- November 22, 2024
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Dear Editor:
In addition to the infantile name-calling fiasco between Ed Danko and Eddie Branquinho that occurred at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting, and the resulting consensus that their tirades were both disturbing and embarrassing, it’s also worth noting that this was Danko’s very first day on the job.
And during his debut as a newly elected Councilman, he chose to show up sporting a partisan political mask intentionally telegraphing his political leanings for all to see, and did so, not only on his first day, but also in the midst of a hyperintense national political controversy dividing our country.
In Palm Coast City Council elections, the ballot doesn’t list the party affiliations of the candidates in part for the important reason that once elected, if you don’t leave those affiliations at the door, it’s counterproductive to the success of the council and of the community as a whole.
Danko apparently is refusing to accept the role of the City Council as an inclusive nonpartisan entity that represents us all, irrespective of political leanings, and sadly it appears that he is setting the stage for a discordant and controversial future on the council.
Bob Gordon
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
I'm writing concerning the front page article about the City Council members calling each other names at the recent swearing in of new members. I think most people in Palm Coast would agree with me when I say we are tired of our city leaders acting like unruly children.
It's time for council members to stop with the name-calling and insults and get on with the business of helping our city more forward. Please, check your egos and your partisan politics at the door and be positive role models. Our children are watching.
Susan Maluski
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
After reading about what transpired between Ed Danko and Eddie Branquinho at the Palm Coast City Council meeting on FlaglerLive, several thoughts came to mind.
First, the deep division of political views is a sign of the times, and Palm Coast is no exception.
Second, everyone knows that elections bring out hard-ball politics. There were things said by both Milissa Holland and Alan Lowe, with whom Ed Danko was aligned, that were clearly below the belt. Lowe’s campaign charged there was an ongoing investigation into corruption at City Hall. Since he was running for mayor, it was evident to the most casual observer that this attack was aimed at Holland. Other than Branquinho, apparently no other member of the council took offense.
This brings me to my third point, which is temperament. I have known Eddie Branquinho for years. What happened at the City Council meeting was not an anomaly. In my opinion, he doesn’t have the temperament to be a councilman, much less the vice mayor of Palm Coast. The elections are over, the people have spoken. He should take Holland’s example and let it go. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think we have seen the last of this type of outburst from Branquinho.
Ed Danko doesn’t come out of this incident smelling like a rose either. He should have just let Branquinho go on with his tirade. Let the voters render a decision two years from now. By responding, Danko became part of the story. Both should apologize to the remaining members of the council and to the citizens of Palm Coast. Their behavior is unbecoming of the office they hold.
Several weeks ago we had a similar incident at a County Commission meeting. Is this the new norm? This has to stop! We deserve better representatives. Jon Netts got it right when he said that you can disagree without being disagreeable.
Mario V. Carmo
Palm Coast
Editor’s note:
Ed Danko and Eddie Branquinho were each given a chance to respond to the criticisms in the letters.
Danko declined to engage in the back-and-forth exchange. He said, “I’m anticipating future meetings will be conducted with the proper decorum expected of a City Council meeting.”
Branquinho, on the other hand, did not back down from his insistence that Danko apologize for calling City Hall corrupt.
“I do not regret it,” Branquinho said, referring to his confrontation during the Nov. 17 meeting. “And the reason I do not regret confronting the other councilman in question is for the simple fact that I have no other way to talk to him without violating Sunshine Law. I did not want to interfere while the councilman in question during the campaign because I didn’t want to be accused of interfering, so, the first opportunity I had to ask him why he called me corrupt, I did.”
Branquinho acknowledged that Danko didn’t single him out in calling City Hall corrupt, but that was not sufficient for Branquinho. “I’m part of City Hall like he is now, and you don’t call me corrupt without explaining. Prove I was part of corruption.”
He said he doesn’t believe City Hall is corrupt and that many staff members have thanked him for standing up for City Hall.
He added that Danko is “going to be straightened out from the beginning.”
Branquinho intends to continue to call Danko “Councilman Corrupt,” and he doesn’t mind if Danko continues to call him “Councilman Full of Crap.”
“I agree with him because, at least once a day, in the morning, I am,” Branquinho said. “If he doesn’t apologize or prove that I’m corrupt, he’s going to have to swallow his words — rectally.”
When asked whether he feels it’s bad for the city to have such contention on the City Council, he again didn’t back down. “The only thing I have is my name, and nobody’s going to mess with it,” he said. “I’m proud of being an honest man.”
Branquinho ran on a platform of anticorruption two years ago. He said that when he was an elected official in a previous city, five members of his board were indicted for corruption, but he was clean. “I do not take corruption lightly,” he said.
Will the contention continue? “All the man has to do is say ‘I’m sorry,’ and everything’s going back to normal,” Branquinho said.
