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NSBNEWS.net videos by Sera Frederick. The City Commission at an intense meeting Wednesday discusses the parameters of what it is willing to offer Interim City Manager Pam Brangaccio in a salary contract to allow her to bcome permanent city manager.

Mayor Adam Barringer has been designated by the City Commission to "negotiate" a new contract with Interim City Manager Pam Brangaccio at 3 p.m. today at City Hall commission chambers,  210 Sams Ave. New Smyrna Beach.

Wednesday night's City Commission meeting was a study in awkwardness for both the City Commission and its interim city manager. What should have been a work session on coming to consensus regarding a possible city manager contract, was deliberately changed by someone in City Hall into a special meeting where votes are possible.

The City Commission tried to play "poker" Wednesday night with the interim city manager's employment package.

I will give them credit on a few hands: A two-month severance for the first year and capped at six months at three years of service and beyond, a $5,000 moving allowance returned if she leaves, an investigation for the most economical car allowance and a lowered salary than what she expected.

DELAND -- Volusia County’s Public Works Department will host a community workshop to address progress on the Spring-to-Spring Trail being constructed along Grand Avenue in the Glenwood area north of DeLand. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at the Glenwood Presbyterian Church, 3190 Grand Ave., Glenwood.

The meeting will include an open house at 6 p.m. and a presentation at 6:30 p.m. followed by questions and answers at 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 7: Will W. Hayes and Tawanna R. Moore, Edgewater; Anthony T. Litsch III, Edgewater, and Julie A. Costa, New Smyrna Beach; Ming F. Lau and Shu T. Dong, New Smyrna Beach; James W. Belloise and Sherrie A. Cannon, Edgewater.

PONCE INLET -- With the ocean, river and lagoon water temperatures dropping along the
United States Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Volusia County Marine Science Center (MSC) rehabilitation specialists are experiencing an influx of threatened and endangered sea turtles that become paralyzed by the cold. An increase in cold-affected sea birds is under way as well.

The MSC is part of a "stranding network" of facilities that accept and rehabilitate stranded sea turtles and seabirds.

Joseph Williams, 81, of New Smyrna Beach, a former sanitation worker for the city of New Smyrna Beach, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick. Interim City Manager Pam Brangaccio's hopes for a $132,500 salary and other perks that would have pushed her annual compensation gross to $257,108 were dashed Wednesday night when the City Commission unanimously agreed on a salary of $100,000 as part of an offer to remove the "interim" tag and make her the permanent city manager. The counter proposal voted on by the commission saves the taxpayers $98,737. Whether she accepts the deal remains to be seen. Mayor Adam Barringer, center photo, had initially put an offer of $114,975. Commissioner Jim Hathaway, far right photo, suggested $110,000 while Commissioner Lynne Plaskett, far right, and Jack Grasty, far left photo, opted for $115,000. Commissioner Judy Reiker suggested $101,000, but possibly higher in six months with a positive evaluation. Eventually, Barringer and Reiker favored Hathaway's figure and Grasty and Plakett then fell in line. Brangaccio was silent.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- What a difference six months makes for Interim City Manager Pam Brangaccio. Try $22,500 less.

Courtesy photo/Dorothy Kirby. Mayor Adam Barringer, lower left in the water, helps two others rescue an elderly motorist who careened into the Indian River after apparently hitting the gas pedal instead of her brakes following a motor vehicle accident. The mayor was at an awards ceremony for New Smyra Beach police at the Brannon Center when an announcement was made that a car was in the river. He ran out and jumped in after taking off his watch,  jacket and shoes.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera King. Mayor Barringer speaks to NSB NEWS about the situation following Wednesday night's City Commission meeting.

 NEW SMYRNA BEACH --It was a typical day for Mayor Adam Barringer. He attended an afternoon awards banquet for the cops and presented his proposed salary package for the interim city manager at the City Commission meeting. Oh, and in between, he jumped into the river, along with two others, to rescue a woman trapped in her sinking car.

I modestly propose we send our local government representatives the query below and point out the injustice of being victimized by a law-enforcement that practices extortion on those they vow to "serve," A.K.A. the Department of Motor Vehicles.