AskFlagler Palm Coast Mayor Interview: Alan Lowe

Alan Lowe is one of five candidates running for Palm Coast Mayor in 2024. He’s challenging incumbent David Alfin, along with three other candidates: Peter Johnson, Cornelia Manfre, and Mike Norris. This is Lowe’s fourth campaign for office in Palm Coast, following mayoral bids in 2020 and 2021, and a City Council run in 2022. So far Lowe has yet to win a seat on the City Council dais.

The primary election for Palm Coast Mayor will take place on August 20th and will be open to all Palm  Coast residents. If any candidate obtains one more vote than 50.0%, they will win the mayoral election outright. If none reach that threshold, the top two candidates will move on to the general election in November.

Other Candidate Interviews

Flagler County Commission:

• Andy Dance – Flagler County Commission, District 1
• Fernando Melendez – Flagler County Commission, District 1
• Kim Carney – Flagler County Commission, District 3
• Bill Clark – Flagler County Commission, District 3 (Did Not Complete)
• Nick Klufas – Flagler County Commission, District 3
• Ed Danko – Flagler County Commission, District 5
• Michael McElroy – Flagler County Commission, District 5
• Pam Richardson – Flagler County Commission, District 5

Flagler School Board:

• Derek Barrs – Flagler School Board, District 3
• Janie Ruddy – Flagler School Board, District 3
• Lauren Ramirez – Flagler School Board, District 5
• Vincent Sullivan – Flagler School Board, District 5

East Flagler Mosquito Control Board:

• Julius ‘Jules’ Kwiatkowski – East Flagler Mosquito Control Board, Seat 1
• Perry Mitrano – East Flagler Mosquito Control Board, Seat 1
• Lance Alred – East Flagler Mosquito Control Board, Seat 3
• Ralph Lighfoot – East Flagler Mosquito Control Board, Seat 3

Palm Coast City Council:

• David Alfin – Palm Coast Mayor
• Peter Johnson – Palm Coast Mayor
• Alan Lowe – Palm Coast Mayor
• Cornelia Downing Manfre – Palm Coast Mayor
• Mike Norris – Palm Coast Mayor (Did Not Complete)
• Kathy Austrino – Palm Coast City Council, District 1
• Shara Brodsky – Palm Coast City Council, District 1
• Ty Miller – Palm Coast City Council, District 1
• Jeffery Seib – Palm Coast City Council, District 1
• Dana ‘Mark’ Stancel – Palm Coast City Council, District 3
• Ray Stevens – Palm Coast City Council, District 3
• Andrew Werner – Palm Coat City Council, District 3

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 5th, 1961

Hometown: Kennebunk, Maine

Career/Educational Resume:

“Career: Entrepreneur, landlord, inventor, handyman.

Educational resume: Studied EE at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.”

1. Name three issues in Palm Coast you see as most pressing right now, and what you see as the first steps in addressing them under the new City Council.

“1. Infrastructure: Establish a council consensus to prioritize funding and create a comprehensive project list.

“2. Revenue Sources: Explore alternative revenue generation methods that avoid tax increases. The council should identify effective lobbyists to secure appropriations and hire skilled grant writers to bring in additional funding, reducing the reliance on tax hikes.

“3. Department Audits: Approve the engagement of an independent auditor to conduct thorough department-by-department reviews, with the aim of identifying opportunities for budget cuts and cost-saving measures.”

2. One of the key duties of a mayor is chairing City Council meetings. Describe your temperament in ways that are relevant to that responsibility.

 “I have served on several boards, successfully negotiated with foreign governments to implement private contracts, and managed a team of 40 employees in my own company. These experiences have equipped me with the skills to negotiate and collaborate effectively across diverse perspectives, achieving favorable outcomes. Additionally, they have provided me with a deep understanding of budgets and capital priorities.”

3. With what you know now, give your evaluation of these city leaders: interim City Manager Lauren Johnston, Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo, and Stormwater & Engineering Director Carl Cote.

“Interim City Manager Lauren Johnston is doing a commendable job, but given the city’s upcoming expansion, I believe more experience and background in managing such growth will be crucial.

“Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo is effective within his area of expertise in the building department, though I’m curious about the necessity of a Chief of Staff role at this time.

“Stormwater & Engineering Director Carl Cote is dedicated to his work, but limited funding in stormwater management is hindering his ability to perform at his full potential.”

4. Are there any new or underutilized revenue streams you can name that Palm Coast could tap into to support its operating budget? If so, expand upon your plan for implementation.

“While the city finance staff may have some reservations, I believe the sale of municipal bonds could be an excellent source of revenue. With an extended payback period, this approach could serve as a viable option to offset taxes and support the operating budget.”

5. In recent months some residents have broached the idea of having a forensic audit, a practice typically undertaken due to reasonable suspicion of financial misconduct. Do you see a forensic audit as being necessary for Palm Coast?

“Yes, I support the idea, but instead of focusing on the strict legal definition of a ‘forensic audit,’ I propose an independent, comprehensive departmental audit. This audit could help us identify opportunities to cut waste, improve financial operations, and enhance public trust. If any financial discrepancies are found, it would also guide us on whether further action is necessary.”

6. One of the duties of Palm Coast’s mayor is to lobby Tallahassee for state funding. What experience do you have that would prepare you to execute this duty effectively?

“While Palm Coast hires a lobbying firm to advocate for state funding, the selection of this firm is made by a majority vote of the council, not independently by the mayor. However, as mayor, I bring experience in negotiating with governments and presenting data-driven arguments to prioritize our appropriation needs and highlight the benefits of securing them. In the last appropriations session, our funding requests were not effectively prioritized, resulting in missed opportunities for critical infrastructure funding. I am committed to ensuring a more strategic and focused approach moving forward.”

7. Adults under 25 in Palm Coast have a median income of $34,663, against a median annual rent of $24,156. Can Palm Coast take any additional steps to provide affordable housing to keep FPC and MHS graduates in town? Could doing so threaten to create a potentially excessive pace of residential development? 

 “Yes, if building growth outpaces the availability of well-paying jobs, we risk creating a situation where residents are unemployed or underemployed, which could lead to foreclosures or increased evictions. To prevent this, we need to focus on developing a diverse economy that supports wages sufficient for home ownership or the ability to afford standard rental rates.”

8. What does the long-term solution for public safety in Palm Coast look like? Do you think the city’s future growth will create enough tax revenue to fund indefinite, incremental additions of Flagler Sheriff’s deputies? If not, how does Palm Coast make ends meet to facilitate adequate law enforcement coverage?

“I believe Palm Coast is a safe community overall, and maintaining that safety is crucial as we grow. The long-term solution involves ensuring the sheriff’s department has enough deputies and resources to effectively serve our expanding population.

“Relying on the assumption that growth will indefinitely sustain itself is a fallacy, as is the belief that growth is endless. As the population increases, so do the costs of law enforcement, fire, and rescue services. While higher property taxes on new builds before homesteading can help fund these services, we must also work towards diversifying our economy. A downturn in the housing market would significantly challenge our current construction-based economy, making it essential to have a broader economic base to ensure adequate funding for public safety.”