Tag Archives: City Manager James McCroskey

Daytona Probation Sweep Catches Killer Who Was Looking for a Daytona Beach Narcotics Anonymous Meeting to Attend that Night

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NA Daytona Beach is a place for convicted killers.Terry Frison Freeman a convicted Killer of an 81 year old man he brutally beat to death did 15 years for the killing. He was let out in May 2013. He was looking for a Daytona Narcotics Anonymous Meetings when police were doing a probation sweep and found he was not home. Going to Daytona NA meetings is most likely part of his probation requirements. Daytona NA invites killers and rapists right along with children and minors. Of course as we know this is not exclusive to NA Daytona Beach Florida. This is a global problem. NA Holly Hill meetings are in Centennial Park as well as NA Daytona meetings held in Hollyland Park with violent felons, Deland, Ormond Beach, Port Orange and Daytona Beach Shores.

Probation and Parole Sweep Nets Convicted Killer,  police said.

 By  STAFF WRITER

Published: Thursday, July 18, 2013

DAYTONA BEACH — A convicted murderer on parole went back to jail earlier this week because he was late getting home.

Terry Frison Freeman was arrested Wednesday night during a Daytona Beach police probation and parole sweep — the department’s first in more than a year due to budget constraints.

The 41-year-old Freeman, was convicted of second degree murder for beating an 81-year-old grocer to death in 1996. He was also convicted of robbery.

One of the conditions of his parole when he was released from the Tomoka Correctional Institution in May, included that he be home every evening by 7 p.m., said Police Capt. Craig Capri.

A Daytona Beach detective, a uniformed officer and a Probation and Parole officer, knocked on Freeman’s door on Wednesday evening, and he was nowhere to be found, said Police Chief Mike Chitwood and Capri.

“We waited for him until 7:15 p.m. and he didn’t come back,” Capri said Thursday. “We didn’t see him until after 8. He said he was looking for an NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meeting.”  Donnie Moore Commissioner of Holly Hill calls critics nutjobs.

Wednesday’s arrest of Freeman was a significant one for police. Continue reading →

Governor Asked For Outside Investigation of Holly Hill Police

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Gov. asked for outside investigation of Holly Hill police By LYDA LONGA  Staff Writer      July 02, 2008

An attorney for Holly Hill’s top police brass is asking the governor’s office to appoint an outside state attorney to investigate criminal allegations hurled by a city commissioner at the two highest-ranking officers.

Towsley

Shinnamon

Barker

The three-page letter to Gov. Charlie Crist was sent Tuesday and in it, attorney Mike Lambert details the two-year saga involving City Commissioner Liz Towsley, Public Safety Director Don Shinnamon and Cmdr. Mark Barker.

“. . . the appointment by you of an outside state attorney to conduct this investigation will put an end to the turmoil that has been generated and perpetuated by these complaints,” Lambert wrote to Crist. “Whoever you would choose is acceptable to these two law enforcement officers and not someone Elizabeth Towsley could complain of or claim a special relationship.”

Holly Hill Florida Looks at AA NA Meeting Procedures in the Parks

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Holly Hill Looks at Park Meeting Procedures

AUDREY PARENTE – STAFF WRITER
January 10, 2011

HOLLY HILL – Children romping on playground equipment at Sunrise Park giggled and shouted in the dark recently, under the watchful eyes of their aunt, Beth Thomason.

On the same night a woman’s low voice nearby murmured about her drug problem. She sat at a picnic table with a camp lantern glowing on nearly 20 adult faces, many under hoodies and knit caps in the cold. Thomason said she knew it was a self-help group, because she once attended similar meetings in support of a relative. No incidents occurred Friday at Sunrise. But recent conflicts over park use by large groups caused citizens to request commissioners look at stronger regulations for the city’s parks.
Park rules and policies will be discussed at a public workshop 5 p.m. Tuesday in City Commission Chambers.
According to a flier on a City Hall table, anonymous self-help groups meet daily at Sunrise and other Parks in Holly Hill. AA Daytona Beach Meetings in Daytona.
In Holly Hill, park reservations by large groups aren’t required, but an option to assure a spot is available for $25, said Acting City Manager Mark Barker.
An individual at Friday night’s meeting, who didn’t want a name used because the group prefers anonymity, said the number of people at a meeting varies and many who attend are required to be there by drug court.

Commissioner Rick Glass said he’s anticipating help from the city attorney at the workshop. “I have had many, many people call, and I just got off the phone with a citizen who was talking about it,” Glass said. “They want (sign-up) procedures put in place for parties – basic policies like other cities have, where parties of 20 or 25 people have to pull a permit.” Park regulations for municipalities at municode.com show other cities, including Ormond Beach and Edgewater, regulate many issues from conduct and park hours to penalties. Barker said “right now, to control certain behaviors,” other regulations are used – not park specific – such as laws covering alcoholic beverages, firearms and public safety issues.

Commissioner Liz Towsley Patton said the issue has been discussed before – not at length. “We will look at all sides and decide,” she said. “I am open to that, but, do I think we need to shut parks off to groups or go through a certain process? No.” Commissioner Donnie Moore said: “As it stands right now . . . I do see some issues, and we can work on that.” Moore said requiring reservations by large groups might be considered, but he also hopes to designate playgrounds as non-smoking areas. Commissioner Roy Johnson said he aims to find “what is best for everybody,” but not “restrict people from using the park.” A local business operator across from the park believes the city should regulate park use. “I am in a little store where people stop to get their whatnots, and they say what’s on their mind. I have heard grumblings,” said Mr. Sanderford. He spends seven weekdays operating Holly Hill River Mart, and said local residents complain about meeting groups monopolizing the park and the parking. The complaints resulted in a petition asking city lawmakers to look at the issue, he said.

Former mayoral candidate Steve Smith presented the petition. Barker said an unsigned copy of the petition is on record. Smith said his trouble at the park began while running for mayor. He reserved the pavilion once a week for 10 weeks, having cookouts and campaigning, but encountered harassment and disagreeable persons in a group meeting at the park pavilion with no reservation, he said. “The city should limit (the number of) times,” of use by large groups, Smith said, and all groups “should be submitting some remittance to the city for the maintenance of the park.”

Smith also had a solution.

“The thing that is missing is, we don’t have a leisure services or parks director, so there is nothing scheduled.” Organized activities would help, he said.

EMOTIONS RUN HIGH AT HOLLY HILL Fl MEETING DISCUSSING NA AA PARK MEETINGS

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HOLLY HILL Florida — Holly Hill Police escorted two individuals pointing fingers and raising voices at each other out of a workshop on the issue of regulating public parks on Tuesday. The incident prompted Commissioner John Penny to remind the citizens attending the workshop the commission was “setting park policy irregardless of any individual group,” and that behavior and discussion should remain professional. In a rare move, the commission allowed the public to speak during the workshop, which is not the usual procedure. AA Daytona and NA Daytona Meetings in Daytona and Holly Hill Area.
Among 37 citizens who attended, some spoke their minds about wanting further and stronger regulations to include requiring any larger groups to reserve space and pay a fee for using the park, among other things. Steve Smith suggested having an educated and trained park director would help resolve some of the problems. Mr. Sanderford presented a petition with 88 signatures of citizens wanting stronger regulations. He operates a shop across from Sunrise Park.

A few individuals hinted at the value of self-help groups using the park often, and one person even said the groups using Sunrise Park on weekends had relocated. Not until the commission closed public discussion did the crux of the issue surface clearly. “This has turned into a battle of two worlds, and I don’t think we should be in the middle,” said Commissioner Liz Towsley Patton. “There’s no secret we are here because of the NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings at the park. I don’t think we are here to micromanage public parks.”

But Commissioner Donnie Moore had a different take, and said he had spent two hours speaking with park officials in Daytona Beach. He recommended the city attorney, who was not present, get with the Daytona Beach city attorney and park staff to come up with rules applicable to all who use the park.

The policy being discussed encompassed 13 rules laid out by acting Police Chief Steve Aldridge. The rules included such items as smoking in designated areas, pet rules, no alcoholic beverages except by permit at organized events, no littering, no discharge of firearms, designated parking and no children on the playground before sunrise or after sunset. Penny said he was comfortable with Aldridge’s list and recommended the list be forwarded for action at a future commission meeting.

Commissioners agreed to look at giving designated smoking areas a 90-day trial, and to ask the city attorney to speak with park officials in Daytona Beach to better understand the issues.

Comment- Citizens are demanding stronger regulations for the local parks
because of the increasing problems that have arisen because of the presence
of Large Party Groups and Daytona Beach Area Narcotics Anonymous and Daytona Beach Alcoholics Anonymous- Volusia County Intergroup.  Interesting that the City attorney was not present.Still no action has been taken by the City of Holly Hill regardless of the pleas from numerous local citizens.
Citizens have had their life threatened by Daytona Beach Narcotics Anonymous members and been confronted by Daytona Beach Alcoholics Anonymous Volusia County Intergroup. Others have been cussed out. Police have been called numerous times- yet Holly Hill only protects the felons that attend the meetings that have been mandated by Drug Court and the Department of Corrections.
Update- Even though Holly Hill has passed NO Smoking in the parks- AA and NA groups continue to smoke in our parks with no repercussions.

JAMES McCROSKEY NEW HOLLY HILL CITY MANAGER

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Below is an excerpt from Hollyhell.com.Looks like the writer was right. McCrowskey DID demand more money from Holly Hill and got it! Sounds like his days were numbered at Daytona Shores-So why is the City of Holly Hill overpaying McCrowskey even against very vocal citizens opposed to it? Seems like the citizens are getting chewed up and spit out! We dont even have safe parks but McCrowskey wanted a raise even though he has been quoted as saying Holly Hill doesnt have enough money to fix a pot hole!

PS-He wont protect the children or locals in the parks from the harassment of Daytona AA or NA meetings either……..

James McCroskey Named New Holly Hill City Manager – 1/31/11

PREDICTION from the “Inside”: James McCroskey New Holly Hill City Manager

Currently making about $125,000 per year as the Assistant City Manager in Daytona Beach Shores, Jim McCroskey is stepping up to become the City Manager on a six month trial basis in Holly Hill.

Despite the city offering a paltry $95,500 City Manager contract, and with no severance package, Holly Hill received over 25 applications but only a dozen or so met the criteria of a 4 years college degree and 5 years experience.

With Holly Hill uncermoniously firing their City Manager Oel Wingo and renegging on her severance package, one has to wonder what McCroskey’s motivation is. Obviously on the surface job security is not on the table, that is unless there is a deal “under” the table.

McCroskey handles the CRA in Daytona Beach Shores and his contract was nearing an end, plus with the property values in decline, the CRA was not in a healthy financial position and cannot continue to sustain paying McCroskey for his CRA duties. No money, no plan. But McCroskey is a very capable manager. Let’s hope he doesn’t get chewed up and spit out by commissioners who don’t get their way.

Remember that in 6 months McCroskey will be able to get more money or he will tell the commission to start looking again. Also, remember that three votes controls.

Watch close citizens, this hiring deal was made by more than one elected official out of the public eye and smacks of Sunshine Law violations.

Listen in to the negotiations and “voting” in the workshop of 2/1/11. Of course they cannot vote in a workshop, but they may choose and bring it to the agenda for Feb. 8th.

Watch and see. From the “See all – Know all” from the inside.

Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood Death Threats Increase

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Daytona Beach Florida May 11th 2011 Police Chief Mike Chitwood death threats increase after recent raids and multiple drug arrests of the city’s most hardened criminals.
Chitwood is known for being tough on crime. But the collateral damage is these people end up being mandated to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. In nearby Holly Hill Fl, Daytona Beach NA and AA come to our parks and playgrounds to have meetings. Chitwood does not tolerate this in his town where there are many more parks than Holly Hill has.There is not 1 meeting listed that is located in a Daytona Park/Playground. We are the dumping ground for these hardened criminals. When will the City of Holly Hill Fl address this safety issue crisis? They need to take a page from Chitwood’s book. Volusia County needs to look how there policies of mandated Daytona NA AA meetings are hurting the local communities and putting there citizens at risk.