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!