- June 9, 2026
Flagler County's constitutional officers began making their case for employee pay increases and staffing needs Monday as county commissioners reviewed preliminary budget requests amid growing concerns about future revenue uncertainty.
The discussion took place during a Board of County Commissioners workshop focused on constitutional officer budgets and personnel costs for the upcoming fiscal year. Requests from several constitutional offices include a combination of cost-of-living adjustments, merit increases and additional staffing positions.
The budget conversations came shortly after auditors from James Moore & Company presented a clean audit for fiscal year 2025, finding no compliance issues, material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in county financial reporting. Auditor Zach Chalifour described the county's reserve position as "healthy," noting that Flagler County maintains roughly five months of reserves, well above the Government Finance Officers Association's minimum recommendation of two months.
While the audit offered reassurance about the county's financial position, commissioners made clear that the upcoming budget cycle will be challenging as they weigh personnel requests against uncertainty surrounding future revenues and potential state-level tax reforms.
Among the first budgets reviewed was the Clerk of Court and Comptroller's Office, which is requesting a 3% cost-of-living adjustment, a 2% merit increase and two additional full-time positions.
Clerk Tom Bexley told commissioners that approximately 90% of his office's budget is tied directly to personnel costs and described the proposal as largely a continuation budget.
"A COLA is not a bonus. It is a tool of equality," Bexley said. "It is what we all use to try to keep our people equal, reflecting the changes in the economy and inflation."
Bexley said constitutional officers met prior to the workshop and agreed that a 3% cost-of-living adjustment reflected current economic conditions. He added that any merit increases would be awarded only for employees who demonstrate performance above and beyond their normal job duties.
The clerk's office is also seeking funding for two positions designed to support financial operations between the comptroller's office and county administration. According to Bexley, roughly $310,000 of the proposed increase is tied to employee compensation, while approximately $190,000 would fund the new positions.
Not all commissioners appeared convinced the requests would be affordable.
Vice Chair Kim Carney warned that the county may soon be forced to make difficult decisions regarding personnel spending.
"I can tell you, this is not going to be a good year and we're going to have to say no," Carney said. "There's just no money there to do a $500,000 increase."
Carney questioned whether constitutional offices should expect both cost-of-living increases and additional staffing positions in the coming year as county leaders prepare for what could be a difficult budget cycle.
Commission Chair Leann Pennington also scrutinized the clerk's budget after comparing it with similarly sized Florida counties.
Pennington said her review found Flagler's clerk budget substantially higher than several comparable counties when measured on a per-resident basis and questioned whether efficiencies could be identified to reduce long-term costs.
"I don't know if there's software that they have. I don't know what it is, but we are 36%, 55%, 200% more than our peers with this type of population size," Pennington said.
Bexley defended the request, arguing that comparisons between counties can be difficult because responsibilities and organizational structures vary. He emphasized that the office's primary responsibility is ensuring taxpayer dollars are properly accounted for and managed.
"The first goal, though, is to serve the people," Bexley said. "If I feel like I need more resources to do that and continue the great work that we're doing, I'm not going to be afraid to ask for them."
Bexley also noted that Flagler County continues to experience significant population growth, creating additional demands on the clerk's office. He said simple population comparisons do not always reflect workload differences between counties.
The Property Appraiser's Office received a far warmer reception from commissioners.
Property Appraiser Jay Gardner's budget proposal includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and a 2% merit increase but does not add any new employees.
Commission Chair Leann Pennington praised the office's staffing levels and budget performance after reviewing comparable counties.
"I looked at Martin, Sumter, Indian River, Nassau, all within our population range, and you have far less FTE. Your budget's less. It's a very good budget," Pennington told Gardner.
A significant increase in the property appraiser's non-operating budget category generated questions from commissioners before staff explained it was largely an accounting adjustment.
Officials from the Property Appraiser's Office said the Florida Department of Revenue instructed them to place proposed COLA and merit increases in a contingency account until compensation decisions are finalized, making the increase appear larger than it actually is.
Tax Collector Shelly Edmonson and Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart also presented budget overviews during the workshop. Their requests were reviewed alongside those of the clerk, property appraiser and sheriff as commissioners continued evaluating personnel costs and operational funding needs across the county's constitutional offices.
The Sheriff's Office budget presentation followed.
With Sheriff Rick Staly attending the National Sheriffs' Association conference, Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge presented the agency's proposed spending plan. The Sheriff's Office is seeking a budget of approximately $68.3 million for the upcoming fiscal year, an increase of about $6.7 million, or 10.8%, over the current year's budget.
The proposal also includes funding for 13 additional deputy positions. Nine of those deputies would be assigned to Palm Coast, while four would serve countywide operations. The staffing request is consistent with proposals submitted by the agency during each of the previous two budget cycles.
The workshop marked the beginning of what is expected to be several months of budget discussions before a final spending plan is adopted later this year.
While commissioners expressed appreciation for the work performed by constitutional officers, Monday's discussion made clear that requests for additional staffing and compensation increases will face heightened scrutiny as county leaders navigate what several described as an uncertain financial environment.
County officials are expected to continue budget workshops throughout the summer before adopting a final budget in September.
