City of Palm Coast to Annex Flagler County Government Administration Complex
Jealousy of Flagler’s opulent administrative and judicial campus is thought to have sparked Jim Landon’s bold strategy for a new city hall.
Palm Coast, FL – April 1, 2012 – According to a source with intimate knowledge of workings of the city’s government, the City of Palm Coast has initiated a move to annex the Flagler County Government Administration Complex on SR100. Once the annexation is completed, the city plans to gain title through eminent domain. The plan includes a physical move of the administration building to Town Center where it will serve as Palm Coast’s new city hall. Jealousy of Flagler’s opulent administrative and judicial campus is thought to have sparked City Manager Jim Landon’s bold strategy.GoToby.com’s source insists on anonymity because the person is not authorized to discuss the workings of city government with residents of the city.
According to Landon, the estimated $10 million cost of the move will not affect property taxes. "We will be using money that the city already has," he says.
Naturally upset with the city’s apparent bullying tactics, the Flagler Board of County Commissioners tasked Commissioner George Hanns to go toe-to-toe with Landon over the issue. However, after taking one look around, Landon left the meeting thinking that Hanns was not there. Bulldog Drive will be widened to accommodate the building’s size during the move. Landon says the requirement offers the city a long awaited opportunity to enhance the gateway into Town Center. According to Landon, the Bulldog Drive upgrade will be funded with anticipated profits from the city’s golf course and tennis complex.
City Councilman Bill Lewis feels that the city’s plan does not go far enough. He thinks the Flagler County Airport should be annexed and titled to the city too. Lewis is miffed that he was excluded from the VIP tent at the airport’s recent Wings Over Flagler air show. A News Journal article quotes Lewis as saying, "I was really surprised that Palm Coast, the big gorilla, was snubbed over the weekend at the air show. We weren’t even invited" (Actually, everyone was invited, as long as they bought a ticket.) Gorillas shouldn’t have to buy tickets. Lewis wants to teach the county a lesson. He is already planning his next year’s sky diving entrance to the event. The show organizer, Bill Mills, has volunteered to pack the councilman’s chute?
At a recent City Council workshop, Mayor Jon Netts, suggested an amendment to the city’s impact fee ordinance to include a Bureaucracy Impact Fee. The city already has school, recreation and parks, fire and rescue system, and transportation impact fees. Impact fees are assessed against builders and new businesses to cover the cost of providing added public services necessitated by additional growth. Netts argued that government also grows as new homes and businesses are built and deserves its own impact fee. If you’ve read this far without becoming suspicious, I’ve got some great building lots in Flagler Estates (northwest corner of the county) to sell you. 168 lots were sold in the past six years for over $15,000; two for over $50,000 even though the lots are unbuildable. They’re assessed for $300 each. I hope you enjoy April Fools’ Day as much as I do.
Now that you’re in on the joke, feel free to pass the story on to your friends.
Read past April 1st articles:
Economic Development Team story
Hoo Ha – Pleeeeeaaseee ! Don’t we remember this from last year… What a hoot..
Wha ?
Toby, you are too funny. I was a fair distance through the article & wondering how on earth are they going to transport the buildings? … let alone widening Bulldog… when it finally started to dawn on me … this can’t be true. Got me! However, in my defense I had not had my morning coffee.
Great
Toby, great April Fools joke, actually read the title and thought "not in this lifetime" this is April Fools joke, County would disband before giving up their Taj Mahal (sp). Good thought though, its certainly big enough for everyone.
SURPRISE…..SURPRISE
APRIL FOOLS TRICK OR NOT……NOTHING THAT OUR ESTEEMED CITY MANAGER DOES WOULD SURPRISE ME…….HE JUST LOVES TO SPEND THE TAXPAYERS MONEY……………..
Great spoof
I was amazed at the headline but saw the date and so was suspicious. But….it seems like something the city really would like to do. Great spoof!
Good job!
You might get a couple of grouches complaining to you. Ignore them. It was good clean fun and the Lord knows we need more humor amongst our politicians and voters alike.
Love the Humor…but you know what they say.
The truth is often said in jest so behave. My husband doesn’t know how to pack parachutes!
Let’s hope next year the event is bigger and better 🙂 Kimberly