Flagler Estates Concerned Citizens, Inc.

On May 28th, 2008 the FERWCD Board voted 2-1 to increase the assessment upon the residents they work for by 63%. It was an eleventh hour decision based on inconclusive information and in spite of widespread disagreement amongst their constituency. These are financially uncertain times.

For years, we were led to believe that only the Army Corps of Engineers could take care of our flooding problem. Now, we are told this is untrue. The Ashley Outfall/16 Mile Creek Project will save us. BUT, the TIF money is gone because we spent 6.7 million dollars paving instead of addressing our #1 problem. FLOODING! We have since learned that the Ashley Outfall Project will have vritually no impact on flooding. What it will do is clean a very small percentage of water. We will be flooded with cleaner water to the tune of millions of dollars.

*The county-wide survey that JE &A(Jones Edmunds & Assoc.) performed indicates that our situation for possible flooding is virtually the SAME as when T.S. Gabrielle hit in 2001. This means that all the paving, ditch-cleaning/scraping, intersection improvements and maintenance have been ineffective in addressing the NUMBER 1 ISSUE - flooding.

These are the concerns that brought us together. We all have different points of view and different opinions. What we share is a strong belief that something is very wrong here and our community is under threat.

We further believe that, by coming together and speaking in one voice, “the powers that be” shall hear us. There is also a recognition that we must be ready to look out for ourselves. We are an independent bunch who live in Flagler Estates and we intend to help each other stay that way.

Flagler Estates Concerned Citizens is a Civic Organization that came together out of mutual concern for unjust taxation by the FERWCD, an agency with too much power, too little oversight and no consideration for those who pay them. (US!!)

But FECC can be more than a Tax Watch Group. It can help provide a way for us to help each other and the community in ways that matter. It is our hope that you all will join us.