- May 23, 2025
Editor's note: Lauren Johnston is the acting city manager of Palm Coast. She read the following at the conclusion of the May 1 City Council workshop:
Thank you, Mayor and members of the Council.
I want to take a moment tonight to speak not just as your City Manager, but as a fellow member of this community.
The tone we set — at this dais, in our organization, and across our city — matters. The hostility and divisiveness we’re seeing, both inside and outside of this chamber, are damaging to the very fabric of our community.
At the end of the day, we are all human. We all make mistakes. We are sinners. None of us is perfect. We are all learning, growing, and, yes, sometimes falling short. But that doesn’t mean we stop working toward better outcomes.
Our job as public servants — and as neighbors — is to establish a culture that reflects integrity, mutual respect, and collaboration. That starts with each of us.
We must acknowledge that many of the challenges we face today didn’t begin yesterday. They are inherited — some rooted in decisions made long before any of you took office or we assumed our current roles. But the responsibility to address them lies with us now.
The Council and staff has the opportunity — and the obligation — to guide this city forward. Not by dwelling on blame, but by embracing solutions. Not by tearing down, but by building up.
Let us move forward as one city, one community, committed to unity, and to the wellbeing of all residents.
Thank you.
