Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Derek Barrs to a vacant seat on the Flagler School Board two months after he lost his campaign for a full term in office. Barrs replaces Sally Hunt, who resigned to move to Georgia. Barrs did not live in District 1 as of August, and so would presumably not be able to run for a term in his new seat unless he were to move by 2026.
Barrs, a retired law enforcement officer, has no career education experience prior to this appointment save for his School Board campaign. He was defeated earlier this year by Janie Ruddy, a career educator, in a close race. Barrs came up just short of Ruddy in that August primary election, garnering 12,257 votes representing 49.42% of the electorate. Ruddy amassed 12,545, giving her 50.58%. DeSantis endorsed Barrs in the run-up to the election but Flagler voters did not oblige. He’ll now have his pick after all.
DeSantis’ office announced the appointment on Wednesday, in a one-paragraph statement by his media staff. “Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Derek Barrs to the School Board of Flagler County,” the statement said. “Barrs is the Associate Vice President for HNTB Corporation. Active in his community, he currently serves as a member of the American Trucking Association Law Enforcement Advisory Board, the Florida Trucking Association, and the Flagler Sheriffs Employee Trust Board of Directors. Barrs earned his associate degree in criminal justice from North Florida College and his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Flagler College.”
Looking Forward
The political makeup of the Flagler School Board now sits meaningfully different from where it was prior to Hunt’s resignation. Three Board members have been endorsed by DeSantis, despite the county’s voters only electing two. Hunt defeated another DeSantis-endorsed candidate, the incumbent Jill Woolbright. Should the Board be faced in the next two years with another politically divisive issue as they did with mask mandates, vaccines, and library books, the new balance of the School Board could have long-reaching impacts on the county.
“Earlier today, Governor DeSantis appointed me to fill the vacancy for the Flagler County School Board Seat for District 1,” Barrs said in a response on his briefly-defunct political Facebook page. “I am truly humbled by the Governor’s appointment and confidence in me to serve in this capacity. My priorities will be to keep schools safe, ensure high-quality education for all, support teachers and staff, and foster community partnerships. I look forward to working together with the board and our Superintendent to reach our full potential and provide a world class education for our students in Flagler County.”
Johnny
October 31, 2024 at 10:31 am
Ronny loves doing what he wants. He ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT listen to voters. He pretends to care what voters say but then does what he wants. Hmmm, sounds familiar to that other asshat running for POTUS. Both need to go away and stop dividing this country!
TR
October 31, 2024 at 1:20 pm
Apparently you must be confused. You have it all backwards, (like most liberals) it’s the Democrats that are dividing this country. You would know this if you listened to what Kamalamouth and Puppet Joe say.They say one thing one day and contradict that with another comment. Sometimes within the same day.
Jay Ess
October 31, 2024 at 2:48 pm
Your stupidity is very apparent. You probably like Hitler too.
Chuck
October 31, 2024 at 8:57 pm
TR your the idiot. DeSantis
ONLY PLACES Republicans with money in positions with disregard to knowledge
Of the rules of the position or knowledge.
Tina Brandon
October 31, 2024 at 8:31 pm
Little Johnny has things all wrong.Little Johnny needs to listen to the teacher who has already ran this Country once and did so quite successfully.The current administration has run this Country into the proverbial ground.The VP of the current administration has no idea how to run this Country. She has no experience, she has done nothing this past 4 years. As the border czar she actually reversed the idea or reason for the border and started letting illegal immigrants in this country with no accountability.Little Johnny better prey that President Trump gets elected because if he doesn’t he is going to be bowing down to the clusterf#@¥ of the next 4 years, if this Country doesn’t fall first.
Susan Giovinco
October 31, 2024 at 2:11 pm
Really? If you elect Donald Trump you will only have the very rich and the very poor. You can kiss your middle class and their values good bye. If you think he will curb inflation, be plans on eliminating income taxes(how convenient for him) by imposing megatariffs on any incoming foreign products which would virtually add more cost to foreign products and the parts needed to make and repair our domestic goods. How about disassembling Obamacare so we will start at square one in establishing health insurance for all whilst he and his ilk will use “boutique” concierge doctors for a flat exorbitant fee? And he will be appointing RFK Jr to head our healthcare policies…a man with no medical or scientific background who denied that Covid vaccines work and was probably responsible for many unvaccinated Americans deaths. The list goes on….
Vic
October 31, 2024 at 3:13 pm
First comment is right your the confused one I see….
Curtis
October 31, 2024 at 5:17 pm
I don’t understand, convicted felon, 34 times, married 3 times, n bed with a hooker, lies every time his trap open. Road n on OBAMA shirt tail (budget) n U people still want 2 out this jack___ n Office wow. This tells me about U people. To to open it off, he took an add our on the NEW YORK FIVE For something they didn’t even do. LORD HAVE MERCY on your SOULS