The Editor’s Notes – Danielle Anderson
I’m not going to lie.
After being in the political arena on the frontlines for more than a decade and following politics since a very young age, there are few things that make my blood pump more than election season. It brings out the best and the worst in about three quarters of America (for the few who don’t follow politics, good for you) and sometimes, if we’re lucky, a person emerges who becomes legendary for their ability to be a real game changer.
While this is not an endorsement of any candidate, here’s what stood out during the Flagler Tiger Bay Club 2021 Palm Coast Mayoral Forum.
Cornelia Manfre proved herself to be a formidable candidate, and once she hit her stride, had no problem answering questions with the analytical mind of a numbers cruncher. She didn’t waste the opportunity to share a softer side, when talking about the city and raising a family in Palm Coast.
Waste not, want not, Manfre was all about collaboration. Ready to do a comprehensive assessment of the amenities currently on the books for the City of Palm Coast, Flagler County and Flagler Schools, to reduce duplication and costs for residents, it’s a frugal approach to use of the tax payer dollar.
In the real estate industry, Manfre’s also seeking to find a floor plan that fits the open canvas Town Center area by using a “there’s more to us” business-friendly approach and a city manager whose administration can walk prospective businesses through the process.
“We’re being looked at now by corporations. The key is to be able to get that corporate representative into Palm Coast, welcomed by Palm Coast and know that they can establish either offices or retail or industrial, but get through the process on a timely basis. That’s where you come down to having proper city manager. Somebody who’s experienced, knowledgeable, welcoming and also making sure that the administration is talking that applicant through the process timely.”
Also on the to-do list is studying what other successful communities are doing, and how to implement those programs in Palm Coast.
“I spend a lot of time looking at other cities and towns and other places. I’m intrigued by The Villages just for what is offers, not that I want this to be The Villages. What is it that they’re offering that attracts people? What is it Margaritaville, that is attracting seniors? I would like to have a study of those and then have a look at the types of programs that the seniors citizens would like to have. I think it’s imperative to have a senior services, senior activity because it keeps them young, and keeps them thriving and involved in the community.”
“As far as keeping the younger generation, we need jobs. And that’s as simple as I can put it.”
It was one of the finer moments for David Alfin, a candidate who has in the past struggled to connect with voters who occasionally characterize him as standoffish.
Private, Alfin was cast into the community’s spotlight with the murder of his son, FBI agent Daniel Alfin this spring, but Wednesday night he allowed the community a glimpse into his family life. Sharing his daughter Melanie’s decision to return to Palm Coast after graduating the University of Central Florida to begin her career in Flagler County, it’s a goal area visionaries aim to see happen, creating deep roots for the budding community.
The wide variety of questions allowed Alfin to speak candidly, and the result was a genuine look at the passion and focus he has for creating opportunity for the youth of the community to grow and stay in Palm Coast, while addressing the immediate needs by leveraging an extensive rolodex of relationships to further enhance the services for residents. Formerly head of an international corporation serving 60 countries before becoming a small, family-business owner as a distributor for Boar’s Head, he’s seen both sides of the coin, and has the expertise to bring people to the table.
Known to be unruffled by drama, on Wednesday night he proved he was willing to fight for the community, and it’s reputation with civility, during a question about the turmoil among city council members, and the form of government selected by the city.
“The role of mayor is to be a leader of that group. I intend through collaboration, consensus, to earn the community’s confidence, unify and work forward on the important initiatives of the City of Palm Coast,” said Alfin during round five.
“I’m not one to walk away or shy away from a fight. I said before, our city council is broken. I’m not about to walk away from that. What I’m about is fixing our city council, making it work the way it has been able to work for some times during the last 20 years since our incorporation, in 1999. I think the structure is correct. I think it’s we elected officials that have to make it work correctly,” he said later in the forum.
Touting roots that date back to the formation of the City of Palm Coast, literally, Doug Courtney’s time as the city’s first clerk clearly left him with a burning desire to serve the public. His sharp, no nonsense answers were those of someone who knows where he stands on an issue, even if it’s not the popular answer and he wasn’t afraid to say it, or ask the tough follow up questions when a statement seemed like an easy answer on Wednesday night.
Part of the planning in the city’s earliest days, addressing where the city will go beyond the next 20 is on his radar, as is his continued support for seniors in Palm Coast when asked about the city’s greatest challenges and the short/long-term vision.
“The greatest challenge for the city right now, two greatest challenges, the first one is hiring a permanent city manager. We’ve to make sure that we have the right person that’s involved in ready to go, can get down on the ground running and is also involved in diversity hiring and wants to do the things we have to do for the city. The second thing is the city budget. There come A and B, and that’s what’s going to happen, so those are the first things we gotta deal with that’s most important.”
“Long-term, I would like to address more what we have to do with the senior citizens. I’d like to create a senior center but I don’t want to do just that. I want to envision where the city is going to go in the next 20 years.”
Bringing a heart for the people to center stage, Carol Bacha, the slate’s most enigmatic candidate, shared her vision along with her unique life and professional experiences with the audience.
Among the evening’s standout moments during the question about diversity, Bacha offered a full-throated defense of city workers, who over the past two years have been on the receiving end of pink slips.
“We have a city manager and she’s woman. You’re not acknowledging it and that makes your statement in my mind null and void. The woman that we have could be our city manager is now been made invisible when we ask the question about hiring a city manager. That is not is what the city council, so far, has decided. They have decided to take internally and place Denise (Bevan) as the city manager and we need to keep our city workers affirmed that they won’t lose their jobs to the bullying of politics.”
The Other Candidates:
Alan Lowe declined to attend.
Kathy Austrino attended the forum as a spectator.
Featured Photo: Panelists Pastor Charles Silano, businessman Scott Campion, moderator Teldra Jones, panelists Lovie Haley, Alex Soares and Pastor Andrew Hale take part in the 2021 Flagler Tiger Bay Club special election Palm Coast Mayoral Forum on June 23, 2021 at the Palm Coast Community Center.
To watch the 2021 Palm Coast Mayoral Candidate Forum Presented by the Flagler Tiger Bay Club, click here.
