[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6309235,"mediaKeyId","2413651-61afdd8dfc29cd187419e5ed584383aa","parentId",2413651,"title","Flagler Humane Society draws council scrutiny on capacity, finances and governance after public comments","audioSeconds",110,"startMs",3531000,"endMs",3641000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2413651-61afdd8dfc29cd187419e5ed584383aa&start=3531&end=3641","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2413651-61afdd8dfc29cd187419e5ed584383aa/thumbnail_3531000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6309235/Palm-Coast-City/Flagler-County/Florida/Flagler-Humane-Society-draws-council-scrutiny-on-capacity-finances-and-governance-after-public-comments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6309235-d416b75ad2d47b228071e17abc502da6/orig.mp4?Expires=1777168574&Signature=J98D2R1kRDRJYvwpP0BmN03tVcM1ctqmZNTEQUSavWP~4r92J1y7asaVqaPdYgpQwBSsR1hOAC4-TFJmZu9S2RalAgDeLxwLZ-YOfsAEnuXQd0IYF0A5ntcEufjW2ruiQNWxm3qHfs7XkhVYN2r~rYP~IaRjGC4QezKPCiZGCRvHm9bNMFabScOFZaYdJwASRBYDaz7Qgk5sA0azxivTvPMcw0AD-YhlnHoL5-NoKOnxh5L5c7IL~dsCwnozbXasUGbXELjSWr3Ydvch2NQRzMX7gGW~Ee0ABls1U8VkF9Z8aiYEEhcyHgHSCnJmtn0dA3ZPeKiHACP80e2iRGh3pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Palm Coast, FL","date","2025-02-27T04:37:28.2Z","article","Flagler Humane Society’s executive director presented the nonprofit’s operations, programs and outcomes to the Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday while a large number of residents used the council workshop to raise concerns about animal care, governance and transparency.

Amy Caritenuto told the council FHS is an open-admission, full-service shelter founded in 1980 that operates a 15,000-square-foot facility built in 2004 and serves Flagler County. “Of the 67 counties in Florida, we are 1 of only 13 counties that are deemed no kill,” Caritenuto said, citing the no-kill benchmark used in shelter medicine.

Why it matters: the city’s contract with Flagler Humane Society that pays the nonprofit for sheltering municipal animals expires at the end of the fiscal year. Council members said they will seek more documentation before negotiating or approving future funding because residents raised allegations that require review and because the city’s per-animal payment appears well below the shelter’s reported per-animal cost.

Key figures and finance questions: Caritenuto told the council the shelter’s “hard costs” average about $500 per dog or puppy when animals require no illness treatment; the nonprofit receives roughly one-quarter of that amount from local government contracts, she said. Caritenuto said the city of Palm Coast pays $95 per dog or cat intake; she said Flagler County pays $132 per animal. Council members pressed for the basis of the $95 payment and for the shelter’s financial records and capital plan.

Public comments and allegations: more than a dozen residents spoke. Several former volunteers and other speakers alleged animals had been euthanized unnecessarily, cited specific cases and asked for an independent investigation; one speaker said a puppy left overnight at the shelter by a deputy was euthanized. Other residents and volunteers defended the shelter, described positive adoption outcomes and urged cooperation among community providers.

Board governance and bylaws: multiple council members said they were concerned by the shelter’s refusal — at least initially — to provide its bylaws when requested late the night before the workshop. City leaders noted that best practice for nonprofits is to be transparent about governance documents when public funds are involved. The shelter’s legal representative said the request arrived late and advised the organization to review the request before release; the shelter indicated it would provide access for council or the city attorney to review the bylaws.

Programs and services described: Caritenuto outlined FHS programs that include low-cost spay/neuter, wellness and vaccine clinics, microchipping, lost-and-found outreach, trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) for community cats and emergency evacuation support as Flagler County’s coordinator for ESF-17 (pet-friendly emergency evacuation shelters). She said the shelter sends periodic assistance requests to national partners and sometimes accepts animals from other jurisdictions for placement and adoption.

Council reaction and next steps: Vice Mayor Panieri and Council member Miller emphasized the need for financial transparency, a capital-plan for expansion and clearer documentation about intake and euthanasia practices. The city attorney said the council can require bylaws and financials as part of the partnership and contract negotiation. Council members asked staff and the humane society to provide bylaws, financial records, the shelter’s strategic/capital plan and adoption/euthanasia records for review before any contract renewal.

Ending: No formal contract decision was made at the Feb. 25 workshop. Council members and shelter representatives agreed to follow up: the shelter will make documents available for review and the council will consider that information as the city approaches contract renewal later this fiscal year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Business Meeting - February 25, 2025 Part 1 of 3","oneSentenceSummary","At a Feb. 25 Palm Coast workshop, Flagler Humane Society executive director Amy Caritenuto presented shelter operations and outcomes while residents raised allegations about care and governance. Council members asked for bylaws, financials and a capital plan ahead of contract negotiations.","taxTitle","Palm Coast City, Flagler County, Florida","taxId",3807,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6309240,"Palm Coast narrows city manager search, adds new semifinalists; council to review candidates March 11",2661,371000,3032000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2413651-61afdd8dfc29cd187419e5ed584383aa&start=371&end=3032","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2413651-61afdd8dfc29cd187419e5ed584383aa/thumbnail_371000.jpg","/articles/6309240/Palm-Coast-City/Flagler-County/Florida/Palm-Coast-narrows-city-manager-search-adds-new-semifinalists-council-to-review-candidates-March-11","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6309240-40692d072a70e13c7487144c84c80b07/orig.mp4?Expires=1777168574&Signature=d6njGspP5MVI0KeAATJXZ09NDI9sMLksuMrFCEQRlZlyi-luoHox~liu7whZ-8g1qa~u-g9twnCswh-KmyU7sZhiin9z6Ofa~80X2ObbGe66W9SjoKnSwsVIX-UhmdI3NJNDp2MC2m3VPb~-zM~tvUpA5TLeqF-7Ew5V3aqPAvDpF-NCDrvJXopHz0Bim5~TAw0amoWhy0ZDASowy3AWdBkQd9INq2SllJu~lSEWukCxXmSoNaya-2Tmg~xHleiNBct7hrTP2PqPYRGmFznw6YzCrtm3bTu3FV8HnQYs09jbwsJQwevhf5FW1NXwwjVTn5UKdcxxjnC4jNZEyZaK-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday advanced additional candidates in its search for a new city manager after a presentation by SGR, the executive search firm managing the recruitment. Council members agreed to add semifinalists from a recent outreach round and to review submitted materials at a March 11 meeting.

SGR consultant Doug Thomas told the council the firm reopened outreach after concerns that the initial posting occurred around the holidays and that the supplemental effort produced 11 additional applicants from six states. “As a result of that work … we ended up with having 11 additional candidates,” Thomas said during the workshop presentation.

Why it matters: the city has been operating with an open city manager position and wants to settle on a permanent appointment before mid-2025. The council’s selection of semifinalists moves the search toward on-site interviews and gives members time to vet candidates’ written materials and interview videos.

What the council did: council members used a ranked triage process to select six candidates from the newly presented pool to advance to the next round. Those six will be added to five candidates previously advanced, creating an 11-person semifinalist pool the firm will assemble for review. The council did not make a final appointment at the Feb. 25 workshop.

SGR’s next steps: Thomas and SGR colleague Michael said they will collect cover letters, resumes, candidate questionnaire responses and links to video interviews and deliver that packet to council and staff. SGR told the council it will return March 11 prepared to help the body narrow the semifinalists to three to five finalists for on-site interviews and to propose an interview schedule.

Candidate background and council comments: Thomas summarized the new applicants’ backgrounds (local government executives, public works directors, military and operations leaders, and grants/economic development professionals). Several council members voiced interest in advancing specific candidates who had prior ties to comparable communities; the council explicitly discussed moving Sonia Alves Avivieros forward, and Councilman Charlie (last name on record as Thompson) spoke in support of Tom Hansberger based on military leadership references he had checked.

Process and timeline: SGR said the city can have up to 12 semifinalists but that the current pool stands at 11 after one candidate withdrew. Council members and SGR emphasized that advancing candidates to the semifinal round is not a final selection — the March 11 meeting is the scheduled milestone for additional narrowing and selection of finalists for on-site interviews.

What’s next: staff will distribute candidate materials to council members before March 11. The council will vote at a future meeting to determine which finalists will be brought in for on-site interviews and subsequent reference checks.

Ending: The council did not take a final hiring vote at the Feb. 25 workshop; the next substantive decision point is the March 11 meeting, when members will review the packet SGR compiles and decide which candidates to invite for on-site interviews.","The Palm Coast City Council reviewed new applicants from executive search firm SGR on Feb. 25 and agreed by consensus to advance additional semifinalists into the ongoing city manager search. Council and the firm set a March 11 review to narrow the pool to finalists for on-site interviews.","actionData","errors"]

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Flagler Humane Society draws council scrutiny on capacity, finances and governance after public comments

Palm Coast narrows city manager search, adds new semifinalists; council to review candidates March 11