Palm Coast — Several residents used Tuesday’s Palm Coast City Council meeting to press the city on water-system transparency and billing practices for rental properties, urging action from the council even as city staff said they would investigate but did not authorize an immediate audit.

Jeannie Duarte told the council she formally requests "an independent forensic audit of the city of Palm Coast Water and Wastewater System," citing "evidence of undisclosed contaminants, emergency chemical changes, failing infrastructure, sewer overflows, raising costs, and lack of transparency." Duarte urged the council to pause the city’s charter-review process until elected seats are filled, arguing changes affecting oversight should wait for a full, elected dais. "A forensic audit is not routine accounting," she said, framing it as a tool to restore public trust.

Separately, investor Holly Treat described receiving a $186 bill for a vacant rental property and said she was told the city now leaves vacated meters active and uses zip ties rather than locks; she said a similar vacant account in Daytona Beach showed a $27.58 charge. "I just received a 100 and $186 bill for a vacant rental property," Treat said, and asked the city to revisit policies about securing meters and consider a base fee or lock procedure to reduce owner exposure to tampering or unpaid bills.

Acting City Manager Lauren Johnson acknowledged the concerns on both items. She told the council the charter-review committee met recently and will present findings in the new year. On the rental-meter issue she said, "I believe Miss Asbill from Utility Customer Service took [the information on rental-property concerns] and I'll follow-up with Mr. Roche on that item as well," indicating staff logged the complaint and will investigate. No formal forensic audit or policy change was authorized during the meeting.

Council members noted there is a cost to regulation and enforcement; one council member described the city’s approach as seeking "cost recovery" when setting fees. The record from the meeting does not contain technical evidence validating Duarte’s allegations about contaminants; the city’s staff response was limited to acknowledging receipt and promising follow-up.

Next steps: staff to follow up on the rental-meter complaint and the charter-review timetable; residents seeking an independent forensic audit would need to return with documented evidence or a council motion to start such a process, which the council did not adopt at the Dec. 16 meeting.