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BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Mayoral appearance — DeBary Mayor Bob Garcia attends a local event in June 2012. The mileage Garcia submits for his travels on city business is the subject of a city investigation and the stimulus for a new city policy on mileage reimbursement.
Reimbursement for travel to be discussed at Dec. 5 meeting
By Pat Andrews
posted Nov 28, 2012 - 8:58:51am
When he was elected in 2008, DeBary Mayor Bob Garcia declined the job's $600-a-month paycheck, but he has collected more than $250 a month during the past two years in mileage reimbursements, mostly for driving around DeBary to meet with constituents.
Garcia was paid $6,264.70 for expenses turned in between September 2010 and September 2012. He claimed more than 6,000 miles per year.
The reimbursements — more than three times the amount claimed by any other City Council member — prompted the DeBary City Council to call for a policy on mileage payments. That policy will be discussed at the 7 p.m. meeting Wednesday, Dec. 5, at DeBary City Hall, 16 Colomba Road.
Garcia said he won't attend, because of family plans.
Of the flap over mileage, the mayor said, "I have no comments on it at all." He added, "However the council votes, it's on them."
The discussion of Garcia's mileage arose Nov. 7. That City Council meeting featured a presentation by Council Member Lita Handy-Peters that was critical of the mayor on many points, including his public disagreements with City Council decisions, as well as his mileage. After her presentation, City Council members ordered an investigation of Garcia's reimbursements.
The Beacon examined $5,035.60 in mileage vouchers turned in by Garcia between September 2010 and August 2012. City Manager Dan Parrott was reviewing an additional $1,229.10 of vouchers for 2010 that The Beacon didn't study.
The vouchers examined by The Beacon showed Garcia claimed 135 trips to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8093, on the south end of DeBary, during the two-year period. Trips to DeBary Diner totaled 101, plus 97 trips to the Four Townes Moose Lodge on Benson Junction Road.
Distances to specific locations were not shown on the vouchers, but were included in a grand total of trips for the day that might include the DeBary Diner, the Moose Lodge, the VFW and American Legion, as well as trips to Fort Florida Road, Dirksen Drive, Glen Abbey, city parks, and the like.
When a reason was stated, trips were to "plan future events," "SunRail," "service for vet," to inspect stormwater work, or to discuss sign ordinances or other city business.
Garcia visited the Lil' Sammy Food Mart at 600 South U.S. Highway 17-92 on 41 occasions to discuss SunRail. He claimed 29 trips to the City Hall complex, and made 31 trips to the Orange City Nursing and Rehab Center in DeBary on veterans-related business.
Some trips to Orlando and other Volusia County cities to attend mayors' meetings, Volusia Council of Governments meetings and SunRail meetings were also listed.
Also listed were trips to the polling place during the August primaries to check voting in DeBary. Mileage for trips to Easter egg hunts and Mother's Day events were also submitted and reimbursed.
At the Nov. 7 meeting, City Council Member Dan Hunt criticized Garcia for billing the city for trips to the Moose Lodge and DeBary Diner, which Hunt didn't consider to be for city business.
"All the meetings were justified," Garcia said.
He said he was called by the organizations to attend meetings, and met at DeBary Diner with people who didn't want to meet at City Hall.
Hunt said the mayor should not serve as a city representative to boards and commissions unless the activity was approved by the City Council, and the expense budgeted.
The measure to approve an investigation of the mayor's expenses was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Garcia opposed.
He told the council members if they wanted to limit mileage, "fine."
How does Garcia's mileage compare to that of the other council members?
During the same period, Vice Mayor Chris Carson submitted $445.96 in requests for reimbursement for travel to Florida League of Cities conferences in Hollywood and Orlando, plus another meeting to attend the Oversight Committee for Public School Facility Planning. He was appointed to these duties by the City Council.
Council Member Hunt turned in no vouchers for mileage or travel expenses.
Council Member Nick Koval submitted $1,969.69 for trips to various meetings of committees to which he was appointed by the City Council.
Council Member Handy-Peters, who was elected last year, submitted a bill for $403.77 to attend a class for newly elected officials and to attend a Florida League of Cities conference in Hollywood.
These council members receive $400 per month in pay; Garcia hasn't taken a paycheck during his four years as mayor.
George Coleman, the mayor before Garcia, said he remembers charging mileage to attend Volusia Council of Governments meetings in Daytona Beach once a month or so, but didn't recall any other charges.
Garcia's reimbursements far exceed those of Mayor Bob Apgar of DeLand.
Apgar told The Beacon he submits somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 a year for mileage reimbursement. These are for trips outside Volusia County, to meetings in Orlando or to Tallahassee. According to its policy, DeLand does not pay Apgar or any other city commissioner for driving expenses inside Volusia County.
Apgar, whose mayoral salary is about $15,000 a year, said he would attend many local events even if he weren't mayor, so he doesn't worry about the mileage.
At the Nov. 7 meeting, Handy-Peters suggested DeBary adopt a similar policy of not reimbursing mileage for in-town trips. She suggested limiting the reimbursements to travel only to meetings approved by the City Council, and only for trips more than 25 miles away from town.
The mileage-reimbursement rate paid by DeBary has varied during the period studied by The Beacon. The rate was 50 cents per mile in 2010, then went up to 51 cents per mile, then to 55.5 cents per mile beginning in June 2011, in accordance with IRS rules.
Reader Comments
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@ Pat- I am not the reporter, simply a reader as well. I was not really asking the question, I was simply trying to raise awareness. Everyone seems to want to praise the mayor for not taking his salary to save the city money but that is not why his refuses his salary. It is very simple, more citizens should ask more questions and have all the answers before coming to conclusions.
Really? You just asked the reader why Bob Garcia doesn't take a salary? You are the reporter. It is your job to find the answers and report them to the reader. Where has journalism gone?
@ Jen
Why don't you ask him?
He voted against the recent tax hike Mr Parrot dumped on the city of Debary....that is all I need to know.
What do the Parrott and 'Fab Four' do besides waste money, expand the size of government and embarrass the entire city with their ignorance?
@LOL
No name LOL? Stay in the shadows with the other roaches , perhaps someone may turn the light on and watch you run back into the garbage can.
@ Pat Andrews
Why did you write this article, what inspired you? Try the truth for once Patty!
Are you a journalistic coward that does not have the GUTS to write an article exposing the truth about C/M Chris Carson a person that lives in a wealthy golf community with his Mommy and Daddy then pushes for money for his own non profit scam the CPPI and a park for HIS golf community.
Why did the gutless City Council let Chris Carsons CPPI representative speak for over 20 minutes as they MANIPULATED money from the rotten city of Debary for firecrackers.
Regular citizens are cut off at three minutes, but the rotten city of Debary lets non profit scammers and hustlers take all the time they want.
Look at the city tapes as the rotten city council raises taxes and wastes money...no story about that is there Patty Andrews..why not, is it because your paper has no GUTS or journalistic integrity?
Who needs YOU at Debary city council meetings anyway, you are as worthless as that fat slob reporter from the Daytona News Journal.
Look at the City tapes, I'll show ya which ones....maybe you can reveal why the Debary city council is so selfish and greedy.
@ Art
You wonder why certain stories get attention of the press and other stories get untold? It is called the 'SPIKE'....reporters in various newspapers often submit a story but the editor must first approve before it goes to press. So we are hearing actually what local editors approve of ! Reporters and Editors know what the papers OWNER'S want to hear and like to keep their jobs....Nome Sayin Homey?
Now we have FREEDOM of the PRESS but who owns the press controls what we see and hear. "Who pays the fiddler names the tune"
That is why you often see the exact same stories get to be 'Press Darlings' and others are spiked.
The Daytona Beach News Journal is a good example and a glaring example of a biased political rag.
That newspaper donated $50,000 to what is now the Gateway Center for the Arts in Debary.
Why???? Ask Pat Northey why she voted for the Volusia County ECHO $1.7 MILLION that went to the Daytona Beach News Journal's Lively Arts Center. Ask Pat what inspired a $50,000 donation from DBNJ and if that inspired her vote for the $1.7 M from ECHO.
Research the Mike Laffetry/Orlando Sentinal article from back when that happened in '03 I think it was.
We have the best politicians money can buy and the best press money can buy. Now, who owns the Orlando Sentinal and FOX NEWS on a larger more national scale? The average American has no clue what he is being fed and by who or what.
Look at why politicians vote the way they do, it is all about exploiting the largest unguarded source of money in the world....Government. We are under the influence of the influential...is that really news?
"Democracy is only as good as the people in it" .... Americans are primarily interested in entertaining themselves from cradle to grave
Who was the main ringleader in the Censure of Mayor Garcia?
Was it City Manager Dan Parrott? Perhaps it was VICE Mayor Chris 'Firecracker' Carson , maybe it was Dan 'The Echo' Hunt, or 'Slick Nick' Koval...perhaps Lita the 'Cheerleader'.
I do not know, perhaps the conspiritiors will step from the shadows and come clean about their underhanded sneaky little AMBUSH in NOVEMBER. Perhaps they may cleanse themselves of the guilt of knowing how filthy and underhanded they were, ESPECIALLY knowing some of the suspicious UNETHICAL votes the Gang of Four have made on the City Council for their own super selfish intrests.
Next time you see one of our sneaky city councilmembers ask them what the definition of the word ETHICS is and if it applys to Firecracker Carson, Slick Nick, The ECHO or the Cheerleader. The City Manager might know, ask him to ask them, his number is 386 668 2040 ext#2
He is out and about speaking to the people of the city three times more than any of the City Council members.. so one vehicle should do it.
Problem solved.
Debary needs a policy on wasteful spending, like the $400K splash pad when the city already has 10 other parks and the city hall is not even paid for yet.
Ask C/M Slick Nick Koval why Debary pays HOA dues on those 9 lots in his golf community
Ask Slick Nick about the $80K plus park his golf community just got.
Ask C/M Mr Hunt how the city bought $9500 worth of sports equipment for his friends at the Debary Little League
Ask C/M Chris 'firecracker' Carson about the $25k plus his stinky CPPI organization just got plus all the money he gives away to his non profit bum friends.
Debary needs a policy alright, it needs some councilmembers that act like grown ups instead of acting like a bunch of 10 year old kids spending stolen money.
The knuckleheads wasted roughly $500K on **** the city does not need while the city is $11 million in debt.
Sure lets have a mileage policy...that should make up the $500K these elected idiots just wasted on their own selfish projects.
Ignorance and selfishness is KING at the Debary City Council...look at the city tapes
Is there a way to abolish the entire Debary City government?
We were far better off under Volusia County...now we have a bunch of municipal dead wood to support.
Why do we need a recreational coordinator, neighborhood improvement guy, safety guy..get rid of the whole city government...we have enough government as it is with Volusia County, the State of Florida and the Feds to support.
We started out with maybe 6 employees in 1993, now we have how many 26?
Maybe "The Mayor" should just take half a paycheck instead of making noise about how he doesn't take payment from the city, then submitting a bunch of bills on the QT.
Mayor Garcia I don't know how you can keep from opening a can of whoop *** on those pin-headed, self serving morons that call themselves City Councilmen. They all disgust me.
To the Debary City Council 'GANG of FOUR' ...can you spell the word BACKFIRE ???
Mr Garcia is not perfect but he is better than the greedy country club BUMS from Glen Abbey and Debary Golf and Country Club.
Do the research, how much has the Feds and City spent on all those lots they bought in Glen Abbey plus all the money wasted helping the country club bums out of their submarine situation on LOW land that they were ignorant enough to purchase. The City of Debary should have never helped out the country club bums at all..ZERO.
Then the SUPER SELFISH ...GOLF community of Glen Abbey charges the city of Debary HOA dues on the 9 lots DEBARY taxpayers bought.
Ask Kountry Klub Klan members Chris 'Firecracker' Carson and 'Slick' Nick Koval all about it at next city council meeting. Ask Lita the 'Cheerleader' why she BLOCK votes with the Kountry Klub Klan, oh she is one..that's right.
Perhaps one day the City of Debary may secede from the Kountry Klub Klan and become a far better city than it is right now.
That is a sign of a man that is not willing to change his grassroots to become a white collared dweeb.
These four are that epitamy of breakroom gossipers that have nothing else to do in the great halls of Debary. I say, throw them out, keep Mayor Bob.
WHAT or WHO inspired Pat Andrews of the Deland Beacon to write this article?
Tell us Pat Andrews....tell us all about it what was your motivation?
You want to write an article...I'll give you an article to write about.. and YOU know EXACTLY who I am and how to get in TOUCH.
Do you have the GUTS..Pat???
Will Debary City Councilmembers air the dirty laundry of Chris 'Firecracker' Carson who started the Community Partnership Program INC. that cost Debary roughly $30,000 and just got a $25,000 commitment for more fireworks shows? Why does C/M Carson collect money for the greedy non profit Gateway Center for the Arts INC. in Debary then vote for whatever they want? Lets investigate the relationship of some of our councilmembers to Non Profit parasite organizations that plauge the city!
Will the council say anything about the $80,000 new park near Councilmember Nick Kovals house as the city pays Homeowner Association dues on these lots in Glen Abbey as Mr NICK Koval sits on the Glen Abbey HOA?
Why did the City of Debary ever buy those 9 Glea Abbey lots? Ask the City Manager how much the taxpayers paid ...ask em.
Ask City Manager Danny Boy Parrott how much the city pays the Glen Abbey Homeowners Association in dues at 386 668 2040 ext #2
How about the $9500 worth of uneccessary Baseball equipment the City bought and the relationship between C/M Danny boy Hunt and the Debary Little league INC.? Ask em at 386 668 2040
The GANG of Four councilmembers at Debary City Hall have some nerve , and should smell some of their own dirty laundry.
It is all right there for anyone to see on the Debary City Council tapes located on the City website or DebaryPOP.com website.
The 'Gang of Four' councilmembers at city hall ambushed Mayor Garcia because he broke ranks with their obscene spending and recent tax hike.
Ask Koval, Hunt and Carson about their relationships to organizations that hound the city for TAXPAYER MONEY. Ask Lita how disappointing she is to the taxpayers as she block votes with the rest of the GANG of FOUR for wasteful projects and giveaways to suspicious non profit organizations in Debary,Fl.
I think it would be a great idea that any person seeking council office should be required to have an IQ above room temperature. This should be made retroactive. Thereby obviously causing several to resign as simple facts of profit and loss escapes them. Thanks Mayor for all you do.
Egos, alliances, control, small-town politics, call it what you will. It is a dis-service to the good taxpaying citizens of Debary. For it is they their representatives work for.
Perhaps the council should reimberse for shoes only, and require all to walk to their appts.
Pay him the $600 per month, stop reimbursing mileage, and be done with it.
Surely there are more important things to worry about!
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