- March 5, 2025
Rep. Dave Hood visits Ormond Beach, a Hand Avenue construction update, mobile licensing office to stop by City Hall, county to hold a workshop for businesses and more.
BY THE OBSERVER STAFF
Rep. Dave Hood, of District 25, which includes Ormond Beach, held his third town hall meeting in as many months May 22, at city hall.
Hood talked about the recent $74.5 billion state budget, which included increased funds for Volusia County.
“The Volusia County school system got $16 million in new money this year,” Hood said. “We also were able to get money for Embry-Riddle (Aeronautical University).
“I think we’re going to look back 10 years from now and the money that we got for the windtunnel at Embry-Riddle, is going to generate more jobs high-priced jobs and more manufacturing business than anything else we've done in this county.”
There was also funds in the budget designated to assist with a drainage project in Ormond Beach, but it was among the line items Gov. Rick Scott vetoed. Hood said he would try again next year to keep those funds in the budget.
“If it didn’t go through a particular analytical scheme he liked, he would veto it,” Hood said. “We got the Port Orange money. ... I haven’t talked to the governor as to why Ormond Beach (didn’t). We’ll try it again next year.”
Hood also talked about the four policy initiatives he plans to focus on during the next session, three of which are: eliminating the property tax, reforming the criminal justice system and tort reform. He’s seeking public input on all the initiatives, as well as what he should focus on for his fourth bill, he said.
Hand Avenue update
Work to the remaining 12-inch water main on Hand Avenue was completed last week. The storm system on the street's 500 block, however, will not be completed until the Health Department approves the water main.
The pipe for the canoe and kayak canal crossing under the road was expected to be completed this week, officials said. Road work has started on the 300 and 400 blocks of Hand Avenue and is expected to be completed by the middle of July.
Call 407-539‐4515.
Mobile licensing office coming to town
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ Florida Licensing On Wheels mobile unit will make a 10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. stop Monday, June 3, at City Hall.
The mobile office provides drivers license card changes of address, renewals, replacements, and renewals and replacements of vehicle registration and disabled parking permits. The mobile office doesn't conduct license road tests.
After June 3, the mobile office will return to City Hall July 1.
Calling constractors: Work for the county
Volusia County will hold two workshops explaining how local companies submit bids for project contracts.
The workshops, run by the Purchasing and Contracts Division, will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, and from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, June 5, at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., in DeLand.
Call 736-5935, ext. 12490.
County program honored
Volusia County’s Small Quantity Generator Notification and Verification Program, which inspects hazardous waste generated by local businesses, was named the Small Quantity Generator Program of the year by the Florida chapter of the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association.
The program identifies businesses that may be considered small quantity generators, which the county said typically produce 25 to 250 gallons of hazardous waste a month, notifies them of their responsibilities and monitors compliance. The program also provides assistance for industrial wastewater issues and pollution-prevention strategies.
Around town ...
John Noble, the city engineer, with join City Manager Joyce Shanahan for the June 7 Walking with the Manager, to start at 8:00 a.m., in the public parking area at Central Park. Noble will talk about the current utility, stormwater and roadway improvements to Hand Avenue during the two-mile walk.
The Ormond Beach City Commission’s Tuesday, June 4 meeting has been rescheduled to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 3. The meeting was rescheduled to follow the commission’s Capital Improvement Plan Workshop, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Human Resources Training Room, in City Hall.
Emergency stats
The following numbers, for the week of May 20, were supplied by city staff:
Weekly Police Stats
Calls for Service..........1,465
Arrests..........19
Citations Issued..........98
Reports Written..........125
Traffic Stops..........193
Weekly Fire Operations Stats
Incidents..........128
EMS..........65
Motor Vehicle Accidents..........7
Fires..........1
Fire Alarms..........5
Public Assists..........46
Hazardous..........4
Correction
Charles Brown. of Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, was mislabled as Mike Oppenheimer in a photo for the Chamber Leadership Class' volunteer work at Family Renew.
