THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Friday, July 22, 2016

Flagler County Commissioner Frank Meeker, 61, dies
By Aaron London & Tony Holt

PALM COAST — Frank Meeker, 61, lost his battle with cancer Friday.

The Flagler County commissioner was diagnosed with colon cancer in February 2015 and had continued to work and volunteer while undergoing various treatments.

Flagler County Commissioner Barbara Revels succeeded Meeker as commission chair and remembers him as "a great colleague to work with" and an optimist who loved the community.
"Everyone is devastated," she said Friday. "We thought he was going to beat it because he thought he was going to beat it."

Fellow commissioner Nate McLaughlin posted the following on his Facebook page: "My heart is heavy as I have lost a dear friend this morning and the community has lost a faithful leader ... God Bless you Frank Meeker."

Meeker, a Wisconsin native, was an environmental engineer for ITT Community Development Corp., the original developer of Palm Coast. He also served on Palm Coast's Planning and Land Development Review Board for seven years.

A certified environmental professional, Meeker worked as district ombudsman and senior regulatory scientist for the St. Johns River Water Management District for 17 years, resigning after he was elected to the Flagler County Commission in 2012.

Meeker began his political career in Flagler County in 2007, winning election to the Palm Coast City Council. He resigned from the council to run for County Commission and was re-elected to that post in 2014.

Meeker's battle with cancer began in February 2015 after he received a note from his doctor that prompted him to have a routine colonoscopy. An MRI detected nothing, but the colonoscopy showed a small tumor in his colon.

Doctors removed the tumor and biopsies showed that Meeker had stage 4 of an aggressive, fast-moving type of cancer that had infiltrated his liver and spread into his blood stream. He continued to work hard as a commissioner and missed few meetings during the past year.

But he was absent from Monday's commission meeting.

Jason DeLorenzo served with Meeker on the Palm Coast City Council and remembered him as a good friend and colleague.

"My first year on the council was pretty difficult, but Frank would always give my ideas at least some consideration," DeLorenzo said. "I always appreciated that and looked up to him for that."

DeLorenzo said the two developed a bond over Dunkin' Donuts coffee, taking turns buying each other a cup.

"I'm going to miss Frank quite a bit," he said. "He cared about the community and I just appreciated how he did business."

In addition to his professional and political activities, Meeker was a strong supporter of youth sports in Flagler County.

Georgia Turner, former vice president for tourism development at the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, worked with Meeker when he served as Palm Coast's representative on the Flagler County Tourist Development Council. She recalled Meeker playing a leading role in increasing the tourist development effort to attract sporting events to the county.

"He definitely was instrumental in starting that effort and was very helpful to me because of his background," she said.

Turner said soon after she left Flagler County to return to her home state of Alabama, Meeker and his wife, Debbie, visited her.

"He came here to see me, to Florence, right after I got here," she said. "It was a really special day they spent with me. I just thought the world of him."

After his diagnosis and treatment at Florida Hospital Flagler, Meeker spoke about his experience publicly in the community and at hospital events, including one honoring nurses.

John Subers, director of the Florida Hospital Flagler Foundation, said Meeker will be missed.

"He had a special knack for making the nurses feel great," Subers said. "Just acknowledging their care and really making the nurses feel great about what they do for a living. We loved to have him part of those events.

"I got to know him on a personal level over the last couple of years," Subers said. "Frank's voice in the community was highly regarded and to have him receiving great care at Florida Hospital Flagler and allowing him to voice his care was a positive.

"Frank was loved by a lot of people, including us."

Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts said he will remember Meeker for his contributions to the city and for being one of the most diligent workers he had ever known during his years in public life.

"He really would dig into an issue. There was nothing superficial about Frank Meeker," Netts said. "He would go through all this data and go over every piece of available information ... So when Frank spoke, he spoke with a full understanding.

"It's a loss to all of us," he continued. "He was a great individual."

Meeker is survived by his wife, Debbie, and sons Jason and Joshua. Funeral arrangements were unavailable Friday.


THE PALM COAST OBSERVER
Palm Coast, Florida
Friday, July 22, 2016

Frank Meeker, a county commissioner, dies after battle with cancer

Meeker watched Palm Coast grow up from the earliest days, as he worked for the city’s original developer, ITT.
by: Brian McMillan Executive Editor

He was a soccer coach who took a scientific approach to government decision making, and he was a man with a sense of humor on two government boards. Frank Meeker, a Palm Coast City Council member from 2007 to 2012, then a member of the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners from 2012 to present, died today, on July 22, after a battle with cancer. He was 61.

Meeker and his wife, Debbie, were married three decades ago. They have two sons: Jason, who is in the Air Force, and Joshua, who is an EMT/firefighter for EVAC in Volusia County.

Meeker watched Palm Coast grow up from the earliest days, as he worked for the city’s original developer, ITT.

A fellow member of the County Commission, Nate McLaughlin, called Meeker both a personal and a professional friend. He posted on Meeker’s Facebook page the following note: “My heart is heavy as I have lost a dear friend this morning and the community has lost a faithful leader....God Bless you Frank Meeker.”

Debi Peterson commented on the post: “My heart is broken! Frank was a wonderful man. His compassion for his community and family was unwavering. Prayers for peace and comfort to his family during this difficult journey of saying good-bye. Thank you Frank! You made a difference in the lives of many people. I will truly miss you.”

Sharon Triller Kaltenberg wrote: “Frank was a friend from high school. He was a great guy. So sorry for the loss of this wonderful talented man."

Flagler County Clerk of Courts Gail Wadsworth posted: "I'll miss you, Frank! May your journey be easy & your meeting with God full of light and love!"

Meeker, who held a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences and Masters of Science degree in Coastal Resources, created Sea Turtle Protection Guidelines for Flagler County that included a resolution approved unanimously by the County Commission in October 2015.

“This topic is very near and dear to me,” Meeker said in May to a group of residents and officials at the Hammock Beach Resort. “I felt I had to address this after getting the Manatee Protection Plan back on track. They (sea turtles) are defenseless and the life of a sea turtle is a rough one.”

County Commissioner Barbara Revels said, “He loved his city and he loved his county, but he loved his family most. He was a great family man and he will be greatly missed.”

“Always wearing a smiling face, he was well-loved by the residents he served,” said Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts. “You could always count on Frank – that he would follow up if you asked him to do something. His word was gold. He always put others first.”

Funeral services for Frank Meeker will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30, at Parkview Baptist Church, 5435 Belle Terre Parkway. There will be a funeral procession from the church to Flagler Palms Memorial Gardens, 511 Old Kings Road S., Flagler Beach. The family will receive friends afterwards back at their church, Parkview Baptist Church. Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

The term of office remaining for Frank Meeker's seat on the County Commission is 27 months and 28 days. The governor of Florida, therefore, will appoint Meeker's replacement, and there will not be a special election.

Missing Frank Meeker
FLAGLERLIVE| JULY 28, 2016

Four times in the last 15 years a local government board lost one of its members to death. Jim Holland in 2002 and Ralph Carter in 2005 died while serving on the Palm Coast City Council. Peter Palmer in 2009 died after less than three years on the Flagler County School Board. And last Friday Frank Meeker died in the middle of his term on the Flagler County Commission.

Of the four, Meeker had served the longest in local office, nine years, starting with five years on the Palm Coast City Council. He was also the youngest when he died at 61, and whereas others seemed to see their public service as capstones to their careers, Meeker always gave you the sense that he was only getting started. His death was cruel, untimely and unforgivable. But that’s cancer, the planet’s most indifferent mass murderer.

Some elected officials leave a much bigger void than others when they die in office. Palm Coast felt it when Holland died even though he served less than three years because the city’s identity in many ways was Jim Holland. He was its civic soul and founder years before its incorporation.

Flagler County now feels the great void Meeker leaves behind because though he was no founder, he was a workaholic tactician. He picked his battlegrounds, collected some data, collected some more data, then got to work lobbying, arguing, traveling, debating and fearlessly changing his mind when necessary to get something done. He finally got frustrated in Palm Coast because the city manager there prefers council members to just wave pom-poms and praise his lordship. The county was more to Meeker’s liking.

He could get busy there, and he did: the short-term vacation rental initiative that rewrote state law in Flagler’s favor, finding a solution for decades of drainage problems in Marineland Acres, the famous midnight negotiations with the Salamander developer group at Hammock Beach resort, the Plantation Bay utility, the deal for the old hospital that became the sheriff’s operations center: they all had the Meeker imprint, some more than others. And on some, he wore his agonized decision-making on his sleeves.

This is what I liked about Meeker best. He was a reporter’s politician. He was immediately accessible, he spoke his mind, he did it unpretentiously and at great length—to this day he has by far the longest interview ever published on FlaglerLive, a novella of 12,400 words—and he loved debating ideas. He wasn’t much different with constituents. I think he loved being challenged, too, because he had that competitive streak that kept him going, but it was competition without belligerence. He had his fangs, but he rarely showed them. He didn’t need to. He was too self-confident for that. It’s what helped him get things done, despite losses in his family and an illness that would defeat most people.

It’s what convinced us that he would be around much longer, too. In one sense he will be, of course. The void he leaves behind will be felt for a very long time. I don’t envy his appointed replacement. It’s not shoes he’ll be filling. It’s an interrupted legacy that was just hitting its stride. We cannot imagine the loss to his family. But we’ll know and feel the loss to Flagler at every meeting of the county commission, missing Frank Meeker in his prime.

 Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor.

Note:Funeral services for Commissioner Meeker will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 30 at Parkview Baptist Church, 5435 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast. There will be a funeral procession from the church to Flagler Palms Memorial Gardens, 511 Old Kings Road South, Flagler Beach. The family will receive friends afterwards at the Flagler County Association of Realtors, 4101 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell (not at the church, as previously reported).

Arrangements are in the care of Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home. The Flagler County Commission will honor Meeker on Monday, Aug. 1, at 10:30 a.m. in board chambers at the Government Services Building in Bunnell.

THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Sunday, July 31, 2016

Flagler County celebrates life of Frank Meeker

PALM COAST — A big crowd of friends, colleagues and family turned out Saturday to pay respects to Frank Meeker, a Flagler County commissioner known for his strong civic engagement and volunteer work.

Meeker died July 22 after being diagnosed with cancer in February 2015. He was 61.

The service at Parkview Baptist Church in Palm Coast was followed by a funeral procession that wound from the church to Flagler Palms Memorial Gardens in Flagler Beach. Afterwards, Meeker's family received friends at the Flagler County Association of Realtors in Bunnell.

The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners plans to honor Meeker on Monday during its regular meeting, according to a county media release. The tribute will happen promptly at 10:30 a.m., regardless of whether the meeting is still in session.

“If we haven’t concluded the meeting, we will take a break at this time to honor and celebrate Frank Meeker’s life,” Commission Chairwoman Barbara Revels said in the release. “Frank touched so many lives in Flagler County as a soccer coach, serving the city of Palm Coast and Flagler County as an elected official, through his employment at ITT and the St. Johns River Water Management District, not to mention all of the friends he made through church and his other civic engagements. He will be greatly missed.”

The tribute will be held in the Commission Chambers of the Flagler County Government Services Building, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell.

Meeker is survived by his wife, Debbie, and sons Jason and Joshua. Arrangements were made by Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home.

Biography from Flagler County Web Site:

Commissioner Frank Meeker represents County Commission District 2 which encompasses the northern half of Palm Coast north of Palm Coast Parkway and the coastline of Flagler County North of Beverly Beach to the Flagler, St. Johns county line.

Commissioner Meeker has been a resident of Flagler County for the past 27 years and active in local government and the creation of Palm Coast by the Developer ITT Community Development Corporation.

He was the Senior Manager of Environmental Affairs for ITT Community Development Corporation in Palm Coast. His 10 year career specialized in environmental issues, Consumptive Use and Environmental Resource permitting with a strong focus on rule development and planning. Meeker also served on the City’s Planning and Land Development Review Board for seven years, was elected Chairman twice, and has been actively working with the youth of Flagler County for 15 years.

Meeker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences and a Master of Science degree in Coastal Resources, both from the Florida Institute of Technology. With the departure of the developer from Palm Coast, he went to work for St. Johns River Water Management District.

He is a Certified Environmental Professional and worked in the Executive Office as the District Ombudsman and a Senior Regulatory Scientist for the St. Johns River Water Management District for 17 years. His primary focus was assisting with dispute mediation, identifying and resolving public issues, problem solving, and correcting regulatory inconsistency.

He has close ties to the agricultural community in Flagler and Putman County. He is well published on a variety of subjects including consumptive use permitting, wetland delineation, wetland permitting, and wetland problem solving to economic development, solid waste and underground storage tanks.

With his election to the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners in 2012 he resigned his job with the Water Management District. His initial focus as a commissioner will be on addressing past shortfalls and budgetary problems while retaining a high level of service to the residents of Flagler County.

His election as District 2 County Commissioner is not his first foray into the Flagler County political scene. He resigned his post at Palm Coast City Councilman to run for County Commission. He was elected to the City Council in 2007. His initial years were spent resolving budgetary problems refocusing limited funds on priorities established by council.

He was the lead on the Council in holding the line on the budget and reducing the ad valorem tax revenue from 22 million dollars down to less than 17 million. His emphasis was addressing alternative city water supply and evaluating studies for desalination. Another interest was Economic Development with the implementation of the Business Assistance Center and umbrella medical insurance coverage for small businesses and greater accountability of local government in providing services at lower cost.

Commissioner Meeker and his wife Debbie have been married for 35 years. They live in Palm Coast and are active in their church. The couple have two sons: Jason, who is in service to his country in the Air Force, and Joshua, an EMT/Firefighter with EVAC of Volusia County.

Each year Flagler County Commissioners select assignments to serve as the County’s representative on community organizations, county, state and regional boards. Commissioner Meekin’s assignments for 2012 include:

• A1A Scenic Corridor Advocacy Byways Group
• A1A Scenic Pride
• Management Advisory Group for the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR)
• Northeast Florida Regional Council
• School Planning Oversight Committee
• Workforce Development Board of Flagler and Volusia County

Value Adjustment Board