HMO 03 2021

THE HAMMOCK

Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 5, NO. 9

SPORTS 11 FREE

• MARCH 2021

Should Flagler’s schools become K-8?

Research suggests students in K-8s perform better — and the switch could save the district money. PAGE 3

State’s tweaked vacation-rental plan advances

“I want my research to have an impact on people. Ctenophores are perfect for this because we can use these apparently ‘simple’ animals for insights into environmental challenges and into human health.”

At the heart of the legislative wrangling is over whether the state or local governments should regulate the rentals.

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SEE STATE’S PAGE 2

ALLISON EDGAR

Combing through science with comb jellies, at Whitney Laboratory

JELLIES

A controversial proposal dealing with vacation rentals underwent a major overhaul on Thursday, March 11, after the bill sponsor stripped out a provision that would have blocked local governments’ ability to license and inspect the properties.

The fight about oversight of short-term rentals has escalated in the Legislature as the popularity of vacation properties advertised on platforms such as Airbnb has mushroomed.

At the heart of the legislative wrangling is an effort to “preempt” regulation of short-term rental properties to the state, a move that draws vehement opposition from city and county officials because it would take away local authority.

Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, filed a proposal (SB 522) in January that included requiring online platforms to collect and remit taxes on vacation rental proper-

BRENT FOSTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

C

tenophores, or comb jellies, might not look like much.

Picture a translucent gelatinous orb about the size of a golf ball, strung with a kaleidoscope of wriggling colors refracting light.

Now imagine the comb jelly being cut in half and then having both halves grow back, good as new. This regenerative ability may sound like science fiction, and for you and me it is (at least for now). But to these “simple” animals, regeneration after an injury is part of everyday life.

You might mistake these creatures for jelly fish — you may have seen them floating in the Matanzas Inlet near the Palm Coast Marina.

At least that’s where Dr. Allison Edgar goes to catch Mnemiopsis leidyi, aka the warty comb jelly or the sea walnut.

Edgar is a post-doctoral scientist at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, a research institute of the University of Florida on the border of Flagler and St. Johns counties. She researches evolution by comparing the development and regeneration of Mnemiopsis and Beroe ovata, a member of the so-called cigar comb jellies. Her research is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Edgar’s most recent project started when she noticed that some Mnemiopsis could spawn and produce offspring several months earlier in their life cycle than previously reported. This would be like discovering your dog could produce a litter of puppies just weeks after it was born.

Intrigued, Edgar asked her lab mates to help her brainstorm possible variables that could explain her observation. Someone mentioned that the air conditioner had broken down, leaving the lab unusually warm.

Knowing that temperature influences the reproduction of other sea creatures, Edgar designed experiments controlling for temperature extremes. While her results suggest that Mnemiopsis yield more offspring at higher temperatures, temperature alone SEE COMBING PAGE 4

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State’s vacation rental plan remains ‘a work in progress’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ties, something the platforms have not been required to do in the past. The measure also included requiring platforms to ensure that only properly licensed rentals are advertised and provide the state with specific information about the rentals.

In exchange, regulation would have been preempted to the state, largely preventing local governments from licensing or inspecting the rentals. Local governments could have only regulated the rentals in the same way as other properties in neighborhoods, a restriction that cities and counties strenuously opposed.

But an amendment offered by Diaz and accepted by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday deleted the regulatory preemption parts of the bill, while leaving in requirements making platforms responsible for such duties as collecting and remitting taxes to the state and ensuring rental properties are licensed.

The latest version of the bill also says nothing about regulating rentals in the same way as neighboring properties.

Senators have been split on the bill, but Diaz’s effort to maintain the status quo regarding local governments’ oversight authority earned support Thursday from Sen. Ed Hooper, a Clearwater Republican who voted against an earlier version.

Hooper said he “almost universally” opposes preemption laws, but the bill gives the state the ability “to register, regulate and make sure that the appropriate

SEN. TRAVIS HUTSON SUPPORTS BILL The amendments to the new bill are a big win for Flagler County, which has been fighting for several years to retain some control over vacation rentals.

“The amendments returned us back to current law,” said Sen. Travis Hutson, who represents Flagler and the surrounding area and is on the Senate Appropriations Commitee. “So everything we passed [eight years ago] is back in place.”

Hutson believes that this bill, if it’s matched by the Florida House and signed

by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will finally resolve to the issue.

“It’s a big win. … I feel good about it,” Hutson said in a phone call with the Palm Coast Observer March 11.

“Hopefully we can check off a box and focus on other things.”

— BRIAN MCMILLAN

revenue” from vacation rentals makes it into state coffers.

Diaz’s amendment, which drew support from the Florida League of Cities, “makes the bill better and the fact that it does no further harm to my communities gives me great comfort,” Hooper said.

“Sen. Diaz, you’ve turned a hard no into a pleasant yes, and I appreciate your efforts,” Hooper

said before the committee voted 13-5 in favor of the revised bill.

State law already bans local governments from passing ordinances to outlaw vacation rentals, which have raised the ire of residents who complain of investorowned “party houses” in neighborhoods. Other critics maintain that owners of some rental properties are failing to properly submit state and local taxes.

But proponents of Diaz’s earlier version contend that the shortterm rental properties are used to supplement the incomes of retirees and families.

The earlier version would have done away with ordinances regulating short-term rentals adopted after June 1, 2011. Opponents said such a provision would be problematic for areas that have worked in recent years to develop local regulations.

But Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer said that, even with the changes adopted Thursday, he could not support the proposal.

Farmer, D-Lighthouse Point, said his district includes two cities that are in the 10 most-popular vacation rental sites in the state.

Diaz’s plan doesn’t give local officials enough control, Farmer argued.

“When you purchase a home in a single-family residential neighborhood, you have an expectation of solitude and peace and tranquility,” he said. “I just still believe there should be no restrictions.”

In a phone interview following the committee meeting, Diaz said the vacation rental legislation “is clearly a work in progress.”

He said he stripped some of

the language out of the proposal because “there’s a lot of concerns and misconceptions with what was in the bill on the changes to the local piece.”

“Now that it’s removed, it makes it easier to have the conversation without confusing what locals can and cannot do,” he added.

The bill would require platforms to pre-verify that properties advertised on their sites are licensed, which would be difficult if local governments cannot perform inspections, Diaz told The News Service of Florida.

“That could be very tricky without any piece that at least creates some kind of, at least, framework for the locals,” he said.

Diaz and supporters of his earlier version of the bill maintain that vacation-rental owners are entitled to the same rights as their neighbors and shouldn’t be regulated differently.

The Hialeah Republican told the News Service “a conversation still needs to be had as to property rights” and ensuring that ordinances apply “across the board.”

Before taking over as Senate president last year, Trilby Republican Wilton Simpson worked behind the scenes to forge a proposal that garnered support from the advertising platforms, Florida Realtors and even the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.

But Gov. Ron DeSantis disliked proposal, saying in February 2020: “We have 22 million people, almost. We are a very diverse state. For us to be micromanaging vacation rentals, I am not sure that is the right thing to do.”

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Observer “If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

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Bunnell Elementary School serves K-6.

WHAT DO THE PARENTS THINK?

Should Flagler’s schools become

Flagler County parents, asked on Facebook about their thoughts on a potential shift to K-8 instruction, had mixed opinions. Some adamantly opposed the potential change, saying they wouldn’t want their young children around seventh- and eighth-graders.

“Eighth-graders do not need to be in the same school as younger kids,” said parent Kimberly Young. “That’s just crazy. I think it should be like it is up north, K-5 and 6-8.”

Resident Ashleigh Hall said she was “absolutely against having 5-year-olds going to school with teenagers.”

But others were more positive. One wrote that she’d chosen Imagine School at Town Center because it’s k-8 “Private/Catholic schools do K-8 and it seems to work,” wrote Na Cie. “Yes, I know, they typically have a smaller student body. I like the idea as long as 6-8 remain separate from the K-5.”

Parent Lisa Wheaton said her family had recently moved from Tampa, where her children attended a K-8 school that had separate buildings on a shared campus.

“At first, I had concerns about my younger students being around or influenced by the older students,” she wrote. “However, there were never any issues between the elementary and middle school students.

My students loved being in the same school for K-8 and really thrived. They (and I) built great relationships with the teachers and staff!”

Photos by Brian McMillan

Indian Trails Middle School was constructed to serve as a K-8 school but now serves grades 7 and 8.

K-8?

Educational research suggests that students in K-8s might outperform students in middle schools — and the switch may save the district money.

Flagler Hospital offers support for county mental health center ‘We’ve reached out to a number of community partners,’ County Administrator Jerry Cameron said.

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

F

lagler County’s schools are at or nearing capacity. District staff expect the county’s elementary schools to exceed capacity in 2022 and its high schools to do so in 2023, while only the district’s two middle schools will stay below capacity through 2025.

The district could shift sixth grade from elementary school to middle school, but that would just make the middle schools go over capacity sooner than the elementary schools, a district staff member explained at a Feb. 23 School Board workshop.

But board member Colleen Conklin pointed out another option: Converting schools to K-8.

Many of the district’s schools, she noted, had actually been built for K-8 instruction: Rymfire Elementary and Indian Trails Middle School were constructed as K-8 schools, while Wadsworth Elementary and Buddy Taylor Middle School, though separate schools, share a campus.

“If we look at a K-8 capacity, you’re looking at being able to maintain, basically, almost to 2025 without having to reach over-capacity,” Conklin said at the workshop. “... Originally, that was the intention — as we rolled sixth grade up [into elementary schools], the intention was to become K-8.”

Sticking with a K-6 model or shifting to a K-5 model would mean adding portable classrooms

or building a new middle school or elementary school, Conklin noted.

A switch to K-8, combined with a redistricting that takes into account population distribution shifts that have occurred since the district lines were drawn years ago, could spare the district that expense, Conklin said.

Then there are the apparent academic benefits: When the district switched sixth-graders from middle school to elementary school, Conklin said, the district saw what the research predicts — increases in the sixth-graders’ math and reading scores.

“You can’t deny the reality of what the research says in regard to the benefits in the academics,” Conklin said, “and I’m convinced this is why St. Johns continues to eat our lunch each year with their student achievement. ...

They have a larger number of K-8 schools than we do — I mean, we don’t have any any more.”

The St. Johns County School District is consistently one of the top-ranked districts in the state.

Conklin cited several studies: A Harvard researcher, she said, found that students who shifted from elementary schools to middle schools lost ground academically during the shift — the researcher called it “the middle school plunge” — and that Florida students who entered middle school in sixth grade were 1.4 percentage points more likely to drop out of school by 10th grade.

Another study, from Columbia University, showed similar drops in student achievement during

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

Flagler County is finding new support for plans to build a mental health drop-in facility.

The county had initially hoped to build a mental health drop-in center in a building AdventHealth had offered to donate.

But county staff discovered in recent weeks that that won’t work — the building has too many problems that would be expensive to repair.

the shift from elementary school to middle school.

Another study of 40,883 eighth-graders in the Philadelphia area found that students in K-8 schools outperformed those in middle schools.

School Board member Janet McDonald noted that a shift to K-8 instruction would presumably entail the expense of retrofitting elementary schools for middle school requirements.

Conklin said such renovations should be weighed against the cost of building a whole new school.

“Financially and academically, if we follow the science, it seems that would makes sense to consider,” Conklin said.

So now, the county government is facing a bigger expense — but also finding new partners.

“We’ve reached out to a number of community partners,” County Administrator Jerry Cameron said in a County Commission meeting March 1. “We had originally budgeted about $150,000 from the county. I have gotten a match commitment from Flagler Hospital for that $150,000.”

Cameron is still seeking other commitments, he said, including potentially with SMA Behavioral

Healthcare.

A proposal to build a mental health care drop-in center in Flagler County, which currently does not have one, was high on the county government’s funding request to the state government this year.

Email Jonathan Simmons at jonathan@palmcoastobserver. com.

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Combing through science CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

does not seem to account for the early spawning. The number of animals raised in bowls also does not affect spawning age.

Edgar also considered the role of diet on spawning. She delivers macronutrients to her young comb jellies using tiny animals called rotifers. After chowing on some rotifers, Mnemiopsis begins to lay eggs. Adequate nutrition seems to be the most significant factor for early spawning.

“This discovery significantly shortens the life cycle for this ctenophore in the laboratory and may reduce the difficulty of raising animals for researchers working inland and without advanced marine facilities,” Edgar said.

“These results are an important step in making this ctenophore more accessible to anyone ... who wants to study them.”

This is huge news for the science communities outside of Whitney that sometimes focus their research on familiar organisms like fruit flies or mice. Expanding the research pool to include ctenophores — one of the most ancient animal branches on the evolutionary tree — means scientists can more accurately map the rich biodiversity on the planet, confirming previous theories and illuminating potential exceptions.

“Nature has done millions of successful experiments for us resulting in the diversity of organisms we see around us,” explained Dr. Mark Q. Martindale, director of Whitney Laboratory. “It’s really terrific to see clever people studying biodiversity to learn more

REAL WORLD APPLICATION

McDonald had pushed to loosen mask policy.

While the warty comb jellies are indigenous to Florida, they’re invasive in other parts of the world. Understanding what makes Mnemiopsis reproduce could help conservationists limit Mnemiopsis from spreading beyond their natural habitats.

about how the world works!”

As Edgar continues to explore the mysteries of the comb jellies, she hopes to discover ways that scientists might “turn on” regeneration in species that can no longer regenerate well.

“We’re very grateful to all the sites that allow us to collect animals for this research,” Edgar said. She and her team collect ctenophores in the waters around Whitney campus, as well as from the docks owned by Marker 8 Hotel and Marina on Anastasia Island, the Sunset Inlet Homeowner’s Association in Flagler, the St. Augustine and the Palm Coast Marinas. You can help with Allison’s research by alerting her team to ctenophore sightings at ctenotips@gmail.com.

So next time you see those translucent “jelly balls” floating in the Matanzas Inlet, try imagining that somewhere in those ctenophore cells is a secret that could someday help treat degenerative diseases and other injuries. Or at the very least enjoy one of nature’s living light shows.

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

School Board members and Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt at a March 2 workshop rejected board member Janet McDonald’s push to loosen school mask restrictions.

McDonald, for the second workshop in a row, had pressed her fellow board members on masks, which she says don’t protect people from COVID-19 and are unhealthy. Those views are at odds with mainstream medical consensus and the advice of the CDC and Florida Department of Health.

“We have new information come to us and we have to adjust the way we’re going,” McDonald said. “Just to wait for somebody else to tell us, ‘Oh, the light is green now, we can go,’ is not being intellectually engaged and honest. We’re decision makers for 13,000 students, several thousands staff, and we’re a voice for an educated perspective. So, let’s present that to the public and let’s be open to ... seeing what actually fits now, now that we’ve been in this COVID fog for over a year.”

At a previous workshop in which McDonald spoke against masks, saying they make people less healthy and impede social and emotional growth, her fellow board members were silent. But on March 2, two of them made their opposition clear.

“I hate wearing a mask. ... But I do it because I think it’s the right thing,” board member Cheryl Massaro said. “Because I believe the science, I believe in our Health Department here in Flagler County, and I will support their efforts in whatever way that I can: It’s as simple as that.”

Massaro was also tired of getting anti-mask emails from McDonald.

“I’ve asked before. I will ask now publicly: I don’t want these emails,” she said. “I don’t believe in the same things my colleague believes in.”

She added, “I will abide by whatever Flagler Health Department deems is necessary to keep our children safe — safer, in my mind. You know, I don’t care for the masks. But there are positive things that are coming out of it.

And we’ve lost 500,000 Americans. 500,000.”

Board member Colleen Conklin said nobody enjoys masks. But she wanted to follow the data.

“For me personally, I’m not seeing anything that would make me feel comfortable at this point in time removing the masks right now,” Conklin said.

Conklin spoke of the importance of taking into account the district’s experiences with COVID-19.

“We have lost a principal in this community, and it hit this community hard. It hit FPC exceptionally hard,” Conklin said, speaking of the death of FPC Principal Tom Russell. “We’ve lost other folks to COVID who are staff, who are family members of teachers, and family members of

Janet McDonald

students.”

Board member Jill Woolbright said her practice on masks has been to defer to the person in front of her, wearing one if that makes the person comfortable but also not objecting if someone else wants to remove theirs.

“I think science is on both sides of the aisle and is viewed differently on both sides of the aisle,” Woolbright said, “and it just really saddens me, the divide in our country. And I want to do everything I can do to bridge gaps and bridge education and understanding and respect of each others’ views and respect of each others’ right to have their views.”

Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt was not interested in changing current procedures.

“Creating a safe educational environment for day-to-day operations is my number one goal for every single student sand for all of our employees,” Mittelstadt said. “Where we are right now as a school district is, I think, where we need to be. Moving forward, over the summer and into next year, I think there’s some unknown factors that we can continue to explore.”

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Tax Collector gets new office Cameron could The new branch replaces depart in June one which closed in the Staples shopping center.

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

The Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office has shuttered its branch location in the Staples shopping center on Old Kings Road, but is preparing to open a new, larger one in St. Joe Plaza, on Palm Coast Parkway.

At 3,000 square feet, the new location — at 213 St. Joe Plaza, between a Coldwell Banker real estate center and the Brown Dog Pub — is more than twice the size of the 1,200-foot former one near Staples, which shut down for COVID-19 because it was too small to allow for social distancing, Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston said at a Flagler County Commission meeting March 1.

The new branch office was on the commission meeting’s agenda so that the commission could, in a step required under Florida law if the location is to serve for county functions, formally designate the new location as a county office. Most of what the Tax Collector’s Office does concerns state business — drivers licenses, property taxes, hunting and fishing licenses — but it also handles business tax receipts and tourist tax receipts for the county.

There are also other benefits to designating it a county office, Johnston said.

“Say we have a disaster, and you need a place for FEMA,” she

The location of the new Tax Collector’s Office branch location.

said. “It’s designed so that we can vacate one side of the office, and you could have FEMA people there to help. ... It opens it up to a lot of different things” Town hall meetings and other county-related meetings could also be held there, she said, and equipment for other county offices could be stored there.

The renovation process was delayed because of the difficulty of getting construction materials due to COVID-19, Johnston said. For cost savings, she looked for used furnishings, when possible: A Hungry Howie’s in Deland that’s replacing its furniture donated benches for the branch office’s break room, while other furniture came from the former Sheriff’s Operations Center.

“We really try to do things as economically as we possibly can,” Johnston said.

The final inspection for the branch location is expected to occur within a week, and Johnston hopes to hold a grand opening celebration that will include the other businesses in the complex, she said.

Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron may leave his position by the end of June, he wrote in a letter sent to Flagler County commissioners on Feb. 12.

“My contract with the BoCC requires a 90-day notice, but I feel that this Board deserves to know what my plans are,” he wrote. “It is my intent to try and complete several outstanding items by the end of June, which would allow me to leave at that time. Should those tasks be completed sooner — or later — than the end of June, I will adjust my schedule accordingly.”

Cameron said the county’s Leadership Academy, formed under his tenure, is “producing a core of competent leaders.” “You have several members of your leadership team that can easily fill the interim position while you determine how to proceed with selecting a permanent administrator,” he concluded.

Commissioner Andy Dance mentioned Cameron’s letter at the commission’s March 1 meeting, asking Commission Chairman Donald O’Brien if the county has a process for seeking a replacement.

“Don’t have a process at this point,” O’Brien said. “... We have a letter from Mr. Cameron giving us an outline of what his thoughts were, but we don’t have a resignation, so we don’t have anything specific to react to, in my mind.”

Dance said he felt developing a timeline would be appropriate.

Deputy Robin Towns and K-9 Keanu.

Courtesy photo

New K-9 team ready for duty BRITTANY KERSHAW PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER, FCSO

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s newest K-9 team, Deputy Robin Towns and K-9 Keanu, have completed a 480-hour Florida Department of Law Enforcement K-9 Team training course and a 200-hour narcotics detection course. The team is now on full-duty patrol.

K-9 Keanu is a nearly 2-yearold Belgian Malinois born in Hungary. He was donated to the FCSO

by Dr. Caesar DePaço and Summit Nutritionals International.

K-9 Keanu is trained in nar-

cotics detection and apprehension. The team is now cleared to patrol roads, respond to calls and search for suspects or narcotics.

“This community welcomed this new K-9 team from day one by helping us name the newest K-9 on the Unit,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I would like to thank Dr. Caesar DePaço for donating our newest K-9 to us. Now that training is complete, they are ready to serve and protect the community. We can’t wait to see what a difference the K-9 Unit will make with this great new addition.”

The FCSO’s K-9 Unit consists of six teams.

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Paramedic team vaccinates homebound — and lifts spirits Community Paramedic Caryn Prather reports that some of these seniors have had ‘no person-to-person contact in more than a year,’ and it has taken its toll.

JULIE MURPHY FLAGLER COUNTY PIO

Flagler County has a three-person paramedic team that is doing much more than providing medically-homebound seniors with their COVID-19 vaccinations – they are lifting the spirits of a group of residents whose circumstances have left them especially isolated during this yearlong pandemic.

“These people are so grateful to see us, and it’s not just because we are coming to give them a shot,” said Community Paramedic Caryn Prather, who heads up the team that includes paramedics Rob Errett and Jason Feldman.

“The isolation is taking a toll. We see people who are only leaving the house to check the mail and take out the garbage.”

To date, the team has met with and vaccinated 108 homebound residents – 41 of whom have received both first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Emergency Management Planner Nealon Joseph schedules and tracks the appointments, and also sets up efficient routes for the team.

“Many of these residents are in tears over the phone just hearing that their vaccination has been scheduled,” Joseph said. “It’s been a long year for all of us, but it has been especially hard on our homebound residents.”

Weary, depressed, frustrated, and distraught are just some of the terms they have used to describe themselves.

“We have some who aren’t even scheduling in-person health care appointments,” Prather said.

“Until one of us shows up, 100% of their contact with family and friends has been over the phone – no person-to-person contact in more than a year.”

The 15 minutes of one-on-one conversation with paramedics eases the isolation for these residents as they are under observation to watch for an adverse reaction. For second-shotters, there is a genuine feeling of hope.

“You can feel their stress melt away,” Errett said. “They are so thankful. One woman who was getting her second shot was so excited because her daughter who lives in Maryland is flying in for a visit. She hasn’t had any physical interaction with any of her kids in the past year.”

Feldman echoes his co-worker’s sentiments.

“It’s humbling, sad, joyful, and gratifying all at the same time,” Feldman said. “I think they see renewed hope, and I treat them like my own family. It’s hard for them. They haven’t been out for a year – seen their kids, hugged their grandchildren, or touched the face of a great-grandchild. It’s

Courtesy photo

Community Paramedic Caryn Prather administers a vaccine shot.

hard when all you have is a sporadic phone call.”

Prather asks residents with homebound neighbors to mask up, and check in on them.

“It’s a small thing, but it can make a big difference in their lives,” she said. “If you are limiting your contact with others to limit exposure, that’s good, but remember to get outside by yourself and take a walk. Fresh air and sunshine is a mood booster.”

For the latest information on vaccine eligibility and to register for a vaccination appointment, please visit www.FlaglerCounty. org/covid for details. Those who

do not have internet access should call the state appointment hotline at 866-201-1541. Registrants will be contacted in the order that they signed up.

For Flagler County residents who are 65 years old or older, and who are also medically homebound or require transportation assistance to the Flagler County Fairgrounds, please contact the Emergency Operations Center at 386-313-4200, or by email at EOC@FlaglerCounty.org to discuss available options.

“You can feel their stress melt away.”

ROB ERRETT, paramedic

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Flagler County plans for FPL electric vehicle charging stations

Flagler seeks new options for mental health center After discovering costlyto-fix problems with the building, the county government is evaluating other locations.

15 MORE FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDICS Flagler County is hiring 15 new firefighter-paramedics with $3.26 million obtained through a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant. The money will be distributed over three years.

“The extra staffing just allows us to provide the services we need and the safety of our

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

Flagler County lacks a drop-in mental health and substance abuse treatment center, and the county government was hoping to build one in a facility that AdventHealth has offered to donate to the county.

But that won’t work: The building has too many problems, County Administrator Jerry Cameron said at a County Commission meeting Feb. 15. So instead of a $75,000 expense to renovate an existing, donated building, the county is now facing at least $200,000 to build or buy a new one.

“Our initial surveys of the building showed that we could get it done with a reasonable amount of renovation,” Cameron said. “After the building was cleared out and we could have complete access to it, a number of issues were discovered: some of them with asbestos, some of them with wood rot and some other issues. It was determined that you could probably tear it down and build a new building for as much money as it was going to cost you to renovate that one.”

One potential option would be to accept the land from AdventHealth, then build a new building

on the site, he said.

The drop-in mental health center proposal was the county’s top funding request to the state government, and county government staff are evaluating how the revelations about the building’s status might affect what the county is seeking from the state Legislature, Cameron said.

“I’ve been contacted by a couple hospitals that are interested in trying to come up with a solution,” Cameron said. “If they become major players at that, then the match for that, coming from the Legislature, would be imperative.”

Flagler County has had bad luck with used buildings: It bought a former hospital building on State Road 100 and renovated it into a Sheriff’s Operations Center before discovering mold issues that prompted the sheriff to evacuate his entire staff; then, not long after, it bought two more facilities for government use — a former Wachovia and a former Sears — and found problems with both.

The latest disappointment with the AdventHealth building is dif-

people,” Fire Chief Joe King said.

The Fire Department has 86 applicants for the 15 positions, he said.

“The county’s showing a commitment to the Fire Department,” he said. “These guys know they’re safe coming to work here. That’s the most we’ve gotten in years.”

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

ferent, because the county hasn’t spent money on the AdventHealth building. But commissioners were concerned about how it might impact the county’s legislative funding request.

Cameron said the county has about a 30-day window to amend its request.

“If we can make something happen, we will,” he said. “It is a high community priority, but we would have to have some partners.”

Commissioner Donald O’Brien asked if the county had communicated its recent findings about the building to its legislators, Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Paul Renner.

Cameron said the county had not yet contacted them, but will do so within about a week once the county knows what its alternatives are.

Email Jonathan Simmons at jonathan@palmcoastobserver. com.

Locals and visitors may soon have new spots to charge their electric vehicles: At proposed charging stations near the county’s Government Services Building.

Florida Power & Light has approached the Flagler County government with a proposal to install a set of EV charging stations as part of a statewide pilot program, and will cover the $30,000-$50,000 installation cost if the county covers up to about $50 per month per station for electricity, County Administrator Jerry Cameron said at a Feb. 15 County Commission meeting.

“It is, I believe, an extraordinary opportunity,” he said.

FPL is installing 600 such stations across the state, he said.

“It’s a great benefit to employees and also a great benefit to the people that have to do business with the county,” Cameron said.

“It does really promote the switch to electric cars, and it’s viewed by me as an opportunity.”

The Palm Coast city government already has charging electric at its City Hall.

The county’s general services director will work with FPL on where, exactly, to place the stations — potentially on the road linking the Government Services Building to the county courthouse, Cameron said.

Commissioner David Sullivan had concerns.

“Not to be a Debbie Downer

here, but here’s my problem,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to use taxpayer money to pay for people’s gas, essentially — electricity. And as you said, it costs $50 a month ... so the people who have an electric car will get essentially free power.”

Cameron noted that the county gives out free masks and hand sanitizer.

Sullivan asked why the stations couldn’t simply be installed with credit card readers so people could pay for their own power.

“If we installed it ourself, we could do that,” Cameron said, “and it would take us a long time at $50 per charging station to recoup what we’d lose.”

Commissioner Andy Dance said that when he’d considered getting an electric vehicle himself, the downside was the proximity of charging stations, given the vehicles’ limited range.

“I think there’s a tremendous benefit to having a wide range of charging stations,” Dance said. “It seems like a logical expansion.”

Sullivan said that if the proposal is just an experimental project, it may be OK. Cameron said it’s an incubator: Once there are enough charging stations, more people will get electric cars, and that will spur private companies to build credit card-based charging stations.

Other commissioners favored the stations, and Cameron said he’ll move forward with the FPL agreement.

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Flagler County OKs lease with aviation company

Commission meeting backup

An aviation company will be leasing space at the Flagler Executive Airport for $1,089 per month and plans to build a 120-by-100-foot by one pilot and one mechanic, hangar on the southwestern side Sieger said. of the airport property.

The agreement is a 30-year “I think this is very significant, land lease between the county and and it’s the first, really, new group Skytrade, with annual adjustthat’s going to use those pads we ments based on the Consumer put out there,” County Commis- Price Index. It gives Skytrade 24 sioner David Sullivan said before months to build the hangar. the commission approved the Commissioner Andy Dance ground lease with Skytrade Avia- suggested that the item shouldn’t tion during its Feb. 15 meeting. have been placed on the agenda, The lease had been placed on for transparency’s sake. the commission meeting’s con“It seems like the ground sent agenda — the section used for lease is a little bit beyond, in my generally uncontroversial items thoughts, being on consent,” that are approved as a bundle, Dance said. “I think it’s imporwithout commission discussion tant, too, because of the expan— but Sullivan said he thought the sion and the amount of area we lease significant enough to war- have for development over on rant a mention. that side of the airport. ... There’s Airport Director Roy Sieger said a tremendous opportunity for that Skytrade plans to use the the airport and the county in that hangar for aircraft maintenance area. It’s good to see some activand expects to invest $1 million ity.” to $1.5 million in the structure.

“No pun intended,” Sieger said, The space will largely be used “We’ve been waiting for that area Zones: PC OCTOBER 2019 PROOF

documentation

JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

“There’s a tremendous opportunity for the airport and the county in that area. It’s good to see some activity.”

ANDY DANCE, Flagler County commissioner

to take off.”

Sieger, noting that the Army National Guard and East Flagler Mosquito Control District already have facilities at the airport, said he’s been communicating with other companies that want to build hangars there.

There are plenty of perks to being by the ocean — the fishing, the surfing, the view — and Flagler County is embarking on a partnership designed to make the most of them.

The county is working with the University of Florida and the Volusia County government to support a local Sea Grant agent position through the university’s Extension Services.

UF will pay 60% of the costs associated with the position, while the two counties will both pay 20% each — which comes out to $17,031 per county for 2022.

The agent, who will divide his or her time between the two counties, will develop local marine and coastal resource education programs for the public and support environmental sustainability.

The focus will be on naturebased recreation, econom-

ic development and tourism, including coastal resiliency, water quality, invasive coastal and marine species, fisheries and fishing and protected marine species, according to a Flagler County staff document.

The position isn’t new, exactly: There’s been an extension agent before, but the position was paid fully by UF, and the agent was initially spread across Flagler, St. Johns, Duval and Nassau counties, then divided between Flagler and St. Johns. When it came time to renew the position, St. Johns no longer wanted to participate, a Flagler County staff member said during a Feb. 15 Flagler County Commission meeting.

But Volusia was interested.

County Commissioner Donald O’Brien was in favor of the agreement, but noted that Flagler will be paying as much as Volusia, and the services should therefore be split equally.

“Oftentimes when we get involved in these joint activities with our county to the south, they end up getting the lion’s share of the effort or work because of the fact that they’re four times the population,” he said.

The staff member said the position will be divided 50-50 between the two counties, and the agent will have offices in both.

The County Commission approved the agreement unanimously.

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County to help fund UF Sea Grant position

Skytrade Aviation is planning to build a $1 million hangar at the Flagler Executive Airport, Airport Director Roy Sieger said.

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‘Sue Baby’ prepares for unforeseen births at ER

Care Connect+ awards innovators

Thanks to a $22,000 donation from Palm Coast residents Peter and Sue Freytag, the ER now has an up-todate baby warmer.

ERIN WALLNER

BRENT WORONOFF CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It’s a girl.

Sue Baby was delivered to AdventHealth Palm Coast’s emergency department in January.

But “Sue Baby” is not actually a baby.

“It’s a nice, new infant warmer,” said Mary Radcliff, AdventHealth’s director of emergency services.

AdventHealth Palm Coast does not have a birthing unit, but the emergency room does deliver about five to seven babies a year, Radcliff said.

Thanks to a $22,000 donation from Palm Coast residents Peter and Sue Freytag, the ER now has an up-to-date baby warmer to use in those unforeseen situations.

“We had one, but it was a much older model,” Radcliff said. “It’s nice to know we have updated equipment just as good as they have in a birthing unit. It has all the monitors you need. We can

provide oxygen if the babies need it. It’s very well equipped.”

It weighs the baby, has a heart monitor, monitors body temperature and has a heat lamp to warm the baby, she said.

Last spring and summer the ER delivered three babies during a four-month period. At that point it was evident the department needed a new baby warmer, Radcliff said.

“Delivering babies is never a fun thing to do in an ER, because it’s not something you do routinely,” she said.

The department reached out to John Subers, the director of AdventHealth Foundation of Palm Coast. Subers approached the Freytags, who are active with the foundation — Peter is on the foundation board — and have been helping to raise money for the new 100-bed AdventHealth facility to be built on Palm Coast Parkway.

“We were told about the new baby warmer the nurses wanted,” Sue Freytag said. “We decided we’d buy it for the hospital.”

After the baby warmer’s arrival, Subers told Peter the hospital wanted to name it “Sue” in honor of his wife. Peter had a slightly different idea.

“My high school nickname was ‘Sue Baby,’ “ Sue Freytag said. “In a weak moment I told my husband what my high school nickname was, and he’s used it ever

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the hospital foundation as well as educational charities.

“Peter and I have lived here for 18 years. This is our home,” Sue said. “We feel like we should contribute locally. We feel that good medical facilities and good education are important.”

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since.”

So Peter Freytag suggested they name the baby warmer, “Sue Baby.”

Sue Freytag may not love the name, but she does love that she and her husband were able to help fill the need for the hospital.

“It’s a wonderful piece of equipment for the emergency room,” she said.

The Freytags moved to Palm Coast from Bloomington, Indiana, 18 years ago. Peter was a vice president of common stocks with State Farm. Sue was a public school teacher.

They have been very active with

To kick off its expansion into Flagler County, Care Connect+ awarded Innovators Micro Grants to four Flagler County nonprofit organizations.

Care Connect+ is a social health organization, developed by Flagler Health+. Visit careconnectplus.com.

The one-time awards of $5,000 were awarded to the following: Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia Counties for the Safe Baby Program - To assist families with children (prenatal to 12 months). The program exists in other counties but the micro grant will allow the program to expand into Flagler County.

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SPORTS A way of life

Winning smile

Three Mills siblings wrestle at state level.

BRIAN MCMILLAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

S

Emma Wood held Seabreeze scoreless as pitcher —and then won the game with her bat.

M

Photo by Ka’Deem Wynn.

atanzas improved its record to 4-1 after winning against the visiting Seabreeze Sandcrabs. The March 5 game was scoreless late until a solo homer by pitcher Emma Wood gave the Pirates the win.

The team will next compete against University (Orange City) at home on March 9 and then DeLand on March 10, also at home.

Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 pm.

ome families call it roughhousing. Some call it training for college.

Tyson Mills, a junior at Matanzas High School, finished second in the region recently, in the 152-pound weight class. So did his younger brother Jordan, a freshman at Matanzas, in the 160-pound weight class. (Both also play for the high school football team.)

At home, Tyson said, “We’re constantly running into each other in the hallway and starting to wrestle. I’ll grab his wrist and try to do moves on him. If he’s doing homework, I’ll try sneak up from behind and twist his arm and get him in a headlock.”

Does it work?

Jordan, who is the first Matanzas freshman ever to qualify for states, is younger, but he’s stronger.

“I have to try to keep up my older brother dominance,” Tyson said, “but it’s pretty hard with Jordan at this point.”

Tyson’s flexibility and technical proficiency are his advantage.

“Tyson is really weird to wrestle,” Jordan said. “He just folds out of everything I put him in.”

Mariah, who is Tyson and Jordan’s seventh-grade sister, is also a wrestler and pinned her first competitor — at the state meet. Her video went viral on the family’s YouTube vlog, Sunshine Mafia, being viewed more than 222,000 times.

Both of the Mills’ parents — Abe and Rachel — are athletic (Abe got college offers for both wrestling and football). But Rachel says their success is due to hard work.

“I remember years ago, I saw a state wrestler, and he said his secret was, ‘I do extra work outside the gym,’” Rachel Mills recalled. “These boys, I made them run to practice and run home from practice. You have to do more than everybody else. So when they would get to the third period [in a wrestling match], the other guy would be tired, and they would come on strong and were never tired.’”

Tyson lost both matches at the Class 2A state tournament; Jordan won once and lost once. Teammate Carter Wilder also reached states, in the 106-pound weight class.

None placed, but all are motivated to improve for next year.

“The guys that really want to win find ways to do things that are extra,” said coach T.J. Gillin.

“The winning happens when the eyes aren’t on you.”

–KA’DEEM WYNN

Wood’s teammates celebrate the game-winning homer.

Tyson, Mariah and Jordan Mills

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MARCH 2021

Sponsored content

Town Center: meeting the needs of a flexible future How will continued development in Town Center contribute to the next 5 or 10 years in Palm Coast?

EMILY BLACKWOOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that the future is unpredictable.

In an instant, office space can become void, crowded restaurants can transform to take out and streets can literally empty.

The impact of COVID-19 stresses the importance of flexibility and adaptability something Douglas Property & Development has highlighted time and time again with their reinvention of Town Center.

“We want Town Center to be forward-thinking and progressive in terms of development,” said Walker Douglas of DPD. “We’re looking to draw people in and give them a reason to come to Town Center if they don’t already.”

Every moving part of this project has the potential to be adjusted to meet the needs of the city’s future. The new facilities for the University of North Florida Mednexus and Jacksonville University will create new jobs, retain young talent in the medical field and provide more

necessary services for current and incoming residents. The 3 existing apartment communities and 200 single-family homes Under Construction will meet the current housing demand while encouraging out-of-state companies to set up shop in Flagler County. And the flexible office, restaurant, entertainment and retail spaces will create the city’s first bustling downtown.

“There’s a couple of ways to look at it,” Douglas said. “We want the businesses that bring people to Towne Center, like restaurants and retail, but then we also want the businesses that keep people in Towne Center, like offices or insurance agencies.”

In addition to building that center for people to work and live, DPD is also creating space for places to play. At least two open-concept, covered and paved outdoor areas have been constructed that could host anything from to live events, when those return. There’s also room for activity-based businesses like axe-throwing, escape rooms

or whatever form of entertainment comes next.

“We’re creating a place for people to gather, which is something that we don’t really necessarily have in Palm Coast right now,” Douglas said. “We’ve got a few very cool breweries and restaurants, but having them localized in one area allows them to feed off of each other and enjoy each other’s success with all the traffic and buzz that gets created.”

While there is still a lot of work left to do in making the City’s vision for Towne Center a reality, DPD President Jeff Douglas believes they’re right on track thanks to the continued support from local leadership.

“The mayor has worked hard, the city manager has worked hard, and the coun-

ty has worked hard,” said Jeff Douglas. “The leadership has worked very hard to secure and meet the needs of the existing community. As that community expands, so does the need for high-quality, clean jobs, and what we’re doing is creating those jobs.

“Towne Center is the economic and tax-paying driver for the future of Palm Coast. It’s that simple.”

For more information on Douglas Property & Development’s projects in Towne Center, visit douglaspd.com.

“We have to turn Towne Center into a destination,” Walker Douglas,

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