- February 20, 2025
After Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie appeared on a Channel 6 news broadcast and issued statements in local newspapers that some fellow elected officials said misrepresent the city, commissioners directed staff to pursue a new ordinance to "prevent confusion."
The ordinance, proposed by Ormond Beach City Commissioner Kristin Deaton at the city meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19, would require a majority vote before an elected official, including the mayor, can take action on behalf of the city. Such ordinances are already in place in other municipalities, Deaton said, such as Daytona Beach Shores.
"This helps prevent confusion among third parties whether statements, including news segment commentary, made by elected officials reflect their personal opinions or official city positions," Deaton said.
The Daytona Beach Shores ordinance states that the "mayor and the individual members of the City Council retain their first amendment rights while holding the offices of mayor or City Council member; provided, however, such rights can be subject to certain duties of disclosure to prevent issues that could cause confusion to third parties as to what matters expressed by the mayor or City Council member are personal in viewpoint, versus other matters that are being expressed on behalf of the City and City Council." It was adopted in 2020.
The ordinance proposal came after three commissioners, including Deaton, voiced concerns from the dais regarding recent comments made by the mayor in recent news coverage. Deaton said she received multiple calls regarding a Channel 6 news broadcast where Leslie took reporters on a tour of the city to showcase the city's "best-kept secrets."
In the 4-minute broadcast, Leslie is seen taking reporters to the Magic Forest Playground at Rainbow Park — which he said would reopen in 2-4 weeks, but city staff Tuesday reported renovations would take longer — as well as Andy Romano Beachfront Park, Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, the proposed Belvedere Terminals fuel farm site, the airport and the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
Deaton said that to her knowledge, city staff, including the public information officer, were not informed ahead of time about the news crew's arrival.
"It is protocol for the commission and the mayor to contact the city PIO if approached by the media, and I want to ensure that is upheld," Deaton said.
In a statement to the Observer, Leslie said his top priority is ensuring accurate and timely information reaches residents.
“It’s essential for me to fully understand the implications of this proposed ordinance before forming a definitive opinion and I am committed to thoroughly reviewing all the details when they are brought before us,” Leslie said. “I want to have an open discussion with the Commission on the dais to make sure that any action we take does not unintentionally prevent transparent communication with our community.”
Editor's note: It has always been standard practice for the Observer to contact elected officials directly, usually via email or phone.
Deaton also criticized Leslie for seeking public recognition for the half-mast flag tribute for the late Capt. Jonathan Campos, the Ormond Beach pilot in the Jan. 29 fatal DC plane crash. While she appreciated the gesture, she said, she was "troubled by the way it was communicated."
"Public recognition of a loss should always prioritize the wishes and feelings of the grieving family, rather than appearing self-serving," Deaton said. "Every news article on the matter specifically highlighted who contacted the governor's office for the request, which gave the impression of politicizing a death."
Leslie told the Observer that he approached the tribute "from a place of genuine respect and a desire to honor Capt. Campos."
"I did attempt to contact the family, but it was challenging to reach them directly and I wanted to be sensitive to their grief," Leslie said. "I did reach out to the funeral director to coordinate the tribute and shared with them that if the family had any concerns, they could reach out to me directly. Since I did not receive any feedback or objections from the family, I moved forward with the tribute. I truly hope the gesture was received in the spirit in which it was intended — to honor and respect Capt. Campos."
Commissioners Lori Tolland and Travis Sargent also voiced concerns over public statements made by Leslie. Tolland said it was essential that they work together as a body "to uphold the principles of our commission, rather than acting independently in ways that do not reflect our collective governance."
The city operates under a commissioner-manager form of government, which according to the National Association of Counties, "establishes a representative system where all power is concentrated in the elected commission and where the commission hires a professionally trained manager to oversee the delivery of public services."
In the city, each commissioner's vote, including the mayor's, carries equal weight.
Tolland said that Leslie shared inaccurate information in the Channel 6 segment, as well as in a recent Q+A with the Observer. This affects the mayor's individual credibility, she continued, as well as the reputation of the commission, city staff and residents.
"I understand, mayor that your time in the community has been relatively short, and I recognize that sometimes that institutional knowledge isn't always there," Tolland said. "However, that makes it even more critical that you use the professional staff that's made available to us to get that information before making public statements. Our city's representation in the media should be factual, balanced and reflective of the community's true history and accomplishment."
Sargent said that he had heard from a city employee that "someone on the dais," (alluding to Leslie) was trying to get City Manager Joyce Shanahan fired.
"That kills morale — kills employees' morale and how they work, and it's just uncalled for," Sargent said. "If you have a problem, call that person, sit down with them or discuss it up here. Don't do it behind closed doors and think something's going to happen. It's very unprofessional."
Leslie said he never voiced any intent to fire Shanahan, saying he has a “great working relationship” with her.
“I respect the feedback from my fellow commissioners, and I want to emphasize that I’m still relatively new to this role,” Leslie said. “I value open communication and believe that collaboration is key to serving our community effectively. I recognize that at times, my eagerness to provide information quickly may have come across as speaking off the cuff. Moving forward, I am committed to working more closely with our city staff to ensure that the information I share is accurate and fully aligned with the City’s official stance.”
