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Residents defend The Falls community, urge commission to address online harassment
Summary
Multiple residents of The Falls mobile‑home community told the Ormond Beach City Commission that social‑media posts by a critic have harassed and misrepresented their community, and urged the city to note the private‑property nature of many complaints while helping address safety and harassment concerns.
Dozens of residents of The Falls told the Ormond Beach City Commission they are proud of their community and are suffering from what they described as a pattern of misleading and harassing social‑media posts by a critic identified in comments as Colleen McMahon.
"Colleen McMahon has been trashing our community online for months," Christine Walsh said during the public‑comment period, saying the posts have prompted frequent inspections and disrupted residents. Several speakers described long volunteer shifts, help for elderly neighbors and examples they said contradict the online claims.
Other residents recounted personal support the community provides: "It's a lovely place," Joseph Waltz said, adding that many residents are elderly and that the disruptions have been emotionally damaging. Multiple commenters urged the commission and city staff to note that many disputes are private‑property matters, but said harassment that crosses into threatening behavior should be addressed.
Mayor Jason Leslie and several commissioners thanked speakers for coming forward and said staff and police are limited when disputes are on private property. "Social media is an ugly place," Leslie said, and commissioners urged residents to document incidents and work with police when conduct rises to harassment or safety concerns.
City staff told the commission that criminal harassment or trespass complaints must be handled by law enforcement, while many other disputes between residents and private management fall outside municipal authority. Commissioners asked staff to follow up on options—short of altering landlord‑tenant or private‑property law—to protect residents’ safety and peaceful enjoyment.
The commission did not take a formal action on the spot; commissioners said they would accept additional written information from residents and asked staff to report back on any administrative or law‑enforcement steps that could be taken.
The public‑comment sequence included multiple speakers who defended The Falls’ management and described volunteer and emergency assistance provided to residents, and concluded with commissioners’ expressions of sympathy and a request that staff and police monitor the situation and advise on next steps.
