- April 26, 2024
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The Palm Coast City Council has ratified its decision to fund 10 new deputy positions for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, approving a new contract with the FCSO at a meeting on Oct. 5.
The new contract with the FCSO will cost the city a total $467,976 per month starting this month, and $5,615,712 annually, up from the $4.4 million the city paid this fiscal year.
It provides for a total of 35 deputy sheriffs, one school resource deputy position (the other school deputies are funded through the school district), two corporals, three sergeants, and one commander, according to city documents.
The City Council had already opted when it approved the coming year’s budget and property tax rate to set aside money for the additional law enforcement officers.
Palm Coast will provide a total of $30,000 in grant funding to a dozen local organizations this year through its Cultural Arts Grant program.
The organizations are: the African American Cultural Society, the Choral Arts Society, City Lites, City Repertory Theatre, Family Matters of Palm Coast, the Flagler Auditorium, the Flagler Performing Arts Academy, the Gargiulo Art Foundation, the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, the Palm Coast Garden Club, the Palm Coast Methodist Church, and The Green Room.
All had requested $3,000 and were granted $2,600, with the exception of Family Matters of Palm Coast, which had requested $2,400 and was granted $1,400.
Palm Coast is recognizing the week of Oct. 1 through Oct. 7 as Customer Service Week, and the City Council approved the designation with a proclamation recognizing its own customer service staff during an Oct. 5 meeting.
The city’s 16 customer service representatives handle an average of 100,000 inquiries each year, according to the proclamation.
“Customer service, during these most difficult times over the last 18 or more months, has been a challenge that, certainly, our customer service area has never faced before, and they have really shined though the process,” Mayor David Alfin said. “... It’s a process that will continue to get better and better, but they’ve done a great job.”
