- April 25, 2024
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In reply to Mr. Stencel's letter to the editor, I would like to point out to him that in spite of the little regard he has for Palm Coast's first elected City Council, they did, with their collective years of experience, bring the fledgling city of Palm Coast to where it is today.
I wonder if he really knows what his "no" vote meant eight years ago. He stated that it is the citizens who decide exactly where and when a City Hall will be built. Neither our citizens, nor Mr. Stencel in particular, have advised their council where and when they could have the City Hall the government operated out of for the last 13 years.
I would submit that it isn't necessary that citizens vote on every important action taken by their elected representatives. Most people don't have the time, the detailed information, or inclination to get into those things. That's why we have the type of government we have.
Mr. Stencel called the proposed City Hall a $22 million “Taj Mahal.” He failed to mention that two civic centers were included in that number, and he certainly didn't suggest a more modest structure or the dollar amount of the proposed bonds that would be acceptable to our people. There were also those, then and now, including certain people of the press who implied backroom deals or underhanded activities associated with the efforts of our city council to provide a proper City Hall for Palm Coast. Conspiracy theories might sell well to the public, but they are, in fact, not true. Anyone who knows anything about Florida government knows that there are Sunshine laws. If there was even a trace of underhanded or improper dealings, there would be grounds for prosecution.
The reality is that Palm Coast needs its own home, and it is the responsibility of our City Council to provide that home. Renting a storefront is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. Our city is a beautiful one, and it didn't happen by itself. It happened because our citizens voted for the council people that made it happen.
William Venne
Former member of the Palm Coast Council
