- April 20, 2024
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Ormond Beach Zone 3 City Commissioner Susan Persis has been reelected for her third term, as she ran unopposed until the end of the qualifying period for the 2022 elections.
Persis said she was thrilled to be reelected, and that her enthusiasm for serving the public is "stronger than ever."
"I think the residents of Ormond Beach know they can count on me to be diligent, and only supporting low impact and quality development while supporting our police and fire departments, and to continue expanding family recreational programs," Persis said.
An alumna of Seabreeze High School, Persis was a local educator and school principal for 39 years. She was first elected to represent Zone 3 in 2018, and was reelected without opposition in 2020.
Some of the issues she's keeping her eye on include the proposed residential developments of the former Tomoka Oaks golf course and the Tymber Creek apartment project. In her next term, she said she's going to continue to work to represent citizens, and consider their concerns to do what she feels is best for the community.
"I think Ormond Beach is just such a great place to live and people are finding out about it," Persis said. "It's no longer a secret, and I think the challenge that we have on the commission now is to make sure we are planning ahead to provide the infrastructure to ensure our fantastic quality of life will prosper."
Mayor Bill Partington is the only incumbent on the City Commission that is seeking reelection.
Partington, an assistant public defender and division chief for Florida's Seventh Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, filed for reelection back in June 2021, and has been serving on the commission since 2003, initially as the Zone 4 representative. In 2016, the Mainland High School alumnus was elected mayor, and was reelected in 2018 and 2020. Partington is running against Rob Bridger.
"It's just been a great couple years serving as mayor and we've had a lot of success, and I want to continue that — keeping Ormond Beach on the right path with low taxes, low utility rates and really, some of the best services in Volusia County," Partington said.
Some of the issues he's monitoring haven't changed from past campaigns: Responsible growth and development are key issues in the minds of voters, he said, and in the past year of his campaigning, he's also seen the effect of people from northern states moving to the area and buying homes above asking in all cash. That magnifies growth pressures, Partington said.
He refuses the sentiment that the current commission has "rubber-stamped" previous development projects, citing Tattersall (previously known as the Marshside project) as an example. The number of approved residential projects in Ormond Beach is lower than other Volusia cities, he said.
"Ormond Beach throughout all this has kept a very slow, stable measured growth rate, but when you see what's happening out on LPGA with Tanger and the explosion of apartments and construction out there, it just feels like it's encroaching on us and we have to, as a community, make sure that we don't let what happened out there happen in our city."
No matter who is elected this year, there will be a new City Commission, as three of five seats are open. Partington said he hopes the new commission will continue to listen to residents and city staff to do what's best for the community.
"That's what I want ultimately for Ormond Beach, is just the most positive and bright future that it can have," he said.
Editor's note: This story was corrected on Friday, June 24, to show that Partington has been on the commission since 2003, not 2010.
