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Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
December 23, 2012
Flagler County may give courthouse to Bunnell
Author: Julie Murphy; STAFF WRITER
BUNNELL — Flagler County and Bunnell officials will meet Thursday to discuss the possible
transfer of the Historic Courthouse to the city.
"That building has deep roots in Bunnell," City Manager Armando Martinez said by phone
Friday. "We think it is very important to the revitalization of the downtown."
Consensus was reached during a July workshop about how to proceed and an interlocal
agreement was drawn up by County Attorney Al Hadeed, but with a new request by Bunnell and
new commissioners seated on the County Commission the agreement could change, County
Administrator Craig Coffey wrote in a memo to the County Commission.
"Following the workshop, through (Martinez) it was indicated to county staff that Bunnell
commissioners desired a deed for the property under the courthouse," Coffey said.
County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin and Commissioner Frank Meeker told staff
they wanted "to explore a potential alternative to give Bunnell the entire (Historic) Courthouse
and annex property."
"Bunnell needs to plan out its future," McLaughlin said by phone on Sunday. "If they can have
access to the whole building and annex and the property there, they will be able to do that. I
think it is important for us to try to give them control of it for planning." Martinezsaid the city is
"excited" about the prospect of having the entire building to use.
"We want to go into the old courthouse," Martinez said. "With the changes to the commission,
we want to make sure everybody is on the same page."
County staff will work toward whatever end is decided, Coffey said. While he said he wouldn't
speak for sheriff-elect Jim Manfre, Coffey said his understanding is that he is flexible.
"The Sheriff-Elect is flexible on any office project that the board would like to pursue, whether
that is the Courthouse Annex or another project," Coffey said. "He is in agreement with the
Courthouse Annex project and would not object to the Bunnell Police Department occupying a
portion of the space in the Courthouse Annex. If an alternative project is proposed, he does not
want it to cost more than the currently proposed project and would even prefer an option that
would offer a savings."
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