- July 28, 2026
A renewed push to establish a second animal shelter in Flagler County gained momentum Tuesday as Palm Coast City Council members signaled their willingness to explore a financial commitment following the emergence of a major private land donation.
The discussion came during the council's budget workshop after Animal Shelter Task Force member Cameron Orr urged city leaders to move quickly on what he described as a "major offer" from an anonymous donor willing to donate 10 acres of land along a major thoroughfare for the project.
Orr said the task force has made little progress since a joint city-county workshop in January after plans to build a shelter at the city's former Public Works site became unworkable because of scheduling conflicts.
"What frustrates me now is on the 16th of June, we had a very generous offer from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous," Orr told the council. "A major offer that would allow for 10 acres on a major thoroughfare to be given for this site."
According to Orr, the donor requested a joint meeting with Palm Coast and Flagler County officials to better understand each government's financial commitment before moving forward. Although that request was made both verbally and later in writing, Orr said no meeting had yet been scheduled.
"It's frustrating to me," Orr said. "This is a major offer in the millions of dollars and we can't seem to answer the question about having a joint meeting. I know there's still going to be unanswered questions, but I think we've got time to answer that if we establish a joint meeting."
City Manager Mike McGlothlin responded that city staff has been coordinating with the donor while honoring the request for anonymity. McGlothlin said meetings have already been scheduled with the donor and that he planned to meet later Tuesday with Flagler County's interim administrator to discuss the proposal and a potential joint agenda.
Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri said the city also needs to begin discussing how much funding it is willing to contribute.
"I think we need to get consensus to figure out what we're going to be putting towards the animal shelter," Pontieri said.
She noted that the city has already secured state appropriations for the project and that the county also intends to contribute funding. However, she said the council needs to determine what amount, if any, should come from the city's fund balance.
"I'm not asking for a dollar figure right now, but at least an understanding that monies will have to be put in from us per the donor's request, which I understand, in order to capitalize on the appropriations that we got and also capitalize on the land that's being donated," she said.
Council member Ty Miller agreed the city should begin the conversation, though he suggested any formal funding discussion could coincide with an upcoming workshop on capital projects and fund balance.
"We need to make a decision and then start moving forward," Miller said. "Whether it's an amount of money that doesn't fund the whole thing but it gets it started so that we can figure out the rest as we go. ... I fully support trying to find some of the funds from that fund balance to move this project forward."
Council member Dave Sullivan supported the effort but reminded those present that Palm Coast taxpayers already provide the vast majority of the county's property tax revenue.
"I just point out every time that somebody says, 'Well, the county is going to contribute this much and the city is going to contribute this much,' remember, 80% of the ad valorem taxes that are paid to the county come from Palm Coast," Sullivan said. "So when the county spends money, 80% of that money comes from the city."
Council member Charles Gambaro also supported continuing discussions while cautioning that the city faces competing priorities.
"When it comes to fund balance, I'm laser focused on our roads," Gambaro said. "But it doesn't hurt to have conversations and get us to the right place to where we can make a decision on it."
Mayor Mike Norris said he remains open to supporting the effort but wants additional information before any financial commitment is made.
"My biggest issue is I don't even know where the property's at," Norris said. "I'd like to have a course of action when you meet with them. What's our course of action? Because I don't think we can make any decisions without having something. We have to have a blueprint of how we're going to do it."
Miller added that investing in a second shelter could eventually reduce the city's long-term costs by creating an alternative to its existing contract with the Humane Society.
"This investment will eventually pay us back dividends in terms of that cost," Miller said. "Because then we have an alternative option to work with. ... There is a fiscal side of this that makes it better in the long term to have more options."
