Hi, kids!

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

Building Trust Through Transparency in Daytona Beach

I’m certainly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. 

In fact, I’m an uneducated rube so obtuse and monochromatic that I quickly fade into whatever environment I find myself in.  But I have two things going for me – an incredibly sensitive “bullshit detector” – and the innate ability to learn from touching a hot stove.

Having spent the bulk of my life in municipal government, I’ve seen the incredible devotion and selflessness common to those who are called to public service.  I have also witnessed the strength and frailty of human nature – the ability of some to overcome adversity, develop solutions, change tack, and correct mistakes under extraordinary pressure – while others abdicate responsibility and choose career preservation over accountability.   

With the benefit of age and hard-earned experience I have also learned, as Oscar Wilde suggested, the truth is seldom one-dimensional, “rarely pure and never simple…” Perhaps that’s what makes the search for it – especially in the fetid shitpit of local politics – such an interesting (and infinitely frustrating) pursuit.

Now long removed from the fray, I remain firmly ensconced here in the cheap seats, watching the action from afar and analyzing the mini-moves with the acquired ability to discern both the minute and significant. 

My observations allow insight into the various aspects of a civic issue, determining patterns and personalities, always comparing current events with historical outcomes with the understanding that personal and political motivations rarely change. 

I made my share of mistakes in public service – in fact, I embraced my professional faults, foibles, and missteps and shared them with others.  All part of the learning journey, passing along painful knowledge that others might use to their benefit. 

Humility is a learned trait. 

The first police chief I worked for refused to accept excuses or explanations – only personal acceptance of responsibility – and a clear understanding that the same mistake would not be tolerated twice…   

A valuable lesson for a young police officer.

Now, when I feel the benefit of my three-decades of experiential learning can help, I use this space to offer unsolicited (and terribly annoying) insights to those still ‘in the arena’ who are dealing with an acute civic crisis.

Everyone knows that hectoring and lecturing from a washed-up “has been” can be hard to listen to – so, they can take it or leave it.

But one thing is certain, any government official (elected or appointed) who falls victim to the infallibility of position and comes to believe they know it all, will soon find themselves escorted out of their comfortably appointed office (usually by a former subordinate) and thrown on the moldering ash heap of history where arrogance and dodginess inevitably lead…   

The burgeoning purchasing card catastrophe in the City of Daytona Beach is well into its second week – which means it has taken on a life of its own – and this unfolding bruhaha demonstrates the importance of transparency to building credibility, protecting the “brand,” and maintaining confidence when the chips are down.  

It’s called crisis management, a comprehensive process essential to alleviating the concerns of stakeholders and protecting an organizations reputation.                               

The process of rebuilding internal and external trust begins with proactive communication – putting the cards on the table – providing clear information on what is known, and what is being done to mitigate the situation.

In my experience, it helps to establish trusting relationships with the media then make oneself accessible to reporters, answering community questions, admitting mistakes, and humbling oneself to righteous criticism.                                 

Honesty, openness, and complete transparency in the early hours allow leaders to control the narrative with facts while staying ahead of a building crisis by reducing the inevitable conjecture, gossip, and speculation that can quickly spread like a destructive wildfire.

Issues involving fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds will rightfully (and rapidly) draw public attention.  How leadership responds before the crisis crests will determine the long-term outcome – and ultimately the professional fate of those in positions of responsibility.  

Government executives who maintain proper situational awareness will develop 360-degree relationships up and down the chain – and listen to the advice of others – then use their training, skill, and insight to perceive organizational issues before they fester. That creates time and space to think analytically, develop an effable plan, and work through a problem systematically rather than flailing chaotically.

This fact-based decision-making is important because it defines future options, just like bureaucratic spin, clumsy cover-ups, painting the issue as a meanspirited “narrative,” and wallowing in defensive self-pity limits alternatives. 

That’s why the ‘duck and cover’ response of circling the wagons, retreating into the cloistered environment of the executive suite, employing slant and deflection, and limiting external communication to impersonal canned responses quickly results in an “information vacuum” – an unhealthy environment where speculation grows…

In Daytona Beach, City Manager Deric Feacher maintained an almost hermetic seal on information related to the P-card crisis for over a week.  In the ensuing void, WFTV-9 Volusia County correspondent Demi Johnson – a tenacious investigative journalist with a knack for ferreting out the truth – began pouring over raw purchasing data and extrapolating approved spending from perceived misappropriations.

To counter what Mr. Feacher originally described to city commissioners as “misinformation,” he made the compounding mistake of appearing on a sympathetic radio forum (one paid for by the City of Daytona Beach) where the moderator all but body blocked reporter Johnson when she called the program and attempted to ask hardball questions.

It added to the public perception that Mr. Feacher was dodging the issue…

Then, almost a week after the scandal broke, Demi Johnson reported receiving a ‘calendar invite’ for a meeting with City Manager Feacher scheduled for Monday.  During that meeting, Mr. Feacher essentially explained that while he didn’t see anything “nefarious” in his review of the P-card issue thus far, there is a clear problem with outdated policies and procedures, and he will be taking measures to correct the issues.  

By last Friday, the first positive signs emerged when The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that city officials have established a “…purchasing card information webpage to give the public a clear, easy-to-understand overview of how city and contract employees use the cards and how they’re monitored.”

Find the website here: https://tinyurl.com/5xcyfxrc (The full-access site will return December 8, 2025)

In addition to a frequently asked questions section, the informative site provides the city’s explanation of several P-card expenditures under review.  In a section entitled “Recent Media: Expanded Context,” a $12,852 payment to Seaworld covered an end-of-year trip for youth in the city’s summer camps, while a $37.72 charge to Krispy Kreme provided refreshments for a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board meeting.

Unfortunately, earlier this week, somehow the city’s Information Technology staff allowed a data breach which resulted in employee social security numbers and birth dates being inadvertently posted to the P-card website compromising their personal identifiers.

Another major gaffe that added to the instability as many onlookers asked, “How could this have happened?”

In addition, some questions arose regarding the city’s explanation for the “Marina Manager’s attendance at the Annual Marina Industries (AMI) Conference and Expo in Fort Lauderdale.”  Apparently, under terms of the city’s contract with F3 Marina, for “Fiscal Year 2024, the City Commission approved $5,000 for Travel and Per Diem and $5,000 for education and training for the marina.”

For a private contractor?

In my view, using tax dollars to pay for a private company’s attendance at industry conferences, fund training for its employees, and cover per diem expenses is counter to the reasons governments contract specialized services in the first place…

On Tuesday, WFTV-9 released an interesting report detailing a recent travel audit conducted by Daytona Beach City Auditor Abinet Belachew. 

In my view, the results prove that Mr. Belachew is a fearless defender of the public purse and an indispensable public asset.

According to the report, the travel audit identified “…multiple areas of concern, including outdated policies, weak internal controls, the use of business-class travel, excessive meal and parking costs, insufficient documentation, and noncompliance with best practices.”

Even with the best controls and oversight honest mistakes can still occur – and it is difficult to hold employees accountable for following lax and horribly outdated spending policies – but I found the lack of cooperation reported by Mr. Belachew disturbing:

“While most staff members we interacted with during this audit were cooperative and professional, there were a few isolated instances of uncooperative behavior and unwarranted defensiveness. Although limited, such occurrences should be addressed promptly to maintain a culture of accountability and transparency.”

Specifically, Mr. Belachew noted that the Chief Financial Officer’s office was less than cooperative during the audit. 

According to the report, “During our audit, we encountered several challenges in obtaining information from the CFO’s Office. Specifically, the team appeared defensive and uncooperative in providing the requested documents in a timely manner, and their approach at times created an atmosphere of hostility…”

That’s troubling.  Given the fact the city’s financial oversight is being questioned on several fronts, this lack of internal cooperation is something Mr. Feacher should rectify immediately.

Now, Mr. Belachew will turn his finely tuned microscope on the purchasing card questions, only – at the urging of Mayor Derrick Henry – the inquiry won’t be a “priority.” 

You read that right…

According to Mayor Henry, “I’m of the mind that rather than allowing our city to just become hostage to some idea that we’ve run amok, I want to let the P-Cards run their course in the way that we have previously because I don’t believe that that’s the case.”

Whatever in the bureaucratic foot-dragging procrastination that means?

In my view, the city’s explanatory website is an excellent step towards answering constituent questions, perhaps defusing another distracting controversy at a time when municipal finances are under serious scrutiny. 

In my experience, most people can forgive what they see themselves doing. 

Taxpayers simply require an honest explanation, open communication with decision-makers, and a transparent portal into the bloody abattoir where public policy is made, and their hard-earned dollars are spent…   

A Destructive Delima in Flagler Beach

The death of ‘Old Florida’ has been hard to watch for some of us geriatrics who remember what used to be – pristine beaches and quaint communities, set in a time when our natural amenities were preserved and protected as a big part of our quality of life – not stressed, exploited, and destroyed on the altar of greed.

A time before the onslaught of speculative developers bought every square inch of greenspace (and the loyalty of our state legislators) then set about paving over paradise in favor of thousands of zero lot line wood frame cracker boxes “…starting in the mid-$300’s.”

And how could I forget those ugly and ubiquitous half-empty strip centers that have replaced pristine old-growth forests.

Now, our view of the beach is obscured by a phalanx of concrete and steel “condotels” and overpriced “five star” resorts, built by South Florida entrepreneurs intent on exporting that godawful faux glitz and “SoBe aesthetic” to us yokels in points north. 

For some reason (read: $$$), those members of the community we once elected with a vested interest in maintaining our collective quality of life – the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker – have given way to hand-select marionettes of the development industry, shills who are bought and paid for by those with a mercenary interest in subverting “growth management regulations” and building when, where, and what they want.

To the exclusion of most every other pressing civic issue, it increasingly appears our local councils, commissions, and state legislature are desperately focused on running interference for those greed-hogs who own the paper on their political souls – flooding, environmental destruction, and the exploitation of our finite resources be damned…     

In some cases, encroaching development has forced elected officials to make tough decisions (before those decisions are made for them) compelling small cities to annex adjoining sprawl as a means of keeping the impacts of even more unchecked growth away from their doorstep.

A losing proposition that always results in the loss of the quaint feel and natural amenities that made their community special in the first place.

Last week, the Flagler Beach City Commission voted 4-1 on first reading to approve the annexation of approximately 545 acres stretching south from State Road 100 along the west side of John Anderson Highway.  Once approved, the annexation will incorporate the proposed “Summertown” development, a part of the expansive Veranda Bay, which is also winding its way through the annexation process in Flagler Beach.

If both subdivisions are approved, the annexations would expand the City of Flagler Beach by nearly 30%, eventually doubling the population of the once quaint beachside hamlet.

To his credit, Flagler Beach City Commissioner Eric Cooley understands the dynamics at play, and said the only way the city will have a say in the development is to annex it.

According to a report by Sierra Williams writing in the Ormond Beach Observer this week, Commissioner Cooley said, “It’s real simple: you don’t annex it, you’re out,” he said. “You have no control over anything. You’re not protecting the city. You’re not protecting anything. You’re turning it over to the universe.”

The majority of the other commissioners and Mayor Patti King agreed with Cooley.

But the projects, both Veranda Bay and Summertown, have left many residents with concerns, even beyond the number of rooftops. Flagler Beach residents urged their commissioners to protect the city’s roadways and water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as Bulow Creek, which abuts the Summertown property.

The developer has committed to multiple concessions in the name of annexing the project: building out a spine road before constructing a certain number of residential units; using 40% of the property, including some directly around Bulow Creek, as open space; applying additional buffers around the property, including a 100-foot natural buffer around Bulow Creek.”

In my view, Commissioner Cooley is right – and it is a damnable shame.   

Since neither the State of Florida, City of Palm Coast, nor Flagler County have the best interests of this small community at heart, it leaves one of the last vestiges of ‘Old Florida’ on the east coast in a terrible dilemma:

The necessity of killing the very civic attributes that make their community special in order to protect it from a worse fate…

Quote of the Week

“The audit identified multiple areas of concern, including outdated policies, weak internal controls, the use of business-class travel, excessive meal and parking costs, insufficient documentation, and noncompliance with best practices.

We would like to note that we provided only a few illustrative examples. However, even a single incident of wasteful spending by City employees is cause for concern. Public funds are held in trust for the benefit of the community, and every dollar must be used prudently and in alignment with the City’s policies and fiscal responsibility standards. Allowing even isolated cases of wasteful or unnecessary spending to go unchecked can set a poor precedent, weaken accountability, and erode public confidence in the City’s stewardship of taxpayer resources. Strong financial controls and ethical standards require that all expenditures, regardless of size or frequency, be fully justified, properly documented, and aligned with a clear public purpose.”

–City of Daytona Beach Internal Auditor Abinet Belachew, as excerpted from the “Summary of Audit Findings, Travel Audit Report,” Wednesday, November 19, 2025

To say that City Auditor Abinet Belachew’s in-depth report detailing the findings of his examination of employee travel for FY 2024 paints a less than flattering picture of the city’s transparency, accountability, and compliance with 26-year-old travel policies is an understatement… 

In my view, the report – and the painstaking efforts it documents – proves Mr. Belachew’s worth to the residents of Daytona Beach and speaks to his commitment to the highest ideals of government accounting, effective internal controls, and adherence to best practices that prevent wasteful or unnecessary spending.

It was eye-opening. 

In the view of many, Mr. Belachew’s description of the lack of cooperation and hostility toward auditors by the Daytona Beach Chief Financial Officer’s team was disturbing…   

That obstinance was especially concerning since the city’s Deputy CFO was identified as “…having used taxpayer funds to purchase a business-class airline ticket for official travel,” while refundable economy fares were available along the same route, without documented justification or pre-approval for the travel.

In addition, the report states that the Deputy CFO “overstated mileage reimbursement by approximately 96.8 miles, resulting in an excess payment using taxpayer funds.”

Disturbing indeed…

Most notably, the internal audit found a glaring lack of oversight and accountability for employee travel – including a failure to set per diem amounts or establish spending limits for meals and lodging, no pre-justification/approval or post travel verifications, weak internal controls, and the CFO’s inability to readily provide supporting documentation and receipts for travel related expenditures.

Now that the problem has been exposed to the healing light of day, the onus is on the Chief Financial Officer, and City Manager Deric Feacher, to ensure that up-to-date policies, procedures, and controls – compliant with modern government accounting standards and best practices – are put in place to ensure “transparency, accountability, and the prudent use of taxpayer funds.”

As Mr. Belachew so eloquently stated, “Working for the City of Daytona Beach is a privilege. All employees share a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and stewardship of public resources, recognizing that we ultimately serve the citizens of Daytona Beach.”

I like that guy…

And Another Thing!

I’m not sure the slack jawed Volusia County Council understood what they were watching during Tuesday’s raucous meeting.

To me, it looked a whole lot like participatory governance in action. 

Look, I don’t care where you stand on the late Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, who was tragically assassinated during an open mic debate with a liberal ‘influencer’ on a Utah college campus in September.  Without question, Mr. Kirk was a galvanizing figure in the contemporary American zeitgeist and an icon of conservative youth.    

Admittedly, national politics isn’t my thing. 

For reasons that should be self-explanatory, I don’t pay more than a passing glance at the raging partisan rhetoric and retribution from both sides of the aisle that spews from the sewer pipe of my television 24/7.  Mostly it is because I have no way of influencing outcomes in Washington (neither do you, but that’s a discussion for another day). 

Prior to that horrific day in Orem, I had not heard of Mr. Kirk.    

In my view, by design, Mr. Kirk’s opinions on contemporary political issues and his views on religion, race, sexual orientation, and foreign/domestic policy were provocative; tailored to ignite debate and stimulate public dialog across the massive political chasms that divide us – something that made him incredibly popular with conservatives – and equally vilified by liberal progressives, particularly on college campuses, once considered bastions of free speech. 

As a charismatic and controversial figure, whether you agreed with Mr. Kirk’s politics and views on contemporary society, or hated everything he stood for, there is enough material, soundbites, and anecdotal “recollections” available online, both with context and terribly exaggerated, to fuel your position. 

(Isn’t that true of everything these days?)

In the aftermath of Mr. Kirk’s murder, Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower recently waded into the fray and announced he was planning to seek the approval of his “colleagues” in designating Ormond’s Scenic Loop as “The Charles “Charlie” James Kirk Memorial Highway” citing his “dedication to civic engagement and free speech, while acknowledging the tragedy that occurred.” 

The idea went over like a turd in the proverbial punchbowl with environmentalists and others who rightfully consider “The Loop,” and its historical significance to Volusia County, sacrosanct – a roadway already designated as a scenic byway – something to be preserved and protected. 

Then Chairman Brower shifted his sights to a section of Maytown Road from Oak Drive in Osteen to Gobblers Lodge Road. 

If you know anything about the residents of the unincorporated settlement of Osteen – they are righteously fanatical about being residents of Osteen – and they have strong opinions about preserving their heritage and unique rural lifestyle and would prefer to designate their roadways in honor of those forefathers who had a more direct impact on the tiny community. 

On Tuesday, some Osteen residents joined a parade of their neighbors from across the width and breadth of Volusia County to oppose designating any roadway in honor of Charlie Kirk – citing everything from his lack of a physical connection to Volusia County – to angry accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, and all points in between… 

While there were a few who supported Mr. Brower’s sentiments, the vast majority of those who made their feelings known with angry hoots, hollers, shouts, and swipes from the gallery, made it abundantly clear they did not want Mr. Kirk’s name on a Volusia County roadway. 

At the end of the day, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago used his patented strategy of legislative procrastination to lead his “colleagues” out of the uncomfortable quagmire…

In order to kick the can out of sight – Mr. Santiago motioned to indefinitely table the matter until senior staff can come back with a policy for memorial designations of roadways and buildings in Volusia County. 

Expect that policy to come back before the council sometime after the return of the Comet Kohoutek… 

Regardless, it did my heart good to see so many residents of Volusia County turn out to a public meeting.  Those on both sides of an issue who courageously stood before their fellow citizens and let their elected officials know where they stood on a matter of community concern. 

It was the essence of participatory governance – the active involvement of citizens in the decision-making process – an exercise that promotes engagement and inclusivity in shaping public policy and stimulates citizen interest and participation in civic affairs.

If inspiring passionate public dialog and fostering the civil discussion of ideas and ideals was truly Charlie Kirk’s calling, he certainly succeeded in strengthening that purely American notion during a seemingly inconsequential county council meeting on Tuesday evening. 

Even with the intractable divisions we face as a nation, the discussion reminded us in the most wonderful way that, at least at the local level, we can remain neighbors and friends, still capable of enthusiastic debate – and peaceful disagreement…   

That’s all for me.  Enjoy the 52nd Annual Daytona Turkey Run, y’all!

Note to Readers:

Dear Members of the Barker’s View Tribe,

I’m taking next week off to enjoy time with family and friends. 

Writing Barker’s View continues to be incredibly cathartic for me during these weird times we find ourselves in. 

This blog continues to be a source of pride that provides a much-needed sense of purpose, and the process of contemplating the issues and expressing my thoughts keeps my Gin-soaked mind limber.

I sincerely appreciate the many wonderful, often unlikely, relationships this blog has built.  The effort has supported my long-held belief that we all want to be heard – to have our opinions considered and valued – especially by the decision-makers who establish public policy.

Thank you for listening to mine.

The best part of this forum remains your feedback, discussing differing opinions, and good-naturedly arguing the fine points.  In my view, that drives a larger discussion of the myriad problems we face in our community.

Sometimes you agree with me – other times you vehemently disagree – but we can remain friends.  Through our dialog, we gain a better perspective of the issues we collectively face, and how to solve them.

I can’t think of anything more purely American than that.

May God bless each of you, and our brave men and women in uniform, at home and abroad – our heroic military members and first responders – those who willingly go into harm’s way to protect us. 

Godspeed.

From the Barker Family to yours – have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Hi, kids!

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

Sounding the Klaxon in the City of Daytona Beach – A Cause for Concern?

They say the benefit of experience is hindsight. 

Having spent the bulk of my adult life in municipal government, I’ve seen instances of waste and the misuse of public funds – and I’ve been guilty of honest mistakes that cost taxpayers.

Those who manage budgets often say you can’t get blood out of a turnip. 

Trust me, I’ve tried when asked to make draconian cuts to my department’s costs and services during lean times. Based on that experience, I can attest that deep cuts to spending sounds good to some, but you won’t always like what the turnip looks like when your done with it…

In government, like the private sector, those painful errors, omissions, and extravagances allow smart elected and appointed officials to look back at successes and failures, analyze the good, the bad, and the ugly of past decisions, then apply those difficult lessons when making future judgements.

They call it “experiential learning” or “institutional knowledge,” but getting older I realize life is really a gradual release from ignorance – the hard-earned wisdom that comes from touching a hot stove – and understanding the importance of controlling the controllables.

During my productive years in public service, I used the discretion afforded my position to develop an internal policy to protect public assets in the use of government issued purchasing cards – known colloquially as “P Cards.” 

Rather than have authorized individuals carry their p-cards, I directed that the cards assigned to my department be kept in a lockbox maintained by my trusted administrative assistant.  When the need arose, the individual would sign out their respective card, complete the transaction, then both the receipt and p-card would be returned and signed for.  

The straightforward process strengthened existing internal policies governing requisitions and purchasing, and ensured every expenditure was preapproved and the transaction documented before it was routed for proper accounting and external audit.

In my experience, those simple physical safeguards eliminated the problem of “Oh, I must have gotten my city card and personal credit card mixed up,” or “I used my personal car for a work errand, so I got gas on my p-card,” or the on-the-spot conundrum of determining whether a lunch, incidental, or other expense was authorized.

It wasn’t an issue of trust – the controls merely helped ensure accountability in the expenditure of public funds.  Given the fact I was personally responsible for the assets and personnel entrusted to my department, it was something I could mitigate with little hassle or inefficiency with a high degree of integrity.

I was reminded of that process last week when The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s investigative journalist Eileen Zaffiro-Kean published an exposé headlined “Are Daytona Beach city workers abusing purchase cards? An internal auditor wants to know,” detailing potential problems with the issuance of some 280 purchasing cards provided to both city employees and private contractors.

The question arose after Daytona Beach Commissioner Stacy Cantu, a resolute watchdog who keeps the best interests of her constituents at the forefront, examined city p-card purchases and found “some of the transactions to be alarming.”

According to the News-Journal’s report, “You can’t make this stuff up,” Cantu said at the Wednesday, Nov. 5, City Commission meeting. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Cantu has been shocked to discover about 280 of the 1,000 city employees have P-Cards. And she was especially dismayed to see even 10 contract employees who manage Halifax Harbor Marina for the city had P-cards.

City Manager Deric Feacher has department heads checking their employees’ P-Card purchases for any possible improper use. The head of the Utilities Department is reviewing more than 1,300 P-Card statements from the 57 cardholders in her divisions, and so far she doesn’t see anything “that doesn’t look reasonable.”

During a recent City Commission meeting, City Manager Deric Feacher directed the city’s new internal auditor, Abinet Belachew, audit purchases and examine the issuance and use of p-cards across all city departments and contractors.    

Last week, Mr. Feacher sent a prepared statement to WFTV-9’s Demie Johnson – a tenacious investigative reporter doing the Lord’s work who has requested an in-person interview with the City Manager for over a week (?) – which read, in part:

“Taxpayers deserve confidence that every dollar we spend is handled responsibly, and I take that responsibility very seriously. The city has significant oversight and review processes in place for employee purchasing cards, including multiple levels of approval and regular monitoring of transactions.”

According to the statement, Mr. Feacher claimed that, in addition to the city’s internal audit, he was “…assembling an internal committee of senior staff to take a fresh, comprehensive look at all of our policies and practices.”

Unfortunately, many were confused last Friday when Mr. Feacher adamantly refused to speak with the WFTV reporter and was last seen on camera getting into his car and skedaddling out of a City Hall parking lot without comment. 

Never a good look…   

With Mr. Feacher seemingly dodging the issue, on Tuesday, WFTV’s Johnson contacted Sen. Tom Leek for his thoughts on the still unexplained purchases appearing on city P-cards. 

According to Sen. Leek, “Their CFO needs to come forward with receipts. Show us what these things are being spent on. Don’t just give us a report. Show us the receipts and what it was actually spent on,” said Leek.

We asked Leek if he thinks any of this could be criminal.

“I don’t know yet. You know a couple of years ago when this stuff first started to come out. It stunk. Today it smells rotten. So, I don’t think you can rule out criminal,” said Leek.”

Whoa.

According to the report, Sen. Leek said he would not rule out involvement by the state’s chief financial watchdog, Blaise Ingoglia…

Let’s hope, as Mr. Feacher has suggested, that there are adequate controls and oversight in place to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse – and sound explanations for the expenditures.  More important, now is the time for the city’s new internal auditor to prove his worth by restoring the public’s trust in the purchasing process.

Kudos to Commissioner Cantu for remaining vigilant. 

From her work uncovering asbestos contamination at a Beach Street building slated to be purchased by the city, to her efforts to find solutions to dangerous sidewalks in the Mosaic community, clearly Ms. Cantu takes her sworn duty as an elected representative seriously. 

In my view, Ms. Cantu’s watchfulness – and willingness to ask the tough questions when it matters – is paying big dividends for Daytona Beach taxpayers.    

Lowell L. Lohman, Requiescat in Pace

Last month, the Halifax area lost not only a titan of business, but an important philanthropic source of good. Someone who, despite personal health challenges, made our lives better by his extraordinary generosity. 

According to Mr. Lohman’s beautiful obituary, “The ultimate example of positivity and perseverance, Lowell Lohman taught us that living with Type 1 Diabetes does not have to be limiting. He rose to the daily challenge and regiment required with diabetes and lived a vibrant, adventurous life for 80 years.”  

As visionary entrepreneurs, Mr. Lohman and his wife Nancy owned multiple successful businesses, including Lohman Funeral Homes.  Most recently, the Lohman’s partnered with son Ty and his wife Tova in owning apartment complexes and the development of The Cupola luxury townhome community which has enhanced North Halifax Drive in Ormond Beach.

However, Mr. Lohman will best be remembered for his incredible generosity, the enormous scope and diversity of his impactful giving, and his true sense of care for our community. 

According to his obituary, “His giving resulted in the naming of the planetarium at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, MOAS, in Lowell’s and Nancy’s honor. Lowell often shared how fascinating and humbling it was to study the universe.  Lowell’s hope was their support of the planetarium would inspire others to keep learning. They sponsor the school field study program that continues to enable 6,000-10,000 5th and 8th graders in Volusia County Public Schools to attend a day at MOAS free of charge each year; an idea his best friend, Carl Persis, presented to Lowell several years ago.

Lowell’s generosity also included the support of the Halifax Humane Society Lohman Pet Adoption Center, the Halifax Health Lohman Diabetes Center and the Nancy & Lowell Lohman Art Center at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens.” 

Lowell Lohman’s life of dedicated service to others, both personally and professionally, has left an indelible mark on our community.  He left us better than he found us, and we join in mourning his passing at age eighty.

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Lohman.  We’re glad you passed our way…

Go DOGE Yourself…

With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis crowing to anyone who will listen about his incredibly risky ploy to eliminate property taxes in favor of funding essential governmental services by, well, who the hell knows? – local governments across the state are attempting to head off Gov. DeSantis’ attack dogs by “DOGE-ing” themselves…

For instance, last week, Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher directed the city’s internal auditor to establish a Department of Government Efficiency using self-audit guidance from the state – a wise move – considering the mounting questions surrounding the city’s fiscal stewardship… 

According to an article by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “The City of Ormond Beach will begin the process of “DOGE-ing” itself.”

“On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Ormond Beach City Commission held a joint workshop with the city’s Budget Advisory Board to discuss the state’s Department of Government Efficiency framework to self-audit for efficiency. City staff walked the officials through where they believed they may find cost savings, such as the travel policy for staff and commissioners, memberships to various organizations, take-home vehicles, its bid platform and contract management. Based on previous discussions, the city will be focusing on reducing spending and streamlining operations.

The self-DOGE process was kickstarted by City Commissioner Travis Sargent, who presented the state’s guidelines to the commission during the recent budget discussions.”

I found that interesting.

Especially when you consider that during what passed for budget hearings earlier this year, City Attorney Randy Hayes told Ormond Beach taxpayers that a tax increase was imperative because “Sound fiscal management and responsible leadership require it.”

According to Hayes, commissioners were encouraged to vote for the increase due to “…financial risks and liabilities associated with the mayor’s (Jason Leslie’s) intention to seek deep reductions in the millage rate and the budget, and the uncertainties those reductions would have on the ability of the city to deliver quality services to residents.”

In fact, Commissioner (and current mayoral candidate) Lori Tolland – who, for dramatic effect, directed that Mr. Hayes’ handwringing missive be read aloud by the city clerk – openly accused Mayor Leslie of threatening Ormond Beach’s quality of life by even suggesting a tax cut.

Remember?  I do.

At the end of the day, Ormond’s “In-Crowd” got what they wanted – a substantial tax increase – with an annual budget now set at $142 million.  According to a September report in the Ormond Beach Observer, “From the 2020-2021 fiscal year to 2025-2026, the budget has increased by about 48%.”

In just five-years?

As a result, Ormond Beach residents are now asking the obvious: If city staff is just beginning to focus on spending reductions and streamlining operations, what have they been doing for the past five years?

Considering we are now being told there are “budget duplications,” frivolous memberships, throwing good money after bad for the asinine annual “State of the City” pep rally, redundant positions, ignored suggestions, etc., etc. – questionable expenditures that may represent unnecessary spending – why did our elected officials convince us any further budget reductions would result in financial Armageddon? 

In a recent editorial in the Observer this week, former Budget Advisory Board member Joe Hannoush, added to the concerns of chary taxpayers when he divulged:

“I am reminded that as a member of the Ormond Beach Budget Advisory Board for four budget cycles, I advised to reduce spending on several line items. The city’s budget has gone up significantly since then with none of my suggestions being implemented in any meaningful way I am aware of.”

What gives? 

Why were we blatantly lied to by those we have elected and appointed to represent our interests?

In my view, after the dumpster fire that was the 2025-26 Ormond Beach budget process – a turbulent time when Mayor Jason Leslie was publicly eviscerated for caving to the prevailing wisdom and ultimately supporting the tax increase – I think someone at City Hall has some explaining to do…

Although I have serious reservations about the motivations (and potential outcomes) of Gov. DeSantis’ proposal to eliminate property taxes, perhaps the difficult discussion – and the resultant self-audits and belt-tightening – is exactly what we need to curb overspending, reign in exorbitant executive salaries, limit Taj Mahal public facilities, and stop the clockwork annual tax increases that pay for it all.    

Quote of the Week

“Daytona Beach needs to quickly whittle its excess permits and license fees to $4.4 million or less to come into compliance with state law.

A $9.4 million proposal to build an addition to City Hall would drop the tally back into legal territory, but that project still doesn’t have a contractor, solid timeline or final City Commission approval. In March, three of the seven city commissioners voted against putting out a request for proposals to expand the 60,000-square-foot City Hall.

(Daytona Beach Mayor) Henry told the seven state representatives and seven senators on the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee that Daytona Beach “is fully committed” to coming into compliance with state law.

The mayor said Daytona Beach experienced a surge in new development over the past five years, so building permit fee revenue spiked and led to the accumulated money.

(State Sen. Jason) Brodeur asked the Daytona contingent what was being done with the roughly $500,000 in interest income that was being earned off the $10 million of unspent permitting fees. Morris said neither he nor anyone else in the group could immediately answer that question.

“You don’t know where $500,000 is?” Brodeur asked. “I hope on your four-hour drive home you realize this is getting serious.”

–Investigative Reporter Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Florida legislators unleash frustration on Daytona city government leaders,” Tuesday, November 4, 2025

One fixed rule for public officials, especially at the local level, is either the elected body sets sound policy based on strategic planning, maintains oversight, and provides responsible stewardship of public funds – or someone else will make those decisions for them…

As Sen. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, put it during last month’s meeting of Volusia’s legislative delegation in DeLand, “…when local governments do things that are “so out of whack,” then the “state’s going to step in.”

Last week, high-ranking officials from the City of Daytona Beach – to include Mayor Derrick Henry, City Manager Deric Feacher, Deputy City Manager Jim Morris, and Chief Building Official Glen Urquhart – were summoned to the lion’s den in Tallahassee for a thorough thrashing before the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.

The board, comprised of surly senators and representatives, demanded answers to why the municipal government has failed to follow statutory guidelines governing the accrual and expenditure of permits and licensing fees.

It was ugly.

And the legislators were right… 

There are legally established rules for how permit and licensing fees can be used – including set limits on how much of the unexpended balance can be carried forward.  According to reports, over the past four years, the City of Daytona Beach has maintained some $11 million in unspent fees collected during a period of explosive growth – far exceeding the statutory mandate. 

During the hearing, committee members openly questioned the delegation’s veracity, and panned the city’s spending plan, which appears (on its face) to be a hodge-podge of expensive nice-to-haves that Daytona Beach officials hope will comply with the state’s rules. 

According to the News-Journal, “The proposed projects included 17 pickup trucks that would cost close to $1 million, drones tallying $210,000, a $250,000 City Commission chambers upgrade and $250,000 for virtual desktop infrastructure.

Under budgeted items was about $4 million for land and facility acquisition; $3.1 million to renovate, furnish and equip a facility; $1.2 million for a mobile permitting center; $993,100 for a permits and licensing boat and boathouse; $660,000 for vehicles and equipment; and $400,000 for new permits and licensing staff.

Some of those projects came to fruition, but several did not. The mobile permitting center idea was dropped, as was the purchase of a Beach Street building that was to be used for permits and licensing staff.” 

The original plan included the ill-fated purchase of an antiquated building at 230 North Beach Street where officials planned to house the permits and licensing division.  However, that plan was abandoned when an investigation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (spurred by City Commissioner Stacy Cantu’s concerns) found deadly asbestos in the building.  

Now, it appears as if the City of Daytona Beach is unable to develop of viable plan for properly spending the permit and licensing fee balance, and the state is prepared to step in and ensure that the funds are returned to the developers who paid them… 

The political mauling at the Capitol didn’t sit well at home. 

At the November 5 City Commission meeting, Commissioner Ken Strickland punched back, saying “Tallahassee needs to mind their own business.  They should be representing us, not ridiculing us. I’m disgusted with our representation up there.”

In my view, the meeting took on the appearance of a passel of thieves squabbling over the loot when a representative of the Volusia Business and Industry Association – who would obviously prefer the excess fees be returned to developers – appeared at the hearing to gloat and tattle on the City of Deltona’s use of impact fees (?). 

The VBIA’s peripheral involvement in the state’s vicious gibbeting of Daytona Beach officials was obvious, excessive, and extremely telling – and, in my view, it stained the state’s haughty attempt to publicly correct (denigrate?) their local “colleagues.”

Unfortunately, city officials have no one to blame but themselves.   

During the scathing hearing, Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson rightfully admonished “A city with a vision would have created a plan…” 

In my view, that lack of vision – and a viable plan – isn’t limited to Daytona Beach, and continues to plague local governments across the width and breadth of Volusia County. 

During this period of unprecedented growth when strategic financial forecasting is imperative, it appears the City of Daytona Beach is about to become an expensive example of what happens to local governments who fail to establish a civic vision… 

And Another Thing!

Few things stimulate more interest on this blog than discussions regarding Volusia County District Schools. 

Perhaps it’s because we all have a personal stake in the success of our children’s education – or the importance of high performing schools to the social, civic, and economic development of our communities – or maybe it’s because we all pay for it, whether we have kids in school or not.

In my experience, a natural curiosity emerges when the disturbing things we see with our own eyes doesn’t comport with the pap and fluff that oozes from spinmeisters in public information offices, or the gloating of senior officials intent on creating a flattering picture, regardless of evidence to the contrary.

Last month, at the bitter end of the Volusia legislative delegation’s meeting in DeLand – that stilted annual spectacle when “We, The Little People” and our local representatives, have an opportunity to grovel before those we have sent to Tallahassee – saw another embarrassing example of how things work (or don’t) in the District’s Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand.

In an odd and unexpected turn, Dr. Gilbert Evans, who serves a conflicting role as both the District’s General Counsel and the School Board’s attorney, surprised the legislative delegation with an eleventh hour, half-baked, and incredibly expensive list of requests – some of which clearly had not been vetted or approved by our elected representatives on the Volusia County School Board…

Among other requests, Dr. Evans reminded our legislators that the state currently pays for 50% of costs associated with student transportation in Florida.   

Inexplicably, during his bizarre presentation, Dr. Evans – apparently serving as a lobbyist for all 67 school districts in the state (?), asked legislators to consider covering all school transportation costs – including funds required to “attract, hire, and maintain bus attendants” – as a means of relieving school districts from the burden of “diverting resources from instructional needs.” 

Say what?

In addition, Dr. Evans asked that, due to a shortage of licensed mental health counselors in schools, the state take action to allow unlicensed supervised interns to provide critical psychological services to Florida students and permitting that “on-the-job” training to count toward the requirements of licensure.

Really?

He also asked for “some kind of bill” that would permit cameras in classrooms “for non-verbal students for safety and accountability.” 

Whatever that means… 

To his credit, Sen. Tom Leek asked Evan’s the clear and unvarnished question everyone else in the room was thinking: “How much money do you need?” 

“How much money do you need today, if we give it to you, you say, “Okay we’re good?”

The mortifying silence that ensued (broken only by raucous guffaws from the audience) made it clear that, once again, Volusia County District Schools had failed to do their homework…

Eventually, Dr. Evans explained to a perplexed Sen. Leek that he “wasn’t expecting that question.” 

Making a point, Sen. Leek explained that the honest answer to his rhetorical question was – “There is no answer,” because enough is never enough…

In taking Dr. Evans to the woodshed, Sen. Leek directed that when Volusia County District Schools comes before the state legislative delegation asking for money, they should breakdown the request into a reasonable and logical explanation of need – especially one that represents a “monumental shift in policy and cost,” like funding all transportation costs for Florida students everywhere.

In turn, Sen. Leek asked Dr. Evans if Volusia County Schools is still requiring public employees to sign nondisclosure agreements regarding public business, and Evans responded they were “asking” – not “requiring” – some employees to sign NDA’s who serve in “sensitive areas.”

A testy exchange ensued with Sen. Leek asking Dr. Evans if he felt the practice of telling public employees to sign NDA’s to prevent them from discussing public business was wrong? 

Given Florida’s venerated commitment to government in the sunshine, it remains a serious public policy question that School Board member Donna Brosemer has been demanding answers to for months…

In holding the district’s party line, Evans replied, “No sir.”

Embarrassing.

The ugly scene was reminiscent of a similar debacle two-years ago this week when District Superintendent Carmen Balgobin sent the “B-Team” – consisting of a brand-new Interim Chief Operating Officer and a clueless Deputy Superintendent – to appear before the Volusia County Council seeking $350,000 to fund additional School Resource Deputies.

Like Dr. Evans’ half-assed “presentation,” the ask to the County Council was devoid of financial and operational specifics, and Balgobin’s conspicuous absence, coupled with the ham-handed way the district’s request was brought forth, left veteran elected officials shaking their heads in a fit of fremdschämen…

At the time, Volusia County Councilman Troy Kent, a school administrator himself, 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.”

Obviously, the repetitive nature of these public gaffes proves our “Superintendent of the Year” Balgobin hasn’t yet learned the valuable lesson that preparedness, presentation, and professionalism are the keys to securing alternative funding…

Anything less is amateurish – and humiliating.

If the benefit of experience is hindsight, what do we call those who refuse to learn from their mistakes? 

In my view, that’s the textbook definition of a fool…

That said, what do we call the majority of our elected representatives on the School Board who continue to permit these embarrassing blunders from highly compensated senior administrators time, and time again?

That’s a disturbing point to ponder come election time…

That’s all for me.  Enjoy a great final weekend of the Volusia County Fair, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

Sen. “Terrible Tommy” Wright Has Heard Enough From You Pissants…

While I was taking a break in the hinterlands of Northern Virginia last week, getting a different perspective, refueling the soul in the deeply healing environment of nature at the autumnal peak of fall colors, a wonderfully rejuvenating time enjoyed with lifelong friends; here on the “Fun Coast” our state legislative delegation was granting their annual audience to local elected peons who grovel for crumbs of the tax dollars we send to Tallahassee.

A sick kabuki where the legislators sit ensconced on a dais, literally and figuratively above our local representatives, civic activists, and concerned citizens who approach, hat-in-hand, to plead with those we have sent to Tallahassee for our rightful share of state funds, all while being admonished as compulsive wastrels by the pompous intelligentsia.      

It reminds me just how far from a government “…of the people, by the people, and for the people” we’ve strayed…

Rightfully, the most pressing issue of our time – malignant overdevelopment and its devastating effect on widespread flooding – was at the forefront. 

One-after-another, various community council members and commissioners dutifully approached, reverently genuflected, and explained how Senate Bill 180 (which each legislator on the dais voted to approve) has eliminated local control of planning and development while granting developer’s carte blanche to build when, where, and what they want.

That is before Senator “Terrible Tommy” Wright issued an arrogant edict – “Enough!”

According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Before the end of the more than four-hour hearing, state Sen. Tom Wright said he had heard enough, asking one speaker if she planned to speak against Senate Bill 180.” 

“We’ve heard it enough times. We know that there’s issues with 180 and we’re working hard to try to correct them,” Wright said. “To save everyone’s time, if there’s anything else you’d like to talk about, we’re well aware of 180 being a problem.”

Save everyone’s time? 

What in the hell else does Senator Wright have to do on a Wednesday other than listen to the fervent concerns of his anxious constituents – including many of the same local elected officials who have run interference for the delegation’s kowtowing to their political benefactors – by refusing to join a lawsuit challenging SB 180? 

Where is the gratitude for those obsequious elected local yokels who bowed down and knuckled to their threats and legislative bullying – hoping for “amendments” to the horribly flawed law during the next legislative session?   

Look, I get it.  Sen. Wright has a history of intimidation and harassing behavior toward those who cannot fight back – like the ugly incident two-years ago when Wright angrily put his hands on a female employee of a domestic violence shelter when she rightfully ordered him off a bus full of residents, then charged at her screaming “‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’”   

Sound familiar?

In my view, given “Terrible Tommy’s” reported history of “flirty and grooming” behavior toward vulnerable young women, the shelter employee had damn good reasons to protect the victims under her care.

According to a 2023 report in the News-Journal, another domestic violence survivor recounted “…an experience she had in 2017 with Wright during a bus evacuation ahead of Hurricane Irma.”

The victim said “…Wright rode on the bus with shelter residents, adding that she believes he paid for the trip. At one point, she told the News-Journal, he talked about prostitutes in Cuba, topless women on a boat and offered to fly her to Las Vegas.

Nothing else untoward happened, she said, but she found the situation “kind of embarrassing,” and “now I realize, you know, he was a creep.”

The young victim was reportedly “…around 20 years old at the time. Wright was in his mid-60s.”

A “creep” indeed…

It appears when things get politically uncomfortable for Sen. Wright – he simply demands that members of the servile class who pay the bills and suffer in silence “‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’”  

Fortunately, “Terrible Tommy” won’t have to listen to us much longer as he is termed out in November 2026. 

Let’s hope whoever is elected to the seat understands the importance of listening to “We, The Little People,” rather than focusing solely on the mercenary wants and whims of their political benefactors in the development industry. 

Vote like your lives and livelihoods depend on it…

NSB Mayor Fred “Captain Queeg” Cleveland is Watching You

While New Smyrna Beach Mayor Fred Cleveland may tremble in his boots at the mere thought of what those bullies on the Volusia County legislative delegation may do to any community who stands their ground, defends the right to home rule, and challenges the overreach of SB 180 – it appears he has no problem using the iron boot of government to police your right to free expression of your views and opinions on the ‘everyman’s soapbox’ of social media.

Like the mad Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny, somewhere along the way Fred Cleveland has cracked under the pressure, obsessing over carping social media posts and mean memes, while the much more serious flooding problems aboard the good ship New Smyrna go haywire…

During a public meeting last month, Mayor Cleveland’s cheese publicly slipped off his cracker on the dais as he fumed over social media posts he found offensive, which resulted in City Attorney Carrie Avallone dutifully (if not unconstitutionally) sending a letter on official letterhead to Volusia County Council District 3 candidate Bryon White – an outspoken opponent of overdevelopment and its effects on our natural places – demanding that he “correct or remove” statements critical of NSB officials from social media.

You read that right…

In my view it was an abject abuse of power, a heavy-handed attempt to silence a political critic, and it does not appear the New Smyrna Beach City Commission is stopping its crusade to champion the “Truth According to City Hall” with Mr. White. 

In addition, during his rambling diatribe against anyone who expresses a viewpoint different from those espoused by the NSB spinmeisters – Mayor Cleveland ominously asked if one of the city’s two Public Information Officers (they have two?) could “monitor” the social media posts of residents and “set the record straight” with anyone who “berates” city officials or tries to “further an agenda.”

Wow.

I suspect Mayor Cleveland’s rampant paranoia and willingness to silence critics with the full force of government is just one reason New Smyrna Beach residents approved just two of the seven city charter amendments during Tuesday’s election.  That included righteously rejecting extending the mayor’s term from two to four years and increasing the salaries of the mayor and city commissioners.

No wonder the elected officials don’t like what their constituents have to say, eh?

In turn, the residents voted to prioritize cultural arts and mandate city charter reviews every ten years.

Interesting.

In my view, social media surveillance by the City of New Smyrna Beach or any other government entity raises serious concerns for the civil rights and liberties of citizens – and has a chilling effect on our right to free and unfettered expression. 

Our right to speak our minds on matters of public concern is not subject to the filter of Attorney Avallone, some highly compensated public mouthpiece, or anyone else – and Mayor Cleveland should know that.

If Mayor Cleveland and his Milquetoast “colleagues” can’t stand the heat of public opinion, then they should get out of the kitchen.

Quote of the Week

“Now, with reelection on the horizon, Councilman David Santiago is attempting to rebrand himself as compassionate. His latest proposal would divert those same arts funds to food banks, citing the federal shutdown and temporary suspension of SNAP benefits.

At first glance, this sounds benevolent. Don’t be fooled, this is not compassion, it’s political grandstanding.  By framing this as a moral choice, Santiago is playing a cynical game: pitting the arts against hunger.

Feeding people matters, no one disputes that. Only, this is calculated optics, the devils bargain disguised as virtue.  With a 1.4 billion county budget, Volusia can feed struggling families and fund the arts.

If the Council truly cared about priorities, or core government responsibilities it could start by cutting Councilman Don Dempsey’s 10.2 million motocross facility.”

–Intrepid Civic/Environmental Activist Cathrine Pante, as excerpted from her Facebook Post on Slow the Growth Volusia, Tuesday, November 4, 2025

You can tell election season is nigh when you hear sitting politicians – and those vying to be – puff and preen, “I will put my constituents first and serve all people of (insert local, state, federal jurisdiction here).”   

Squawking about inclusiveness and feigning interest the kitchen table concerns of struggling residents.

Horseshit…

The fact is, as anyone paying attention knows, the Volusia County Council – in toto – don’t give a tinker’s dam about the myriad issues facing “Fun Coast” families, and even less about finding effective long-term solutions to the multifaceted problem of hunger, poverty, homelessness, and basic household survival. 

On Tuesday, during what should have been a routine approval of the recommendations of the Children and Families Advisory Board, which helps fund things like Boys and Girls Clubs, Easter Seals, Council on Aging, swim lessons for children, and basic needs services, Chairman Jeff Brower took a cue from Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins and used it as an inappropriate opportunity to showboat.

According to an article in the West Volusia Beacon this week:  

“Although the storm over the Volusia County Council’s defunding of several arts and cultural organizations has not subsided, the governing body Nov. 4 waded into another budget controversy: appropriations for programs aiding the elderly and people with special needs.

“We spend far beyond our core government responsibilities,” County Chair Jeff Brower said, reading from a prepared statement. “Today we are being asked to spend the money we have taken from one family to help with the needs another family faces. We are a generous people, and our constituents are always willing to help those in need. But it should be their decision, not ours.”

This time, the “core responsibilities” argument didn’t go over well.

Per usual, Chairman Brower was alone and adrift – as none of his hard-shelled “colleagues” would consider voting against children’s programs and elderly assistance…

Later in the meeting, in a contrived twist Councilman David “No Show” Santiago, an unconvincing liar with the political morals of a broke back snake, tried to convince us he has conjured up a compassionate means of feeding the hungry (while further humiliating Volusia’s arts community).

In another of Santigo’s clearly choreographed sideshows, “No Show” all but held a cartoon lightbulb over his head when he announced he had suddenly found a way to use the $611,000 budgeted for arts funding – that just two-weeks ago was reallocated for an in-name-only “road and sidewalk maintenance program” – to underwrite the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as the US Government shutdown stretches into its sixth week.

In doing so, Councilman Santiago (who feeds greedily at the public trough) telegraphed to anyone watching that he doesn’t have a clue how many families in Volusia County (or his district) suffer from food insecurity – or even the number of food banks and pantries Volusia County “partners” with. 

Which makes it convenient for me to say – I’ll just bet Mr. Santiago has never met a hungry person (unless he was laughing at them on the sidewalk).  In my view, that makes his whopper “Feeding people is important to me” seem that much more cruel, calculated, and disingenuous.

In doing so, the demonstrably meanspirited Santiago exposed that he has no qualms using the anxiety and suffering of others to paint arts organizations as taking food from the mouths of hungry children should they continue to complain about the council’s bait-and-switch deception.  

That is Santiago’s brand of petty politics – quick on self-serving solutions – while dragging his tiny little feet, demanding more time and information, and throwing up inane roadblocks on issues of critical concern for Volusia County residents. 

Meanwhile, as Ms. Pante so eloquently points out, $10.2 million in taxpayer funds wait to pay for Councilman Don Dempsey’s family folly – a publicly funded motorcross facility…

Make no mistake, “No Show” Santiago and his “colleagues” on the dais are hoping against hope the shutdown resolves before they are forced to make good on their chaotic virtue signaling and reallocate funds from transportation infrastructure (originally earmarked for culture and arts funding) and provide $611K in unbudgeted and nonrefundable public assistance to area food banks – something that sticks in their collective craw like a fishbone.

Volusia County residents deserve better.

And Another Thing!

“The Florida Department of Transportation will host an open house next week to discuss a project that will resurface almost 4 miles of Nova Road, from Flomich Street in Holly Hill north to U.S. 1 in Ormond Beach.

The open house will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive. According to a city notice, the project will include a raised median that will replace portions of the center two-way left-turn lane on Nova Road between Granada Boulevard and Willmette Avenue.

The project will also add a new traffic signal at Old Kings Road and a directional median at Arroyo Parkway, which FDOT states will allow left turns onto Arroyo Parkway from Nova Road; traffic turning from Arroyo Parkway to Nova Road, however, will only be able to turn right.

Other improvements include upgraded traffic and pedestrian signals, enhanced lighting at signalized intersections and the reconstruction of pedestrian curb ramps to comply with ADA standards.

The design phase of the project is estimated to cost $2.6 million. The total construction cost is $16.8 million and construction is slated to start in summer 2026.”

–The Ormond Beach Observer, “FDOT to host open house for Nova Road improvements,” Tuesday, October 28, 2025

FDOT: “You rube’s like the “improvements” we gave you on Granada Boulevard and A-1-A?  You ain’t seen nothing like what we got planned for Nova Road!  

Please.  Say it isn’t so… 

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

Hi, kids!

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

Cowardice and Avarice Reign in the Lost City of Deltona

With the grotesque Commissioner “Farting” Chris Nabicht now ensconced on the dais, this week the compromised majority of the Deltona City Commission ignored the will of residents, spinelessly reversed course, and abruptly pulled out of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 180.   

After Deltona earned widespread admiration for being among the first municipalities in the state to push back on the preemptions of SB-180 – a wide-ranging tool that completely undermines local growth management regulations and allows real estate developer’s carte blanche to build what, when, and where they want – on Monday, the “new” majority on Deltona’s dais tucked tail in fear of state sponsored “retribution” and voted for vassalage over independent governance and self-determination.  

To her immense credit, rather than kowtow to the petty intimidation of Volusia County’s legislative delegation, Commissioner Dori Howington courageously stood firm in her commitment to represent the rights of her constituents, fighting tooth-and-nail to stay the course and continue the city’s noble legal challenge to the state’s greed-crazed attack on Home Rule authority. 

In a bold act of leadership, Commissioner Howington spoke truth in the face of her “colleague’s” handwringing – standing up to the meanspirited Volusia legislative delegation, who have punished the city for its participation in the lawsuit by childishly refusing to present those giant cartoon checks for projects to deny elected officials a campaign photo op – fighting to protect her residents from malignant overdevelopment.

For her forthright stand against the pernicious influence of special interests, Ms. Howington was browbeaten from the dais by that insolvent sad sack, Mayor Santiago Avila Jr., and the strategically appointed (and forever flatulent gasbag) Commissioner Nabicht…

Kudos to Commissioners Maria Avila-Vasquez and Stephen Colwell for having the courage of their convictions and joining Ms. Howington in voting to stay in the fight.

It is no secret that the gross maladministration of the Lost City of Deltona has been a growing embarrassment for residents (and greater Central Florida) for years – a flaming shit-show of epic proportion – marked by an abysmal lack of leadership, slimy personal agendas, and a parade of ill-equipped elected marionettes whose personal irresponsibility, and ethical ambiguity, would preclude them from holding office in any third-world banana republic in the world.

But not here.

In Deltona – just like in the rest of Florida – manipulative external forces cultivate those they can control, while whoever is responsible for enforcing public integrity laws here in the Biggest Whorehouse in the World continues to turn a blind eye…  

Tragic.

In my view, if – as the majority of the Deltona City Commission now suggest – our state government is engaging in a strongarm campaign, using threats of retribution against any political subdivision that disagrees with handing the future of their communities over to the wants of mercenary developers, then the solution to that disturbing thuggery begins by changing our bought-and-paid-for state representatives at the ballot box.

Rarely in modern times has the pernicious effects of special interest money and influence become so blatant and divisive at the local level.

As the Lost City of Deltona hits an appalling new low, here’s hoping the longsuffering residents of this irreparably damaged community can encourage candidates who have their best interests at heart – servant-leaders committed to something beyond the for-profit whims of their political overseers – then vote their conscience.

The “Culture of Deceit” Continues in Volusia County

“If a well governed city were to confine its governmental functions merely to the task of assuring survival, if it were to do nothing but provide “basic services” for an animal survival, it would be a city without parks, swimming pools, zoo, baseball diamonds, football gridirons and playgrounds for children. Such a city would be a dreary city indeed. As man cannot live by bread alone, a city cannot endure on cement, asphalt and pipes alone. A city must have a municipal spirit beyond its physical properties, it must be alive with an esprit de corps, its personality must be such that visitors both business and tourist are attracted to the city, pleased by it and wish to return to it.”

–Justice Michael A. Musmanno, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Conrad v. Pittsburgh

What do you call someone who reneges on a promise?

Unreliable?  A liar?  An untrustworthy turncoat?  A four-flushing welsher?   

All of the above?

For the second time this month, in a nasty display of bait-and-switch deception, on Tuesday the Volusia County Council once again put not-for-profit cultural organizations across our region through the emotional grinder, voting to deny previously budgeted funding after another round of pompous political grandstanding.

In June 2023, the Volusia County Council listened to two-hours of public input then voted 6-0 (with Councilman David “No Show” Santiago typically absent) to continue the Volusia Cultural Council and the Community Cultural Grant program which has provided assistance to area arts, cultural, and heritage organizations through a competitive process for the past 36-years.

After approving the allocation of cultural arts grant funding during budget negotiations earlier this year, on October 7, Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins callously pulled the rug out from under 33 long-established local arts organizations at the eleventh-hour.

It seems Mr. Robins took offense to the fact the Shoestring Theater, a Lake Helen playhouse that has served Volusia County for 75-years, allowed a privately funded “Volusia Pride Pageant,” while the iconic 103-year-old Athens Theater in DeLand permitted an outside group to rent the venue to screen an adult only production of the “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which included a “drag show” before the movie.

In turn, after Robins clutched his pearls, and a ham-handed process of confusing motions and counterproposals – the council voted 6-0 (you guessed it, Santiago was absent…) to return the traditional $611,758 allocation back to the general fund.

Oddly, Chairman Jeff Brower mumbled something about the money going to a non-existent “road” program…   

As a result, those cultural organizations who dutifully completed grant applications, attended workshops, provided requested financial data, and jumped through the myriad hoops required to have their funding request ranked and vetted by the Cultural Council, were publicly humiliated for no other reason than it suited Councilman Robins’ shameless self-promotion.

After fervent public pushback – including lobbying by 19 former Volusia County Council members, emails, social media posts, a petition containing 2,300 signatures, and impassioned pleas from the podium – this week, the off-the-agenda discussion continued with a longwinded push by Councilman Don Dempsey to wheedle a way to use Volusia ECHO funds for the cultural grant program by manipulating the millage (?).

In what must have been a pique of guilt, Mr. Dempsey mewled, “I’m not opposed to the ECHO portion of our tax dollar being used to maybe help them out, because that seems like that was the will of the voters with ECHO.  But I would never want to take anything out of the general fund for the arts, because I don’t think that’s a government purpose, but as long as that goes in place, I think it’s fair that maybe these people should have a shot of putting in for some of that money.”

You remember Councilman Dempsey? 

He’s the one who hates investing public funds in arts and cultural pursuits that draw thousands of visitors to our area annually, yet he has proposed shoehorning a multi-million-dollar publicly funded motorcross track to accommodate his family hobby using a mishmash of Volusia Forever and ECHO programmatic funding…    

(Maybe Mr. Dempsey should sit this one out?)

This time around, the council’s self-aggrandizing kabuki focused on pretentiously preaching how “fiscally conservative” our elected dullards are (after unanimously approving the cultural grants program in the 2025-26 budget?)

After taking a few cheap shots at arts organizations who spoke of hiring grant writers, cutting children’s programs, and restructuring budgets after the promised funds were abruptly denied, a motion to approve funding for the current list of grant recipients failed 4-3, with Councilmen Matt Reinhart, Jake Johansson and “No Show” Santiago voting to fund the program, at least for this year.

Given the promise made in 2023, it was a gross betrayal of those organizations who acted in good faith.

In my view, this protracted pageant of pomposity was a sickening display of the abject cruelty self-serving politicians are capable of – to include their suggested manipulation of established voter approved and tax supported programs like ECHO – when it serves their posturing, regardless of the corrosive effects on the public trust.   

These chiselers went back on their word – repeatedly – and Volusia County voters should not forget that.

Richard Francis “Dick” Kane – Requiescat in Pace

Several years ago, I ambled into a riverfront bar in Wilber by the Sea, perched on a barstool, and ordered a cold beer.  As luck would have it, sitting next to me was the great Dick Kane and his lovely wife Marylin. 

At the time, Dick was well into his 80’s and we rekindled our acquaintance, having previously met during a Sons of the Beach fundraiser. 

In remarkable fashion, Dick plumbed the depths of his incredible knowledge of local politics spanning decades as we spoke of the absurdities, blessings, and importance of a lifelong calling to public service. 

Having spent the bulk of my life serving the citizens of Holly Hill, I was amazed that Dick knew as much about the unique history and political timeline of that small community as he did about Daytona Beach and Volusia County – recalling names, dates, the context, and backstory on some of the most famous (and infamous) periods of Halifax area history. 

It was like learning at the foot of a master storyteller with an encyclopedic recollection. 

According to a reflection on Mr. Kane’s amazing life and times published in The Daytona Beach News-Journal last week:

“Born on Long Island, New York, Kane served four years in the U.S. Navy, then earned a law degree from Duke University in 1963. He was admitted to the Florida Bar later that year.

He became the first Daytona Beach city attorney, and in 1965, as a member of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, he helped move Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to Daytona Beach.

At age 34, in 1969, Kane was elected to the first of three terms as Daytona Beach mayor.”

During his long legal and often tumultuous political career, Mr. Kane held various posts, to include service as municipal judge for the City of Port Orange, decades as the city attorney of Hallandale Beach, Florida, past president of Sons of the Beach, and a longtime member of the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee. 

In the News-Journal’s summation of Mayor Kane’s life of service, former President of Sons of the Beach, and longtime friend of the Kanes, Paul Zimmerman, spoke of Dick’s dedication to preserving public access to our most precious natural amenity:

“…Kane’s legal acumen served the Sons of the Beach well, advising the group as it engaged in lawsuits against Volusia County seeking to overturn decisions that removed beach driving in certain designated areas.

“One of the reasons he was so stringent about his belief that driving should be sanctified, it’s written in our County Charter,” Zimmerman said. “He felt as though driving on the beach was a tremendous economic engine for Daytona Beach, and he was always looking at ways to improve Daytona Beach.”

Mayor Dick Kane passed away last week. He was 90 years old.

A wonderful life of service to others.  

Well done, Mayor Kane.  We’re glad you passed our way…  

City of Bunnell – Crossing the Goal Line Pays Dividends…

“To mark the completion of his seventh year with the city, last Monday commissioners gave him a 10 percent raise, or $14,600, increasing his salary from $143,395 to $158,000, not including a $2,400 a year car allowance and his health and retirement benefits.

It would have been a 12.5 percent raise had Commissioner Pete Young’s motion carried. Commissioner John Rogers pushed it back to 10. “I did the best I could to cut it back,” Rogers said.

The 10 percent includes a 2.5 percent inflation raise that all employees got. Employees also got up to 3 percent in merit raises. But no one got anything more than 5.5 percent.

Jackson’s salary is now nearly double the $82,000 salary he started with in August 2019. “My work speaks for itself,” Jackson said.”

–As excerpted from FlaglerLive.com, “It’s a Great Day for Bunnell Manager Alvin Jackson, Who Gets $14,500 Raise Despite Checkered Record,” Friday, October 17, 2025

When I read the Bunnell City Commission gifted City Manager Alvin Jackson a $14,600 salary increase following their almost supernatural evaluation of his performance, I immediately thought of that old adage “Persistence pays off.”

Make no mistake, when it came to ramrodding some of the most impactful (and controversial) development agreements and rezonings in the history of this once quaint community – a herculean behind-the-scenes effort that overcame almost universal public opposition and blindsided outraged residents – Mr. Jackson simply ignored civic resistance and made it happen.

Now, Alvin Jackson gets his due.  Because that’s how it works.

In my view, Mr. Jackson’s lucrative payday comes after his ‘damn the torpedoes’ push to resuscitate the 6,100-home monstrosity perversely named the Reserve at Haw Creek just weeks after the commission quashed the project to the applause (and relief) of worried residents.

Using a viciously underhanded tactic known as public policy by ambush, Bunnell Mayor Cathrine Robinson waited until the end of a June meeting to revive the development that will ultimately blanket over 2,800 acres between SR-100 and SR-11.

After strategically waiting for interested residents to leave the chamber that evening – Mayor Robinson sprang her off-the-agenda surprise – moving to reconsider the previous denial of the rezoning application and move forward with the development agreement. 

It was widely seen as wrong, duplicitous, and horribly deceitful – something orchestrated well in advance…

The mayor’s deceptive action stunned Bunnell residents who are rightfully concerned that the “city within a city” development will fundamentally change the character of their community.  Now, many believe that while Mayor Robinson was the face of the project, City Manager Jackson was its architect.

After greenlighting the Haw Creek development, the City Commission moved to rezone some 1,260 acres to light and heavy industrial use despite public opposition.   

According to a report in FlaglerLive.com, the approvals represented “…one of the largest such single-rezoning in the state, while never disclosing to what uses the land would be put. The development and the rezoning drew near-unanimous and intense public opposition. It made little difference to Jackson and the bare majority of the commission that pushed both through.”

Most recently, Mr. Jackson kept a mysterious project known only by the cryptogram “Another Great Day,” hidden from public review as the Bunnell City Commission took action to “execute documents” on the October 13 consent agenda. 

Using an “economic development” public record exemption to keep the project a secret, the citizens of Bunnell could be getting anything from an ice cream parlor to a hazardous waste incinerator…

None of that matters. 

Now is the time for those in “public service” who are willing to go along and get along to feather their nests – and the needs and demands of those they took an oath to serve are of no concern.

When historians reflect on this period of explosive growth in what remains of the Sunshine State – a greed-crazed era that traded our environment and quality of life for more pavement, development-induced flooding, loss of natural ecosystems, and growing threats to the quality and quantity of our finite water supply – they will note that loyalty paid dividends for those willing to sell their soul for a developer’s sense of “progress.”

Quote of the Week

“For most of the 13 years the City Island Recreation Center has been shuttered, city managers have repeatedly suggested that the World War II-era building be torn down.

The once-beautiful heart of pine floors have been buckling, and in recent years the wood frame structure has been saddled with water damage, mold, cracked walls, broken windows and holes in the roof, floor and walls.

Now, for the first time, a majority of city commissioners have agreed it’s time for the beat-up riverfront structure to come down.

At their next meeting on Nov. 5, city commissioners will vote on a proposal to tear down the 8,000-square-foot building perched on Orange Avenue just east of Beach Street.”

–Investigative Journalist Eileen Zaffiro-Kean writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Daytona Beach World War II building appears doomed to the wrecking ball,” Thursday, October 23, 2025

She was a tough old bird.  Good bones. 

It took decades, but the forces of “progress” finally got their way.  Our culture and history be damned.  Waterfront lots don’t grow on trees – and who needs trees anyway?

Sad.

Under this pernicious scheme, “progress” and “economic development” often require the sacrifice of public properties which link our present to our past – and the idea of preserving and enriching our unique cultural heritage by incorporating the past into the modern landscape is dismissed as “too expensive” by arrogant politicians and short-sighted administrators who naturally know what’s best for the rest of us.

So, they simply breach their fiduciary duty and fail to act or use due care – strategic negligence committed in plain sight – that allows publicly owned assets to fall into dangerous disrepair.  

And no one who should seems to care.  

The ruse usually begins with scary stories about physical threats to the building – a nasty “mold” problem, rodent infestation, or compromised structural elements round out the tale – all while officials purposely withhold funding for maintenance of the facility then allow time and the elements to do the rest.

When the public asset has deteriorated to the point it is no longer salvageable – outrageously inflated estimates for repairs are published – and the complicit elected officials tut-tut in faux astonishment about “priorities” and a “lack of funding” – with razing and replacing the building as the only prudent solution.

Now, the fate of the City Island Recreation Center is sealed after decades of strategic neglect.

I am always taken by the fact that our ‘powers that be’ have no qualms about gifting tens-of-millions in public funds to all the right last names – with various city and county officials rolling over and pissing on themselves like incontinent lapdogs whenever our “Rich & Powerful” demand tax incentives and corporate welfare packages to underwrite their for-profit ventures – yet an expenditure to save arts organizations or preserve a threatened piece of our local history is never a “wise investment.”

“Not a core responsibility of government…”

My ass.

This staggering level of incompetence, deliberate waste, and resource mismanagement at all levels of government is not limited to one historic building in Daytona Beach.  In my view, it represents a continuing, almost institutionalized, lack of substantive oversight by our elected officials that allows this calculated course of conduct to continue.

We deserve better.

“Tu vis ta culture ou tu tues ta culture, il n’y a pas de milieu.” “You live your culture, or you kill your culture, there is no in between.”

— Les Rôdailleurs, La Prière

And Another Thing!

Last week, Volusia United Educators held a rally outside the School Board meeting in DeLand to bring attention to the district’s insulting offer of a 1.5% cost-of-living increase for educators.

The teacher’s union had asked for 4%. 

According to reports, negotiations between VUE and Volusia County Schools stopped in September when the district declared an impasse after five bargaining sessions…

In a disturbing article by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer last week, “As a union steward for Volusia United Educators, Mainland High School teacher Susan Holbrook asked her colleagues: If you could say one thing to the School Board and the superintendent, what would you say?

Their responses? One teacher sells plasma to pay her bills. Another said she wished she could sell plasma to buy her groceries, but can’t due to the cancer treatments. Then there was a statement by a teacher who lives with three roommates to make rent, and another by a teacher who has to work five jobs to make ends meet.”

Unfortunately, it appears those grim realities – along with physical assaults, threats, statistical manipulation by district administrators, and dystopian classroom conditions – are the terrible cost of teaching our children in Volusia County Schools in 2025.

The district claims that under their current offer, all instructional staff will receive a minimum 2.5% increase this year, with most instructional staff seeing a 3+% raise.  In my view, given the trifling offer, the teacher’s union is right to stand firm in opposition to an insulting 1.5% cost-of-living increase.  

According to VUE, Florida ranks an embarrassing 50th in the nation for teacher salaries – with Volusia County Schools base pay for instructional staff falling below what surrounding counties in Central Florida offer by $5,000 to $6,000.

In a statement to the board, VUE President Elizabeth Albert said, “Your employees are working harder than ever, yet they are struggling to make ends meet.  Wages are low. Respect feels conditional and the people that make VCS an A-rated district are reaching their breaking point.”

In a horribly lop-sided insult to their dedicated instructional staff, last December, the Volusia County School Board – with little opportunity for newly elected representatives to review the lucrative terms of the agreement – fast-tracked an obscene four-year contract with Superintendent Carmen Balgobin on a 4-1 vote – increasing her base salary by 8.7% bringing her annual haul to $280,000 before perquisites.  

In addition, Balgobin’s contract includes life insurance, a medical stipend of $500 a month, district-owned cellular phone and computer, 20 calendar days of vacation, 12 days of sick leave per year, six “personal leave days,“ and a take-home car owned and maintained by Volusia County taxpayers.

A virtual cornucopia of salary and bennies has been lavished on Balgobin while questions of altering enrollment records and manipulating testing to increase school scores, ongoing communication issues, nondisclosure agreements to silence administrators, program cuts, and allegations of gross mismanagement in the Ivory Tower of Power continue to swirl…  

After that slap in the face to Volusia County educators, you begin to see why the district’s measly 1.5% cost-of-living offer is a sick joke…

According to the Observer’s report, to her credit, during last week’s School Board meeting, the resolute District 4 member Donna Brosemer – who cast the lone “No” vote to deny Balgobin’s horribly disproportionate contract – explained:

“District leadership knows what I thought of 1.5 (percent) from the beginning,” she said, adding that the board had been celebrating Homes Bring Hope — a nonprofit that recently helped six VCS employees become homeowners — while “completely ignoring the fact that there’s no number of plaques and certificates or photo ops or challenge coins that we can give to any teacher that helps them pay their bills.”

“What I heard tonight was horrifying,” Brosemer said. “So I hope that we all take this to heart and do more than just be dignified in ignoring it.”

That’s what leadership looks like, folks…

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

______________________________________________________

Note to the Barker’s View Tribe:

Barker’s View will be on hiatus – a short ‘pause for the cause’ – until November 13, 2025. 

During the break, please feel free to enjoy some past asides from the copious BV achieves at the bottom of this page.  In my view, it’s fun to take a look in the rearview mirror with the clarity of hindsight and analyze what’s changed, and what remains the same, here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”  

All the Best, 

MDB

Hi, kids!

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

Another Unfortunate ‘Misunderstanding’ in Ormond Beach

I served in municipal government for over three-decades.  During a long and necessarily tumultuous career, I learned that in politics the fumble doesn’t matter, it’s the recovery that counts…   

In my experience, disagreements surrounding essential services, budget allowances, and operational focus are inevitable.  Not everyone in the community is going to agree on how funds are allocated or concur with policy decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods.  That’s why elected officials need to be open to citizen input, welcome the competition of ideas, and grow some hard bark.   

Because contentious debate comes with the territory – and honest mistakes are inevitable in a bureaucracy with a lot of moving parts.     

Then there are the flagrant foul-ups.  Governmental gaffes that are purely self-inflicted – and worthy of widespread criticism.   

Purely unforced blunders – like the mystery of the Ormond Beach City Commission’s strategic foot-dragging in selecting an employee benefits provider – something many residents now suspect may involve undue lobbying and internal influence that has postponed (undermined?) the selection process (is there another reason?)

Add to that the withering backbiting and confusion on the dais that dominated recent budget negotiations – coupled with the incessant squabbles, political torpedoes, and petty power plays that continue to hamper progress on pressing issues – and you see why many are convinced Ormond Beach City Hall has descended into a factious and dysfunctional dumpster fire.

In my view, none of that explains why five reasonably intelligent elected officials (and their ample “staff”) once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they missed a golden opportunity to do the right thing.   

Last week, Ormond Beach mom Anni Suadi appeared before the Ormond Beach City Commission to ask that her son, Lance Avery, 25, a resident living with Down syndrome, be returned to his two hour a day/two day a week volunteer role at the Nova Community Center, a position he enthusiastically held from October 2023 to November 2024, under a job training program sponsored by the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. 

For reasons still not clear, Lance was terminated from his role in November 2024 when the “temporary” program ended. 

According to a report by Brenno Carillo writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “To this day, he does not understand why his dream job got taken from him and has an emotional breakdown whenever at Nova Rec or even gets near it,” Suadi told the City Commission.

Suadi told The News-Journal last year that former Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, who now serves as the district’s state representative, helped Avery secure his job at the center to serve “as an example” for other special needs young adults to do the same as part of a future pilot program idea.

More than 10 people spoke in support of Avery, calling on the board to rehire the former Seabreeze High School student to his previous post at the center.

Jennifer Bright, a candidate for City Commission, said the program gave special needs residents “an opportunity to learn job skills so they can build self-confidence and be more productive members of society.”

According to the city’s flummoxed Leisure Services and Parks and Recreation Director Robert Carolin, all the City of Ormond Beach did was provide space for the training course, stating that the vocational program “…possibly could have been construed as (was) an opportunity for employment within the city of Ormond Beach, but traditionally that’s not the case, and it hasn’t been.”

Seriously? 

After Lance served in a volunteer role for the City of Ormond Beach for over a year performing functions normally assigned to paid employees – sweeping floors, moving nets, shredding papers, preparing rooms for programs and special events, cleaning windows, and putting away gym equipment – Director Carlin disingenuously questions how he could have interpreted that his contributions might translate to a job opportunity with Parks & Rec? 

Bullshit.

By any measure, Lance had the right to believe he was proving himself and working towards a goal.

According to the News-Journal, “…Suadi said Avery kept volunteering at Rec Center until November, when she was told by city officials her son required some supervision.

“He can work independently, without supervision,” Saudi said.

When Partington left as mayor, the idea for the program did not continue, which prompted Suadi to ask the commission to vote to adopt it.

“It is not the primary role of government to directly employ individuals with special needs,” Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland said, indicating the board would not hold a vote. “It’s hard on our hearts, there is no doubt about it … but it’s not the role of government to provide jobs and training for individuals.”

Excuse me?  What in the discriminatory hell is Lori Tolland blathering about?

In my experience, smart government organizations at every level routinely recruit qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure essential services and equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of personal challenges.   

That’s the law.  It’s also the right thing to do…

During the public meeting, individuals who spoke to the City Commission on Lance’s behalf touted his value to the rec center, and our community.  In a report by Jarleene Almenas in the Ormond Beach Observer, Lance’s job training coach Chris Bond touted his potential:

“Lance is a very capable young man,” Bond said. “He thrives on a strong routine in any place that can offer him that strong routine. He is a very hard worker. He is very capable and I know that we’re going to find success, whether in the future with the city, if that’s something that is in the cards, or elsewhere in the competitive job market. Lance makes his own success.”

What a terrible shame for the tone-deaf City of Ormond Beach.

When they had the chance to demonstrate a firm commitment to their constituents with special needs – going beyond faux sympathy and a few leisure programs – rather than invest in gainful opportunities for disabled residents who aspire to public service, they cruelly claim helping people isn’t a “role of government.”    

(Where have I heard that before?)

I find it difficult to believe that a city government currently employing two redundant Assistant City Managers – each commanding $173,000 annually, plus perquisites – cannot find 4-hours of entry-level compensation to retain an inspirational and demonstrably loyal asset? 

I’ll just bet if State Rep. Bill Partington wanted to, he could look under the couch cushions in Tallahassee and find a modicum of funding to support occupational training for Ormond Beach’s special needs population to help them succeed personally and professionally.

In his “State of the City” address on Tuesday, Mayor Jason Leslie themed his speech “It all starts here!” 

That is, unless you happen to be disabled… 

Then, you can find your start elsewhere.  Because while your plight is “hard on the hearts” of our callous elected officials – it’s not their “role” to provide a hand up to “individuals” like you…

In my view, qualified individuals living with special needs like Lance Avery who have proven their worth through volunteerism, job training, solid personal and professional references, and demonstrated proficiency, should have the right to expect a chance for gainful and personally rewarding employment through the competitive process, just like everyone else.   

Anything less is morally wrong, systemically exclusionary, and patently discriminatory. 

Deputy Mayor Tolland should know that – and understand she has now an opportunity to recover with grace and do the right thing to the benefit of all Ormond Beach residents.  

Bold Leadership Brings Hope for Volusia County Arts & Culture Funding   

The unfortunate fallout from Volusia County Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins’ political showboating – a self-promoting eleventh-hour parlor trick that cut all previously appropriated grant funding for 33 nonprofit organizations and impacted numerous art shows, festivals, community theaters, educational opportunities, and musical productions – continued this week with an inspiring community effort and extraordinary leadership from an impressive alliance of former County Council members.

More on that important development later. 

Shockingly, all public funding for arts and cultural programs in Volusia County was eliminated and returned to the general fund last week after Councilman Robins discovered that – in an effort to become self-sustaining – the iconic Athens Theater in DeLand, and the tiny Shoestring Theater in Lake Helen, rented their venues to third-party producers who held an adult only “drag show” ahead of a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” and a Volusia Pride event, respectively.   

In an effort to make up for the $611,758 denied by the Volusia County Council and maintain critical funding for area arts programs, Grace Boynton, development director at the 103-year-old Athens Theater, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $700,000 to support “…the theatres, museums, galleries, and cultural spaces that give our community its soul…”

Please find the Volusia Arts Lifeline here: https://gofund.me/6f4178b21

In an unprecedented show of bold leadership and solidarity with community cultural organizations, this week nineteen former Volusia County Council members – from both sides of the aisle and all political persuasions – stood strong and signed an open letter to Chairman Brower and current council members calling their action “a shock to the system,” and reminding them of the estimated $50 million in annual economic impact artistic programming brings to our region.

As previously stated, I believe that arts programs should be self-sufficient to the extent possible – supported by fundraisers, philanthropy, volunteerism, and productions that help offset costs. 

However, given the sheer number of visitors festivals like the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts, the Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts, Daytona Beach Arts Fest, and the IMAGES festival bring to Volusia County each year – promoting tourism, stimulating the local economy, and highlighting area communities – you begin to understand that the paltry budget allocated to arts funding for the past 36 years has resulted in a handsome return on investment countywide.

Not anymore.

In an article that appeared in the West Volusia Beacon this week, reporter Robin Mimna exposed some disturbing facts about how our elected representatives cloister themselves and refuse to explain their petty machinations to either the working press or their constituents.   

According to the report, only County Chair Jeff Brower and Councilman Matt Reinhart responded to the reporter’s request for comment:

“I do not believe government should be in charge of defining or funding art,” Brower wrote. “Government should not take our residents’ income with the threat of seizing their homes and property to use it for charitable donations.”

Brower said he wants the grant funding redirected to sidewalk construction, which he described as a “core government responsibility.”

Reinhart, who supported the grants, told The Beacon he made a motion to approve all the applicants but it died without a second. Because he was on the losing side, he said, he cannot bring the matter back; only one of the four opposing council members can.”

According to the report, Robins did not respond to The Beacon’s request for additional comment following the meeting, and the remainder – Jake Johansson, Don Dempsey, Troy Kent, and David “No Show” Santiago – couldn’t be bothered…

Cowards.

While Chairman Brower’s rationale sounds noble, when you consider this council has done essentially nothing when it comes to funding desperately needed transportation infrastructure, while blatantly misusing ECHO and Forever dollars to bankroll Councilman Don Dempsey’s multi-million-dollar publicly funded motorcross facility, his “core government responsibility” argument rings hollow.

Why didn’t Mr. Brower and his “colleagues” allocate the funds to sidewalks during the normal budget process?

Instead, they waited for Volusia County nonprofits to complete applications, jump through hoops, have their requests vetted and ranked by the now unnecessary Cultural Council, only to have the rug publicly pulled out from under them so Councilman Robins could preen and peacock with his pompous puritan act…

The Volusia Arts Lifeline request for donations reads, in part, “For generations, the arts have shaped Volusia County into a place where imagination is nurtured, where children discover their voices, and where neighbors come together to feel inspired, connected, and part of something beautiful.

Now, those same organizations are fighting to keep their doors open, their lights on, and their programs alive.”

Please join me in supporting the arts in Volusia County this fall – attend a festival, take in a live performance, or enjoy a concert – your patronage fuels creativity in our community and enhances the quality of life for everyone.  

Quote of the Week

“In 1989 the County Council established the Cultural Council as the official arts agency and tasked them with establishing a program for review of annual funding requests. This action followed a recommendation from Leadership Daytona together with an economic study which showed significant economic impact to Volusia County by cultural and arts programming.

For more than three decades, the economic rate of return for cultural and arts programming has been extraordinary. Every dollar invested in the arts produces two dollars in return.  A recent study by United Arts of Central Florida demonstrated that local arts programming had a nearly $50 million annual impact. Culture and the arts support nearly 1000 local jobs, and hosted events which attracted over 800,000 people.

A recent exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Sciences attracted over 30,000 people from around the state. Images Art Festival annually draws a crowd of over 50,000. Atlantic Center for the Arts has earned a national reputation.  While the economic gain is tangible, the benefits to our quality-of-life is even more significant.

Volusia voters have long demonstrated their support for funding culture, arts, and history.  In both 2000 and 2020, voters overwhelmingly supported taxing themselves through the ECHO program, but these funds are restricted to capital improvements.  Annual programmatic funding is essential to the vitality of these museums and venues.   

The recent action of the county council to reject the annual award of community cultural grants was a shock to the system…”

–As excerpted from correspondence signed by nineteen former Volusia County Council members and chairs to Chairman Jeff Brower and Councilmen Johansson, Robins, Reinhart, Kent, Santiago, and Dempsey, asking they reconsider their recent action and approve the recommended cultural and arts funding for 2025-2026.

“Bravo!” Many thanks for your courage and thoughtful leadership when we need it most:

Pat Northey

Clay Henderson

Deanie Lowe

Ed Kelley

Frank Bruno

Joyce Cusack

Judy Conte

Pat Patterson

Deb Denys

Roy Schleicher

Joe Janynes

Jim Ward

Doug Daniels

Carl Persis

Billie Wheeler

Barbara Girtman

Phil Giorno

Ben Johnson

Josh Wagner

And Another Thing!

“Over the years, the county has seen debate over where and how to spend (ECHO) money and the process itself.

(Clay) Henderson said he’d like to see changes to the direct expenditure program, which enables the county to spend Volusia ECHO money for its own purposes.

“It’s a concern to many that the county can just say, ‘Well, (we) want to appropriate some of this money for our own projects,” Henderson said.

Some have criticized the County Council for setting aside $3.5 million from Volusia ECHO funds toward a motocross facility. The Volusia County Council hasn’t voted yet on whether to build the facility, but the Council approved buying land for the site with part of those funds. The idea is being spearheaded by District 1 Councilman Don Dempsey.”

–Reporter Sheldon Gardner, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “ECHO at 25: Volusia grant program has spent $117 million so far, has it been worth it?” Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Kudos to former Volusia County Council Chair Clay Henderson for saying the quiet part out loud.

In a timely report on the health of Volusia County’s ECHO program, voter-approved revenue earmarked for ecological, cultural, historical, and what has traditionally been passive outdoor recreation; this week The Daytona Beach News-Journal gave the good, the bad, and the ugly of the program over the past quarter-century.

Although Volusia ECHO was sold to voters as a means of partnering with nonprofits and municipal governments who compete for funding with innovative quality-of-life projects – a process that normally requires a vetted plan demonstrating countywide interest, matching funds, and clear performance requirements – what we got was a cheap backdoor slush fund. 

Inexcusably, two years ago, the Volusia County Council approved a “Direct County Expenditure” bundled as a “5-year plan,” which placed costs for the repair and replacement of existing infrastructure on the back of the Volusia ECHO grant program.

According to a March 2023 report in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Over the next five years, Volusia County plans to fund 43 projects at 32 facilities — a request totaling over $15 million — through its voter-approved Volusia ECHO program.”

In addition, since the program’s inception in 2007, “…the council approved 22 projects to be funded by direct county expenditure, at $16.1 million.”

At the time, the county’s facilitator, Community Services Director Brad Burbaugh, hid behind an obscure 2020 resolution passed by the Volusia County Council that both authorized the referendum to renew the ECHO program while permitting the council to route programmatic funds for “direct county expenditure for County government projects or by grants-in-aid awards.”

In my view, wrapping the ballot initiative in some bureaucratese then misappropriating what was billed as competitive grant funds to supplant recurring repair and replacement expenditures is not an accepted use of ECHO grant dollars – it’s bait-and-switch sneak thievery.

In my view, when 72% of Volusia County voters opted to extend the ECHO and Forever programs for 20-years, they had no idea that funds earmarked for new and innovative amenities would ultimately be used for “ecological, cultural, and historic” features like repairing long neglected beach ramps, walkovers, and docks, refinishing ceilings, renovating public restrooms and parking lots at county facilities, and building a multi-million-dollar motocross facility…

Unlike Volusia County, most responsible government entities without a tax supported piggybank at their disposal are required to budget for infrastructure repair and replacement obligations each year in an honest and transparent way.

They don’t exacerbate a growing “trust issue” by stretching a voter-approved program’s intent to shoehorn anything and everything – including the pet projects of sitting politicians – into a slimy slush fund where our tax dollars are regularly looted to cover the ongoing mismanagement of preventive maintenance, repair, and replacement of existing public assets. 

That’s all for me.  Have a safe and fun Biketoberfest 2025, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

This one’s a doozy, y’all. Settle in…

The Case of the Slippery Sidewalks – A Mystery at Mosaic

Last month, The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s investigative journalist Eileen Zaffiro-Kean broke the story of how 40 residents of ICI Homes’ Mosaic community have suffered slip-and-fall incidents on neighborhood sidewalks – some resulting in serious injuries. 

The culprit is standing water due to inadequate drainage that results in a slippery coating of mold, algae, and mud forming across the surface. 

A dirty and dangerous condition that has persisted for years.

For reasons that are yet to be determined, construction performance bonds on the sidewalks – which would have ensured the infrastructure met applicable codes – were reduced or released apparently with little (if any) inspections. 

As a result, the taxpayers of Daytona Beach are on the hook for at least $1 million in repair and replacement costs to correct the problem for Mosaic residents.

Now, the internal intrigue at City Hall is becoming a Nancy Drew Mystery… 

When last we left River Heights, it was reported that assistant city manager for infrastructure Andy Holmes was claiming “Former Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm, who served from 2004 until 2021, decided unilaterally whether a bond would be reduced or released, Holmes said. Chisholm also decided whether a newly constructed street or sidewalk would be accepted, he said.

Chisholm oversaw Mosaic sidewalk construction from 2017 until 2021, and there are no city inspection records of that work during that period, Holmes said.”

After the diligent investigative efforts of Daytona Beach Commissioner Stacy Cantu, things took an even stranger turn…

At the October 1 commission meeting, Commissioner Cantu revealed internal documents that shed light on who reduced performance bonds covering Mosaic sidewalks, and when.  

Although it was initially made to appear that former City Manager Jim “The Chisler” Chisholm individually released the bonds without adequate inspection, the records Ms. Cantu produced prove that wasn’t the case:

“Chisholm oversaw Mosaic sidewalk construction from 2017 until 2021, and there are no city inspection records of that work during that period, Holmes said at the July meeting.

But one document Cantu obtained shows there was staff oversight, and Chisholm only slightly reduced two performance bonds on newly built sidewalks in the first phase of the neighborhood.

The 2019 document shows Chisholm reduced one bond from $342,736 to $322,844. The other bond was reduced from $320,860 to $304,427. That means the contractor was still on the hook at that point to build the sidewalks correctly.

The Oct. 9, 2019, memo from Holmes to Chisholm requested the city manager reduce the bonds, and noted that “substantial work has been completed and accepted by the city” in the phase one area of the neighborhood.

The memo also notes that “the city engineer has verified that the work in question has been complete, and the amounts of bond reduction correspond to the value of the completed work.” Holmes was the city’s public works director when he wrote the memo six years ago.”

Whoa. 

In response to a public records request, Ms. Cantu obtained documents indicating that current City Manager Deric Feacher significantly reduced the same two bonds, one “from $304,427 to $6,089 in July of 2022,” the other “from $322,844 to $6,457 in July 2022 as well.”

According to the News-Journal, correspondence from Mr. Feacher to ICI Homes at the time claims the sidewalks had been completed to a degree that warranted the performance bond reductions but apparently makes no reference to city inspectors approving the final construction or bond reductions.  

It is not clear whether Mr. Feacher relied on the recommendation of City Engineer Jim Nelson or others, but the report indicates Nelson was copied on the letter to ICI Homes.  

Perhaps more disturbing, the News-Journal is reporting that other communications between ICI Homes and Daytona Beach officials suggest that the issue of sidewalks holding water may not be limited to the Mosaic community…

Look, I’ve never been a fan of “The Chisler,” but if he (or Mr. Feacher) acted upon the best advice of city engineers and inspectors when reducing the performance bonds, then someone has some explaining to do at City Hall.   

As Ms. Cantu was quoted, “I’m not Chisholm’s protector, but what’s right is right,” she said. “You don’t blame someone.”

She’s right.  But it shouldn’t end there.

Now, the residents of Mosaic – and the taxpayers of Daytona Beach – deserve a full investigation into the who, what, when, where, why, and how these substandard sidewalks were approved without adequate inspection to restore the public’s trust in the process. 

Given the pace and scope of development over the past decade, the citizens of Daytona Beach and beyond deserve assurance that conscientious professionals are ensuring safety, compliance, and construction quality – a process city managers should be able to trust when making decisions about specific projects.

In my view, the City of Daytona Beach has done the right thing in working with ICI Homes and others to make the residents of Mosaic safe and whole – and the credit goes to Commissioner Stacy Cantu for her efforts to expose the good, the bad, and the ugly, tackle difficult problems, and demand solutions for her constituents.

Volusia County Schools – Defending the “Cult of Silence”

One thing outsiders quickly understand about the administration of Volusia County School’s is that no expense will be spared when the District defends its dubious operational policies from external scrutiny. 

In fact, controlling the narrative and silencing contrary opinions has become the overriding focus of Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and her “cabinet” of obsequious drones – a well-crafted and intensely protected storyline that has mesmerized the majority of our so-called “elected oversight” on the Volusia County School Board. 

Last year, School Board member Donna Brosemer defeated an entrenched insider – the malleable Carl Persis – who spent as much time staring at his shoes and apologizing for the District’s latest scandal or blunder as he did rubber stamping the administration’s policies… 

To her credit, Ms. Brosemer made it immediately clear who she works for – and it isn’t Superintendent Balgobin. 

That independence hasn’t set well with Volusia’s stagnant ‘Old Guard,’ lead-assed insiders who prefer a “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” approach when propping up a flimsy façade of competence (while cementing a culture of mediocrity) that is turning Volusia County students into victims and running off quality educators who are sick of the hypocrisy. 

For instance, earlier this year, Ms. Brosemer was shocked to learn that over one-hundred non-instructional staff had been directed to sign a non-disclosure agreement by the Balgobin administration – an overbroad gag order that included information specifically covered by Florida’s open records law – something many saw as a means of bureaucratically silencing those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest.

To her credit, Ms. Brosemer had the courage to seek answers – and spent her own money to fight for her constituents – going in her own pocket to obtain independent counsel while being charged by the administration she was elected to oversee to fulfill her public records requests.

Read that again.    

Last week, during a School Board workshop, we learned that the District hired Aaron Wolfe, an attorney with Doran, Foxman, Sims, Wolfe & Yoon of Daytona Beach, to defend Volusia County Schools Attorney Gilbert Evans’ opinion that the Balgobin NDA is somehow both legal and constitutional in a tax funded entity subject to Florida’s open records law.

In turn, at personal expense, Ms. Brosemer engaged Irine Korte, of Apfelbaum Martinez Law in Port St. Lucie, who determined the document was most likely “void, illegal and unenforceable under Florida law.”

In a purely obstructionist move, the District failed to make Ms. Korte’s determinations available until the agenda item was called at the workshop.  Then a short 15-minute recess allowed board members time to skim Korte’s well-formed dissenting opinion…

Bullshit.

Of course, Mr. Wolfe attended the meeting and explained in monotonous detail all the reasons why Dr. Balgobin was right and Ms. Brosemer was wrong – claiming that the NDA itself explains that “confidential information” does not include information that is “required to be disclosed by law, regulation or court order” – even though the extremely broad language governs public records, such as “the district’s financial operations, including budgets, funding sources and allocation of resources.”

In attorney Korte’s opinion, “Strategic planning documents and information − this is a very broad statement and likely could not be construed to fall under any statute which permits confidentiality.  Therefore, protection of this information likely violates the Florida Constitution and applicable Florida law.”

With little discussion, other board members essentially told Ms. Brosemer to mind her own business (?) – explaining their groupthink has concluded the controversial (and potentially unconstitutional) nondisclosure agreements are the sole authority of the politically unaccountable Superintendent Balgobin.

“I think there’s lanes,” said School Board member (and admitted liar) Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson. “… There are things that come before us, policy being a major one, but that kind of stuff (NDAs) falls under organization. That’s why we pick the superintendent.”

In my experience, whenever an elected watchdog gets too close to the truth, the instinctive organizational defense is to isolate the inquirer, accuse them of crossing the line, then berate them for meddling in the affairs of sacrosanct administrators.   

In the aftermath of the District’s expensive dog-and-pony show, this week Ms. Brosemer spoke of the acquiescence of our elected “representatives,” and the frightening effects of internal censorship and information manipulation on our right to know:

“The board has surrendered its ability to challenge, question, or research any action by the district, and the district makes it as difficult as possible to get answers or information in any form.

How will we know whether information provided by any staff member in any form is all there is to know, and not just what the district wants us to know?”

Disturbing.

In my view, NDA’s are clearly a public policy decision for our elected representatives – not the manipulative whims of a self-aggrandizing superintendent with a superiority complex…  

Kudos to Donna Brosemer for standing firm for the rights of Volusia County taxpayers – and shining a very bright light on how things have been done in Balgobin’s “Ivory Tower of Power” in DeLand for far too long.  

Please find Ms. Brosemer’s thoughts on the NDA’s – and the School Board’s gross inaction – here: https://tinyurl.com/2c7tcc8p

Volusia County Council of Cowards – The Day the Arts Died on Florida’s “Fun Coast”

After approving the allocation of cultural arts grant funding earlier this year, on Tuesday, the Volusia County Council staged one of its overacted melodramas as Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins effectively killed the arts in Volusia County by callously pulling the rug out from under thirty-two local nonprofit organizations at the eleventh-hour.

Per usual, District 5 Councilman David “No Show” Santiago had something better to do… 

Why would the Volusia County Council appropriate arts funding, allow their Cultural Council to waste time and effort vetting, ranking, and approving detailed applications submitted by nonprofits, then ignore the recommendations of their appointees – and the fervent pleas of residents involved in Volusia’s struggling arts scene – by terminating funding across the board? 

The answer is preposterous, even by the Volusia County Council’s subjective standards…

It appears the tiny Shoestring Theater, a Lake Helen playhouse that has served Volusia County for 75-years – allowed a privately funded “Volusia Pride Pageant” – while the iconic 103-year-old Athens Theater in DeLand permitted an outside group to rent the venue to screen an adult only production of the “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which included a “drag show” before the movie.

What stunned many is that two-years ago, the Volusia County Council discussed the issue and voted 6-0 to preserve funding for the Community Cultural Grant program, which provides a vital shot-in-the-arm for countywide nonprofits who produce art festivals, museums, theaters, stage concerts, curate historical collections, promote public art, and hold associated educational programs for “Fun Coast” residents and visitors. 

For the record, “No Show” Santiago was absent from that meeting as well…  

On Tuesday, after staring down like catatonic gargoyles from the dais as residents spoke passionately about how the arts enhance their quality of life – from a program called “Guitars4Vets” at the Hub on Canal in New Smyrna Beach (which the speaker said is saving lives among struggling military veterans), to healing music for cancer patients, the Halifax Historical Society, and MOAS – it took three ham-handed motions and a final 6-0 vote to return the $611,758 allocation back to the general fund.

Only Councilman Matt Reinhart championed public support for the cultural arts, but his pleas were equally ignored. 

Hell, even Councilman Jake Johansson tried his patented “elder statesman” routine, suggesting that funding for the Athens and Shoestring theaters be culled for later discussion, which would allow the other organizations to receive funds.  

So, where will the $611,758 be spent?   

According to a report by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “I think we need to take this $611 (thousand) and move it to the $5 million that we have for roads, sidewalks, for support — because we have very limited funds to maintain our roads,” Brower said. “For me, that’s more of a core responsibility.”

That’s a great political soundbite for Chairman Jeff Brower, but why didn’t they do that when budget allocations were being discussed, rather than publicly humiliating organizations who took the time to submit grant applications to accommodate Councilman Robins’ political grandstanding?

Whatever. 

At the end of the day, Councilman “Gaslight” Robins got his way – along with a chance to preen and peacock with one of his patented political parlor tricks while dashing the hopes of Volusia’s struggling arts community.

This isn’t institutional wokeness, it is two long-established nonprofit organizations who tried to live up to their obligation for self-sustainability by renting space to third-party entities, then got publicly flogged because the productions didn’t appeal to Mr. Robins.   

Look, I believe cultural arts should be self-sustaining – and gaps in limited public funding not covered by Volusia’s voter approved ECHO program should be met by philanthropic patrons – and the proceeds of fundraisers and successful productions that fill seats in theaters and concert halls. 

That said, I’ve watched that shitshow in DeLand long enough to have seen millions in taxpayer dollars pissed away to fund everything from the pet projects of individual elected officials to myriad corporate welfare schemes for their political benefactors.

Like a publicly funded motorcross facility deemed essential by Councilman Don Dempsey to marketing budgets for start-up airlines, infrastructure, tax breaks for massive corporations, and spiffs for all the right last names who fund their political campaigns and expect a return on investment.

Yet, Councilman Robins now has a “moral obligation” to be the gatekeeper and allow only his version of a “healthy family-oriented arts and culture learning and education experience” for the rest of us?

Sure he does.

Hypocritical assholes…

In my view, as evidenced by his staunch resistance to addressing widespread development-induced flooding across the width and breadth of Volusia County – Danny “Gaslight” Robins doesn’t give two-shits about the health of your family or mine. 

What he cares about is getting reelected to political office so he can continue slavishly serving the wants of his wealthy benefactors in the real estate development industry. 

Sadly, if he has to crush your kids’ choral group, cut your mothers Plein Air class, pull funding for veterans’ museums, summer art camps, IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts, school field trips, the Ormond Memorial Art Museum, Pioneer Settlement Jamboree, DeLand’s Fall Festival of the Arts, etcetera – then so be it. 

All that matters is that he can play the role of the “posturing puritan” when it is politically convenient. 

Equally sad, the others present didn’t have the moral or political courage to think for themselves…  

Now that’s obscene.

Quote of the Week

“The jobs alone,” Volusia County Councilman Matt Reinhart said, “just providing those jobs and boosting the economy is, I mean, I can’t put words to it, that’s exciting.”

Amazon Fulfillment Center DAB2 is a 630,000-square-foot robotics facility that can hold up to 30 million items and is offering a starting salary of $19 per hour. Once fully operational, DAB2 will have the capability to ship more than 800,000 packages in a single day. As of this writing, the facility was running at 65% of capacity. Andrew Jaworski, the general manager of DAB2, expects the fulfillment center to be fully operational before the year is out.

Working at Amazon means receiving a comprehensive benefits package from day one, a 401(k) with 50% Amazon match, paid leave and free mental health resources. Some DAB2 warehouse employees can work in shorts and a T-shirt and all have access to a multi-faith room (AKA prayer room).

This is Amazon’s second facility in Daytona Beach, joining a “last mile” delivery station on Mason Avenue.

Daytona Beach City Manager Deric C. Feacher agreed Amazon’s interest in Daytona is creating business leads for the city. “There are other entities that are looking at us, not only from the Amazon type market, but from hospitality and accommodations that I think will be significant,” Mr. Feacher said.

Mayor Henry concurred, “It just sends a ripple effect. Hopefully, others will come and see us as a viable space.”

He pointed to a “great school system” and “great colleges and universities” that make Daytona, “a good resource for employers.”

–Journalist Charles Guarria, writing in Volusia Hometown News, “Amazon opens robotic fulfillment center at Daytona,” Thursday, October 2, 2025

I hate to be the proverbial turd in the punchbowl, but… 

While our local politicos are rolling over and urinating all over themselves like overexcited puppies – touting the “grand slam” that is the new Daytona Beach Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center – I’m still hung-up on the word “Robotics.”

Just me?

After gifting some $4 million in corporate welfare incentives in the form of tax breaks for the largest e-commerce behemoth in the known universe (rather than demand concessions for allowing a 24/7/365 fulfillment center at the incredibly lucrative nexus of I-4 and I-95, adjacent to Daytona “International” Airport), last week the gargantuan Amazon logistics operation opened to great fanfare.

With the promise of 1,000 jobs paying at least $19 an hour, during the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry gushed, “Let me be clear: these aren’t just jobs. They are careers,” he said. “This means our neighbors and young people entering the workforce will not only have stable employment but also a future where they can build skills, raise a family and prosper.”

Maybe the flummoxed Councilman Matt Reinhart and the overexuberant Mayor Henry know something the burgeoning Generative AI industry doesn’t?   

In June, Forbes reported that Amazon eliminated 1,000 jobs from its workforce due to advances in Artificial Intelligence and robotics technology, something job market analyst Eli Amdur suggests might be a “harbinger of things to come at Amazon,” and potentially a “phenomenon we will see far and wide, not just at Amazon.”

According to Amdur, “It’s inescapable for a few reasons. First, according to data from layoffs.fyi, which monitors tech worker layoffs, already this year 141 companies have laid off 62,832 employees. In 2024, it was 152,922 employees from 551 companies and in 2023, it was 264,220 employees from 1,193 companies.

Layoffs, we see, are inevitable – especially in tech. At the onset of new technologies or the introduction of new products, hiring takes place with kid-in-a-candy-store concern for consequences. A year later, things look quite different – and that kid is now an obese diabetic.”

Interesting…

In my view, the word “Robotics” means just that – intelligent machines performing heavy lifting and repetitive tasks with the speed, reliability, and efficiency that human workers cannot match – resulting in fewer people doing jobs that have been technologically automated.

“Come on, Barker – you bloviating windbag!  This is a renaissance, dammit!  The future is bright, and you’re not.  For your information, Bubba, Amazon gave a whopping $20,000 grand to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at Volusia County Schools to help local kids aspire to schlepping boxes around a warehouse floor, you cantankerous crank…”

Look, don’t take my cynical word for it, in a memo to employees earlier this year, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said it first:

“As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done. We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. It’s hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.”

In my view, it’s nice for our elected and appointed officials to beat their chests and throw around exciting words like “synergy,” “bright future,” “shared vision,” and “grand slam” – so long as they understand the true “ripple effect” that the potential loss of hundreds of jobs/careers could have on our local economy as automation increases – then have the vision to plan for it. 

Ignoring the hard truth while fanning the frenetic excitement of the “next big thing” is what we’ve come to expect from those toxic optimists who continue to throw our money at the promise of “high paying jobs.” All while refusing to seek concessions and much needed infrastructure in exchange for the impacts, job insecurity, traffic, and civic nuisances inherent to largescale industrial warehouse operations.  

And Another Thing!

“To earn an A, Florida schools had to score a 64%.

But when the school grades came out this summer, Atlantic scored a 633 out of 1,000 possible points. That was two points shy of an A, as 635 rounds up to 64%.

“We were right there,” (Atlantic High School Principal) Watson said.

So district officials reviewed the data and found an aberration.

Volusia’s appeal letter to the Department of Education states that students assigned to the district’s Hospital Homebound service were erroneously attributed to Atlantic High.

Where the high school and the program once shared the same address, the district centralized all of its exceptional student education offices, including Hospital Homebound.

“Although these corrections are now reflected in the updated (Master School Identification) file, the change was made after school grades were calculated and reported,” states a letter from Superintendent Carmen Balgobin to the FDOE. “However, Hospital Homebound and Atlantic High School were never physically collocated at any point during the 2024-25 school year.”

–Reporter Mark Harper, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia’s Atlantic High School earns 1st ‘A’ from Florida Department of Education,” Friday, September 24, 2025

Make it make sense…

Look, I’m no academic (the only thing that kept me out of college was high school…) but since when does 64% equate to an “A” grade? 

I’m asking.

Because student performance assessment in Florida classrooms is based on a standard grading scale – where 90-100% is considered an “A” grade (Excellent) – and 64% is considered a “D” (Below Average). 

That’s typically what people consider when they see achievement measured by a traditional grading system.  

Unfortunately, in the wild and wacky world of Florida academic administration – it appears senior officials with the Department of Education and the various taxpayer funded districts simply interpret “legislative mandates and educational policies” – then develop favorable (and easily massaged) metrics for measuring school performance as a means of influencing public perception.

Why are those responsible for administering the education of our children constantly lowering the bar?

In my view, it is because most people prefer to purchase homes and relocate businesses in areas that have high performing schools to educate their children. 

In March, the Florida Citizens Alliance pressed Governor Ron DeSantis and the state legislature to “implement sweeping reforms,” of Florida’s public school grading system.  According to the FCA:

“If the Florida DOE scored their schools the same way they graded students with the traditional grading scale used throughout the U.S., where scores below 60 percent are considered failing, 52 percent of Florida’s public schools would receive a failing grade.”

According to Keith Flaugh, co-founder of Florida Citizens Alliance, “Florida schools are actually in a major crisis academically, despite PR efforts by the Florida Department of Education to persuade taxpayers into believing the state has the very best schools in the nation. With 82 percent of schools effectively earning a ‘D’ grade or lower, and the state ranking near the bottom of the recent Nations Report Card (NAEP) and 43rd in SAT scores nationwide, it’s abundantly clear that urgent action is needed.”

While Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin continues to manipulate scores by moving low performing students and programs around like chess pieces until positive results are obtained – flogging the “Everyone got an A!” ruse – then marginalizing anyone who questions the practice and wrapping herself in self-nominated awards to build credibility.

I question who Dr. Balgobin is serving? 

Is she furthering the mercenary interests of the real estate industry and our “economic development” shills fabricating a disguise to lure more warehouse jobs? 

Because she damn sure doesn’t have the interests of struggling Volusia County students who are unwitting victims of a school grading system that has been labeled a “politically manipulated scam” by those in the know.

What a tragic shame…

That’s all for me.  Enjoy Port Orange Family Days, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

The Revitalization of the Iconic Main Street Arch – A Catalyst for Change?

When I was a kid, a trip to the Boardwalk with family and friends was the quintessence of growing up in the Halifax area.  We would play Skee Ball, swim by the pier, have epic “goofy golf” tournaments on the roof, eat footlong corndogs slathered in mustard, and watch the saltwater taffy being pulled at Zeno’s Sweet Shop. 

Remember strolling with your best girl along the promenade amidst a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells?

Fond memories of riding the Sky Lift and Ferris wheel, then walking along with the ding-ding-ding of the pinball machines singing out, the aroma of hot pizza, and the crash of the bumper cars (remember the pop of sparks flying off the electrified ceiling as the carts whizzed around the greasy metal floor?)

There was a unique feel and a great salty smell to the air back then, a thrilling sense of something fun.  The scream of seagulls, sandpipers scurrying from an incoming tide, the healing qualities of clean saltwater, the satisfying warmth of hot sun on your shoulders; negative ions creating an invigorating energy at the water’s edge.

If you grew up here, you know.

There was a time when a day at the beach was an experience that we all shared.  Our greatest natural amenity and a draw that brought millions of visitors to our area when The World’s Most Famous Beach was recognized everywhere in the known universe.

Then everything changed. 

Now, thanks to greed, a lack of civic vision, stubborn squabbles, and the effects of time and tide, there’s not much left of Daytona’s legendary Boardwalk but our memories…   

Unfortunately, for decades, what passes for political leadership in Volusia County has suffered from a debilitating form of what psychiatrists call the “Pollyanna Syndrome” – a tendency for people in power to focus exclusively on the positive while ignoring unpleasant issues.

A collective monotropism pathologically fixating on the rosy, hopeful, and enthusiastic.

Rather than face reality (and do something about it), our “powers that be” euphemistically sit cross-legged in the floor, holding hands, and humming Kumbaya, refusing to acknowledge the serious concerns the rest of us keep pointing at. 

That strategic distraction reduces their civic anxiety and makes perennial problems seem softer and less intractable.  In doing so, politicians develop an unconscious bias toward toxic optimism – an unnatural positivity that sooths their fragile egos through constant self-reinforcement. 

Don’t take my word for it, just watch the next ostentatious “State of the County” address…

With repetition, the syndrome blunts their ability to recognize corrosive problems or implement creative solutions – something best exemplified by the ill-fated “blue-ribbon” Beachside Redevelopment Committee – or the disregarded wisdom of the 2013 study of Volusia County’s tourism marketing strategies.

Trust me.  Messengers who come bearing unwelcome news tend to have short life spans in most government organizations.  In fact, freethinkers are shunned like Dalits, and if ones views do not comport with the “everything is beautiful, in its own way” groupthink, you’d better keep those contrary opinions to yourself…

I think that’s why when longsuffering denizens of the “Fun Coast” see tangible evidence of positive change in our blighted core tourist area, we quickly take notice – a feeling of real enthusiasm – a bright spark that can stimulate entrepreneurial investment, restore a sense of place, enhance social cohesion and draw visitors, while enriching our civic identity and organically shaping the “brand.”

Over the past year, work has been underway to restore the iconic Main Street Arch – the beautiful coquina span, originally built as a WPA project in 1936, that bridges the boardwalk across the long closed beach approach – an impressive part of ‘Old Daytona’ and a key renovation many see as a precursor to what may await with a revitalized Main Street.

In addition, new access stairs have been added in the area, and we’re told another project will extend the traditional Boardwalk from Breakers Oceanfront Park to Harvey Avenue. 

There has also been some on-again-off-again prattle by the Volusia County Council about eventually coming to their senses and restoring the beachside’s life’s blood by opening the strand to beach driving from International Speedway Boulevard to Auditorium Boulevard.

That’s cause for real optimism.

Tomorrow morning, city leaders will join with members of the public at the base of the arch to celebrate the grand reopening of the Main Street Arch, beginning at 9:00am – something many hope will represent new beginnings – a much-needed period of rebirth and revitalization for Main Street, our Boardwalk, and beyond.

Giving Waterlogged Residents a Voice in Port Orange

In the past two elections, Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower defied the odds (and the money) to rout the hand-select opponents of our “Rich and Powerful” overseers.    

In fact, he bested candidates who were handsomely bankrolled by development interests and members of Volusia’s stagnant ‘Old Guard’ – even as Brower’s compromised “colleagues” on the dais of power did everything physically possible to marginalize, impede, and humiliate him.

In my view, there is a reason for Jeff Brower’s unlikely political success: He listens.

In addition, he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty when seeking answers, such as personally tracing floodwater from recent development to the flooded homes of neighboring residents, and demanding environmental accountability, despite withering push-back from those compromised developer-backed shills sitting next to him.  

Last week, Chairman Brower hosted a standing room only forum in Port Orange – treating his constituents like a concerned neighbor rather than a scheming politician – and gave those waterlogged residents a space to come together and be heard.  

According to a report by reporter Brenno Carillo writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“Nearly 200 residents attended a town hall meeting at the city library to express concerns about the recurrent flooding issues across Volusia County while calling on representatives to take action.

Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower organized the event, which took place in a standing-room-only auditorium where Brower, county Public Works Director Ben Bartlett and Development Engineering Director Tadd Kasbeer answered residents’ questions.

After some introductory remarks, Brower began by addressing pre-submitted questions from residents, many of whom were from Port Orange and share the common experience of seeing their neighborhoods flood after heavy rain events.”

Some of the flood prone residents who packed the meeting are tired of hearing the same excuses from Volusia County’s highly paid bureaucratic “brain trust” – frustrated by the same “Nuttin’ we can do about it” excuses for their foot-dragging inaction on development-induced flooding.

Repeat victims, exasperated by the technical eyewash, ‘better late than never’ canal clearing and drainage remediation after years of neglect, the patronizing ridicule that meets those who speak out, while shunting the blame (and accountability) to “King tides,” “100-year atmospheric anomalies,” and now the overreaching preemptions of Senate Bill 180.  

During the meeting, longtime civic activist Greg Gimbert, the moderator of the influential social media platform Volusia Issues, galvanized the crowd when he placed blame where it rightfully belongs.   

“So far, all I’m hearing is: ‘we can’t do nothing about it.  The old rules don’t work, the water doesn’t follow the science, the ponds aren’t good enough. And then we hear we can’t change the rules because Senate Bill 180.” 

Perhaps most important, Mr. Gimbert said what many in the room were thinking, “Maybe the next time we have a meeting, we can start talking about actual solutions that aren’t part of the normal operating business parameters.  You can build all you want: high-density, low-density, whatever. Just don’t change the grade of the land. Build on stilts. Don’t raise.”

In addition, Chairman Brower gave those assembled a quick lesson in determining who has their best interests at heart come election time, urging residents to do their homework and ascertain which special interests are financing various candidates for public office.

“A lot of us vote for people because of their party affiliation, and we have to stop.  And if you see the people that are making a good living off of development, that probably tells you that their inclination is that — and I’m not saying for nefarious reasons — but their inclination is that we need to keep developing,” Brower said.

He’s right.

Unfortunately, for several Volusia County Council members who blankly stare down catatonically from the dais – campaign contributions and special interests speak louder than hundreds of citizens gathering to demand substantive answers to recurrent flooding – another disaster in the making that has now ranked the “Fun Coast” as the most flood-prone region in Florida (in the top ten nationwide…)

In my view, the strategic procrastination of the majority of the Volusia County Council to further the profit motives of their political benefactors is unconscionable – something I hope Volusia County voters remember at the ballot box next year.  

Kudos to Chairman Brower, the concerned citizens of Port Orange, and tireless civic activists like Greg Gimbert, for their inclusive and solution-oriented approach to the most pressing issue of our time.  

Quote of the Week

“FHBA (Flagler Home Builders Association) Executive Officer Annamaria Long, representing the group who filed the lawsuit, declined to comment on the city’s response.

On Sept. 24, an email was sent out to FHBA members from Long asking members to pay their impact fees separately from other city fees and write “under protest” on the memo section of a check payment. The email said this was on the recommendation of the FHBA’s attorney.

“Doing so will make it easier to recover funds when the suit is over and we prevail,” the email said.

The Observer is a member of the FHBA and received the email directly from the FHBA email blast.

Long wrote that the FHBA has already put in over $50,000 into the fight on behalf of its members. She wrote the case should be filed “early next week,” the week of Sept. 29.”

–Reporter Sierra Williams, writing in the Palm Coast Observer, “Palm Coast is ‘prepared to defend’ impact fee increases from developers’ lawsuit,” Tuesday, September 30, 2025

In an effort to keep pace with massive overdevelopment in the tumultuous City of Palm Coast, in March, Mayor Mike Norris suggested a moratorium on new construction.  

“The infrastructure is not in place to support residential growth at this time,” Norris said.

That commonsense statement marked the beginning of the end for Mayor Norris’ civic effectiveness and resulted in a cheap coup d’état, which included investigations, allegations, insinuation, censures, alienation, and marginalization, as the all-powerful real estate development community demanded Norris’ political head on a pike after he had the temerity to utter the “M” word.

To let everyone at City Hall know who is in charge, the militant Flagler Home Builders Association organized a chilling show of force.  FlaglerLive.com described the scene:   

“Mobilized like an army by the Flagler County Home Builders Association, the dump truck and trailers and semi cabs and pick-ups lined City Place and spilled onto Lake Avenue by City Hall this morning, their crews clustered in groups against the morning chill, a large “SAVE OUR CITY” banner stretched across the flank of a truck, with a red circle-backlash symbol painted over the head of Mayor Mike Norris.”

At the time, I naïvely wrote in this space, “Who, in good conscience, could demand more, more, more knowing that current demands far exceed the capacity, funding, and capabilities of the city’s utilities infrastructure?  How is that ethical, responsible, necessary, or sustainable?”

In June, the Palm Coast City Council courageously voted to significantly increase impact fees to help cover the rising cost of growth on transportation, fire protection, and parks and recreation, citing “extraordinary circumstances” that would permit the city to increase fees beyond 50% of the current rate as demanded by state statue, and lessen the massive financial burden on existing residents.  

According to the Palm Coast Observer, “Though the impact fees vary for type of development, for a single-family home, the impact fees increased by $5,881 across all three fees: impact, fire and transportation.”

In turn, the Flagler Home Builders Association claimed the studies Palm Coast relied upon to establish the extraordinary conditions necessary for the required increase were “full of holes,” comparing the analysis to “Swiss cheese,” and cried the Poor Mouth Blues over increased construction costs.

Now, the FHBA has filed suit against the City of Palm Coast, claiming the increases in impact fees were too steep and enacted too quickly – an action the City of Palm Coast has vowed to vigorously defend against with outside counsel. 

In my view, this “under protest” circus stunt is the latest thumb in the eye to claustrophobic Palm Coast residents from development interests who refuse to compensate for the massive impacts of growth on public infrastructure and the quality of life of existing residents.  

It is hard to overemphasize the enormous power developers have in local and state politics in Florida – or the depths to which these special interests will go to further their greed-crazed goals – even if it means exsanguinating their host…  

And Another Thing!

“Our children and grandchildren will live with the consequences of tonight’s decision for decades,” Lila Pontius said.”

“The proposal before you to rezone for a massive industrial park places heavy industry up against our neighborhoods, our wells, our schools, our churches and our businesses. This is not just a rezoning request, it’s a decision that will change the very character and livability of our community forever.” She added, “What troubles me most is we don’t know what this project will mean for our water, air health or our property values.”

–Bunnell resident Lila Pontius, speaking before the Bunnell City Commission last week, as quoted by FlaglerLive.com, “Snubbing Near-Unanimous Public Opposition, Bunnell Commission Approves Rezoning 1,259 Acres to Industrial,” Thursday, September 25, 2025

The benefit and curse of keeping this blog site is organizing a series of running threads in my head each week; an exercise that keeps my mind limber staying abreast of current events.  The bane is trying to explain the recurring theme of bureaucratic arrogance and political egotism – always born of a sense of organizational infallibility – with a pithy phrase I haven’t expressed before.

Sometimes those mental gymnastics tax what’s left of my Gin-addled brain – other times, these screeds seem to write themselves…

In my view, it is that haughty (and dangerous) sense of self-important overconfidence that is driving the Bunnell City Commission – a group of unsophisticated yokels who have become blinded by a developer’s shinny baubles – and are quickly selling out their helpless constituents for the promise every shortsighted small-town politician prays for:  To become a big city politician…  

Last Monday, on a 4-1 vote, with Vice Mayor John Rogers standing alone against forces the others cannot comprehend – the majority approved the rezoning of 1,259 acres south of town from agricultural to industrial – to include 639 acres of heavy industrial. 

The move came on the heels of the controversial resurrection and approval of a 6,100 home megadevelopment absurdly known as Reserve at Haw Creek.  A “city within a city” that will change the very character of the community forever.  

Ignoring concerns about increased congestion, density, schools, flooding, utilities infrastructure, environmental impacts, increased operational costs, public safety, and the wholesale destruction of rural areas, the Commission revived the once dead project before greenlighting the largest planned unit development since ITT’s Palm Coast.

Among the many other known adverse impacts, the Reserve at Haw Creek is expected to increase traffic from the current 8,817 daily trips to an obscene 81,943 trips per day on area roadways at build out…

Now, anxious residents of Bunnell are worried about what comes next as their elected officials adopt a growth-at-all-costs strategy, giving their undivided attention to real estate developers and their highly paid land use attorneys, while wholly ignoring their constituents (read: voters) as they tread even deeper into unknown territory with heavy industrial zoning.   

According to a report in FlaglerLive.com last week, “There are still no revelations about what the site will be used for, though Rogers has suspicions – and fears – that he made clear at the meeting when he said that a mortgage holder on the property is Lake Environmental Resources, a Lake County company that specializes in construction and demolition debris.

The owner of Lake Environmental Resources is Richard Bazinet of North Bay Road in Mount Dora, according to the Florida Division of Corporations.

On May 13, Lafferty, one of the landowners, incorporated a company called Chat-A-Who-Che LLC. On May 23, Chat-A-Who-Che signed a $2.85 million mortgage with Bazinet on the acreage in question.”

Wow.  That explains a lot.

I assume the landowner’s LLC is aptly named after the City of Chattahoochee – a community in the panhandle that since 1876 has been home to the Florida State Hospital for the Insane… 

Because, in my view, the idea of arrogantly ignoring the fervent pleas of their neighbors and existing business interests to accommodate a trash transfer facility is nuts.   

Yeah. 

Sometimes these things write themselves…

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

Hi, kids!

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

The Sins of the “Chisler” Return…

This week banged up and bandaged residents of ICI Homes’ Mosaic subdivision west of LPGA Boulevard finally had their voices heard on a point of community concern:

According to reports, the sidewalks in the development were installed improperly and have created something of a ‘Slip-n-Slide’ effect for homeowners tired of falling down and busting their ass (literally) when attempting to walk the neighborhood…

More disturbing, an inquiry by the City of Daytona Beach found that approvals for the sidewalks were apparently pencil whipped by former City Manager Jim “The Chisler” Chisholm with little, if any, documentation to show inspections were performed.     

In an important exposé by reporter Eileen Zaffiro-Keen writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week, assistant city manager for infrastructure Andy Holmes, explained “Former Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm, who served from 2004 until 2021, decided unilaterally whether a bond would be reduced or released, Holmes said. Chisholm also decided whether a newly constructed street or sidewalk would be accepted, he said.

Chisholm oversaw Mosaic sidewalk construction from 2017 until 2021, and there are no city inspection records of that work during that period, Holmes said.”

As a result, the sidewalks are holding water – resulting in ponding and the resultant slimy residue that has caused “more than 40 people in the Mosaic neighborhood” to slip and fall onto the slippery concrete, including one resident who “broke her tailbone” during a tumble.

Whoa. 

“Because Chisholm apparently released bonds on at least some sections of the Mosaic sidewalks residents are complaining about, the city is responsible for the condition of those sidewalks. Whoever ICI hired to do that work is in the clear.

“It’s distasteful to me,” Holmes said. “The city didn’t build any of those sidewalks wrong. But legally, the city signed off on them.”

According to the report, “Chisholm could not be reached for comment.”

That’s classic. The “Chisler” answers to no one…  

In addition to the physical injuries sustained by residents, the revelations must come as a godawful embarrassment for our High Panjandrum of Political Power and ICI Homes founder Mori Hosseini – a titan of the development industry – who is widely considered one of the most powerful and influential people in Florida. 

Look, I won’t speculate on why former City Manager Chisholm would approve millions of dollars in substandard sidewalks in Mosaic without documented inspections. That represents key infrastructure that residents rely on to safely navigate their neighborhood.

In my view, something stinks…

To his credit, since taking the helm in 2021, current City Manager Deric Feacher has ensured that his conscientious staff conduct and document proper inspections.  Reports indicate there have been no issue with city recordkeeping since Mr. Feacher assumed command.

According to the News-Journal’s report, Mayor Derrick Henry is none too happy with the prospect of Daytona Beach taxpayers being placed on the hook for an estimated $1 million in extensive sidewalk reconstruction. 

In addition to the cost of replacing the defective stretches of sidewalk, the restoration efforts will require a massive amount of staff time to determine who is responsible for what, then coordinate the logistics of a disruptive construction project with a lot of moving parts.

“To the folks at Mosaic, I’m sorry that you had to experience that,” said Mayor Derrick Henry. “Somewhere along the way, somebody down here (in the Daytona city government) didn’t do their job. We kind of know who it was, but I’m very disappointed. We are going to do our part and do what we have to, to hold them accountable.”

Thank you, Mayor Henry. 

It’s about time a local government started holding those in positions of responsibility (with an enormous salary to match) accountable their five-alarm foul-ups that leave taxpayers holding the bag.   

In my view, Daytona Beach City Commissioner Stacy Cantu is the true hero of this story.  Upon learning of the danger, she took up the cause of her constituents in Mosaic and ensured that a complex plan was implemented that will ultimately make at-risk residents whole. 

That’s responsive representation. I admire that.

Now that the incredibly expensive sins of Jim Chisholm – who made a career of diligently catering to our “Rich and Powerful” while telling downtrodden residents of Midtown to get out if they didn’t like their homes being flooded every time it sprinkles – are coming to light, here’s hoping someone from a state/federal agency with a badge in their wallet conducts a complete investigation.

In my view, shoddy sidewalks are one thing, but Mosaic residents are coming forward with ominous reports that their side yards look like a “marsh” – with visible standing water – as others complain about the poor workmanship evident in the development’s infrastructure.

What is the extent of the city’s substandard, undocumented, or non-existent inspections in Mosaic and elsewhere on Chisholm’s watch?

Has anyone ensured that the plethora of new construction between 2004 to 2021 was thoroughly inspected to insure the new homes and apartments met building codes? 

If visible infrastructure like sidewalks is dangerously inferior, how can homebuyers be assured that their property is free of internal hazards, structurally sound, and compliant with established construction standards?

Is this the tip of an extremely big (and incredibly expensive) iceberg? 

I’m asking – before an aggressive personal injury attorney does…    

According to the News-Journal’s report, one concerned Mosaic resident asked the million-dollar (at least) question, “Who signed off that this sidewalk passed inspection?  Had they been doing their job, the city would have caught this. Who’s sleeping at the city and not holding these builders accountable?”

Disturbing questions that deserve answers…  

The Unraveling of Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie – A Case Study in Power Politics

Following the disastrous budget process in Ormond Beach, a weird kabuki that seemed to have half the town begging for a tax increase and the other demanding substantive cuts (with a last-minute twist that left everyone shaking their heads), we’ve learned two things:

Mayor Jason Leslie is not a politician.

Unfortunately, he’s not a statesman, either…

As a frequent apologist for Mayor Leslie, I’m not going to sugarcoat this – he got played like a fiddle – ultimately beaten into the round hole of conformity like a henpecked eunuch.

The sense of fremdschämen I felt watching it unfold was overwhelming…

Hell, even his former opponent – the perennial politician Susan Persis – who Leslie beat like a gong with 53% of the vote in last year’s mayoral race, came down from the political ash heap to put the boots to him at the podium last week.

In her L’esprit de l’escalier moment, Persis condescendingly lectured Leslie, “During your short, turbulent time as mayor, you have demonstrated a propensity of taking positions in front of a certain audience and then taking the opposing position in front of another audience.”

In the leadup to the final vote on the budget, Ormond Beach residents received a glossy mailer screaming “No new taxes” – it was paid for by a once staunch supporter of Mayor Leslie, the politically active George Arnold. 

The provocative flier announced, “Mayor Jason Leslie says, ‘No New Taxes.’ Make sure to tell these arrogant, clueless, out of touch tax & spend commissioners where they can go with their big tax and spend scheme.”

The reverse identified the remaining Ormond Beach City Commissioners by name…

During last Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Leslie disingenuously claimed he was “shocked” when he received the mailer, explaining he knew nothing about it.  Then, in an interview with the Ormond Beach Observer, Mr. Arnold countered that he told Mayor Leslie about the flier well ahead of when it was sent. 

Yeah.  I know…  

“He’s a flip-flopper,” Arnold said. “… He’s easily cowed. He’s desperate to be liked, and you can’t have both. You either stand on your principle or you cave, and he folded like a cheap suit.”

Arnold said Leslie had “a great opportunity to do things for Ormond Beach” but that he’s been a “big disappointment.”

“He’s not to be trusted and it’s a shame,” Arnold said. “I hate to say that because I backed him, but I never stick with a mistake.”

Sadly, Mr. Arnold is right.

After being repeatedly bludgeoned by his cliquish “colleagues” on the dais, Mayor Leslie must have naively thought his last-minute capitulation fulfilled his promise to “work together” with his antagonists?  

Instead, by giving in and going along, Mayor Leslie has painted himself into a tight political corner and he has no one to blame but himself…

During the abject shitshow that passed for the budget process, the techy trio of Commissioners Travis Sargent, Lori Tolland, and Kristin Deaton repeatedly portrayed Mayor Leslie as irresponsible and out-of-touch for keeping his campaign promises and suggesting substantial budget cuts.  

In turn, City Attorney Randy Hayes crafted a fright-filled missive calling any budget reductions a minefield of “financial risks and liabilities,” suggesting Mayor Leslie’s opposition to a tax increase was counter to “sound fiscal management and responsible leadership.”

(I’m assuming after politicizing his office City Attorney Hayes will be retiring soon?)

Then – literally at the eleventh-hour – last Wednesday, Commissioner Sargent rode into the chamber on a white steed and declared, “I don’t think the ship has sailed.  I think we have options. It takes a lot to go through this and to come up with these, because I don’t want to cut any services. This is a plan that will provide the residents with the services they expect and not have to pay additional taxes.”

Had Mayor Leslie done that, he would have been pilloried outside City Hall and given the bastinado treatment…

After some back-and-forth, the Commission made a few nicks in the budget before unanimously voting to approve a millage rate of 4.3832 mills, which represents a 5.3% increase over last year. 

That didn’t sit well with many Ormond Beach residents – one of whom called the last-minute push by Commissioner Sargent “a disgrace and an embarrassment to the city of Ormond Beach,” while others are clamoring that the reductions weren’t near enough.

What’s done is done. 

That said, I believe the bizarre manner and means by which the City Commission and senior staff arrived at the final budget will resonate with Ormond Beach voters well into next year’s elections.

Now, Mayor Leslie’s disheartened supporters – those who saw him as a maverick newcomer, a change agent unbeholden to Volusia’s ‘Old Guard,’ someone willing to challenge the stagnant status quo to bring spending and development under control – are rightfully incensed that he rolled over, surrendered, and voted with the majority to raise taxes. 

In my experience, voters can forgive many transgressions, but they are revolted by the stench of hypocrisy – that sickening feeling of being hoodwinked for political expediency by someone they trusted to do the right thing, for the right reasons.

After his self-inflicted turnabout, Mayor Leslie has a long way to go to find an authentic voice, demonstrate leadership, and regain the trust of his constituents.  

Quote of the Week

“(Senate Bill 180) …gives developers legal ammunition to sue a city or county that tries to slow suburban sprawl, save rural areas, or protect environmentally sensitive places — or anything else that a developer can claim is “restrictive or burdensome.”

That’s the part of Senate Bill 180 that Pat Neal, Carlos Beruff and the homebuilding lobby are trying to use to stop Manatee County from increasing impact fees.

“The resulting increase in impact fees are restrictive and burdensome to plaintiffs and customers of plaintiff’s businesses,” their lawyers claim in the complaint, which has been filed in Manatee County Circuit Court.

Manatee is now defending itself. And one of the county’s main legal arguments is that the prohibition against “more restrictive or burdensome” land-use rules doesn’t apply to impact fees.

“Impact fees do not regulate or control the development of land in the county, but merely impose a fee to fund capital facilities needed to accommodate new development,” attorneys for Manatee County wrote in an Aug. 12 legal brief. “In short, impact fees do not control how an owner may use land.”

That’s when Ron DeSantis stepped in.

On Aug. 15 — three days after Manatee County submitted its legal brief — the head of the Florida Department of Commerce sent an entirely-out-of-the-blue letter to county leaders warning them not to go forward with their plan to raise impact fees.

Why? Because the increase “appears to potentially violate” Senate Bill 180, the agency claimed.”

–Jason Garcia, writing in his Seeking Rents newsletter, “Ron DeSantis is helping real estate developers exploit a hurricane relief law,” Sunday, September 21, 2025

If anyone is still laboring under the mistaken impression that Senate Bill 180 was innocently designed by the Florida legislature to cut red tape for homeowners following a hurricane, a recent lawsuit filed in Manatee County on behalf of developers attempting to stop an increase in impact fees should clear up any lingering confusion.

It is now clear that the purpose-built overreach of Senate Bill 180 was calculated to subvert local government’s ability to regulate growth, essentially gifting the real estate development industry carte blanche under threat of crippling lawsuits – and brazen intimidation by allied senior state officials who target anyone who dares stand in their way.

Incredibly, now the broad provisions of SB 180 are being used to stop cities and counties from increasing impact fees.  

Based upon the lawsuit filed in Manatee County on behalf of development interests, the subjective “restrictive and burdensome” language of SB 180 is being extrapolated to include the means by which new construction is supposed to help pay for its myriad impacts on a community’s infrastructure and essential services. Something that has nothing to do with controlling growth, regulating development, or facilitating hurricane relief and recovery.   

Just days after Manatee County submitted its commonsense defense, in a chilling move, the Florida Department of Commerce sent county officials a frightening warning not to move forward with plans to increase impact fees. 

Scary.

As the layers of this rotten onion are peeled, it becomes increasingly evident that our legislators intentionally allowed their political benefactors in the development industry to usurp local control.

Now, it appears state officials are employing not-so-veiled threats of removing local officials from office, draconian edicts by regulatory agencies, and the coercive (and horribly unethical) pressure of withholding state funding for local road, parks, and economic development projects to secure the profit motives of their political donors…

Read that again.

As Mr. Garcia alarmingly cautioned, “I don’t want to be melodramatic here, but this could well be the last stand for home rule in Florida.

Land-use is arguably the one major policy area where cities and counties have lots of autonomy and power.

And if politicians in Tallahassee can strip locally elected leaders of even that power…there’s probably no bottom to this.”

I don’t care what your political persuasion is, this isn’t good governance – it’s state-sponsored gangsterism.

That should frighten the hell out every resident – and local elected representative – in the State of Florida…

And Another Thing!

“Flagler County, Flagler Beach, and Palm Coast invest taxpayer dollars in economic development for situations exactly like this. It is unacceptable for a company to take advantage of our resources, uproot families and walk away without accountability. Brunswick owes this community more than a press release and a moving truck.

We are not powerless. Our leaders can and likely will press Brunswick for answers, demand negotiations, explore incentives, and make clear that leaving is not an option. Period. And as a community, we must make sure our leaders know we have their backs in this fight.

Let’s send a clear message to Brunswick: absolutely not. You cannot come and go at will, leaving Flagler families and businesses in the lurch. Not after everything this community has done to support you. This time, we stand together to say enough is enough.”

–Ken Belshe, a principal at Sunbelt Land Management, the developer of Veranda Bay in Flagler Beach, as excerpted from his op/ed “Hell No: Boston Whaler Should Not Be Allowed to Exit Without a Fight from Flagler County’s Leadership,” FlaglerLive.com, Friday, September 19, 2025

It’s no secret I’m an excitable sort. 

When something really gets my dander up, I frequently write down my frustrations – furiously purging my craw on paper – venting my anger and exposing my fears to no one in particular. 

It’s part of the wonderful catharsis of writing. 

Once I’ve transferred my negative feelings to the page, I sleep on it. 

Invariably, when I come back and review my often-incoherent ravings, I crumple up the paper and place it in the round file, feeling infinitely better for the expressive release without having embarrassed myself by publishing some half-baked and emotionally charged diatribe to the world.    

Perhaps Flagler County developer Ken Belshe should give that anger management strategy a try? 

After reading Mr. Belshe’s editorial in FlaglerLive! last week, I find it hard to believe that a savvy business executive who overcame significant opposition from residents and environmentalists to get what he wanted when seeking approvals for Veranda Bay has such a myopic view of the realities of a free marketplace. 

That said, Mr. Belshe makes an excellent point on how some corporations take advantage of publicly funded “economic development” incentives to cover overhead, then flee like scalded dogs when it becomes financially advantageous, leaving taxpayers holding the empty bag (and moldering building).

The fact is, Brunswick can “come and go” as it deems necessary to remain competitive.  

Look, I realize Florida developers are accustomed to getting their way on every issue large and small, but absent a legal obligation tied to the economic incentives that lured them here (which rarely happens), there is no duty for a company to remain rooted in Flagler County – or anywhere else – and slowly wither on the vine when market conditions change.   

In my view, Mr. Belshe should take a long look in the mirror when he starts making demands of other Flagler County business interests. 

As I recall, he was just as unreceptive to public outcry when maneuvering to develop 900 acres of sensitive wildlife habitat along the Intracoastal Waterway near Bulow Creek.  A controversial project that will ultimately bring some 2,700 homes to the development known as Veranda Bay.

That irony is not lost on Flagler County residents… 

In response to Mr. Belshe’s op/ed, a citizen identified as “Mr. David” satirically suggested, “Ken, step up to the plate for the county and all the disenfranchised workers! You could provide hundreds of homes from your development at no cost to the unemployed! After the environmental disaster that is Veranda Bay, it would be the least you could do.”

Four years after returning to Flagler County, Brunswick’s Boston Whaler manufacturing operation is being consolidated with its Edgewater facility.  The closing will result in the loss of some 300 jobs, all of which are being offered transfers to the new operation.

According to reports, Brunswick officials said the relocation is due to a five-year downturn in the fiberglass boat retail market.

In 2007, desperate for those elusive “high paying jobs,” Flagler County cobbled together a multifaceted “Economic Incentive Program,” including capital funding, infrastructure improvements, and real estate discounts, to entice the original Sea Ray plant to Flagler County. 

There were no guarantees, then or now, and Sea Ray closed the plant in 2018.

Brunswick reopened the facility three-years later to manufacture Boston Whaler products.   

According to a January 2021 report by Clayton Park writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, both Brunswick and Palm Coast officials confirmed that “No economic incentives were involved in Brunswick’s decision to take its Sea Ray property off the market to convert it into a Boston Whaler plant…”  

In my view, the unfortunate closing of the Brunswick plant and the displacement of its Flagler based employees is one more example of why government should get out of the marketplace.

For decades, “Fun Coast” residents have been told by those compromised puppets on various councils and commissions – egged on by their bagmen at those redundant public/private “economic development” shams across the region – that if the metroplex is to ever become ‘competitive,’ we must shower publicly funded “incentives” on certain businesses and industries to convince them to locate or remain here, (i.e., “The Great Logistics/Warehouse Boom” of the 2000’s…).  

Bullshit.

In my view, government’s role is to create public policies and steward communities that are attractive to business and appropriate industries, not use public funds to cover risk and underwrite their overhead.

The idea of bloated bureaucracies (where our money is no object) skewing the playing field, picking winners and losers by gifting one business our tax dollars while watching another die, is ethically (and financially) wrong. 

Government interference in the marketplace is patently unfair to thousands of small businesses – ultimately creates an artificial economy – and is counter to the concept of equal opportunity and free enterprise.

It also leaves “Fun Coast” taxpayers without a chair when the music inevitably stops… 

That’s all for me.  Welcome to fall, y’all!

Hi, kids!

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

Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell, Requiescat in Pace

I’ve said this before, but from my earliest memories, law enforcement officers have always been my heroes.

They still are.

In a career spanning over three-decades in policing, I watched these brave souls routinely go into harm’s way to protect the safety, peace, and welfare of their fellow citizens; gallant men and women who willingly put their own lives at risk in service to others they didn’t even know. 

It is why law enforcement officers play such an essential — and inspirational — role in binding the very fabric of our society, and why I will forever admire their indominable spirit, courage, and dedication in protecting my family and yours.

This week, Volusia County was rocked by the senseless murder of Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell in a tragic off-duty encounter with a deranged employee of an Ormond-by-the-Sea convenience store.  By all accounts, Officer Jewell was ambushed and executed – shot multiple times at pointblank range – by a store clerk apparently suffering from “mental health issues.”

An arrest has been made, and the investigation is continuing.    

Prior to joining the Edgewater Police Department, Officer Jewell served with the Lake Helen Police Department, and as a decorated telecommunicator with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.   

In addition, David Jewell was a loving father and devoted husband.

Those who served with Officer Jewell described him as a cop’s cop, “kind, selfless, caring, and a light during a dark day. For those who had the honor of knowing him, he was a great friend with a sense of humor.”

In a statement following Monday afternoon’s tragedy, acting Edgewater Police Chief Charles Geiger paid tribute to Officer Jewell, “David was a guy that we could rely on for anything, never heard a bad thing about him, and he’s going to be a tremendous loss to the Edgewater Police Department.”

In my view, Officer Jewell represented the best of us, and his profound contributions will reverberate far beyond the City of Edgewater, and the senseless way he died.   

May David Jewell’s extraordinary legacy of dedicated service be an inspiration to those who continue to protect and serve – and his memory serve as a reminder to those who sleep under the blanket of protection they provide of the dangers our law enforcement officers face both on-duty and off.  

According to the Edgewater Police Department, the family has invited the community to a candlelight vigil honoring the life and service of Officer Jewell on Friday, September 19, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m., at the Edgewater Alliance Church, 310 North Ridgewood Avenue, Edgewater.   

The Edgewater Police Department has established a GoFundMe account to assist Officer Jewell’s family.  Please find it here: https://tinyurl.com/mwjxfksp

Godspeed. Forever EP698…

Volusia Vice Chair Matt Reinhart’s Inspired Dream Helps Inmates Reenter Society

According to a 2023 study by the Florida Policy Project, “One of the biggest drivers of incarceration is the revolving door of people leaving prison, reoffending, and returning to prison. The vast majority of people in Florida’s prisons will eventually be released, but a lack of resources and available programming is limiting their likelihood of successful reentry into society.” 

You don’t have to be a penologist to understand the importance of transitional training programs, job skill development, education, and mental health/substance abuse treatment, leading to successful post-release employment in reducing recidivism. 

Thanks to Volusia County Vice Chair Matt Reinhart, jail inmates now have another innovative opportunity for a positive outcome.

During the dark and turbulent September 4 Volusia County Council meeting, there was one bright spot when council members gave life to former county corrections warden and current Vice Chair Matt Reinhart’s dream of establishing a working vegetable farm at the Volusia County Jail.

In my view, leveraging one’s institutional knowledge to develop solutions to intractable problems is smart leadership, and Vice Chair Reinhart’s inspired vision will help inmates build marketable skills, improve their mental health, and may eventually lower food costs for county correctional facilities.   

The program will become part of the county’s Second Chance Reentry Services, an initiative Mr. Reinhart and others believe will reduce recidivism by providing self-improvement opportunities.

As I understand it, the agricultural operation will start with seasonal vegetables and augment the county’s successful horticulture program.   

According to a report by Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“This has been an over 30-year dream of mine,” Reinhart said.

The county spends about $4,000 a month on vegetables for the Division of Corrections. County officials do not expect to be able to grow enough food to cover the entire cost, Volusia County Public Protection Director Randa Matusiak said.

Overall, the startup cost for the program is $156,150, Matusiak said. The costs include adding security features, a refrigeration unit, and a pole barn, among other things. The county would not need to hire more staff to help manage the vegetable crops.

Savings from the program would come from the county selling vegetables to its food provider. In the best-case scenario, the county would save $6,892 a year from the vegetable crops, with recurring costs considered, she said.”

Unfortunately, like most county-run programs (where money is never a concern), the $156,150 setup costs for row crops, and an estimated $442,500 to $467,000 for a “Phase II” chicken program, seems ridiculous…   

To their credit, Mr. Reinhart and his colleagues asked staff to seek reductions before the second phase of the program comes before the County Council for approval.

According to the News-Journal, “The jail offers other programs to help people prepare to leave the jail, get an education and find work, including “GED preparation and exams, forklift training and certification, barbering, virtual welding, and other programs designed to provide practical skills and pathways for rehabilitation.”

District 4 Councilman Troy Kent suggested adding honeybee hives and selling bottles of “county honey” to bring in revenue.

“It would fly off the shelves,” Kent said.”

Whatever works, I say.

Kudos to Vice Chair Reinhart and the Volusia County Council for finding innovative ways to reduce the impact of repeat victimization and recidivism on Volusia County taxpayers. 

Finally, Fini – The Annual Theater of the Absurd Comes to a Close for 2025-26

“Palm Coast’s proposed 2026 fiscal year budget is going to increase 65% to $696 million from the adopted 2025 budget of $421 million.

Most of the increase is spread across several departments, but the largest increase is in the water-wastewater capital projects fund, which is increasing 289% to $326 million from the previous year’s $83 million budget. This fund is not supported by property taxes, but instead various grant revenue, special assessments, and impact fees, according to city budget presentation documents.

Financial Services Director Helena Alves said at the Sept. 10 meeting that this fund is responsible for the water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades and other major capital improvement projects.”

–Reporter Sierra Williams, writing in the Palm Coast Observer, “Palm Coast 2026 budget increases 65% as millage is reduced by one-tenth mill,” Monday, September 15, 2025

Thankfully, the annual rending of garments and gnashing of teeth over county and municipal budgets (and the inevitable tax increases that pay for it all) is finally coming to a close. 

In accordance with the needs of the fiscal feeding schedule, horribly bloated bureaucracies – and the precious smattering of well stewarded communities who live within their means – have once again fed the monkey and satiated the spending addiction that exposes the true priorities of those we elect to represent our interests. 

I don’t know about you, but after watching our elected dullards spend like drunken sailors on everything from publicly funded motorcross tracks to astronomical annual pay increases for senior executives, the artificial handwringing, and contrived theatrics as our elected dullards assume the role of the “conservative watchdog” is exhausting… 

That isn’t limited to the Volusia County Council.   

Each time we go through this carefully choreographed shim-sham, I am reminded of all the times we listened to the chaunt “Growth pays for itself, you rubes!” by developers and the real estate industry who threw a lot of money around and lobbied for more, more, more.

The false promise of an increase in tax dollars that would more than cover the massive impacts of overdevelopment on our local transportation infrastructure, public utilities, water quantity and quality, stormwater management, emergency services, healthcare, and the myriad other essential services a community requires to function effectively.

Instead, for the acquiescence of those we trusted to do the right thing, we exchanged greenspace, wildlife habitat, and the natural topography for a blanket of impervious concrete and zero lot line cracker boxes, and received development-induced flooding in return…

Guess who pays for it all?

Earlier this week, as the Volusia County Council unanimously approved an obscene $1.41 billion budget, there was talk of eliminating the trifling eyewash of setting aside a paltry $5 million for road improvements, desperately inadequate critical infrastructure that is quickly being overwhelmed countywide.

The same is true to our south in Brevard County where commissioners are weighing a gas tax increase just to keep up with road resurfacing and repair as construction of needed roadways goes from just 7.5-miles in 2025 to 5-miles next year. 

So, how are things around your mom-n-pop business? 

Are you seeing automatic revenue increases, salary hikes, benefit increases, money for the renovation and construction of new facilities, perennially renewing slush funds that you can dip into at your leisure to pay for normal repair and replacement costs, free healthcare for your employees and their families, cash for business development, and the ability to grow your workforce and cover overhead with budgetary impunity? 

I didn’t think so… 

Until next year, friends and neighbors.  Keep your chin up – and your wallets open… 

Quote of the Week

“Some elected officials in two Central Florida counties share the same border and the same dilemma: vote their conscience — or risk losing their positions.

Board members in Manatee and Hillsborough counties worry Gov. Ron DeSantis might suspend them if they take action his administration opposes.

“As terrible as it is that there’s a dystopian scenario where people could just remove people from office for disagreements over vague, burdensome language, it’s still the fact,” said George Kruse, chair of the Manatee County Commission, at a recent meeting. “It’s the fact that we’re dealing with right now.”

–George Kruse, Chair of the Manatee County Commission, as excerpted from reporter Doug Soule’s article in WFSU News, “Local leaders in Florida worry they could be suspended for opposing DeSantis,” Wednesday, September 17, 2025

“In unity, there is strength.”

–Aesop

As of this week, more than 20 cities and counties throughout Florida have courageously joined a lawsuit to fight the overreaching provisions of SB 180, a new law that preempts virtually all local planning and growth management decisions. 

Not surprisingly, the law was heavily supported by some of the largest real estate development concerns in the nation, and, in my view, best exemplifies the powerful influence of special interests on legislative manipulation here in the Sunshine State.

The “Biggest Whorehouse in the World.”

Earlier this month, a frightened New Smyrna Beach City Commission voted 3-2 to opt out of the lawsuit, based in part on Mayor Fred Cleveland’s well-articulated fear of serious repercussions from Tallahassee. 

I find that chilling, and I’ve thought of little else sense. 

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

Apparently, Mayor Cleveland’s trepidations were valid and shared by elected officials across the state.  

According to the WFSU report, “…Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political science professor, says local officials’ concerns are not unreasonable.

“If you’re a local official in Florida, you need to be careful, because if you openly defy the governor or even if you think it’s an open legal question … it’s possible you may find yourself being removed,” Jewett said.”

Now it appears Gov. Ron DeSantis and our state legislators (the same ones the Volusia County Council want to “negotiate” amendments to SB 180 with) are intent on consolidating power in Tallahassee, usurping home rule authority, and preempting any hurdle to a developer’s greed-crazed ambitions with the thuggish threat of draconian audits and removal from office.

In my view, it is time for We, The Little People let our local legislative delegation know that silencing dissent and demanding lockstep conformity through the use of brute force wielded from on high is counter to our democratic principles and right to self-determination.

There is strength in numbers.

That message begins at the ballot box.

And Another Thing!

“The School Board approved the tax rate and budget with a 4-1 vote, with School Board member Donna Brosemer voting against.

“I confess I was a lot more comfortable at the workshop when the projected budget was going to be closer to $1.1 billion,” Brosemer said.

Looking at student enrollment data from 10 years ago compared to today, Brosemer said numbers were similar but that the district’s budget had increased by almost 75%.

She was also concerned about how much of the operating budget — now 71.5% according to staff —was dedicated to salaries and benefits, adding that she’d like for the district to look at its internal structure for next fiscal year.

VCS is projecting to have about 54,127 traditional students in 2026, based on DOE’s forecast model. That is a reduction of about 1,412 students from the second survey conducted in 2025.”

–Reporter Jarleene Almenas, writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “Volusia County Schools approves $1.4 billion budget in 4-1 vote,” Wednesday, September 10, 2025

A politically astute friend recently asked on social media why every elected body in Volusia and Flagler County has one outcast on the dais.  A duly elected official who refuses to be beaten into the round hole of conformity – an ostracized pariah always on the receiving end of the majority’s collective vindictiveness and gross political attacks. 

Why is that?

From the Volusia County Council’s Chair Jeff Brower, to Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie, Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris, and Volusia County School Board member Donna Brosemer, it seems free thinkers with an alternative view who challenge institutional norms – or (God forbid) espouse a view counter to the bureaucratic “conventional wisdom” – are quickly vilified, marginalized, and banished from the cloistered inner sanctum where the sausage gets made.  

I’ve read psychobabble social theories that attempt to explain the cause of “in-crowd” acceptance and “out-group” shunning, dynamics that inevitably leads to an ‘Us v. Them’ polarization in organizations and communities.

In my uneducated view, around these parts, when it comes to local political cliques the similarities that attract like-types consist of the same uber-wealthy special interests, all the right last names who fund the individual political ambitions of their hand select lackeys as a means of influencing public policies sympathetic to their profit margin.

Sound familiar?  

In addition, there appears to be a psychological craving for acceptance by charming senior administrators and the fawning bureaucracy – all directed by career civil servants with a practiced knack for convincing elected officials to listen to internal “experts” exclusively. 

Sycophantic “insiders” who stress the institutional importance of tuning out any external input – or anyone who questions the culture, cost, or means – always adopting the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” advice of the Three Wise Monkeys to protect the stagnant status quo. 

Let’s call it the “Black Sheep Phenomenon,” and it is never more prevalent than during the well-choreographed charade leading to the group rubber stamp of the final budget and millage rate.

For instance, when Ms. Brosemer broke from the pack and voted “No” to a final budget approaching $1.4 Billion, Volusia County School Board Chair Jamie Haynes instinctively dismissed her “colleague’s” concerns as the cost of doing business. 

According to Haynes, the price of everything from capital projects to personnel costs, (which, I assume, includes the exorbitant salaries and perquisites of Superintendent Balgobin’s ever-expanding entourage in the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand?), has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, yada, yada, yada…

“I just don’t know that it’s a fair comparison, because it’s costing more to do all of these things and to keep up with what we’re doing,” Haynes whined.

Of course, the ultimate member of the “Cool Kids Club,” School Board member Krista Goodrich, backed Haynes simplistic rationalization, claiming that Brosemer’s year-to-year analysis of soaring administrative costs was flawed, citing it is “not apples to apples to compare 2015 to 2025.”

None of that matters now. 

The increase has been assured by the lockstep majority and the “Look! A red herring!” diversion has begun.

With great flourish, last week, Volusia County Schools unfurled the gilded announcement that Superintendent Carmen Balgobin has been named “2025 Superintendent of the Year” by something called the National Association of School Superintendents.  

As best I can tell, the selection criteria consisted of Dr. Balgobin submitting a signed “featured member article” to NASS touting her achievements.  (Naturally, there was a heavy emphasis on VCS uncanny school grade improvements and mysterious graduation increases that have yet to be fully explained, despite questions from Ms. Brosemer and others…)

According to the NASS website, Superintendent Balgobin entered several areas of recognition, including “Excellence in Safety & Education,” “Excellence in Technology & AI,” and “Power Leadership >2,500,” ultimately taking the whole enchilada at the NASS conference at a Marriott in Chicago last week.    

Admittedly, I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I found the whole thing confusing…

You see, earlier this year it was announced that Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr. of the Jefferson County, Birmingham, Alabama School System had been named 2025 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.

The AASA bills itself as “The School Superintendent Association,” and the “premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill.” 

In addition, the AASA sponsors the National Superintendent Certification Program and holds a registered copyright on the term “National Superintendent of the Year.”   

Closer to home, the Florida Association of District School Superintendents named Dr. David K. Moore of the School District of Indian River County as the 2025 Florida Superintendent of the Year – which, under AASA selection criteria, is a prerequisite for the national recognition.

So, how can there be two “Superintendents of the Year”?

I’m asking.  Because having two undisputed “Heavyweight Champions of the World” is befuddling to a knob like me… 

Whatever.

Let’s face it, awards and self-congratulatory accolades are nice to have for mid-career professionals with an inflated opinion of themselves – especially when it comes to diverting attention, sticking your thumb in the eye of your detractors, putting your critics in their place – and shutting up those meddlers who ask too many questions about the who, what, when, where, and why of things…  

Perhaps we could all feel better about our collective “accomplishments” if we could get solid answers to how these supernaturally improved grades and graduation rates were facilitated – along with a transparent accounting of how an astronomical $1.4 Billion in public funds is being spent in furtherance of educating Volusia County students?  

As Ms. Brosemer so aptly said in her cogent essay in the Ormond Beach Observer during the budget process:

“So many questions no one asks. So few answers no one wants. Does the board’s apathy mirror that of the public, or vice versa? It doesn’t matter. We as a board are not cheerleaders. We are charged with oversight, as we struggle to get relevant documents. Whether or not the public cares, it’s our job.”

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

Today we remember.

Across the nation, Americans are gathering to mark 24-years since our nation changed forever – a vicious attack on our foundational principles – an attack on all of us…

Yesterday, a despicable coward carried out the vicious assassination of the young conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus. This craven act of extreme violence happened as Mr. Kirk engaged in the open debate of ideas, discussed opinions on the issues of the day, and explained political positions some disagreed with.

He was killed for practicing his inalienable right to free expression.

He was killed for speaking his truth…

On this day, I believe we best honor the memory of those bold and courageous souls who have given their lives to preserve our democracy and sacred freedoms by speaking out. Using our voices for positive change, engaging in peaceful dialog, furthering the discussion, and championing the cause of freedom and good governance.

It’s important. Now, more than ever.

Volusia County Council of Cowards – A New Low in Political Bullying

As a veteran observer of local government, with few exceptions, what I witnessed near the end of last week’s Volusia County Council meeting was perhaps the worst political gibbeting of a duly elected public official I have ever seen.

It was a frightening example of the fate that awaits those who refuse to conform, and a disgusting reminder of how mean-spirited and iniquitous the lockstep majority of our elected dullards have become in service to their influential overseers. 

Don’t take my word for it, down a strong dose of Emetrol and watch for yourself (beginning at 6:55:08): https://tinyurl.com/3spvwy6f

In my view, it was another malicious attempt to publicly castrate Chairman Jeff Brower in a cheap political bushwhack that shocked the conscience of many Volusia County residents.    

Last Thursday, during closing comments, Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins set a clumsy trap using his best Atticus Finch impression to accusatorily interrogate Chairman Brower about his appearance at an August meeting of the Edgewater City Council. 

After being invited by the Edgewater Council to appear at the meeting, Mr. Brower stood at the podium and enthusiastically supported the city’s opposition to SB 180, encouraged the elected body to stand firm with their previously imposed building moratorium in the face of widespread development-induced flooding, and suggested state legislators may face political accountability for supporting the overreaching bill.  

Droning on in his melodramatic style, Councilman Robins made a ham-fisted attempt to introduce his Exhibit “A” – a loaded “gotcha!” moment – consisting of an innocuous six-minute video of Chairman Brower speaking at the Edgewater meeting.  

It didn’t quite work out the way Mr. Robins would have wished…

For several awkward minutes, council members and the audience sat in uncomfortable silence as the dramatic anticipation drained from Robins’ skit when the county’s horribly inadequate audio/video system (per usual) failed to perform. 

(On the rare occasion when the system works, it sounds much like two dried gourds transmitting voice-like sounds across a stretched animal hide…)    

When the video finally aired (with sound, this time) the ‘proceedings’ devolved into an embarrassing clown show, with “Gaslight” Robins leading the troupe through their previously assigned roles.

During his scripted harangue, Councilman Robins accused Mr. Brower of having “diarrhea of the mouth” (that’s rich, considering the source), and claimed his address to the Edgewater City Council undermined the unanimous intent of the Volusia County Council to beg for “amendments” to SB 180, rather than stand firm against aggression and join with other local governments across the state who are considering a lawsuit against the preemptions to local control.

In a shocking demonstration of what obsequious cowards Robins and his “colleagues” have become – Mr. Robins mewled that, rather than defend local control and vehemently oppose the overreach of SB 180 – council members should be “walking on eggshells and kissing their (legislators) butts to get this through for our citizens, not campaigning on the dais with this much at stake.”

Read that again…

Not to miss an opportunity to grandstand, the always condescending Councilman “No Show” Santiago – perhaps the most compromised political hack on the dais – continued putting the boots to Brower with accusations and insinuations, lashing out in a pique, and charging that Brower is destroying the council’s “relationship” with the legislative delegation (what relationship?)

In turn, Councilman Don Dempsey (in my view, an elected official who lost all credibility the moment he manipulated a tax supported environmental protection program to fund his pet motorcross facility at public expense) got in on the act, painting Brower as having mutinously gone “rogue,” theatrically accusing him of breaking the law, and berating Chairman Brower for having the temerity to speak his mind and champion the rights of local government to self-determination.    

The entire scene was stupid, meanspirited, and ugly.

With everyone’s patience waning, “Gaslight” Robins finally revealed his true intent – making a motion (naturally seconded by Santiago) that the Council write a smarmy letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Lieutenant Governor, and the local legislative delegation, clarifying Volusia County’s submissive position on SB 180.

In fact, it was a not-so-veiled suggestion that Gov. DeSantis remove Chairman Brower for his opposition to the legislative preemptions (and serious local consequences) of the controversial new law.

In a clearly rehearsed pivot, Councilman Jake Johansson – who is currently running for State Senate – was gifted the role of Deganawida, calming the turbid waters by suggesting it was inappropriate for the council to “tell daddy we’re arguing” by formalizing internal issues in a letter and airing internecine spats with the state.

Unfortunately, the damage to the credibility of the Volusia County Council (and the public trust) was done.

It was a dogpile – a vicious and well-choreographed personal attack – cruel retribution for Brower’s vocal opposition to Robins’ asinine push to cut public hearings for special exceptions – something Brower rightly labeled “malfeasance” for elected officers of a charter government.

More prearranged theatre acted with excruciating pomposity by the likes of Danny Robins and David Santiago, all because Chairman Brower showed the personal and political courage to passionately stand for the needs and wants of his frightened constituents on the most critical issue of our time.

To their immense credit, on Monday evening, the Edgewater City Council boldly voted 4-0 to join the statewide coalition of cities and counties seeking to take legal action to defend their Home Rule right to self-determination. 

It was the right thing to do, and it took courage. 

History is never kind to cowards.

Something tells me that the repulsive political ambush we saw last Thursday won’t soon be forgotten by Volusia County voters; waterlogged residents who are sick and tired of watching their quality of life destroyed by craven politicians, and the greed-crazed special interests that facilitate their betrayal. 

Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie – The ‘In-Crowd’s’ Budgetary Punching Bag

My wife, two feral dogs, and I share an arrogantly shabby cracker box up here in north Ormond Beach.   

There’s no gate on our neighborhood, and the ‘Old Barker Place’ isn’t much to look at – a wood frame 3/2, kept upright up by the termites and carpenter ants holding hands – subject to all the joy, heartbreak, and crippling expense inherent to enjoying what remains of the American Dream here in the Sunshine State. 

It isn’t much, but it’s our little sliver of the pie…  

It’s home.

I’ve spent the bulk of my life in Ormond Beach, grew up on the north peninsula when Halifax Drive was little more than a two-lane fire trail north of Granada Boulevard, and a drawbridge spanned the Halifax.  My small elementary school class at St. James would sometimes walk over the old bridge to enjoy the Christmas display at City Hall or visit a small pet shop downtown.   

Our playground on the church property was in the shadow of The Casements, just behind Billy’s Tap Room, where Mr. McDonald would occasionally be called upon to retrieve our kickball from the roof…    

Natural dunes and wild palmetto scrub stretched all the way from my childhood backyard to a thin ribbon of asphalt that was A-1-A, then an idyllic path through the sea oats led to the best beach in Florida…     

A very different place than today.

The late great political commentator Big John used to euphemistically poke fun at our infamous pomposity here in the “Birthplace of Speed” – referring to us as “The Fingerbowl District” – always theatrically pronouncing it “Or-mond.”

Still makes me chuckle…  

I can attest that Ormond Beach has always had a streak of pretentiousness.  A snobbish air that comes from our long and storied association with affluent residents from John D. Rockefeller to the modern-day gazillionaires (and those who pretend to be) who call our community home.

We were special once.  That was a point of civic pride…  

Not anymore. 

In my view, now the political atmosphere is no different than tumultuous places like the Lost City of Deltona and Palm Coast – with little dissimilarity from anywhere else in the greater Halifax area.  Don’t take my word for it, drive south on Atlantic Avenue from Granada Boulevard and tell me what sets us apart?    

Now that our once quaint community is trapped in the pincer of explosive growth – with little civic vision beyond the monotonous proliferation of strip centers, itinerant chain restaurants, and storage facilities that have made our community just another homogenized “everyplace” – our elected “leadership” prefers the distraction of spiteful bickering over problem-solving and fiscal stewardship.   

The result is a tragic cycle of backbiting and internecine conflict which regularly pits freshman Mayor Jason Leslie against the techy trio of Commissioners Travis Sargent, Lori Tolland, and Kristin Deaton who form the city’s mean-spirited “in-crowd.”

The inexperienced Mayor Leslie’s learning curve has become something to be exploited.  Branded a “newcomer,” Leslie has become the political whipping boy – nasty treatment never more evident than during what passed for the city’s “budget hearings” and the Commission’s horribly ham-handed failure to select Ormond Beach’s employee benefits provider.    

Adding to the chaff, someone strategically placed a false Facebook post claiming Mayor Leslie wanted to cut funding for youth sports programs. 

It was a baldfaced lie, but it had the desired effect:  Paint Mayor Leslie as the bad guy, then make him deny it in front of an angry crowd…   

It also created an opportunity for Mayor Leslie’s detractors on the dais to berate and lecture, accusing him of sowing confusion with “false and incomplete information,” with Budget Advisory Board member Josh Pringle publicly dressing down the Mayor for communicating with his constituents in the Ormond Beach Observer, “…leadership by the mayor through the media is not leadership at all.”

“Creating buzz in the Observer or on Twitter is not leadership of this city,” Pringle chided. “The community loses when our leadership is absent.”

City Attorney Randy Hayes got his licks in, placing a memorandum in the Commission’s agenda package lobbying for a tax increase while criticizing Mayor Leslie’s attempts to find deeper cuts. 

According to Hayes, Commissioners were encouraged to vote for the tax increase due to “…financial risks and liabilities associated with the mayor’s intention to seek deep reductions in the millage rate and the budget, and the uncertainties those reductions would have on the ability of the city to deliver quality services to residents.”

“Sound fiscal management and responsible leadership require it.”

For her part, Commissioner Lori Tolland – who directed that Mr. Hayes missive be read aloud by the city clerk – accused Mayor Leslie of threatening Ormond Beach’s quality of life by even suggesting a tax cut (?). 

“Let me be perfectly clear from the start: I’m not willing to compromise the quality of life for our residents because of misinformation or any political maneuvering,” Tolland crowed. “The conversation that we’re having tonight about cuts is very frustrating, and it really stinks.”

It stinks all right…because it’s manufactured bullshit.

At the end of the day, Ormond’s “In-Crowd” got what it wanted – a 6.94% tax rate increase – with an annual budget now set at $143 million.  According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer last week, “From the 2020-2021 fiscal year to 2025-2026, the budget has increased by about 48%.”

In just five-years?

Perhaps Attorney Hayes can address that in his next fiscal epistle? 

In my view, most disturbing is how senior staff and those lockstep conformists on the Commission ostracized Mayor Leslie during the process – painting him as the monster in their bureaucratic scary stories that always accompany the mere mention of reducing the tax burden on already strapped residents.

Quote of the Week

“A split City Commission Tuesday night, Sept. 9, voted 3-2 against joining a coalition of municipalities in a legal challenge against SB 180.

Mayor Fred Cleveland and Commissioners Valli Perrine and Brian Ashley opposed the joining the lawsuit; Vice Mayor Lisa Martin and Commissioner Jason McGuirk voted in favor.

Residents and commissioners alike voiced their disapproval of the new state law, but diverged on whether joining the lawsuit was best course of action.

South Florida attorney Jamie Cole, of Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman law firm, is organizing the initiative, which has garnered support from more than 15 local government entities (both counties and cities). In Volusia County, Edgewater and Deltona have joined the coalition.”

–Reporter Brenno Carillo, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “NSB City Commission votes 3-2 against joining coalition legally challenging SB 180,” Tuesday, September 9, 2025

With Mayor “Floodin’ Fred” Cleveland and Zone 1 Commissioner Valli Perrine up for reelection next year, it looks like the citizens of New Smyrna Beach have some decisions to make.

In my view, the gross inaction earlier this week by Mayor Cleveland and Commissioners Perrine and Brian Ashley to tuck tail and opt out of a coalition of communities across the state who are fighting the pernicious effects of SB 180 on Home Rule made those choices crystal clear…

To their immense credit, Vice Mayor Lisa Martin and Commissioner Jason McGuirk stood for the protection and quality of life of their residents in bravely voting to take the fight against the state legislature’s base aggression to court.

Inconceivably, despite the widespread effects of massive development on the residents and character of his community – and the fact SB 180 has effectively repealed all of the city’s previous efforts to mitigate flooding with development and stormwater management regulations – Cleveland, Perrine, and Ashley mewled the same frightened runes:

“How about we study our options a while longer?  If we wait and play to their ego, maybe they’ll eat us last?” and “Let’s ‘work with’ our local legislative delegation (the same arrogant aggressors who passed the law) to lobby for “amendments” sometime next session, you know, while the bulldozers roar…”

Instead of standing up for his constituents, it sounds like “Floodin’ Fred” got scared after listening to those handwringing pantywaists on the Volusia County Council:

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

Have we reached a place where political bullying – the thuggish use of “blacklists,” retribution, and punishing communities by withholding the allocation of public funds as a means of ramrodding bad public policy is what passes for “governance” in Tallahassee?   

In my view, silencing dissent and ensuring conformity with whispered threats is counter to our democratic principles and speaks to the brazen hold influential special interests have on our elected officials.

Chilling…

Fortunately, Volusia County is blessed with a core group of resolute civic activists and environmentalists who are standing boldly on the frontline, defending our right to self-determination, and protecting what remains of our sensitive wild places from overdevelopment (Read: Greed).

Earlier this month, The Sweetwater Coalition – a small grassroots environmental protection advocacy – filed a “Verified Complaint for Declaratory Judgement and Injunctive Relief” in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Orlando. 

The filing seeks an injunction to prevent damage to Spruce Creek and its unique wildlife habitats from ongoing construction activities related to the controversial Pioneer Trail/I-95 overpass.

Rather than fret about being “punished” by state elected officials then cowering like frightened rats in the shadows – the Sweetwater Coalition and others took action – standing tall to defend our quality of life when we need it most.

I find great inspiration in committed citizens who stand alone for that which they believe is right, honorable, and fair – unafraid of speaking truth to power despite the consequences.

These brave souls set the example of courage and citizenship for our timid “elected representatives” who have no problem defecating on the right of We, The Little People to participate in our government – then kowtow to state overreach – spinelessly kissing the sizeable asses of their powerful bullies using political placation and appeasement.

This isn’t “politics as usual.”

Use your voice.  Speak out.  Vote.

And Another Thing!

“Ormond Beach resident Connie Colby said she hadn’t heard anyone coming forward asking for the ordinance and its long list of changes.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. … What I see is 228 pages (the length of all the agenda item materials) creating a free-for-all, and that bothers me a lot because the document itself is kind of difficult to understand,” Colby said.

District 4 Councilman Troy Kent also said that he hadn’t had anyone, developer or resident, ask for the changes. He opposed cutting down on the public and the County Council’s ability to have a say in some types of development.

“I have received, I think, hundreds of emails on this Chapter 72 change, and I believe 100 percent of them have been against doing it,” Kent said.”

–Reporter Sheldon Gardner, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia Council OKs rules that reduce public oversight in zoning code,” Friday, September 5, 2025

“The people who speak out don’t represent half a million people…”

–Councilman David “No Show” Santiago, the well-compensated political hack who occasionally represents Volusia County Council District 5, Thursday, September 4, 2025

Last Thursday was a banner day for our elected dullards on the Volusia County Council.

In one malevolent sweep, a 4-3 majority of compromised shills arrogantly ignored the concerns of concerned residents seeking to stop a brazen move by Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins to silence citizen input and eliminate politically accountable oversight for special exceptions to the zoning code. 

After easing the way for their political benefactors in the development industry, the same self-righteous majority publicly embarrassed themselves with a badly choreographed attack on Chaiman Brower for standing firm with his constituents.

Following a clumsy and blundering process that took three meetings to still get wrong, Councilmen Danny Robins, Jake Johansson, David Santiago, and Don Dempsey, haughtily snubbed the capacity crowd, the hundreds more watching on YouTube (?), and the twenty-two valiant citizens who lined up to voice their opposition to the amendment.

Disregarding the fact many citizens took time away from work to travel to DeLand at 9:00am last Thursday – Councilman David “No Show” Santiago condescendingly labeled attendees as “Brower’s followers” – then sneeringly denigrated their participation from the dais as inconsequential. 

For his part, single-issue Councilman Don “Dirt Track” Dempsey branded residents who speak out on issues that affect their lives and livelihoods a “Mob,” announcing he doesn’t represent their interests. 

Of course, not – he represents himself.   

Now that Councilman Dempsey has all but assured a publicly funded motorcross track for his family and friends, he could care less about listening to your piddly-ass problems with land use, development-induced flooding, and exorbitant taxes and fees.  

And the suppression of the public’s right to participate in their governance continues…

From beach driving and access, to flooding and malignant overdevelopment, transportation infrastructure, environmental destruction, and other issues of pressing concern for Volusia County residents, the majority of our elected officials have become wholly-compromised sock puppets – craven cowards – whose bought-and-paid-for priorities have nothing to do with those of their longsuffering constituents. 

Know your role and shut your pieholes.  Public input is no longer needed – or tolerated…  

That’s all for me.  Never forget.