PALM COAST, Fla. - Charlie Ericksen, two-term Flagler County Commissioner, Army veteran, and respected public servant, has passed away at 80 years old. He was most well known to the community for his two terms as a county commissioner, but in the wake of his passing he's been remembered as a leader and staple of the community.
Ericksen was elected to the County Commission in 2012, when he unseated incumbent Commissioner Alan Peterson. He was re-elected in 2016 when he bested his challenger, Palm Coast City Councilman Jason DeLorenzo (now the city's Chief of Staff). Ericksen chose not to run again in 2020, as he faced increasingly difficult health challenges, and his seat was won by outgoing School Board member Andy Dance.
Before seeking a county seat, Ericksen also made a bid for Mayor of Palm Coast. He would ultimately go on to lost the 2011 election to incumbent Mayor Jon Netts, a man who'd become Ericksen's good friend. Netts himself passed away in early 2021 after a bout with COVID-19.
Immediately after the news of Ericksen's passing became known, colleagues and members of the community have taken to celebrating his time in public service. "This is such a loss for Flagler County," said sitting Commission Chair Greg Hansen. "I know he had a number of children and grandchildren, and our sympathies are with them in their time of sorrow."
"Commissioner Charlie Ericksen admirably served two full terms on the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners," added County Administrator Heidi Petito. "Even though he had been elected to District 1, which is roughly the area west of Belle Terre between State Road 100 and Palm Coast Parkway, he was always thoughtful and deliberate to ensure all residents of Flagler County were well represented by him."
Ericksen's cause of death has not yet been made known, but will be added to this article if revealed by his loved ones.
