, and threats to exsanguinate their respective communities by cutting off ad valorem taxes – all in keeping with their Master’s demand to eliminate local development regulations.

Do county and municipal governments have a spending problem? 

You’re damn right they do, and local elected officials have no one to blame but themselves for allowing themselves to be kowtowed by insatiable senior bureaucrats each budget cycle.   

In my view, the solution to that problem should be left to local voters – at the ballot box – not some bullying state politician with a “Do as I say, not as I do” sandwich board…

That’s all for me.  Have a Blessed Easter, everyone!