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Residents praise new speed humps, urge aquatic center pricing changes and question public‑comment limits
Summary
During the public comment period residents thanked the council for new traffic calming measures, suggested pricing and pass changes at the Palm Coast Aquatic Center, and raised concerns about a 30‑minute public‑comment cap and utility affordability.
Several residents used the public comment period to raise neighborhood and service concerns before the council began its utility presentation.
Paulette Hatfield of the F section thanked the council for installing recent speed humps and said traffic has slowed on the cut‑through on Florida Park Boulevard; she recommended an additional speed hump near Fleetwood because drivers are still traveling fast there. The city manager told Hatfield the city has an open online survey on traffic‑calming devices and will return resident feedback to council.
Anna Gibson of the P section asked the council to review prices and passes at the Palm Coast Aquatic Center: she recommended raising the free‑admission age from under 2 to under 4, adding a child monthly pass (children currently lack a monthly pass while seniors pay a $3 daily admission), and introducing a year‑round family pass and concession/birthday‑party options to encourage more frequent use. The city manager said staff will review Gibson’s suggestions in a cost‑benefit analysis.
Mark Webb of the W section raised two procedural points: he said the council’s new 30‑minute total allotment for the public‑comment periods (opening and close) may limit residents and asked whether council members’ internal sharing of items could occur before the final public comment so citizens could respond in the same meeting. The mayor clarified that the 30‑minute limit applies to general public comment at the opening and closing of meetings but that speakers may have more time on specific agenda items.
Other public comments and concerns included general worries about rising utility costs, requests for clearer utility bills and conservation incentives, and appeals for more aggressive grant‑seeking and public outreach on utilities planning. Residents voiced anxiety about bills that have risen substantially in recent months; a city staffer offered to help individual residents review their utility bills and pointed attendees to staff at the meeting.
Ending: City staff acknowledged the public comments, committed to follow up where feasible (traffic‑calming survey, aquatic‑center price review, collection‑process data and bill assistance), and then moved into the utility presentation.
