City of Palm Coast should fine duplex owners who aren't maintaining property

Also in letters to the editor: Bings Landing and Captain's BBQ, Beau Falgout, and religious freedom


  • By
  • | 12:38 p.m. January 29, 2019
  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Opinion
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We don’t want to be surrounded by duplex renters

Dear Editor:

Duplexes don’t belong in a development where people have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to build a nice home. There’s a big stretch of road on U.S. 1 that would’ve been adequate to build duplexes and apartments for those who cannot afford to build right now.

If you’ve ever ridden through the communities where are duplexes are currently built, the property is not properly maintained. Trash in the yard. Cars that won’t run. It’s probably the fault of the owner of the duplexes for not checking on their rental property.

I think the city should pass an ordinance and fine the property owners that are renting out the property. I would say that all these problems would probably disappear.

Terry Webb

Palm Coast

 

‘Religious freedom’ policy will only be a distraction

Dear Editor:

This school district policy change, which adopted state language to guarantee freedom of religious expression, is a not-very-disguised attempt to inject parochial school practices into our tax-supported public school system.

While the First Amendment doesn’t clearly prohibit such, you must remember that it was written long before the establishment of a tax-supported public school system, and I think, generally, all Americans grew up with the tenet “separation of church and state.” A pretty durned good rule and one that has served to keep religions from creating turmoil.

I object to any part of my tax dollar going for anything other than the teaching of the basic ABC’s, so to speak. We already seem to be struggling with the fulfillment of that pledge, so I can’t see how the injection of religious views on campus can be anything other than an unnecessary distraction.

And, by the way, what exactly is “secular clothing”? We really couldn’t appear sillier.

Shirley Carter

Palm Coast

 

Hire Beau Falgout as city manager

Dear Editor:

Palm Coast has a major decision to make: that of choosing a new city manager. We are undergoing a lengthy and taxpayer-funded search for the right candidate. I seriously question why we continue to waste time and money since we already have the right candidate serving as interim city manager, Beau Falgout.

He has the right experience, he knows the city and its professional staff, he's already shown his management capabilities and commitment to our community, and, most important, he has clearly demonstrated his willingness to follow the City Council's leadership. We have the right candidate and we need not waste any more time and money on a useless search. Hire Beau now!

Mike Cocchiola

Palm Coast

 

Learn from past mistakes on Bings contract

Dear Editor:

The county does not owe Captain’s BBQ a place to open an expanded restaurant! The county has a lease for a barbecue restaurant and a bait shop. The property on which Mr. Mike Goodman wants to expand his business was purchased with ESL (Environmentally Sensitive Land) funds.

That fund, which was approved by the voters three times, comes from our property taxes, a tax which Mr. Goodman is trying to avoid by building his restaurant on park land and donating the building to the dounty, then having it for his exclusive use for over 20 years.

Mr. Goodman keeps telling us what a good neighbor and citizen he is. If so, he should not attempt to crowd his neighbors out of Bings Landing. If he wants a bigger restaurant he should find another location, perhaps one of his own properties on A1A..

This building should not be built on public land for the Captain’s commercial success.

If the current premises need repair which would impact the current restaurant, give him temporary space within the caretaker’s house, a tent, or use of the shelter, while the restaurant is repaired or rebuilt, if necessary.

Do not extend the present lease. Learn form the mistakes of the past. We don’t want our county government to continue to act as Robin Hood in reverse. We also should be holding Captain’s to the very few lease obligations it does have and make it adhere to Health Department regulations regarding seating capacity for the septic system.

Ann Butler

Palm Coast

 

 

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