- May 23, 2025
Dear Editor:
Regarding your April 29 article about the Flagler Humane Society (FHS), Flagler County and Palm Coast government officials seem misinformed about the shelter and about issues of nepotism and conflicts of interest.
For the last few months, I have been volunteering about once a week as a dog walker at FHS. In that time, I have found the staff and other volunteers to be helpful and to want the best for the animals there. These people choose stressful jobs with animals — which in many cases have experienced trauma and abandonment — because they want to make a difference in their community.
As for “nepotism”, county and city officials appear to be concerned that two husband-and-wife duos serve on the FHS Board of Directors. Yet, I think of nepotism as bestowing some benefit or privilege on the person who is being favored — and it is hard to understand what benefit or privilege these husband-and-wife duos would receive since their positions are unpaid.
I have served as an unpaid board member on different nonprofits, and these are usually thankless jobs that no one else wants to do. The fact that two sets of couples want to volunteer together to serve their community and help unfortunate animals is something to be applauded, not excoriated.
As for “conflicts of interest,” no one wants to have board members or employees at any organization benefitting by self-dealing, accepting gifts from vendors, working for competing organizations, etc. — and FHS should have policies in place to prevent both conflicts of interest and nepotism. But county and city officials’ suggestion that members of their bodies serve on the FHS Board of Directors seems to create its own set of conflicts of interest.
Even if these board members do not vote on direct contractual matters with the county and city, would they also recuse themselves from any votes regarding contractors, vendors, or other organizations that do business with the county and city? If Flagler County and Palm Coast are concerned about the funding they provide to FHS, they should focus on better contractual oversight to allay their concerns — as opposed to trying to insert themselves into the FHS Board of Directors.
And, if they are truly worried about allegations regarding FHS’ conditions and staff, they should arrange a visit to the shelter to see for themselves the hard work FHS’ employees and volunteers do there on a daily basis.
Lewis J. Beilman III
Palm Coast
