Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           Volusia County District Schools CFO Todd Seis

Before the Thanksgiving break, we saw the first salvos in the latest battle between the two largest budgetary behemoths in east Central Florida – the County of Volusia and Volusia County District Schools – bloated public entities who command a combined total of nearly $2.6 Billion annually from taxpayers. 

According to a report by the United Nations, that’s more than the Gross Domestic Product of twenty-one countries around the globe… 

Embarrassingly, the dustup looked like Scrooge McDuck and Richie Rich trifling over the check at McDonalds, except the safety and security of seven Volusia County middle schools remains at stake.

As you may recall, last month, District Superintendent Carmen Balgobin dispatched her redundant deputy superintendent and an “Interim Chief Operating Officer” (with five-days on the job?) to appear before the Volusia County Council and request $342,905.11 to fund school resource deputies at Creekside Middle School, Deltona Middle School, Galaxy Middle School, Heritage Middle School, Holly Hill School, Silver Sands Middle School, and Southwestern Middle School.

Unfortunately, Balgobin’s hapless emissaries were horribly unprepared – equipped only with a slapdash slideshow and a misguided notion that the Volusia County Council would simply rubber stamp their ask under the terms of an agreement between the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office – which requires the district shoulder 55% of the total costs for school resource deputies with the Sheriff’s Office responsible for the remaining 45%.

Neither Superintendent Balgobin nor Chief Financial Officer Todd Seis bothered to attend… 

To their credit, the Volusia County Council did something they almost never do – stood on principle – and sent the district representatives away emptyhanded with an admonition to get their shit together (and facts in order) the next time they come grubbing for money.

Trust me.  With a modicum of management and frugality, either entity could have easily funded the entire request from spare change found under their expensive couch cushions in the executive suite, but I was impressed that our elected representatives on the council held firm.

The fact is the district either knew or should have known that the odd timing of the request – well after the 2023/24 budgets have been approved – and the common knowledge that the district has ample funds in reserve to cover contingencies would make it difficult to convince the Volusia County Council to acquiesce…

After that humiliating episode, what followed was a l’esprit de l’escalier attempt at saving face by Volusia County School CFO Todd Seis – who got his knickers in a twist and publicly lashed out like a recalcitrant child in a release on November 17 – claiming the district’s request was met with “…a surprising level of disrespect and disregard by the County Council.  Such unprofessional conduct not only undermines our collaborative efforts but is also an affront to the dedicated professionals working tirelessly for the safety of our children.” 

Bullshit.

In an excellent report by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, we learned that Mr. Seis also used his ill-tempered rant to cut into Volusia County Attorney Michael Dyer:

“His guidance seemed to be missing from this meeting, but news outlets reported Mr. Dyer stating, ‘the school district is financially responsible for paying for law enforcement officers at schools,'” Seis said. “Although this is a partially true statement, it left off some important information as addressed in Florida Statute 1006.12(2)(d) that states: ‘A district school board may enter into mutual aid agreements with one or more law enforcement agencies as provided in chapter 23. A school safety officer’s salary may be paid jointly by the district school board and the law enforcement agency, as mutually agreed to.’ I question why this entire language in the statute was not provided to all council members by their attorney? Especially, when the safety of our Volusia County children is at stake.”

According to the report, Seis huffed and puffed that the district will be asking for a legal opinion from the Florida Attorney General’s office to resolve the “conflict with the county.”

I suspect if Mr. Dyer merely drops a copy of the district’s half-assed PowerPoint on Attorney General Ashley Moody’s mahogany desk, this brouhaha will come to a quick end…   

More pointedly, CFO Seis saved his worst for Councilman Troy Kent – a veteran Volusia County school administrator – questioning his suggestion of an alternative funding source under the Florida Education Finance Program, claiming Kent’s idea “…undermines his experience but also misrepresents the legal constraints governing school finances.”

In response, Mr. Kent justly fired back in the Observer:

“The Volusia County School District Chief Financial Officer Todd Seis talks about how important school safety is to him, yet, he nor Superintendent Balgobin were in attendance at the Nov. 7th County Council meeting,” Kent said. “What was more important than the safety of our children? Mr. Seis was attending a conference, one that he attends twice a year.”

Wow. 

Frankly, the ones left with egg on their face are the elected members of the Volusia County School Board who, once again, look like the ineffectual lumps they are – all thanks to their insouciant Superintendent, her tetchy Chief Financial Officer, and a top-heavy coterie of lackadaisical senior executives who, through their sheer apathy, were unable to demonstrate a compelling need for additional school resource deputies in underserved schools (?).

And all the bluff and bluster Mr. Seis can conjure won’t change that fact…

Sad.

Public-school students, teachers, and staff deserve better.

So do Volusia County taxpayers…

Asshole           Volusia Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress

And many men wound in and out,

And dodged, and turned, and bent about,

And uttered words of righteous wrath,

Because ‘twas such a crooked path;

But still they followed-do not laugh-

The first migrations of that calf,

And through this winding wood-way stalked

Because he wobbled when he walked.

–The Calf-Path, Sam Walter Foss, 1895

Here on Florida’s “Fun Coast,” those dullards we elect and appoint to represent our interests have a long history of following the same crooked path year-after-year – a strict adherence to the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” school of mismanagement – a proven strategy, supported by Volusia’s Old Guard, that ensures lock-step conformity to the status quo. 

You see, when the people you serve stop expecting anything of substance – and the elected “leadership” embraces averageness and mediocre performance – underachievement and reduced expectations become engrained in the culture of the organization, and most of the time, none of it matters.

Bureaucrats squander precious time and public funds, and no one notices.  But in an emergency, when the immutable forces of nature threaten, we need strong and decisive leadership. 

Sound familiar?

Last week, we learned that the state of Florida has authorized $82.7 million to strengthen Volusia County beaches in the wake of Ian and Nicole, tropical systems which lashed our coastline over a year ago taking an estimated six million cubic yards of sand out to sea.   

According to a recent report in The Daytona Beach News-Journal the funds, administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, “…came at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis after he visited Volusia County’s damaged coastline following the storms.”

So, after state and county officials drug their heels for thirteen months – with homes hanging on the precipice and other structures threatened by each nor’easter – Volusia County will, once again, put the cart before the horse and dump a collective 1.25 million cubic yards of sand north and south of Ponce Inlet – all without a comprehensive restoration plan in place.    

According to reports, the sand pumping project will take place over “the next couple of years” – while a “…50-year, long-term resiliency plan” drags through the bureaucratic quagmire – no doubt while what remains of the $83 million is frittered away by the Coastal Division.    

Unfortunately, that’s the level of precision and strategic thought we’ve come to expect from Volusia County government in a crisis.

In her own awkward way, Director Fentress further alienated weary stakeholders by reversing blame and issuing a public ultimatum in the News-Journal:

“What the coastline looks like will depend largely on how many beachfront property owners give the county access through a temporary easement, county Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress said.

“If somebody doesn’t provide me an easement, they’re not getting sand,” she said.”

Bullshit.

Look, Ms. Fentress’ lack of tact (or professional competence) aside, you don’t need a Ph.D. in Coastal Engineering to deduce that beach replenishment is not a long-term solution. 

Eventually, the imported sand will be eroded by future storms – which is why the process must be undertaken in concert with a comprehensive strategy to protect, preserve, restore, and enhance the natural dune system – rather than see how many high-rise buildings we can shoehorn east of the Coastal Construction Control Line…   

Unless renourishment is completed uniformly – a contiguous approach that avoids directing the erosive force of water onto unprotected areas – vulnerable sections can be undermined and more sand moved offshore, creating additional consequences for beachfront property owners.

Why is it that here on what remains of the “Fun Coast,” we continue to allow the same clumsy dullards to do the same thing over-and-over – watching helplessly while these incompetent assholes fumble and stumble through millions in public funds without a plan or an inkling of what comes next?   

The very definition of insanity…

In the view of many, our bungling Volusia County Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress is a big part of this multifaceted problem – and it is well past time for our equally ineffective County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald to pull his head out of his ass, change tack, and bring in experienced leadership to untangle the godawful mess that is our current approach to beach management.

With beachfront property owners facing further loss, exponential increases in property insurance rates, and potential disaster looming – it is time for the Volusia County Council to demand that Recktenwald develop a comprehensive roadmap for coastal management, replenishment, and beach maintenance while there is still something left to worry about…

Angel               Besieged Residents of Tomoka Oaks, Escondido, The Trails, etc., etc.

The term “Nuclear Option” describes the most drastic or extreme response possible in a particular situation – and the irreparable scorched-earth damage that results once the button is pushed…   

It appears venerated local attorney Dennis Bayer, who represents the Tomoka Oaks Homeowners Association in their brutal fight against aggressive developers, knew the endgame when he used that foreboding term to describe what he knew would happen.     

That most severe possibility became reality last week when developers of the proposed “Tomoka Reserve” announced they would be withdrawing the Planned Unit Development Oder and “activating our R-2 application filed on May 4, 2023.”

The R-2 “Single-Family Low Density” zoning would allow 317-homes to be shoehorned onto the former Tomoka Oaks golf course with substantially reduced buffers. 

In addition, the Ormond Beach Observer reported that under the R-2 designation, the developers would no longer pursue a stop light at the busy intersection of Tomoka Oaks Boulevard and Nova Road or an improved diamond intersection at St. Andrews Drive… 

According to a statement issued by the developers – d/b/a Triumph Oaks of Ormond Beach LLC – the reversal came in response to the Ormond Beach City Commission’s decision to send the development order back to the planning board in an attempt to reduce density in the long-established neighborhood:

“In light of the City Commission’s comments and directives at the November 7, 2023 public hearing on the request for the proposed “Tomoka Reserve” PRD Development Order, the Property Owners have concluded that the Commission’s decision to remand their application back to the Planning Board – despite their stated objections – for the purpose of negotiating a “significant reduction” in the number of residential lots would be an exercise in futility.”

To their credit, homeowners in Tomoka Oaks and surrounding areas have vowed to continue the fight to protect the unique character of their beautiful neighborhood.  Speaking in the Ormond Beach Observer, Jim Rose, chair of the HOA’s golf course committee, made it clear the developer’s “nuclear option” didn’t come as a surprise:

“We’ve been preparing for it,” Rose said. “We think we have a case against them not being able to proceed with the R-2 zoning as they seem to think is inevitable. and we’re looking forward to going before the Planning Board and the City Commission.”

“They’re building these modern homes and we’ve got 50-year-old homes in [Tomoka Oaks],” Rose said. “It seems to me that going back to the Planning [Board] would be better, but the density is just too much.”

In my uneducated view, when one considers the adverse impacts, not only Tomoka Oaks residents, but those in surrounding neighborhoods – including anyone who traverses already congested Nova Road – this is a case where that which is legally permissible does not concur with what is ethically responsible. 

It is equally evident that the state legislature’s continued erosion of local control over reasonable growth and development – repeatedly shitting on the basic concepts of Home Rule in favor of forcing fealty to laws from on high which grant influential insiders in the real estate development community carte blanche – is morally reprehensible in an era where greed-fueled sprawl is blanketing east Central Florida and beyond.

Unfortunately, it is also clear to anyone paying attention that concepts like ethics, morality, and a community’s right to determine its economic, social, and cultural development no longer apply in Florida – the Biggest Whorehouse in the World…

Angel               Flagler County Schools Spokesperson Jason Wheeler

During my career in public service, I had the opportunity to work closely with many reporters in print and electronic media – some on their way to becoming household names on network television and in large metropolitan markets around the nation – and others who stayed with us, bringing the news into our homes, gifting their talents to a place that desperately needs them.

The irrepressible Jason Wheeler was one of the best, even after he made the transition to a public information role with Flagler County Schools.   

Admittedly, I give those cagey “government mouthpieces” their fair share of guff in this space – most of it well-deserved – but Jason remains one of the good ones.

Last week, we learned from an informative article in FlaglerLive! that Mr. Wheeler is preparing to depart his role as Communications Coordinator at Flagler County Schools after accepting a similar position in the Florida panhandle. 

I first met Jason during his time with Central Florida News 13, an exceptional on-air talent who singlehandedly covered a wide territory to become a trusted source of community information.

He quickly built a reputation for professionalism. 

In 2015, Jason made the jump to public information management overseeing messaging, marketing, web content, and strategic communications for Flagler County Schools. 

In my view, Jason Wheeler shines brightest during times of crisis (and FCS has its share…) providing critical information to residents and stakeholders – while never taking himself too seriously – in his quirky socks, colorful slacks, and “unusual” bowties…

In addition to his outstanding public service in Flagler County, Jason is a United States Army veteran, rabid University of Alabama football fan, and devoted husband and father who dedicates his time to leadership roles with Boy Scouts of America. 

According to FlaglerLive!:

“Asked if the school board’s chronically abrasive, unpredictable and at times embarrassing antics are playing a role in his decision, Wheeler insisted that he does not answer to the board but to the superintendent–that’s the case with all administrative position–and that he would have been just as happy to stay.

“I wasn’t looking to get out. I would have no problem working this job until I retired,” Wheeler said. “This is one of those jobs. Is it stressful? Yeah, but every job is stressful. This is a great job in a great school district.” He was especially buoyed by the appointment of LaShakia Moore as superintendent. “I love LaShakia Moore. She’s going to be a phenomenal superintendent,” he said (past the point where he needs her recommendation letter, so obviously he was being sincere). “She’s my fourth superintendent. She gets it. She has a vision. There’s not a doubt she’ll find someone who’ll help her spread that vision.”

In my view, Jason Wheeler set the standard of trust and transparency in a difficult business not known for those attributes and he leaves Flager County with all best wishes for a wonderful career ahead.      

So long, Jason.  We’re glad you passed our way…

Quote of the Week

“This area cannot handle anymore development as all the land displacement is causing more flooding, including areas that typically did not flood, as well as extending the period of time needed for water to recede. Grounds are saturated (even from light rains)! I have traveled the Ormond Loop daily some 45/50 years ago (from Ormond-by-the-Sea to U.S. 1) and have never seen the more frequent and extensive prolonged flooding as seen now with grounds along the roadside constantly full of water.”

— Celia List, Ormond Beach, as excerpted from the Letter to the Editor, “Volusia County should rezone 874 Hull Road,” Ormond Beach Observer, Monday, November 20, 2023

Preach it, Ms. List! 

Recently, a consultant hired by the Lost City of Deltona announced that taxpayers will need to cough up an estimated $58.6 million in coming years just to maintain public parks as growth increases demand for leisure services and amenities in the community.

Last month, a Jacksonville-based analyst reported that Palm Coast residents could see an 18% increase in water and sewer rates over the next three years to alleviate the effect of malignant sprawl on the city’s already inadequate utilities…

Perhaps more disturbing, last year, the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area (which includes Palm Coast) was named worst in the nation for pedestrian safety – something Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower recently attributed to a growing population (including more bicyclists) and “…streets that aren’t accommodating.”

He’s right. 

Unfortunately, the civic, social, and financial impacts of rampant development go far deeper than public infrastructure, overcrowding, and stressed essential services. 

Over the holiday break, I had the opportunity to drive the Ormond Beach “Scenic Loop” – a fixture in my life since I was a young boy growing up here. 

Like many, I was stunned by the devastating effects of development west of Old Kings Road on stormwater drainage and tidal flooding in the area – dramatic changes in both topography and natural processes which has resulted in a constant stream of water flowing over the roadway just south of Halifax Plantation.    

Like Ms. List, I have watched as greed-crazed developers are permitted to rape the land on flimsy promises of “progress” as out-of-state corporate interests pugnaciously defend their “property rights” – while trampling yours and mine – as their bought-and-paid-for puppets in state, county, and local governments gift them free reign to pave over every square inch of our sensitive environment. 

Now, We, The Little People – those who pay the bills and suffer the insults without a chip in the game – are left to deal with the fallout of this insanity as the environmental destruction caused by incompatible density, scale, form, and intensity becomes harder for our strategically detached ‘powers that be’ to ignore…or deny.

And Another Thing!

Recently, a Barker’s View reader suggested I consider Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin for “Angel” status after she penned a note on behalf of the school board opposing the anticipated Belvedere Terminals bulk fuel farm in Ormond Beach. 

I’m not gonna lie – the very thought of it made me upchuck in my mouth a little… 

In correspondence to county officials dated September 15, Balgobin wrote, “The district is concerned about the potential impact on the students and staff of the district in case of any potential catastrophic event or accident in the highly populated area of the proposed site, yada, yada, yada…”

Look, I appreciate the fact the school board has finally gotten in the game. 

However, as I recall, Volusia County District Schools only became involved in the Belvedere fight at the urging of District 4 board member Carl Persis – who was clearly running interference for his beleaguered wife, Ormond Beach City Commissioner Susan Persis – when he mewled “It isn’t our responsibility, but I think because of where it’s located, we have so many children around there that to me, it seems like the right thing to do — the right course of action.” 

Rightfully, Mr. Persis pointed to the fact the district has a joint use agreement with the City of Ormond Beach for the municipal sports complex – which would literally sit in the shadow of the 13-million-gallon fuel storage facility – as another nexus for the school board’s involvement.   

In my view, the only heroes here are those valiant citizens who formed a grassroots coalition and suffered the ire of nervous politicians who questioned their motivations, and the indifference of entrenched bureaucrats, yet found the courage to push the fight against the fuel farm further into the harsh light of day.    

For the uninitiated, both Volusia County and Ormond Beach officials have been aware of this potential disaster since June 2022 – over a year before the rest of us learned about it in The Daytona Beach News-Journal…

The shocking revelation shined a very bright light on the rampant ineptitude in the senior executive ranks at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building in DeLand – including how the County Attorney failed to notice official publication of Belvedere Terminal’s application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for an air construction permit on July 1 – a glaring omission that led to delays in challenging the permit and left Volusia County without legal standing. 

Now comes the bickering and bitchery between Volusia County and Ormond Beach as each try desperately to dodge responsibility…

Last week – in their latest ham-handed tactic – the Volusia County Council voted to consider a nine-month moratorium on development applications for properties zoned heavy-industrial throughout unincorporated Volusia County.  

According to a county mouthpiece quoted in a recent article by Seldon Gardner writing in the News-Journal, the pause will allow the same clueless county officials who got us into this mess “…to review and potentially recommend revisions to these regulations to modernize the zoning category and reflect the current state of local communities.”

My ass.

After the vote, County Chair Jeff Brower explained, “I believe you’re getting exactly what you asked for with this… If somebody comes in tomorrow, it’s a no-go anywhere in (a heavy industrial zoning district) location in unincorporated Volusia County, which is all that we can control.”

At least for the next nine-months…

Unfortunately, many tough questions (and legal hurdles) remain for Chairman Brower and his colleagues – who still adamantly refuse to hold County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald and those senior officials who knew about this potential catastrophe in the making and kept it from the elected policymakers and the public – accountable for their gross inaction. 

The fact is, many believe that if Belvedere Terminals and/or the property owner, Florida East Coast Railroad (both subsidiaries of Grupo Mexico) decide to push the issue – Volusia County is going to have an incredibly expensive uphill battle on their hands. 

Perhaps that is why Volusia County continues to pursue an allocation of $4.5 million from the state, ostensibly to bribe Belvedere by underwriting infrastructure and improvements for a more “suitable” alternate site. 

Yeah.  I know…

As Volusia County continues to grope in the dark – throwing “solutions” against the wall and hoping-against-hope something sticks – my hope is that voters will remember this in future elections.

In my view, Volusia County taxpayers should pay close attention on Tuesday as both County Manager Recktenwald and County Attorney Michael Dyer stand for what passes as their annual performance evaluation (essentially a rubber stamped pay increase) by our elected representatives. 

Trust me, how that carefully choreographed vignette plays out will tell you just how complicit our elected representatives truly are as the tail continues to wag the dog in Volusia County government…  

Because what we are experiencing is the grim outcome when there is a complete lack of accountability for ensconced senior managers – highly compensated bureaucrats who command hundreds-of-thousands in salary and benefits annually – yet continue to embrace the safety of the status quo – and perpetuate a culture of mediocrity. 

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend at the 64^th Annual Holly Hill Christmas Parade! 

The parade rolls Saturday morning at 10:00am along the traditional Ridgewood Avenue route – beginning just south of Flomich Avenue at 15^th Street and proceeding south to 10^th Street. 

Admittedly, I’m biased, but the City of Holly Hill has the best Christmas parade in Volusia County, and tonight’s annual tree lighting ceremony (from 6:00pm to 7:00pm at Holly Hill City Hall, 1105 Ridgewood Avenue) traditionally heralds the beginning of the Christmas Season with the arrival of Santa Claus!

It’s a true slice of Americana that should not be missed! 

On Sunday, December 3, Sons of the Beach – Florida’s premiere beach driving and access advocacy – will host the “Save Our Beach Fall Rally” from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Oasis Tiki Bart at Fountain Beach Resort, 313 South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach. 

The rally will feature live music, a great food and beverage menu, 50-50 raffle, and SOB swag will be on sale (great stocking stuffers!)   

All proceeds go to help offset attorney fees for Son’s of the Beach continuing legal challenges to the proposed Silver Beach Condominium project.

Come hangout with civic-minded neighbors, get up-to-speed on critical issues facing our threatened coastline, and enjoy a great afternoon on the World’s Most Famous Beach!    

So long, Avelo.  We hardly knew ye…

As everyone who reads these screeds know – I love crowing, “I told you so!” 

Call me a self-righteous asshole (because I am), but it does my beat-up old heart good whenever history repeats itself here on the “Fun Coast” (because, as Mark Twain said, this historic recurrence is the curse of those unfortunate rubes who are unable or unwilling to learn from it…) 

In my defense, I don’t understand the varied mysteries of the universe – or philosophical concepts like “eternal return” that says the same events will continue as time repeats in a continuous loop – or notions of recurrent oscillations between “order” and “disorder,” patterns of imperial ascendance-and-decline, or theories describing cosmological similarities, where multiple events bear striking parallels. 

But I have the innate ability to recognize good old-fashioned stupidity when I see it…

As you may recall, back in April, Volusia County’s Director of Aviation and Economic Resources Cyrus Callum, switched hats – morphing into a highly effective shill for Avelo airlines – then a two-year-old carrier that, we were told, originally demanded $3 million in a “minimum revenue guarantee” on a promise of twice-weekly flights to two “premium destinations.” 

It was all very ‘hush-hush,’ as these schemes often are… 

As the sales pitch before the Volusia County Council droned on, Director Callum held our clueless elected dullards in suspense, much like a cagey gameshow host, dropping perplexing hints about possible destinations like, “Somewhere in the Tri-State…” and “The Mid-Atlantic area…”

If our elected decisionmakers had the capacity for shame and self-awareness – that spectacle of them playing twenty-questions with a senior staffer before being asked to appropriate public funds for a secret private entity would have been mortifyingly embarrassing…

At the time, Mr. Callum set the hook by explaining that, after “negotiations,” he and the DAB team were able to reduce the impact of Volusia County’s assurance to $1 million in guaranteed revenue – a fund described as a weird insurance policy to be held in reserve and used as a bailout if/when the carrier fails to meet quarterly estimates.

In keeping with the typical cloak-and-dagger horseshit that allows corporations with their hand in our pocket to keep their identity legally secret until giddy politicians can be convinced to vote in the blind – Mr. Callum did an extraordinary job of anesthetizing the council – glossing over our abysmal history of underwriting airlines who invariably leave us in their jetwash after gorging greedily at the public teat.

For instance, does anyone remember our experience with JetBlue, Silver Airways, Sunwing, etc.?

Whatever.

Earlier this week in an informative report by business editor Clayton Park writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we learned that Avelo is ending service to Melbourne, one of its nonstop routes to Sarasota, and “…will also temporarily suspend its twice-weekly nonstop Daytona Beach-Wilmington, Delaware flights for two months in early 2024.”

According to the report, “Courtney Goff, a spokeswoman for Avelo, on Friday confirmed plans to temporarily suspend service on its Daytona Beach-Wilmington route, but said the twice-a-week nonstop flights on its Daytona Beach-New Haven, Connecticut route “is not affected and will proceed as usual. It actually has a few extra dates added.”

Joanne Magley, director of marketing and customer experience for Daytona Beach International Airport, said Avelo will continue offering two incoming and two outgoing flights a week on its Daytona Beach-Wilmington route through Jan. 5.”

Look, Ms. Magley may be paid handsomely in public funds to blow optimistic smoke up our backsides – but in my experience (and yours) – when a start-up airline begins suspending service, cutting routes, and whining about “seasonal demand,” the grim handwriting is on the wall…

Remember that $1 million “insurance policy” that you and I ponied up?

Guess what…

Last week, Director Callum sheepishly conceded to the News-Journal that Avelo has already dipped into the tax funded “guaranteed revenue” so generously offered by the Volusia County Council in April. 

“They did tap into that minimum revenue guarantee fund, but we don’t know how much. We do know that we still have a good chunk of that fund,” said Cyrus Callum, Volusia County’s director of aviation and economic resources, which includes Daytona airport.

Callum who had Friday off for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend said he did not know the exact amount that Avelo tapped from the revenue guarantee fund.

If Avelo exits Daytona Beach before the two years are up, they don’t owe the incentive money back, Callum acknowledged. “It’s just the cost of doing business,” he said.”

They don’t know how much? Really?

My ass. 

Where I come from, they call that ‘pissing good money after bad.’

Unfortunately, that happens with shocking regularity when government insinuates itself into the marketplace – picking winners and losers, voting in the blind, ensuring ludicrous minimum revenue guarantees, building private infrastructure, gifting tax breaks, and lavishing public funds on private entities – absurd policies that are counter to the time-monored principles of fairness and due diligence – mitigating risk by entering “partnerships” with eyes open, terms negotiated, and all players identified, rather than gagged and blindfolded in the ultimate act of fiduciary irresponsibility.  

When we question this pernicious practice, Volusia County’s economic development shills – like that shim-sham known as “Team Volusia” – who, while snout-deep in the public trough, assure us this secrecy grift is now required in the murky world of corporate welfare and “public/private partnerships” – where our tax dollars are used to underwrite the for-profit motives of private entities.

Bullshit.  

Perhaps when the next too-good-to-be-true “opportunity” comes calling, we should ask our elected officials if they are willing to invest their family’s personal savings in a mysterious business entity that refuses to identify itself?

Look, I am sick and tired of being blatantly lied to by these half-bright flimflam artists who burn through our hard-earned tax dollars under the dubious guise of “economic development” – then, when it falls flat, shrug the shoulders of their expensive suit with a “just the cost of doing business” dodge – while continuing to embrace risky corporate welfare strategies that allow entrenched insiders to skew the natural balance of a competitive marketplace.

In my view, it is wrong.  It is dishonest.  And it needs to stop.

Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           County of Volusia

You may have read this earlier in the week. 

Read it again…

The Daytona Beach News-Journal got one wrong last week. 

A headline announcing an informative article by Sheldon Gardner erroneously read, “Volusia Council to seek $4.5M from state in Ormond Beach fuel facility fight.”   

Trust me.  The Volusia County Council had nothing to do with this…

Last week, in an off-the-agenda ambush, our elected representatives learned the news at the same time their blindsided constituents did when Deputy County Manager Susan Konchon “threw a curveball” and announced that Volusia County would be working with state Rep. Tom Leek and the county’s lobbying firm to seek a $4.5 million appropriation, apparently to bribe Belvedere Terminals by incentivizing an “alternative site” for the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel terminal in Ormond Beach.

Speaking from the dais during a discussion of Volusia County’s 2024 legislative priorities, Konchon dropped the bombshell, “It is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Wait. 

Why would those faceless bureaucrats who work in virtual anonymity in the bowels of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building seek millions in public funds to provide utilities and infrastructure for Belvedere Terminals – a private company whose CEO, we learned this week in a disturbing piece by Cheryl Smith in Treasure Coast Newspapers,“…has had criminal and financial issues, including two bankruptcies and a conviction for bribing a public official, according to court records.”?

I mean, why aren’t county bureaucrats seeking $4.5 million in state funds to improve Volusia County’s wholly inadequate public utilities and transportation infrastructure as malignant development continues its inexorable spread? 

And why were our elected representatives (once again) left out of the loop?

Before it was decided by an off-the-agenda wave of a bureaucratic wand that Volusia County would obtain public funds as a potential incentive for a foreign owned railway and bulk fuel supplier (both Belvedere Terminals and the Florida East Coast Railway are subsidiaries of mining and infrastructure giant Grupo Mexico) from relocating to Hull Road in Ormond Beach – that decision should have been openly discussed, with time for public input, and voted on by those we elect to maintain the checks and balances over county government.

You know, the same elected representatives whose ignorance and inaction got us into this mess in the first place…

In my view, city, county, and state government should use all legal and legislative means necessary to stop this potential disaster from being built adjacent to thousands of homes, a sports complex, and the municipal airport. 

But recently approved ploys – such as the use of public funds to lease or purchase the property – or spending $4.5 million in taxpayer money for a corporate welfare scheme to underwrite the fuel facility somewhere else is a slippery slope.

For instance, since 2017, Grupo Mexico has more than doubled its metal melting capacity in Peru after environmental regulations were loosened – about the same time the company announced an expansion of its profitable oil-by-rail business, building at least three terminals in Mexico.

To take things to the extreme, anyone want a commercial copper smelter here in our backyard unless Volusia County ponies up a lucrative sweetheart deal for the next developer?     

A slippery slope indeed…

In my view, Volusia County bureaucrats are taking us down an extremely dangerous rabbit hole – and this latest intrigue deserves a second look from state representatives and regulatory agencies. 

Angel               Fifth District Court of Appeal

I unapologetically refer to Florida as the biggest whorehouse in the world. 

Because it is.

From the politization of government functions and appropriations, the abysmal conduct of high-ranking elected officials like Sen. “Terrible Tommy” Wright – a bullying narcissistic creep and lecherous scumbag with a pathological inability to control his temper or base impulses, given to the abuse of females and lewd come-ons to vulnerable domestic violence victims – to the erosion of our foundational principles by greedy insiders with a bought and paid for chip in the game, the Sunshine State and its political subdivisions has all the earmarks of a fetid Banana Republic…

Fortunately, justice has prevailed in one of most blatant cases of political power run amok.  

In the dramatic culmination of a case that exposed the depth of cut-throat political power in Florida, last week, a panel of judges from the Fifth District Court of Appeal exonerated former Sumpter County Commissioner Oren Miller – a 73-year-old retiree who Governor Ron DeSantis removed from office in 2021 – who later had his life destroyed, serving 75 days in prison on a bogus charge of lying under oath.

The case, colloquially known as “The Vendetta in the Villages,” stemmed from citizen opposition to a 25% property tax increase to subsidize further development south of the sprawling retirement community. 

The amount of money at stake for the developer of The Villages was in the hundreds-of-millions.

According to a February 2023 article in The Intercept, reporter Ryan Grim explained, “The developer is a spaghetti bowl of LLCs doing business collectively as The Villages, which is still owned by the Morse family, descendants of Harold Schwartz, who founded what became the community in the 1970s as a trailer park…”

According to the report, the family owns the local newspaper, The Villages Daily Sun, the community radio station, a glossy magazine, “…and also owns local politics.”

When running for office, Miller said, “This place has grown like crazy.  The developers pay no impact fees for schools, for fire, for EMS, for police, for parks and recreation, for government buildings. The only impact fees they do pay are for roads, and they only pay 40 percent of the recommended amount.”

Sound familiar?   

To oppose the tax increase, three residents of The Villages – Craig Estep, Oren Miller, and Gary Search – stepped up to run for the Sumpter County Commission. 

Despite the fact incumbent candidates received massive financial backing from contractors and others doing business with The Villages, the three candidates ultimately won their seats, setting up a 3-2 majority. 

That’s when things took an ominous turn…

Almost immediately, Miller and Search found themselves under investigation by the Fifth District State Attorney’s Office on allegations they violated Florida’s Sunshine Law – essentially discussing commission business during telephone calls outside of an open meeting.  

While neither man was ever charged with violating the public records law, investigators claimed that during interviews Miller was “…repeatedly hazy in response to questions as to when the calls stopped.”

According to The Intercept’s report, “At one point, the investigator prompted Miller with a claim he had not made, saying that the calls ended in January. Miller agreed with him, but elsewhere gave different estimates, and at another point said that whatever the phone records said was accurate.”

Inexplicably, Miller was charged with felony perjury and spent 75 days in jail along with three years of probation and community service.

Mr. Search was similarly prosecuted but accepted a plea deal. 

It served as a chilling example of what happens to those in the Sunshine State who dare stand in opposition to the voracious appetites of special interests with close ties to unbridled political power…  

Last Friday, Grim reported, “Oren Miller has been exonerated. On Thursday, a Florida appeals court overturned the conviction of the 73-year-old retiree turned former Sumter County commissioner, who was removed from office by Ron DeSantis in 2021 amid a battle with the Florida governor’s high-dollar donors. The court took the unusual step of not just vacating the previous conviction, but also instructing the lower court to insert a new verdict of “not guilty.”

The saga of Miller and his fellow commissioner, Gary Search, who was similarly prosecuted, captured national attention earlier this year after The Intercept reported on the backlash to their effort to roll back property taxes in The Villages retirement community. A surge in public support for Miller’s legal defense fund enabled him to appeal his conviction.

Ahead of the investigation into Miller and Search, as The Intercept previously reported, a top Villages official, who has hosted DeSantis for fundraisers, told Search on Election Day he had the personal phone number of DeSantis, adding, according to Search: “Search, just remember one thing: I’m a big person, you’re a little person. I can squash you anytime I want.”

Wow.

And that, friends and neighbors, is a short course in how things work in the cloistered Halls of Power here in Florida – the biggest whorehouse in the world…   

Ultimately, Oren Miller lost everything – his life left in ruins – yet, in an incredible display of courage, Mr. Miller previously said he would run for office again if his name was cleared. 

Now, with his honor restored, time will tell…

Asshole           Flagler County School Board

It should be apparent to anyone paying attention that government entities in Florida would prefer to perform what passes for “the people’s business” in effective darkness – away from the prying eyes of those who pay the bills and are expected to keep our pieholes shut. 

I have several theories, not the least of which is the lack of an effective ethics apparatus that holds elected and appointed officials accountable for their abhorrent conduct and obvious self-enrichment – or, when blinded by hubris, an elective body decides they are above the law – often with little legal (or political) repercussions.

Last week in this space I mentioned a strange episode involving an agriculture teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast who used a garden hose to flush wild rats out of a burrow in the presence of students.   

In the bedlam that ensued, at least one student was bitten on the finger, and an internal investigation ultimately resulted in a mild reprimand for the teacher involved.

Pursuant to Florida’s public records law, the completed investigation was properly released to area media outlets with the story reported first by FlaglerLive! and later by The Daytona Beach News-Journal. 

The initial report included a verbatim excerpt from a written statement provided by an unidentified Buddy Taylor student, which read, in part:

“Mis. (redacted) askt me if i cold grab thar talls [meaning tails] and put them in a bucet. I sed yes so whal we are doing this a rat bit me it did not bracke skin and did not hert.”

Look, I’m not trying to embarrass anyone here. 

Literacy is one of the most serious issues of our time – but something tells me Flagler County students may be victims of more than wild rat attacks… 

Rather than use this incident as a teaching tool – to prompt a discussion of literacy, the fact Florida’s college admittance scores rank among the lowest in the nation, judgement in the classroom, or even modern pest-control techniques – last week, Flagler County School Board member Will Furry went on the defensive and launched a rambling tirade suggesting that the district should have willfully broken the law and redacted student statements from the investigative report before it was released to media outlets.

According to a report in FlaglerLive!:

“Furry criticized the district – and, again, School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin – for not censoring student statements in the report about Buddy Taylor Middle School students getting bitten by rats in September. “I cannot believe that there’s not a state statute that we could have applied to not release those statements,” he said. There isn’t. But Furry said the district should have “used our own discretion” to censor the report anyway, and dare anyone to post a challenge.

The names of the students were redacted, but not the statements themselves, in accordance with law. Furry’s criticism was prompted by an article here last week that summarized the investigative report. Furry was sharply critical of the article, too, though that’s not unusual. Gavin explained to Furry repeatedly that the statements could not, under the law, have been redacted.”

Unfortunately, Furry wasn’t going to let a little thing like state statutes get in the way of protecting himself – and the district – from even more political embarrassment and public humiliation – which appears to be the only leavening agent remaining for some elected officials…

As FlaglerLive! aptly stated, “…there is no discretion in public record redactions. Either the law provides for an exemption, or it does not. It’s not the custodian’s call.”

In addition, board member Christy Chong was “furious” that the investigation was “leaked” – it wasn’t.  The incident was reported on social media almost immediately after it happened, and reporters naturally made inquiry.    

You may remember that in August, the Flagler County School Board was caught meeting privately following a press conference by Superintendent LaShakia Moore regarding a previous embarrassment at Bunnell Elementary School that garnered international media attention after African American students were subjected to a segregated assembly. 

Following Ms. Moore’s press conference, the elected members of the School Board gathered behind closed doors to secretly discuss – who knows?

For the uninitiated, under Florida’s open meetings law it is illegal for elected members of the same board to meet or discuss matters that may come before the board outside of a properly noticed public meeting…

Ultimately, besieged School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin (who is currently awaiting termination – and the massive compensatory damages that will follow) entered the room and rightfully broke up the secluded klatch.

Unfortunately, the secret confab added fuel and speculation to the crisis.

In Flagler County, it appears School Board members would rather force taxpayers to fight for their right to know, to understand, and become aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly of how their children are being educated (or not). 

I learn best from those who look at civic issues through different eyes and engage in thoughtful debate – the vigorous competition of ideas and diversity of opinion that spurs a deeper discussion of the issues we collectively face beyond the bureaucratic bias. 

That begins with a free press aggressively investigating, digging beyond the surface spin, and reporting on the machinations of government and taxing districts. 

For those safeties to work, it is a moral imperative of those holding high office to maintain transparency and follow both the letter and spirit of public records law, speak the truth, and be open to public input and critique. 

Apparently, robust reportage and the resultant exchange of ideas in the community is making some important policymakers nervous – because it lets them know We, The Little People are paying attention to how the sausage gets made.

In my view, it is time for Flagler County voters to purge the likes of Will Furry – and any other politician who seeks to hide controversial issues from public view as a means of protecting their own political asses from public criticism.

Quote of the Week

“For exasperated, desperate homeowners such as Paul Valigorsky in Volusia’s Wilbur-by-the-Sea, the unsafe to occupy notice is the latest chapter in a year-long battle with insurance companies, state and federal agencies and county officials.

“We’re not doing very well and Volusia County fights us every step of the way,” said Valigorsky, a Pittsburgh resident who owns the three-bedroom, two-bath vacation home at 4101 S. Atlantic with his wife, Toni Cherry, and her sister Paula. There, Nicole delivered the knock-out blow in an assault that began when Tropical Storm Ian first destroyed its deck, beach walkway, sea wall, and two lateral walls. Valigorsky’s frustrations began after Ian, when he says the bureaucratic process involving FEMA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection thwarted his efforts to replace the destroyed seawall with a new temporary one constructed of boulders that could have resisted Nicole’s impact. He had presented the agency with a permit for that work to be done by a local engineer.

Instead, the homeowners were allowed to install a vinyl seawall that failed against the power of Nicole.

In the months since, Valigorsky said the family has received little support or cooperation from any source to embark on their intention to rebuild.”

–Reporter Jim Abbott, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “After Nicole,” Sunday, November 12, 2023

For most of us who call Volusia County home, life has returned to what passes for “normal” here following the back-to-back meteorological assaults of Tropical Storms Ian and Nicole one year ago.

But for some residents of Wilbur-by-the-Sea, the bureaucratic nightmare continues – brought back like a bad flashback by this week’s blustery weather…

In recent weeks, I’ve listened to the experiences of a few people involved in South Peninsula recovery efforts, some of whom have never interacted with county or state government agencies before. 

It is tragically apparent that these individuals are learning a hard lesson about the omnipotent power of faceless bureaucrats and the wholesale indifference of those elected representatives charged with setting public policy. 

To add insult, earlier this week, something called the Volusia County Licensing and Construction Appeals Board sat in judgement of taxpayers as they considered demolition orders for properties unable to be repaired – an action that would require homeowners to foot the bill or face massive liens. 

In his excellent exposé “After Nicole,” News-Journal reporter Jim Abbott quoted perhaps the most frustratingly obtuse, time-buying non-answer every uttered by a senior bureaucrat when Volusia’s Emergency Services Director Jim “Captain Obvious” Judge mewled:

“Residents in each community impacted by Hurricane Nicole are still recovering in some respects.  Property owners along the coast are at varying degrees of the recovery process, with some completely restored while others may have yet to begin…”

No shit, Jimmy. 

So, what are your grossly overpaid cronies in the Ivory Tower of Power doing to help?

After listening to the repetitive hurdles being placed in the path of desperate homeowners fighting to save what remains of their properties from being consumed by nature, I question what the endgame is for those special interests who seem to control everything but the ebb and flow of the Atlantic tide here on the “Fun Coast”?

When homeowners are denied the right to rebuild, fortify the shoreline, stalled by obstinate insurance companies, unable to sell their property, forced to demolish what remains while permits are stalled, then become financially strapped – what options remain, other than abandonment and foreclosure?  

What ultimately becomes of these oceanfront properties once the damaged homes have been scraped from what remains of the dunes? 

I’ve got a few suspicions…I’ll bet you do too.

While South Peninsula homeowners, condominiums, and hotels are literally drowning in bureaucratic red tape, to the north developers are gliding through the sham process that invariably leads to a rubber stamp approval of yet another high-rise building on the same crumbling dune line.  

As anxious Halifax area residents see the effects of beach erosion with their own eyes – and repeatedly consider grim headlines, such as – “Plans for oceanfront condo high-rise in Daytona raises concerns from neighbors,” or “’It’s been harrowing’: Residents recount ordeal of having to abandon beachfront condos,” etc. – many are asking why, rather than consider a moratorium on further development east of the Coastal Construction Control Line, our ‘powers that be’ continue to facilitate high-rise monstrosities while stonewalling existing residents who are trying hard to save what remains of existing homes?  

Good question.

If you can get an answer from anyone in state or county government, let me know…

And Another Thing!

Last week, residents of Palm Coast descended on City Hall to explain to their seemingly clueless elected officials what everyone in the sprawling community already knows: Changes in topography caused by new construction is resulting in flooding to adjacent homes. 

Sound familiar New Smyrna, Daytona Beach, Deltona, Ormond Beach, Volusia County, etc., etc., etc.?

You don’t have to be a hydrogeological engineer to understand that water flows downhill – and when dirt is trucked in to raise the elevation of building lots – stormwater is going to run toward low-lying surrounding properties. 

At present, Palm Coast does not have height regulations for new home foundations in its land development code…

According to a recent report in FlaglerLive!, we learned:

“They (concerned residents) got a measure of satisfaction, at least in words and promises, though as far as reversing course on ongoing construction or fill allowances, that’s not in the cards. Only new regulations could affect that, and new building regulations take time. But that’s what a council member is pledging.

“We still have 1000s of infill lots that this can potentially still happen on,” City Council member Theresa Pontieri said. “I have asked city manager to work with staff to readdress our land development code and our technical manual to address this on a larger scale, so that we can not only fix what’s going on now, but also look to the future. And I’ve asked for deliverables from city staff in the form of updates.”

Pontieri spoke after nearly a dozen people had brought their stories to the council.”

Many in Flagler and Volusia counties are wondering how those we elect and appoint to represent our interests could ignore the obvious and allow a situation like this to develop – approving even more sprawl while knowing the unaddressed consequences faced by existing residents throughout the region? 

Or, how developers could knowingly turn adjacent properties into fetid swamps in their insatiable quest to shoehorn more, more, more in this current “shove ten-pounds of shit into a five-pound bag” growth management strategy?

During last week’s discussion, when Councilman Ed Danko attempted to question the city’s construction manager, Carl Cote – asking if he would mind living next to an artificially elevated property – Mayor Alfin slammed the gavel so forcefully the sound startled his “colleagues” and shocked onlookers. 

Hey, I get it.  We can’t have elected representatives asking the tough questions of staff during a public meeting, now can we? 

I mean, where does that crazy “accountability and transparency” horseshit end, eh?

According to an account by FlaglerLive!, after Hizzoner’s officious gavel banging, “…the large crowd hissed, while Alfin himself seemed aware that he may have slammed the gavel harder than he intended. He threatened to clear the room, asked Danko to continue his inquiries with the city manager later, and turned to Pontieri, who then made her pledge, urging residents to contact council members and the city and follow-up even as she spoke cautiously about existing limitations.”

Following the meeting, City Manager Denise Bevan announced Palm Coast has formed a “task force,” apparently comprised of the city’s “internal technical staff” (?), to review residential flooding on a case-by-case basis…

In my view, Palm Coast residents shouldn’t expect any assistance from current Mayor/Realtor David Alfin as he advances his self-serving plan to pave every square inch of vacant property in an all-out push for buildout. 

That may be good news for those in the real estate development industry – but not so much for those who live in the rapidly expanding community.   

This week, a Jacksonville-based consultant hired by the city reported that Palm Coast residents could see an 18% increase in water and sewer rates over the next three years to alleviate the cost of growth’s impact on utilities infrastructure… 

Whoever said, “growth pays for itself,” lied… 

According to FlaglerLive!, during the discussion of development induced flooding, Marilyn Mack, a disabled resident of Palm Coast’s F-Section, who has reportedly been locked in a 14-month fight after a construction company damaged her property, said:

“Something’s not right here. This is not how the government is supposed to work.  The inspector came out and gave them their certificate of occupancy knowing that my property looked like that. That’s not right. That’s not how the government is supposed to work. You’re supposed to work for us.”

“And everybody that works for the city and whatever departments, construction and everything else, just turned a blind eye and–well, no problem. She’ll have to deal with it,” Mack said, noting that she’s been dealing with it for 14 months. “I don’t need this on my plate. I’ve got enough going on.”

I agree, Ms. Mack.  This is not how government is supposed to work. 

Not in Palm Coast.  Not anywhere…

That’s all for me.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, y’all!

_____________________

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

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

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

From the Barker family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

I hate to split hairs, but The Daytona Beach News-Journal got one wrong this week. 

A headline announcing an informative article by Sheldon Gardner erroneously read, “Volusia Council to seek $4.5M from state in Ormond Beach fuel facility fight.”   

Trust me.  The Volusia County Council had nothing to do with this…

Last week, in an off-the-agenda ambush, our slack jawed elected representatives learned the news at the same time their blindsided constituents did when Deputy County Manager Susan Konchon “threw a curveball” and announced that Volusia County would be working with state Rep. Tom Leek and the county’s lobbying firm to seek a $4.5 million appropriation, apparently to bribe Belvedere Terminals into agreeing to an “alternative site” for the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel terminal in Ormond Beach.

Speaking from the dais during a discussion of Volusia County’s 2024 legislative priorities, Konchon dropped the bombshell, “It is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Wait. 

Why would those faceless bureaucrats who work in virtual anonymity in the bowels of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building seek millions in public funds to provide utilities and infrastructure for Belvedere Terminals – a private company whose CEO, we learned this week in a disturbing piece by Cheryl Smith in Treasure Coast Newspapers, “…has had criminal and financial issues, including two bankruptcies and a conviction for bribing a public official, according to court records.”?

I mean, why aren’t county bureaucrats seeking state funds to improve Volusia County’s wholly inadequate public utilities and transportation infrastructure as malignant development continues its inexorable spread? 

And why were our elected representatives (once again) left out of the loop by their staff?

Before it was decided by a behind-closed-doors wave of a bureaucratic wand that Volusia County would appropriate public funds as a potential incentive for a foreign owned railway and bulk fuel supplier (both Belvedere Terminals and the Florida East Coast Railway are subsidiaries of mining and infrastructure giant Grupo Mexico) from relocating to Hull Road in Ormond Beach – that decision should have been openly discussed, with time for public input, and voted on by those we elect to maintain the checks and balances over county government.

You know, the same elected representatives whose ignorance and inaction got us into this mess in the first place…

In my view, city, county, and state government should use all legal and legislative means necessary to stop this potential disaster from being built adjacent to thousands of homes, a sports complex, and the municipal airport. 

But recent ploys – such as the use of public funds to lease or purchase the property in perpetuity – or spending $4.5 million in taxpayer money on a weird corporate welfare scheme to underwrite the fuel facility somewhere else is a slippery slope.

For instance, since 2017, Grupo Mexico has more than doubled its metal melting capacity in Peru after environmental regulations were loosened – that is about the same time the company announced an expansion of its profitable oil-by-rail business, building at least three terminals in Mexico.

To take things to the extreme, anyone want a commercial copper smelter here in our backyard unless Volusia County ponies up a lucrative sweetheart deal for the next developer?     

A slippery slope indeed…

In my view, Volusia County bureaucrats are taking us down an extremely dangerous rabbit hole – and this latest intrigue, concocted in a backroom in DeLand, deserves a second look from state representatives and regulatory agencies. 

Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           Palm Coast City Council

I find it interesting (if not nauseating) how elected officials at all levels use clever diversions to distract constituents from their complicity in the pressing issues of our time. 

Call it what you want – the “machinations of government,” Parkinson’s Law of Triviality run amok, or “legislative legerdemain” – but it is a well-thought strategic deception employed by conniving politicians to keep uninformed voters focused on anything other than that which is important to their lives and livelihoods.  

For example, in the rapidly expanding City of Palm Coast, a place that this year alone issued development orders for 4,138 residential units with 13,361 already “in the pipeline” – the elected officials are doing everything in their power to accelerate growth behind a smokescreen of trifling matters. 

Now, worried residents are beginning to take notice, and Flagler County watchers believe the rapid pace of malignant sprawl will be a dominant factor in next year’s elections.  

Trust me.  An alert, engaged, and educated electorate is never a good thing for politicians…

Recently, the Palm Coast City Council has been mired in nonsensical discussions of a “Code of Conduct” – something elected officials would be asked to sign – along with a plan to include “background checks” for newly elected office holders (?).

According to a recent article in FlaglerLive!:

“City staff at the Oct. 24 meeting presented an overview of the city’s current policies for how public meetings are conducted and mentioned the option of altering the public comment procedure of workshops to include public comment after each agenda item, as the city does during business meetings.

Mayor David Alfin had requested during a workshop meeting last spring that city staff create a draft code of conduct. Alfin also asked the council to consider requiring background checks for elected officials once they are elected.

Alfin said implementing background checks would put council members on the same level as city employees, who must also pass a background check before they are hired.

“I’m trying to raise the bar so that we are shoulder to shoulder with all of our city staff,” he said.”

Sure you are…

As you may remember, earlier this year, in an informative article by Mark Harper writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we learned that Palm Coast has now surpassed The Lost City of Deltona as the largest municipality by population in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

According to the report, “Alfin, the city’s mayor since 2021, intends to capitalize on Palm Coast’s population feat. “I’ll spare no amount of energy to make sure everybody knows it. It’s good for the community,” he said.

More than that, though, Alfin is stoked about what appears to be another growth surge. The first homes are being built in new developments west of U.S. 1, including Sawmill Branch near Matanzas Woods Parkway, and Reverie, a couple of miles to the south.”

He’s “stoked” all right. 

Did I mention that Mayor Alfin is in the real estate business?

Now, many Palm Coast residents are concerned that their city government seems unwilling or unable to maintain the woefully inadequate existing municipal infrastructure.  But rather than tap the brakes and take a conservative approach to future growth – Mayor Alfin is calling for more, more, more.

“Alfin said that’s only a part of an even larger future-growth exercise the city is undertaking: plotting out the buildout of the city’s land.

“We’re master-planning a doubling of the geographic footprint of the city, 40,000 acres,” Alfin said. “We call it the frontier project or initiative. There is no other swath of land this size that exists on the east side of Florida that can be master-planned.”

In April, the city’s Planning and Land Development Regulation Board approved the massive “Palm Coast Park” – another “development of regional impact,” which will ultimately blanket an area of 4,677 acres with 6,454 cracker boxes – an increase of 3,600 “dwelling units” since the project was initially approved way back in 2004…

But for now, the Palm Coast City Council would prefer residents focus on the minutiae of a “Code of Conduct,” and the tut-tutting of Vice Mayor Ed Danko, who fanned the flames of this contrived tempest in a teapot by grumbling that the unenforceable code would be used as “…a political weapon — if you don’t sign it — that others will use against you.”

Whatever…

Meanwhile, Palm Coast continues to press this strategy of uncontrolled and invasive growth (the same approach used by a cancerous tumor), blanketing Flagler County with no concern for the adverse effects of density, school overcrowding, insufficient public utilities, water quality and quantity, or the expensive services and infrastructure required to sustain it. 

It’s no secret that ignorance, mediocrity, and paltriness have come to dominate local politics – the proof of that is in the quality of governance in Volusia and Flagler Counties – places that have come to define transactional politics, where malleable elected officials owe their political souls to special interests in the real estate development industry who underwrite their campaigns and expect a return on investment. 

Now, that pernicious “arrangement” is coming home to roost in places like Volusia County, Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, and “New Daytona” west of I-95 – but, like the Great and Powerful Oz said, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”

Instead, our elected marionettes would prefer we keep our eyes on the jabbering and ruses of those sleight-of-hand artists on the dais of power as they quietly sell our quality of life to the highest bidder… 

Angel               Dr. Pamela Carbiener of Halifax OBGYN

Admittedly, I can be a snarky pain in the ass – sarcastically calling out where the strongman stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done them better.   

Just part of my charm…

But even an infernal cynic like me understands the importance of giving credit to those who are truly giving of their time and talents to improve our collective quality of life. 

This year, the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties got it right when they awarded Dr. Pamela Carbiener of Halifax OBGYN the Herbert M. Davidson Award for Community Service at their annual Celebration of Philanthropy on October 24!

In my view, Dr. Carbiener is a true ‘hometown hero,’ working tirelessly to provide quality prenatal care for at-risk mothers, and according to her impressive bio, she has become the “go to” obstetrician for women with addiction, homelessness, and mental illness.

In addition, Dr. Carbiener’s remarkable community involvement includes service as the first medical director of the Rape Crisis Center, founder of COPE, Halifax Board of Commissioners, and service on the boards of Healthy Start, Healthy Communities, the Bert Fish Foundation, The Daytona State College Center for Women and Men, the Halifax Health Foundation, the Daytona Blues Festival and the Stewart Marchman Act Foundation, among many other notable contributions.

Thanks to Dr. Carbiener’s dedication, leadership, and fundraising efforts, expectant mothers – regardless of circumstance – now have access to quality prenatal care. 

In addition, Priscilla Chanfrau of Adams, Cameron and Co. was recognized with the Community Champion Award.

According to the Ormond Beach Observer, “Chanfrau is involved on many community boards including the Daytona Beach Police Foundation, Rotary of Daytona Beach, Checkered Flag Committee, Junior League, Daytona Regional Chamber Young Professionals Group, the Adams Cameron Foundation, and the Civic League.”

Very impressive. 

Kudos to the Community Foundation and United Way for selecting these most deserving recipients for this special recognition!

Asshole           City of Daytona Beach Redevelopment Division

Sometimes I question our civic priorities here in the land of haves and have nots. 

A place where money matters, and you don’t.

This week, we learned that two long-established food pantries were summarily closed by ministerial edict of the City of Daytona Beach citing an ordinance that prohibits the distribution of food to those less fortunate within designated redevelopment areas… 

I guess withholding lifegiving sustenance to hungry families is one way to keep the riffraff out, eh? 

Last Friday, Daytona Beach officials visited First Christian Church on South Palmetto Avenue and Seventh Day Baptist Church on Live Oak Avenue – both located within the vast food desert that is the Downtown Redevelopment Area – and ordered them to cease their food drives. 

The enforcement action came as a surprise for both houses of worship, as the food pantries were serving the community long before the ordinance was passed in 2012 – a previously lawful undertaking that many believe should have been “grandfathered” in.

According to an informative report by WESH-2, “In an email from the city, they say residents and business owners complained about loitering and traffic issues at both churches.”

Really? 

I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but some might consider the increase in traffic and “loitering” an indicator of an unfulfilled need in the area – rather than a trigger for draconian enforcement action. 

Besides, with the Holidays just around the corner, why now? 

Fortunately, according to a report this week in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the churches have a friend in area attorney Chobee Ebbets:

“Thanks to the pro bono help of a longtime local attorney whose law office building is in the middle of the two churches, the city decided this week First Christian Church can resume its food pantry distributions immediately. The situation for Seventh Day Baptist Church is more complicated since its food pantry hasn’t been open as long, but attorney Chobee Ebbets is hopeful he can lock in an agreement with the city to get that parish’s small pantry up and running again soon, too.

“Today I saw people with carts turned away,” said Ebbets, whose law office is in a 113-year-old coquina house next door to Seventh Day Baptist Church.

Ebbets doesn’t want to see anyone else sadly walking back home with an empty cart or bag. He said he’ll sue the city if it doesn’t allow the Seventh Day Baptist Church pantry to reopen soon — and without penalty.”

Thank you, Mr. Ebbets!

I suspect the complaint that spurred the crackdown did not originate from the elected and appointed officials at City Hall – but from someone who, with a full belly, decided that the distribution of food to needy families doesn’t comport with their haughty vision of “progress” and “revitalization” – which, in Volusia County, typically translates to well-connected insiders using public funds to underwrite their for-profit endeavors in redevelopment areas…

Sound familiar? 

The fact is food pantries throughout Volusia County provide nourishment to those experiencing food insecurity.  For instance, the venerated Jerry Doliner Food Bank in Ormond Beach helps feed hundreds of families in Volusia and Flagler Counties each year. 

Look, I’m not the most pious guy you know.  Just another unrepentant sinner making his way in a world gone mad – and my generosity is leavened by the old saw, “Charity begins at home…” 

Which translates to “I’m a cheap bastard…” 

But (try as I might), I am not indifferent to the suffering of others – and hard-earned experience has taught that life can be unfair to all of us.  Unfortunately, we live in a time when rampant inflation has stressed family budgets, leaving many just one illness, tragic accident, or missed paycheck away from financial ruin – and the frayed mesh on our tattered and torn societal “safety net” is getting wider all the time.

One characteristic of a healthy community is a sensitivity to the needs of those less fortunate – a concern for the “least among us” – or at least a willingness to get the hell out of the way while others provide for the welfare of those who need help. 

As community compassion declines, so do our civic values – respect for human dignity, a willingness to confront injustice, kindness, empathy, generosity, and acceptance – the moral imperatives of living together as a society.

Screw it.  Who cares, right?

Seriously.  Who among us cares?

Look, I talk a good line, but like Somerset Maugham wrote in The Razor’s Edge, “It is easy to be a holy man at the top of a mountain.”

At least I’m willing to admit my own hypocrisy. I just wish our local ‘powers that be’ would…

According to the City of Daytona Beach’s Downtown Redevelopment Area Plan (as amended August 4, 2010 (?)), “It is anticipated that physical and social conditions in the areas of greatest need will improve as resources are targeted to improve public safety as well as better manage destabilizing influences associated with socio-economic factors.”

I guess when that doesn’t go to plan, they simply forcibly “improve” social conditions at the point of a legislative spear, eh?  

I wish our elected and appointed officials would admit that it is much more convenient to sweep the ugly and unpleasant under the rug from their comfortably appointed offices – to hide the blemishes and “destabilizing influences” from public view using any bureaucratic means necessary – and create an attractive façade that will encourage entrepreneurial investment rather than address the long-term factors that contribute to blight and hunger.   

Unfortunately, dealing with those core issues that have plagued areas of the Halifax area for years – and developing an integrated approach and comprehensive vision for reversing years of civic neglect – is going to require more thought than turning away hungry families during this season of giving…     

Quote of the Week

“Santiago made the motion at the council’s Oct. 17 meeting to explore amending the county’s North U.S. 1 Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement with Ormond Beach, first adopted in 2014. The agreement established a municipal service area to encourage coordination in planning, service delivery and boundary adjustments between the two government bodies.

The agreement currently only includes properties on the northeast side of U.S. 1. In a statement on Friday, the city said that the county’s proposal to expand the ISBA to include the property at 874 Hull Road would prohibit the city from being able to deny utilities and annexation.

“As previously stated, we believe there is no benefit to the citizens of Volusia County for this property to be annexed and zoned within Ormond Beach because it would grant the developer utilities and rights that it does not now have,” the statement said.

Currently, the city is trying to eliminate its I-2 “Heavy Industrial” zoning district from its code.

Councilman Troy Kent and Council Chair Jeff Brower voted against the resolution, saying moving forward with amending the ISBA could strain relations between the city and the county.  (In fact, Chairman Brower voted for the resolution, with Kent casting the lone “no” vote.)

“I think keeping this on, we’re in a situation where we continue to incite negative feelings between the two government bodies and that’s not my goal here,” Kent said.”

–As excerpted from an informative article by Jarleene Almenas, writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “County Council takes step to amend agreement that Ormond says could force it to annex fuel farm,” Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Anyone who still questions why most area municipalities refuse to trust Volusia County government need look no further than Tuesday’s continuing legislative legerdemain by Councilman David “Houdini” Santiago.

Although the City of Ormond Beach has repeatedly said it does not want to include the property at 874 Hull Road – the site of the proposed Belvedere Terminals bulk fuel facility – in its interlocal service boundary agreement with Volusia County, earlier this week, the Volusia County Council said, “who gives a shit what you want?” to Ormond Beach residents in a 6-1 vote to force the discussion anyway…

Councilman Troy Kent cast the lone “no” vote to deny the resolution.

Prior to the vote, in a statement before the Volusia County Council, Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington (speaking with a passion just above congealed wallpaper paste) used his three-minute audience to reiterate that there is no benefit to Ormond Beach residents in annexing the Hull Road property as it would grant Belvedere even more rights than it currently enjoys. 

In addition, the Volusia County Council also voted unanimously to direct county staff to initiate negotiations with the landowner – Florida East Coast Railway (which, like Belvedere, is a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico) — regarding the possibility of Volusia County taxpayers leasing or purchasing the land (?)…

Then, in the most shocking revelation of the meeting, during a briefing on Volusia County’s legislative priorities for the 2024 session, Deputy County Manager Suzanne Konchan “threw a curveball” (her words, not mine) when she reported – in an off-the-agenda bombshell – that Volusia County will seek $4.5 million from state coffers for a possible “alternative location” for the Belvedere fuel terminal. 

Say what?

According to Konchan, county staff will work with state Rep. Tom Leek’s office and lobbying firm Southern Strategies to present an independent “appropriations document” seeking public funds to underwrite Grupo Mexico’s relocation of the proposed fuel facility… 

I guess if you can’t beat ‘em – become business partners with ‘em, eh?

If I understood Ms. Konchon (and I’m not sure I did), the funds would be used if “…it is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Whoa. 

In my view, like leasing or purchasing the property, that sets another dangerous precedent for any developer who wants to hold Volusia County taxpayer’s hostage in the future…

Something tells me that our elected and appointed officials ‘asleep at the wheel’ approach to this extremely volatile (pun frighteningly intended) issue is going to prove costly for Florida taxpayers. 

I don’t make this shit up, folks. 

Even with my Mittyesque imagination, I couldn’t if I tried…    

I can say that, as a veteran observer of the raging dumpster fire that is Volusia County politics, I often judge present Volusia County Council members by the dysfunction of previous councils. 

I hate to say it, but it is now clear that those who made up past iterations of this elective body couldn’t carry the jockstraps of those numbskulls who currently inhabit the dais in terms of gross ineffectiveness, ineptitude, and penchant for public policy by ambush… 

And Another Thing!

As the young folks say, “WTF?”

Earlier this week, area residents were flabbergasted by a glaring headline in FlaglerLive! – “A Student Is Bitten By a Wild Rat at Buddy Taylor Middle School’s Farm; Teacher Reprimanded” – the story, also reported by The Daytona Beach News-Journal and other regional news outlets, chronicled a district investigation into an agriculture teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast who exposed students to angry rodents when she flushed a colony of rats out of a hole. 

Trust me.  That’s not the weirdest thing that happened in Volusia and Flagler County schools in recent weeks…   

In September, everyone in the Free World became aware of a horribly ill-advised plan hatched by a few so-called “educators” at Bunnell Elementary School that segregated Black fourth and fifth grade students from their classmates, brought them into the cafeteria, and subjected them to a now infamous five slide PowerPoint presentation entitled “AA (African American) Presentation.”

The presentation, rife with grammatical errors, was ostensibly intended to increase standardized test scores – even though some of the students forced to endure the lecture were already earning A’s and B’s.   

Sadly, these segregated “assemblies” involved teachers frightening children with threats they could end up in jail or dead if they failed to excel – then pitted students against one another in a strange scholastic “competition” that would earn the winners a meal at McDonald’s…

Then came a series of highly publicized violent incidents on Flagler County campuses – to include a wild donnybrook at Matanzas High School that resulted in the arrest of eleven students – followed by the arrest of a 14-year-old student at Indian Trails Middle School who allegedly pulled a knife on other students after an on-campus fight. 

In October, we learned that school officials mistakenly transferred $719,583.20 to a fraudulent vendors account – the result of a cybertheft – with Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly recently reporting that the money is unlikely to be recovered… 

Last week, the Flagler County School Board was back in the news facing righteous criticism of “fiscal irresponsibility” and “unjust actions” as it staggers deeper into the process of unlawfully terminating board attorney Kristy Gavin, who has served the district for the past seventeen years.

I could go on, but I won’t – because Volusia County District Schools takes the cake this week… 

In a disturbing story that made the rounds on social media this week, after Volusia County District Schools imported teachers from the Philippines to compensate for its inability to recruit and retain qualified teachers at home, district officials apparently forgot that those émigrés would need, oh, a roof over their heads, basic home furnishings, bedding, the necessities of life, etc., etc. – which resulted in a private request for donations on Facebook earlier this week.

You read that right.

Although many generously responded with donated items, others rightfully questioned how the senior leadership of Volusia County Schools could contract with foreign teachers, then ignore their basic needs once they travelled halfway around the globe? 

Then, on Tuesday, Volusia County Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and members of the School Board embarrassed themselves by sending the “B team” consisting of Interim Chief Operating Officer Patricia Corr (who had been in the position for five-days) and Deputy Superintendent Rachel Hazel to appear before the Volusia County Council and present a proposal seeking $350,000 to fund seven additional School Resource Deputies under the terms of an existing agreement with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

According to reports, the School Resource Deputy Agreement states that Volusia County Schools responsibility is 55% while the Sheriff’s Office pays 45% for school resource deputies.

During Corr’s half-assed presentation – devoid of financial and operational specifics – we learned that additional Resource Deputies are needed at Galaxy, Deltona, Heritage, Holly Hill, Creekside, Silver Sands, and Southwestern Middle Schools – along with the shocking revelation that in the first quarter alone there have been 647 incidents of hitting, striking, or fighting in Volusia County middle schools.

According to the presentation, law enforcement has responded to the schools listed in the request 409 times between August 14 and October 6. 

(Damn.  These schools don’t need a deputy – they need a substation…)

In the important discussion that followed, council members asked – with annual budgets for Volusia County, the School District, and the Sheriff’s Office already established – why wouldn’t the Volusia County School Board simply use its ample reserve funds (now estimated at $27 million) to cover the cost of the additional deputies? 

Good question…

Superintendent Balgobin’s conspicuous absence – and the ham-handed way the district’s request was brought forth – seemed to catch Sheriff Michael Chitwood off guard, “I was a little disappointed that my friend, the superintendent, wasn’t here and that the CFO was not here and no one from the school board was here.”

Me too.

After what passed for “negotiations,” it was determined that if the Volusia County Council didn’t pony up the requested funds – the district would simply maintain the status quo – keeping armed guardians in the middle schools rather than fund the sworn law enforcement positions by other means…  

The most pointed questions of the day came from Councilman Troy Kent, a school administrator himself, who clearly had the wholly unprepared Corr and Hazel on their heels with his pointed interrogation.

Before the vote, Mr. Kent remarked, “It’s borderline disrespectful, in my opinion, to come hat in hand asking for money and not having your ducks in a row, with basic statistics ready to go.”

To their credit, the Volusia County Council voted unanimously to deny the request – with Councilman David Santiago admonishing the School Board to have their “house in order” before they come back grubbing for money.  

Wow.  How humiliating for the hapless Volusia County School Board… 

After the rejection, a terse response wafted down like a foul odor from the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand, which said, in part:

“The discussion that took place this morning regarding the district’s budget and reserves was not relevant to the financial considerations of the interlocal agreement.

VCS previously had school resource deputies in these seven schools, which were removed during the pandemic and replaced with school guardians due to staffing issues.

VSO has supported this initiative and assured VCS that they had the personnel to support these safety measures in our schools if the funding was approved.

The safety and security of our students and staff is, and always will be, the top priority of Volusia County Schools, the Volusia County School Board, Superintendent Dr. Balgobin, and all Volusia County Schools staff members.”

Really? 

So, why are district executives suddenly comfortable with the status quo? 

My God.

According to a September article by Mary Ellen Ritter in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“Volusia County Schools approved its budget of over $1.4 billion, an increase of more than $40 million over the current year and the county’s largest budget.

The new tax rate is 5.409, .073 less than the previous rate. Still, that rate is 9.26% higher than what’s needed to bring in the same amount of revenue, according to the school district.”

In addition, “Flagler Schools approved a budget of over $324.9 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year, an increase of more than $123 million over the current year’s budget.

This year’s tax rate is 5.403, .143 less than the previous rate. But that millage rate is 3.22% greater than what’s needed to bring in the same amount of property tax revenue for Flagler Schools.”

Perhaps it is time for We, The Little People to start asking how our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent – and just who is ultimately responsible for this ongoing shit-show that is Volusia and Flagler County Schools?

Then let our thoughts be known at the ballot box…    

That’s all for me.  Have a great time at the Daytona Beach Greek Festival this weekend, y’all!    

Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           Deltona Commissioner Tom Burbank

You can tell a lot about someone’s character by how they treat those less fortunate. 

The instinct to help or hurt others when they are at a disadvantage tells me all I need to know about a person’s values. Once again, Deltona City Commissioner Tom Burbank has proven himself a classless asshole with the uber-weird impulses of a broke-back snake and a narcissistic compulsion for cruelty. 

Last week, Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr. appeared on regional media outlets to bring attention to the critical lack of affordable housing options in Central Florida.  As an example, Avila announced his family is struggling to meet monthly living expenses with rent now at $1,640 a month for a three-bedroom house in Deltona.

“When you’re trying your best and everything is working against you, it’s very disheartening,” Avila said. 

According to the United Way, Mayor Avila isn’t alone. 

Last year, a report found that 45,000 households in Volusia and Flagler Counties are considered rent burdened. 

During an interview, Mayor Avila acknowledged he is pursuing additional jobs to help make ends meet for his young family, “I’m already looking to get another job,” he said. “So, I’m going to be working multiple jobs, plus whatever I do here as well.”

I think most people have been similarly situated at some point in their lives.  I have… 

Mayor Avila’s willingness to use his personal struggles to highlight a growing problem takes courage, and his openness humanizes the issue of affordable housing in Volusia County, where a resident needs to earn $25.04 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment at a fair-market rent of $1,302 a month.

The average wage for renters in Volusia is estimated at $17.48 an hour.    

At present, the average rental rate in Deltona is $1,900 a month…

In a message of encouragement to the community, Mayor Avila recently wrote on social media, “We may be facing difficulties, but together, we’ll find a way. Let’s keep our community strong, vibrant, and accessible to all. Stay tuned for updates on the progress we make, and let’s work together to ensure a brighter future for Deltona.”

So, how did Mayor Avila’s “colleague” Commissioner Tom Burbank contribute to this important conversation?

On Wednesday, October 25, at 6:00am, Commissioner Burbank wrote to Mayor Avila using their official City of Deltona email accounts:

“Junior,

Reaching out to you on this platform in the hopes that one of your acolytes is still getting copies of all my emails.  I would love this to go public.

To the point:

I’ve de-nutted hogs that whined less than you.  You be acting like you’re somehow surprised that you can’t make 20K in rent on a job that pays 15K.  Successful business owner?

Recall these words?  “I am also proficient in sales, marketing, various types of account knowledge and set-up, cash management, accounting, and investment services.  I am skilled in attaining sales and profit objectives in competitive environment.”  

Proficient?  You’ve a history of bad checks, evictions, and loan defaults.  Without assistance and given your single digit credit rating you’re going to have a hard time finding a place to live in Deltona.  You spread lies about colleagues.  I hear Pierson is nice.

Had you not proven to be such an intense pain in my ass I would be tempted to feel sorry for you.  However………

You reap what you sow, right?  “Ponder the path of your feet…remove your foot from evil.”  Proverbs 4:26-27

Tom Burbank

Veteran, senior citizen on a fixed income, disabled and yet somehow able to pay my bills on time on time (sic).”

You may remember that the City of Deltona recently settled a lawsuit with resident Nick Lulli, a private citizen who, quite by surprise, was ambushed and horribly slandered by Commissioner Burbank on social media when Lulli announced he was considering a run for the City Commission in 2024.

According to a release issued by Mr. Lulli in September:

“In February, Burbank, the District 1 Commissioner, wrote untrue statements on Lulli’s Facebook page in an attempt to influence the 2024 election. The statements included homophobic tropes that caused community outrage and led the Commission to censure Burbank for his actions. Lulli, who is now officially a candidate for the District 6 Commissioner seat, did not know Burbank prior to the social media assault.

Lulli subsequently sued the City and Burbank in Volusia County Small Claims Court, alleging the statements were libelous and also claiming the City and Burbank had violated the Sunshine Laws by secretly coordinating potential legislation outside of a public meeting. The $8000 lawsuit was considered symbolic in nature and only intended to compensate Lulli’s legal fees and time. Lulli represented himself and wrote the historic lawsuit which was settled for its original value.”

Now that the good citizens of Deltona have paid dearly for Commissioner Burbank’s vile impulses – rather than learn a valuable lesson – Burbank now shifts his attention-seeking harrying to a fellow elected official who attempted to bring attention to a pressing civic issue faced by communities throughout the state. 

What gives? 

Smarter people than me are seriously concerned about the direction of the Lost City of Deltona, with many stakeholders quietly worried about how Burbank’s unchecked lunacy will affect efforts to recruit the city’s umpteenth City Manager…   

In my view, it is now obvious that Mr. Burbank’s cheese has slipped off his cracker – and unchecked power in the hands of someone incapable of controlling their base impulses can be dangerous – and expensive.   

If the Deltona City Commission is unable or unwilling to address this continuing embarrassment – then it is incumbent upon voters to take all legal steps to recall Mr. Burbank and remove him from office. 

In Florida, the governor has the right and responsibility to suspend elected and appointed officials for wrongdoing, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or incompetence.  Since 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis has exercised that power some twenty-three times to remove mayors, school board members, a sheriff, and two state prosecutors.   

Look, I realize in Volusia County we have set an extremely low bar for the conduct and effectiveness of elected officials.  But even by our whale shit metric, Commissioner Burbank has repeatedly proven that he lacks the basic competence and restraint to responsibly conduct the powers and duties of an elected representative of the City of Deltona.

In my view, allowing Burbank to crash about like a tempestuous monkey with a knife – intentionally destroying the reputations of others from his lofty perch, pushing the envelope of Florida’s Sunshine Law, and further eroding the public’s trust in their government – is irresponsible and counter to the concept of good governance in Volusia’s largest municipality. 

Asshole           City of Ormond Beach  

It appears the residents of Ormond Beach are now the first soldiers to be drafted in the coming War for Water this week when City Attorney Randy Hayes filed a lawsuit against developers of the tony Hunter’s Ridge subdivision and our neighbors to the north in Flagler County.

Why?

Well, to hear the City of Ormond Beach tell it, the current developer – U.S. Capital Alliance – is now in noncompliance of a 30-year-old agreement when they failed to deed some 300 acres of conservation lands to the city; and, in 2017, issued Flagler County a 60’ wide public road easement through the conservation area on a rutted dirt trail known as “40-Grade” and failed to adhere to a hydroperiod restoration plan as required by the original development order.

According to city officials, the real fear is that Flagler County will build a road connecting points north to the already congested State Road 40 – something of grave concern to existing residents with the specter of the 10,000 home Avalon Park looming on the horizon… 

Although the Ormond Beach side of Hunter’s Ridge is built out, the real teeth in the noncompliance ruling is that Ormond Beach will not provide utilities for new homes built on the Flagler County side of Hunter’s Ridge. 

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer by Jarleene Almenas and Sierra Williams:

“The city filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief on Friday, Oct. 27, writing that the city “has suffered damages as a result of the developer’s non-compliance and continues to suffer damages as a result of the developer’s non-compliance.”

The developer and his attorney were unaware that a lawsuit had been filed until the Observer reached out for comment.

“I think it speaks to the fact that Ormond Beach has never been open to discussion on this matter,” said Jake Beren, chief operating officer of Hunters Ridge Acquisition and Development LLC. “There has always been accusations. There has never been a nuanced conversation.”

In my view, it is becoming clear that what is really driving the city’s belligerence is the gravest issue of our time – access to drinking water in this age of greed-fueled overdevelopment. 

According to the Observer, Jake Beren, chief operating officer of Hunters Ridge Acquisition and Development LLC, explained: 

“He believes the issue goes back to the city wanting to build wells on the conservation parcel, pointing to the fact that the $20 million project was included in the city’s recently approved Capital Improvement Plan, slated to be budgeted in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

Flagler County attorney Sean Moylan told the Observer that Hayes’ claim in the Oct. 25 meeting that discussions of wells on Flagler County land were only “informal discussions” between staff was not true.

Ormond Beach staff requested and received a special use easement onto Flagler County lands to build wells from the Flagler County Commission in June of 2021, Moylan said, pending the city’s receipt of approval from the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Audubon Society.

“It was much more than just conversations,” he said. “And the irony, again, is that they wanted to use 40 Grade.”

Adding credence to the developer’s allegation is the City of Ormond Beach sat on its thumb for over thirty-years before blindsiding Hunter’s Ridge and Flagler County with a one-two combination of a noncompliance ruling and lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief.

So, why the urgency? 

According to the report, both the developer, and Flagler County, were under the impression the noncompliance ruling allowed them 60-days to find solutions – only to be served with a lawsuit – and learn from the City Attorney that the “60-day timeframe was removed “to accommodate corrective action that might require more time to complete.”

Something’s fishy…  

Look, I don’t have a grain of sympathy in this beat-up old heart for real estate developers – but, as an Ormond Beach taxpayer, I also don’t appreciate having some very expensive wool pulled over my eyes by antsy city officials who got caught with their pants down rubber stamping development without an adequate water supply. 

In my view, we’re seeing the disastrous result of what occurs when insatiable developers and the politicians they feed with campaign contributions – exceed what the environment can support and sustain over time. 

It appears Ormond Beach officials are finally coming to the realization why We, The Little People are rightly concerned about increased density, traffic congestion, and the environmental impacts of unchecked sprawl – those things we see with our own eyes – and why these concerns will have a drastic impact on next year’s elections.   

Angel               Friends of Volusia’s Dog-Friendly Beach

In an unusual departure from the “No Fun Zone” (a/k/a area beaches), this summer, the Volusia County Council voted 6-1 to approve an 18-month pilot to evaluate allowing dogs on the beach along a section between Milsap Road and Rockefeller Drive in Ormond Beach. 

The program officially began on Wednesday. 

This unique project represents the first time in some three-decades that We, The Little People were thrown a bone (pun intended…) by those we elect and appoint to represent our interests.

It hasn’t been an easy fight. 

When he took office in January, District 4 Councilman Troy Kent resurrected the idea of establishing limited dog friendly sections of the beach in each coastal community – a suggestion that brought out Volusia County’s Guardians of the Status Quo who raised a series of asinine hurdles, including not-so-veiled threats that allowing dogs on the beach in Ormond-by-the-Sea could violate terms of the county’s incidental take permit with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, contraventions that could jeopardize our long tradition of beach driving…

Adding to the purely political barriers, senior staff members reported astronomically inflated expenses for allowing dogs to visit the beach under tight controls – including expanding the bureaucracy with a full-time animal control officer to patrol the .06-mile section of the shoreline – coupled with a vocal minority who claimed the measure signaled Armageddon for Volusia County beachgoers. 

In other words, the same “packs of vicious curs fouling the sand” scary stories that were used to quash the suggestion in 2014 and again in 2021.  To ensure the current initiative didn’t receive unanimous support, Councilman Don Dempsey (who seems to loathe everything east of the Palmetto Curtain) cast the lone “No” vote…   

Whatever.

Ultimately, a suitable section of the strand was identified in Ormond Beach.

Following the vote to approve the project in July, Councilman Kent said, “We are going to make history in Volusia County… I am absolutely blown away. This is my favorite type of partnership, which is a public/private partnership, where you, the public, have said you will help and assist to make this wildly successful.”

I wholeheartedly agree. 

Because positive change never comes easy in Volusia County…

Thanks to the efforts of Nannette McKeel Petrella and her group Daytona Dog Beach, Inc., the passionate residents who approached their elected officials and spoke in favor in the measure, and the incredible generosity of local philanthropists Nancy and Lowell Lohman – who pledged a $100,000 donation to help fund the pilot program – tomorrow morning, Volusia County officials and pet owners will gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony just north of the Milsap Road ramp in Ormond Beach, beginning at 9:00am.

Kudos to everyone who worked hard to see this dog-friendly beach pilot a reality! 

Angel               Historian Jordan Tyler Hobson 

We live in a place rich in history. 

Good and bad…  

Ours is a fascinating story of pioneer families who carved out a life amongst the coastal scrub – overcoming the privations, bugs, storms, heat, and adversities to create a mosaic of enduring communities here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”

A place that continues to exorcise the demons of our notorious past – somewhere the Orlando Sentinel once described as a “…quagmire of violent crime and political corruption…”

Unfortunately, we also live in a time when many of our historic structures and old growth forests have fallen to a speculative developer’s notion of “progress” – or succumbed to the pernicious practice of “strategic neglect” – a malicious custom where local governments withhold preventative maintenance at certain publicly-owned facilities and allow them to rot in place until they reach such a deplorable state that demolition and expensive replacement becomes the only viable option.

But one local man is renewing interest in our area’s historic past. 

I had the opportunity to meet Jordan Hobson last year when I briefly came out of retirement to give him a tour of the Holly Hill Police Department – one of my favorite places in the world – located on the first floor of the beautiful coquina building that has been home to the community’s historic City Hall since its completion in 1942. 

As vice president of the Holly Hill Historic Preservation Society, Mr. Hobson has worked tirelessly with other area researchers – such as Don Williamson, a local treasure who possesses a trove of valuable knowledge about the early days of Volusia County – to document the history of the Halifax area one building, one home, and one majestic tree at a time. 

Several years ago, during a hike near Bulow Creek State Park, Mr. Hobson discovered one of Florida’s largest live oak trees still in existence.     

Most recently, Mr. Hobson published the fascinating book “Historic Homes of East Volusia,” documenting the architecture and historical significance of 95 area homes, along with stories of the interesting souls who inhabited them through the years. 

According to an excellent review by Charles Guarria writing in Hometown News Volusia, “Within its pages, you will read about George F. Johnson, a Volusia County resident who popularized the 40-hour work week. And Simon J. Peabody, the gentleman who donated land that cleared the way for the original Peabody Auditorium.

Another interesting story is that of Fred Merkle. He retired to Daytona Beach after a good major league baseball career. Mr. Merkle became infamous for a base running mistake that cost the 1908 New York Giants a pennant. The mistake is known as Merkle’s Boner, and the game he made the mistake in has been referred to as one of the most controversial in baseball history.”

A portion of book sales will be donated to the Holly Hill Historic Preservation Society. 

For more information, follow Mr. Hobson’s Facebook page Holly Hill FL/East Volusia History HQ or stop by the society at 1066 Ridgewood Avenue. 

Quote of the Week

“Volusia County has a robust public safety system serving its citizens every day, with trained professionals in law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management and many other disciplines working together to deal with the challenges posed by rapid growth,” Chitwood wrote. “However, the large ‘fuel farm’ project Belvedere Terminals is proposing in our community has created a new threat to the sense of safety of all who live, work, and do business in Ormond Beach and surrounding areas.”

–Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood, voicing his opposition to the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel farm in an open letter to Belvedere Terminals, Monday, October 30, 2023

This week, I took an early drive to St. Augustine. 

It was one of those cool fall mornings in Florida when the temperature and dew point reach the same value and a blanket of fog forms limiting visibility to well less than a mile.

On Tuesday morning, the only thing missing was Sherlock Holmes, wreathed in the murky mist, trying to enter traffic from Love’s trust stop at Destination Daytona…  

As I drove north on US-1, I saw a series of large dump trucks emerge from the thick vapor hauling loads of fill dirt to change the topography on any one of a thousand active construction sites between Ormond Beach and Flagler County, belching think plumes of diesel smoke as they roared along through the misty morning. 

I thought about what that scene would look like as massive trains unload bulk fuel at the proposed Belvedere facility on Hull Road as a 24/7 convoy of tanker trucks resupply and enter traffic at the unsignalized intersection of US-1.

Yeah.  I know…   

In an interesting development on Wednesday, the City of Ormond Beach issued a cryptic release on social media:

“In response to the action taken by the County Council at their last meeting, City and County staff met today to analyze and explore cooperative solutions to the 874 Hull Road Property. Jointly, staffs are reviewing all legal options to permanently acquire the property, which could include eminent domain.”

Time will tell what that means… 

Regardless, it was refreshing to hear Sheriff Chitwood shoot straight and call the proposed Belvedere Terminal what it is – a public safety threat – one that will adversely affect the lives of thousands of Ormond Beach residents who will be forced to deal with the deleterious consequences of living in proximity to a potential disaster – worried taxpayers who are fighting valiantly for the safety of their children, property values, and quality of life…

Here’s hoping Belvedere officials will take heed of Sheriff Chitwood’s wise warning and work cooperatively with Volusia County officials to find a more appropriate location for their terminal.

And Another Thing!  

“After listening to dozens of citizens for and against the project, the Daytona Beach Planning Board on Thursday night unanimously recommended approval of developers’ revised plans for a 25-story condominium- hotel at A-1-A and Silver Beach Avenue.

“It has met the requirements, no matter how much opposed I am emotionally,” said Planning Board member Milverton Robinson. “I have no choice, but to say yes.”

The Silver Beach Hotel project’s fate now rests with the City Commission, which will conduct a first reading on Dec. 6. A second reading and public hearing, where the final decision is expected, is set for Dec. 20.”

–Business Editor Clayton Park, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Planning Board OKs revised hotel plans,” Sunday, October 29, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I believe the time has come to disband the various governmental “planning boards,” “development review committees,” and the other political insulation klatches that help create the façade our elected officials have any control over land development and growth management. 

Because they don’t.

That’s what happens with politicians sell their political souls to well-heeled special interests with a profit motive…

We can also do away with these time-wasting “developer-initiated neighborhood meetings” – where frightened residents give powerful testimony about how (insert the next sprawling subdivision or sky-high condo-hotel project here) will adversely impact their property and the livability of their community – while the out-of-town developer du jour and their land use attorneys shoot the cuffs on their expensive suits, look at their Patek Philippe, and impatiently wait for the hayseeds to quiet, safe in the knowledge the fix is in.

They know approval is a foregone conclusion, and it is only a matter of time before rubes like the Daytona Beach Planning Board mewl, “We have no choice” and rubber stamp their project…    

Bullshit.

Florida generally, and Volusia County specifically, has become the exclusive playground for insatiable speculative land rapists – and their bought and paid for marionettes in Tallahassee have paved the way for them to pave over every square inch of greenspace – while our environment, natural resources, and quality of life are sacrificed on the altar of greed…

At a time when South Peninsula beachfront homeowners are working desperately to prevent their homes from crumbling into the sea – fighting a losing battle with incessant coastal erosion – as taxpayers take the hit for shoring up miles of shoreline while time and tide work to reclaim that which belongs to nature as insurance carriers flee the state – last week, a smarmy Miami developer won initial approval to build an ugly 25-story high-rise on a parcel just south of Silver Beach Avenue east of A-1-A. 

Madness.

According to the News-Journal report, “Beachside resident Paul Zimmerman is vice president of a beach driving citizens advocacy group called Sons of the Beach who has been vocal in his opposition to new high-rise projects east of A1A. “It was disappointing, but we don’t feel defeated,” he said of the Planning Board’s vote. “We’re going to continue to fight and hold fast to our position.”

Good luck, friends…

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend at the 100^th Volusia County Fair & Youth Show, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

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

Happy Halloween! 

You know, I spent my life as a Holly Hill cop – which means haunted houses don’t do much for me…

But in the spirit of the season, here are a few spine-chilling horror stories about our local newsmakers that should scare the hell out of you. 

Trick or treat, y’all!   

Asshole           Volusia County Council

If so much weren’t at stake for so many, the shoving match between Volusia County and the City of Ormond Beach over the proposed Belvedere Terminals bulk fuel facility would be funny as hell.

Unfortunately, this is no joke…   

Last week, the Volusia County Council followed the lead of Councilman David Santiago – a veteran politician who knows the ins-and-outs of legislative legerdemain – who suggested amendments to the North U.S. 1 Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement with the City of Ormond Beach ostensibly as a means of skirting the provisions of Senate Bill 250.

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer:

“The law Santiago was referring to is Senate Bill 250, signed by the governor in June. It disallows local governments located within 100 miles of anywhere Hurricane Ian or Nicole made landfall from proposing or adopting “more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations.” The bill also prohibits local governments from proposing or adopting “more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order” before Oct. 1, 2024.

Volusia County’s legal department believes the county cannot change zoning for the Hull Road property because of this.”

In the view of many, Santiago was merely trying to dump this entire steaming pile of horseshit in the lap of the City of Ormond Beach, allowing Volusia County to dodge further responsibility in this building fight. 

That’s dirty pool…and Santiago knows it.

In addition, last week, the Volusia County Council also entertained an asinine suggestion by District 4 Councilman Troy Kent who wants the county to lease the property at 874 Hull Road from the Florida East Coast Railway/Grupo Mexico for and unidentified “different purpose.” 

Say what?

My hope is that Mr. Kent’s suggestion isn’t seized upon by an unscrupulous developer (excuse the oxymoron) who purchases similarly situated property – threatens to build the dirtiest, most impactful, and inappropriate use permitted under current zoning – then holds citizens hostage until Volusia County agrees to lease the parcel in perpetuity… 

In an Observer article last Friday, Ormond Beach City Attorney Randy Hayes appeared to send a salvo back at Volusia County:

“The city commission has already determined that it will not provide utilities to the land and it will not annex the land,” Hayes said. “Therefore, the land is not suitable for inclusion in the interlocal service boundary agreement because it does not meet a fundamental purpose of the agreement.”

Hayes added that the city “continues to support the county in its efforts to resolve issues related to the fuel farm within the county’s jurisdiction.”

And the bureaucratic squabbling continues… 

To their credit, residents engaged in the fight against the terminal immediately saw through the legislative smoke-and-mirrors and are taking their elected representatives at the city and county to task for their flagrant attempts to dodge responsibility.

For their part, Belvedere Terminals has signaled they intend to move forward with the fuel storage facility – now consisting of three main tanks holding 12.6 million gallons – down from the sixteen tanks originally sought in a permitting request to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.   

According to the Observer, Belvedere’s Chief Financial Officer Tim Schwarz recently said, “We followed the rules and are now developing the site and I think people feel like somehow that wasn’t right,” he said. “We never hid anything. We were very transparent with what we did, and so our intention is to continue to — notwithstanding some of the things that we’ve seen, the county resolutions or the city resolutions — we believe we are entitled to build this and we are going to continue to do that.”

Didn’t take long for Belvedere to claim the moral high ground, eh?

Unfortunately, it is increasingly clear that – thanks to the piss poor planning and gross ineptitude of Ormond Beach and Volusia County officials, Belvedere Terminals now holds all the cards – and if/when they decide it is in their financial interest to build a 13-million-gallon fuel terminal adjacent to thousands of homes there will be little anyone can do to stop them. 

Now, area residents are learning the hard way what happens when those they elect to represent their interests are caught asleep at the switch…

After having been publicly humiliated our ‘powers that be’ are now playing catch-up, grasping at straws, setting precedents with generational consequences, forced to concoct idiotic and fiscally irresponsible “solutions” on the fly – all while refusing to hold senior staff accountable for their failure to sound the klaxon – or explain what steps are being taken in the cloistered Halls of Power to ensure this threat to public safety, and our quality of life, never happens again.

Asshole           Volusia County Councilman Don Dempsey

Rarely have I seen a more blatant example of a sitting elected official using public funds to feather their own nest – but Volusia County Councilman Don Dempsey’s recent push for a taxpayer funded “public motocross facility” takes the cake.

Hell, it takes the whole damn bakery…

It also shows just how skewed the Volusia County Council’s hierarchy of needs truly are.

According to a disturbing piece by Patricio Balona writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

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

Wait, what about the issues that are keeping Volusia County residents up at night?:

The complete lack of a comprehensive transportation infrastructure plan?  No.

Overstressed public utilities?  No.   

Dwindling water quality in area rivers, lakes, and the springs that feed them?  No. 

Recurrent fish and manatee kills in the Indian River Lagoon?  Screw ‘em.   

Massive flooding across the width and breadth of Volusia County?  Nope.   

A complete lack of beach management and coastal erosion control?  Hell no.   

Serious health and safety concerns at Volusia County correctional facilities?  Uh-uh.    

Emergency medical services and public safety concerns?  No.  

Jobs, affordable housing, and true economic development?  No.  

The growing “Trust Issue”?  Couldn’t care less.    

Rising taxes and fees?  No.

Density and malignant overdevelopment?  What?   

Blight and neglect in our core tourist area?  Nah. 

Mr. Dempsey’s most pressing priority – his Number One concern – the greatest single urgency facing Volusia County residents is our lack of a motocross track…

I don’t make this shit up, folks.

In Sunday’s frontpage News-Journal article, we learned that Mr. Dempsey is seeking public funds to expedite a Taj Mahal motocross training facility somewhere in Volusia County. 

“We’re not just talking about a field with some turns and some dirt piles,” an enthusiastic Dempsey said. “We want a facility that has restaurants, you know, like a nice restaurant, a place that you can cook food, sit down in air-conditioning.”

In addition, Councilman Dempsey wants to include a classroom facility to accommodate a commercial “homeschooling” program for parents who prioritize motocross over “brick and mortar” schools for their child’s education.

Look, I get it.  When I was a kid, I had dreams of running off and becoming a circus roustabout – unfortunately, my parents ruined that when they demanded I get a primary education first…   

What? 

You weren’t aware Volusia County taxpayers are getting into the motocross training/restaurant/alternative education business at the point of a spear?

Me neither. 

But according to Councilman Dempsey, the demand is so critical he wanted a resolution declaring the need right now…   

In my view, the irony in the council chamber was thick as two-stroke oil when Mr. Dempsey lamented during his off-the-agenda sleight-of-hand that – due to sprawling subdivisions and malignant development – there are few places left for off-road motorcycle riding in Volusia County.  

Do tell…

Apparently, things are moving right along, too – not on flood mitigation, coastal erosion, transportation infrastructure, or the other emergent issues of our time – instead, a Chicago-based “destination real estate consultancy” has already been engaged to study suitable locations for Dempsey’s motocross track.   

Wow.

So, where is the money coming from to fund Mr. Dempsey’s personal pastime?

“Dempsey said that he is aware that it would take taxpayers’ money to build a motocross facility and he thinks the project could be funded with ECHO grants – funds to projects to be used for “environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreational purposes.”

I knew it! 

Given the Volusia County Council’s propensity for using ECHO funds as their private piggybank, Dempsey’s suggestion is not surprising. 

In my view, the ECHO program lost all legitimacy earlier this year when Volusia County openly looted the tax-supported fund using a cheap grift called a “Direct County Expenditure.”

As you may recall, in March, by unanimous vote, council members approved a bundled “5-year plan” which placed divisional capital improvement expenditures – specifically the repair and replacement of existing infrastructure – on the back of the Volusia ECHO program.

Rather than come before the committee with their hat in hand and a novel idea articulated in a properly formatted grant application – along with a sack full of matching funds, like other ECHO applicants are required to provide – the elected officials simply took what they wanted from our cookie jar.  

With the wave of a bureaucratic wand, the Volusia County Council approved a list of forty-three projects at thirty-two sites to be funded using $15.4 million in ECHO funds – with twenty-four of those projects identified as “improvement of current assets.”

Now, Mr. Dempsey wants to take another bite at the apple to fund his personal folly?

My ass. 

According to the report, “Dempsey said he doesn’t believe the motocross facility would cost more than the $2.5 million that county officials pumped into a pickleball facility built in Holly Hill recently.

“I mean I put it this way, it’s not going to cost more than they put into pickleball,” Dempsey said. “And I can assure you it will probably be less than that or in that same neighborhood.”

Bullshit.

What Mr. Dempsey has conveniently forgotten is that the ECHO funds that were allocated for Pictona at Holly Hill in 2022 – a facility that is now considered the “mecca” of America’s fastest-growing sport for people of all ages – was the result of an extensive vetting process and built around the incredibly successful public/private partnership between the City of Holly Hill and Rainer and Julie Martens – who invested millions in private funds constructing the regions premiere pickleball and fitness center, a facility which now serves thousands of Volusia County residents and visitors from around the globe.

If Councilman Dempsey wants to indulge his passion for motocross, then let him open his sizeable wallet (he was recently named the wealthiest member of the Volusia County Council with a net worth of $4.5 million) and fund the creation of his “top-notch” facility with his own money…

He can Braaap-Braaap all he wants, and I hope he turns a hefty profit. 

In my view, if the demand for a state-of-the-art motocross/restaurant/homeschool (?) facility is there – then the private sector should be champing at the bit to fill the void – and leave the overburdened taxpayers of Volusia County the hell out of it.   

Regardless, welcome back to the bad old days of public policy by ambush in Volusia County – voting on off-the-agenda surprises without any citizen input, background information, funding source, expenditure estimates, or recurring cost considerations.

Angel               Captain Les Abend and Attorney Dennis Bayer

I suspect most people outside of aviation have never heard of Les Abend. 

For the uninitiated, Capt. Abend is an acclaimed author, a licensed pilot of nearly half a century, a Boeing 777 captain with 31-years’ experience at a major airline, and a certificated flight instructor who writes for various aviation journals and serves as a contributor to national media outlets, including CNN, NBC, MSNBC, and FOX. 

He is also a personal hero of mine.

Not because of his impressive aviation accomplishments – but for his willingness to expose the vindictive and heavy-handed practices of Flagler County government – and for having the courage to hold an officious bureaucrat accountable for misusing his powerful public position to take revenge on his critics.

How we got here is a convoluted story that begins when Mr. Abend rented a hanger at Flagler Executive Airport to house his light aircraft, and his subsequent service on the former Airport Advisory Board. 

It ended with his abrupt (and arrogantly unexplained) eviction from the hangar after he got crosswise with Flagler County’s thin-skinned airport dictator Roy Sieger.

As it was explained in an excellent article by FlaglerLive!, “It started as an eviction case. It ended as a First Amendment case. The First Amendment won. Flagler County government lost.”

“After deliberating 90 minutes Tuesday, a jury of four men and two women found that Flagler County had improperly sought to evict a tenant from a hangar at the county airport, and was doing so only in retaliation for the tenant’s criticism of Roy Sieger, the airport director, violating the tenant’s First Amendment rights.

It was a remarkable case on several levels: It invalidated the county’s eviction. It tied back into a controversy over the airport advisory board that the county arbitrarily disbanded in 2020, when the advisory board was raising issues of noise and overspending at the airport. It validated by jury verdict allegations of imperiousness on the part of the airport director. And it did so in a County Court trial, when First Amendment cases are usually handled in federal or circuit court.

The county filed its eviction suit at the end of January, thinking that’s all it would be. But that turned out to be a culmination of long-simmering animus between Sieger and Les Abend, the tenant.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold,” Dennis Bayer, Abend’s attorney, told the jury, arguing that Sieger was essentially taking his revenge on Abend with the eviction, more than two years after their previous clashes. The jury agreed.”

See the rest of this disturbing story here: https://tinyurl.com/7p33cjmn

The events precipitating the dispute between Abend and Sieger are nothing new – bureaucrats and elected officials ignoring the advice of those who serve on their advisory boards – or disbanding these committees out-of-hand when members break with the expected lockstep conformity and speak truth to power. 

Happens all the time. 

In my view, what makes this case unique is that Flagler County government allowed a senior director to weaponize his powerful position and get even with an airport tenant and taxpayer over what was essentially a citizen’s First Amendment right to voice personal criticism. 

I find it chilling that Flagler County administrator Heidi Petito allowed Director Sieger the latitude to retaliate against a private citizen.  That leads to disturbing questions about others who may have been victimized by overbearing senior department heads with a grudge – highly paid public officials who apparently operate with little, if any, direct oversight – and have no qualms using the full might of government to exact revenge on anyone who challenges their omnipotent authority.

In my view, thuggery is how an organized crime family conducts business – not a properly functioning government of the people, by the people, and for the people…

Now that a jury has determined that Roy Sieger acted impetuously when he willfully terminated Mr. Abend’s lease in retaliation for exercising his right to free speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Flagler County Commission has a duty to ensure their constituents are free to exercise their inalienable rights without fear of retribution from their county government.  

That should begin with the termination of Roy Sieger – and a top to bottom management audit of Ms. Petito’s administration – to safeguard the citizens of Flagler County from the misuse of government by heavy-handed powermongers with a public paycheck and a God complex.  

Asshole           Volusia Legislative Delegation

On Tuesday, the sickening annual ritual of Volusia County’s state lawmakers ensconcing themselves like potentates on an elevated dais before their assembled subjects so obsequious local politicians – and those social service agencies who rely on the chickenfeed they sprinkle for their survival – can publicly kiss their sizeable asses was staged at DeLand City Hall. 

Nauseating.

With our Tallahassee lawmakers doing everything in their power to neuter local government, eviscerate Home Rule, allow developers to ignore local zoning laws, and undercut anything resembling growth management or a community’s ability to control its destiny – these stuffed-shirt marionettes preened and peacocked before the assembled masses – who are expected to grovel and mewl, “Thank you, sir.  May I have some more?”

Bullshit.

But what really stuck in my craw was the fact Volusia’s legislative delegation sat smugly beside Sen. “Terrible Tommy” Wright – who was recently caught on video aggressively putting his hand on a female employee of The Beacon Center before launching a savage verbal barrage that left his victim reeling – during a heated confrontation in the presence of domestic violence survivors and their children.

Remember?  I do.

Perhaps most shocking, as the New York Post reported in an embarrassing nationwide article on September 21:

“Florida’s state Sen. Tom Wright was banned from a women’s shelter for inappropriate and lewd behavior six years before he was accused of aggressively lunging at its CEO, according to a report.

The then-philanthropist allegedly flirted with and preyed on a young mother who was fleeing 2017 storm Hurricane Irma with her infant from the Beacon Center, Volusia County’s only shelter for survivors of domestic violence.

While on a short bus that he paid for, Wright told Shelby Dunlap about prostitutes in Cuba and topless women on a boat before offering to fly her out to Las Vegas, she recalled to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.”

My God…

So, what have the members of Volusia’s haughty legislative delegation done to preserve the dignity of their office and curb Terrible Tommy’s proclivity for creepy come-ons to vulnerable domestic violence victims half his age – or verbally brutalizing the interim CEO of a struggling Daytona Beach domestic violence shelter when she attempted to uphold state law and protect the identities of survivors and their children?

Not a damn thing.

Instead, these base cowards sat in silence – following the lead of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo – who has, to date, refused to take definitive action on Wright’s clear violation of the Rules of the Senate (and common human decency), allowing him free reign to use his powerful position to victimize other women. 

How dare these self-aggrandizing assholes sit smugly on their thrones while D-list local politicians shower them with unearned accolades for returning a small percentage of our money, then acting like they are doing us a favor – as those we rely on to provide much-needed social services are forced to bow and scrape for crumbs?

In my view, by its spineless inaction, the Volusia legislative delegation has lost the moral authority to govern – and it is high time area voters send a message to Tallahassee that the rules apply to everyone, or no one – and we will no longer tolerate the notion that this utter disservice to their constituents is worthy of anything but our disdain and disgust.

Quote of the Week

“Where do developer property rights end and Tomoka Oaks adjacent property rights begin? What adverse impacts will result from building 272 homes on the former golf course? How are 60-foot and 80-foot lot widths compatible with Tomoka’s surrounding 100-foot lot widths?

Will 2,774 additional vehicle trips a day compromise traffic safety? On streets not designed for such traffic volume?  How will the extra traffic impact intersections at Nova Road and at State Road 40? Will hurricane evacuations be impeded?

How will fire trucks navigate a single-entrance subdivision with narrow streets? Has FDOT confirmed a date certain for installing a traffic signal at the Nova Road-Tomoka Oaks intersection?

What happened to the original written covenants that protected the Tomoka Oaks golf course? Why did the city zone the golf course “residential” instead of “open space recreation”? Do implied, unwritten protective golf course covenants, upheld by federal courts, apply to Tomoka Oaks?

Does the project ignore a city land use goal to preserve natural open space in urban areas? How many trees will be cut for this development? What will become of countless wildlife species?

Why compromise a water retention area deemed vital by the St. John’s Water Management District? Will extra stormwater runoff from impervious roofs and paved surfaces be captured? Can the planned retention protect the Tomoka River, a Florida Outstanding Waterway? Will digging up the golf course turf release chemicals, airborne toxins and toxic runoff?

What quality of life hardships will be imposed during five years of construction buildout? Is this fair to Tomoka Oaks residents who have paid premium property taxes for over 60 years? Will squeezing a subdivision inside a subdivision depreciate Tomoka Oaks property values?

Why did the Planning Board unanimously recommend denial of this proposed rezoning? Is this proposal an example of “the ever-present threat of overdevelopment” Ormond Beach historian Alice Strickland warned about in her 1980 book, Ormond-on-the-Halifax?

If fire codes and public safety limit the number of people who can occupy a building, then why can’t we place legal limits on new development that seeks to occupy an established community, overwhelming roads, schools, hospitals, and greenspace?

Will these questioned (sic) be answered when Ormond Beach residents attend the Nov. 7, 6 p.m. City Commission meeting at Calvary Christian Center, State Road 40, west of I-95?”

–Jeff Boyle, Ormond Beach, Letters to the Editor, Ormond Beach Observer, “Tomoka Oaks questions,” Monday, October 23, 2023

Former Ormond Beach City Commissioner Jeff Boyle is a smart guy. 

For the record, he was my civics teacher as I struggled through Seabreeze High School in the late 1970’s.

I thought his editorial use of maieutical questioning – a process said to be developed by Socrates to bring a person’s latent thoughts and ideas into clear consciousness – as it relates to the fiasco at Tomoka Oaks was a clever idea. 

A teacher who uses maieutic methods is often described as an “intellectual midwife,” one who assists students in giving birth to ideas and conceptions that previously lay dormant in their own minds. 

Of course, the process presumes that the student has the mental capacity for developing – and ultimately delivering – original answers to evocative questions…

In my view, it appears the Ormond Beach Planning Board understands the ramifications of shoehorning 272 new homes on the former Tomoka Oaks golf course. 

Whether the City Commission has that same level of intelligence remains to be seen… 

While residents of Ormond Beach have come to the disturbing realization that the city’s current growth management strategy of shoving ten-pounds of shit in a five-pound bag has been a horribly failed experiment – one paid for with the diminished ‘livability’ of this once quaint community – time will tell if our ‘powers that be’ have the intellectual capacity (and political courage) to protect the rights of existing property owners, stand firm for our dwindling greenspace, and demand quality in all future projects that have an adverse impact on our quality of life. 

And Another Thing!

“As Florida’s rapid growth continues, the non-profit Florida TaxWatch on Wednesday called for using a multi-year plan for water-related projects, similar to how the state has long prioritized transportation projects.

TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic Calabro said following the model of the Department of Transportation’s rolling 5-year work program could eliminate the state’s current method of funding water projects, which his group called “inconsistent and disjointed.”

“The current system to fund water projects, both through grant programs and through member (lawmaker) projects, does not have the kind of consistency to allow for a comprehensive, coordinated statewide strategy,” Calabro said during a news conference at the Capitol. “And Floridians do not currently have the assurance that the best projects to achieve that strategy are selected.”

–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida, “State plan sought for water projects,” Thursday, October 19, 2023

A “…comprehensive, coordinated statewide strategy”?

Yeah, right.

The only “statewide strategy” for the availability of potable water I am aware of calls for Floridian’s to be drinking our own recycled sewage within the next decade…

Look, anyone who has sat in traffic on (insert major Volusia County thoroughfare here) and contemplated the sticks-and-glue sprawl going vertical on every square inch of vacant space around them understands how little those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest care about visioning, strategy, or comprehensive planning.

I hate to be the proverbial turd in the punchbowl (or tap water, as it were) but before we hold out the Florida Department of Transportation’s politically tainted process for prioritizing infrastructure projects as the Gold Standard, let me remind everyone of the $92 million that the State of Florida recently found under the couch cushions and directed to the controversial I-95/Pioneer Trail interchange near the environmentally sensitive Spruce Creek and Doris Leeper Preserve.

Many believe the interchange was a very expensive gift to our High Panjandrum of Political Power Mori Hosseini for his generous support of various powerful politicians, as the off ramp almost exclusively serves his Woodhaven development – while desperately needed improvements to the I-95/LPGA interchange (and that Monument to Mediocrity that is the two-lane Tomoka River bridge) slug along interminably as construction costs, now estimated at $218 million, remain unfunded.

As the bulldozers continue to roar…

Nah.  I wouldn’t look for the Florida legislature – or our local elected dullards – to set a “comprehensive strategy” for anything, at least until their friends in the real estate development community have slashed, burned, and squeezed the last dollar out of what remains of this salty piece of land we call home.  

Scary stuff… 

That’s all for me.  Happy Halloween, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           Former BV Angel Steven R. Parker

It is my sad duty to report that a former Barker’s View “Angel” from October 2022, Steven R. Parker, has been laicized – had his wings clipped – after a disturbing story announcing that Parker was arrested this week on felony charges of defrauding an 85-year-old homeowner and her family.

Yeah.  I know.

According to a report by Mark Harper writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Parker has been charged by the Port Orange Police Department after he allegedly “defrauded a Port Orange homeowner of more than $50,000 by taking a building construction job while presenting the contracting license of someone else − Steven D. Parker, of Cape Coral.”

Damn.

You may recall that Parker received numerous community accolades following Hurricane Ian when he was credited with helping residents of the heavily impacted Summer Trees subdivision, a 55+ community in Port Orange – helping elderly and disabled residents in removing flood damaged furniture, cabinets, floors, and fixtures – doing the heavy lifting for those unable to recover from the devastating effects of this disaster on their own. 

According to reports, Parker – who is also the moderator of the popular “What’s Happening in Port Orange” Facebook site – took to social media earlier this week to proclaim his innocence…

Regardless, in my view, Steven Parker is no “Hometown Hero.” 

The Port Orange Police Department is asking anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Parker to contact Det. James Fischetti at 386-506-5897 or email jfischetti@port-orange.org . 

Asshole           City of Ormond Beach and County of Volusia

It is said that trust is earned, respect is given, and loyalty is demonstrated – and a betrayal of any of these results in the loss of all three. 

In recent months, residents of Ormond Beach have learned the hard way just how disconnected and duplicitous our elected and appointed officials truly are – and how seemingly innocuous land use and zoning changes can have generational impacts on a community.

In August, The Daytona Beach News-Journal uncovered plans to construct a 20-million-gallon petroleum tank farm and rail terminal on Hull Road – in proximity to thousands of homes, the city’s airport, sports complex, light industry, and a children’s dance studio – which would see 24/7 heavy tanker traffic traversing established residential areas and pouring onto busy US-1 near the I-95 interchange.  

The news galvanized area residents, who mounted a well-organized effort to speak truth to power, demand answers, and hold their elected officials responsible for protecting public safety and their dwindling quality of life. 

Guess what?  You ain’t seen nothing yet…

At perhaps the worst time in this once idyllic community’s history – last week, we learned of plans to construct 2,500 homes at Ormond Crossings, another “city within a city” concept that has been lying in wait since it was conceptualized by big money investors and their “friends” in city and county government over 20-years ago. 

According to a disturbing article by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer:

“On Wednesday, Sept. 27, representatives from Meritage Homes met with the Ormond Beach Site Plan Review Committee to discuss constructing 2,500 single-family homes on the property, which is located next to the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport along the east and west sides of I-95 and south of U.S. 1 within Volusia and Flagler counties.

In 2013, the City Commission approved an ordinance rezoning the property to a Planned Mixed-Use development.

The first development within Ormond Crossings was Security First Insurance, which opened its $38.2 million headquarters in 2019.            

According to the meeting’s minutes, if Meritage Homes moves forward with the development, the company anticipates it will phase the project from north to south.”

You read that right…

With thousands of new homes already blanketing the landscape, impacting our infrastructure, and encroaching on the environment – and the specter of thousands more looming at Avalon and beyond – the citizens of Ormond Beach are awakening to the realization that our elected officials, whose campaigns have been financed by real estate development interests, have sold us out, sacrificing what remains of our once quaint coastal community on the altar of greed. 

Now that Frankenstein’s monster has grown beyond their control – all our ‘powers that be’ can do is blame their predecessors for the appalling lack of “vision” that has brought us to this point – even as they rubber stamp more, more, more under the mantra “Out of our hands, rubes.  Property rights.”  

Now, it is a feeding frenzy. 

According to the glossy marketing material (that taxpayers of Ormond Beach paid for) as hosted on the city’s website:

“Ormond Crossings is a proposed innovative live/work planned community, featuring a state-of-the art business park, lifestyle town center, and a variety of residential neighborhoods.

Ormond Crossings is an over 2,700 acre development site divided by I-95, with an I-95/US-1 interchange approximately midway between its two main entrances from US-1. A Florida East Coast rail line will provide service to the Business Park, and the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport is located immediately to the south, separated only by a City sports complex.”

In my view, the project is based upon the prevailing “shove ten-pounds of shit in a five-pound bag” growth management strategy – and promises five-million square feet of industrial, manufacturing, distribution, and commercial office space – estimated to bring 11,000 “jobs” to north Ormond Beach and a massive increase in population that will compete for limited space on area roadways with tanker trucks that will ultimately exit onto US-1 at the proposed Hull Road fuel terminal… 

So much for all that urban planning bilge we hear so much about, eh? 

According to the Observer, even senior “planners” at Ormond Beach City Hall are wringing their hands over the coming gridlock on area roads:

“Though there are 743 acres of wetlands within the planned residential areas of the property, Meritage Homes said the development has been designed to reduce impacts. About 7.6 acres of wetlands are proposed to be impacted. The concept plan proposes 45 acres of parks.

The members of the SPRC were concerned about traffic, particularly about access points on Tymber Creek Road.

“The thought of 2,500 homes dumped into Tymber Creek Road, which is a two-lane road, is scary,” City Planning Civil Engineer David Allen said.

Meritage Homes said the property owners have spoken with the Florida Department of Transportation about plans to widen Tymber Creek to four lanes, as well as for connection to U.S. 1 and the addition of a traffic signal at that entrance.”

Considering that earlier this year the Ormond Beach City Commission allowed themselves to be strongarmed into approving a 270-unit apartment complex on Tymber Creek Road, the coming traffic nightmare is scary indeed…

Oh, and did I forget to mention that just last month we learned of a proposed 977-unit residential development with serious wetland impacts — to include apartments, single-family homes, and townhomes — to be built on a 222-acre property on north US-1? 

Look, I have lived in Ormond Beach for over 60-years – grew up here – and I have watched in horror as one of the most unique and livable communities on Florida’s East Coast succumbed to the forces of greed and mediocrity. 

Trust me.  With no comprehensive plan to improve transportation infrastructure, utilities, or preserve our heritage and environment – malignant abominations like Avalon and Ormond Crossings will represent the final nails in Ormond Beach’s coffin. 

How sad. 

My more cynical neighbors say we have no one to blame but ourselves – reelecting the same perennial politicians, half-bright hucksters devoid of civic vision (or scruples), who have proven repeatedly their only loyalty lies with those wealthy benefactors who own the paper on their political souls.

Perhaps they’re right.

But what should be painfully evident to everyone is the complete lack of prior planning by city and county officials who have created this nonsensical patchwork – one that would allow a bulk fuel farm immediately adjacent to a previously approved planned development, the abominable lack of transportation infrastructure, adequate public utilities, environmental protections, stormwater management, school capacity, and the host of other logical civic requirements and amenities needed to integrate thousands of new residents into an already overcrowded community.

Asshole           Volusia County District Schools

Not much makes sense over at Volusia County District Schools in DeLand – that house of smoke and mirrors where nothing is as it seems – and the narrative magically morphs depending upon the wants, whims, and motives of senior bureaucrats who thrive in the shadows. 

Last week in this space, I expressed my confusion over the premature reveal of a clearly well-thought plan to shutter Read-Pattillo Elementary, a school serving some 350 students in New Smyrna Beach, that (rumor suggests) is now $20 million in disrepair and in danger of being closed during the 2024/25 school year and its students spread to the wind.

Parents, teachers, and staff learned of the proposal when a “sad mishap” occurred ahead of a School Board meeting earlier this month when a staffer “mistakenly” uploaded a PowerPoint slide announcing “Closure of Read-Pattillo Elementary” which included a laundry list of acute safety concerns on the campus.

Inconceivably, Superintendent Carmen Balgobin shamelessly looked Read-Pattillo stakeholders (and confused School Board members) in the eye and explained that the closure had not even been discussed by her staff – asking us to believe that the detailed briefing slide had mysteriously appeared out of thin air.   

Bullshit.

And the hits just keep on comin,’ folks…

As you may remember, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, in February 2021, the Volusia County School Board officially closed Osceola Elementary – Ormond Beach’s only beachside school for over 65-years – in favor of combining students on the former Ortona Elementary campus three-miles south in Daytona Beach.

Disregarding the impassioned pleas of concerned residents and elected officials, a petition, and a generous $2 million pledge from the City of Ormond Beach to help with renovations to the Osceola campus – the School Board abruptly shut down further discussion in favor of spending $24 million to rebuild Ortona Elementary.

At that time, School Board members also ignored pointed reminders from Volusia County taxpayers that, during the half-cent sales tax referendum, we were promised funds would be appropriated for significant renovations to Osceola Elementary…

That was a damnable lie. 

Just one reason any talk of an additional sales tax to fund transportation infrastructure, or anything else, will always be dead on arrival with wary Volusia County voters.

Like most things coming from the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand, the process leading to Osceola’s demise was convoluted, uncooperative, and heartbreaking for a community that felt cheated and ignored.   

At present, the former Osceola campus is being used to house students from Tomoka Elementary while that school is being rebuilt. 

Now, in a weird about-face, at their October 10 meeting, the Volusia County School Board announced it is considering resurrecting the decrepit Osceola campus as the new home for Riverview Learning Center – a specialized program for students experiencing behavioral and disciplinary issues with an “…emphasis on modifying behavior and social skills, students attend classes daily in a highly restrictive school environment” – that is currently housed in an even more dilapidated structure in Daytona Beach. 

Say what?

According to district administrators, the current Riverview campus (which dates to the 1920’s) now requires “in excess of $5 million” in renovations – which, in Volusia County, makes it “beyond reasonable repair.”

Apparently, that makes the former Osceola campus an attractive (perhaps only) option for the Riverview Learning Center.  As usual, the plan has resulted in more questions than answers – especially from former Osceola teachers and staff who were displaced during the Ortona consolidation.

During the meeting, Volusia United Educators President Elizabeth Albert spoke on behalf of teachers asking why, after all the scary stories used to justify the closing of Osceola Elementary, administrators are now considering reopening the campus? 

“I think they absolutely deserve one,” Albert said. “Are they in a beautiful facility? Sure they are, but they had a home that they loved and now they’ve been moved so they deserve an explanation and to be respected that much.”

In my view, deeper questions remain for Volusia County taxpayers – namely, with a budget now well in excess of $1 billion annually – why are these important public assets allowed to rot under the supervision of highly paid district administrators?

Why is preventative maintenance ignored or withheld? 

And who is held accountable when shocking photographs depicting decades of neglect are used as evidence for school closures?

More important, why does Superintendent Balgobin (who, in my view, has been over her head since her rushed return to Volusia County) place such little emphasis on planning for current and future needs in favor of crisis management – a shambolic atmosphere that creates stress and trepidation among parents, students, and staff who are routinely left to wonder what their future holds? 

Quote of the Week

“Ormond Beach has always celebrated its timeless charm, evoking thoughts of our close-knit community and the warmth of small-town life, paired with unparalleled amenities and events.  As we celebrate this past year, we are not just preserving that identity, but also embracing our potential as a beacon of novel ideas and transformative initiatives.”

–Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, ignoring the obvious and spewing his unique brand of horseshit during the 2023 State of the City Address, Tuesday, October 10, 2023

“With idle tales this fills our empty ears;

The next reports what from the first he hears;

The rolling fictions grow in strength and size,

Each author adding to the former lies.

Here vain credulity, with new desires,

Leads us astray, and groundless joy inspires;

The dubious whispers, tumults fresh designed,

And chilling fears astound the anxious mind…”

–Ovid’s Metamorphosis

As you and I sat at a standstill on Granada Boulevard last week, waiting through interminable signal changes in bumper-to-bumper traffic – or witnessed another slash-and-burn scar on the environment and worried about the impact of the next subdivision or half-empty strip center on our dwindling quality of life – the “Who’s who” of the Halifax area gathered at Oceanside County Club to enjoy a $60 per plate luncheon for the 2023 Ormond Beach State of the City Address.

Appropriately, the “presenting sponsor” was a real estate company…

I also found it interesting that Mayor Bill Partington – who hasn’t had a “novel idea” since he accepted his first campaign contribution – used the occasion to paint a Rockwellian picture of a place that no longer exists, an Ormond Beach that he and his “colleagues” helped destroy in a greed-crazed pursuit of more, more, more…

According to the Ormond Chamber’s website, the midday soiree was limited to our social, civic, and elected elite – “The State of the City Luncheon brings together business leaders, community leaders, and elected officials.  Mayor Bill Partington will present the City’s perspective on this year’s successes, challenges, opportunities, and future outlook.”

I guess We, The Little People who pay the bills and are expected to keep our pieholes shut can eat cake? 

Whatever.

Clearly, Mayor Partington’s “perspective” is far different from that of my neighbors in Ormond Beach – especially those petrified by the prospect of a 20-million-gallon fuel terminal in their backyard – or Tomoka Oaks residents who are fighting valiantly as developers attempt to shoehorn hundreds of homes on the site of a former golf course, or those watching in horror as more old growth forests are churned into muck for another sticks-and-glue apartment complex, convenience store, or carwash.

My God.

In his 1710 essay “The Art of Political Lying,” writer and satirist Jonathan Swift – best known as the author of Gulliver’s Travels – equated the pernicious practice of craven politicians spewing self-serving falsehoods to the masses “…to the gaining of power and preserving it…”

Sound familiar?

After years of doing the bidding of his political benefactors in Ormond Beach, now Mayor Partington wants to take his bloviating bullshit to the Florida House of Representatives in 2024. 

Shameless. 

In an era when our elected and appointed officials are willing to lie blatantly – painting a false picture of a fading lifestyle that long-ago was sold to the highest bidder – it is best to believe only that which you see with your own eyes.

Then vote accordingly…   

And Another Thing!

Recently, a well-meaning (if slightly confused) BV reader expressed their puzzlement over how I can find fault with the machinations of politicians one week – then praise their civic contributions the next.

“Over the past couple of years that I’ve been reading your viewpoints, you have jumped back and forth with almost everyone in office in Volusia County. One month you support them and the next time, not so much.”

My clearly confounded critic admonished, “You are quick to call them angels when you agree with them and assholes when you don’t. Get off the fence, pick a side, stand behind it and just nut up when you don’t completely agree with every single issue or outcome.”

Huh?

“Nut up”?

“Pick a side”?

Did you mean, acquiesce, and remain silent even when I vehemently disagree with some stuffed shirt’s assholery?     

Nah.  Not my style.  

Besides, complaining about, well, everything, is kind of my schtick… 

I find going along for the sake of getting along to be the antithesis of free thought and open expression – counter to the brisk competition of ideas – and a big reason we find ourselves in political gridlock, ruled by malleable marionettes beholden to big money benefactors, partisan hardliners, and special interests.

In my experience, just like my skewed thoughts here in Angels & Assholes, no one’s opinions on the myriad issues we face are always right or always wrong.

What my befuddled reader may not know is that I have a friendly relationship with many of the elected and appointed policymakers I write about in these disjointed screeds, at least those who possess the self-confidence to accept criticism as a civic barometer then use it to their advantage, who understand my ravings for what they are – and what they are not.  

For instance, I consider Volusia County Councilman Danny Robins a friend – but I almost never agree with him politically.    

His thoughts on what constitutes ‘smart development’ – and the social, civic, and environmental consequences of the current “Do whatcha wanna” growth management strategies – are diametrically opposed to my own.

And I flog him like a borrowed mule in this space every chance I get…

But on Tuesday, I wholeheartedly agreed with Councilman Robins’ courageous efforts to strengthen protections for Volusia County children by expanding restrictions on where those predatory animals who prey on our most vulnerable can reside. 

In June, Mr. Robins encouraged discussion of increasing distance requirements for convicted sexual offenders and predators from 1,000’ to 1,500’ around places like schools, playgrounds, bus stops, childcare facilities, and other places kids congregate in unincorporated Volusia County.

At present, most area municipalities have expanded the residency restriction buffer to 2,500’.  

Alarmingly, there are some 120 convicted sexual predators – identified as repeat sexual offenders and/or those who used physical violence in the commission of their offenses – currently registered with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. 

That means they are living among us…

The proposed dwelling restrictions would protect an additional 1,895 homes in neighborhoods throughout unincorporated Volusia County.

In addition to the enhanced residency requirements, Councilman Robins’ “Safer Volusia” initiative would have adopted ordinances prohibiting adults from entering or remaining in a designated children’s play area unless supervising or accompanying children, set a registration fee to recoup administrative costs, and authorized the placement of security cameras and tag readers in parks and playgrounds to protect children and visitors.

To their great credit, Sheriff Michael Chitwood, State Attorney R. J. Larizza, and a host of chief law enforcement executives from across Volusia County endorsed Mr. Robins’ commonsense proposal.    

The same cannot be said for some Volusia County Council members, who actively advocated for these animalistic pieces of human excrement from the dais; quibbling definitions, fretting over absurd “what if’s,” and openly worrying about where these convicted sexual offenders will live.    

My God.    

During discussion, Councilman Don Dempsey – a 30-year defense attorney – argued that the additional 500’ buffer would effectively eliminate housing options for convicted sexual predators and offenders in West Volusia – forcing them into homelessness where they cannot be monitored by law enforcement (?) – even questioning the efficacy of deterrence, separating identified sexual offenders from their potential victims, and describing those that have been released and foisted on society as “gray areas” whose guilt may still be in doubt.  

Bullshit.

Frankly, in my view, Mr. Dempsey’s laissez-faire views on sexual offenders living among our children and grandchildren are morally reprehensible – and I hope anyone who supports his continued service or candidacy for public office is taking notice.  (That means you Paul Deering and the Old Guard over at the Volusia Republican Executive Committee…)

Don’t take my word for it, watch the lunacy for yourself here:  https://tinyurl.com/2ppzvj27  

Unfortunately, because of Dempsey’s bleeding-heart horseshit and handwringing, the ordinance modifying park rules to keep adults out of identified and properly noticed children’s play areas was voted down 6-1 citing what Chairman Jeff “The Gloves are Coming Off” Brower described as “unintended consequences.”

Before the vote, Chairman Brower said, “This should be a slam dunk … but I’m worried about the unintended consequences.”

When ending the interminable debate, Brower offered, “I’m done.”   

I assume he was referring to his political career… 

Who in their right mind passes on an opportunity to do the right thing for Volusia County children in favor of accommodating predatory criminals? 

To his credit, Councilman Robins strategically saw the handwriting on the wall and agreed to table the other provisions of the “Safer Volusia” act to a later date. 

As I understand it, county staff will now waste valuable time cobbling together language for a proposed ordinance extending the buffer – one that does not have a snowballs chance in hell of becoming law in Volusia County…

During my law enforcement career, I personally conducted or supervised hundreds of investigations into illicit sexual conduct in public parks and bathrooms – which included the arrest of multiple repeat offenders who engaged in vile acts in areas accessible to children, exposed themselves to park visitors, and engaged in lewd and lascivious predacious behavior – including a horrific case where a registered sex offender brutally victimized a juvenile in a public restroom.

I also have extensive experience investigating the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and vulnerable adults, and I know what these monsters among us are capable of. 

To this day, I would never visit a public park – or take my grandchildren to a publicly accessible playground.

In my view, to see how little our elected officials care about deterring identified threats to public safety – mewling over how best to protect the interests of 1,267 convicted sexual offenders and 120 predators while Volusia County residents are forced to live in fear – is reprehensible and beyond the pale of petty politics. 

As Councilman Robins, a former Daytona Beach police officer, said: “When is enough, enough?”

In my view, before this issue is formally voted on, perhaps certain namby-pamby council members should accompany the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on their next operation to rid our area parks of these degenerates – get out of their cocoon of ignorance inside the Thomas C. Kelly Administrative Building – and experience for themselves how these sick bastards operate, day in and day out, in local parks and playgrounds. 

They won’t.  But they should.

Regardless, this latest théâtre de l’absurde should be a lesson to any lockstep conformist who believes it best to “…pick a side, stand behind it and just nut up when you don’t completely agree with every single issue or outcome.”

That’s all for me.  Have a great Biketoberfest 2023, y’all!  

Hi, kids!

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

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

Asshole           Deltona City Commission

Last week, we learned that during a “shade meeting” in August – a statutorily permitted secret conclave held outside the public eye to discuss litigation – the Deltona City Commission approved an $8,000 settlement with resident Nick Lulli following an unprovoked and hate-filled social media attack by Commissioner Tom Burbank earlier this year.

In September, Mr. Lulli issued a statement announcing receipt of the award from Deltona’s insurance carrier, Preferred Governmental Claim Solutions of Orlando, after he filed a small-claims action against both the city and Burbank which claimed Sunshine Law violations and that the Commissioner made untrue statements described as causing “irreparable harm to any political, business or personal transaction.”:

“In February, Burbank, the District 1 Commissioner, wrote untrue statements on Lulli’s Facebook page in an attempt to influence the 2024 election. The statements included homophobic tropes that caused community outrage and led the Commission to censure Burbank for his actions. Lulli, who is now officially a candidate for the District 6 Commissioner seat, did not know Burbank prior to the social media assault.

Lulli subsequently sued the City and Burbank in Volusia County Small Claims Court, alleging the statements were libelous and also claiming the City and Burbank had violated the Sunshine Laws by secretly coordinating potential legislation outside of a public meeting. The $8000 lawsuit was considered symbolic in nature and only intended to compensate Lulli’s legal fees and time. Lulli represented himself and wrote the historic lawsuit which was settled for its original value.”

In my view, given the vicious nature of the attack, the settlement should have been ten-times that – and come directly from the reprehensible Burbank’s pocket…

Sadly, it appears the only ones held accountable for Burbank’s abhorrent (and expensive) conduct was the good citizens of Deltona. 

In February, the City Commission voted 6-1 on a symbolic (read: toothless) measure to censure Commissioner Burbank for his ad hominem attack on Lulli (with Burbank voting against censuring himself…). 

Last week, when reading the shocking transcript of the August 21 shade meeting, I found it disturbing how most of the commissioners seemed more concerned with the public and political perception of the settlement than seeking justice for Mr. Lulli.

For instance, it was clear that Commissioner Jody Lee Storozuk was nervous about how the agreement would adversely affect his reelection as he faces Lulli for the District 6 seat next year. 

“I don’t want to give him a penny, not an ounce, not a drop,” Storozuk said during the shade meeting. “I don’t want to give him a ride home.”

As though this was somehow the victim’s fault…

Personally, I think Storozuk (who serves under the moniker “Commissioner Jody Lee”) should have seen his political aspirations flash before his eyes last month when it was announced he was caught in a surreptitious three-way confab with Commissioner’s Dana McCool and Steven Colwell as they met with City Manager candidate David Lynch at Storozuk’s home in May.

This potential violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law was rightfully reported to the Office of the State Attorney by Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr.

Although Assistant State Attorney Jeanne Stratis recently found “…no evidence of any city business being discussed” (other than Lynch playing the role of the 800-pound gorilla in the room…) it was clear to most that the presence of three sitting commissioners and an active applicant for the open chief executive position would infer that at least the spirit of the Sunshine Law means little in the cloistered confines of Deltona City Hall… 

What a damnable disappointment for beleaguered residents who were promised an open and transparent process to find the municipality’s first permanent manager in nearly three-years… 

For his role in besmirching the character and reputation of a private citizen, rather than do the right thing and immediately resign – or compensate the taxpayers of Deltona for the $8,000 he cost them by forfeiture of the $10,520 annual salary he receives in public funds – Mr. Burbank apologized to his “colleagues” in private, openly admitting he tried to keep Lulli out of public office by subjecting him to abuse to “make him go away.”   

“I barely know where to start.  I apologize, I had no idea this would become such a disservice. I snapped when he announced his candidacy for public office, which would make him a public figure, which would elevate him to a whole new level of subjective to abuse.  And make him go away and let this thing rest…”

My God.

Who in the hell anointed Tom Burbank – who does little more than sit on the dais like a dry turd and push the envelope of Florida’s Sunshine Law with nonsensical emails to his fellow sitting commissioners – as the gatekeeper of who can serve in elective office? 

If there is anything positive to come from this latest debacle in Deltona, it is that long-suffering citizens now have all the information they need to mount a credible recall petition – and where to cast their votes in 2024 and 2026. 

As I have said before – after 28 controversial years – it is now safe to say the Lost City of Deltona has been a failed experiment, a cartoonish sideshow that has destroyed the public trust and organizational effectiveness of the largest municipal government in Volusia County – something that negatively impacts our region.    

It is equally clear that the current crop of self-absorbed elected officials are either unable or unwilling to change tack and restore equilibrium to this foundering ship.

That’s unfortunate.

Now, as always, the onus is on Deltona voters to remain vigilant, give voice to their frustrations, identify the special interests who continue to control the political environment, and support candidates with the ability to put the growing needs of the community above their own ego, loyalties, and self-interests. 

Angel               Hyatt & Cici Brown and the Citizens of Daytona Beach  

At long last, the much anticipated “Brown Riverfront Esplanade” opened to the public last week! 

What? 

You didn’t hear about the big ‘Grand Opening’ of the southern expanse of the long-awaited 22.5-acre botanical garden and “premiere gathering space” in Downtrodden Downtown Daytona?

Me neither…

That’s okay. 

Apparently, last Thursday evening, our benevolent benefactors Hyatt and Cici Brown – who, to their immense credit, single-handedly underwrote the massive renovation of the historic park with a $36.5 million investment (more than double the original estimate) – held another “invite only” soiree, this time for downtown business owners ahead of Friday afternoon’s grand reveal.

According to Eileen Zaffiro-Kean’s excellent reportage in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Mrs. Brown took the opportunity to commiserate with downtown merchants who have been subjected to a series of natural and manmade disasters in recent years. 

“I feel like this is a celebration for Beach Street merchants,” said Cici Brown, who along with her husband Hyatt have donated tens of millions of dollars to make both the north and south ends of the esplanade possible.

“She listed all the struggles Beach Street businesses have been through over the past several years, including the Orange Avenue bridge and road project that disrupted their operations, severe flooding from multiple tropical storms, COVID and construction of the esplanade.

“It just has to come to an end, and I think we’re there,” she said.”

Damn.  I hope so…

Something else I found interesting in the News-Journal’s report is the fact that the $800,000 annual commitment from Daytona Beach taxpayers “originally earmarked for maintenance” is now being used for “capital costs” – with the $2.2 million operating and maintenance budget coming from generous donations from Advent Health, Brown & Brown Insurance, Halifax Health, ICI Homes, Jon Hall Chevrolet, NASCAR, and P$S Paving.

In addition, “The Browns also donated another $3 million to create an endowment that will cover the salaries of the park manager and an assistant.”

In my view, the Brown’s are to be commended for their extraordinary vision and philanthropy – this is truly a gift to the entire Halifax area that will pay dividends for generations to come. 

Just a damn shame nobody knows it’s open… 

On Saturday, the City of Daytona Beach Communications & Marketing Division posted an inviting video of a fountain setting announcing, “Beautiful morning at the Riverfront Esplanade. Plenty of activities to enjoy in the Esplanade today.”

A subsequent comment on the post made my point: “What sort of activities?”

Unfortunately, many people I speak with tell me they view the Brown Esplanade as just another Halifax area “panacea project” – an over-hyped and incredibly expensive pearl in a sow’s ear – a mysterious “public/private” amalgam that seemed perpetually under construction.   

They feel alienated by “invitation only” celebrations and accolades for our “Who’s Who” – the political elite many hold responsible for the overdevelopment, overcrowding, stressed infrastructure, low wages, strategic blight, and corporate welfare schemes that seem to benefit all the right last names while their small businesses and civic contributions are all too often treated as an afterthought.    

Perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Brown might consider having another go at a better advertised and more welcoming – “Grand Opening” – one that increases civic buy-in, builds a sense of place downtown, shows appreciation for the community’s investment, and better showcases the Riverfront Esplanade’s beautiful amenities to a larger audience of appreciative stakeholders, residents, and visitors. 

Or not. 

Just my $.02. 

With $36.5 million of their personal fortune invested, the Brown’s are free to do as they wish…

For more information on this community gem, please see www.riverfrontesplanade.com  

Asshole           Volusia County School Board

The senior administration of Volusia County District Schools has come to be defined by terms like bumbling, fumbling, clumsy, lumbering, shambling, inept, ham-handed, careless, clueless, and blindsided. 

Add “a sad mishap” to that growing list of descriptive adjectives…

Last Friday, I received an email from a distraught stakeholder at Read-Pattillo Elementary, a school serving some 350 students in New Smyrna Beach, who attached a shocking PowerPoint panel announcing the proposed closure of the campus which has served the community since the 1950’s. 

The slide was unmistakable – boldly headed “Closure of Read-Pattillo Elementary” – and cited a laundry list of serious safety concerns, including “Roofing, Plumbing, Site (7 acres), Electrical, Parking, Flooring, HVAC, Ceiling, and Lights” and a proposed redistribution of students to other area schools, such as Chisholm, Edgewater, and Indian River, for the 2024/25 school year.   

Damn. 

The exhaustive list of discrepancies gave those who discovered the information on last Tuesday’s Volusia County School Board’s agenda concerned about the physical safety of Read-Pattillo students, teachers, and staff – and left taxpayers questioning how an active elementary school campus was allowed to fall into such gross disrepair?

According to an excellent report by Mary Ellen Ritter writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“A presentation attached to the agenda for Tuesday’s board meeting originally included a slide titled, “Closure of Read-Pattillo Attendance Zone Options,” and the agenda noted that board members would make decisions regarding school attendance boundary changes for the 2024-25 school year. 

This slide has since been deleted from the document, as board members unanimously approved a motion to remove it from the presentation. No other decisions regarding the elementary school were made Tuesday.

Chair board member Jamie Haynes said that prior to reading the agenda, she “had no idea that in the presentation there was a slide that said ‘Closure of Read-Pattillo.’ That was nothing that had been discussed with me as chair nor, as far as I know, any of the other board members because … they themselves did not see it until such time.”

Interesting. 

After learning of a petition to save Read-Pattillo signed by some 1,500 people, School Board member Jamie Haynes suggested the slide be “removed,” Carl Persis made the motion – seconded by Ruben Colon – and, by unanimous vote, the suspicious PowerPoint vanished into the bureaucratic ether… 

Yeah.  Wow.

I guess if elected officials don’t like the public record as published and presented – just take a unanimous vote to avoid further political embarrassment and get rid of it – like it never even happened, eh? 

Perhaps more disturbing, Superintendent Carmen Balgobin would have us believe that the closure of Read-Pattillo has never been discussed inside the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand…

According to reports, Ms. Balgobin – apparently without much thought to the fact the slide had been uploaded to the agenda by her staff and seen by, oh, I dunno, thousands of Volusia County residents, claimed:

“Really, this is just a sad mishap at this point in time.  The intention — and I know it doesn’t come across that way — but the intention was merely to provide an update. So again, as your superintendent, I apologize to you because it does send a connotation with that wording that it’s been predetermined or that a conversation has occurred … So really, we apologize to the community for this mishap and how it was presented, but that’s not the intention, so at this point, we’re trying to correct that.”

I think the “intention” is crystal clear, Superintendent Balgobin…

What has yet to be adequately explained to an outraged community is how this active public asset has been allowed to deteriorate – with and estimated $20 million in repairs needed – which left at least one Read-Pattillo parent rightfully claiming, “intentional and direct neglect” by Volusia County Schools.

Unfortunately, in Volusia County, the tail often wags the dog, and those we elect to represent our interests are admonished to view things from the “30,000-foot level” rather than focus on their fiduciary responsibilities to protect taxpayers from deception – and public assets from destruction.  

That is just one reason they are perpetually “blindsided” by administrators who continue to operate in the shadows, outside any politically accountable oversight, and their long-suffering constituents are told to ignore a briefing slide detailing active plans to close a school serving over 350 families in Southeast Volusia.

I don’t make this shit up, folks…  

In September, the Volusia County School Board approved a budget of over $1.4 billion – an increase of more than $40 million over the current year and still the county’s largest budget – yet critical infrastructure is still allowed to strategically rot while constituents feel their way through the smoke and mirrors for answers. 

Quote of the Week

“At the intersection of Granada and Tomoka Avenue, construction has started while other “pad-ready” development sites are available. Granada Pointe is a project of Holub Development of Ormond Beach.

Local residents have been for and against Granada Pointe. Some residents vehemently opposed the development from the beginning while others, including City Commission and Planning Board members, strongly support the project.

Paul Holub said other construction is starting on a Culver’s on the North side of Granada with an IHOP next door where construction will begin in November.

The high traffic, signalized Granada Boulevard location has great visibility. About 3.4 miles to Interstate 95, the property is open for grocery, discount store, fast food, restaurant, financial services, offices, pharmacy, indoor recreational facility, garden center, retail, insurance and medical offices with 798 feet of frontage on Granada.

John W. Trost of SVN Alliance Commercial Real Estate Advisors is leasing the retail spaces.

Mr. Holub is a long-time Ormond Beach resident, winning the Citizen of the Year award for Ormond Beach from the Volusia League of Cities earlier this year. In honoring Mr. Holub, the award nomination noted, “His selflessness and generosity are truly remarkable, and his contributions have made a tangible difference in the community.”

He has tried to allay fears about the Granada Pointe project since 2018.

The citizen group CANDO 2 (Citizens and Neighbors Dedicated to Ormond) has been the most outspoken opposition to it. Former City Commissioner Jeff Boyle is one of its founders. The group’s concerns included damage to the environment, noise and traffic.

Mr. Holub addressed the concerns of the group and much of the original opposition has calmed.

He said people need to understand the public benefits and the long process these projects take, which include meetings with many different groups. His hope is that, like his other projects, “eventually people will shake his hand being happy with the finished product.”

Past projects of Holub Development, which has been in business since 1986, include Tuscany Shoppes on Granada, and Chili’s, Applebee’s and Steak & Shake on Williamson Boulevard, just south of Granada.”

— Correspondent Regina Barkley, writing in Hometown News Volusia, “Shoppes at Granada Pointe moving forward in Ormond,” Thursday, October 5, 2023   

Many thanks to Hometown News Volusia’s Regina Barkley for so eloquently pointing out why the Volusia League of Cities has become little more than a tax supported fraternity for local elected officials – and an apologist for a developer whose “selflessness and generosity” resulted in the wholesale destruction of 2,061 specimen hardwoods – the decimation of an old-growth suburban forest, wildlife habitat, and natural buffer that was clear-cut and ground into splinters to accommodate another convenience store and drive-thru car wash… 

Remember?  I do.

In many ways, that February 2018 environmental atrocity served as an ominous warning to Halifax area residents of the wave of nonsensical and poorly planned development to come in a greed-crazed cart-before-the-horse strategy that continues unabated.  

At the time, civic activist Jeff Boyle spoke before the Ormond Beach City Commission, as quoted in the Ormond Beach Observer:

“With obvious heavy hearts, we join thousands of Ormond residents who mourn the senseless devastation on West Granada.” Boyle said. “None of us were prepared for the massive deforestation or to be told by this commission developer property rights required you to vote yes.”

He said Ormond’s Tree City designation has become a joke and that environmental standards seem to be “turning the wrong way” with the current city commissioners. He added that the city trusts them to look after their quality of life.

“The tragedy on Granada violates that trust and our sense of place,” Boyle said.”

Sound familiar Ormond Beach and Volusia County residents? 

It should, because sacrosanct “property rights” will be the same dodge used by our craven elected and appointed officials when Belvedere Terminals finally breaks ground on their threatened 20-million-gallon bulk fuel terminal on Hull Road… 

Now, what the developer promised would be a tony retail complex with a specialty grocer, posh “shoppes,” upscale retail outlets, possibly a bank, restaurant, and other amenities has sat vacant, an ugly and often overgrown veld – complete with a mudhole that rivals a Namibian warthog wallow – most mornings little more than a commercial parking lot that now serves as the centerpiece of Granada Boulevard – a highly visible monument to the malleability and acquiescence of the Ormond Beach City Commission.

Inconceivably – five-years on – much of the property (including 1.3 acres of “mitigated” wetlands) that were publicly sacrificed on both sides of the street remains empty – with a vacant lot and washed-out dirt road replacing the “reforestation” we were promised.

Guess what, suckers? 

Last week we learned in Hometown News Volusia that, instead of the elegant shopping and dining outlets we were sold, residents of Ormond Beach will be getting just another godawful strip center – a 20,000 square foot conjoined eyesore, you know, “…now that much of the original opposition has calmed…”

Bullshit.

A cursory search finds hundreds-of-thousands of square feet of retail space currently available for sale or lease in the Halifax area – much of it in half-empty strip centers – but it appears not even the law of supply and demand can stop the insatiable appetite of those who seek expediency and mediocrity over quality of life, desirability, and sense of place.  

How sad. 

And Another Thing!

Look, it truly pains me to say this – because I believe the quaint City of New Smyrna Beach is one of the few communities in Volusia County that consistently “gets it right” – carefully conserving those amenities that enhance its ‘livability’ and working hard to preserve the unique coastal lifestyle residents and visitors have come to expect. 

Unfortunately, in my view, the NSB City Commission got one wrong last week when they decided to pass over a known entity in search of the elusive “expert from out-of-town” when opting for a national search after City Manager Khalid Resheidat announced his retirement next August. 

At a recent workshop, the commission was presented with three options – to include promoting current Assistant City Manager Ron Neibert, who has served under Resheidat’s tutelage since last year – a “localized” recruitment process, or the hiring of a consultant to conduct a national search.

In my experience, one of the many benefits of small and mid-sized communities is the ability to develop talent outside the bulk and static inherent to unwieldy bureaucracies, an opportunity to know (and grow) key senior staff members – to truly understand them warts and all – then promote based upon identified competencies rather than roll the dice on an unknown commodity who appears out of the mist with a smile and shoeshine. 

After serving over three-decades in a municipal government that once experienced a revolving door of city managers – I can tell you that institutional knowledge beats a glossy resumé every time – and the only one who wins when a “consultant” is brought in to parade a host of retreads before the elected decisionmakers is the consultant…

When I read that the NSB City Commission elected to bring in an outside ‘expert’ to throw a nationwide net, I thought, “Hey, maybe they know something about Neibert’s suitability the rest of us don’t?” 

Then Mayor Fred Cleveland said he would “favor the option that says Ron Neibert is a candidate and applies, regardless of whether we go inside or outside,” while Commissioner Jason McGuirk remarked that Neibert is “…going to be the bar for me,” and “Is there somebody out there that I feel is head and shoulders or above that?”

Probably not.  Because education and experience elsewhere mean exactly jack squat if the manager is not a ‘good fit’ for the organization and the community. 

Trust me.  I have seen quality internal candidates passed over for an odd ball with an impressive sheepskin who didn’t possess the common sense to pour piss out of boot with the instructions on the heel…  

All of which makes me wonder why NSB taxpayers are spending $25,000 to $50,000 for a cattle call? 

In my experience, because Mr. Neibert is a known commodity – he will have a tough time competing against candidates presenting the best version of themselves during a stilted interview process – even though most “Managers in Transition” come with a fair amount of baggage in tow…

Unfortunately, I suspect if Mr. Neibert does not receive some concrete assurance that the job is his – he will quickly move to a community that values his talents – which means another expensive trial-and-error process for a suitable assistant during the instability inherent to any senior leadership transition.

Best of luck to Mr. Resheidat on his well-deserved retirement – and to the good citizens of New Smyrna Beach as their ‘powers that be’ undertake this crucial decision for the future of their community.  

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

After recently cutting into Sheriff Michael Chitwood when he objected to a leading question from a reporter, this week, The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s editor John Dunbar continued his one-man crusade against area law enforcement with an over-the-top editorial bashing a Daytona Beach Police Department K-9 officer who used reasonable and appropriate force in subduing a violent felony suspect.  

In my view, Dunbar’s lopsided hit piece had all the usual tropes, carefully painting the offender in the softest light possible, while demonizing the police officer who performed his dangerous duty and intervened to stop an in-progress felony crime when the suspect, Richard O’Donnell, was reportedly burglarizing a vehicle at a Daytona Beach dealership during the early hours of April 8. 

When confronted by officers, the suspect was brandishing a tennis racket and repeatedly refused lawful commands.

After multiple warnings to get on the ground, O’Donnell assumed an aggressive “fighting stance” and K-9 Officer Vezer was released to lawfully subdue him.  In response, the suspect violently resisted arrest – physically choking the dog by squeezing it between his legs, violently kicking, and using the tennis racket in an effort to injure the police K-9.   

In turn, Vezer’s handler, Officer Joshua Martin, disarmed O’Donnell and used the racket as an improvised impact weapon to protect Vezer from harm.  According to Dunbar, “A bloodied O’Donnell still refused to put his arms behind his back. He was tasered at least three times and finally relented and was taken into custody.”

In accordance with proper police procedure, Officer Martin’s use of force was thoroughly investigated and found to be within department policy and the law – and O’Donnell later entered a no contest plea to the charges in Volusia County Veteran’s Court. 

According to reports, even though O’Donnell has multiple previous arrests, he was credited with 79 days served since his arrest, and the charges in this case will be dismissed if he successfully completes the terms of a supervised plea agreement…

Apparently, rather than let those inconvenient facts get in the way, Dunbar hires an “expert” to tell him what he wants to hear…

Since Mr. Dunbar apparently has no personal experience subduing violent felony suspects, in an effort to make a point, he engaged a professional “Monday morning quarterback” in Dr. George Kirkham – who obtained his Doctorate in Criminology from the University of California at Berkeley – and now bills himself as the “Professor who became a cop.” 

According to Kirkham’s “professional vita,” that means he took leave from the Ivory Tower of academia, and “…after attending and graduating from a police academy, Dr. Kirkham spent six months as a patrolman on a high crime beat in a major American city” (?) – before rejoining the faculty at Florida State University while continuing his illustrious law enforcement career as a part-time officer with four different agencies (?). 

Based upon the dates of his academic publications, Dr. Kirkham’s learned opinions may have been perfectly applicable to Adam-12’s Reed and Malloy, but according to his website, Mr. Dunbar’s expert hasn’t been a “certified police officer” in the State of Florida since 1992…

Regardless, from behind the safety of his desk as “Professor Emeritus” at FSU, he now charges defense attorneys (and, apparently, vindictive newspaper editors) for his second-guessing opinions – a service which begins with a $9,500 retainer – and, according to a menu on Dr. Kirkham’s website – includes a fee of $3,500 for depositions, $7,000 plus expenses and per diem for expert witness testimony “due and payable at the time of my trial appearance,” $400 per hour for mediations, etc.

You get the idea… 

In this case, I would suspect Dr. Kirkham and Mr. Dunbar were both safely asleep in their beds at 2:10 a.m. on April 8 when Officer Martin, K-9 Vezer, and other Daytona Beach police officers courageously confronted a violent felony suspect, armed with a tennis racket, and refusing to comply with lawful commands. 

Yet, according to Dunbar, based on body-worn camera footage, Dr. Kirkham still has the prescience to label the officers’ actions “outrageous” and guilty of a “firing offense.”

According to Kirkham’s expensive bilge:

“…the dog should never have been released in the first place. He compares the use of the dog as having the same degree of severity as striking a baton blow.

“There was nothing I saw that would justify taking that dog off the leash,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of other options. You want to de-escalate the situation.”

He recommended a “tactical disengagement.” Back up get out of reach proximity and call for back-up. Keep caustic spray handy and utilize the Taser if necessary. As for the tennis racket?

“There are situations where you can improvise but this ain’t one of them,” Kirkham said.”

My ass. 

I certainly don’t hold myself out as an “expert” – but during over three-decades in law enforcement and the course of hundreds of felony arrests, I never had the luxury of a “tactical disengagement” – running “out of reach proximity” and keeping “caustic spray” handy while an armed suspect presumably chased me around the Maypole…

In my view, that “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” bullshit might work in the cloistered halls of academia, but it’s dangerous when confronting an armed, aggressive, and actively resisting suspect in a dimly lit alley at 2:10 a.m…

In my view, most people are smart enough to see through the asinine opinion of an egghead with six months full-time experience in law enforcement – and, once again, Mr. Dunbar doesn’t do himself, or the News-Journal, any favors by thinking it provocative to use what remains of our hometown newspaper as a platform to launch repeat attacks on Volusia County law enforcement…

The fact is Volusia County and its municipalities have some of the finest law enforcement officers anywhere. I can state that as a fact, having personally served with many of them – men and women who serve grateful communities with honor, integrity, and courage.

Sadly, Mr. Dunbar’s attempts to sensationalize the realities of policework looks like what it is – desperation…

As the bow of the S.S. News-Journal continues its inexorable slide beneath the waves of a dwindling readership, perhaps Mr. Dunbar should realize that the vast majority of law-abiding citizens everywhere are growing weary of being victimized by an increasingly violent criminal element who have turned the streets of many American cities into a dystopian wasteland – and social engineers who have gutted our criminal justice system and vilified law enforcement.   

Not here.   Not yet. 

In Volusia County, the brave men and women of law enforcement are out there now, boldly holding the thin line between the rule of law and anarchy – willingly placing themselves in harm’s way – and paying the price of protecting your family and mine from oppression and victimization with their blood, sweat, and tears.

In my view, their extraordinary dedication and personal sacrifice in service to others is well deserving of our admiration and support.