- April 24, 2024
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One year after a Flagler County School Board meeting got ugly, two School Board members complained about an election that they believe has also gotten ugly.
At the Aug. 16 board meeting, Cheryl Massaro used her five minutes of closing comment time to rebut remarks board member Jill Woolbright made at a church service Sunday, Aug. 14, disparaging some of her fellow board members and the district office.
At the New Way Church, Woolbright was recorded in a video posted to YouTube by FlaglerLive, saying, “I have never in my life been in such a satanic warfare, spiritual warfare, that I’ve felt the past two years on the board, especially during this election season. We need a breakthrough. We have not had a conservative, God-fearing majority on the board.”
She went on to say, “The two seats not up for election are far, far left progressives. They’re for everything we’re against.” She added that the district office is “progressive liberal.”
After Woolbright and Janet McDonald used their closing comments at the board meeting to praise the start of the new school year and the positive energy they experienced on the first day of school, Massaro said she would like to be positive in her comments, but she could not.
“I have to release my satanic vibes, at least that’s what I’ve been told to have. … There is a lot of fake news out there, people.”
— CHERYL MASSARO
Without mentioning Woolbright by name, Massaro said, “I have to release my satanic vibes, at least that’s what I’ve been told to have. … There is a lot of fake news out there, people.”
Massaro said she has always tried to be the voice of reason in the middle and added that she is a lifelong Republican and a lifelong Catholic, but she believes in the separation of church and state.
“If you want to call that satanic, I’m very sorry for that,” she said.
She said she has tried hard to work with her colleagues on the board, “and I’m not sure I can do that anymore.”
Colleen Conklin followed Massaro, saying, “Apparently, you and I are of the same satanic cult.”
Conklin said she is a woman of great faith.
“I’m looking for this election to be over. What is important is educating our children, not politics.”
— COLLEEN CONKLIN
“I’m looking for this election to be over,” she said. “What is important is educating our children, not politics.”
At the church, Woolbright said, “The Lord has put in this race three conservative Christians,” referring to herself, who is running against Sally Hunt for the District 1 seat; Will Furry who is running against Lance Alred and Courtney VandeBunte for the District 2 seat; and Christy Chong, who is running against School Board Chair Trevor Tucker for the District 4 seat.
The board has been collegial in recent months, unlike last August when deputies cleared the room during public comments and a crowd protesting potential mask mandates got unruly outside the county board room.
BOARD TO SHARE FIRE INSTRUCTOR'S SALARY
The meeting itself was brief with the board unanimously approving all agenda items. They passed a new memorandum of understanding with the school district agreeing to reimburse the county half the salary for the Flagler Palm Coast Fire Academy's lead instructor for the current school year. The county had been providing the instructor since 2016.
Students enrolled in the Fire Academy are able to earn industry certification in CPR, first responder and firefighting I and II. Students completing the program are certified as firefighters and are able to take the state firefighter exam.
“I’d like to thank the county for paying 50% for this instructor, because it is a unique program,” Tucker said.
SAWMILL BRANCH PROPERTY APPROVED
The board approved the deed for a 30-acre school site at Sawmill Branch at Palm Coast, which would accommodate a future elementary school. There had been concern over a stormwater ditch running through the center of the property, but the developer has redesigned the drainage on the property.
