Volusia Matters Podcast

EP 135 Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher

FDOT will convert SR 44 and Kepler Rd intersection (east portion of DeLand) into a new, single-lane roundabout, as a means to improve traffic flow/safety. Once this new roundabout is place….NO MORE TRAFFIC SIGNAL!!! Later, it’ll convert into a 2-lane roundabout
Nov 12….US House voted 222-209 on a funding bill to end the government shutdown (Congs Cory Mills and Randy Fine voted YES). It funds most federal government operations through January 30, 2026, and includes 3 full-year appropriations bills for select agencies
Oct 28 - Central Fla Commuter Rail Commission met/discussed expanding service to Saturdays and possibly Sundays with estimated costs of $23M to $26M. strong public demand for weekend service…BUT also concerns about affordability and cost per rider….there was also talk of extending to Orlando Intl Airport
Deland City Commission made appointments to the Historic Preservation Board AND Beresford Reserve Brownfield Advisory Committee
DB City Commission to make appointments to their Historic Preservation, Beachside Redevelopment and Nuisance Abatement Boards..PLUS Jackie Robinson Ballpark work…
County Council makes appointments to HAAA and Code Enforcement Bds
Nov 14 - Team Volusia Bd….Keith Norden gave an update on business prospects…announced changes in staff….heard details regarding Deering Park in NSB and Edgewater…..more details in Dec VM newsletter.
DON’T FORGET…..Property taxes are due….pay at any county tax collectors offices…no long line to pay property taxes vs car tag renewals..best days to go are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday…4% discount in November
INTERVIEW - Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher….
Volusia Economic Development “Q” Breakfast will be Friday, Nov 21, 7:30 am Daytona Intl Airport with a panel discussion on “Make It Here. Positioning Volusia to Attract Industry.”

EP 134 Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila

Flood Control/Stormwater Management Subcommittee Co-Chairs Nancy Miller and Jake Johansson report at Nov 10 Elected Officials Roundtable
Charter Review Commission Mark Watts provides recap of Nov 10 meeting
Holly Hill City Commission moves on 3 separate Charter Review
ballot questions for 2026 ballot
NSB City Commission approved a $1 million contract with Fla Dept of Environmental Protection for the Historic Westside Stormwater Improvement Project
Edgewater City Council appoint Teresa Pope to Volusia Growth Management Commission… adopt Proportionate Fair Share agreement and Wastewater agreement with Deering Park
Property taxes are due….pay at any county tax collectors offices…no long line to pay property taxes vs car tag renewals..best days to go are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday…4% discount in November
SunRail will extend weekday service beginning Dec 1 whereby two more trains will be run during the evening to accommodate passenger riders
After 43 days of the Federal Government shutdown….the Senate advances a legislative package to re-open the government….House COULD vote later today or tomorrow……
INTERVIEW - Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila….
Volusia Economic Development “Q” Breakfast will be Friday, Nov 21, 7:30 am Daytona Intl Airport with a panel discussion on “Make It Here. Positioning Volusia to Attract Industry.” Click the button to RSVP…..

EP 133 Diezel Depew

EP 132 John Nicholson

Volusia Legislative delegation met today…..Oct 29, where Sens Tom Wright, Tom Leek and Reps Chase Tremont, Webster Barnaby, Bill Partington and Richard Gentry heard
from local govt entities, community agencies, organizations
and individuals on what they'd like to see accomplished in the upcoming legislative session which meets in Tallahassee, January 13 to March 13, 2026
Oct 21 - County Council approved 5 flood-mitigation projects designed to increase stormwater management capacity, protect vulnerable areas and support long-term resilience across the County. They reflect coordinated efforts between the county/cities under Transform386
Deltona City Commission voted to withdraw from lawsuit challenging SB 180…a reversal from their August decision to join the lawsuit. SB180 is new legislation that temporarily confines small local entities impacted by hurricanes—from enacting stricter development regulations until October, 2027.
It also nullified building moratoriums.
Fla Dept of Environmental Protection (FDEP) awarded $94,500 in grant funding to City of Holly Hill to implement their Regional Drainage/Estuary Program to address increased flood risks affecting LPGA Canal
Gov DeSantis wants to eliminate property taxes entirely for homesteaded properties while a special House committee is proposing 8 separate bills offering different forms of tax relief via constitutional amendments on the 2026 ballot
Volusia Forever Advisory Committee met Oct 24 and evaluated 2025 Cycle 5 properties for Volusia Forever criteria. The committee also ranked Cycle 3 and 4 applications
School District’s Bargaining Team and Volusia United Educators (VUE) met October 29, for a bargaining session regarding Instructional Staff for 2025. at Facilities Services Building.. 3750 Olson Dr, Daytona Beach
Volusia Schools’ Technical Coordinating Committee for School Facility Planning meets Oct 31 to exchange ideas between cities, school district, and county regarding student enrollment, development projects, and future projections for growth.
Volusia recently lost 4 fine individuals…. Dave Castagnacci, Lowell Lohman, Sandy Bishop Burke, Dick Kane.
Volusia County Schools announced 70 nominees for Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced on Jan 10 at the FUTURES TOTY banquet at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort
October 20 – as a means to expand affordable housing options, DeLand City Commission approved an ordinance allowing tiny homes to be built in designated areas of the city.
DB Shores City Mgr Kirk Swartzlander recently retired…Public Safety Director Mike Folwer is now Interim City Manager…SO Mark Swanson (formerly County Public Safety Chief) is now Acting Public Safety Director at DB Shores Dept of Public Safety
Sheriff Chitwood reported school threat arrests are down 45% from this time last year
Gov DeSantis and Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky announced improved conditions for homeowners and auto policy holders in Fla’s insurance market
Zane Ertel, former Regional Director with former State CFO Jimmy Patronis and current CFO Blaise Ingoglia, is now Development Liaison for City of Claremont in Lake County.
(FDOT) will host an open house regarding proposed improvements to Nova Rd from Flomich St to US 1 in Holly Hill/Ormond Beach…Wednesday, Nov 5, 5:30 to 7 PM
The Federal Government shutdown is in its 4th week (and counting)….no clear end-in-sight.
An estimated 750 federal employees in Volusia are either furloughed (not working) or working without pay….with a lot of talk about food assistance and early education programs (e.g., Head Start) running out of funds if the shutdown continues.
Latest CPI report showed prices rose at a slower pace than expected in Sept. Inflation increased 3% in 12 months through Sept vs 2.9% the previous month. Economists expected a 3.1% increase.
US Federal Reserve Board is met today…. Financial Markets are confident that the Board (via the will cut interest rates by 25 basis points) moving the benchmark fed funds rate to 3.75% to 4.0 %.
National debt is NOW $38 trillion. US spent $4 trillion on interest over the last decade but will spend $14 trillion in the next 10 years. Interest costs crowd out important public/private investments in our future, harming the economy for every American
INTERVIEW - John Nicholson…..Local Govt Observer/Commentator
Volusia Economic Development “Q” Breakfast will be Friday, Nov 21, 7:30 am Daytona Intl Airport with a panel discussion on “Make It Here. Positioning Volusia to Attract Industry.” Click the button to RSVP…..

EP 131 Lori Campbell-Baker - Daytona Beach CVB

Cities are working to address stormwater management/flood control
DB City Commission meets October 15..agenda includes…..
City auditor is establishing a fraud waste/abuse hotline, whereby city employees and general public can anonymously report potential fraud waste and abuse
City is taking action to allow current city advisory board members who might lose their status on a board due to commissioner boundary changes to continue serving the remainder of their term
Commission is taking up ordinances to revise outside detail rates to hire police and fire dept staff for city sponsored events and special outside detail rates for police to work bars, lounges in the city.
Commission is taking up another ordinance regarding police and firefighters retirement system.
33rd Annual Daytona Beach Biketoberfest happens this weekend… October 16–19
New Volusia Supervisor of Elections office is moving to 1588 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand. Ribbon cutting will be Oct 21, 3:00 PM
FDOT’s District 5 Office will hold public hearing Oct 20 to 24 ….to present the Tentative Five-Year Work Program for FYs 2026/2027 through 2030/2031
Volusia County is offering residents a convenient way to dispose of household hazardous waste with two free collection events
Daytona Regional Chamber’s Candidate Bootcamp will be Tuesday, Oct 28, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM at Chamber Bldg on City Island
Federal government shutdown which began October 1 appears ongoing with no resolution in sight and could impact business community
INTERVIEW - Daytona Beach CVB’s Lori Campbell Baker discusses tourist count during the Summer season and what we can expect in the months ahead
Volusia Legislative Delegation meets Wednesday, Oct 29, 9 AM—1 PM Deland City Hall (Click link below for Delegation Speakers Form)

Courtney Edgcomb

Volusia Matters Newsletter/Interview Cyrus Callum, Volusia Aviation Economic Resources Director

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Volusia Matters Newsletter/Interview Cyrus Callum, Volusia Aviation Economic Resources Director

Volusia Matters Newsletter/Interview Cyrus Callum, Volusia Aviation/Economic Resources Director

Podcast News Topics
Local entities have finalized their FY 2025-26 budgets…FINAL list of approved budgets/tax rates to be posted in October VM newsletter
Volusia Innovation Hub, 601 Innovation Way (next to Daytona Intl Airport) held its grand REopening on Sept 15 to mark the facility's management transition and expanded mission from UCF to Volusia's Economic Development Division
DB City Commission approved an ordinance to increase impact fees for residential/commercial construction projects. New fees will be applied to police, fire, transportation and general government.
Deland City Commission increased their impact fees an average of 40% on residential/commercial, office, industrial, assisted living facilities….to supplement city’s cost of Police, Fire, General Govt, Parks/Recreation
Sept 11 - DeLand’s Planning Bd approved an ordinance to allow tiny home communities with 3 or more units, between 200-600 sq ft each
County Chair Jeff Brower will host a town hall mtg Wednesday, Sept 24, 5:30 PM Port Orange Library to get residents’ input on flooding concerns affecting their neighborhoods
Six Volusia County School District employees have new homes due to Homes Bring Hope, community and business partners
NSB City Commission ratified collective agreements with Police Officers and Fire Fighters….approved resolutions for Charter amendments to go on November 2025 ballot….approved applicants for Police, Fire Pension Bds and Planning Bd
Federal Government’s fiscal year ends Sept 30…Congress must pass either complete appropriations bills or a continuing resolution (CR)…a temporary fix……to keep federal government funded…Trump cancelled meeting with Democrats Sen Chuck Schumer and House Minority Ldr Hakeem Jeffries..US House got back in Washington Sept 23…Senate returns Sept 29
INTERVIEW - Volusia Aviation Economic Resources Director Cyrus Callum discusses REopening of Volusia Business Innovation Hub…DBIA passenger traffic….collaboration with Team Volusia and CEO Business Alliance
NOTE - Sept 30….Fla’s minimum wage increase $13 to $14. Tipped employees’ cash wage will increase to $10.98. Per the 2020 constitutional amendment will go to $15 on Sept. 30, 2026…with $11.98 for tipped workers