Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / County Council Chair Frank Bruno and council member Joie Alexander show their appreciation for members of the Daytona Area Chamber of Commerce and reprentatives of five other chambers during a luncheon Thursday.
DELAND -- County Chair Frank Bruno told 50 chamber executives and other business leaders at a luncheon today the naysayers will always be critical of issues like the Ocean Center and its reliance on taxpayer funding, but overall he's pleased with the way things are going.
"You can make negatives out of anything," Bruno told the gathering in a meeting room at the administration building, making reference to the Daytona venue that was brought up by an earlier speaker referencing to it costing less than in previous years. "I'm very proud of our quality of life in Volusia County."
Bruno also put in a plug for former County Council member Carl Persis, who is running for the seat he's vacating, saying, "If you could help me, everybody go out and vote on Aug. 14 and vote for Carl Persis."
Persis of Ormond Beach is in a three-way battle for Volusia County's top leadership position with power attorney Ted Doran of Daytona Beach Shores and Edgewater resident and Gulf War Bronze Star for Valor recipient Jason Davis with early voting wrapping up Saturday and paving the way for Tuesday's big primary. In order to win it outright, any of the three will have to garner 50 percent of the vote plus one or else the top two vote getters will square off in the November elections.
Persis had to give up his council seat in June because a technicality in the state's drop program required him not to be employed in government service for six months. Should he win in either the primary or general election, he will be allowed to take office as the new county chair.
And while giving the shout out for Persis in what is a non-partisan race, the only candidate in that race attending, Bruno, a Democrat, thanked the business crowd for its support in his eight years as county chair, with a plug for his own candidacy for the newly created dist. 8 state senate seat against Republican State Rep. Dorothy Hukill in November.
Larry McKinney, president of the Daytona Area Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Bruno and the other county council members for doing their part to work with the chambers for the betterment of the business community. Other chambers represented at the luncheon were from DeLand, Port Orange, Holly Hill and New Smyrna Beach. Headline Surfer, the 24/7 Internet newspaper, is a member and sponsor of the Daytona Area Chamber of Commerce.
County Judge Bryan Feigrnbaum, running for his group 8 seat and dist. 2 County Councilman Joshua Wagner are all smiles during the luncheon.
Josh Wagner, group 8 judgeship he was appointed governor-appointed Each of the county council members spoke with Josh Wagner of Daytona Beach pointing out that over the last four years, the county has reduced personnel spending by $50 million, mostly through attrition.
Wagner of South Daytona, has two contenders in his dist. 2 re-election in businessman Ken Ali of Daytona Beach and former Ponce Inlet Mayor Nancy Epps who lost to him by less than 1 percent in the last election.
Another council member up for re-election is Pat Northey, the dist. 5 representative from Deltona, who thanked Bruno for his leadership. She is challenged by Stony Sixma of Deltona and Rich Gailey of DeBary.
Andy Kelly, the dist. 1 council member from DeLand, who is not seeking re-election in favor of running for supervisor of elections against incumbent Ann McFall and fellow challengers Beaulah Blanks and Teresa Apgar, introduced his wife, Missy Kelly, who is running for his seat. Also running are Pat Patterson, Ronnie Mills, Jeff Allebach and Terry Dilligard.
Andy Kelly made sure to publicly recognize and thank the two print newspapers at the luncheon -- the Daytona Beach News-Journal represented by Publisher Ron Wallace and marketing specialist Lori Campbell Baker, and the weekly DeLand Beacon represented by a reporter.
Council member Joie Alexander of Port Orange, not seeking re-election to her dist. 3 seat that also includes the Southeast Volusia cities of New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater and Oak Hill, thanked Bruno for his leadership. Her retirement paved the way for three strong candidates: Former elected School Board member Deb Denys, longtime New Smyrna Beach City Commissioner Jim Hathaway and first-term Edgewater Councilman Justin Kennedy.
County Council at-large member Joyce Cusack thanks the chamber members for 'breaking bread' with her and her colleages. To her right is her colleague, seeking re-election to her dist. 5 Deltona seat.
In the near photo, Chris Kelly, candidatefor county judge group 4 and Jim Cameron (white jacket), who organized the luncheon for the chamber, relax after the meal.
Joyce Cusack, the council's at-large member from Deltona and a New Smyrna Beach native, thanked the chamber members for their presence and allowing her to "break bread."
The luncheon was organized by Jim Cameron, head of government relations for the Daytona Area Chamber of Commerce.