- April 26, 2024
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The County Commission selected eight residents to join Barbara Revels.
After months of organizing and two days of interviewing board applicants for its new economic-development arm, the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners appointed eight residents to the Economic Opportunity Advisory Council Monday, Nov. 7.
Having decided against appointing councilmen based strictly on industry specialization, board Chairman Alan Peterson asked that each commissioner write his or her Top 10 member choices down, then turn them in to staff. The eight with the most votes would be appointed.
“I would like the 10 individuals we feel are the most qualified on this board,” he said, “not necessarily in a (specific) category. This is a very important board, and I just feel past history, past experience is important.”
Applicants Mike Gill, James Ulsamer, Joseph Marotti and Frank Zedar each received five votes and were automatically appointed.
Five applicants also tied with three votes per person: Robert Cahill, Wanda Clegg, Greg Federline, Rick Fraser and Paul Manning. The board chose four each from that group for top preference.
Cahill and Federline, with five votes each, and Manning, four, were appointed.
That left Clegg and Fraser, each tied at three votes from the previous round. Commissioners Barbara Revels and Nate McLaughlin each noted that Fraser, Center for Business Excellence president, had previously committed to participate with the advisory council regardless of whether he was an official member.
Ultimately, Clegg, a farmer, was chosen for the final seat by all commissioners but Peterson.
“She will bring a good bit of small-business acumen that is agriculture-related,” Revels said of Clegg.
Clegg was also the only agriculture-specific applicant left on the docket, after three others dropped out before selection began.
Revels, who was appointed as advisory council chairwoman, suggested a small-business and human resources/workforce representative be added to the council, as well, making it an 11-person board. As for now, no action has been taken.
Closing the meeting, Commissioner Milissa Holland described her recent trip to Washington, D.C., where she attended an Economic Development Administration meeting. Due to Flagler’s current state of economic distress, she said, she learned there that the county may be eligible for several infrastructure funding grants from its federal counterpart, of which it is currently not taking advantage.
“Every time that there’s a challenge, there’s an opportunity,” she said.
THE ADVISERS
Of more than 30 applicants, those appointed by the County Commission to Flagler’s new Economic Opportunity Advisory Council are as follows:
Mike Gill: former 13-year Kansas city councilman, where he led several successful economic-development efforts
James Ulsamer: retired president of 2,000-employee media distributor
Joseph Marotti: consulting executive; vice president of human resources for several firms
Frank Zedar: 25-year real estate veteran, with a master’s of business administration in economics and marketing
Robert Cahill: retired Reebok/Rockport Co./Lever Bros. Co. director
Greg Federline: 25-year technology firm executive
Paul Manning: former co-founder of venture-capital firm, as well as Florida-based wireless cable companies
Wanda Clegg: 23-year agricultural entrepreneur
