Daytona Beach, FL – A former Florida House Speaker is now the new head of the Volusia County Charter Review Commission.
J. Hyatt Brown – the Board Chairman of Daytona Beach-based Brown & Brown Insurance – was elected as the Chairman during the group’s organizational meeting on Thursday.
Former Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey Sr. was elected as the Vice-Chairman of the all-volunteer board, which is made up of 15 people, many prominent citizens within the county. They were appointed to the commission by the Volusia County Council last July.
The commission’s goal is to review and suggest changes to the county charter that would be voted on by Volusia residents during the November 2016 general election ballot. The commission can place items on the ballot directly without needing to go through the VCC.
The county charter – basically a local constitution for the operations of Volusia County government – requires a citizen review at least every 10 years.
One thing the committee cannot look at is beach driving because that’s regulated in part by the state, but the commission can present a report on other matters that do not require a vote by the county’s citizens.
Among those appointed to the Charter Review Commission along with Brown and Ritchey were former VCC chairmans Frank Bruno Jr., Dr. Philip T. Fleuchaus and Pat Northey.
Also part of the group is Stetson University Political Science Professor Dr. T. Wayne Bailey, former Bunnell City Manager and Flagler County Administrator M. David Haas, retired Florida Deputy Commissioner of Education Frank Darden and retired State Department diplomat Stanley Escudero.
Patricia Drago, Peter Heebner, James Stephen Morris, Derek Triplett, Mark Watts and Lisa Ford Williams round out the commission members.
The committee will spend most of the next year studying the Volusia County Home Rule Charter – passed in June 1970 in a countywide vote – and going to public meetings as part of the process of suggesting changes to the charter.
5 listening sessions have been scheduled for September in which Volusia residents can chime in on issues the commission should review. A list of the dates and locations are posted below.
– September 15: New Smyrna Beach Regional Library (1001 South Dixie Freeway)
– September 16: Deltona Regional Library (2150 Eustace Avenue)
– September 21: Ormond Beach Regional Library (30 South Beach Street)
– September 23: Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island (105 East Magnolia Avenue)
– September 29: Volusia County Historic Courthouse (125 West New York Avenue in DeLand)
All those meetings will start at 5:30pm.
Comments also may be submitted online by clicking here.
The commission’s next meeting will be October 12th at 5:30pm in the Volusia Room at Daytona Beach International Airport.
All commission members will be subject to Florida’s Sunshine Law and all meetings will be open to the public. Reservations are not required. Attendees may bring their parking slips to the meeting for validation and free parking.
Anyone who wants more information can click here or call Dona DeMarsh Butler at 386-736-5955 or Tammy Bong at 386-736-5934.
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.