New Palm Coast City Council, Flagler Commission sworn in, Palm Coast's Pontieri chosen as vice mayor

At the Flagler County Commission, both commissioner Andy Dance and Leann Pennington were unanimously re-elected by the other commissioners for the chair and vice chair positions.

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To loud applause, the new Palm Coast City Council and Flagler County Commission members have been sworn in to office.

In Palm Coast, Mayor Mike Norris and council member Ty Miller and Ray Stevens took their respective seats on Nov. 19 after the swearing in ceremony to begin work. The first order of business was to elect a vice mayor.

Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri — the council’s most senior member, who was elected to office in 2022 — was elected as vice mayor in a 3-2 vote, with council members Miller and Charles Gambaro voting against.

Residents, however, almost wholly in support of Pontieri’s appointment as vice mayor.

“Miss Pontieri certainly has demonstrated her willingness, her steadfastness, her patience and her stability in a lot of difficult situations,” resident Ed Fuller said. More residents echoed his comments.

At the Flagler County Commission meeting held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 19, the chair and vice chair elections went without opposition. The newly elected commissioners Pam Richardson and Kim Carney were sworn in for the first time and commissioner Andy Dance took his oath again for the second time. 

The board unanimously elected both Dance and commissioner Leann Pennington to continue in the chair and vice chair positions.

"I do want to thank the commissioners," Dance said. "The importance of being back-to-back chair is not lost on me. It is rare, and I just want to say that I think we've done great work and I look forward to continuing to lead us as we make positive change here in Flagler County."

At the beginning of City Council meeting, former Mayor David Alfin opened the meeting for the last time alongside former Vice Mayor Ed Danko. Before stepping down, Alfin said in his closing remarks that Palm Coast is in a very special place in time.

"At this juncture, our community, has been honoring the fond memories of our past, we are living for today in the reality of our present and we are anticipating tomorrow by planning for our future," he said. 

Alfin said he hopes the new council will and the community will work together to safeguard the city's past, present and future.

"As a new future begins today with our new mayor, Mr. Mike Norris, I am honored to hand over the gavel so we can begin the next journey that evolves together with ingenuity and pride," he said. "I thank you all. I wish you all good luck."

In some of his first comments on the dais, Norris said he doesn't want to be the person making the final decision, an idea he had talked about in his campaign.

"I will, but I shouldn't have to," Norris said. "The city council should come to a consensus, and my vote should just be a foregone conclusion.”

 

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