Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower is under fire for allegedly failing to follow the county’s building code, by not obtaining a permit for a new roof on his home.
Brower denies any intentional wrongdoing.
“I made a mistake. I didn’t know that I had to have a permit to do work on my own roof,” he told The Beacon, adding he applied for the permit after being informed of the requirement.
Brower said he is willing to pay the fee for the permit, consistent with the county’s building ordinance.
“It’s being inspected,” he added, referring to the work on the roof of his home.
The complainant, Wendell Dallarosa, sent an email to county administration officials, including County Manager George Recktenwald accusing Brower of failing to adhere to permitting requirements.
“Please consider this a formal ethics violation, code violation for the Chairman of the Volusia County Council as he does not follow the established rules of the county code/chapter [sic]. (Rules for thee, but not for me, are his leadership style),” Dallarosa wrote.
“He did his roof without a permit and I am not aware of ANY [emphasis his] ag exemption of getting a roof done,” Dallarosa continued. “He may be exempt from the FEE, but not from the Permit is the way I understand the Code.”
Dallarosa also attached photos reportedly posted on Facebook showing Brower family members working on the roof in February 2021.
Further, Dallarosa wrote that Brower had made the roof repairs with materials that had been “GIVEN to him” [emphasis Dallarosa’s], and this was ”another questionable act of ethics.”
On the contrary, Brower says he paid for the goods, and he produced a receipt from ABC Supply Co. Inc., of Daytona Beach, in the amount of $3,655.35.
“I paid every penny for everything,” he said.
Volusia County government spokesman Kevin Captain confirms Dallarosa filed a complaint against Brower, and a check of county records shows “a permit was not issued for that work.”
“County staff contacted Mr. Brower and he is cooperatively working with staff,” Captain replied in an email response to a query from The Beacon. “If findings indicate that a permit is required, Mr. Brower will need to get an After the Fact permit. The work would then be inspected by the appropriate staff to ensure adherence to the current Florida Building Code. This type of complaint is common.”
Dallarosa wants more action against Brower. He has filed a complaint against Brower with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
“Don’t be surprised when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows up,” Dallarosa told The Beacon via telephone, adding he intends to contact Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and request she appoint a special prosecutor to probe Brower’s alleged missteps.
Dallarosa does not list his address in communications with the county government. He says that he is not obligated to disclose his home address, because it is shielded under state law because of his prior work in law enforcement.
An ethics complaint and special prosecutor is a reach. Get a permit, inspection and pay the fine like everyone else would be required to do. You would b think how’s name is Donald J Trump
What kind of weirdo is this delarosa guy? Beyond creepy. If I were Brower I would get a restraining order against him immediately, for the safety of my family.
Dallarosa’s actions sound like he is stalking Brower or at least is behaving in an unreasonable and unstable manner. Scary!
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, This Dallarosa character acts as though he has mental issues.
Good job Jeff Brower of taking care of your own business and being self-reliant.