- April 24, 2024
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The Federal Aviation Administration named Flagler County Airport Director Roy Sieger manager of the year.
Sieger, who learned of the award two months ago, was honored at a presentation before the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners during its regular meeting Monday night. Bart Bernace, an airports district offices manager for the FAA, presented Sieger with his award.
Sieger kept his comments brief, saying he owed his success to those he works with.
“I get a lot of support at the airport, not only from the county commissioners, but from Flagler County citizens as well,” Sieger said.
Sieger commutes three hours total each day to work in Flagler County.
“Even though I drive an hour and a half each way, I still look forward to getting in the car to do it every time,” he said.
Commissioners thanked Sieger for bringing the county into the national spotlight with his award.
“But you know,” County Commissioner George Hanns said, “if you were flying to work instead of driving, we do have fuel available at the airport.”
Grant could help fund SROs
The County Commission on Monday authorized Craig Coffey, county administrator, to move forward with the application process for a Community Oriented Policing Services hiring grant, which would pay for most of the officers’ salaries for their first three years of employment.
Originally, county staff asked to apply for 10 positions: five community policing deputies and five school resource deputies. If awarded, a 10-position grant would bring the county $1.25 million to hire additional law enforcement officers, with a matching obligation of about $1.91 million over four years.
Instead, the commission decided to apply for a grant for five positions. Flagler County received a similar grant in September 2010 for six positions. The grants cover up to 75% of the approved entry-level salary and benefits of each of the new officers for a three-year grant period and requires that hired officers remain in their positions for at least one year after the grant period ends.
County Commissioner Barbara Revels asked what happens at the end of the grant cycle, at which point the Sheriff’s Office has grown accustomed to operating with more deputies without shouldering the bulk of their cost for employment.
The six deputies funded by a similar grant in 2010 are still under the grant terms, Coffey said. The grant was extended by nine months, so during the next fiscal year, they will cost about $90,000.
“But what about when the grant expires?” Revels asked. “What does that do to our budget?”
Coffey said the new deputies are usually hired to “frozen” positions: Those for which a deputy left the agency and was never replaced.
The grant is tied in part to the Flagler County School Board’s tax referendum that, if approved, would add a 0.5 mill property tax in Flagler County to fund school programs, including increased safety through putting SROs in each elementary school. Money from that tax would provide the match for the new SROs.
If the tax referendum does not pass during a June 7 special election, the county will withdraw its application.
