December 2, 2025 — Palm Coast, FL
City council meetings are often dry affairs filled with zoning discussions and budget amendments. But for those who stick around for public comment, the real show begins when residents step up to the microphone. Monday night’s Palm Coast City Council meeting did not disappoint, featuring everything from felony accusations against city employees to heated debate over the new city manager’s $225,000 compensation package.
Table of Contents
Part I: General Public Comments
- “A Third-Degree Felony” — Resident Accuses City of Criminal Cover-Up
- The Chick-fil-A Report
- “Is He Controlling Your Meeting?”
- A Rare Moment of Gratitude
- “Teresa Pontieri Is Infringing on Many Rights”
- “I Will Die Before You Build It”
- The Pool Uprising Continues
Part II: City Manager Contract Comments
Final Thoughts
Part I: General Public Comments
“A Third-Degree Felony” — Resident Accuses City of Criminal Cover-Up
Jeremy Davis came loaded for bear, armed with a 128-page audit log and accusations that would make a prosecutor blush. Davis alleged that on May 3rd, 2024, a city employee “permanently deleted” official records showing that DR Horton’s construction was causing damage to his property — the same day a certificate of occupancy was issued.
“That deletion meets the definition of a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 839.13 — falsifying or altering public records.”
Davis didn’t stop there. He directly addressed Vice Mayor Pontieri: “On April 11th, 2024, I warned you… that inspection notes on this permit were being rewritten. You knew. You were notified. You did nothing.”
His demands? Reopen his flooding case, issue code violations, and suspend city employees pending a criminal investigation. He left evidence packets for every council member.
The takeaway: Whether his claims hold water (pun intended), Davis clearly did his homework and wasn’t afraid to name names.
The Chick-fil-A Report
Not all public comments are explosive. Kirk Whittington took a lighter approach, updating Council Member Sullivan on the new Chick-fil-A grand opening.
“You were right — it was an insane situation. I’ve never seen the BJ’s parking lot this full before,” Whittington reported. “I managed to get to the door. I never got in.”
He also took time to encourage all council members to seek re-election, noting that “too many people think it’s an easy thing to be a politician. It’s not.”
The takeaway: Sometimes public comment is just neighborly conversation — with chicken sandwich updates.
“Is He Controlling Your Meeting?”
Jeannie Duarte didn’t mince words about the last council meeting, criticizing the mayor for repeatedly looking to City Attorney Duffy for permission to allow public comment.
“He’s shaking his head no. It’s all in video.”
When she previously asked the mayor about it, she claims he responded: “You don’t accept my answers — just don’t contact me anymore.”
Her parting shot? A demand that the city manager’s raises be put on a public referendum.
The takeaway: Duarte has clearly been watching the video archives and taking notes.
A Rare Moment of Gratitude
Mark Webb broke from the evening’s combative tone to simply say thank you. He praised the city’s efforts to stream meetings on YouTube, calling it a win for transparency.
“I have reached out publicly to as many citizens as possible to let them know about the efforts you guys are doing,” Webb said. “Just wanted to applaud you tonight.”
The mayor’s response: “God bless whoever that was.”
The takeaway: Positivity exists — even at city council meetings.
“Teresa Pontieri Is Infringing on Many Rights”
Kathy Austrino delivered a detailed timeline of emails allegedly showing Vice Mayor Teresa Pontieri inserting herself — along with the city manager and city attorney — into private business communications.
“Neither of them corrected Teresa when she insisted that I was lying at the November 18 meeting.”
Austrino presented a stack of evidence she demanded be entered into the public record, concluding with:
“It should be investigated.”
The takeaway: Email chains can come back to haunt you, especially when angry constituents start filing public records requests.
“I Will Die Before You Build It”
Perhaps the evening’s most passionate speaker was Yagav Slavotsky, representing seniors over 70 who want a heated year-round swimming pool and sauna.
“Current facilities — gym, tennis, pickleball — is good, but for younger people,” he explained, noting that seniors need low-impact exercise options. He presented 93 signatures from fellow seniors who currently pay $5 to access a school pool — which is also closed.
His memorable plea to the council:
“I will die before you give it to the clerk.”
The mayor urged him to submit his petition. Slavotsky assured him he was “ready to resolve” and would submit it.
The takeaway: When a senior citizen tells you they’ll die waiting, the urgency is real.
The Pool Uprising Continues
Regina Bernier followed up on the aquatic theme with pointed questions:
“Who is in charge of the swimming pool problem in Palm Coast? We don’t know.”
She questioned why the aquatic center closes for five months when the population has doubled.
Brandon Tarasi — whom the mayor jokingly noted “looks like a retired Marine” — echoed the frustration. “Being closed now for five months is just absolutely ridiculous,” he said, adding that the pool provides essential relief for seniors who “can’t go do things like we used to anymore.”
The takeaway: The pool issue clearly has legs — or at least a lot of frustrated swimmers.
Part II: City Manager Contract Comments
The council considered a resolution approving a contract with newly selected City Manager Michael McGlothlin, effective December 17, 2025, with an annual salary of $225,000 plus benefits. The compensation package drew sharp criticism from residents.
“Citizens Are Paying Out Their Butts For This”
Jeannie Duarte returned to the microphone — this time delivering a line-by-line takedown of the proposed contract, questioning nearly every benefit:
- 320 hours vacation — “That’s EIGHT WEEKS. Does he really get that much?”
- $6,000 car allowance
- 17% retirement contribution
- 2% annual raises
- No benefit reduction clause — “If he gets an assessment in a year and he’s not doing crap, excuse my language, he needs to be reassessed. But in the contract it shows he can’t have his benefits reduced. Scratch that.“
- Upfront vacation accrual — “If he’s here for a couple months, takes a vacation, and you fire him — he gets another $34,000.”
Her conclusion:
“This is not a fair contract. It’s totally to his benefit, and the citizens of Palm Coast are paying out their butts for this.”
The takeaway: Someone actually read the entire contract — and they have thoughts.
“$4 Versus $4,000”
James Team put the manager’s compensation in stark personal terms. While the new city manager would receive automatic 2% annual raises — roughly $4,000 per year — Team described his own reality:
“I got $80 increase in my social security. After Medicare increase, water and sewer increase, FPL and others — I come up with $4 net. Four dollars against $4,000.”
He also questioned the emergency overtime provisions and suggested that at $225,000, many of the extras should simply be absorbed into the salary.
The takeaway: When residents start comparing their fixed incomes to executive compensation, the math gets uncomfortable.
A Voice of Support
Not everyone opposed the contract. Mark Webb — the same resident who earlier praised the city’s YouTube transparency efforts — returned to support the council’s thorough vetting process:
“You’ve been through a lot of people to get to this man. We’ve been through this for a couple of years. Managers are hard to find. They’re very good people. You have a very good attorney here. He’s worth his money.”
His conclusion: “I approve of everything you’ve done.”
The takeaway: Even controversial decisions have their supporters.
Final Thoughts
Monday night’s meeting showcased democracy at its most unfiltered. Residents came armed with audit logs, email timelines, 93-signature petitions, and detailed contract analyses. Some demanded criminal investigations. Others just wanted to know why they can’t swim year-round.
The new city manager’s $225,000 salary drew particular ire, with residents questioning everything from vacation accrual to retirement contributions. But as one supporter noted, good managers are hard to find — and Palm Coast has been searching for years.
Whether outrageous, heartfelt, or mundane, these three-minute windows give residents a voice. And occasionally, some very memorable quotes.
The Palm Coast City Council meets regularly. Meetings are available on YouTube for those who enjoy local government drama.
Leave a Comment