The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners held their regular business meeting on July 14, 2025, featuring life-saving award recognitions, comprehensive planning discussions, and various county business matters.
Fire Rescue Receives Life-Saving Awards
The meeting began with Fire Rescue life-saving awards presented by Deputy Fire Chief Percy Sales. Four separate incidents were recognized where emergency responders successfully saved lives using advanced equipment and procedures.
Sales emphasized the importance of the American Heart Association’s five-component chain of survival, which includes early 911 activation, high-quality CPR, early defibrillation, advanced life support, and post-cardiac arrest care. “All of these calls, a Lucas device was used and the person lived,” Sales noted, referring to the automated CPR devices the commission authorized for purchase approximately one year ago.
Lieutenant John Steman and Lieutenant Kyle Lockwood from Rescue 52 were recognized for responding to a 59-year-old male in cardiac arrest. The patient walked out of the hospital three days later. Another team, including Lieutenant Forte, firefighter Holy Cole, Lieutenant Olsen, firefighter Rafo, and firefighter Keith Froling, successfully treated a 60-year-old female in cardiac arrest, with the patient later returning home.
A third team, consisting of firefighter Javvon Jones, firefighter Wesley Libby, Captain Mike Pas, and Lieutenant Furling, handled a complex call involving Rescue 24 and Battalion 40. The patient regained spontaneous circulation. The final recognition went to rescue supervisor Jared Lanza and firefighter Eduardo Torres for treating a 14-year-old pediatric patient who declined into cardiac arrest but was successfully revived and returned to school.
Sales praised the commission’s decisions that directly impacted these successful outcomes, stating, “These are decisions that you guys made that directly impacted people’s lives. There’s additional staff on the road, there’s additional equipment on the road, and the supervisors on the road, and the training is just invaluable.”
County Achievements Recognized
Communications Manager Karen Callahan presented the 2025 NACO Achievement Awards, recognizing multiple county departments. Fire Rescue received two health awards: one for installing 360-degree camera systems on all nine rescue vehicles and another for Taco the therapy dog, owned by community paramedic Rob Erit, who provides emotional support during community outreach and emergencies.
The IT department earned recognition for its drone program, which secured a prestigious FAA certificate of waiver allowing long-range drone missions beyond visual line of sight. This capability is held by only one other governmental agency in the nation.
Parks and Recreation was honored for “A Walk in the Park,” monthly immersive experiences hosted by the land management division that educate residents about local ecosystems and conservation efforts. Emergency Management received recognition for its volunteer program, encouraging resident involvement in all phases of emergency management.
Proclamations Honor Service Members
The commission issued proclamations recognizing Pre-trial Probation and Parole Supervision Week and Purple Heart Day. Judge Distler and Ann Sawyer from pre-trial services attended to accept recognition for their work supervising arrestees in the community with a 99% appearance rate in 2024.
Commissioner Hansen, a veteran himself, read the Purple Heart Day proclamation honoring combat-wounded veterans. David Leiden, veteran services officer, introduced Major Dennis Ryan, a retired Air Force officer who was wounded twice in Vietnam in May 1968. Ryan thanked the commission, stating, “This land was fought for and paid for. This is your land. Let us defend it with honor.”
County Attorney’s Farewell
County Attorney Al Hadid presented his final remarks after over 20 years of service. He recounted the county’s environmental preservation achievements, beginning with the successful passage of an environmentally sensitive lands bond referendum in the late 1980s that helped acquire Princess Place Lodge.
“What attracted me to Flagler was the spirit in the citizens,” Hadid explained. “People loved where they lived and cared about it. They cared about it. I hadn’t seen anything like it.” He detailed how the county’s bold environmental moves led to recognition, including becoming the first Preservation 2000 project to close and receiving statewide greenways awards.
Hadid highlighted the county’s progression to national scenic byway designation with the highest “All-American Road” classification and participation in the National Estuarine Research Reserve. He praised his legal team, stating, “The best gift that I can leave Flagler County is a legal department that has gifted, ethical, dedicated, always going to look out for your back lawyers.”
Public Participation and Adult Daycare Concerns
During public comment, multiple speakers addressed concerns about the potential closure of the David I. Seagull Adult Daycare Center. Joanne Gordon, whose husband was diagnosed with dementia and later Alzheimer’s, explained the center’s importance for families dealing with caregiving responsibilities.
“The sandwich generation. How are families to deal with this issue? Now the children become the caregivers of their parents,” Gordon said. She noted that few families have enough savings for assisted living facilities that can cost upwards of $5,000 monthly.
Michael Gordon, who attends the center twice weekly, spoke about the quality care he receives, saying, “The staff is very competent and they make me and others feel welcome and safe. They love my stories. I make a few friends every day, and I even eat my greens at lunchtime.”
Chair Dance clarified that funding exists for the current year, but the commission will spend time analyzing the program’s efficiency due to high per-person costs.
Property Matters and Value Adjustment Board
The commission addressed the sale of a small 0.009-acre parcel near Hernandez Avenue that came into county possession through tax deed procedures. Deputy County Attorney Sean Molan explained that the narrow strip of property has encroachments and an access easement, making it unusable for the county but potentially valuable to neighboring property owners.
Three adjacent property owners will receive certified mail notices with opportunities to submit proposals for purchase. Commissioner Hansen noted the property’s small size and existing encroachments, stating it “really makes sense for the three homeowners to get together on this.”
The commission also appointed Richard Gellner to the Value Adjustment Board after hearing from three qualified applicants. Property Appraiser Jay Gardner explained the urgency, noting that recent years have seen increased petition filings and that organizational meetings begin August 7th.
Comprehensive Plan Transmittal
The evening’s major action item involved transmitting the updated 2025-2050 Comprehensive Plan to state agencies for review. Planner Simone Kenny and consultants from Inspire Placemaking presented the culmination of nearly two years of work involving extensive community engagement.
Chris Doerty from Inspire Placemaking reported impressive community participation numbers: almost 2,000 website visits, over 1,100 surveys completed, 10 meetings held, and seven targeted input activities. The engagement process identified vision directives, including increasing resiliency, cultivating affordable housing markets, preserving rural character, and ensuring clean water supplies.
The plan updates include increased non-residential intensity for commercial and industrial areas, policies for mixed-use communities and housing variety, agricultural preservation measures, and enhanced environmental protections. Notable additions include requirements for beachfront developments to dedicate easements for beach nourishment and policies establishing connected greenways planning.
During public comment, Jody Ballinger from the Hammock raised concerns about Policy CME183, which addresses parcels between A1A and the ocean. She argued that all properties adjacent to the A1A scenic highway should be included in density restrictions, not just those extending to the ocean.
Commissioner Hansen initially moved to modify the policy to include properties on both sides of A1A, but after discussion about timing and the need for detailed analysis, he withdrew the amendment. The commission ultimately approved transmitting the plan as written, with direction to staff to analyze the scenic corridor issue before the second reading.
Legal counsel noted that Senate Bill 180 may require removing potentially “burdensome” policies from the final plan, though these could be reinstated if the legislation is modified or expires.
Administrative Updates
County Administrator Heidi Petito reported that the Local Housing Assistance Plan received tentative state approval and will be presented to Palm Coast before returning to the commission on August 4th. She announced that Amy Lou Casik earned the Certified Destination Management Executive designation and was appointed to the Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism board.
The county received its third information request from Florida DOGE, with responses due July 21st. Petito also announced her upcoming vacation from July 16th through July 31st, with Deputy County Administrator Selenus serving as acting administrator.
Attorney Sean Molan provided updates on several legal matters, including the collection of $76,000 in attorney fees from the Old Dixie Highway Hotel owners, who have demolished the structure and are completing debris removal. He also reported progress on airport zoning interlocals with municipalities and ongoing discussions about the Hall Creek Preserve development in Bunnell.
Commission Comments and Future Planning
Commissioners praised staff efforts and discussed upcoming initiatives. Commissioner Carney highlighted the successful July 4th celebration and upcoming meetings with Flagler Beach regarding beach management funding participation. She noted plans to educate Flagler Beach officials about Municipal Service Benefit Unit options to maintain momentum on state funding and Army Corps projects.
Chair Dance announced his appointment to replace Commissioner Hansen on the Small County Coalition board and discussed complaint procedures regarding Senate Bill 180’s impacts on local government. He met with Representative Greco to express concerns about how the legislation affects local tree protection ordinances and comprehensive planning efforts.
The commission concluded with scheduling discussions about adding regular workshop dates to their annual calendar to improve planning and coordination. The meeting demonstrated the county’s ongoing efforts to balance growth management, environmental protection, public safety, and community services while navigating state legislative challenges.
