City of Palm Coast Week in Review - Issue 09 - Jan. 13 - 2019

WINTER 2019 ISSUE 09
JAN. 13, 2020
CITY MANAGER’S
Week in Review
i3 Academy makes waves

PHOTO: TOWN CENTER CELEBRATION BY VICKI PAYNE

PHOTO: OUR ICONIC PALM COAST WATER TOWER BY WILLIAM CLARK

UPCOMING Events
Mayor’s 90/90 challenge - jan. 6 - april 4
City council workshop - jan. 14 - 9 a.m.
Palm Coast open - Feb. 3-9
CPR TRaining - FEB. 22
Click Here for Parks & Rec WINTER Guide 2019
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NewsROOM
City of Palm Coast announces events,
activities for Jan. 2019
Road Closure Notice: Belle Terre Blvd
South of SR-100
Crews break ground on splash pad at
holland park

Contents
ISSUE 09
8 - around the City
10 - i3 academy
12 - cynthia schweers promoted
14 - mayor’s 90/90 challenge
16 - Fire department stats
17 - adopt-a-road program
18 - Fire Department In Action
20 - Parks & Rec in action
21 - public works in action
22 - stormwater & Engineering in action
23 - UTility in action
24 - Palm Coast Connect by the Numbers
26 - holland park update
28 - City permits
30 - city of palm coast celebrates 20 years
CITY OF PALM COAST
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“ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN
AND DIG DEEPER TO UNDERSTAND THE
LOGIC BEHIND AN ACTION.”
-BEN CAOILI
DID YOU KNOW THAT IF A FIRE STARTS
IN YOUR HOME YOU MAY HAVE AS LITTLE
AS TWO MINUTES TO ESCAPE? DURING A
FIRE, EARLY WARNING FROM A WORKING
SMOKE ALARM PLUS A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
THAT HAS BEEN PRACTICED REGULARLY
CAN SAVE LIVES. LEARN WHAT ELSE TO
DO TO KEEP YOUR LOVED ONES SAFE!
- PALM COAST FIRE DEPARTMENT

Around the City
Mirnali Crimi
It’s Mirnali (Mirna) Crimi’s job to help make this happen.
Mirna is an IT Technical Support Lead who not only solves
internal computer issues, but also works at our IT Service
Desk to handle network access, city system structures and
communications, as well as park camera security to help
keep us all safe.
Mirna is originally from Puerto Rico and she moved to
Buffalo, New York, when she was 15. She holds a Bachelor
of Science from Buffalo State College with a Computer
Technology Certification area. She also has a Public School
Teacher and a Business School Teacher Certificate and
taught for four years. Working at the Veterans Hospital
while going to school, she was honored with the 1996 and
1997 Department of Veterans Affairs Performance Awards
and the 1999 Spotlight Award.
Upon moving to Palm Coast with her husband, Mirna
began working for the City’s IT Department in 2008, being
acknowledged several times for promotions over eleven
years.
“I really like what I do and the people I work with,” she said.
“I get great satisfaction in being in an IT role that can make
a small difference in the City of Palm Coast. I feel that our
team is able to provide a valuable service to not only fellow
employees but to the City of Palm Coast as a whole.”
Three Fun Facts about Mirna:
1. She loves talking to people about the Bible and Jehovah’s
wonderful promises for mankind.
2. She loves to travel.
3. She was able to learn English in just months, but has not
been able to get rid of her accent in 30 years.
Terry JArvis
As the Office Manager for the City’s Utility Department
Director, Terry Jarvis has provided almost four decades of
support in a position that has permanently shaped her as a
complete person. Working in her job has inspired her to help
make decisions that not only enhance how her department
works for Palm Coast, but also to enrich decisions she’s made
for herself.
As Office Manager, Terry prepares financial and budget
reports, certifies processes and compliance programs,
manages building contractors, facilities and warehouse
inventory and analyzes process workflow, employee/space
requirements and equipment layouts. As a fellow worker and
a friend to many, she’s a reliable, knowledgeable colleague
who is always ready for a challenge.
Terry holds a Bachelor of Arts in Supervision of
Management; a Certification in Construction School; an
Associate degree in Business Administration; a Certification
from the University of Central Florida for Purchasing and
Policies Practices.
“I am very blessed to be part of Palm Coast’s community to
provide support with their water and sewer needs,” Terry
said. “I’m also proud to be a small piece of the puzzle within
the Utility Division, helping to make everything come
together in one of the most beautiful places to live in North
Florida.”
Three Fun Facts about Terry:
1. I was born on a bridge that divides two states.
2. I end each day with a prayer for three things I’m thankful
for.
3. I enjoy cooking and sharing with others. I’m kind of a
‘meal on wheels’ at times.
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i3 academy -
Community
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Redevelopment Visual Contest

Cynthia schweers promoted to
Enthusiastic. Innovative. Inspirational. Empathetic.
Driven. Appreciative. Honest. Motivational. A gogetter.
These are the words Cynthia Schweers’ coworkers
and previous boss use to describe her. And they
could’ve gone on.
From day one with the city, Cynthia was eager to start
a career that focused on helping people and giving
back to her community. She embodies all of the
qualities of a people-person and enjoys interacting
with residents every day to help them resolve issues
or even lower their utility bills. Throughout the years,
her resume speaks to her character and abilities.
Cynthia joined the city of Palm Coast in 2004 at 21
years old as a Customer Service Rep 1, which was
entry level. At the time, the city had just taken over
utility billing and customer service from private
utility company, Florida Water Services. Customer
service and billing was one department of eight
people, including a supervisor. While this was a new
venture for the city, it was also a new journey for
Cynthia. Fast forward to today and she manages a
team of more than 20 who work in multiple areas
within city departments in such as stormwater,
public works, solid waste, and utility and oversees
the solid waste contract, including monitoring fines
and communicating with the solid waste company
management.
“I’ve worked with Cynthia for over 15 years, starting
12
way back when she was a Customer Service Rep
I working the front desk at the utility office,” said
Richard Adams, longtime Utility Director for the city
of Palm Coast. “She has tremendous drive, always
wanting to grow, learn more and improve processes
and, at the risk of sounding cliché, she’s able to think
outside the box. As she worked her way up she has
brought her staff with her, mentoring, training and
nurturing. Today, as a direct result of her dedication
the Customer Service Division, provides the highest
level of service to the residents of Palm Coast.”
That level of service comes natural to Cynthia
because of who she is at heart. She can recall one of
her most memorable customers. The year was 2007.
She was a Customer Service Rep II, having been
promoted once since coming on board. A resident
came in to customer service crying because her
water had been turned off. This resident didn’t know
what to do. Her husband had just passed away, he
managed all of the bills and she had no family to
help. She didn’t even know how to write a check.
So Cynthia brought this woman into her office and
spent an hour with her getting her service back up
and running, showing her how to use auto-pay and
providing additional resources to her. Cynthia went
that extra mile to make sure this woman felt the city
could be there for her.
And it’s that kind of spirit that has carried on and
become the foundation for top tier customer service
from the city of Palm Coast.

director of citizen engagement
Four promotions later, Cynthia is now the Director of
Citizen Engagement, having been promoted recently
from Customer Service Manager.
“I’m thrilled to have been selected for this new
opportunity to grow with the city,” Cynthia said.
“This role not only increases our engagement with
the community, but also embraces technology to
advance our customer service operations to the next
level. It will be exciting to see the results of what
our talented team will be able to accomplish as we
progress to the future.”
Most recently, technology has added a layer to the
customer service role and experience. In June, the
city’s new customer engagement platform, Palm
Coast Connect, launched and elevated how we
communicate with residents to a more sophisticated
level that allows the community to reach us any time,
any place about a concern or question they may
have. The customer service team, led by Cynthia,
communicates with the resident every step of the
way in providing them with answers or solutions. The
platform then delivers real-time data to the city for
managers to allocate resources more efficiently and
operate more effectively going forward.
As the Director of Citizen Engagement, Cynthia will
promote customer service across city departments;
continue to grow Palm Coast Connect by ensuring
high standards and evaluating measurements; boost
morale through employee recognition; and revise
the customer service mission to reflect the team’s
commitment to the community.
Along with the additional technology upgrades,
the department will still be a phone call away,
providing a way for all residents to reach us, at their
preference. And even though Cynthia is managing
all of it – the phone calls, the in-person visits, the
customer engagement platform, the planning for
the next wave of technology – she’s a strong believer
in teamwork. With the help of her team, they are
gearing up for the next chapter. And Cynthia will
help in any way she can – even in the trenches where
it all started.
impressed with Cynthia and her team’s commitment
to a people-first Customer Service mindset,” said City
Manager Matthew Morton. “Our goal is to expand
the processes that have made her and her team
successful, standardizing customer service across all
elements of the city to ensure everything we do is
scalable, repeatable, responsive and driven by data.”
Over the years, challenges have been doled out to
Cynthia. She’s succeeded because of her passion for
her work and to the community. The next phase of
Palm Coast Connect is in development, transforming
and streamlining the way city crews respond and
communicate with residents on utility issues. Cynthia
will lead that transition to the future for the city with
what’s called ‘field service lightning,’ automating
work orders using GPS capabilities and some other
additional features.
Starting in January, there will be a focus on
analytics. She will review response times of all city
departments to see where improvements can be
made. These would be changes for the betterment of
the resident and the city, making your quality of life
better through technology.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Science in Public
Administration from Flagler College and is married
with two sons. She is based at City Hall.
Hanging in her office is a painted wood sign that
says, “Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about
creating yourself.” And you might say that’s what she’s
done. From the beginning of her career with the city,
it’s always been about the customer – the resident
– the reason we are here as public servants. And her
connection to them has shaped her into the director
and leader she is today.
“As long as I’ve been here in Palm Coast, I’ve been

Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge
Get outdoors and get active - join
us for the Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge!
The challenge is to move at least
a mile a day for the 90 days from
Jan. 6 to April 4. You can choose
your own form of exercise. Log in
to Palm Coast Connect and record
your progress throughout the
month. Everyone who completes
the Challenge will receive a prize.
Share your progress along the way
on social media using #Mayors9090
and #connecttofitness.
off Monday, Jan. 6!
“I want to challenge all residents of
Palm Coast to exercise at least 90
miles in 90 days,” said Palm Coast
Mayor Milissa Holland. “That’s
an average of one mile per day.
Whether it’s walking, bicycling,
tennis, running or another exercise,
You’ve resolved to get into shape for
the New Year, but how do you get
started?! Take the first step toward
better health with the Mayor’s
90/90 Challenge, which is kicking
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the important thing is to find an
activity you enjoy and make it a
daily habit.”
“Those small steps, taken day after
day, add up to an active lifestyle,”
Mayor Holland said.
The new Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge
will start Jan. 6 and continue
through April 4. Anyone who lives,
works, shops, plays or exercises in
Palm Coast is welcome to join in
the fun. The Challenge is open to all
ages, and families are encouraged
to participate together!
Participants can choose their
own form of exercise – and will
log their success on Palm Coast
Connect via the website at www.
palmcoastconnect.com or the app
via Google play store or Apple app
store.Progress will be self-reported
throughout the 90 days. It’s free to
sign up and participate!
Participants who want a more
structured program can choose
from any of Palm Coast Parks &
Recreation’s winter/spring fitness
programs – everything from line
dancing and tennis clinics to
Zumba® Gold and yoga.
Everyone who completes the
Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge will
receive a prize during the City
Council Meeting on April 7. Share
your progress on Instagram using
the hashtags #Mayors9090 and
#connecttofitness.
“Join up with a family member or a
friend and use the Mayor’s 90/90 as
motivation toward your New Year’s
goals,” Holland said. “You’ll see your
accomplishments as you log your
progress, and we’ll encourage you
along the way!”
So begin logging your miles
through Palm Coast Connect! For
more information, contact Parks &
Recreation at 386-986-2323.

Mayor’s 90/90 stats - Week 1
7,374.2
1,635.5
miles
minutes
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ADOPT-A-ROAD
To adopt a road, please visit
palmcoastgov.com/green/adopt

FIRE DEPARTMENT
In ACTION
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PArks & Rec
In Action
20

public Works
in Action

STORmwater & Engineering
in Action
The City has contracted Built-Rite Construction to complete a pipe
replacement project on Belle Terre Boulevard just east of the driveway
for Magnolia Trace Boulevard. Four 48-inch corrugated metal pipes
were removed and are being replaced with reinforced concrete
pipes and new headwalls have been cast. This section of Belle Terre
Boulevard has been closed to all traffic for the duration of the project
and will remain closed for another several weeks. The new pipes are
currently being placed in the ground and repaving will occur shortly
after.
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UtilitY
in Action

By the Numbers
Open Cases by Type
No matter your question or concern, Palm Coast Connect has you covered.
Weekly Case Volume by Type & Owner
Palm Coast Connect allows your City to deploy resources where needed—even
during natural disasters.
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Average Resolution Time
(in days)
From Utility questions to swale maintenance, the average time to resolve
an issue is only a day.
Average Resolution Time
by Channel (in days)
Palm Coast Connect streamlines the customer service
process, leading to better service and happier citizens.

Holland Park Update
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Community development
In Action
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – Jason DeLorenzo, Chief Development Officer
101 Palm Harbor Parkway
C423
Commercial Permits Applied
Interior Renovations (no business name
provided)
470 Bulldog Drive Swimming Pool - Apartment complex
Commercial Permit Issued
Steven Van
Aernam LLC $27,500
Bob's Pool
Service $80,000
The
Southeast
Restoration
Group $295,044
1400 Canopy Walk Lane
-6 buildings Balcony Screens, Walkway Handrails
Occupancy Permits Issued
15 Cypress Branch Way Changing Homelessness Inc. (serving
201
veterans’ families)
no name provided
2 Pine Lakes Parkway N
Suite 3 New Spring Chiropractic Sean Gimbert
4865 Palm Coast Parkway
NW Suite 2 Movement Mortgage LLC Brad Huston
4490 N US Hwy 1 Bldg. J
#110 Florida Premium Auto Sales Inc. Jody Watkins
Development Applications
Plat-Easement Vacation
Citation Commerce Park Commercial
Suite
Carter Daryl M Trustee
Subdivision Nonstatutory Lot 16/Town Center Phase II Michael Chiumento III
Site Plan Modification Popeye's At Kings Pointe Lot 11 Sun Holdings
Technical Site Plan Tier 1 American Village Subdivision Amenity
Hammock Real Estate
Development LLC
Technical Site Plan Tier 1 Brookhaven at Town Center Phase III
Brookhaven Development
Land LTD
Development Order
Lot Split Town Center Lot 2 Michael Chiumento III
Construction value improvements from October 1, 2019 to date $119,850,735
Residential Single Family / Duplex Permits Issued 53
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Mayor hOLLANd, historical
society celebrate 20 years
Mayor Milissa Holland spoke to the
Historical Society of Palm Coast on
Saturday as the City of Palm Coast
celebrated 20 years as a city. Below
are excerpts from her speech:
“As the City of Palm Coast
continues to grow and provide a
sense of history for its residents,
so goes the Palm Coast Historical
Society,” Mayor Holland said. “Your
members have stood beside the
City during the past twenty years
of incorporation, reminding us not
only of the importance of our past,
but also how it will predict our
future.”
“You’ve provided us with a unique
framework of photos, stories and
narratives that weave together the
fabric and character of our City.”
“The past years symbolized ever
changing times for a community
where beauty and a relaxed lifestyle
is full, rich and rewarding. As we
proudly move forward together, we
prepare to tackle the challenges of
the next twenty years.”
“But just for today, it’s this sense of
place, this sense of belonging that
urges us to make Palm Coast the
very best place to be for decades to
come. Happy Birthday, Palm Coast.”
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