Voters in Palm Coast will choose a mayor and two council members in the general election. These races are non-partisan, and open to all voters inside the Palm Coast city limits. All three races were initially on the ballot in the August primary, but as no candidate in any of the races received more than 50% of the votes in that contest, the top two finishers in each race advance to the November election. The city’s voters will also see a proposed charter amendment related to the city council’s contracting authority.
News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
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Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.
| MAYORAL CANDIDATES |
Cornelia Downing Manfre
Occupation: Real estate investment advisor
Age: 67
Family: James L. Manfre husband and 3 children
Education: Fordham University-BA Urban Studies & French
Political experience: ‘Ran for City Council & Mayor. Wife of former Sheriff Manfre
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Need to hire a educated & experienced City Manager, expand commercial tax base by encouraging business development, and review and update existing infrastructure throughout the City.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I have over 40 years of business experience, 20 years of which working for Fortune 100 firms in New York. Trained in negotiation and financial forecasting, I bring a business approach to government spending and administration.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Brought business expansion to the City, encouraged expansion of arts and culture in the area and preserved area greenways.
Campaign website: www.cornelia4palmcoast.com
Campaign social media: Instagram | Facebook
Mike Norris
Occupation: Retired Military Officer and owner of two small businesses in the city (Palm Coast Pressure Washing & Paint and Aloha Critters of Palm Coast).
Age: 54
Family: Mike is married to the former Ms. Tracey Lynn Ruddy, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a retired Detective from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and has two sons, Christian (24) a U.S. Navy Lieutenant JG, and Sean (19) a junior at Florida State University. Mike and Tracey are the owners of two small businesses here in Palm Coast, Palm Coast Pressure Washing and Paint and Aloha Critters of Palm Coast
Education: Masters degrees in Management & Leadership and in Human Resources Management from the Webster University Walker School of Business & Technology.
Political experience: ‘2016 to Present, Flagler County Republican Executive Committeeman. District 510
2005 Political Science Bachelor Degree, Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma
2004 Internship, Comanche County GOP, Lawton, Oklahoma
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Failing Infrastructure. Our city’s infrastructure is aging and is being strained by the upsurge in growth. We have to prioritize resources to address critical systems that support our residents’ well-being. This includes safe and well-maintained roadways, a fully functioning storm water system, and safe water. Our priorities for state revenues should be concentrated towards shoring up existing infrastructure before expanding our city’s boundaries.
Lack of industries and employment opportunities. This can be accomplished by attracting industrial growth and employment opportunities by promoting the strategic location of our wonderful city. This means increasing industrial zoning in the city, specifically to attract industries
seeking to capitalize on access to an active railroad system, the I-95 corridor, and the close proximity of the Jacksonville port. Approximately 25,000 residents commute out of our county each morning for work, that is 23% of the total population of the county. A significant portion of these folks are career minded professionals who are unable to find employment that provides livable wages, because those types of industries are just not available in our city and county. We need to significantly diversify our economy in order to ease the tax burden of our residents. Some 90% of our city’s budget comes from residential property taxes, which is unsustainable without undue burden on our citizens. The only way to correct these shortcomings is to aggressively promote and recruit industries who manufacture products and services on a larger scale, which will provide higher wages. We are ideally positioned to accomplish these goals while maintaining the “Old Florida” feel that makes our city such an ideal place to live.
Out of control development and urban sprawl. I will concentrate on smart growth and expansion of the city by promoting sustainable development. This means balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility, encouraging the development of green spaces and parks, and creating pedestrian friendly neighborhoods that reduce reliance on cars. With the passing of the Live Local Act, we have to ensure that we use the pedestrian friendly city concept to encourage the development of the town center area of the city. No further expansion of the city boundaries should happen until our existing infrastructure is capable of sustaining the exponential growth of what could be a doubling our city’s footprint.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I have more than 30 years of leadership experience and public service. Having served in the military as both an enlisted soldier and officer for more than 24 years, I have been trained to lead people and organizations. Those skills gained during my military career enabled me to seamlessly transition to other civil service positions at both the state and federal level.
I became a federal civil servant in 2016, as an Anti-terrorism and Critical Infrastructure Protection Officer with the U.S. Marine Corps on the island of Okinawa, Japan.
While in that position I was tasked, as the second in the civilian chain of command to the Camp Director of Camps Foster, Lester, and Plaza, with making decisions for the good of more than 40,000 constituents. These constituents were comprised of military service members, Department of Defense civilian employees, their dependents, and Japanese nationals who worked on these installations. I was highly involved in the revitalization and total upgrades of infrastructure projects on these facilities, as part of the Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC).
During this assignment I was responsible for managing and synchronizing camp functions, through subordinates, to direct substantial workload requirements for successful operation of Camp Foster, Camp Lester, Fort Buckner, Taiyo Golf Course, and Plaza Housing Area.
These responsibilities required considerable coordination and integration of a number of major work assignments, infrastructure projects, and program segments of professional, technical, managerial. and administrative work. The scope of this work includes facility management, disaster preparedness and recovery, logistics, community relations, safety, environmental compliance, morale and welfare, quality of life improvements, mission assurance, training site resource management, contracting oversight, base access, community planning, and family and bachelor housing assignments. I have an expanded world view thanks to my overseas service and numerous deployments, which offer a perspective that few citizens will ever acquire in their work experien e. That experience is invaluable in local leadership positions. As a veteran, all of my life experiences make me a pragmatic and fair leader.
I also hold Masters degrees in Management & Leadership and in Human Resources Management from the Webster University Walker School of Business & Technology.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Being a fiscally conservative and effective leader who improved the city’s infrastructure and brought well paying employment opportunities to our city.
Campaign website: norris4mayor.com
Campaign social media: X | Facebook | YouTube
| COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES |
Ty Miller
This candidate has not yet responded to email and phone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If any responses are received, they will be promptly added to this space.
Campaign website: votetymiller.com
Campaign social media: Facebook
Jeffery Cortland Seib
Occupation: retired
Age: 75
Family: I live in Palm Coast with my wife of 29 years and my special needs stepdaughter Michelle.
Education: BS 1975, MS 1977, additional courses Wharton School of Business University of Florida, Accounting Principles, Human Resources management.
Political experience: In 1999 I ran for Flagler County Commission, lost 53% to 47%.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Growth at a sustainable level, maintaining residents’ quality of life, preserving Palm Coast green spaces and a low tax community.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
My extensive knowledge of the issues and speaking out and interacting with council members, and city staff, and my eight-year presence on the Citys Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee where I researched the Citys Comprehensive plan and Land Development Codes
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Making Palm Coast into the great city it has the potential to become.
Campaign website: seibforcity.com
Campaign social media: (None listed)
| COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATES |
Ray Stevens
Occupation: Retired Police Lieutenant New York, Former Deputy Sheriff Pinellas County Florida
Age: early 70s
Family: Widower
Education: Degree Pace University N.Y. with Distinction
Political experience: Never held an elected position
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
The three challenges facing Palm Coast, in addition to infrastructure maintenance, are over development and or poorly planned development, holding the line on taxes and the need for a conduit to enhance the ability for public input in determining the future of Palm Coast.
I want to be clear, I am not opposed to development that, to varying degrees, is inevitable. What I would like to see is the city council take a step back and consider all the consequences of each proposed major development project will have on the infrastructure and the quality of life here in Palm Coast before approval. I would also like to see an end, except in hardship cases, to the up-zoning and rezoning taking place which is in many cases contributing to the problems I mentioned above. Let’s not loose sight of the fact that Palm Coast was intended and marketed to be a retirement community.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
My last assignment before I retired from N.Y. was that of Administrative Lieutenant. My duties and responsibilities were, but not limited to, Personnel Management, Public Information, Information Services, Special Events Planning, Development of Traffic Facilitation Plans and Problem Intersection Assessment.
I believe the experience gained as an Administrative Lieutenant uniquely qualifies me to serve on the city council. After all the city council is an administrative body.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Returning common sense to government and putting the best interests and desires of the people over any personal agenda.
Campaign website: None listed
Campaign social media: Facebook
Andrew Werner
Occupation: School Psychologist
Age: 45
Family: Married with Children
Education: ‘-Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice
-Master’s degree of Counseling Psychology
-Educational Specialist, master’s degree in School Psychology
Political experience: N/A
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
I believe local government has the top priority of providing residents with an enhanced quality of life. Safety, clean environment, top of the line services, and the community’s voice in government are all ways that contribute to quality of life and will be foundations of my campaign. Good governance puts its resident’s priorities, including life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, at the very top of the list and does what it can to stay out of the way.
Another top priority will be attracting quality businesses and jobs to the city of Palm Coast. As the city continues to grow, we need to provide a way for our residents to live, work, and play within the city limits. Currently, our city budget it too dependent on property tax from residential homeowners and we need industry to support our residents and working families.
I also really believe Palm Coast needs to focus on attracting and retaining young families to the area. We are a safe community (rated 2nd safest city in Florida), have great schools, and have proximity to great beaches. We need to focus on adding to our community elements that will benefit our young families like the recent opening of the local splash pad. It is our duty to foster an environment that would enhance the lives of our youth through outdoor activities, top of the line sports facilities, programs, and healthy life opportunities. Our children are our future, and we should always look to leave them with a better life than what we were afforded before them.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
Our country’s founders believed that governing power was derived by the will of the people. In order to know the will of the people, you need to listen. My skills set as a counselor and school psychologist has prepared me to understand the needs of others and work through the problem-solving process to come up with solutions. As a member of multiple leadership teams throughout my career, I am trained in how to listen, advocate, and represent the needs of my community. I also believe in looking at data to make the most informed determination that will result in positive outcomes.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Every leader that has the best interest of others in mind wants to be remembered as someone who treated others with respect, worked hard to solve problems, and put people in place where they can thrive in their giftings. All of this should be done with the mission of serving others and putting their needs first. I hope to lead by the example set by the ultimate servant and to be known as someone who showed the value of giving back to others.
Campaign website: werner4council.com
Campaign social media: Facebook
Palm Coast Charter Amendment 1
As explained on a city website about the proposal, the Palm Coast City Council is currently not allowed to enter into lease purchase contracts or other unfunded multiyear contracts that have repayments exceeding three years or $15 million, a “pay as you go” approach. This proposal is explained as a way to give city leaders more flexibility in addressing critical needs.
Shall Article VI of the Charter be amended by removing provision (3)(e) related to fiscal Contracting Authority that limits the City’s ability to enter into public private partnerships, have the ability to address growth by having future residents contribute to infrastructure costs, respond to emergencies and use available financial instruments including, but not limited to, bonds.
- Yes
- No