Of the two Flagler Board of County Commission elections this year, the District 2 seat is the only one guaranteed to bring a new face to the board.
Greg Feldman, Theresa Pontieri and Raymond Royer are vying for the post currently occupied by Commissioner Greg Hansen, who is not seeking reelection.
Both Republicans, Feldman and Pontieri face off in the Aug. 18 primary. Royer, an Independent, takes on the winner in November’s general election.
In the District 4 race, Flagler County Chair Leann Pennington is facing challenges from Drew Moss and Anna Jones in the Republican primary. Denise Calderwood qualified as a write-in candidate for the November ballot.
During recent interviews with The News-Journal, the three District 2 candidates shared their views on growth and development; infrastructure; the beach-management efforts; property taxes; and what they expect from the next county administrator.
Here is what they had to say.
Who is Flagler Board of County Commissioners candidate Greg Feldman?
Feldman is a retired law enforcement veteran with a 47-year career spanning Illinois, Florida and state government service.
Originally from Chicago, Feldman moved permanently to Flagler County in 2013. Following an unsuccessful bid for the Florida Senate in 2014, this is Feldman’s first time running for office on a local level.
He said the county has reached a critical moment, with a growing population and difficult decisions regarding growth, infrastructure and quality of life ahead for the local government.
“I’m running for the Flagler County Commission to bring my integrity, experience and common-sense leadership to a county that I love,” Feldman said. “I really love it here.”
Who is Flagler Board of County Commissioners candidate Theresa Pontieri?
Currently serving as vice mayor in Palm Coast, Pontieri was elected to the City Council in 2022. She is a 10-year Palm Coast resident.
Born in Idaho, Pontieri spent her “formative years” in the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina. At age 17, she came to Florida to study at the University of Central Florida and has been a Sunshine State resident for 24 years.
Pontieri is also an attorney, practicing in the areas of real estate law, contract law, family law and business litigation.
“Running for County Commission is, for me, a way to do exactly what I’ve done at the city level, but on a larger level, to make a more positive and larger impact on more people,” she said.
Who is Flagler Board of County Commissioners candidate Raymond Royer?
A Pennsylvania native, Royer has been a Flagler County resident (living in the Painters Hill community) for nine years.
He served in the U.S. Navy, worked in the construction trades and as a firefighter.
Royer said he has spent the past year and a half regularly attending County Commission, planning and zoning, and technical review meetings to better understand local issues. He believes residents are frustrated with government decision-making and wants to bring what he describes as a more independent and common-sense approach to county leadership.
“I’m a different candidate, with a different approach, and I’m going to bring balance and common sense to the table,” he said.
What do BOCC candidates think about local growth and infrastructure?
Feldman said the county’s infrastructure has not kept pace with growth and the demands of an increasing population.
“We’ve already had a lot of increase in population and development. It’s going on and, to be honest with you, without pointing fingers, I believe that we’ve fallen behind on the infrastructure,” he said.
With more growth expected in the county over the next decades, he argued that construction of supporting infrastructure should begin now rather than after problems emerge.
Pontieri argued that the county must do a better job ensuring growth pays for itself.
“I fully intend on following the law when it comes to impact fees, but I’m also not afraid to, based on analysis and data, charge appropriate impact fees based on the actual cost of growth,” Pontieri said.
Limiting land-rezoning efforts from developers, especially from commercial to residential, is another important part of her plan.
Royer argued that growth isn’t itself the problem, but how it is happening.
“The residents are not upset for home building,” Royer said. “They just don’t like the new model that these developers are trying to bring.”
Projects along John Anderson Highway and Seminole Woods Boulevard are some examples he pointed to as projects that fundamentally change the character of rural communities.
What do BOCC candidates think about Flagler’s beach management efforts?
The county’s yearslong beach management plan is facing obstacles, especially its second phase, Reach 2. Outstanding easements along the coast remain a problem for beach restoration efforts, and uncertainty looms over how the county will finance a long-term maintenance plan.
Feldman said maintaining the county’s beaches is crucial to the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism money.
He expressed support for the proposed half-cent sales tax, arguing that it would spread costs broadly and capture substantial revenue from tourists.
“We need to come up with a better plan,” he said. “We need to come up with a plan that really more people contribute.”
Pontieri said one of her priorities would be appointing a dedicated project manager to oversee the county’s beach management plan.
“I’d like to see more data before we start instituting any more taxes, fees, etc.,” she said.
The data, she added, should also guide discussions regarding future beach maintenance funding, emphasizing the need “to continue to put pressure on our state and federal partners to try to get as much money from them prior to looking anywhere locally.”
Royer expressed frustration over the lack of a coherent long-term strategy for maintaining and funding beach renourishment.
He argued, however, that the county “can’t afford to pay for the whole beach process” alone.
“I think the county’s going to have to take a position to force the hand for Flagler Beach to be taking more responsibility,” he said.
What do BOCC candidates think about property taxes?
With the proposed homestead exemption headed for the November ballot, county and local governments are feeling the pressure to cut spending as the budget season unfolds over the next month.
Feldman said he welcomes tax relief and believes the homestead exemption should be increased, but he expressed concerns over the potential diminished revenues.
Cuts in areas such as libraries, parks and recreation, and other services might be on the way in that scenario, he argued.
“It’s going to put a tremendous burden on us on the county commission to decide, OK, where do we fund, where do we not fund?”
Pontieri said local governments should focus primarily on funding core government functions, arguing that the county should first examine which services are essential and then look for opportunities to consolidate services with municipalities.
Though the prospect of less tax revenue is concerning, property-tax reform is inevitable, and local governments need to adapt, she said.
“We need to be thinking, how can we make the services that we have to provide fit within this budget?”
Royer supports the homestead amendment proposal, saying the county should focus on protecting services like law enforcement, fire protection, road and drainage maintenance.
He said some social and recreational programs could face reductions, saying the government should return some activities to community organizations, churches, volunteers and grassroots groups.
“We’re going to have to tighten the belt,” Royer said.
What do BOCC candidates want in a future county administrator?
After former County Administrator Heidi Petitio resigned as Flagler County Administrator in April 2026, Adam Mengel has been serving in the interim while the BOCC seeks a permanent replacement.
Feldman said the next administrator should be a strong leader, capable of implementing the BOCC’s vision while managing the day-to-day operations.
“Transparency,” he argued, is another quality he emphasized, saying residents deserve clear explanations about budgets, projects and policy decisions.
Pontieri argued for an outsider who can bring “fresh eyes” to Flagler County.
The next administrator, she said, should understand government finance but operate with a business-minded approach that avoids unnecessarily burdening taxpayers.
“The right person looks like somebody who is ready to make tough decisions and think about what’s best for the county as a whole.”
Royer offered a different view, arguing that the county should eliminate the position altogether.
He described the administrator position as an expensive “middleman” who supervises department heads while still answering to elected commissioners.
“It’s not going to be feasible to be paying somebody $230,000 a year to supervise department heads,” he added, referring to the potential property tax revenue loss in the next few years.
— Brenno Carillo is a local government reporter covering Flagler County, including Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, for The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler BOCC District 2 candidates on growth, beach management, taxes
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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By Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
