BEACON PHOTO/AL EVERSON
Political concerns find a forum — Led by former City Commission candidate Nancy Schleicher, the Deltona Citizens Action Committee vows to work to improve the city's image.
BEACON PHOTO/AL EVERSON
Paying attention — An audience listens as Schleicher describes the objectives of the political-action committee, including, she said, informing residents about current and proposed changes in city government and how those changes may affect them. One of the biggest issues before the group and the city voters is the upcoming referendum on whether Deltona should form its own police department, rather than contracting with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement.
By Al Everson
posted Sep 28, 2008 - 10:43:27am
Deltonans disenchanted with recent and pending public policies say they will work for positive change, by taking their case directly to their fellow citizens.
"If you don't get involved, you don't have a right to complain," said Nancy Schleicher, founder and chair of the Deltona Citizens Action Committee.
Schleicher addressed about 30 Deltona residents who turned out Sunday afternoon, Sept. 21, for a kick-off reception and meeting of the new political-action committee.
"As citizens, it is our right to have our voice heard," said Schleicher, who ran unsuccessfully in 2007 for a seat on the Deltona City Commission.
Claiming Deltona currently has a negative image in the minds of many inside the city and out, Schleicher said the organization will mount a sort of information blitz to sway voters.
"We are setting an example that is positive," she told her audience. "We are hoping that by being positive, people will listen."
The advent of the Deltona Citizens Action Committee is but the latest episode in a political soap opera that has been playing out in the city since the 2005 municipal election.
The establishment of the committee reflects the division on the City Commission. The commission is split into two factions whose votes on key issues — the dismissals of City Attorney Roland Blossom and City Manager Steven Thompson, as well as the decision to pay almost $7.6 million for land for a new public-safety complex, for example — are often 4-3.
Mayor Dennis Mulder leads the larger faction, and his critics have leveled allegations of impropriety in some of his actions, including Mulder's controversial memorandum asking Blossom to resign last year.
The dissension deepened after the 2007 elections, when two new commissioners — Paul Treusch and Herb Zischkau — were sworn into office. The two freshmen are often on opposite sides. Schleicher lost her bid for the City Commission's District 4 seat to Treusch in the primary. Treusch, generally siding with the mayor, has been on the prevailing side of many issues.
By contrast, Zischkau is often on the losing end of key votes. He attended the Citizen Action Committee's reception.
The committee finds itself on the minority side, and Schleicher said the group will work to build support at the grass-roots level.
Will work on police vote
Committee members hope to affect the outcome of upcoming referendums, notably the Nov. 4 vote on whether Deltona should establish its own police department, as well as proposed charter amendments.
The police referendum is to be a binding decision of the voters. The City Commission will be legally obligated to abide by the will of the majority.
A consultant hired by the commission concluded Deltona could create its own municipal police force at an estimated cost of approximately $12 million. Others maintain that figure is way too low.
Since its incorporation in 1995, Deltona has contracted with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement.
In the upcoming 2008-09 fiscal year, Deltona will pay $8.7 million to the Sheriff's Office for police protection. Supporters of the status quo — including Schleicher — claim the city is getting a bargain. Sheriff Ben Johnson has also challenged the consultant's estimate as too low.
"It will cost them over $20 million a year," Johnson told The Beacon.
Schleicher said the Citizens Action Committee will be especially active in getting the information out about the police referendum.
"We are hoping that by being positive, people will listen," she said. "Does that mean we will never say anything against anything? Not in any way. ... It will be based on facts, not emotion or hearsay."
Elections another issue
On another topic, Schleicher said the committee may press the City Commission to revisit its decision to conform to the uniform-elections plan, as presented by Volusia County Elections Supervisor Ann McFall.
McFall's plan for combining city elections with larger elections already held in even-numbered years was authorized by the Florida Legislature.
Deltona and several other cities around the county have traditionally staged their municipal elections in odd-numbered years, but the uniform-elections measure moves those local elections to even-numbered years. The consolidation of elections is supposed to save taxpayers' money and boost the turnout of voters, but it trumps city charters, including Deltona's, unless municipal governing bodies opt to allow their constituents to settle the question at the polls. Cities such as DeLand will let the voters choose if they want to move the municipal-election cycle to even years.
When the Deltona City Commission adopted the uniform-elections proposal, it effectively canceled the 2009 election and extended the terms of Mayor Dennis Mulder and three other commissioners by one year. Schleicher expressed chagrin with the commission's decision.
"Out of all the cities, we're the only one," she said.
Among others attending Schleicher's meeting was former Mayor John Masiarczyk, who says he decided to join the Citizens Actions Committee.
"Their goals and objectives are great," Masiarczyk said. "I think what they're going to do is what they should do. They seem to want to be positive and stay away from the negative."
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