Flagler County reviews plan for Industrial Development Authority, hears from 10 eligible applicants

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners spent part of its May 28 workshop reviewing a proposed Industrial Development Authority and meeting a field of applicants who seek appointment to its five-member board.

County Tourism Development Director Amy Lukasik told commissioners the IDA would be created by resolution and operate under Florida Statute 159 to issue industrial development revenue bonds that can finance or refinance projects to foster county economic development. Lukasik said the county received 14 applications; four were ineligible because the applicants are not residents and electors of Flagler County, leaving 10 names in the packet for the commission to consider at its regular meeting the following Monday.

The IDA model presented would have a minimum of five members and adopt bylaws approved by the county commission. Lukasik said typical application and review steps include staff review, legal review, a Dun & Bradstreet credit check, a staff report and public review by the IDA board before commission approval. She outlined typical applicant fees (an initial application figure of $1,500 was shown in the presentation) and said that application fees collected by the IDA would create a revenue stream separate from the county general fund.

Why it matters: An IDA can offer an additional tool for local economic development by enabling low-cost, long-term financing for eligible private projects. That could make Flagler County more competitive for business recruitment and expansion, staff said, but any bond issuance would require commission approval and repayment would be the responsibility of the borrower.

Applicants and public comment: Ten people who met the residence requirement introduced themselves and summarized relevant experience. Bruce Parker, a Hammock Dunes resident and former airline and logistics executive, said he moved to the county in 2020 and described his corporate and consulting background. David Alphen, a Palm Coast resident and master’s candidate in urban and regional planning at the University of Florida, applauded the county’s consideration of the tool and offered to help. Ray Ricky, who described himself as a former economic development council chair in McKinney, Texas, highlighted airports and beaches as county assets for recruitment.

Other applicants who spoke included Richard Milby (hotel and residential development experience), Chad Raymond (local real estate appraiser and Air Force veteran), Don Turlington (CPA and lawyer, Wall Street tax experience), John Phillips (president, Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce, who said the Chamber supports the effort in an unofficial capacity) and others who described experience in finance, real estate, tourism and public-sector economic development.

Commissioner and staff clarifications: Commissioners asked whether every IDA member must be a registered voter in Flagler County; Lukasik said the statute and the draft resolution require that members be residents and electors. Commissioners also discussed whether to recruit a commercial banker or other specific expertise for the board if the current applicant pool lacks a person in that category. Lukasik and Economic Development Manager Dolores Key said staff would continue targeted outreach if the commission wants to fill specific seats.

Next steps: Staff said the full list of eligible applicants would be in Monday’s packet and asked commissioners to hold detailed selection questions for that meeting to keep the workshop concise. The commission did not make appointments at the May 28 workshop; commissioners were scheduled to review and decide from the packet at the next regular meeting.

Ending: County staff emphasized that the IDA would require a commission resolution to form, adoption of bylaws and selection of bond counsel before any financing could proceed. Commissioners thanked the applicants and outreach partners and moved on to the next agenda item.