The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 4 approved a professional services agreement to hire Michael Rodriguez as the county attorney, with an expected start date of Aug. 11, 2025.

Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas presented the draft agreement and outlined key terms: an annual salary of $195,000, a $500 monthly vehicle allowance, participation in the county’s fringe benefits and Florida Retirement System options, and an at‑will employment arrangement that the administration said aligns with Florida practice for county attorneys. The agreement requires the county attorney to provide a written four‑week resignation notice if they choose to leave. Salinas said statutory limits on severance apply and referenced applicable Florida statutes governing termination and severance.

Michael Rodriguez, who addressed the board, said the contract’s open-ended, at‑will structure was intentional to avoid creating a fixed-term employment contract that could create legal inconsistencies with Florida statutes regulating severance. “By leaving it open-ended… we both are voluntarily agree,” Rodriguez said in the meeting transcript, adding the structure aligns with contracts in other jurisdictions.

Commissioners discussed several contract details during the review session: annual performance evaluations (scheduled each fiscal year between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30), a cost‑of‑living mechanism tied to the consumer price index and the possibility of merit increases, and participation in the county’s paid time off plan. Commissioners and staff also discussed accrued paid time off caps and a county review of the broader PTO policy; Salinas said administration and HR are drafting a policy to limit leave liability and to consider short‑term disability as an alternative for employees who accumulate leave for extended illnesses.

Public comment at the workshop and special meeting included praise for Rodriguez’s qualifications and calls from at least one speaker for more board control over retention of outside counsel. A resident urged the board to require a supermajority vote before outside counsel is hired, arguing that previous practice led to unnecessary outside‑counsel spending. That speaker also asked the incoming county attorney to review outstanding cases and the demolition and debris situation at the Old Dixie Hotel property.

At the special meeting immediately after the workshop the board moved and seconded the agreement and approved it unanimously. Commissioner (name on motion record) moved to approve the professional services agreement; the motion was seconded and carried with all commissioners voting in the affirmative. The board then voted unanimously to appoint Deputy County Attorney Sean Moylan as interim county attorney until Rodriguez’s Aug. 11 start date.

Why this matters: The contract establishes pay, benefits and administrative procedures for the county’s chief legal officer and starts an immediate transition process. Commissioners asked for additional clarity on PTO caps and directed administration to bring a revised, consistent PTO policy forward for review.

Ending: The board will consider administrative policy changes on accrued leave and will complete the transition to the new county attorney on Aug. 11, 2025.