Deltona Special City Commission Meeting – September 22, 2025

A special meeting was held on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the Deltona Commission Chambers to rank and appoint a successor to fill the remainder of the District 6 Commission seat, vacated by Commissioner Lulli’s resignation effective August 27, 2025. After receiving applications and hearing public comment, the Commission selected Christopher Nabicht from five eligible candidates. The meeting adjourned at 5:50 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carolyn Hickerson appealed to shared human dignity and asked everyone to be kind and respectful, urging commissioners to think “purple” rather than red or blue. She thanked the Commission and staff and welcomed the future appointee to Pie Night.
• Kathy O’Brien expressed hope that commissioners had spoken to District 6 residents about their preferences. She voiced concern over “backdoor deals” and process changes, and urged that the appointee continue to support sensitive areas in the district and work collaboratively with the Commission.
• David Sosa (applicant and former District 6 Commissioner) stated he knows the budget “inside and out” and where cuts could be made. He noted that, under the charter, the appointment would last until the next election and argued that “the will of the people must speak,” claiming that each commissioner received at least 50 emails supporting him while other applicants received none.
• Catherine O’Brien (resident of Osteen/Deltona) said she has known David Sosa for 15 years and appreciated his prior service, asking the Commission to vote for him.
• Dave Markle (Hanley Street, Deltona) urged commissioners to decide based solely on what is best for the citizens of District 6, setting aside personal preferences, political alliances, and implicit biases, and to measure each applicant by qualifications, vision, and proven ability to serve.

Discussion Items

• Late Application: The City Clerk informed the Commission that one application was received after the deadline (Sunday night at ~10:55 PM). Commissioner Colwell moved, seconded by Commissioner Howington, to not allow the late entry. The motion carried unanimously (6‑0).
• Ranking Process: Each commissioner ranked the five timely applicants (Kimberly Eddins, Christopher Nabicht, Christian O’Brien, Julio David Sosa, and Jodylee Storozuk) by assigning points. The scoring sheets were collected and tallied by the City Clerk. The results were:
  • Kimberly Eddins: 21 points
  • Christopher Nabicht: 13 points
  • Christian O’Brien: 18 points
  • Julio David Sosa: 19 points
  • Jodylee Storozuk: 19 points The lowest score (13) belonged to Christopher Nabicht, who thereby became the selected appointee.
• Mayor’s Disclosure: Mayor Avila stated that on the day of Commissioner Lulli’s resignation (August 27, 2025), he received a phone call from David Sosa’s wife offering a deal—if he voted for Mr. Sosa, her stepdaughter would not run against the Mayor in the next election. He also noted that the same applicant’s wife had reportedly threatened the Republican Party that if a Republican was not appointed, they would “remember that next year and vote us all out.” The Mayor emphasized that his vote was based solely on what is best for residents, not on politics or party affiliation.
• Vote on Appointment: Vice Mayor Heriot moved, seconded by Commissioner Avila‑Vazquez, to accept the scoring sheets and scoring totals and appoint Christopher Nabicht to the District 6 seat. The motion passed by a roll‑call vote of 5‑1:
  • For: Mayor Avila, Vice Mayor Heriot, Commissioner Avila‑Vazquez, Commissioner Howington, Commissioner Santiago
  • Against: Commissioner Colwell
• Swearing In: Following the vote, the City Clerk administered the oath of office to Christopher Nabicht as City Commissioner for District 6, with the term to expire in November 2026. Commissioner Nabicht repeated the oath phrase by phrase.

Key Outcomes

• Decision: Christopher Nabicht was appointed to fill the remainder of the District 6 Commission seat through November 2026.
• Vote Tally: 5 in favor (Mayor Avila, Vice Mayor Heriot, Commissioners Avila‑Vazquez, Howington, Santiago), 1 opposed (Commissioner Colwell).
• Late Application: Rejected unanimously (6‑0).
• Next Step: The new Commissioner was immediately sworn in and will serve until the next election cycle. The meeting then adjourned, and the regular commission meeting was scheduled to follow at 6:30 PM.