- April 17, 2024
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Tensions ran high at the short Volusia County Council meeting on Tuesday, April 2, eliciting council members to issue reminders about respect, service and protocol regarding items on the agenda, or the lack thereof.
It began with council's discussion on a $5,000 sponsorship for the "Dreams Do Come True" weekend celebration coming up on April 25 and 26, which included a groundbreaking ceremony for the new DeLand Community Spring Hill Center that will be named after former County Councilwoman Joyce Cusack. The event is hosted by the Minority Elected Officials of Volusia County, a nonprofit organization made up of past and incumbent minority government representatives.
The motion failed 5-2. Councilwoman Billie Wheeler called the organization a political action committee, and stated that the organization has a candidate running against her in the next election. She said she wasn't comfortable agreeing to sponsor the event when how much of that sponsorship money would go directly to the community center was unknown.
County Council Chair Ed Kelley also referred to the nonprofit as a PAC, and thought it was too close to a political endorsement. Councilwoman Deb Denys agreed and added that the council will always support Cusack, and if Denys is invited to the event, she will write her own check of support. Councilman Ben Johnson also voted against.
Only Councilwomen Heather Post and Barbara Girtman were in favor of the sponsorship. Girtman, who is the vice chairwoman of the nonprofit, later addressed the council on its decision during her final comments. She said the council "doesn't put their support where their intent is."
“I think it’s really important to understand the reason there’s a minority elected officials group is because there needs to be," Girtman said. "There needs to be someone who looks out for communities that have a lesser voice — that have always had a lesser voice.”
That's why she sits on the dais today, she said. Without it, there would be no diversity on the council.
“And it matters," Girtman said. "We’re a diverse county that should be evolving in a very different way, and the issues that you bring to the table are not the issues that are the affecting a total community.”
She said they could see the sponsorship as something political, or they could have seen it as a tribute to the investment Cusack gave in her years of service. Council's thinking should be more inclusive.
Wheeler and Kelley later commented on this, saying that they held Cusack at a high regard and that their refusal to sponsor the event was not about her.
“It goes beyond that individual," Girtman said. "That’s the part that none of you are connecting to.”
“I think it’s really important to understand the reason there’s a minority elected officials group is because there needs to be. There needs to be someone who looks out for communities that have a lesser voice — that have always had a lesser voice.”
Barbara Girtman, Volusia County Councilwoman District 1
She was interrupted by Kelley, as she said this during his final comment. Kelley told her it was a statement directed at her, and not a question.
That was not the first time in the meeting that someone was interrupted. Kelley and Post engaged in a heated discussion over an item that was not on the agenda. Post had asked for a discussion on Florida House Bill 511 and Florida Senate Bill 744 on the reclassification of dispatchers to have been placed on the agenda. However, this was not done.
“If council gives direction, who is it that goes in the background and has a meeting and decides we’re not going to do that?" Post said.
Kelley told her that the bill hadn't been filed by March 21 when he met with the county manager and attorney to discuss the agenda items. The bill was filed on March 27. Kelley said council needed all the information before an item is discussed, which Post disagreed with. She believes discussion is the time to share information.
Both interrupted one another during their discussion, prompting Councilman Fred Lowry to comment on keeping decorum on the dais.
“I’m getting tired of hearing arguing, back and forth and people just jumping in," Lowry said. "I think we need to follow those things and be aware that there’s seven of us up here and not one.”
During final comments, Johnson also spoke about decorum, saying he's seen staff be disrespected when they're trying to give information to the council.
“Robert’s Rule of Orders were made for a reason, and that’s to keep decorum in a meeting, and we have to be more civil about not interrupting, not overriding each other," Johnson said. "We have to have our chance to talk, but not an open argument on top on somebody else’s time to speak.”
Post said she's often see Robert's Rule of Orders be used as a "sword," something Kelley disagreed with. He said he had attended more government meetings following Robert's Rule of Orders than anyone else on the dais.
Kelley also brought up Post's travel to Washington D.C. for the National Association of Counties legislative conference in early March, saying she notify them and that it went against the county's travel policy. Kelley asked the county attorney to look into the issue.
Post said she wasn't aware that her travel was against the policy because she was representing Volusia County in an association the county belonged to. She also said she was fairly certain she did notify the council ahead of time that she was planning on attending the conference. At the end of the council meeting, she brought up the issue again and said she gained valuable knowledge at the conference.
Kelley didn't respond. He adjourned the meeting.
