- June 16, 2025
Dear Editor:
What is most concerning and suspicious about the mayor’s lawsuit contending a Palm Coast City Charter violation in the manner in which Councilman Charles Gambaro was appointed, is the timing of the lawsuit. Gambaro was sworn in and took his seat on the council on Oct. 1, 2024. He was the former council’s favorite then by a 4-1 vote. Mayor Norris filed his lawsuit this month, 7-plus months later. Why the lengthy wait and why then?
Animosity between Norris and Gambaro, including childish name calling by Norris, who referred to Gambaro as an “imp” and “illegitimate," continued to escalate during the months following Gambaro’s appointment. Upon discovery that Norris had violated the City Charter for a variety of bad behaviors things climaxed in April with a motion by Gambaro for a council censure of Norris, a vote of no confidence and a referral of the malfeasance matter to the Florida Ethics Commission with a possible eventual request to the governor for the mayor to be removed from office. All the council members concurred and each publicly chastised the mayor for his actions.
Curiously, almost immediately after all these punitive and embarrassing actions, Norris retained an attorney and on May 5 filed the lawsuit naming Gambaro and the City Council as defendants. But is Norris less concerned about the Gambaro appointment process than his personal animosity toward a fellow council member?
Is it really some altruistic reverence for the City Charter or simply opportunistic revenge directed at both Gambaro personally and the whole City Council? It seems pretty reasonable, based upon the lawsuit timing, to suspect he’s looking for his “pound of flesh" while at the same time diverting attention away from the indignity of his own ethical lapses.
How long this legal action will continue and its eventual outcome is uncertain. But, what is certain, is that it is highly unlikely to put to rest the unwelcome city government chaos and controversy attributable to the reign of Mayor Mike. Actually, whatever the court’s final ruling, it’s more likely to exacerbate it.
Margaret Minutaglio
Palm Coast
