- April 24, 2024
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An open seat on the Ormond Beach City Commission has already drawn two potential candidates for the 2022 elections.
Longtime Ormond Beach residents Brian Nave and Harold Briley, both of whom have served decades on city boards, filed for candidacy in December 2021 after incumbent Zone 4 Commissioner Rob Littleton decided to run to represent District 4 on the Volusia County Council. Littleton was first elected to the commission in 2016.
Nave, president of an engineering company called Logicom Logic Systems, filed for candidacy on Dec. 2, 2021. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Nave has lived in Ormond Beach since 1989. Notably, he's competed on Discovery Channel's "BattleBots" TV show.
Nave no stranger to elections; in 1999, he ran against Fred Costello, who won the race and later served as mayor from 2002 to 2010.
Since then, he's served on the Quality of Life Advisory Board and currently is on the Leisure Services Advisory Board, as well as serves as the vice chairman for the Board of Adjustment and Appeals. Nave said he initially decided to get involved at the city level because he'd rather take initiative instead of complaining when decisions he disagrees with are made. It's a viewpoint he still carries today.
“If I’m not willing to do it, how can I complain about them doing what they do?" Nave said. "If we keep electing the same type of people, then complaining about the people we elect, well, it’s time for different kinds of people to get involved in politics, and that’s me.”
Nave decided to run again because during his time of city boards, he saw projects come through that he didn't think were fiscally responsible. If elected, he hopes to be conservative in this active as well as "add a non-political voice" to the board with his background as an electrical engineer and longtime business owner.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m going to be able to do miracles," Nave said. "Everybody thinks they’re going to go in and be able to turn the city around, and do this and do that. I’ve been in there long enough to know that all I can do is help push us in the right direction, and that’s what I hope to do.”
Briley filed for candidacy on Dec. 16, 2021. A real estate agent with Adams Cameron and Co. Realtors, Briley is also a lifelong Ormond Beach resident. He has been involved at the city level for almost 35 years, 21 of which account for his time on the Ormond Beach Planning Board.
Briley ran for Zone 4 in 2016 against Littleton, and though he lost, it was a close race. Littleton was elected with 52% of the vote. When Littleton announced he would be vying for a seat on the County Council, Briley said he saw it as an opportunity to run for election again. As someone who has reviewed a lot of projects and developments in the city, he hopes to continue to ensure the city grows responsibly.
“Number one, I want to make sure that Ormond continues to keep an eye on development and have smart development for what is left, and I want to make sure that when we do redevelop, it’s still within the taste or the flavor of Ormond Beach," he said.
Briley said he's proud of the city's low tax rate, recreational facilities, downtown district and numerous parks, and he'd like to see that preserved. He added that the city also benefits from its civically-engaged residents, and he's looking forward to chatting with them and finding ways to work together to address concerns.
“I want to work with those folks to help maintain and even enhance the quality of life that we enjoy," Briley said.
A fellow Planning Board member has also thrown her hat in the ring for the 2022 Ormond Beach elections.
Lori Tolland filed for candidacy on Jan. 7, to run for the City Commission Zone 1 seat, held by incumbent Dwight Selby, who has not yet filed for re-election. Tolland, a resident of Ormond since 1989, has additionally served for over 20 years on the Leisure Services Advisory Board.
Her decision to run for the City Commission, she said, is born out of her love for the city.
“It easily comes back to the fact that Ormond Beach is my heart," Tolland said. "I’ve raised my family here. We’ve called this place home for over 30 years, and really honestly, I wouldn’t want to live any other place. I love serving the community and I think this is the ultimate way to serve.”
She is a registered nurse at East Coast Surgery Center, and said that her time on city boards, particularly the Planning Board, has helped her see how the city functions. Tolland said it's taught her how to listen to people, be open-minded and use sound judgement when making decisions.
Tolland said that she was raised to understand that service is important.
“My goal is just to continue to grow the community in a very viable and vibrant fashion," Tolland said.
The candidate qualifying period for the 2022 elections begins June 13 and runs through June 17. Incumbent Mayor Bill Partington and Zone 3 Commissioner Susan Persis have also filed, and as of Tuesday, Jan. 25, are running unopposed.
