Flagler County administrator to resign, receive severance after commission votes

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey is expected to resign Friday after a vote to accept his resignation was held during a county special meeting on Wednesday.

The vote comes after close to 40 Flagler County Sheriff's Office employees claim their building is making them sick because of bat droppings and wet carpet. That paired with questionable hires led to Coffey’s job being put on the line.

Commissioners met Wednesday evening to accept his departure and decided he will be leaving with a severance check worth around $62,000, or 20 weeks lump-sum pay.

County Commissioner Charles Ericksen applauds the 52-year old for the work he did guiding the county through two hurricanes.

But Ericksen admits Coffey has made some missteps over the past few months.

Coffey took criticism for allowing his deputy administrator, Sally Sherman, to retire and be rehired as a consultant for the county. She was then rehired to her old position with the county in September.

Photos sent to WFTV News show the sheriff's operations center with bat guanao, moisture under the rugs and wood and insulation from the old hospital mixed in with the new materials.

This led to 37 sheriff’s employees filing workers' compensation claims that the building made them sick and employees being forced to move out of the building in June.

Commissioner Joe Mullins said Coffey told the commission there there were no issues with the building and all the proper steps had been taken.

A message left for Coffey, seeking comment on Wednesday's meeting, was not returned.

Coffey's top two administrators told the county they will be resigning at the end of this month, which means there's no clear successor for Coffey.

Cox Media Group