10 candidates apply for open seat to represent District 4 on Palm Coast City Council

Palm Coast has a government in transition.

Four of five members of the City Council will be new when they take office in November, with Theresa Carli Pontieri as the only remaining council member.

But before then, the existing council is vetting candidates to fill the last council vacancy in District 4 created by the August resignation of former council member Cathy Heighter.

Final decision by Oct. 1

On Tuesday, 10 applicants were interviewed at City Hall, with each providing a short introductory statement and answering questions from the panel, including what their political leanings were (prompted by Ed Danko), where they stood on the bond issue on the November ballot, and how they felt about commercial growth and potential tax increases.

The City Council will announce a final decision at its next regular meeting on Oct. 1. The appointed individual will serve through November 2026.

Here is a look at the candidates hoping to represent District 4 in Palm Coast:

Robert Boggess

Retired since 2019, Boggess served as a medic in the Air Force and has served on at least one advisory board in Palm Coast. He said he wants to use his analytical and management skills to give back to the community.

Daryl Boyer

A legislative aide and former clerk staff to the state House of Representatives, Boyer grew up in Palm Coast and recently returned to live in the city. He said he would foster economic development and expand the tax base by encouraging a more diverse job market.

Charles Gambano

Gambano served in high-profile roles in the national government, including as a U.S. Army general and advisor to the U.S. National Security Council. He previously sat on the Flagler County School Board and the city's soil and water conservation board. At a time of leadership transition, Gambano said he could offer stability.

Leslie Giscombe

A business consultant with the African American Entrepreneurs Association, Giscombe said she has made an impact on other communities and, after "being on the sidelines" in Palm Coast, is eager to make a difference in her own community.

Vincent Lyon

Lyon, an attorney with Lyon Law Firm, served as an appointed city council member from July to November 2018. He said he would like to bring his expertise in serving on the board at this time of transition in Palm Coast.

Demetrios Maroosis

The head of a healthcare analytics company, Maroorsis said he would focus on bringing more resources, including the wellness industry, to Palm Coast as well as using taxpayers' dollars conservatively as the community continues to grow.

Ronald Nakabaale

A regional soccer referee, Nakabaale is relatively new to Palm Coast, having moved here from Uganda in 2015 and gaining citizenship four years later. He said his engineering background would help him serve as a council member.

Meredith Rodriguez

A marketing executive for a land development company, Rodriguez said she would like to help Palm Coast follow a smart-growth pattern as it expands. The mother of two children, Rodriguez has lived in the community for about two decades.

Jared Trueheart

A program manager with the Florida National Army Guard, Trueheart also holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of North Florida. He said he is most concerned about what unchecked overgrowth could do to the culture of Palm Coast.

Sandra Shank

Shank is the CEO and founder of Abundant Life Ministries-Hope House, Inc., as well as a local real estate agent. The former vice chair of Palm Coast's planning and land development regulation board, Shank portrays herself as a game-changer with a focus on protecting local historical properties.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 10 candidates apply for open seat to represent District 4 on Palm Coast City Council