Anna Jones is one of four candidates running for the Flagler County Commission’s District 4 seat. The incumbent candidate is Leann Pennington, who is running for re-election. The other two candidates are Drew Moss and Denise ‘Woody’ Calderwood. Jones, Moss, and Pennington are running as Republicans while Calderwood is filed as a write-in candidate.
The 2026 primary election is on Tuesday, August 18. Flagler County voters will be able to vote for the District 2 and District 4 seats. Because multiple party affiliations are on the District 4 ballot, only registered Republican voters can vote in the primary election.
The top candidate in the Republican primary will move on to the general election on November 3. Only their name will appear on the ballot, plus a write-in line for Calderwood’s candidacy (or any other write-in choices).
Other Candidate Interviews
Flagler County Commission
- Theresa Carli Pontieri (District 2)
- Greg Feldman (District 2)
- Raymond Royer (District 2)
- Anna Jones (District 4)
Flagler School Board:
- Cathy Moon (District 1)
- Jill Woolbright (District 1)
- Rob Wood (District 2)
- Christy Chong (District 4)
- Ron Long (District 4)
- Trevor Tucker (District 4)
Palm Coast City Council:
- Tony Amaral Jr. (District 2)
- Jeani Duarte (District 2)
- Dylana ‘Dee’ Galery (District 4)
- John Kvederis (District 4)
- Ramon Marrero (District 4)
- Darlene Shelley (District 4)
Interview Criteria
- The object of the interview is not to grill the candidate, nor to give them softballs. Ideally, in their answers the candidates provide to voters a useful insight into their ideology, their priorities, and their knowledgeability and preparedness for office.
- These questions are sent to each declared candidate in Flagler County’s local elections. All candidates running for the same office received the same exact questions.
- The only edits made are for spelling, formatting and basic grammar (i.e., ‘their’ when it should be ‘there’). Censorship of profanity may also be applied if it were applicable. Otherwise, answers are presented in their full form as the candidate provides them.
- Answers are subject to fact-checking if they contain information that’s blatantly misleading or untrue (misrepresenting factually verifiable information, misquoting a statistic, etc). Clarifications will be added underneath the candidate’s answer if applicable. The answers will still be presented as given even if a fact-check or clarification is needed.
Candidate Interview
Date of Birth: May 17, 1963
Hometown: “My father was in the Air Force. I have lived in GA, MS, AL, NV, CA (3x), CO, and VA.“
Career/Educational Resume: “I have worked continuously since I was 14. Customer Service -Culinary Union – Four Star Restaurants, Casinos, Real Estate (in Master planned Communities), and General Contractor. I have a degree in Computer Science, and 25+ years of Ancestry and successful DNA research.”
1) Do you believe your national political views are relevant to Flagler County voters? If so, explain what you hope those beliefs will communicate to residents about what kind of commissioner you’d be.
“National political views are secondary. What matters most is local results for Flagler residents. My focus is on fiscal discipline, cutting wasteful spending, prioritizing core services (public safety, schools, water/sewer, roads), smart growth that pays for itself, transparency, and protecting the quality of life and our environmental impact communicates that I will be a commissioner who serves residents first—not special interests or government expansion. I am your neighbor fighting for practical, accountable local leadership.”
2) What personal qualities do you possess that you believe would make you effective in forming consensus in a group with diverse viewpoints and philosophies?
“I bring a customer-service background, deep research skills, advocacy experience, and genuine empathy. I have listened carefully to residents across the county, studied the data thoroughly, and prioritize common-sense solutions over the ideology of bigger government. These qualities help bridge differences by focusing everyone on shared goals: lower taxes, better infrastructure, and a livable Flagler.”
3) What should be Flagler County’s immediate budgetary priorities if Amendment 3 passes in November, effectively phasing out most local property taxes in Florida?
“If Amendment 3 phases out most local property taxes, the immediate priority must be eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse while protecting core services—public safety (police and fire), schools, water/sewer, and roads. Demand full transparency audits, freeze unnecessary spending, stop administrative bloat, and ensure growth pays for itself through proper impact fees. Excess belongs in taxpayers’ pockets, not government coffers.”
4) What is your stance on potential moratoriums on data centers in Flagler County?
“My stance is that I support potential moratoriums on data centers in Flagler County. We currently lack sufficient information about their electricity and water consumption, as well as their full environmental impacts. Until those questions are thoroughly studied and answered, a pause is the responsible approach. I also question why these facilities are suddenly proliferating everywhere.”
5) With consideration for your previous answer, how selective can Flagler County afford to be as it strives to expand commercial tax revenue?
“My consistent position is that any large commercial project must meet concurrency requirements under the Growth Management Act, fully fund its own infrastructure needs through impact fees, protect wetlands and the environment, and not impose new burdens or higher costs on existing residents.
“Flagler County must be selective. Commercial growth is welcome only when it is truly smart and sustainable—when infrastructure (roads, utilities, public safety) keeps pace, impact fees cover the full cost, neighborhoods are protected from over-development, and the environment (wetlands, beaches, wildlife corridors) is safeguarded. Growth that strains resources or raises taxes on current residents is not acceptable.”
6) Flagler County Commissioners are not bound by any term limits. If not compelled, do you believe in voluntarily relinquishing a seat after a certain number of years? How long would you serve in office if it were up to you?
“I am a first-time candidate running as a neighbor, not a career politician. My commitment is to deliver real results for residents, lower budgets and effective results.
“I am an advocate of the Convention of States and strongly support term limits, balanced budgets, and limited government powers. Even without a legal requirement, I believe elected positions should not be careers and officials should voluntarily step aside after 2 terms to prevent the concentration of power and keep fresh perspectives in office. I would serve no more than two terms and then relinquish the seat.”
7) Name one issue you feel is not getting the attention it deserves from Flagler County officials and/or media, and why you feel it’s important.
“Beach management is not getting the attention it deserves. Flagler is the only county in the state without a dedicated, systematic plan (roughly $12 million scale) to restore, maintain, and protect its 18 miles of beaches and dunes. After years of high property taxes, this should already be solved through proper budgeting instead of relying on piecemeal grants. It is vital for quality of life, tourism, flood protection, and the long-term livability of our coastal community.”
8) Describe a time you made a mistake in your professional career, and what steps you took to remedy the situation and learn from the error.
“Early in my professional career in customer service, I made the mistake of rigidly sticking to policy and rules at the expense of the customer’s experience. Coming from a strict military household (raised by a full-bird Colonel), I believed the rules were absolute and that the customer was not always right.
“I quickly learned that approach damaged relationships and hurt the business. I corrected it by shifting my mindset: even when the customer is technically wrong, the goal is still to find a solution, treat them with respect, and leave them feeling valued. That lesson has stayed with me.
“I apply the same principle to the government. Residents are both taxpayers and customers. The government works for them — not the other way around — and that perspective must always guide how we serve, with dignity and respect.”
I like Anna Jones Responses within this interview. I firmly believe, however, that we already have over growth in Palm Coast. Florida tends to build housing on a cheek to jowl basis instead of leaving ample space between homes in a neighborhood. This creates all the problems that overcrowding brings. What we really need is a moratorium on continued development of apartments, restaurants, strip malls and the like. The impact fees that have always seemed to delight local politicians cost more than they contribute.
Our roads, public safety, water and drainage systems, schools, emergency services, and overall quality of life are all impacted negatively.