The Saga of Mike Norris Mayor of Palm Coast Florida

 Palm Coast, FLORIDA  
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD

Mike Norris was elected in 2024 as the mayor of Palm Coast Florida. Below is the city's announcement of his election.

From Palm Coast Connect:  Mike Norris

Mike Norris

Mike Norris was elected to serve as the City's fifth Mayor in the 2024 General Election

Term: 2024-2028

Mike Norris, a dedicated community leader, retired Army officer, and local small business owner, serves as the Mayor of Palm Coast with a vision for a prosperous and sustainable future.

A long-time Palm Coast resident, Mayor Norris brings over two decades of public service experience and a deep passion for addressing the city's challenges and opportunities. His leadership is guided by the principles of R.A.I.S.E.:

Revitalizing existing infrastructure.
Attracting industrial growth and employment opportunities.
Increasing public safety and security.
Smart growth and expansion by promoting sustainable development.
Empowering the commercial development of town center by supporting the growth of businesses in the central business district.

Throughout his career, Mayor Norris has demonstrated a commitment to community involvement, serving on various advisory boards and committees to effectively address local concerns. As a Critical Infrastructure Protection Officer, he managed one of the U.S. military’s largest installations in the Pacific theater.

A decorated veteran, Mayor Norris has earned numerous awards, including two Bronze Stars for meritorious combat and job performance. He holds Master of Arts degrees in Management & Leadership and Human Resources Management from Webster University's Walker School of Business & Technology.

With a proven track record of service and a commitment to collaboration, Mayor Norris is dedicated to building a stronger, safer, and thriving Palm Coast for current and future generations.

It did not take long for the Gild to wear off that Lily.

FLAGLER LIVE.COM. Independent Investigation Sustains Accusations of Interference and Hostility By Mayor Norris, Suggesting Malfeasance

Daytona Beach News-Journal
FLAGLER Palm Coast mayor gets no confidence vote after investigation shows charter violations

OBSERVER Palm Coast. Ormand Beach
Investigation results: Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris’ ‘inappropriate’ and ‘unprofessional behavior’ violated City Charter

Flagler Live.com Palm Coast Council Excoriates an Absent Mayor Norris in Extraordinary Unanimous Censure and No-Confidence Vote

I voted for Mike Norris for a lot of reasons other people voted for him. A city run by builders, developers, and real estate people is a recipe for certain disaster.

And you do not have to look far around Palm Coast to see that disaster unfolding.

There are a lot of reasons why the City of Palm Coast has ended up in this mayoral mess. And, while Mayor Norris is in many ways the master of his own fate, he is not totally to blame for the situation he finds himself in.

I worked for almost 30 years in a large city here in Florida. When I started it was  operating as a council manager form of government, the power players in that city wanted more direct control so they managed to change the form of government from council city manager to a strong mayor. It is safe to say, with some notable exceptions, things over in Saint Petersburg have not really gone all that well under a strong mayor.

The strong mayor form of municipal government opens the door to the chief executive for influence peddling, campaign finance issues and a host of other problems. Look for the power players in Palm Coast politics to start a campaign for a change in governance so they can be sure their guy gets elected. 

There is a link in one of the articles above to the 56-page independent report related to the things Mayor Norris is accused of. If you are really interested in this saga, I would suggest you read it.

Many newcomers to politics not only in Florida but in every state in the United States often think that they can single handedly make major changes in whatever jurisdiction they are getting elected in. It is a common mistake, especially here in Florida, if a candidate does not understand the functioning of the two independent forms of municipal governance.

In a city like Palm Coast, the mayor's primary job is to be a nice person, kiss the babies, cut the ribbons, attend all the luncheons, smile a lot, run the commission meetings and keep his or her hands out of the operational side of the city. The same is true for the most part with the council/commission members. They have no functional operating power in the organization.

There seems to be a lot of people at Palm Coast City Hall trying to help mayor Norris out the door. The staff may not like the guy, but all this over-the-top effort to unseat him deserves at least as much scrutiny as the mayor’s actions.

There are some remaining questions to be asked:

1.    Why did the people in the room with the Mayor during the employee termination discussion not protect him by explaining the circumstance so he could withdraw the comments instead leaking the conversation to the media?

2.    What training/orientation did the mayoral and council candidates get prior to the election?

3.    What orientation was mayor Norris given as he took office and did, he attend?

Regardless of the answers, the City Council should order a full review of these processes probably by an outside consultant and make sure that future candidates for these elected offices fully understand what they can and cannot say and do.

In addition, the entire episode should be sent to the Florida Ethics Commission and ALL parties' actions be reviewed and appropriate action taken.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook, follow me on  X at  @DOC ON THE BAY.