Sidewalk to be built along U.S. 1

Palm Coast Observer
News

The County Commission also named Revels as chairwoman and extended its pill mill moratorium.

A $476,000 agreement between the county and the Florida Department of Transportation for the construction of a sidewalk along U.S. 1 was unanimously approved by the Flagler County Board of County Commission Monday, Nov. 21.

The 5-foot-wide, 1.7-mile concrete sidewalk will run along the east side of the highway, beginning at the intersection of East Woodland Street, and continuing north to the intersection of Royal Palms Parkway.

The path will link travel between Bunnell and the Lehigh Rail Trail.

Administered through FDOT’s Transportation Work Program, project funds will be reimbursed to the county through grants.

County pill mill moratorium gets six-month extension
Introduced by Deputy County Administrator Sally Sherman, Flagler’s temporary moratorium on pain management clinics, known as “pill mills,” has been extended an additional six months.

The moratorium was originally established in November 2010 and was set to expire this month. Sherman proposed the extension to see how state legislation on the issue will pan out, she said, as well as to work further with neighboring counties to ensure that regional policies are uniform.

“It is going to be something that is going to have a major impact on Flagler County,” she said, “in hoping to deter those types of clinics.”

The extension was unanimously approved.

“I think this is an issue we need to take very seriously,” said County Commissioner Milissa Holland. “It will affect our community long-term.”

Office of Violence Against Women receives $400,000
About eight months after the County Commission approved a grant application for the Office on Violence Against Women Safe Havens Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Program, a three-year $400,000 Department of Justice grant has been awarded.

As a stipulation of the grant, the creation of a program coordinator position was required and, Nov. 21, approved by the board.

“The position is for planning, developing (and) implementing the safe exchange program,” Sherman said.

It will also be funded in full by grants the first year, she continued. After that, Sherman intends to pursue extra grant modifications to ensure the county will only be responsible for covering about $5,000 per year of the new employee’s salary. Other counties have also sought funding from United Way and other nonprofits to pay for the excesses, she added.

“It’s a small contribution for a $400,000 grant,” said former board chairman Alan Peterson.

Revels named new County Commission chairwoman
“We’re at that occasion where we’re going to choose a new chair for the County Commission,” County Attorney Al Hadeed said Monday, Nov. 21, standing in for Judge Raul Zambrano and opening the floor for nominations.

Holland, who initially motioned to institute a rotation structure on the board, nominated County Commissioner Barbara Revels, who formerly served as vice chair. Commissioner George Hanns seconded. No others were nominated.

Revels was unanimously named chairwoman.

She replaced Peterson.

Hanns then nominated Nate McLaughlin for the vice chair position. He was also unanimously elected.

As for other board assignments, the only ones to change hands were the Canvassing Board (Peterson to Revels) and the Workforce Development Board of Flagler and Volusia Counties (Holland to Peterson).

Peterson was also added to the School Planning Oversight Committee, and Hanns was added to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

COUNTY OPENS BIDDING FOR LIBRARY COFFEE SHOP
After approving this year’s annual state-aid-to-libraries grant, administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library Information Services, the County Commission announced the opening of contract-bidding for a vendor for a proposed coffee shop at the Flagler County Library.

The bids are due to staff by Jan. 13.

“I think it’s a busy location. I’d think just about anybody would jump on (it), and it would be a good addition to our library,” added Commissioner Nate McLaughlin.

Advertising for the library, as well as a proposal to look into e-book service, was also included in the annual plan.

Contact Mike Cavaliere at [email protected].