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| View on YouTube: Click Here 03-06-19 City Council Workshop and Regular Meeting |
Unanswered Emails from Citizens
From June to September 2018, environmental advocate Stel Bailey sent multiple emails to the City of Satellite Beach and City Manager Courtney Barker requesting:
- Permission to host community meetings
- Participation from city officials
- Comprehensive environmental testing
None of these emails received a response, despite professional tone and repeated outreach.
Community Meeting Cancellation & Disputes
- July 20, 2018: A planned community meeting was canceled after controversy around city involvement.
- Facebook activity between residents and city officials revealed miscommunications and behind-the-scenes attempts to alter meeting plans.
- The City Manager denied requesting a meeting cancellation but admitted trying to convince organizers to reschedule.
Social Media Surveillance & Removal
- July–September 2018: The City Manager and staff monitored citizen social media posts, particularly the group Satellite Beach Health and Hope for Tomorrow.
- Officials, including Courtney Barker and Mindy Gibson, were removed from the group after being accused of monitoring residents inappropriately.
- The City responded by claiming the group was spreading misinformation.
City Statements & Internal Emails
From August to September 2018, internal city communications included:
- Dismissive comments about concerned residents seeking “FaceTime”
- Accusations that community groups were using the City for publicity
- Misrepresentation of community intentions and events
Closed-Door Meeting & Sunshine Law Concerns
- September 17, 2018: The City held a closed meeting with water expert Bob Bowcock, excluding residents, media, and Florida Health Connection.
- City officials later defended their actions, claiming certain individuals would “make a scene” or edit footage out of context.
- A Sunshine Law violation report was filed but ultimately dismissed by the police.
Involvement of Satellite Beach Police
- Officers and commanders tracked and responded to Sunshine Law complaints.
- Police staff confirmed no violations occurred, but citizens questioned transparency.
- February 2018: The Chief of Police personally surveilled a non-resident’s address at the request of the City Manager.
Emails to “City Supporters”
- Internal communications show a coordinated effort to frame concerned citizens as spreading hysteria and misinformation.
- Residents and nonprofit leaders were targeted via social media surveillance and property research.
- City supporters echoed city talking points during public meetings and on record.
"Friend of the City" Escalation
- A private citizen referred to as a “friend of the city” engaged in over 113 emails with city officials.
Activities included:
- Proposing the use of bots to click-spam nonprofit ads
- Sending a cease-and-desist letter to the individual
- Receiving a court-ordered injunction for harassment
- Attempting to influence legal proceedings
Public Records Delays & City Clerk Termination
- September–December 2018: Florida Health Connection submitted records requests which were repeatedly delayed or mishandled.
- Technical issues and miscommunication persisted, despite IT confirmation that systems were functioning.
- January 4, 2019: The City Clerk responsible was terminated.
- An apology email was later issued, stating the issue was resolved through employee termination.
Key Takeaways
- Repeated public concerns were ignored or dismissed.
- City officials monitored and documented citizen activity online.
- Transparency was questioned regarding meetings and public records.
- The City eventually acknowledged errors and took administrative action.
For full documents and additional context, visit the official Satellite Beach Public Records archive.
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