West Volusia Mayors Have a Sit-down

Deltona, FL (January 25, 2012) -

The Deland Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee recently sponsored a “Meet the Mayors Forum.” In attendance were; Mayors John Masiarczyk of Deltona, Tom Laputka of Orange City, Bob Garcia DeBary, Bob Apgar from Deland, and Mayor Snowden of Lake Helen.

John Evans moderated the Mayor’s panel discussion and entertained questions from the audience.

Mr. Evans presented the panel with the emperor’s questions. If you were Emperor Mayor and could mandate one thing and one thing only without regard for cost for your city, what would that one thing be?

“Redevelop the 17/92 corridor that runs through Orange City with new Infrastructure,” explained Mayor Laputka.

Mayor Masiarczyk of Deltona, also answered with redevelopment, and explained that Deltona was designed in the late 50’s and early 60’s  and the city finds it difficult to be a 21st century city with its’ current layout.

Creating jobs in Deland and throughout West Volusia, would be Mayor Apgars mandate.

Paving roads was the biggest concern of Lake Helen Mayor Snowden, followed by the development of the 80 archers on the north end of Lake Helen.

Mayor Garcia would like to focus on economic development with surrounding cities.

“How satisfied are we that our region fully understands what our region has to sell?” was the next question presented to the panel.

The three largest strategic initiatives the West Volusia Mayors agreed to work together on were water, land use, and economic development.

“Are you (The Mayors of the panel) getting the cooperation, and working together in your relationships with the county that you need to achieve the things you need to work on” asked John Evans.

Answers from the panel ranged from “the highest praise” to “if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing.”

Dennis Mulder, who is running for Volusia County Council district five, was also in attendance. When asked about the mixed statements regarding the working relationship between the county and cities, Mulder’s response was, “having been Deltona Mayor, it’s disappointing to hear feelings of tension between the county and cities from west Volusia mayors. I hope to work to change those feelings over time. As a Mayor myself I think it could be a workable goal.”

Mayor Masiarczyk of Deltona made a point of mentioning the confusion with the local Chambers of Commerce. “We have them starting, stopping, up and down, back and forth” in response to a question of whether the Deland Chamber should hold more panel discussions.

Recently, the Deltona Chamber of Commerce changed their name to the West Volusia Chamber and relocated outside of the City of Deltona. Meanwhile, the Volusia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce located in Deltona and became very active in the community.

Masiarczyk went on to question the amount of money the West Volusia cities have spent towards economic development and suggested that the local cities work together to make West Volusia the best it can be.

Mayor Laputka shared with the panel that Orange City had seven projects last year totaling “around $16 million.”