- April 19, 2024
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Dear Editor:
Recently I received a dozen or so phone calls and emails from voters complaining that the city of Palm Coast does not automatically refund the initial required security deposit for city provided utilities (water, sewage, garbage, recycling, etc.). Concerns were raised after a post on a local website criticized the city for keeping the security deposit until you actually contact the city directly to request your refund.
The Municipal Code presently allows the city to retain the security deposit for 23 months of good payment history, which I believe is reasonable. However, having to ask for the refund after 23 months of good payment history is not reasonable.
With today’s computer software, it should be very easy to automatically apply security deposit refunds to existing utility bills. As a candidate for Palm Coast City Council, I will work to change the obsolete policy now in place. Until then, I suggest everyone who has forgotten about their utility security deposit to contact the city of Palm Coast and request your refund. No doubt, like me, many may have long forgotten about this deposit.
Ed Danko
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: Ed Danko is a candidate for City Council. City Manager Matt Morton responded this way: “Our practice is transparent and published. In the past, people preferred the deposit kept on ‘file’ because it created a credit when they moved, or covers their last bill with the city. The deposits earn interest which is always credited to the deposit holder. In essence, the utilities cannot profit and are owned by the residents of Palm Coast. If the prevailing sentiment of the public has changed, I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t change the credit refund process.”
Dear Editor:
Number 9 of your top 10 stories from Palm Coast said “…the City Council is taking steps to preserve the Palm Harbor Golf Club longterm.” I know of no steps that the City Council has taken toward preserving Palm Harbor Golf Club. Instead, the city administration has been working with a developer to denigrate the golf course with condos, townhouses, or whatever the developer’s “flavor-of-the day” proposal is.
There is no way that the city administration’s proposal to rezone the entire golf course to allow residential development can be seen as anything but negatively affecting not only the future of the golf course but also the property values of the established neighborhoods of mostly single family homes that surround the golf course.
If the City Council is truly interested is preserving the course longterm, then all they need to do is acquire the land that we (the city) do not own.
Mike McGuire
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
The County Commission and the City Council have expressed support for a Medical Nexus. “Support” meaning cash contribution when all is said and done, and that is your tax dollars.
For me there are only three basic questions: What is in it for the citizens of Flagler County and the city of Palm Coast? What is the cost for the citizens of Flagler County and the city of Palm Coast? Does the benefit outweigh the cost for the citizens of Flagler County and the city of Palm Coast? These must be clearly answered.
There are several medical issues that people I talk to say exist here in Flagler/Palm Coast. These issues are lack of “good” primary care physicians. I realize “good” is a relative term. One example to highlight the shortage: My sister-in-law called my primary physician for an initial appointment in August, and the first opening was in January,
Second, try to get an appointment with just about any specialist when you have a problem, and you will be lucky to get an appointment in two weeks but you will be put on the cancelation list.
Third, mental treatment is a hidden resource if it exists. For years, we have been talking about the problem. Last time I looked on the Advent Physician finder, there was not a psychiatrist listed. I just checked and none within 20 miles but two listed in Orange City. Maybe it is time for AdventHealth to step up with the Flagler County Health Department and work to provide comprehensive mental health services for all members of our community without regard for the person’s insurance or lack thereof.
If Medical Nexus addresses these issues, then maybe the community would accept the cost to the taxpayers. Flagler County Commissioners and Palm Coast City Council, what’s in it for us and how much will it cost?
John Brady
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: John Brady is a candidate for Palm Coast mayor. The Palm Coast Observer requested comment from the city on the $1.5 million but did not receive an answer before press time. There was a vote on the consent agenda to transfer $1.5 million from the city’s general fund reserve to its non-departmental general fund.
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