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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs briefly considered relocating its law enforcement training center to Palm Coast, to inhabit the Federal Aviation Administration’s leadership training facility on Palm Coast Parkway. Today, Flagler County officials were notified by Russell E. Eilrich, deputy director of the VA, that the deal wasn't going to happen, after all.

Flagler County issued this statement today in response:

“Flagler County was excited to be included on the Veterans Administration's short list,” Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey said. “Unfortunately, despite a strong team effort, the Veterans Administration informed Flagler County this week that it reconsidered relocating and would not be moving its Law Enforcement Training Center ‘due to a number of factors.’

“Flagler County went to great effort to show an exploratory team from the Veterans Administration the advantages we had to offer,” he said. “We called on our community partners, Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre, the city of Palm Coast and the Flagler County Economic Opportunity Council, to make that presentation. We were informed that we were a strong candidate for the training center.

“Preliminary interest from public and private entities is a very sensitive topic,” Coffey continued. “These opportunities can evaporate as a result of something as seemingly innocent as a premature publicity.

“We will continue to assist Embry-Riddle where we can, to seek out a suitable replacement for the FAA Training Center with all of our community partners,” Coffey said.

 

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