The Palm Coast City Council held its first business meeting of 2026 on Tuesday, January 6, welcoming new City Manager McLaughlin while addressing resident complaints about deleted city records, noise ordinances, and development concerns.
The meeting opened with a moment of silence for Jim Canfield, the first mayor of Palm Coast, who passed away during the holiday season.
New City Manager Announces Cost Savings
City Manager McLaughlin, in his first official meeting, announced a restructuring that will save the city approximately $230,000 annually. The city is eliminating the chief of staff position and retitling the assistant city manager to deputy city manager, allowing for more shared leadership responsibilities.
“The more that I do get the chance to work one-on-one with our team members, the more impressed that I am,” McLaughlin said of city staff. He noted that his budget message would go out to department directors later in January.
Mayor Norris expressed support for the reorganization, stating that he told McLaughlin “he has every right and authority to restructure this city the way he feels fit for the best use of our monies.”
Resident Alleges City Deleted Inspection Records
Jeremy Davis of Perrotti Lane delivered pointed remarks about what he described as deleted inspection records related to property damage at his home. Davis claimed that inspection comments documenting erosion, drainage failures, and damage to his property were removed from city records on May 3, 2024, the same day a certificate of occupancy was issued for a neighboring property at 62 Parade Lane.
“Those comments were deleted, not corrected, not resolved, deleted. The audit log confirms it,” Davis said. He added that he formally notified the city in April 2024 that records had been altered, but “no action was taken.”
Davis called on the new city manager to address the situation. “Mr. McLaughlin, this is your defining moment. You can choose to protect the public record and the public or protect the paper trail. When records disappear, trust disappears.”
Resident Challenges Council Seat Legitimacy
Jeanie Duarte questioned the legitimacy of the District 4 council seat, arguing that the appointment process violated city charter requirements. She claimed the council only had 30 days to appoint someone to the vacant seat, after which authority transferred to the mayor to call a special election.
“Your attorney failed you. Your vote does not count,” Duarte told the council member. She also criticized the new city manager’s salary, suggesting citizens “never intended to pay a $300,000 plus yearly wage.”
Duarte additionally spoke about delays in receiving public records from the water utilities department, stating one request took two months, and another has been pending for over a month.
Noise Ordinance Change Requested
Kevin, a District 4 resident, asked the council to update the city’s noise ordinance. He explained that code enforcement currently uses only the A-weighted decibel scale, which does not effectively measure low bass frequencies from subwoofers.
“I’ve got a neighbor that blasts music for hours a day that can be heard inside our house,” Kevin said. He requested that the city allow code enforcement to use both the A and C decibel scales.
Council Member Miller requested that staff research how other municipalities handle noise ordinances. Mayor Norris noted that noise complaints often relate to disturbing the peace and can be addressed through the sheriff’s office.
Impact Fee Lawsuit Discussed
Resident Gary Kuna criticized a lawsuit filed by the Home Builders Association challenging the city’s impact fees. Vice Mayor Pontieri responded that the council “stood up against the builders and demanded some pretty justified impact fees in the face of knowing we would probably get sued for them.”
The City Attorney reported that the city has filed a motion to dismiss in the builders’ association case, with a hearing scheduled for February. He noted the association has also filed a motion for summary judgment.
Land Transfer and Parking Expansion Approved
The council unanimously approved two resolutions during the meeting.
The first resolution approved an interlocal agreement with Flagler County to accept 5.44 acres of land near the Intracoastal Waterway for use as a public park. The property is located north of the Hammock Bridge and east of Palm Harbor Parkway. The city will pay closing costs of approximately $6,000 to $8,500 and an estimated $30,000 for repairs and maintenance. The vote was 5-0 in favor.
The second resolution approved expenses for the Indian Trails Sports Complex parking expansion project. Vice Mayor Pontieri expressed interest in accelerating plans to add lights to the fields, noting the investment would allow for more tournaments and tourism dollars. The vote was 5-0 in favor.
The consent agenda, containing four items, was also approved unanimously with a 5-0 vote.
Development Concerns Near Grand Landings
Resident Darlene Shelley raised concerns about a Flagler County planning board agenda item proposing to change the future land use designation on Seminole Woods property from Timberland to multi-use. She said Grand Landings residents were concerned about potential apartments, condos, and retail development on land they were told would remain conservation space.
Vice Mayor Pontieri confirmed that the agenda item had been pulled from the Flagler County planning board after city staff expressed concerns that decisions might be made before Palm Coast was consulted. The city is now working on a pre-annexation agreement with the developer, and the item has been continued to February.
Water Conservation Discussion
Vice Mayor Pontieri requested council consensus to examine water conservation policies as part of the city’s Land Development Code review. She cited statewide concerns about aquifer depletion following population growth after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If we’re having to decide between having good clean drinking water and watering our lawns as much as we want, then those are certain things that we at least need to start talking about,” Pontieri said. The council reached consensus to have staff prepare a presentation on conservation policies.
Community Recognitions
The council recognized several community members who passed away. Council Member Miller announced that Bob McDonald, a regular meeting attendee known for his advocacy for parks and future generations, died during the holidays and had been in hospice care. Mayor Norris recalled McDonald’s vocal opposition to the city’s house paint color ordinance.
Council Member Gambaro recognized Pasqual Martaluchi, a World War II veteran and parishioner at Santa Maria Del Mar church, who turned 100 years old and received a certificate from President Trump before passing away on December 24.
Council Member Sullivan thanked city utility workers for quickly repairing a water main break affecting Grand Haven, noting crews removed a 25,000-pound oak tree and completed the repair in less than a day.
Upcoming Meetings
City Attorney Blair announced that shade meetings would be scheduled to discuss two ongoing litigation cases involving Palm Coast Holdings versus the city and the builders’ association lawsuit. A shade meeting regarding a splash pad matter was scheduled for Thursday at 4 p.m.
The minutes from the December 16, 2025, business meeting were approved unanimously.
The post Palm Coast Welcomes New City Manager as Residents Raise Concerns Over Records and Development first appeared on Flagler County Buzz.
