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CALL TO ORDER — Rep. Webster Barnaby, standing, who chairs the Volusia delegation this year, welcomes those attending the public meeting. From left are Rep. Chase Tramont, Barnaby, Sens. Tom Wright and Travis Hutson. Absent from the meeting were Reps. Tom Leek and Stan McClain. The delegation listened to more than 40 speakers during its four-hour-long gathering.
In advance of the Florida Legislature’s 2023 general session, the Volusia County state delegation convened Jan. 9 at DeLand City Hall to listen to constituents’ requests, comments and ideas.
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AN APPEAL FOR LOCAL CONTROL — Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower urges the lawmakers to give more flexibility to county and municipal governments in their use of state housing funds to provide a greater volume of affordable housing. Brower also asked for state aid in restoring the county’s beaches, which suffered heavy damage from hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
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WELCOME! — DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman greets and thanks the state lawmakers for coming to DeLand. While he had the ears of the state delegation, Cloudman asked for state funding to finance the expansion of DeLand’s wastewater-treatment system as the city grows.
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WE WANT YOU! — DeBary City Manager Carmen Rosamonda urges the elected state leaders to include his city in the state’s next budget. Rosamonda asked for funding to rebuild Benson Junction and Fort Florida roads and to aid in improving the industrial wastewater facilities at the FPL plant on the St. Johns River.
The districts of six state lawmakers — two senators and four representatives, all Republicans — cover all or parts of Volusia County. Four were on hand for the delegation meeting in DeLand: Sens. Travis Hutson and Tom Wright, and Reps. Webster Barnaby and Chase Tramont. Barnaby is chair of the delegation this year. Reps. Tom Leek and Stan McClain were absent from the meeting.
