PALM COAST
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 16, NO. 22
Nya Williams: national champ 6B
FREE ON NEWSSTANDS | THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2025
City golf course: To sell or not to sell? Appraisal lists Palm Harbor’s market value at $1.8 million. After years in the red, can it be turned around? PAGE 3A
Two new principals Mike Rinaldi at Matanzas; Katie Hansen at Buddy Taylor Middle 5A
Native blessing
Totem pole provides backdrop at dog park on John Anderson Highway PAGE 1B
INSIDE HELP WITH CHOICE Flagler Schools looks to facilitate school choice PAGE 5A
BUDGET PREVIEW
Palm Coast’s taxable property value is up more than 9% PAGE 4A
MORE COLORS
Palm Coast Council lightens up house color restrictions, but is it enough? PAGE 3A
COACHING CHANGES Matanzas baseball coach Jim Perry latest of several Flagler County coaches to step down PAGE 7B
MCMILLAN
‘We don’t take fake money’ PAGE 7A
SON IS FOUND
Palm Coast family to be reunited with son found alive after nine days missing in India PAGE 2A
SUNSHINE GROWS
Sunshine Psychiatric Care expands at City Marketplace in Palm Coast PAGE 4B
CONTEST RETURNS ‘It’s Read Everywhere’ travel contest is back PAGE 3C
INDEX
Business..................... PAGE 4B Calendar..................... PAGE 2B Cops Corner............... PAGE 6A Crossword.................. PAGE 2C Letters.........................PAGE 7A McMillan......................PAGE 7A Public Notices............ PAGE 5C Sports......................... PAGE 6B Real Estate................. PAGE 5B
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Dennis “Mountain Bear” thanks his volunteer hand-drum helper, Kaison Voltoline, 6. Courtesy photo
Who’s in control of animal control? Flagler County favors bringing services inhouse, shifting away from Humane Society. JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
The Flagler County Commission wants to move forward with having the county take over animal control, but with questions lingering concerning renewing a contract with the Flagler Humane Society and how quickly staff could launch its own animal control service, a new animal shelter is deemed a future project. “It’s not something that’s going to happen next year,” Commissioner Greg Hansen said during a workshop on Monday, June 23. “But if it’s on the list, at least every year we can look at it.” A one-year contract renewal for animal control and sheltering services with the Flagler Humane Society would cost the county $320,599, which includes a 7% increase on services. It would renew on Oct. 1. Concerns with continuing the contract include the frequency of background checks on animal control officers and volunteers, as well as having county representation on the FHS Board, whether that be a county employee or an elected official. County Administrator Heidi Petito said FHS was concerned that having an elected official on their board would jeopardize the shelter’s nonprofit status; county staff dis-
agreed. To add representation, FHS instead proposed a commissioner or county staff member meet monthly with the board as a county liaison to go over financial and intake reports, as well as address any issues that arise. Commissioner Kim Carney said she didn’t understand the Humane Society’s concern — she serves on the board for the Early Learning Coalition, a nonprofit, and signed confidentiality statements. “I hate to say it, but if they’re not disclosing what and how they operate, then they’re not fulfilling the obligations of being a 501c3,” Carney said. Not being allowed to have county representation during the FHS board meetings concerns Pennington. “We are all members of nonprofits,” she said. “We serve on nonprofit boards. We attend their meetings. We’re not briefed afterwards about what occurred.” A CONTRACT WITH PALM COAST?
Contracting Palm Coast for animal control services, for domesticated animals only, would be more expensive: $392,660. Also, the county would need to find another provider for nondomestic animals, as well as shelter services and a spay and neuter program. This factors in the cost for Palm Coast to hire two animal control officers and one administrative staff person, as well as some of the startup costs. Bringing the program inhouse would cost $456,339,
according to the county. Like with Palm Coast, that would include the addition of two animal control officers, an administrative staff person — only these would be county employees — and the county would still need a provider for animal shelter services and the spay and neuter program. “There are some concerns with us taking it on because it will involved some significant operational and financial, legal responsibilities,” Petito said. “This is not something we currently do, so it would probably take a little bit of time to get it set up, but we would be assuming full control over the staffing, the enforcement, community engagement.” The county would also have high upfront costs for insurance, software, vehicles, equipment, as well as bear the full liability for any incidents. Before making a decision, commissioners want to know how much the contract with Palm Coast could be in its second year, without the initial startup costs, which includes equipment and vehicles. “It could be a drastic swing once they get up and running with a fleet in place,” Pennington said. She also wanted to know how long the county would need to get an animal control program up an running. “Do we need to contract out another year so that you can build out that program?” she asked. “That’s my concern.” SEE FLAGLER PAGE 3A
Palm Coast chief of staff leaves for Palm Bay assistant city manager role Palm Coast’s Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo is leaving the city to become assistant city manager of Palm Bay, beginning July 14. DeLorenzo, who has worked at Palm Coast since 2019, said he is excited to take on the job after Palm Bay’s city manager (former Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton) reached Palm Coast Chief out to him sever- of Staff Jason al months prior. DeLorenzo. Photo Palm Bay has by Sierra Wila population of liams around 150,000, with more industry and a younger demographic than here. “Different set of challenges and opportunities,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting in there and learning all about the community and seeing how I can help the residents.” DeLorenzo was first hired in Palm Coast as the chief development officer in the Community Development Department. He has also been helping to fill in for other empty senior-level positions, including as utility director. This will make the fourth seniorlevel position to sit empty at Palm Coast. The other open positions are the utility director, the assistant city manager and the community development director. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge is temporarily filling in as Palm Coast’s assistant city manager. DeLorenzo has been in a difficult position in Palm Coast of late, as Mayor Mike Norris sought to have him fired in March, leading to accusations of Norris violating the City Charter for interfering with staff.