- September 7, 2024
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The following is an adapted news release from the city of Palm Coast communications office:
City of Palm Coast Utility Development Manager Stephen Flanagan has been promoted to Director of Community Development as part of a reorganization involving four city departments.
City Manager Jim Landon announced the reorganization at Tuesday’s Palm Coast City Council meeting. Landon said this month’s retirement of John Moden, Director of the Engineering and Stormwater Department, and the recent vacancy of a management position in the Public Works Department provided him the opportunity to make changes to improve the city’s organizational structure.
Tuesday was Moden’s last City Council meeting as a director. Landon thanked Moden for his 37 years of service in stormwater and drainage to the Palm Coast community, calling his retirement the “end of an era.”
“John helped build this community,” Landon said. “John’s one of those individuals who is impossible to replace because of his knowledge and the fact that he helped build this community and his institutional memory.”
With the reorganization, the former Public Works Department has been split to create a separate Utility Department. Nestor Abreu, who previously headed Community Development, is the new director of Public Works. Richard Adams, who previously headed Public Works, will continue to oversee the city’s water and wastewater services as director of the Utility Department.
The capital project responsibilities in the Community Development and Utility departments will be combined with Engineering and Stormwater to create a new Community Development division named Construction Management and Engineering. Community Development will also have divisions overseeing Planning, Building and Code Enforcement.
“I really believe this will help with the development review process and our capital program and make it more efficient and also just address our needs of today,” Landon told council members.
Landon said Flanagan was selected for promotion because of his experience in construction and capital projects, and he added that Flanagan has demonstrated strong leadership and management skills.
Flanagan had served as utility development manager since the city purchased the water and wastewater utility assets in October 2003. He began his career in Palm Coast with ITT Community Development Corp. in 1979, and held several positions prior to being named manager. He has a background in engineering and construction and extensive utility experience. He holds a Class 2 Water Distribution System Operators License.
A native of Virginia, Flanagan grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia. He is a graduate of Daytona Beach Community College (now Daytona State College). He and his wife Candace have triplet daughters.