Tomoka Christian Church celebrates start of construction for new
HALIFAX HEALTH, FDOT, RIDESMART SEEK SAFE RIDING FOR BIKE WEEK 2025
Bike Week 2025 is underway, and Halifax Health, the Florida Department of Transportation and RideSMART recently teamed up to stress the importance of road safety. At a press event held Thursday, Feb. 27, at Halifax Health, officials and advocates emphasized the importance of proactive safety measures to prevent motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities, according to a press release.
Bike Week began on Feb. 28 and runs through Sunday, March 9. In 2024, 92 motorcycle crashes were reported during Bike Week, leading to 180 trauma patients and five fatalities. The hospital attributes efforts to raise awareness and promotion of safe riding to the reduction in trauma admissions from 122 in 2023 to 100 in 2024.
The Daytona Beach Police Department will be actively monitoring high-traffic areas, educating riders on licensing requirements and working to prevent impaired riding.
Performing arts and academic wins on showcase during Volusia County School’s first address.
The Mainland High School dance ensemble performs during the district’s first State of Our Schools address on Feb. 27. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The winners: Carter Reardon, Richard Yanez, Espn Haines, Breckland Haines, Brooklyn Vitello and Adalyn Tabb. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
‘True intentionality’: Volusia marks successes at first State of Our Schools
Superintendent Carmen Balgobin recognized the district’s improved graduation rate and alternate career pathways for students.
JARLEENE
ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
Volusia County Schools held its first State of Our Schools address celebrating the district’s academic achievements, on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Brannon Center in New Smyrna Beach.
It was an event almost five years in the making. Super-
intendent Carmen Balgobin traced it back to a conversation she had with local philanthropist Joe Hearn, who suggested VCS should host a State of the Schools address. Balgobin told him then that “it was in the plans.”
“We were faced with some challenges, and so forth, but here we are, and we’re delivering it for you, and you are part of history,” Balgobin told the estimated 200 people in attendance.
The event showcased the district’s performing arts, with performances from the DeLand High School jazz combo, Mainland High School dance ensemble, Deltona Middlle School orchestra, Ormond Beach Elementary STOMP percussion ensemble,
Spruce Creek High School marching band and University High School show choir. The Pine Ridge High School Color Guard also presented the col-
Do You Want to Grow
DISTRICT INITIATIVES
What is the school district working on right now? Initiatives include:
Reduce chronic absenteeism by 10%.
Continue the Volusia Assistance and Prevention Education (VAPE) program to educate about the dangers of vaping and substance abuse.
The district is working to secure 500 paid internship opportunities for students.
ors as the show choir sang the national anthem.
The event also featured a student panel with high schoolers, where a moderator asked them their opinions regarding about school and academic improvements.
During her remarks, Balgobin highlighted the district’s improved graduation rate of 93.7% for the 20232024 school year, up from 84.5% from the 2018-2019 school year. Balgobin said came close during her aca -
demic years to not walking across the stage herself.
“So when it comes to the success of our students, it’s business, but also, it’s personal to me and to my team,” Balgobin said.
VCS is now within the top 10 of the 67 school districts in Florida for graduation rates.
This, Balgobin said, occurred with “true intentionality.”
“We have to differentiate our students,” Balgobin said. “All their needs are not the same. So that’s what this tells you here, that our team ... they’re very cognizant in ensuring that every subgroup is experiencing success.”
By graduation, the district’s 2024 seniors had earned over 110 associate degrees, one bachelor’s degree, $32 million in scholarships, over 300 seals of biliteracy and over 2,270 industry scholar designations.
Over 3,100 VCS high school students are dual enrolled each year with Daytona State College or the University of Florida, according to the district. More than 1,700 students are enrolled in workbased learning.
Last school year, 4,410 industry certifications were earned by students. The dis-
trict has over 100 middle and high school career and technical education programs.
Balgobin spoke about the district’s strategic plan and recognized partners for helping VCS achieve its outlined goals, one of which is for students to “engage in high levels of learning every day.”
“We all know that when our students are successful, that our communities will be successful,” Balgobin said.
Email Jarleene Almenas at jarleene@observerlocalnews. com.
Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin speaks during the district’s first State of Our Schools address on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Ormond Beach Elementary’s STOMP percussion ensemble performs during the district’s first State of Our Schools address. Photos by Jarleene Almenas
Growth strategy
Agritechnology is not the largest career and technical education program at Flagler Schools, but it’s reaching students.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Flagler Palm Coast High School junior Jay Steffen wants to go into the agriculture and livestock veterinary fields after she graduates. She is currently in both the Agritechnology and Veterinary Assisting career and technical education programs at her school. They were not her first choices.
“My freshman year of high school, I thought that I could go into computer science, but then I realized that computer science just was not my thing,” she said. “Then I found the ag program, and my sophomore year I joined the vet science and agriculture programs, and honestly, it has changed my life for the better. I’m just super thankful for the program.”
The career and technical education programs, known as CTE, at FPC and Matanzas high schools are part of Flagler Schools’ Diploma Plus initiative with the goal of having every student graduate with not only a diploma but also an accelerated option.
That could be industry certifications through a CTE program, advanced placement program, the
Cambridge AICE Diploma, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, dual enrollment for college credits or Jr. ROTC.
“All of those things,” Superintendent LaShakia Moore said. “We want our students to graduate with more than a diploma, and we need help with getting the word out with what programs we offer in our schools and how our students can take advantage of them, because these programs are free of charge to our students.”
Together, the two high schools offer over 20 CTE, or classroom to career, programs. The choices allow students to see what they like, FPC Assistant Principal Mandy Kraverotis said.
Kraverotis, who oversees FPC’s accelerated programs, said 600 to 700 FPC students take some kind of CTE course.
“They may not be enrolled in a full program. They might be in Digital Media 1 or TV Production 1, and they may not choose to continue on that full path and complete the program,” Kraverotis said. “But to me, that’s just as valuable, because in high school they’re finding out what they like and what they don’t like. So if I take Firefighting 1 and I find out I’m not cut out to be a fireman, then I have saved thousands of dollars starting fire college after high school.”
Steffen discovered her career path as a high school sophomore.
She was one of three students in FPC’s Agritechnology program that were chosen to be on camera for a Flagler County Education Foundation video promoting the district’s CTE programs.
Getting the word out about the CTE programs is a district priority because last year only 47% graduated with an accelerated option, said Jeff Reaves, the district’s director of Teaching and Learning. Reaves said the district’s target is 57%. The Ed Foundation sponsored a College and Career Fair on Feb. 28 at the Palm Coast Community Center. The previous week, both high schools held their program of study nights for eighth graders and their parents to meet the teachers and learn about the programs.
PLANTS, ANIMALS AND MACHINES
The Agritechnology program is just two years old. Maggie Reaves (no relation to Jeff) is the program
instructor. She teaches about 150 students, most of whom are in the entry-level Agriscience Foundations course which is prerequisite for students in both the Agritechnology and Veterinary Assisting programs.
“We do a little bit of plant science, a little bit of animal science, a little bit of plumbing, welding, small engines, electricity and food science, and we definitely talk about careers, what paths it would take to get to each career,” Maggie Reaves said. “Agriscience Foundations is the introductory level, and then Agritechnology 1 and Agritechnology 2 cover the same topics; they just go deeper and deeper with the topic each year.”
The students grow plants in the classroom through hydroponic systems. They supply the culinary program with herbs they grow in the classroom. They also have a garden outside of the football stadium and a greenhouse outside of the classroom.
All of the students in both the veterinary and ag programs are automatically enrolled as members of the Bunnell Future Farmers of America and are eligible to show at the Flagler County Fair. The Agritechnology program has some animals at the farm at the Flagler County Fairgrounds. Junior Haydon Winslow takes care of the chapter heifer.
“My family has been all in ag for years,” Winslow said, “from when lived up in Kansas until I moved down here. What I like about the program is the diversity of it. There’s something for everybody — plant science, animals hands-on, engines. We built planters out of old wooden pallets. It was a student project, so we designed them, manufactured them and grow plants in them.”
Junior Olivia Acloque said she took Agriscience Foundations as a freshman because she loves gardening, but learning about machinery and livestock sparked her interest in moving on with Agritechnology.
“I definitely want to do more with farm work because my grandpa is a bit of a farmer. And I do like learning about mechanics, so I want to
become a mechanic as well,” she said.
The program offers Agriculture Education Services and Technology certifications through the Florida Farm Bureau.
“We offer the Agriculture Associate Exam to the Agriscience Foundations students and then the Agritechnology students can take the Agritechnology Specialist Exam and industry certification,” Maggie Reaves said. “It’s basically a way to boost their resume. These industry certifications are great because they benefit students who are going to college and students who are going straight to the workforce.”
Kraverotis said Maggie Reaves has grown the Agritechnology program through the Agriscience Foundations class.
“She draws them in with that class and builds her program that way.
Next year she’ll have an Agritech 3 class, so she’s really growing the program,” Kraverotis said. “She probably has 60 kids in Agritech, which is quite a bit when you think about it. Plant science, welding, irrigation are not things that all high school kids are thinking, ‘I want to do that.’ But we don’t care whether it’s the largest program or the smallest, as long as it’s reaching students.”
CTE PROGRAMS
The career and technical education programs at Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast high schools range from Fire Academy and Entrepreneurship at FPC to Building Construction and Law and Justice at Matanzas.
The middle schools and elementary schools also offer specific programs of study. In the weeks ahead, the Observer will focus on more of the programs that are offered in Flagler County and Volusia County schools.
Flagler Schools fair connects students with colleges, local employers
Public-, private- and homeschool students learned about career opportunities.
OBSERVER STAFF
Flagler County students were able to visit and network with colleges and universities, local businesses and government entities at the Flagler Schools College and Career Fair on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Palm Coast Community Center.
Flagler Schools students from Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast high schools were bused to the community center in the morning to learn about some of the career and educa-
tional opportunities that are offered. From 2 to 5 p.m., the fair was open to private- and home-school students, their families and the community at large.
The fair was sponsored by the Flagler County Education Foundation.
On Flagler Radio’s “Free For All Friday” program, which was broadcasting live from the event, Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said she was thrilled to see the buses roll up for the district’s first centralized college and career fair to show the students what opportunities they have after high school.
“Some of these students are about to graduate and can work locally right now,” she said. Ed Foundation Executive Director
Teresa Rizzo said 40 to 50 colleges and universities were represented at the fair. One of the goals of the event, Moore, said was for students to see what opportunities there are locally so they may leave the area to get an education and then return to Flagler County to start a career.
The fair is an extension of Flagler Schools classroom to careers program, which the Ed Foundation helps support through a sponsorship from the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties.
“We have a great program, but we want to extend it, we want to impact more students, because United Way expects that of us,” Rizzo said.
Flagler County Education Foundation’s Maryiotti Johnson, who planned and organized the College and Career Fair; Flagler Schools Director of Student Services John Fanelli; and Education Foundation Executive Director Teresa Rizzo. Photo by Brian McMillan
Agriscience and agritechnology instructor Maggie Reaves talks on camera in the FPC greenhouse for a Flagler County Education Foundation video.
Haydon Winslow tends to the plants in one of the planters the students built. Photos by Brent Woronoff
Agriscience students grow plants in the classroom using hydroponics and aeroponics.
Jay Steffen said the agritechnology and veterinary assisting programs have changed her life for the better.
Plants growing in the greenhouse at Flagler Palm Coast.
During National FFA Week, Feb. 15-22, Flagler Palm Coast students and staffulty got the opportunity to meet, pet and even take a selfie with some of the livestock students will be showing at the Flagler County Fair. Courtesy photo
Sales tax push depends on Palm Coast Citizens denounce ‘censorship’
Flagler County has a funding plan to maintain the beach, but it needs Palm Coast’s support.
JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
If the city of Palm Coast says no to a half-cent sales tax to maintain the beach, Flagler County won’t be able to move forward with its beach nourishment funding plan.
The Flagler County Commission discussed its beach management funding plan during a workshop on Monday, March 3. Last week, Flagler County Administrator Heidi Petito presented the county’s proposal to the Palm Coast City Council during a workshop, but it wasn’t clear whether city officials would support enacting a half-cent sales tax for residents and tourists. Officials cited a looming utility rate increase for their residents, a desire to fund other issues such as public safety, as well as suggested the proposed sales tax for beach nourishment be decided by a voter referendum.
The County Commission would need a supermajority to enact the half-cent sales tax, as well as interlocal agreements with all municipalities – Bunnell, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach and the town of Marineland.
“I think at the end of the day, it’s really going to revolve around core messaging about, not just sustaining our economy, but protecting property and community,” Petito said. “I think that it’s a fair and balanced contribution. ... Although it is a small increase
C
in sales tax, I think that it makes a big impact in the way of beach preservation for our community.”
The sales tax will help the county fund the needed $12 million annually for required beach funding; nourishment which will cost about $72.1 million every six years.
Under the county’s proposal, the cities of Palm Coast and Bunnell would receive 50% of the sales tax revenue for their own infrastructure needs, with the other 50% going toward helping to maintain Flagler’s 18-mile stretch of beach. In fiscal year 2026, if a sales tax is enacted, Palm Coast would contribute about $2.7 million toward the beach, and receive the same amount back. Bunnell would contribute $107,000.
Going to a referendum is not an option for the county at this time. But, Petito said, the county can handle the proposal as if it were — with an educational campaign for the community to help build support and demonstrate the value in the sales tax.
“I think that’s the only way the public is going to be supportive of our efforts, honestly,” County Commissioner Pam Richardson said.
There’s a lot of “counterbalancing the negativity with the positive,” Chair Andy Dance said.
“There’s a lot of people that are saying, ‘Thank you for doing the heavy lifting,’ that this is something that needs to be done, and somebody’s going to do it, and it’s been a lot of work,” Dance said.
The county is in a “Catch-22,” he added. When the county initially proposed creating a beach nourishment plan last August, the backlash was “immediate,” Dance said.
“It was as though we were forcing this plan down on everybody,” he said. So part of preventing that, Dance said, is coming up with an approach and presenting it to the municipalities for feedback on their participation. The pushback from Palm Coast is that its elected officials believe the county “needs to do it first.”
“But the problem is, when we do it first and we present it to them, it’s looking like we’re forcing it on them,” Dance said. “So you have to balance the feedback versus being too forceful ... So eventually this will come to us, but we need if we’ve got dancing partners.”
Commissioner Greg Hansen said the concerns he hears from constituents in his district — he represents northeast Flagler County — is Palm Coast not “paying a penny” for beach nourishment.
“This plan solves that,” he said. “We can show that everybody’s kicking in on this.”
Hansen said the biggest campaign will be in the cities of Palm Coast and Bunnell.
“We understand that if Palm Coast is a flat-out no, we can’t move forward with ours?” Commissioner Kim Carney said. “They know that, it’s not like they don’t know it.”
Petitio said the county has presented the proposal to all municipalities, except Beverly Beach. They all understand what will be asked of them, and she was seeking direction to develop a public campaign. Carney asked if whether the county’s public education push would sway Palm Coast.
“I can’t say, but I think it’s important,” Dance said.
Commissioners said censorship is not the goal — accurate information is.
JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
Tuesday night’s judgment call on the quarrel between Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie and the rest of the commission over recent media appearances came from an umpire himself.
Hunter Wendelstedt, a longtime city resident, stood before the commission and urged them to work together. And, for the community to stop taking sides, stop the snickers, and “stop the baloney.”
“That’s not what Ormond Beach is all about,” he said. “... The reason we’re so amazing is not because of the snickers in the back or playing the blame game. Yes, you are mayor, Mr. Mayor — you are, whether we voted for you or not, you won and everyone wants you to succeed.”
Account #: CL269582
Ad #: CL-5569096
But, Wendelstedt added, it’s also important for the commission to all work together.
position.
Commissioners were concerned about comments made by Leslie in recent news coverage, including a Channel 6 news broadcast where Leslie took a reporter on a tour of the city’s “best-kept secrets.”
Deaton had said that city staff, including its public information officer, had not been informed of the news crew’s arrival prior to the broadcast.
However, Channel 6 did reach out to the city PIO. The news station didn’t receive a response. The city told the Observer that communications involving Channel 6’s recent spotlights on Ormond Beach were being handled by Ormond MainStreet.
Some citizens at the March 4 meeting criticized the commission for taking offense of Leslie’s four-minute segment in the broadcast and proposing the ordinance. Resident Doug Pettit called it a “censorship ordinance.”
mayor
a “Marxist” and that she was disappointed the mayor continued the dialogue past initial news reports. On Tuesday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported he was “blindsided” by their criticism.
This was never about governing dialogue, Tolland said. “Scrutiny is healthy, and the role of the press is important in holding our leaders responsible, but accountability should not come at the expense of effectiveness,” Tolland said. “If commissioners are forced to spend more time defending the process than advancing the solutions, we lose as a community.”
Deaton said many don’t see the positive things the commission does in the community each day, she said, and when she ran for office, her goal wasn’t to be a politician.
“My goal was to do what is best for Ormond Beach, so that my children and the rest of the future generations are left with the same thriving town that I was fortunate enough to grow up in,” Deaton said. “And despite the noise and negativity, I’m still going to be here, committed to Ormond Beach.
Mike Idzior phone: 3864371511 email: Mike@easternfloors.com fax:
Sales Rep: John Koyak
Wendelstedt’s comments followed those of several speakers at the March 4 meeting, most of whom were responding to the commission’s direction to staff at its Feb. 19 meeting to pursue an ordinance to require a majority vote before an elected official, including the mayor, can take action on behalf of the city. The ordinance was proposed by Commissioner Kristin Deaton to “prevent confusion” regarding whether statements made by elected officials reflect a personal opinion, or an official city
“As a resident, I was pleased to see the mayor showing off our town in both the print and broadcast media,” Pettit said. “I did not observe a malicious intent in Mayor Leslie’s interviews, and certainly not to the extent of deserving the kind of treatment he has endured as a result, but rather an example of someone who truly cares about his town.”
Former City Commissioner Jeff Boyle denounced statements calling the commissioners bullies and “Marxists.”
“It appears that it’s the messengers that are the problem, but not the message of false information,” Boyle said.
During closing comments, commissioners addressed the controversy around the mayor and the proposed ordinance. Commissioner Lori Tolland said she resented being called
In his closing comments, after a lighthearted moment discussing the upcoming mayor’s health and fitness challenge, Leslie said most issues can be resolved by asking questions. He said he was “ready to put this to rest.”
“I think that we’re now getting a little more used to each other and moving forward, I’m confident that we will all work well together, because that’s what our constituents wanted,” Leslie said. “They wanted us to be here and ... they chose us to do one thing: city business.”
City manager: ‘We do need a sports complex’
Charles Gambaro says lights, noise and cars at Ralph Carter Park are ‘not OK.’
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Mad Dogs Flag Football President Jarrod Maxwell does not blame R-Section residents who complain about the lights at Ralph Carter Park.
“I wouldn’t want that in my backyard either,” he told the Observer. “But that’s a city issue. Not a Mad Dogs issue.”
The issue could be solved, Maxwell said, if the city approves a new sports complex so leagues would no longer have to use neighborhood parks for practices and games.
After the City Council agreed on Feb. 25 to revisit the Ralph Carter Park issues at a future workshop, Palm Coast Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston told council members the city needs a plan for a sports complex.
“I will tell you that we do need a sports complex,” Johnston said. “I mean, we need to plan for one, somewhere, somehow. We need to actively start doing that. It’s called out in the parks master plan as well.”
The City Council held a workshop on Ralph Carter Park a year ago after residents complained. Since then, the city spent $12,000 for shields to direct the lighting down onto the fields. The city also acquired a permit from the school district to allow parents to park at Rymfire Elementary School for Mad Dogs games, and not along Rymfire
Drive. Charles Gambaro, who was appointed to the City Council on Oct. 1, long after the last workshop, requested the new workshop, calling it a quality of life issue.
“I stood out there in (a resident’s) driveway, and that lightning is not OK. It’s absolutely not OK,” Gambaro said. “The other thing that’s not OK is the amount of cars that were across the street with the kids running across. I know that might be a parent’s issue, because parking is available at Rymfire Elementary. We’ve got to lay this issue flat and lay all the facts out so we can address issues.”
Gambaro said he is looking for a “happy medium” to solve some of the problems.
Mayor Mike Norris and Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri made it clear they do not support closing the park to youth sports leagues while there is a shortage of other options in the city. Norris said a city analysis showed that about 80% of the people who live in the vicinity of the park moved in after the lights were installed in 2009.
After Norris said he doesn’t know what else the city can do short of shutting the park down, Pontieri made her position clear.
“I would say over my dead body that’ll happen. I’m not going to be that extreme,” she said. “But I will be very outspoken about that being shut down. That’s where too many kids go and play sports and stay out of trouble and have a good outlet.”
The big picture, Maxwell said, is the city is long past due for a sports complex.
Council votes to raise rates and fix infrastructure
Staff: Rate increases make it possible to avoid consequences such as boil water notices, sewer backups
BRIAN MCMILLAN
PUBLISHER
Split 3-1, the Palm Coast City Council voted on March 4 to begin the process of fixing and expanding the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure — and begin to raise residents’ monthly bills.
To pay for $614 million of improvements in the next five years, residents will see four 8% increases in their monthly bills by October 2028 — and another 4% per year after that.
Holding out for an as-yetundiscovered way to avoid putting so much of the cost on residents, Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri voted against the ordinance on first read (second read is March 18). She expressed her wish for alternatives in previous meetings, as well, but none were presented.
“I’m disappointed that this is an all-or-nothing approach,” she said.
The other three members of the City Council were convinced by staff and the consultant that there actually is no other alternative.
“We are under an FDEP consent order, so these are things we have to do,” Mayor Mike Norris said, referring to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “They are no fault of anybody in this room. It’s just the circumstances.”
He blamed “some bad leadership and some bad manage-
ment” in the city’s past for the difficulties, “but we are in this situation as a community, and we have to do what’s right.”
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROJECT?
At $265 million, the most important and most costly project in the plan is the expansion of Wastewater Treatment Facility 1. It has been in continuous operation for more than 40 years, according to the presentation by Stormwater and Engineering Director Carl Cote.
The plant capacity expanded to 6.83 million gallons per day in 2006 and will expand to 10.83 million gallons per day with the proposed plan, mostly solving the city’s problems through about 2035.
The plant will also be converted to advanced treatment techniques, meeting upcoming regulatory requirements.
COSTS TO RESIDENTS
Several residents pleaded with the City Council not to raise the rates so quickly. The utility bill, which includes trash collection, water and wastewater services, will go up from about $73 monthly now to about $99 monthly by October 2028 for a home that uses 2,500 gallons of water per month.
Some increases are inevitable, City Councilman Ty Miller said. Every year, the city needs about 4.1% more to pay for utilities, so an 8% increase is more like an increase of 3.9% above expected.
“It’s not quite the increase that it appears to be,” he said.
In response to a resident who accused past City Councils of avoiding infrastructure improvements out of fear that rate increases would make it difficult to be reelected, Miller said:
“My concern isn’t to get reelected. My concern is to get this done the right way.”
City Councilman Charles Gambaro said voting for the improvements despite the rate increases was required of leaders.
“We can’t afford to continue to admire this problem,” he said, “ … we have to attack it. … I’m prepared to move forward.”
Although the rates will go up substantially, they are still comparable to other cities’ rates around the state, including Flagler Beach’s rates, according to a presentation by consultant Murray Hamilton, vice president of Raftelis. For example, Flagler Beach residents pay about $100 to $125 per month for water and wastewater, when using 2,500 to 4,000 gallons of water per month.
IS GROWTH PAYING FOR ITSELF?
Knowing that 63% of the funds needed to pay for the infrastructure improvements are the result of growth, while 37% is due to maintenance, residents and City Council alike pondered this question: Is growth paying for itself, or are current residents paying for growth?
Due to state laws that cap impact fees, it’s not possible for local governments to charge enough money for growth to pay for itself, was Hamilton’s analysis.
“You’re set up in a position not to be able to capture 100% of those costs,” Hamilton said. The state, he added, has “made aggressive adjustments, at the benefit of new development.”
Illustrating some of the paradox of a new, rapidly growing city, one resident said he
opposed the rate increase, although he also said he had only recently moved to Palm Coast. One resident asked the city to say no to all future development. Norris responded: “I have no problem saying no, and we’re going to do it a lot.” The city has increased its impact fees as much as the law will allow, Pontieri said.
CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION
Cote said that a failure to improve infrastructure would lead to some serious consequences for current residents: Service disruptions: Overloaded systems can lead to boilwater notices, sewer backups, and water restriction; Higher costs: Emergency repairs, chemicals, labor, and regulatory fines increase financial burdens; Economic and environmental consequences: Insufficient capacity can harm ecosystems. During the public comment portion of the March 4 meeting, homebuilder Tony Amaral acknowledged that the City Council is in “a bad spot.” Previous City Councils voted against rate increases. This one can’t. “We’re at a point now where no is not the answer,” he said. “No is essentially a death sentence to the city.”
City Councilman Charles Gambaro. Photo by Brian McMillan
JOSH WE IL
DEMOCR AT FOR CONGRESS
IMPORTANT DATES
MARCH 3: Deadline to Register to Vote
MARCH 22–29: Early Voting
MARCH 20: Deadline to Request Mail-in Ballot
SPECIAL ELECTION APRIL 1, 2025 (April Fools Day)
PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY: Ensure Your Check Arrives on Time & in Full
ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR SENIORS: More Frequent Cost of Living Increases
BOOST SMALL BUSINESSES & GIG WORKERS: $20,000 Loan Assistance
HELP FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS: Up to $50,000 in Loan Assistance
SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES: $5,000 Increase to Child Tax Credit
IMPROVE DISASTER RELIEF: Ensure a Well-Funded FEMA
COPS CORNER
FEB. 4
A HARD DRIVE FOR CRIME
12:22 p.m. — 1500 block of West Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach Fraud. Police are searching for a suspect who has stolen computer chips off external hard drives. According to an incident report, the suspect has done this at 85 different big box stores located in Florida to Maryland, at the cost of over $54,000 for the company.
The incident report states that, on Jan. 16, the suspect purchased six portable external hard drives from one of the company’s local stores. That same day, he returned all six devices, and was “refunded” over $1,000.
The store then noticed that he had removed the backings of the devices and taken out the SD-card-like computer chip responsible for memory storage, the report states. The devices were rendered unusable.
FEB. 21 GPS TRACKER
8 p.m. — First block of Seona Circle, Palm Coast Battery by strangulation
A 37-year-old Palm Coast man was arrested after he strangled his ex-girlfriend during an argument. How did deputies find him? The man was wearing a GPS ankle monitor due to being out on pre-trial release for previous domestic battery and child abuse charges. When approached by deputies, the man initially alleged he didn’t understand what he was being arrested for, but later said his ex had been at his home and that “tussle” did ensue. But, he said he placed her in a “bear hug” to restrict her movement. He was taken to jail.
FEB. 22
WEARING THE EVIDENCE
6:21 p.m. — 5000 block of State Road 100 East, Palm Coast Petit theft. Deputies arrested am 18-year-old Stanford woman who was seen shoplifting from a big box store.
The woman was seen removing a price tag from a bracelet, valued at $12.99, according to her arrest report.
The woman later said she had “stolen twice in the past,” according to the report. She said she had the funds to pay for the bracelet, but had forgotten to take it off.
While conducting a search of her person, the reporting deputy also found a fake West Virginia driver’s license.
FEB. 23 WORK AREA AHEAD
8:11 a.m. — 2000 block of North Beach Street, Ormond Beach
Disturbance. A 54-year-old Ormond Beach man was jogging in a construction zone. He was wearing ear buds, so a construction worker touched his shoulder to get his attention, at which point, the worker was shoved to the ground by the man, who continued running, according to the report.
The worker then got up and this time grabbed the man’s shoulder, and the two fell to the ground in a scuffle until another worker got between them, the report states.
The man tsaid he didn’t hear the workers yelling at him to stop and only pushed the worker to the ground because he “startled him.” The man said he didn’t know what had happened — only that three men “jumped” him.
When the man asked why the workers would not be going to jail for battery, the reporting officer explained that they had been trying to keep him out of the construction zone for his own safety. The worker did not pursue charges.
BRIEFS
Volusia Fire Rescue Lt.
Bill Henry — first amputee firefighter in U.S. —
retires
Lt. Bill Henry, the first amputee firefighter in the United States, retired on Friday, Feb. 28, after 25 years of service with Volusia County Fire Rescue. Dozens of fellow firefighters gathered to wish him well at Fire Station 42 in DeLand, where he has been stationed for the past five years.
Henry joined Volusia County Fire Rescue as a volunteer in 1993 and was hired as a firefighter and emergency medical technician in 1999. The following year, he lost his left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident and was treated by fellow firefighters from his station. Not one to be deterred by the trauma, he stood strong, was fitted with an artificial limb, and became America’s first amputee firefighter.
“I knew I could come back and do my job, and no one has doubted me,” Henry said. “The support I received from Volusia County and Fire Rescue is second to none. I’m blessed to have this family.”
His service includes climbing ladders, carrying heavy gear, crawling in fires, and performing vehicle extrications. His only accommodation was a specialized boot that fits over his prosthesis.
Middle school student arrested for bringing gun to Matanzas basketball game
A 14-year-old Indian Trails Middle School was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office after deputies report he brought a gun to a
Matanzas High School basketball game.
The FCSO reports the gun has not been recovered. Submit tips by calling 386-3134911, emailing TIPS@flaglersheriff.com, using the FCSO app or website, or through the FortifyFL app at getfortifyfl. com.
Home health care nurse arrested for abusing disabled patient
A home health care nurse was arrested on Feb. 21, after in-home camera surveillance footage revealed he had hit and kicked a Palm Coast disabled patient.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office reports that 68-yearold John Jenkins, of Daytona Beach, was seen on the footage kicking and striking the victim with an iPad. Deputies initially responded to the home on Feb. 8, following a report of a battery by a reporting party who advised the victim was a disabled adult who was unable to speak or walk, requiring constant care from a nurse.
“This is a tragic and sickening case of abuse, where a adult was taken advantage of by someone entrusted with their care,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in the press release. “We are grateful to the family member who had the foresight to place cameras inside the home, and then quickly reported the ongoing abuse of a disabled adult.”
Palm Coast man sentenced for possessing child pornography
A 26-year-old Palm Coast man, who was arrested in June 2023 and charged with 15 counts of possessing child pornography, was sentenced to five years in prison on Tues-
Three killed in separate crashes
Three people were killed in two separate Flagler County crashes during the early morning hours of Sunday, March 2, according to Florida Highway Patrol press releases.
At 4:25 a.m., two teenagers traveling west on County Road 304 near Hudson Allen Road were killed in a one-car crash when their sedan drifted across the eastbound lane and onto the left shoulder striking the end of a concrete bridge railing.
The driver, an 18-year-old male from Seville, and his passenger, a 17-year-old male from Pierson, were both confirmed dead at the scene by Fire County Fire
day, Feb. 25. Christopher Cashera Jr. pleaded guilty to all counts. The victims were believed to range from an infant to 10 years old.
Flagler named ‘Top Saver’ after saving over $1 million in inmate health care costs
For the second year in a row, Prime Corrections recognized Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for being the “top saver of taxpayer money” through the Offsite Inmate Medical Savings Program, a press release announced on Feb. 24.
The award was presented during the Florida Sheriffs Association’s 2025 Winter meeting, where it was announced FCSO had saved over $1.05 million over the past year.
Prior to 2022, Flagler County paid all bills for inmate medical care as billed by outside medical providers.
Rescure. Earlier, a 54-year-old Palm Coast man was pronounced dead at the scene after his motorcycle struck a raised concrete median on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach. The incident occurred at 12:23 a.m. The driver of the motorcycle was traveling southbound on A1A and Ninth Street South when he attempted to overtake an SUV on the left side, according to the press release. The front wheel of the motorcycle struck the center median and overturned multiple time. The driver was ejected from the motorcycle.
Florida man: From Red Roof Inn to Green Roof Inn
A Florida man and woman, one of whom was a fugitive with felony warrants in multiple other counties, were arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 25. The FCSO Problem Area Crime Enforcement Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service served an arrest warrant at a hotel room at the Red Roof Inn in Palm Coast, where the two occupants — 35-yearold Damian Cacchio-Burton, 35, of Pompano Beach, and 45-year-old Iris Grant, of Melbourne, were apprehended. According to a press release, Cacchio-Burton was a fugitive with a warrant from Palm Beach County possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm from a vehicle, as well as multiple warrants from Broward County for violation of probation. Cacchio-Burton is being held without bond
Airport ordinance faces headwind
Palm Coast City Council members echoed citizen concerns regarding safety and noise from touch-and-goes.
JARLEENE
ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
As Flagler County works toward an interlocal service boundary agreement for an Airport Protection Overlay Zone, Palm Coast city officials are focusing on the two main drivers of citizens’ concerns with the Flagler Executive Airport — noise and safety.
At a Palm Coast City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25, Flagler County Growth Management Adam Mengel conducted a presentation on airport zoning regulations. Flagler County is proposing the adoption of an airport overlay ordinance, a statutory requirement for airports to ensure safety through zoning regulations regarding potential hazards or obstructions, which is scheduled for its first public hearing on April 7. Before that takes place, the ordinance will be examined on March 11 by the Flagler County Planning and Development Board — which was appointed as the Airport Zoning Commission on March 3.
In order for Flagler County to adopt the ordinance, it needs to work with the cities of Palm Coast and Bunnell, as the airport hazard area includes portions of both municipalities.
However, in light of citizen concerns, some Palm Coast City Council members said they were looking at the airport overlay zone from a safety and quality of life perspective.
Councilwoman Theresa
Pontieri mentioned the rise of news reports regarding plane crashes, including the private plane crash on Feb. 14 in Flagler County near State Road 11, which resulted in the death of a Jacksonville pilot.
“I feel that there is a safety issue if we’re having touchand-goes occur when the tower is not manned,” Pontieri said.
Flagler Executive Airport Director Roy Sieger said no touch-and-go operations are conducted at nighttime (the control tower is staffed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily). Flight schools don’t allow it. Instead, he explained, students will perform full stop taxi back maneuvers, where the aircraft lands, exits the runway and reenters for departure.
Touch-and-go landings involve student pilots landing on the runway and taking off without making a complete stop.
Sieger also stressed that touch-and-goes are not a “dangerous operation.”
Mayor Mike Norris then asked him if he was a pilot.
“I’m a student pilot,” Sieger said.
“So you’re not a pilot,” Norris replied.
“I’m a student pilot, and I’ve flown,” Sieger said. “I’ve soloed. I’ve been around aviation for 40 years.”
Norris asked about the benefit of allowing touch-and-go operations for the community. Sieger said he doesn’t have the ability to tell pilots they cannot conduct touch-and-goes.
“We’re a public use airport,” he said. “We cannot stop any legitimate aeronautical use. A touch-and-go is an aeronautical use. That’d be just like saying that we want to be able to stop tractor trailers from going down I-95 — can’t do it.”
If the county can’t regulate touch-and-goes, could they
charge for them? Sieger said Kissimmee Gateway Airport recently added landing fees, charging $3 per 1,000 pounds.
Last year, the Ormond Beach City Commission considered implementing a $3 landing fee, per 1,000 pounds, per arrival for the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport, but following significant pushback from the local aviation community, the commission tabled the matter and asked for the Aviation Advisory Board to review the issue.
During a subsequent legal presentation to the council, officials were told that for an airport to limit a particular aeronautical activity for safety and efficiency, such as touch-and-goes, “the limitation must be based on an analysis of safety and/or efficiency and capacity.”
The city of Palm Coast can’t pass a noise ordinance, but it can work with the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict the use of touch-andgoes, and it can request a new noise study with the Airport Master Plan.
This is about risk management, Norris said. He also questioned why the county hadn’t created an airport overlay zone in the past.
“This is 2025 and we’re going back to fix something that should have been done back in 2016, 2017, before all those houses were built out there,” Norris said. “... And the catalyst for the whole thing is about how the money is going to be allocated and distributed to the county.”
Mengel said he appreciated the discussion, but that the ordinance is for land use. It would not have affected development around the airport had it been enacted in 2017.
“This ordinance is related to obstructions into your airspace,” Mengel said.
Florida Veteran Regains Sight With Groundbreaking Lens Technology
AMIT CHOKSHI, M.D.
FLORIDA EYE SPECIALISTS
For many people, vision problems can be a frustrating part of aging. Whether it’s struggling to read the fine print, experiencing blurry sight at night, or relying on glasses more frequently, it’s a problem that affects millions. But 55-year-old Richard Becker, a retired military officer from Melbourne, is living proof that with the right treatment, achieving better vision at any age is possible.
After years of dealing with deteriorating eyesight, Richard finally took the leap and chose to correct his cataracts with the Light Adjustable Lens. I sat down with Richard to discuss what he learned during his experience and how the procedure changed his life
A LONG HISTORY OF VISION
STRUGGLES
Richard’s eye health challenges began more than 30 years ago when he underwent radial keratotomy (RK), a refractive surgery commonly performed at the time to correct nearsightedness. For the next two decades, Richard enjoyed 20/20 vision — even reaching 20/15 at times.
But as he approached his 50s, he began to notice his eyesight deteriorating, starting with his astigmatism. His vision, once perfect, became unpredictable, affecting both his near and distant sight. By the time Richard turned 55, his vision had worsened significantly.
His left eye was at 20/60, and he struggled with both near and intermediate sight. “I had been relying on glasses and contacts for several years, but my prescription constantly needed updating, and I had to get new ones every six months — the cost just kept adding up,” Richard said.
THE SEARCH FOR A LASTING SOLUTION
For three years, Richard
researched options, hoping to find a solution that would restore his sight. “I didn’t want to wait for a full cataract to develop,” Richard said. “I knew the outcome would be better if I addressed the issue sooner rather than later.”
This led him to discover the Light Adjustable Lens, a groundbreaking technology that can adjust a patient’s vision post-surgery. After evaluating his medical history and discussing his expectations, we decided the Light Adjustable Lens would be the best option to address his vision issues and achieve the precise correction he needed
THE GAME-CHANGER: LIGHT ADJUSTABLE LENS
The Light Adjustable Lens procedure itself was straightforward. Richard was amazed at how simple and painless the cataract surgery was. “I didn’t feel a thing,” he said. “It was one of the easiest surgeries I’ve ever had.”
What sets the Light Adjustable Lens apart is its unique ability to be adjusted after the initial surgery. This customization allows patients to test different prescriptions until the perfect fit is achieved. For Richard, this technology was a game-changer.
Despite the challenges posed by his previous refractive surgery, the Light Adjustable Lens enabled us to fine-tune his vision, eventually improving him from 20/60 to 20/25 — a remarkable outcome.
“I was able to adjust until we found the vision that worked best for me,” said Richard. “The ability to try out different prescriptions was amazing — it was the first time I’d felt in control of my vision.”
LIVING WITHOUT GLASSES AGAIN
As he progressed through his post-op adjustments, Richard found himself enjoying life in
ways he hadn’t been able to for years. Playing tennis and golf without the hassle of glasses or foggy lenses became a reality. “I can see the ball better than ever,” he said. “It’s a huge difference.” Now, Richard only needs reading glasses occasionally — a far cry from the daily struggle of finding the right prescription. The results were more than just visual improvements; they changed his life. He’s now enjoying each day with a new outlook — one that’s clearer and more vibrant than ever.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” Richard said. “From the moment I walked into Florida Eye Specialists, I knew I was in good hands. The staff treated me like family.”
A NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE Richard’s journey with the Light Adjustable Lens is a testament to how new technology can change lives. “I didn’t think I had many options left,” he said. “But thanks to the Light Adjustable Lens, I’m able to enjoy things I thought I’d lost.”
Amit Chokshi, M.D., is a board-certified ophthalmologist at Florida Eye Specialists. For more information on Dr. Chokshi and his specialties in treating cataracts, visit FloridaEyeSpecialists.com or call 904-564-2020.
When you plan ahead, you can make your final wishes known and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind.
Amit Chokshi, M.D.
PALM COAST
LETTERS
In support of Ormond Beach
Mayor Jason Leslie
Dear Editor:
After coming off a very heated few years regarding over development, flooding and the proposed Belvedere Fuel Terminal, in a recent City Commission meeting several commissioners sought to “demoralize” by “silencing” our recently elected Mayor Jason Leslie for what appeared to be an honest, enthusiastic media tour showcasing what is left of Ormond Beach “charm.” I personally think that action speaks volumes about their commitment to constituents and is eerily similar to the Volusia County Council trying to keep Chairman Brower quiet.
I personally look forward to Mayor Leslie’s exuberance about and openness to his community...Not a “go along to get along” attitude demonstrated by my zone’s commissioner when questioning Belvedere Fuel Terminal, yet voting for it without any debate presented from other members as to why it was a “good addition” to Ormond Beach community. Or a previous member who thought it was a “Buc-ee’s” style proposal...Can’t say they actually read it. Or another previous member who staked their career on “banning plastic straws” yet not a peep regarding Belvedere close to sports fields and later we all learned that adhesive used inpaper could be harmful — all about protecting the children.
My personal hope is I will never hear the words “You’re Barking up the Wrong Tree” when our previous mayor addressed a packed meeting of constituents concerned about the proposed
Belvedere Fuel Terminal prior to meeting commencements and without recorded minutes. Funny how he ran for state office outside the voting population of Ormond Beach.
Ormond Beach residents spoke loud and clear for our choice of mayor just as Volusia County residents spoke loud and clear for their council chairman. Stand tall and make us proud!
CECILIA LIST Ormond Beach
Editor’s note: The Ormond Beach City Commission has not voted to approve the Belvedere Terminals fuel farm proposal at 874 Hull Road. The property is located in unincorporated Volusia County, meaning it is under county jurisdiction. Votes taken by the commission in relation to the project include the creation of the I-2 Heavy Industrial zoning district, which was later eliminated by the commission. The commission, both past and present, has voiced opposition to the project, and also voted against supplying utilities to and allowing Belvedere to annex the property into the city. Additionally, previous Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington now represents District 28 on the Florida House of Representatives, which includes the city of Ormond Beach and its voting population.
City was right to end fluoridation
Dear Editor: Ormond Beach Commissioners are correct to end fluoridation — ethically, morally and scientifically. My two beautiful granddaughters are growing up
TRIBUTES
Norman D. Hartman
Norman D. Hartman, age 89 of Mechanicsburg, PA passed away peacefully on Friday, February 21, 2025. Surviving is his wife Frances (Schoch) Hartman, six children Sally Nesmith, Daniel Hartman (Dot), Margie Wevodau (Larry), James Hartman (Patty), Patty Dobbins (Barry), and John Hartman (Michelle), a sister Mary Drabenstadt, 16 grandchildren, 15
great-grandchildren and a great great grandchild. He was predeceased by his siblings George Hartman and Carolyn Baker.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, February 28, 2025 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mechanicsburg, PA. For complete obituary and to sign the online guest book, please visit www. MalpezziFuneralHome.com
in Ormond Beach and I am relieved and overjoyed that their commissioners finally stopped adding unnecessary fluoride chemicals into the drinking water.
I appreciate Mr. Valcik’s 40 years of working to keep drinking water safe. It’s an important job. But during his tenure, over the same 40 years, I’ve studied the safety and efficacy of water fluoridation only to discover it’s neither. My town, Levittown, New York, stopped fluoridation in1983 with no evidence of creating more tooth decay. This started my fluoridation investigation. In fact, three counties in New York State: Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk are totally non-fluoridated while neighboring New York City is 100% fluoridated, where tooth decay is rampant.
The addition of fluoride chemicals into drinking water started 80 years ago with the mistaken belief that ingested fluoride was an essential nutrient. But it’s neither. Like all drugs, fluoride has adverse side effects that affect different people in different ways and others not at all.
The most egregious are the over 300 studies showing fluoride’s detrimental brain effects which EPA ignored when setting safe water fluoride contaminant levels. So, EPA was sued. A federal judge did EPA’s job for them. After 7 years, two bench trials, and expert testimony, he ruled that fluoride at 0.7 mg/L (the amount legislated into drinking water) poses an unreasonable health risk. We are waiting for the EPA to act upon that ruling. It’s important to note that the concentration of fluoride in water doesn’t equate to an individual’s total fluoride intake from all sources.
Fluoride is in virtually all foods and beverages, some medicines, absorbed from
dental products, inhaled in air pollution and ocean mist. It’s in all infant formula, some baby foods and juices — very high in tea, ocean fish, soy and grape products, etc. It’s undisputed that too much fluoride damages bones, brains and children’s developing teeth. Seventy percent of US children and adolescents are afflicted with dental fluorosis, the only outward sign of fluoride toxicity. It’s unknown what fluoride is doing to the rest of their bodies.
World Health Organization data shows that tooth decay rates declined equally in fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries. Despite Florida’s 78% fluoridation rate, Florida ranks at the bottom for poor dental health, not from lack of fluoride, but from lack of dental care.
CAROL S. KOPF Levittown, New York
Editor’s note: Health organizations such as the American Dental Association, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association all support community water fluoridation. According to the ADA, fluoridation is the most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.
City should buy Wilmette Avenue property
Dear Editor:
As a resident of Volusia County for all of my 75 years, and of Ormond Beach for 66 of these years, I heartily endorse the city’s proposed acquisition of the property at the southeast corner of Center and Wilmette Avenues as reported in the Observer of Feb. 27. I recall growing up and playing in the area when this was open grazing land. Nature has now reclaimed this land and its proximity to Thompson’s Creek provides a vital watershed, and the vegetation shelter for many forms of wildlife.
I would also suggest the city explore the opportunity to acquire a portion of the wetlands between Division and Hand Avenue for the purpose of creating a retention pond that would provide great relief to area property owners, especially along Hand and Division Avenues, from the flooding of streets
YOUR TOWN
Matanzas SGA receives thirdplace award at FASC convention
The Matanzas High School Student Government Association participated in the Florida Association of Student Councils state convention Feb. 21-23 at East River High School in Orlando. The Pirates was Gold Medal Recognition for their medallion book, a comprehensive collection of projects, agendas and meeting minutes. They also won a third-place award for their Faculty Staff Relations project.
FPC principal, SGA students win FASC awards
Flagler Palm Coast High School Principal Bobby Bossardet was honored as the Principal of the Year at the recent Florida Association of Student Councils state convention in Orlando, and the school’s Student Government Association took home a heap of awards.
Evana Fretterd, FPC’s SGA addvisor arranged for Bossardet’s award to be a surprise.
In an email to FPC staff, she wrote that FASC Executive Director Melissa Sohn invited Bossardet to the awards cer-
and yards that accompanies heavy rains. A vacant house that was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Milton stands on property that would offer access to this area for such a venture.
STEVE DOLL Ormond Beach
Discourse on eliminating the property tax
Dear Editor:
I am grateful to Mike Scudiero and Terry Harmening for their responses to my letter regarding eliminating the property tax here in Florida. Public civil discourse is a great exercise of our First Amendment as well as a means to flesh through issues and potential solutions. It is something I both enjoy and encourage others to do. As mentioned, the sales tax and electric vehicle tax are both less intrusive revenue replacement to the property tax. Another preferable alternative is a voluntary means to give money to fund services via options on utility bills. For example, the City of Ormond Beach can add a line item for road improvements with a box to check next to it on the invoice and different dollar amounts to take out additional money every month for a year.
Being a fiscal conservative, in addition to looking for other means of revenue generation, I also like to look at the other side of the financial ledger: expenses. I mentioned utility bill already. Creating and mailing those out, as well as receiving and processing returning payments, require funding. I bet that many residents would opt to go paperless-billing and ACH auto-payments if given an incentive. Maybe $10 off their next bill? The cost of the credit would be made up in a couple of months and the rest would be ongoing savings. There has been recent moves to go to native or Florida-friendly landscaping on public property. This should save money as well as be environmentally friendly. There will also be a cost-savings item on this month’s City Commission agenda to make fluoride in our drinking water optional, which I would encourage our City Commission to pass for both fiscal responsibility and personal health decisions
emony “under the impression that our council was receiving an award. Little did he know — the honor was actually for him!”
The award honors a principal who goes above and beyond to support extracurricular activities and the school’s student council.
In a nominating letter for the award, Kayleigh Phillips, FPC’s SGA president, wrote, “His exceptional leadership and unwavering support have been instrumental in the success of our council and the school community as a whole. … On a personal level, Mr. Bossardet has profoundly impacted me as both a leader and an individual. Through his mentorship, I have learned to approach challenges with confidence, communicate
BEACH
We build community spirit and bridges of understanding through accurate and compelling journalism.
We build the local economy by helping businesses strategically connect with our print and online readers.
Publisher Brian McMillan, brian@observerlocalnews.com
Operation and Design Manager Hailey McMillan, hailey@observerlocalnews.com
Marketing Consultants Paula Losinger, Paula@ observerlocalnews.com; April Koehler, akoehler@ observerlocalnews.com; Travis Hurlbut, Travis@observerlocalnews. com
Office Coordinator Kay Raymond, Kay@observerlocalnews.com
SUBSCRIBE To subscribe for driveway delivery, visit www. observerlocalnews.com/ subscribe.
TO ADVERTISE Call the office at 386-447-9723, or reach out to a marketing consultant above.
Locally Owned / Publishers of the Palm Coast Observer
going back to the people. I could go on, but these are a good start. The beauty of trying a new idea in Florida is having 67 counties be incubators of solutions with best practices that later may be shared to other counties (and eventually other states). I would propose the state provide that each county government make their own decision to opt-in to replacement of property tax by another means. Provisions can be made which would raise the cap on sales tax or fuel tax for the opt-in counties. The target would be revenueneutral. Cost savings options can be exercised if revenue is below budgeted expectations.
JOE HANNOUSH Ormond Beach
effectively, and embrace the idea of collaboration.”
Fretterd wrote in her nomination letter, “Mr. Bossardet is a leader who not only values student voice but actively empowers students to make meaningful contributions to our school community. … As a proud alumnus of FPCHS, Bobby understands the heart of our school because he has lived it.”
In a text to the Observer, Bossardet said, “I am blessed to be surrounded by incredible students, the absolute best staffulty, and an amazing team!”
Fretterd said the students submitted some of their best projects to the convention, and their hard work paid off. They received two firstplace awards: Their Saving the Planet Project won in the Environmental Concerns category and their Parliamentary Procedure Team took firstplace honors. They also won Gold Medal Recognition for their medallion book, a comprehensive collection of projects, agendas and meeting minutes. And they won third-place awards in Citizenship Development for their PBIS Spring Celebration Event; Health & Safety for their Impaired Driving Project; School Service for We Heart FPC; and School Spirit for their organization of Potato Bowl activities.
“A huge congratulations to our incredible student leaders,” Fretterd wrote in her communication to the school staff.
Flager Palm Coast SGA President Kayleigh Phillips and advisor Evana Fretterd hold the trophies that the SGA students won at the FASC convention. Courtesy photo
MY VIEW DAVID LYDON, FLAGLER COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES OFFICER
Understanding your veterans benefits
Survivor benefits are available for spouses of persons who served in the active military.
There are many good reasons to discuss health care and final arrangement plans with the people you love. Proper
planning and communication are not exclusive to veterans and their families, but that’s who I’m trying to reach in this article. At Flagler County Veterans Services, we find that veterans receiving benefits do not always learn all the important details pertaining to their benefits. Recently, another example of this was seen at our office. The widow of a veteran contacted our office inquiring about survivor benefits, as her veteran husband died of Agent Orange exposure related health conditions. Agent Orange was an her-
bicide used to eradicate vegetation used by the enemy for concealment during the Vietnam War. She and her veteran husband had operated an internet-based sales business together. One day after his passing she took a call from a customer. During the call she mentioned her husband had passed. The conversation included details about him dying from his Agent Orange-related diseases. The customer who was in Texas was a veteran himself. He provided valuable advice to the surviving spouse making
her aware she might be eligible for survivor benefits. He Googled “veterans services office” for Florida and found the contact information for Flagler County Veterans Services.
Only because of a fortuitous phone call with a random conscientious customer did she know she was eligible for survivor benefits due to her husband’s death. She did come to Flagler County Veterans Services to file a claim, and she will be receiving her survivor benefits for the rest of her life. The moral of this story is to be informed.
CLASSIFIEDS
Beach Resort is hiring for full-time and parttime positions across multiple departments! Upcoming Job Fairs: 2/24, 3/13, 4/30, 5/1 We will have on-the-spot interviews! Why Join Us? Competitive Pay & Benefits Growth Opportunities Work at a Beautiful Oceanfront Resort Explore all current open positions & apply online: www.hammockbeach. com/careers Don’t Miss Your Chance! Bring your resume and meet our hiring team. We look forward to welcoming you to
The information is out there and available through the Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and other service organizations. Admittedly, the information is voluminous and confusing. For instance, it’s been found that some veterans do not inquire about VA benefits because they do not consider themselves veterans.
They are under the misconception that only those who have served in combat can call themselves veterans.
That is not correct. Title 38 of the U.S. Code, Section 101(2) provides that a veteran is a person who has served in the active military, naval, air, or space service and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. This definition includes members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force, as well as certain members of the National Guard and Reserves who were called to active federal duty by presidential order for purposes other than training. For additional information and assistance call Flagler County Veterans Services at 386-313-4014.
Flagler Ed Foundation hosts annual Mardi Gras gala
The Flagler County Education Foundation held its 20th annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball on Tuesday, March 4.
The gala event benefitted the foundation’s Take Stock in Children Program, which offers scholarships and mentorship to students in need. Attendees enjoyed casino playing, food, the crowning of Joe and Kelly Wright as king and queen, and a performance by the Matanzas High School Band.
–OBSERVER STAFF
Go Pioneers! Pine Trail students take part in annual Pioneer Mile race
This year, 84 boys and 55 girls qualified for the race, an increase from last year’s qualifiers.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
MANAGING EDITOR
How quick can you run a mile?
For 139 Pine Trail Elementary students, the answer is “in nine minutes, or less.”
On Friday, Feb. 28, the school held its annual Pioneer Mile race, an initiative created by former coach James Vollinger over 30 years ago at a previous school. He began the ini-
tiative at Pine Trail seven years ago. To qualify, male students must prove to their PE coaches that they can run a mile during the school year in eight minutes or less, and female students have to do so in nine minutes or less.
This year, 84 boys and 55 girls qualified for the race, an increase from last year’s qualifiers. This year also included a kindergartener: Taylor Vitello.
The school record of the fastest Pioneer Mile is 5 minutes and 57 seconds. Fourth grade student Espn Haines, whose sister Breckland also won the girl’s race, came very close to beating it — he finished his mile in 5 minutes and 59 seconds.
Springfest 2025 draws 400 kids into the Bunnell sunshine
With perfect weather throughout the day, about 2,000 residents — including 400 children — enjoyed food trucks, demonstrations and local business booths at Springfest 2025, on March 1, at Joann B. King Park, in Bunnell. The event was hosted by the City of Bunnell and the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce.
–OBSERVER STAFF
THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S RACE WERE:
third grade, 6:45
Vitello, third grade, 6:49
Adalyn Tabb, fourth grade, 6:50
Espn Haines, fourth grade, 5:59.
Richard Yanez, fourth grade, 6:02
Carter Reardon, third grade, 6:10
Above: A child smiles as she takes part in a sack race. Right: Lori Conner, with Sadie.
Tabetha Long, Holleigh Long and Khalil Pelawi.
Selina Hernandez, Flagler Education Foundation Assistant Director of Student Services; philanthropist Sue Freytag and Executive Director Teresa Rizzo. Photos by Connor McCarthy
Matanzas band students play during the Flagler Ed Foundation’s 20th annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball.
William Colmon. Photos by Hannah Hodge
Pine Trail Elementary students Anna Kate, Adalyn Tabb and Breckland Haines run the Pioneer Mile race.
Pine Trail Elementary students Finn and Javon run the Pioneer Mile race on Friday, Feb. 28. Photos by Jarleene Almenas
Pine Trail Elementary kindergarten students cheer from the sidelines.
Carol Smith.
Bailee joins in a Frisbee game at Springfest 2025.
LOCAL EVENTS
will hold a rummage sale. To donate household goods in prime condition, call 386445-3006.
FREE FAMILY ART NIGHT
When: 5:30-7 p.m.
Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach
Details: Create an art project with instructor Linda King. This month’s project is “Rainbow Weaving.” All supplies are provided. No experience needed. All ages welcome. Free program.
Details: Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a showing of “Luck of the Irish,” rated G. Movies are weather-sensitive. Call 386-676-3216 for rainout information.
THE KENNY ROGERS BAND PRESENTS
‘THROUGH THE YEARS’
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, 5500 E. Highway
100, Palm Coast
Details: The band who toured with the late Kenny Rogers is coming to Palm Coast. Hear all of the mega-hits and other fan favorites. Tickets cost $54-$64. Visit flaglerauditorium.org.
SPYRO GYRA
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach
Details: Celebrate 50 years of iconic jazz fusion with Spyro Gyra. Join Jay Beckenstein and the band for an evening of smooth jazz. Tickets cost $50-$70. Visit ormondbeachperformingartscenter.csstix. com.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
YOUR YARD MATTERS
WORKSHOP
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Anderson-Price Memorial Building, 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: Halifax River Audubon will host this workshop, which includes four learning modules by experts. The $10 admission covers breakfast, lunch, supplementary reading materials and a free native plant courtesy of the Pawpaw Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. There will be a native garden tour and plant sale immediately following the workshop. Purchase tickets via https://tinyurl.com/ HRASeminar.
FLAGLER SUMMER CAMP EXPO AND KIDS FEST
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Central Park at Town Center, 975 Central Ave., Palm Coast
Details: Explore various summer camp options for kids and enjoy family activities, games and entertainment. Free event.
FLAGLER MAKERS MARKET
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Central Park at Town Center, 975 Central Ave., Palm Coast
Details: Local artisans, crafters and creators will showcase their talents. Free event with music, food, a bounce house and more.
MICROPLASTICS
When: 2 p.m.
Where: Environmental Dis-
covery Center, 601 Division Ave., Ormond Beach
Details: Maria Corena McLeod will lead this class about microplastics.
MONDAY, MARCH 10
SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO TURF LAWN
When: 10-11:30 a.m.
Where: Ormond Beach
Regional Public Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: This ReGrow the Loop event will feature Ginny Stibolt, award-winning Florida gardening author. Event is presented by the Pawpaw Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. Free and open to the public.
THE GARDEN CLUB AT PALM COAST MEETING
When: 11:30 a.m to 3 p.m.
Where: Club 51 Social Club, 51 Old Kings Road N, Palm Coast
Details: The Garden Club at Palm Coast’s monthly meeting will feature guest speaker Dr. John Rossi from the St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. He will be presenting “Palms of Northern Florida.” The meeting will close with raffle ticket drawings. Visitors are welcome to attend. Visit gardenclubatpalmcoast.org.
VOLUSIA READS TOGETHER: CHEF COSTA
MAGOULAS
When: 1 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach Regional Public Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: Chef Costa Magoulas, dean of Daytona State College’s College of Hospitality and Culinary Management, will discuss his work as a chef and what it is like to work on a television set. Free event.
TUESDAY, MARCH 11
‘HENRI DAUMAN: LOOKING UP’ FILM SCREENING When: 6-8 p.m.
Where: Southeast Museum of Photography, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach Details: As one of the preeminent photographers of the 20th century, Henri Dauman took the international photojournalism scene by storm with his cinematic images. Free film screening.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 ORMOND AARP MONTHLY MEETING When: 10 a.m. to noon Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 56 North Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach Details: This month’s guest speaker is Robert Carolin, Ormond Beach Leisure Services director. The public is invited. Optional light $5 lunch will follow. For more info, call Jeff Boyle at 386-341-9013.
3-DAY “WRAP-AROUND” RUMMAGE SALE
• Friday, March 7th from 9am to 12pm
• Sunday, March 9th from 8am to 2pm
• Monday, March 10th from 9am to 12pm
1. Broadway Star Power
Mandy Gonzalez is known for her powerful performances in Hamilton, In the Heights, and Wicked.
2. Unmatched Vocals
Her incredible voice blends Broadway, pop, and Latin influences, creating a thrilling live experience
3. Inspirational Storytelling
Mandy brings emotion and authenticity to her performances, making every song feel personal and powerful.
4. Live Music Magic
Nothing compares to hearing her sing in person, where her vocal range and control truly shine.
5. A Rare Opportunity
Seeing a Broadway-caliber performer in an intimate setting like the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center is a unique experience.
6. Her Signature “Fearless” Energy
You’re not just going to a concert; you’re having a classic Broadway experience.
Temple Beth Shalom 40 Wellington Drive, Palm Coast Goods include furniture, household items, tools, electronics, jewelry, art and collectibles.
Donation of used items in prime condition are welcome, and can be picked up or dropped off. Contact the Temple office for additional information at 386445-3006.
7. Student Performers!
We auditioned drama students from all over the region to perform with Mandy on our stage! Come cheer them on!
8. Connection with the Audience
She’s not just a performer; she engages with the audience, making her concerts feel personal and immersive.
9. Connection with the Audience
Whether you’re a theater fan or just love great music, this concert is an ideal evening of entertainment.
10. You’ll Regret Missing It!
Mandy Gonzalez doesn’t tour everywhere, so this is a must-see event for Broadway and live music fans.
Exceptional Sound Quality
From the very first fit, you'll experience a perfect
Reduced Listening Fatigue
Many users report feeling 21% less fatigued at the end of the day
Spheric Speech Clarity
This feature ensures that you can hear every word from any direction
Enhanced Connectivity
Market-leading connectivity with uninterrupted hands-free
I recently purchased Phonak Sphere 70 hearing aids and I can hear much better. I'm super happy with these. I think anybody would be very happy with them. It's how hearing aids should really work. I highly recommend them. Thank you.
-Morris G., Patient
BUSINESS OBSERVER
Pak’s Karate in Bunnell has new name, program
The new program caters to a much broader audience, owner Vince Maccherone said.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Pak’s Karate Academy in Bunnell is now Hybrid Muay Thai and Kickboxing Gym.
The martial arts gym, located at 2323 N. State St. No. 7, has been in business since 2008. After 16 years as Pak’s Karate, owner Vince Maccherone decided it was time to go in a different direction.
“We feel like we’re modernizing the program,” he said. “We made the changes in the last quarter of last year. We phased out running a karate school and started showing new drills. On Jan. 1, we decided to move with this new idea.”
Pak’s Karate had built itself into a kid’s program, Maccherone said, but as an instructor he felt he had more to offer.
“I can work with adults, I can work with athletes. Since the informal switch we have up to 20 adults now,” he said. “We had no adult classes a couple of months before. Our program should cater to everybody, not just limiting who we can help.”
Both the kids and adults like the switch because Muay Thai emphasizes self-defense, Maccherone said.
“It’s a defense style that uses all weapons we have on our bodies — knees and elbows and you can grab in a clinch. Now, the kids are moving more during class, learning more real-life-suited techniques for reallife self defense,” Maccherone said.
“The drills we do now compared to traditional style martial arts are way more engaging and way more fun.
Kids who have been with me for five years are saying, ‘Wow, I like this more.’”
Maccherone was introduced to Muay Thai several years ago by a friend he knew through karate.
“I thought it was really fun. For someone who had been in martial arts my whole life, I never heard of it, but I really liked it,” he said. “When you do karate, you spend a good amount of time practicing hand forms. Now, instead of forms, it’s, Are you blocking when you punch? Do you know how to defend certain moves? This caters to a much broader audience.”
A grand opening is planned for April, Maccherone said. For more information, visit https:// hybridmuaythai.com/
BIZ BUZZ
TO-DO DUDES EXPAND TO DAYTONA BEACH
The To-Do Dudes has expanded to Daytona Beach. The group of student household helpers do yard work, moving and lifting, cleaning, event help, tech help and other odd jobs. Erik Libby started the business in Flagler County in 2020 when he was entering college. It expanded to Ormond Beach in 2023. Starting March 1, the To-Do Dudes has expanded its service to include Daytona Beach.
The To-Do Dudes has completed over 5,000 projects and has served over 2,000 customers. The company is also dedicated to empowering young people. By hiring local students, the company provides flexible work options that allow them to earn money while balancing their studies.
The To-Do Dudes’ services include weeding; hedge trimming; laying mulch; general outdoor maintenance; indoor and outdoor cleaning; window washing; pool skimming; moving furniture; setup, hosting and cleanup for parties and gatherings; furniture assembly; basic tech setup; and other household tasks. For more information, call 386-597-0722.
FIRST LIVE LOCAL ACT DEVELOPMENT OK’D IN PALM COAST
The City of Palm Coast has issued a development order for Kensington at Old Kings, an age-restricted residential community, marking the first project in the city to be approved under Florida’s Live Local Act. The development will be located west of Old Kings Road, north of Town Center Boulevard, adjacent to I-95.
While the Live Local Act allows for up to 233 units on this site (15 units per net developable acre), city staff worked with the developer to reduce the density to 113 residential units (approximately 7.28 units per acre). Additionally, approximately four acres have been reserved for future commercial use as part of this mixed-use project. At least 40% of the units will be designated as affordable housing for residents earning no more than 120% of the area median income, with affordability guaranteed for a minimum of 30 years.
The Live Local Act is a state mandate that requires local governments to approve certain affordable housing developments administratively, without public hearings or city council review, even in cases where a zoning change occurs. While the city was required to approve this project under state law, Palm Coast officials took steps to ensure it aligns with community standards as much as possible.
“In response to the Live Local Act, the city council proactively enacted an ordinance to protect residents as much as possible within the limits of state law,” said Lauren Johnston, acting city manager. “This project meets the city’s Land Development Code standards, including architectural and landscaping requirements, to maintain the quality and character of our community.”
For more information about the Live Local Act, visit palmcoast.gov/ planning and select “Live Local Act Application Procedures” under the Miscellaneous Applications tab.
The To-Do Dudes perform household chores such as yard work. Courtesy photo
Sparring at Hybrid Muay Thai and Kickboxing Gym. Photos by Connor McCarthy
Owner Vince Maccherone
Enjoying Hybrid Muay Thai.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
Hammock Beach house tops sales list in Flagler
Ahouse at 55 Northshore Drive in Hammock Beach was the top real estate transaction for Feb. 15-21 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on Feb. 20, for $2,250,000. Built in 2010, the house is a 4/4.5 and has a pool, a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and 4,824 square feet.
Pine Lakes A house at 58 Walker Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $322,500. Built in 1989, the house is a 4/2 and has 2,040 square feet. It sold in 2024 for $237,500.
A house at 17 Weller Lane sold on Feb. 21, for $215,000. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,768 square feet. It sold in 2024 for $205,100.
A house at 39 Wellington Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $255,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,600 square feet. It sold in 2012 for $65,000.
Riverfront home sells for over $1 million
Ahouse along the Halifax River at at 1327 Oak Forest Drive was the top real estate transaction in Ormond Beach and Ormondby-the-Sea for the week of Feb. 8-14. The house sold on Feb. 10, for $1,050,000. Built in 1978, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace, a pool, boat dock and 2,534 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $800,000.
Kilkenny Lane sold on Feb. 14, for $375,000. Built in 2014, the townhome is a 3/3 and has 2,081 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $232,000.
The Cupola The townhome at 120 N. Halifax Drive sold on Feb. 10, for $895,000. Built in 2024, the townhome is a 3/3.5 and has 2,473 square feet.
Condos
A condo at 32 Pine Hurst Place, Unit 32, sold on Feb. 19, for $185,000. Built in 1980, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,177 square feet. It sold in 1997 for $57,000.
A condo at 108 Club House Drive, Unit 214, sold on Feb. 21, for $500,000. Built in 2005, the condo is a 3/3 and has 2,414 square feet. It sold in 2005 for $515,000.
A condo at 60 Surfview Drive, Unit 518, sold on Feb. 19, for $540,000. Built in 2004, the condo is a 3/2.5 and has 1,640 square feet. It sold in 2011 for $132,500.
BUNNELL Grand Reserve
A house at 718 Grand Reserve Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $285,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $303,000.
PALM COAST
Belle Terre
A house at 83 Lob Wedge Lane sold on Feb. 21, for $382,500. Built in 2021, the house is a 3/3 and has 2,042 square feet.
A house at 83 Parkview Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $349,000. Built in 1994, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 1,700 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $188,000.
A house at 48 Princeton Lane sold on Feb. 19, for $289,900. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,270 square feet.
Flagler Village A house at 34 Wandering Creek Way sold on Feb. 21, for $336,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,695 square feet.
A house at 6 Derbyshire Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $314,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,607 square feet.
Lake View A house at 7 Lakeside Place East sold on Feb. 19, for $690,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, an outdoor kitchen and 2,991 square feet.
Sawmill Branch
A house at 23 Springwood Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $303,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet.
A house at 18 Springwood Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $294,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet.
Seminole Woods
A house at 4 Upland Place sold on Feb. 21, for $330,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,650 square feet.
A house at 13 Serenade Place sold on Feb. 21, for $344,500. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/2.5 and has 2,065 square feet.
Toby Tobin, of gotoby.com, contributed to this report
Faith in Flagler
The church of jesus christ of latter-day saints
• 402 N Palmetto St, Bunnell
• Sunday at 11:30 am
• (407) 401-4947
• churchofjesuschrist.org
Building faith strengthens our community. As storms approach, many people look at their supplies and make preparations What are we doing to prepare for spiritual storms? What is in your spiritual 72-hour kit? Hopefully scriptures and prayers are near at hand. While the Lord helps those who help themselves — packing that food and water in a bag with wheels might be a good idea — He will help us weather the storm when we ask. Peter Bugnet, Bishop
Stephenson, Wilcox and Associates
JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
Condos
The condo at 395 S. Atlantic Ave., Unit 104, sold on Feb. 11, for $555,000. Built in 1984, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,590 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $395,000.
The condo at 10 Lynnhurst Drive, Unit 2150, sold on Feb. 12, for $135,000. Built in 1974, the condo is a 2/1 and has 930 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $96,000.
The condo at 111 S. Atlantic Ave., Unit 201, sold on Feb. 12, for $363,000. Built in 1974, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,342 square feet. It last sold in 2011 for $145,000.
ORMOND BEACH
Arbor Lakes
The townhome at 12 Arbor Lake Park sold on Feb. 11, for $210,000. Built in 1984, the townhome is a 3/2 and has 1,450 square feet. It last sold in 1998 for $67,000.
Fair Oaks
The townhome at 20 Fair
Oaks Circle sold on Feb. 11, for $160,000. Built in 1979, the townhome is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,339 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $175,000.
Fountain View
The house at 1216 Big Bass Drive sold on Feb. 13, for $410,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 5/3 and has 2,601 square feet. It last sold in
Halifax Plantation
The house at 2709 Kinsale Lane sold on Feb. 10, for $291,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,608 square feet.
The house at 3104 Acoma Drive sold on Feb. 14, for $819,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool and 2,606 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $624,900.
The house at 2689 Kinsale Lane sold on Feb. 14, for $276,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,608 square feet.
Plantation Bay The townhome at 1068
Tomoka Park The house at 60 Hidden Hills Drive sold on Feb. 10, for $343,000. Built in 1960, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,392 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $303,500.
Tymber Creek The house at 167 Fox Glen Court sold on Feb. 14, for $265,000. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,282 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $170,000.
ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA Oakview Heights The house at 29 Sunrise Ave. sold on Feb. 14, for $325,000. Built in 1965, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 1,532 square feet. It last sold in 1998 for $125,000.
Ormond Beach Plaza The house at 11 Tarpon Ave. sold on Feb. 10, for $327,500. Built in 1956, the house is a 2/1 and has 928 square feet. It last sold in 2024 for $365,000.
John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report.
PALM COAST
ORMOND BEACH
CORPORATE OFFICE - 386-677-SOLD (7653)
West Granada Blvd., Ste. 3, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Nestled in
in lanai, in-ground pool. #1209936 $500,000. Julia Laoun 386-301-0983.
Charming 3BR/2BA pool home - comfort & style combined. Nestled on a desirable corner lot in a quiet cul-de-sac, this beautiful pool home offers the perfect blend of comfort and style. The spacious LR room is ideal for entertaining and the kitchen is a chef’s dream, equipped with stainless steel appliances. #1209917 $555,500. Virginia Waikins 386-405-6311.
YOUR TOWN
Temple Beth Shalom Palm Coast Sisterhood donates pop tabs Throughout the years, the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Shalom Palm Coast has promoted awareness of the Ronald McDonald House Charities by urging its members to collect the aluminum pop tabs from empty cans that the organization can recycle for cash. Though seemingly a modest project, it is a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald facilities worldwide.
On Thursday, Feb. 28, Temple Beth Shalom hired two vans to bring two large bins filled with pop tabs and 14 Sisterhood members for an informational tour to the newly expanded Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville, located directly across the street from Nemours Children Hospital.
Ronald McDonald House Charities supports the health and well-being of critically ill children and their families by providing lodging, meals, transportation and a community of care, at no charge, while the patients are under pediatric critical care.
RMHC relies heavily on community support. Aside from small projects like collecting pop tabs that can cover electricity and local expense bills, donations can include individuals, foundations or organizations sponsoring a room or participating in events such as the annual Golf Classic, galas and block parties. Individuals can volunteer or donate a Legacy brick or contribute items on the extensive RMHC wish list.
For additional information, contact Claire at Ronald MacDonald House Jacksonville at 904-807-4663 or visit rmhcjacksonville.org.
Volusia County seeks summer camp providers
Volusia County’s Community Assistance Division, with support from Summit Survey Research, is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations, cities, schools, and churches that want to provide summer camp services for the 2025 summer camp scholarship program.
Participating providers must operate a camp from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for at least six weeks between June 2 and Aug. 8. Services should include supervised playground activities, sports, crafts, and field trips for children ages 5 to 14. Camps serving primarily special needs children may accept applicants up to age 17.
The application is available at www.volusia.org/scs. The deadline to submit completed applications is 11:59 p.m. March 21.
Ormond
DAR inducts members, hosts reenactors
The Capt. James Ormond Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution inducted two new members — Bonda Garrison and Angi Bell — at the chapter’s recent February meeting.
Additionally, the chapter
welcomed reenactors Bill and Cara Elder, who portrayed George and Martha Washington. The Elders shared the sentiments of the colonists and events leading up to the American Revolution, as well as early battles with the British, the chapter said in a statement to the Observer. To learn more about the local chapter, visit fssdar.com/ CaptainJamesOrmondDAR. Traveling Wilburys tribute band to perform in Ormond Beach
A Traveling Wilburys tribute group is coming to Ormond Beach.
MusicWorks, a promoter of classic folk and rock performers in Florida, will bring a performancy by The Traveling Milburys to the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m., Friday, March 21. The Traveling Milburys, who are from Canada, will recreate the look and sound of the supergroup once made up of Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, George Harrison and Bob Dylan. Tickets cost $55-$60. Visit www.ormondbeach.org/ tickets or swing by the box office, which is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, or two hours before showtime. Call 386-676-3375 for more information.
tile, and it is completely turnkey! #1209733 $175,000. Bonnie Karet 386-295-2109.
DAR Chapter Registrar Denise Sikes, Regent Susan Demorsky, new members Angi Bell and Bonda Garrison and Chaplain Karen Knowles. Courtesy photo
Tomoka Christian Church breaks ground on Tomoka Care Facility in Ormond
The new two-story building will house the church’s food pantry, thrift store and administrative offices.
JARLEENE
Community outreach will soon have a new onsite haven at Tomoka Christian Church’s Ormond Beach campus.
On Monday, March 3, the church celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Tomoka Care Facility, which once constructed, will be an almost two-story 20,000 square-foot building at 1450 Hand Ave. The building will double the church’s space for its food pantry and
A Second Blessing thrift store, the latter of which is currently located off campus at 785 S. Nova Road. The Tomoka Care Facility will also add administrative space on its second floor, freeing rooms in the worship center so the church can create more seating and a larger footprint for students and kids’ ministry.
“This is important because we get a chance to pray for the purpose of this building,
the purpose of this church,” Tomoka Christian Church lead pastor Joe Putting said.
“It’s a real win.”
Tomoka Christian Church filed an application for a special exception for its Tomoka Care Facility in December 2023. The Ormond Beach City Commission approved the project in April 2024.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the full Ormond Beach City Commission.
“It’s a great pleasure and we love to see projects like this,” Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie said.
The church’s food pantry feeds over 400 families a month in its current 900-square-foot space. Its thrift store assists the homeless population with necessary items, as well as helps people replace items after fires or storm damages. It also funds over 50 mission trips around the world every year.
Cathy Heighter’s vision takes form with groundbreaking
The 1.4-acre ranch in Bunnell will provide wellness programs for veterans, first responders and Gold Star families.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Remembering Heroes has been Cathy Heighter’s passion for nearly 22 years. She co-founded the nonprofit after her son, Army Cpl. Raheen Tyson Heighter, was killed in Iraq on July 24, 2003. Since then, she has dedicated her life to providing services for veterans, first responders, active-duty service members
and their families.
She stepped down from the Palm Coast City Council last year to devote more time to the nonprofit. Her dream has been to establish the Remembering Heroes Health and Wellness Serenity Ranch to provide wellness programs, mental health support and respite services for veterans and their loved ones in a natural setting. That dream took shape on Friday, Feb. 28, with a groundbreaking ceremony for the ranch on land she purchased three years ago at 2217 Lancewood St. in Bunnell. Plans for the 1.4-acre ranch includes an 800-square-foot gathering hall, gardens and benches on the grounds, a modest ranch house where she will live and a small guest
house.
The ranch will serve veterans, first responders and Gold Star families as well as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Junior ROTC programs and community organizations that align with Remembering Heroes’ vision, she said. The ranch will offer a variety of therapeutic services, retreats, counseling programs, physical rehabilitation and social gatherings, Heighter said.
“Counselors and therapists will come,” Heighter said. “Wellness, yoga and tai chi instructors will come and service officers who will work with veterans in getting their benefits.”
Rev. Mark Schreiber, a retired Navy chaplain, delivered the invocation at the
groundbreaking. Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Cmdr. Marty Feidler and Lisa Cancel of Changing Homelessness spoke at the ceremony.
As work on the ranch gets underway, more donations are needed to complete the project, Heighter said. Remembering Heroes is looking for sponsors who can support specific initiatives such as retreats, mental health programs or contributing toward building memorial spaces. Those who wish to become a sponsor or make a monetary
or in-kind donation are asked to call 386-931-8323 or email rememberingheroes01@ gamil.com.
“This is a part of my dream,” Heighter said. “My passion and love for my hero community is part of the reason why I resigned from the City Council. I’m very passionate about this. This is how I spent the last (22 years) of my life in remembrance of my son and all those who have served our country. It’s hard to turn away from it. I couldn’t remove myself from it. It’s who I am and what I do.”
Tomoka Christian Church Head Elder Dan Davenport said the new building is a continuation of the church’s original plans. It was supposed to be constructed at the same time as the main building, which was built in 2013.
“For whatever reason, God didn’t release us to build this at that time,” Davenport said. “We don’t know why, but we know that God’s timing is perfect, so we’re so excited about what he’s going to do here in this facility.”
Tomoka Christian Church celebrates the groundbreaking for the new Tomoka Care Facility on Monday, March 3. Photos by Jarleene Almenas
Cathy Heighter received a plaque and a certificate from a submarine veterans group at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Remembering Heroes Health and Wellness Serenity Ranch. Courtesy photo
Tomoka Christian Church Lead
Pastor Joe Putting speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the church’s new Tomoka Care Facility on Monday, March 3.
Ormond Beach City Commissioners Lori Tolland, Harold Briley, Travis Sargent and Kristin Deaton attend the groundbreaking ceremony.
SPORTS
Flagler Palm Coast names Patrick Turner new head football coach
Turner is the former head coach at Palatka and Menendez high schools.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Patrick Turner said he is impressed with the administrators at Flagler Palm Coast High School. The feeling is mutual. FPC announced on Monday, March 3, that Turner will be the Bulldogs’ new head football coach.
“We are thrilled to welcome coach Turner and his family to Flagler Palm Coast,” FPC athletic director Scott Drabczyk said in a statement. “His dedication to strategically building highly successful football programs centered
on integrity and hard work coupled with his commitment to student-athletes and an ability to develop a winning culture make him the perfect fit for our football team.”
Turner is no stranger to football in Northeast Florida. He was the head coach at Palatka High School the past four years, leading the Panthers to a 7-4 record and a playoff appearance in each of the last three seasons. He was also the head coach at Pedro Menendez in St. Augustine for five seasons (2013-17) before serving as the Falcons’ athletic director for three years.
“I heard really good things about FPC and the admin over here,” he said of his decision to apply for the Bulldogs’ job. “I was really impressed with the athletic director, the principal and everyone involved.
Their facilities are top notch and they want everything to be top notch. When you meet opportunities and facilities with a vision, special things
Sandcrabs soaring
Seabreeze baseball coach Jeff Lemon is encouraged with his team’s play in 5-1 win.
MICHELE MEYERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Seabreeze defeated Flagler Palm Coast 5-1 in a baseball game at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex on Friday, Feb. 28.
Seabreeze sophomore outfielders Jacob Imhoff and Wrigley Zweifel each scored in the first inning to put the Sandcrabs up for good. Zweifel drove in Imhoff with a double
to center field. Zweifel stole third on a wild pitch and ran home on Austin Upchurch’s grounder to Bulldogs shortstop Nole Hemmerle.
The Sandcrabs improved to 5-2 with the win. Seabreeze head coach Jeff Lemon said his players have shown they can “get out on the good side” of the first inning and not get complacent in the middle innings — not allowing their minds to mentally check out.
“They are doing everything we are asking them to do as far as staying in the game, staying engaged and picking up their teammates,” he said. “It could blossom into a really good culture as long as they stay together. The team dynamic
is special because we have such a deep lineup. Whether they’re freshmen or seniors, guys don’t seem to be afraid to compete. It’s cool to watch.”
FPC first baseman Marion Clayton hit a home run to right field in the sixth inning putting the Bulldogs on the board. It was FPC’s first home run of the season.
Clayton and senior outfielder Logan Shudy are tied with five runs scored to lead the Bulldogs. Shudy leads the team with a .438 batting average and .591 on-base percentage.
Lemon said he was not worried about the home run. He said his team reminds him of his senior year playing baseball for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2013 as a starting infielder. That year the Eagles won the Sun Conference Championship and ended their regular season 50-15.
“Top of the sixth, their leadoff hitter hit a home run and it’s one of those things that whenever you have a team that you feel is literally fighting every pitch and every inning, you don’t really get worried,” he said.
In the bottom of the sixth, FPC left-hander Reginald Bass was relieved by Adam Kleinfelder. Bass took position in left field. Seabreeze senior Jake Deising hit a single to left. Deising was replaced by pinch runner Parker Bauknecht who
happen.”
Turner said he will have his first meeting with the players on Tuesday, March 4, and begin his new job on March 31.
“During my conversations with Coach Turner, it was clear that he would prioritize the full student-athlete experience and continue the positive momentum around FPC football,” Principal Bobby Bossardet said. “Through my conversations with those who know Patrick, I learned he is a respected teacher, leader and mentor of young men — all the qualities FPC values and FPC student athletes deserve.”
Turner becomes the Bulldogs’ fourth head coach in the past six years. He takes over a team that went 9-2 last season under Daniel Fish, who was dismissed as head coach on Jan. 21.
“They did some really good things, but they lost quite a bit of talent,” Turner said of the Bulldogs. “The first thing I’m going tell the kids is last year was last year. I expect them to work hard every day. The standard has been set. My job is to raise the bar.”
FPC will be Turner’s fourth high school head coaching job. Before taking over at Menendez, he was the head coach at Harnett Central High in Angier, North Carolina for three years (2010-12).
He also coached in college as a graduate assistant at Northern State in South Dakota and as the defensive backs coach at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas.
Turner graduated from Fuquay-Varina High School in North Carolina and played college football at Wingate
for one year before transferring to North Greenville College in South Carolina. He was the defensive coordinator at James Island Charter High School in Charleston, South Carolina, before getting his first head coaching job at Harnett Central.
His first team at Menendez went 8-3 in 2013. In 2017, he led the Falcons to an 8-4 record including a playoff win. He stepped away from coaching after that season to become athletic director. But after three years as an AD, he decided to return to the sidelines.
“I was the AD during Covid and trying to navigate all that was very diffcult,” he said. “But at the end of day, I enjoyed coaching football. I’m very, very passionate about that.”
stole third and was caught stealing home. Seabreeze freshman Sam Hebert, junior Jacob McKinnon and Imhoff scored an additional three runs before Zweifel grounded out to FPC freshman second baseman Brody Youngman. Upchurch came in for pitcher Tommy Hayes when he experienced pain in his bicep in the fifth inning. Imhoff replaced Upchurch in the seventh inning. Hayes faced 19 batters finishing with 61 pitches and 35 strikes. He had
one strikeout and two walks. Hayes has been a pitcher for six years. He said he felt good in the bullpen before the game.
“I think just going out there and getting one-two-three really sets the tone,” he said.
“Defense sets us up and our offense is looking really good, right now. I think this is the season. Our main goal this season is to be the most winningest team in team history. Right now, it is looking good.”
The Sandcrabs improved
their winning streak to five games with a 7-6 victory over Viera on Monday, March 4. They were scheduled to play Pine Ridge on March 5 and visit Mainland on March 6. The Bulldogs will travel to Deltona Trinity Christian Academy on Thursday, March 6 and host Deltona on Friday, March 7.
Former Palatka High football coach Patrick Turner will be the next head coach at Flagler Palm Coast. Courtesy photo
FPC’s Logan Shudy hits a fly ball to the outfield during the game against Seabreeze on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
Seabreeze player Parker Bauknecht (right) escapes the tag by Flagler Palm Coast first baseman Marion Clayton (left) on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
Seabreeze shortstop Noah Katsikos had two runs batted in during the game against Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photos by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze baseball players hang out before the game against Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
Flagler Palm Coast’s Marion Clayton poses before the game.
Seven boys qualify for state
Six Flagler Palm Coast wrestlers qualified for the Class 3A boys state championships March 6-8 at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. Freshman Kevin McLean (113 pounds), sophomore Trey Twilley (126) and seniors Carson Baert (157) and Melique Joseph (215) all won championships at the Region 1-3A meet on March 1 in Lake Mary. Braden Dailey (third place, 106 pounds) and Doyvonne Leadon (second place, 165 pounds) also qualified. The Bulldogs placed second at region behind team champ Oviedo Hagerty. Matanzas senior Mason Obama qualified for the Class 2A boys state championships placing second at 157 pounds at the Region 1-2A meet in Tallahassee.
Pirates softball improves to 6-0
The Matanzas softball team keeps rolling along. The Pirates improved to 6-0 with a three-inning, 17-0 victory over St. Augustine on March 4. A day earlier, they defeated Orange City University 8-1 with pitcher Leah Stevens striking out 13 in seven innings. The Matanzas batters collected 12 hits. The win was th Pirates’ first in school history against the Titans. On Feb. 27, the Pirates defeated Bartram Trail 3-2 in eight innings with Ashley Sampselle driving in the game-winning run with a triple. Stevens struck out a season-high 22 batters. In six games, the University of Florida signee has 73 strikeouts and a 0.66 earned run average. The Pirates are back home on March 7 against Canterbury.
North vs. South
Flagler Palm Coast will host some of the top track and field teams in the state at the fourth annual North vs. South Classic on Saturday, March 8. FPC, Lincoln, Mandarin, Fleming Island, Ponte Vedra Miami
also won the 4x400 relay. Ladarius Simmons placed second in javelin. Corinthians Watson placed second in triple jump, one spot ahead of teammate Lucas Campbell.
The FPC girls placed first (Sophia Johnson) and second (Karin Marcelus) in the 400 hurdles and first (Isabella Tarsitano) and third (Ari Slaughter) in the 800.
Bucs fifth at Ponte Vedra meet
Mainland’s boys placed fifth at the Craig Speziale Memorial track meet at Ponte Vedra High on March 1. Ethan Figueroa won the high jump and the Bucs added firt-place finishes in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Kajuan Curry placed second in the 800. Matanzas’ Jeffrey Powell placed second in the 100 with a time of 11.03 seconds. The Pirates’ Ladarien Baker place third in the triple jump.
On the girls side, Matanzas freshman Peyton Cerasi placed second in both the 1,600 and 3,200. Mainland’s Amyah Watlington placed second in the 100 hurdles. The Bucs’ 4x100 relay placed third.
Matanzas recognizes seniors
Northwestern, Columbus, Belen
Jesuit and Orlando Timber Creek are among the teams that will compete.
This is the third year in a row that FPC is hosting.
“The idea was to go back and forth,” FPC coach David Halliday said. “We went down to Miami the first year. The next year, the Miami schools loved our place so much, they asked if we can host it every year. It’s a fun little meet to have. We’ve expanded to 10 teams, but it’s still very small, so everybody gets a competitive meet, but it’s not a long day.”
Bulldogs win Hagerty invitational
FPC’s boys won the Hagerty Invitational track meet on March 1, while the FPC girls finished third. Stacy Mitchell and Gethin Pritchard placed first and second, respectively, in the boys shot put. Mitchell was also third in discus. The Bulldogs
Matanzas defeated Crescent City 46-40 in traditional competition in a boys weightlifting meet on Feb. 26. Tyler Oliveira (119), Jayden Sao
(129), Ian Knuff (139), Jaice Raiji (154), Jaggger Drew-Kulik (169) and Jack Fergusson (199) won their weight classes. The Pirates celebrated senior night in a dual meet against Palatka on March 3. Matanzas honored seniors Maison Leonard, Drew-Kulik, Knuff, Jed Davis, Sao, Raiji, Amir Tariq and Jackson Saterfield.
FPC won the Olympic competition and finished second behind the host school in the traditional competition at the Keystone Heights invitational on Feb. 28. Cody Strawser won both titles at 129 pounds with a 385-pound Olympic total and a 430-pound traditional total.
FPC’s De Campos commits
Flagler Palm Coast defender Felipe De Campos became the third FPC soccer player in the 2025 class to commit to a college. De Campos has committed to Word of Life Bible Institute in Potterville, New York. The Huskies play in the United State Collegiate Athletic Association.
Palm Coast celebrates tennis at USTA Florida’s Community Outreach Day
United States Tennis Association Florida hosted a Community
Outreach Day on March 1 at the Palm Coast Southern Recreation Center, celebrating the recent expansion of the tennis center. The event brought together players of all ages and skill levels for a day on the courts, featuring a mix of tennis and pickleball, a special guest appearance from Tom Gullikson and a forum discussing the future of tennis in Palm Coast.
Gullikson is a former pro tennis player and coach who won 15 Association of Tennis Professionals doubles titles with his twin bother, Tim. Tom, a longtime resident and coach in Palm Coast, was the United States Davis Cup team captain in 1994-99 and U.S. Olympic men’s team coach in 1996.
The tennis center held a ribbon cutting in January for five new tennis courts, including a stadium court, bringing the facility’s total to 15 courts. The expansion was made possible through a $700,000 USTA and USTA Florida Growth Catalyst Fund Grant. USTA Florida has been working with the city of Palm Coast to increase access to tennis, according to a USTA Florida press release.
During the Outreach Day forum, participants provided feedback about the types of programs and events they would like see at the Southern Recreation Center. For more information on USTA Florida’s advocacy efforts, go to ustaflorida. com/advocacy.
Leah Stevens throws a pitch against Deltona in the district championship game on May 2, 2025 at Daytona State College. File photo by Brent Woronoff
The Matanzas boys weightlifting team honored seniors Maison Leonard, Jagger Drew-Kulik, Ian Knuff, Jed Davis, Jayden Sao, Jayce Raiji, Amir Tariq and Jackson Saterfield on March 3. Photo by Brent Woronoff
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER IMPOSITION OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTION 170.07, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY THE ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL PURSUANT TO SECTION 197.3632(4) (b), FLORIDA STATUTES, BY THE ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING OF THE ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
The Board of Supervisors (“Board”) of the Ormond Crossings West Community Development District (“District”) will hold public hearings on March 25, 2025 at 11:00 A.M., at the Hampton Inn Daytona/Ormond Beach, 155 Interchange Blvd., Ormond Beach, Florida 32174, to consider the adoption of an assessment roll, the imposition of special assessments to secure proposed bonds on benefited lands within the District, a depiction of which lands is shown below, and to provide for the levy, collection and enforcement of the special assessments.
The District is located entirely within the City of Ormond Beach, Florida. The lands to be improved are generally located west of I-95, south of US Highway 1, east of the Flagler-Volusia county line, and north of Durrance Lane, and are geographically depicted below and in the Master Engineer’s Report, dated January 2025 (“Capital Improvement Plan”). The public hearing is being conducted pursuant to Chapters 170, 190 and 197, Florida Statutes. A description of the property to be assessed and the amount to be assessed to each piece or parcel of property may be ascertained at the office of the District Manager c/o Wrathell, Hunt and Associates, LLC, 2300 Glades Road, Suite 410W, Boca Raton, Florida 33410 (“District Manager’s Office”).
The District is a unit of special-purpose local government responsible for providing infrastructure improvements for lands within the District. The infrastructure improvements are currently expected to include, but are not limited to, stormwater management and earthwork, roadways and sidewalks, portable water, sanitary sewer and reuse water systems, open spaces, hardscape, landscaping, electrical improvements, and other infrastructure (“Improvements”), all as more specifically described in the Capital Improvement Plan, on file and available during normal business hours at the District Manager’s Office. According to the Capital Improvement Plan, the estimated cost of the Improvements is $205,719,609.
The District intends to impose assessments on benefited lands in
The Board meeting and hearings are open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law for special districts. The Board meeting and/or the public hearings may be continued in progress to a certain date and time announced at such meeting and/or hearings. If anyone chooses to appeal any decision of the Board with respect to any matter considered at the meeting or hearings, such person will need a record of the proceedings and should accordingly ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which includes the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based. Any person requiring special accommodations at the meeting or hearings because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Manager’s Office at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8770 for aid in contacting the District office.
ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT RESOLUTION 2025-29 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DECLARING SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; INDICATING THE LOCATION, NATURE AND ESTIMATED COST OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WHOSE COST IS TO BE DEFRAYED BY THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; PROVIDING THE PORTION OF THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE DEFRAYED BY THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; PROVIDING THE MANNER IN WHICH SUCH SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE MADE; PROVIDING WHEN SUCH SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE PAID; DESIGNATING LANDS UPON WHICH THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE LEVIED; PROVIDING FOR AN ASSESSMENT PLAT; ADOPTING A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT ROLL; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS RESOLUTION.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TO CONSIDER IMPOSITION OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS AND ADOPTION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 170.07 AND 197.3632(4)(b), FLORIDA STATUTES, BY THE DEERING PARK STEWARDSHIP DISTRICT AND NOTICE OF MEETING OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The Board of Supervisors (“Board”) of the Deering Park Stewardship District (“District”) will hold public hearings and a regular board meeting on March 26, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. at the Storch Law Firm, 420 S Nova Road, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114, to consider the adoption of an assessment roll, the imposition of special assessments to secure proposed bonds on benefited lands within the Deering Park Stewardship District (“District”), a depiction of which lands is shown below, and to provide for the levy, collection and enforcement of the special assessments. The streets and areas to be improved and property subject to the special assessments are geographically depicted below and in the District’s Master and Supplemental Engineers Report for DPSD JV1 #1, dated October 2, 2024, (the “Improvement Plan”).
The public hearings are being conducted pursuant to Chapter 2017-206, Laws of Florida, and Chapters 170, 189 and 197, Florida Statutes.
A description of the property to be assessed and the amount to be assessed to each piece or parcel of property may be ascertained at the District Manager’s Office located at 2300 Glades Road, Suite 410W, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 571-0010. The District is a unit of special-purpose local government responsible for providing infrastructure improvements for lands within the District. The infrastructure improvements (“Improvements”) are currently expected to include, but are not limited to, roadways, alleys, mobility trails, stormwater management facilities, water distribution system, wastewater system, reclaim water system, landscaping, hardscaping and irrigation system improvements, recreation improvements, street lighting improvements, and other improvements, all as more specifically described in the Improvement Plan, on file and available during normal business hours at the address provided above. The District intends to impose assessments on benefited lands within the District in the manner set forth in the District’s Master Special Assessment Methodology Report for the DPSD JV1 #1, dated November 12, 2024 (the “Assessment Report”), which is on file and available during normal business hours at the address provided above. The purpose of any such assessment is to secure the bonds issued to fund the Improvements. As described in more detail in the Assessment Report, the District’s assessments will be levied against all benefitted lands within the District. The Assessment Report identifies the legal description of the property within the District which will be subject to the assessments and the assessment amounts per parcel for each land use category that is currently expected to be assessed. The method of allocating assessments for the Improvements to be funded by the District will initially be determined on an equal assessment per gross acre basis. The methodology is explained in more detail in the Assessment Report. Also as described in more detail in the Assessment Report, the District’s assessments will be levied against all assessable lands within the District. Please consult the Assessment Report for
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors (the
6.
7. There is on file, at the District Records Office, an assessment plat showing the area to be
tions describing the Improvements and the estimated cost of the Improvements, all of which shall be
public.
8 Commencing with the year in which the Assessments are levied and confirmed, the Assessments shall be paid in not more than (30) thirty annual installments. The Assessments may be payable at the same time and in the same manner as are ad-valorem taxes and collected pursuant to Chapter 197, Florida Statutes; provided, however, that in the event the uniform
of collecting the Assessments is not available to the District in any year, or if determined by the District to be in
ad-valorem
the Assessments may be collected as is otherwise permitted by law.
9. The District Manager has caused to be made a preliminary assessment roll, in accordance with the method of assessment described in Exhibit B hereto, which shows the lots and lands assessed, the amount of benefit to and the assessment against each lot or parcel of land and the number of annual installments into which the assessment may be
as the District’s preliminary assessment roll.
10. The Board shall adopt a subsequent resolution to fix a time and place at which
persons interested therein may appear before the Board and be heard as to the propriety and advisability of
of the Improvements, the cost thereof, the manner of payment therefore, or the amount
improved.
11. The District Manager is hereby directed to cause this Resolution to be
in
12. This Resolution shall become effective upon its passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 3rd day of February, 2025.
ATTEST: ORMOND CROSSINGS WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
/s/ Cindy Cerbone /s/ Clint Smith
Secretary/Assistant Secretary Chair/Vice Chair, Board of Supervisors
Exhibit A: Master Engineer’s Report,
or the
DEERING PARK STEWARDSHIP DISTRICT DECLARING SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; INDICATING THE LOCATION, NATURE AND ESTIMATED COST OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WHOSE COST IS TO BE DEFRAYED BY THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; PROVIDING THE PORTION OF THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE DEFRAYED BY THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS; PROVIDING THE MANNER IN WHICH SUCH SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE MADE; PROVIDING WHEN SUCH SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE PAID; DESIGNATING LANDS UPON WHICH THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS SHALL BE LEVIED; PROVIDING FOR AN ASSESSMENT PLAT; ADOPTING A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT ROLL; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS RESOLUTION. WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) of the Deering Park Stewardship District (the “District”) hereby determines to undertake, install, plan, establish, construct or reconstruct, enlarge or extend, equip, acquire, operate, and/or maintain the infrastructure improvements (the “Improvements”) described in the District’s Supplemental Engineers Report for DPSD JV1 #1, dated October 2, 2024, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the District to pay the cost of the Improvements by special assessments pursuant to Chapter 2020-197, Laws of Florida (the “Assessments”); and WHEREAS, the District is empowered by Chapter 2020-197, Laws of Florida, and Chapters 170 and 197, Florida Statutes, to finance, fund, plan, establish, acquire, construct or reconstruct, enlarge or extend, equip, operate, and maintain the Improvements and to impose, levy and collect the Assessments; and WHEREAS, the District hereby determines that benefits will accrue to the property improved, the amount of those benefits, and that special assessments will be made in proportion to the benefits received as set forth in the Master Special Assessment Methodology Report for the Deering Park JV1 #1, dated November 12, 2024, attached hereto as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference and on file at 2300 Glades Road, Suite 410W, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (the “District Records Office”); and WHEREAS, the District hereby determines that the Assessments to be levied will not exceed the benefit to the property improved. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE DEERING PARK STEWARDSHIP DISTRICT:
1. Assessments shall be levied to defray a portion of the cost of the Improvements.
2. The nature and general location of, and plans and specifications for, the Improvements are described in Exhibit A, which is on file at the District Records Office. Exhibit B is also on file and available for public inspection at the same location.
3. The total estimated cost of the Improvements is $93,772,000 (the “Estimated Cost”).
4. The Assessments will defray approximately $128,595,000, which amount includes the Estimated Cost, plus financing-related costs, capitalized interest and a debt service reserve.
5. The manner in which the Assessments shall be apportioned and paid is set forth in Exhibit B, including provisions for supplemental assessment resolutions.
6. The Assessments shall be levied, within the District, on all lots and lands adjoining and contiguous or bounding and abutting upon the Improvements or specially benefitted thereby and further designated by the assessment plat hereinafter provided for.
7. There is on file, at the District Records Office, an assessment plat showing the area to be assessed, with certain plans and specifications describing the Improvements and the estimated cost of the Improvements, all of which shall be open to inspection by the public.
8. Commencing with the year in which the Assessments are levied and confirmed, the Assessments shall be paid in not more than (30) thirty annual installments. The Assessments may be payable at the same time and in the same manner as are ad-valorem taxes and collected pursuant to Chapter 197, Florida Statutes; provided, however, that in the event the uniform non ad-valorem assessment method of collecting the Assessments is not available to the District in any year, or if determined by the District to be in its best interest, the Assessments may be collected as is otherwise permitted by law.
9. The District Manager has caused to be made a preliminary assessment roll, in accordance with the method of assessment described in Exhibit B hereto, which shows the lots and lands assessed, the amount of benefit to and the assessment against each lot or parcel of land and the number of annual installments into which the assessment may be divided, which assessment roll is hereby adopted and approved as the District’s preliminary assessment roll.
10. The Board shall adopt a subsequent resolution to fix a time and place at which the owners of property to be assessed or any other persons interested therein may appear before the Board and be heard as to the propriety and advisability of the assessments or the making of the Improvements, the cost thereof, the manner of payment therefore, or the amount thereof to be assessed against each property as improved.
11. The District Manager is hereby directed to cause this Resolution to be published twice (once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks) in a newspaper of general circulation within Brevard County and Volusia County and to provide such other notice as may be required by law or desired in the best interests of the District.
12. This Resolution shall become effective upon its passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 12th day of November, 2024. ATTEST: DEERING PARK STEWARDSHIP DISTRICT /s/Cindy Cerbone
