To make it easy for our community, the following are “Key Findings” from the Palm Coast Investigation into Mayor Mike Norris.

A copy of the actual investigation can be found at the link below.

Unlawful Interference in City Operations

Mayor Norris unilaterally attempted to fire Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo—without Council authority, a direct violation of the Palm Coast Charter.
The City Attorney warned Norris multiple times that he had no such authority.

Abusive and Intimidating Behavior

Mayor Norris used profanity and threats toward staff, including:
“I’m going to fire your f—ing ass.”
“If you don’t make me look good, I’ll fire your ass.”
“I’m going to choke him out” (about an economic development director).
Employees described a culture of fear, low morale, and retaliation.

Inappropriate and Sexist Comments

Called a female staffer’s toenail polish “f—ing trash bag color.”
Mocked the Acting City Manager’s clothing, saying she looked like “Hillary Clinton in a pantsuit.”
Commented that he “can’t have another woman up here in City Hall.”

Hostile Work Environment

Berated city employees in public and private, calling the Communications team’s work “horseshit” and “garbage.”
Claimed he had “spider webs” feeding him internal information—instilling fear and distrust among staff.

Potential Age Discrimination

Urged HR to hire “younger people” because “older employees cost more.”
Publicly expressed desire to get rid of long-time and older staff.

Unprofessional Conduct with Developers

Told developers: “I don’t give a shit about Town Center.”
Dismissed years of public-private partnerships with a shocking disregard for economic progress.
Caused businesses to avoid contact with City Hall due to safety and professionalism concerns.

⚖️ The Bottom Line:

Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris has been unanimously censured by the City Council following an independent investigation that revealed multiple violations of the city charter and a pattern of unprofessional conduct.

Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri was particularly pointed in her remarks, stating, “I feel that what the mayor has done is the act of a coward.”

Council member Charles Gambaro described the investigation’s findings as “extremely disturbing,” highlighting Norris’ “wild accusations against his counsel, members of our single staff, members of our community, enough without any supporting facts to his claims.”

The investigation confirmed that Mayor Norris exceeded his authority by seeking the resignations of Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo, actions that directly contravene the city’s “weak mayor” system, where such powers are not vested in the mayor.

Council member Ty Miller emphasized the severity of the violations, stating, “The findings outline repeat violations of the city charter, not just once or twice, but multiple times. If any employee regular were judged by these standards, they would have been terminated, plain and simple. That would not be tolerated in a normal workplace.”

In a pointed editorial, FlaglerLive’s Pierre Tristam criticized Norris’ leadership style, suggesting that he “would benefit from giving his Napoleonic ego a four-year sabbatical and from giving up the illusion that his power is more than one-fifth of the council’s, that his word is law, or that the mayor’s position is defined by authority more than ceremony.”

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