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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Regular Commission Meeting - February 17, 2026

City Commission & Boards — Tuesday, February 17, 2026

BodyDeltona, Florida

SessionCity Commission & Boards

DateTuesday, February 17, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:42:38

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

2:14

All right, good evening.

2:15

We're gonna go ahead and get started with this regular commission meeting for Tuesday, February seventeenth, twenty twenty-six.

2:21

If I can please have the city clerk call the roll.

Speaker 2

2:24

Commissioner Calwell?

2:26

Commissioner Harriet?

Speaker 1

2:27

Present.

Speaker 2

2:28

Commissioner Howington?

2:29

Here.

2:29

Commissioner Navigat.

Unassigned speaker

2:31

Here.

Speaker 2

2:31

Commissioner Santiago.

2:32

Here.

Unassigned speaker

2:32

Vice

Speaker 2

2:33

Mayor Villabasquez.

2:34

President.

2:34

Mayor Vila.

Speaker 1

2:36

Here.

2:37

At this time, we're gonna go ahead and I will hand it over to Commissioner Nobick of District Six for the invocation and pledge to the flag.

Speaker 3

2:44

Do my mic, Mayor.

2:46

Okay.

2:46

Thank

Unassigned speaker

2:47

you.

Speaker 3

2:47

Start with the pledge and then we'll stay remain standing for invocation.

2:52

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

2:59

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

So our mission at Halifax is to be the community health care leader, and we do that with the uh exceptional talent of our staff to bring superior patient centered care and to do that in a financially sustainable manner.

Speaker 4

5:09

And we've been doing that now for 98 years, and that's what continues to allow us to provide care in the community.

5:15

And we've opened our hospital in 1928 in Daytona Beach.

5:20

And when that happened, it happened as a result of a group of residents from Volusia County that went to Tallahassee to advocate for health care services.

5:28

And in doing that, it created the Halifax Health District, which still exists today.

5:34

And that's that's been there now for almost a hundred years.

5:37

And over the last hundred years, we've grown into the healthcare system that we are

Unassigned speaker

5:43

now.

Speaker 4

5:44

Are you able to advance the slides for me?

5:47

I can just like okay.

Unassigned speaker

5:52

I

Speaker 1

5:52

apologize, Mr.

5:53

E.B.

5:53

And can we please stop his time while we get this rectified

Speaker 4

6:03

no problem.

6:05

So over these last hundred years, we've continued to bring the highest level of specialties to the area, the highest level of care.

6:14

We've we've got the only level two trauma center, we've got the highest home health agency, the highest level of hospice care.

6:24

Um so when presented with the need for those levels of services, uh always like to make sure that people request Halifax Health just so they're receiving the highest level of care.

6:34

Here we go, thank

Unassigned speaker

6:35

you.

Unassigned speaker

6:37

Um

Speaker 4

6:37

so the next slide shows some of the uh some of what I was just referencing.

6:43

So these are just a sampling of some of the highest level of care that we provide in Volusia County that we now have access to for the residents of Del Tona.

6:51

Um and the next slide shows a list of specialties that we offer.

6:55

Um so all of these specialties are available at Halifax Health.

6:58

Um many of them we're now bringing to the Medical Center of Deltona.

7:02

We're adding new services every year and bringing that in partnership with UF Health.

7:07

We're now able to offer many of many of the specialties on the on the right side also.

7:12

The next slide shows the number of patients that we care for in a one year period.

7:18

So just to show the um the number of lives that we touch throughout the county.

Unassigned speaker

7:25

Um

Speaker 4

7:25

the next slide just shows some of the awards that we've won in stroke care uh at the medical center of Del Tona.

7:30

We're now a primary stroke center and uh received the gold plus certification from the American Heart Association in our first year.

Unassigned speaker

7:38

The

Speaker 4

7:39

next slide is the our locations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Safety███████████████████████████27%

Procedural██████████████14%

Community Engagement██████████████14%

Pending Litigation█████████9%

Veteran Recognition███████7%

Healthcare Services██████6%

Water And Wastewater Management█████5%

Public Engagement████4%

Public Works Recognition███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Regular Commission Meeting - February 17, 2026

The Deltona City Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Deltona Commission Chambers. Commissioners present: Mayor Avila, Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez, Commissioner Heriot, Commissioner Howington, Commissioner Nabicht, Commissioner Santiago. Commissioner Colwell was absent. The meeting included presentations from Halifax Health/UFHealth and the Volusia Sheriff's Office, approval of several consent and action items, and extensive discussion on litigation, utility rates, and city projects.

Consent Calendar

Item 7A (Minutes) was pulled by Commissioner Howington for separate discussion. She noted that the minutes of February 2 did not reflect her opposition to continuing the meeting, and the February 9 minutes omitted notification of residents' public comment and her opposition. The motion to approve Item 7A passed 5-2 (Commissioner Howington and Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez opposed).
Items 7B-7E approved by consent: Resolution 2026-15 urging the West Volusia Hospital Authority to continue/enhance miCare Deltona Clinic operations; Resolution 2026-16 interlocal agreement with Volusia County Animal Services; Resolution 2026-17 for Special Magistrate services; and recognition of Black History Month.

Discussion Items

Presentation by Halifax Health/UFHealth: Ben Eby, Vice President & Administrator, reported on the medical center's expansion, including 19 new ED rooms (30-bed total), 47 new inpatient beds (90-bed capacity, future expandable to 180), new services (cancer center, stroke center, neurosurgery, urology, interventional cardiology, pediatric primary care). The ED expansion is expected to be operational in April 2026. Commissioners expressed strong support and acknowledged the hospital's community contributions.
VSO End of Year Review: Captain McKnight presented crime statistics for 2025: 80% clearance rate (double national average), nearly 11,000 countywide arrests, drug seizures including 1,800g fentanyl, and over 13,000 traffic citations in Deltona. Technology updates included Live 911, AI non-emergency answering, and a firearms fingerprinting machine. The department highlighted hiring deputies who grew up in Deltona. Sheriff Chitwood noted a drone pilot program likely at Deltona High School.
Consent Item 7A Discussion: Commissioner Howington expressed that the minutes did not accurately record her opposition. The motion to approve passed 5-2.
Action Items (9A, 9B, 9C): All three resolutions were approved unanimously (6-0): Resolution 2026-11 authorizing foreclosure of liens at 779 Tulip Street; Resolution 2026-12 authorizing purchase of Captain Drive parcel for trail/park expansion; Resolution 2026-10 authorizing participation in litigation (Denise Magliotti v. City of Deltona).
City Attorney Comments: The attorney requested direction on whether to initiate litigation against Jason Voelz for failing to retract defamatory statements about the city's water supply. After discussion about public safety and manipulated videos, a motion to prepare a litigation resolution passed 5-1 (Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez opposed). The attorney also updated on legislative session, noting no fix expected for Senate Bill 180.
City Manager Comments: Addressed a resident's request for a dumpster at City Hall (rejected due to past abuse). Utility rate workshop replaced with individual commissioner meetings and discussion set for April 2 agenda. Announced the city will receive an M114 armored vehicle for permanent display at Veterans Memorial Park.
Commission Comments:
- Commissioner Nabicht urged support for the WVHA miCare clinic (meeting Feb. 19 at 4 PM) and offered to hand-deliver letters.
- Commissioner Howington raised code issues (pool lights, Lake Monroe lake level), requested removal of meeting time limit (motion failed 2-5), and requested public forum recordings be attached to agendas.
- Commissioner Santiago noted the Wildlife Festival, Stand Down event, and condemned a resident's behavior at the previous workshop.
- Commissioner Heriot requested updates on intersection lighting, rental/no-solicitation ordinances, and proposed renaming Elkcam Blvd. to Veterans Memorial Blvd. (failed 2-5).
- Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez highlighted the Vietnam Veterans Wall event and Love Your Heart Race.
- Mayor Avila sought updates on Toledo Terrace foreclosure (default judgment obtained) and the Aloha project (no valid development orders). A consensus was reached to place restrictions on delinquent developers on a future agenda. The commission also agreed to plan a workshop within 90 days on creating a "Deltona Forever Fund" for conservation. The mayor proposed renaming Keysville Dog Park after a deceased pet rescuer; staff noted a city policy for naming facilities.

Key Outcomes

Resolutions Approved:
- Minutes of Feb. 2 and Feb. 9 (5-2)
- Resolution 2026-15 (miCare clinic support) – consent
- Resolution 2026-16 (Animal Services interlocal) – consent
- Resolution 2026-17 (Special Magistrate services) – consent
- Recognition of Black History Month – consent
- Resolution 2026-11 (lien foreclosure) – 6-0
- Resolution 2026-12 (land purchase) – 6-0
- Resolution 2026-10 (litigation participation) – 6-0
Litigation Direction: Commission directed City Attorney to prepare a resolution for litigation against Jason Voelz (5-1).
Utility Rate Workshop: Replaced with individual meetings; public discussion scheduled for April 2, 2026.
Meeting Time Limit: Motion to remove the 2.5-hour limit failed (2-5).
Street Renaming: Motion to place resolution for renaming Elkcam Blvd. to Veterans Memorial Blvd. failed (2-5).
Developer Restrictions: Consensus to place discussion on future agenda within 90 days.
Deltona Forever Fund: Consensus to hold a workshop within 90 days.
Keysville Dog Park Renaming: Acknowledged, but will follow city policy.

The meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM.

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening. We're gonna go ahead and get started with this regular commission meeting for Tuesday, February seventeenth, twenty twenty-six. If I can please have the city clerk call the roll. Commissioner Calwell? Commissioner Harriet? Present. Commissioner Howington? Here. Commissioner Navigat. Here. Commissioner Santiago. Here. Vice Mayor Villabasquez. President. Mayor Vila. Here. At this time, we're gonna go ahead and I will hand it over to Commissioner Nobick of District Six for the invocation and pledge to the flag. Do my mic, Mayor. Okay. Thank you. Start with the pledge and then we'll stay remain standing for invocation. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. So our mission at Halifax is to be the community health care leader, and we do that with the uh exceptional talent of our staff to bring superior patient centered care and to do that in a financially sustainable manner. And we've been doing that now for 98 years, and that's what continues to allow us to provide care in the community. And we've opened our hospital in 1928 in Daytona Beach. And when that happened, it happened as a result of a group of residents from Volusia County that went to Tallahassee to advocate for health care services. And in doing that, it created the Halifax Health District, which still exists today. And that's that's been there now for almost a hundred years. And over the last hundred years, we've grown into the healthcare system that we are now. Are you able to advance the slides for me? I can just like okay. I apologize, Mr. E.B. And can we please stop his time while we get this rectified no problem. So over these last hundred years, we've continued to bring the highest level of specialties to the area, the highest level of care. We've we've got the only level two trauma center, we've got the highest home health agency, the highest level of hospice care. Um so when presented with the need for those levels of services, uh always like to make sure that people request Halifax Health just so they're receiving the highest level of care. Here we go, thank you. Um so the next slide shows some of the uh some of what I was just referencing. So these are just a sampling of some of the highest level of care that we provide in Volusia County that we now have access to for the residents of Del Tona. Um and the next slide shows a list of specialties that we offer. Um so all of these specialties are available at Halifax Health.

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