- April 19, 2024
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Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin, deluged by community comments about his proposal to raise City Council salaries by 365%, has said he's willing to reconsider that number. Some other council members are also willing to revisit the amount of the raise.
"It may be the right moment to discuss reducing the increase that I had originally suggested in favor of something a bit less, and more palatable at this moment in time."
— DAVID ALFIN, Palm Coast mayor
"To say that my recent City Council compensation proposal caused a mighty controversy in this community as an understatement," Alfin said in his closing comments at a City Council workshop April 12. "I have been responding to so many social media posts, phone calls and emails for several weeks."
Alfin's proposal won the City Council's support in a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Eddie Branquinho dissenting, at a meeting on April 5. But the proposal requires a second-reading council vote, scheduled for April 19, before the approval is final.
Speaking at the end of the April 12 meeting, Alfin restated his rationale for the increase: The Palm Coast of today is more complex, with a larger population, than it used to be; serving on City Council is closer to a full-time job than it was when the city was formed; and raising salaries would make it more likely that young, working people would be able to serve, he said.
But, he added, "I would like to open up this discussion today to our members of City Council to discuss at what level they might feel it would be appropriate for City Council compensation to be changed."
Alfin's initial proposal, as approved at the April 5 meeting, would increase City Council members' pay from $9,600 to $44,670, and the mayor's from $11,400 to $46,470. Raises would take effect after the November elections, including for seats that are not up for election.
Branquinho acknowledged that City Council positions require a lot of work.
But, he added, "We all knew. We're changing the rules in the middle of the game. If we're going to go with this astronomical raise, I think we should just put it in the hands of the people out there," as a referendum item.
Branquinho said he'd not yet met anyone, other than his colleagues on the dais, who supported the raise.
"Based on your comments, the public's comments, the overwhelming majority of comments that I have heard," Alfin said, "it may be the right moment to discuss reducing the increase that I had originally suggested in favor of something a bit less, and more palatable at this moment in time."
Councilman Nick Klufas, as he had at the April 5 meeting, suggested phasing in the raises. He also proposed making council members' salaries closer to School Board members' salaries — School Board members in Flagler County are paid $35,949, a number set by a state formula — and potentially giving council members benefits.
Councilman Ed Danko stood by his initial vote in favor of the raises and said he's heard from people who support the increases as well as from people who oppose them.
"I think we did the right thing for the future," Danko said. "And you know, we had more people here upset about the Green Lion than about this pay compensation, so I'm not that concerned about it; I'm willing to stay where we're at and move forward with what we did. I think it's a good move."
Councilman John Fanelli, serving on the City Council in an interim capacity only through November, won't be affected by the potential raises, which would take effect after he leaves office.
He noted that many locals support some kind of raise for City Council members, but not necessarily such a steep one.
"A lot of the conversation I had out in the community was that they do feel that additional compensation is warranted. The conversation then gets into how much, and how it's phased in," Fanelli said. "... I would be amenable to looking at what the appropriate compensation is, and how to roll it out."
