- April 25, 2024
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In comments near the end of the July 6 City Council meeting, City Councilman Ed Danko said that former Mayor Milissa Holland had resigned because she was under an ethics investigation facing criminal allegations — not, as she’d said, to care for her ill daughter, who’s had complications following a liver transplant.
Danko said he’d gotten his information in a “confidential, off-the-record briefing from senior law enforcement” that had occurred several weeks before.
“You folks may not know this, but Milissa Holland did not resign because of her daughter. The briefing I received, she resigned because there were criminal charges in the ethics complaint that was filed against her by our former compliance officer, Jay Maher,” Danko said. “Nine days later, [former City Manager] Matt Morton resigns.”
The Palm Coast Observer was not able to independently verify Danko’s allegations concerning Holland. The Ethics Commission does not release information on potential investigations until probable cause is found. Holland said the Ethics Commission deals with civil, not criminal, matters. She called Danko’s accusation that she had been given a choice to step down or face criminal investigation “a complete fabrication.”
“That is ludicrous, blatantly false and now libelous,” Holland said. “Mr. Danko is clearly trying to deflect from the issues and investigations he has brought upon himself. I have stated my reason for stepping down. I am at my daughter’s side, right where any loving parent would choose to be.”
Danko had made his comments about Holland in the context of complaining about Morton, whom he held responsible for a recent Palm Coast Observer story that revealed that Danko had been under a city HR investigation for allegedly berating city staff.
The Observer had learned about that investigation through a public records request.
Danko referred to the Observer story as a “political smear campaign” perpetrated in election season. Danko, a campaign adviser for mayoral candidate Alan Lowe, referred to the Observer as “fake news,” adding that its publisher, John Walsh, is backing rival candidate David Alfin. The paper had printed Walsh’s endorsement of Alfin last week.
Asked by fellow City Councilman Eddie Branquinho to elaborate on the accusations against Holland, Danko declined to do so, but said he’d tell the source he’d spoken with that Branquinho wanted to be briefed as well.
Danko said that once a new mayor is seated, Danko would make a motion to fire City Attorney Bill Reischmann and Interim City Manager Denise Bevan, who’d kept the HR investigation concerning him open. Bevan said she’d turned the investigation over to an outside party to avoid any conflict of interest.
Danko said he would not speak to Bevan or Reischmann and would only communicate with them through email.
