- November 14, 2024
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Palm Coast has been named a Tree City USA for the 11th straight year, and this year was also named Sterling Tree City USA, according to a city of Palm Coast government news release.
The Sterling Tree City Award is given to cities that have earned the Arbor Day Foundation's Growth Award for 10 years in a row.
"This year we reached a milestone by earning our 10th Growth Award, and we are incredibly honored to be named a Sterling Tree City USA," Palm Coast Urban Forester Carol Mini said in the news release.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
Flagler County Senior Services Manager Joanne Hinkle helped a senior in need get a free repair for a roof that had leaked for two years, according to a Flagler County government news release.
“That Ms. Hinkel is fantastic,” Dorothy Moore said in the news release. “I needed help finding a roofer, and a good one. There are people who will take advantage, but she provided me with the name of this fine man.”
That's Dave Waddell, with R&K Roofing, who split the cost of materials for the repair with owner Ken Reed.
“When I met her, I just fell in love with her,” Waddell said. “She is such a sweetheart, and she’s had some rough times. This was something (R&K Roofing) could do for her that would really improve her life.”
Moore, retired for two decades, served as Flagler Beach's city clerk for 17 years.
Flagler County administers no-cost state wind-mitigation grants which are used to raise the wind resistance of single-family, site-built homes built before 2002. The grants are available in Bunnell, Flagler Beach, and unincorporated Flagler County.
For details on requirements and to apply, call Heather Wilson at 386-313-4265, or email at [email protected].
The city of Palm Coast has promoted two staff members to the position of director, according to a Palm Coast city government news release.
Human Resource Manager Wendy Cullen, the city's HR manager since 2008, is being promoted to Human Resources Director. City Administration Coordinator Beau Falgout, who started his career at the city almost 10 years ago as a planner, is being promoted to Administrative Services and Economic Development Director.
City Manager Jim Landon decided to promote the two after an administrative review of the city’s pay plan, in which a separate Human Resources Department was created, and the Administration Department renamed.
"Both Wendy and Beau have demonstrated strong leadership and management skills in their current roles, and I believe they will be valuable additions to our executive team," Landon said in the news release.
The city has reviewed its pay plan over the last six months, the first time it has done a full review in 10 years.
“We are notifying affected employees now and anticipate that all the changes to our pay plan and this exciting advancement program will be implemented in early June,” Landon said.
Flagler County Tourist Development Council Executive Director Matt Dunn was recently re-appointed to the board of the National Association of Sports Commissions. It's Dunn's second term, but his first full, three-year term, since he replaced another board member who left-mid-term for his first term.
Dunn was born in Washington D.C., but considers himself a Florida native, according to a a Flagler County government news release.
“My dad had already accepted a position with the University of Florida, so we moved to Gainesville when I was 2 weeks old,” Dunn said in the news release. “Florida is home.”
Dunn has lived in Flagler County since he became vice president of tourism for the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce in 2014. The Tourist Development Office has since become a department of the Flagler County government, with Dunn its executive director.
Dunn is also chairman of the National Association of Sports Commissions Membership Committee.
"Flagler County is very fortunate to benefit from Matt’s knowledge and experience,” County Administrator Craig Coffey said in the news release. “He is doing a great job bringing tourism to our county.”
Flagler County hosted a Florida City and County Management Association training event April 29 for more than 50 government employees from across the state of Florida, according to a Flagler County government news release.
The event was held at the county's Emergency Operations Center, and its keynote speaker was Ron Holifield, founder and chief executive officer of the Texas-based Strategic Government Resources, which facilitates collaboration among local governments.
Holifield said the duty of government is to understand its residents and provide good customer service.
“We are in the business of being taken for granted,” he in the news release. “A good day for us is when no one in the community really notices us. We need to focus more on understanding so that we can tell the story of the value residents are getting. ... You want to have a staff that has great listening skills plus empathy, and sometimes you don’t find those hires through traditional hiring methods.”
A panel discussion with Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte, New Smyrna Beach City Manager Pam Brancaccio and St. Lucie County Administrator Howard Tipton concluded the event.
