Residents, commissioners press for clarity on beach funding, MSBU and referendum timing

Several residents urged Flagler County commissioners on Sept. 3 to resolve a long-running debate over how to fund beach nourishment and maintenance, pressing the board for clearer timelines and for meetings with affected municipalities. Public commenters asked the board either to place a half-cent sales tax on a county ballot or to clarify alternatives such as ad valorem increases or targeted assessments for the Barrier Island.

Why it matters: Beach nourishment is the county’s principal long-term coastal infrastructure issue, and speakers said uncertainty about funding risks tourism dollars and homeowner exposure. Commissioners directed staff to arrange meetings with nearby municipalities and to provide written definitions and talking points before the next public hearings.

The messages from residents were blunt. “A fair and equitable funding method is available to you right now… it’s that one half-cent sales tax,” said Laura Stillman, who identified herself as a Barrier Island resident in Marineland Acres. Ed Pape, also from Marineland Acres, argued the sales-tax route “gives you a multiplier…