YEAR IN REVIEW

A Year in Review: Here's what happened in Ormond Beach in 2024

See the year in photos and a timeline of some of the top news stories of the year in our community.

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January

  • Jan. 2: Belvedere Terminals files suit against Volusia County, citing a "deliberate and concerted effort by the County Council to rob of its property and constitutionally protected rights" in its pursuit to build a fuel farm near Ormond Beach. This took place two days before the County Council was set to vote on a moratorium for all properties zoned heavy industrial. The vote was postponed.
  • Jan. 10: S.R. Perrott argues in an administrative hearing that Belvedere Terminals failed to provide adequate public notice for its air permit issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection last year. 
  • Jan. 11: The Ormond Beach Planning Board makes a unanimous recommendation that the City Commission deny the proposed rezoning for the former Tomoka Oaks golf course property to allow for the development of homes.
  • Jan. 22: Ormond Beach Police recognize Officer Jeremy Cline and Avery Randolph, athletic activities specialist for the Ormond Beach Police Athletic League, as its Officer of the Year and Civilian of the Year, respectively.
  • Jan. 30: Judge denies Belvedere Terminals' request for a temporary injunction aimed at forcing Volusia County to process its site pan application for a fuel farm at 874 Hull Road. 


February

  • Feb. 6: The Volusia County Council votes 5-2 against enacting a nine-month moratorium on properties zoned I-2 "Heavy Industrial," the only thing standing in the way of staff processing a site plan submitted by Belvedere Terminals for the construction of a fuel farm.
  • Feb. 7: The Florida Department of Transportation opens new mid-block crosswalk at Rockefeller Drive and A1A.
  • Feb. 17: The Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center reopens to the public after 18 months of construction for its $1.7 million renovation.
  • Feb. 27: The Volusia County School Board votes to transfer Riverview Learning Center, an alternative educational facility, to the former Osceola Elementary school site.
  • Feb. 28: The Volusia Sheriff's Office finds the remains of a Autumn Lane McClure, a 16-year-old girl who went missing in 2004.


March

  • March 5: Concerned residents push back against decision to move Riverview Learning Center to former Osceola Elementary campus at a City Commission meeting.
  • March 11: Less than a month after reopening, a fire breaks out at the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, closing it once again.
  • March 18: Volusia County Schools holds a neighborhood meeting to discuss Riverview Learning Center with the neighbors who live around the former Osceola Elementary campus.
  • March 19: The Volusia County Council unanimously votes to pursue a repeal of the county's existing three-day waiting period and background check requirement for the purchase of firearms in public places.
  • March 21: Twelve local entrepreneurs were celebrated for graduating from the 10-week Kauffman FastTrac program, which offered in partnership with the Ormond Beach Economic Development department ot help locals start up, or grow, their businesses. Though launched in 2021, this was the first in-person class to graduate. 


April

  • April 5: Ormond Beach Police celebrates the retirement of Officer Rob Pearson, who first joined the department in 2004.
  • April 9: Volusia County Superintendent Carmen Balgobin announces 284 teachers may be displayed for the upcoming school year due to budget shortfalls caused by using COVID relief dollars for reoccurring costs.
  • April 11: AdventHealth Daytona Beach opens new $45.7 million surgical center.
  • April 16: The Ormond Beach City Commission unanimously denies the Tomoka Oaks golf course rezoning proposal. 
  • April 26: Volusia County Schools eliminates the majority of AVID programs from its schools, including all Ormond Beach area middle and high schools.


May

  • May 7: City Attorney Randy Hayes informs commission that S.R. Perrott will be appealing a recent decision by a judge to dismiss its challenge of the permit the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued Belvedere Terminals last year.
  • May 14: The Florida Department of Transportation begins to narrow the travel lanes in the downtown portion of Granada Boulevard as part of a $9.2 million road safety project.
  • May 15: For the second year in a row, Pumphouse BBQ wins "Best Burger" in town in Ormond Burger Week competition. 
  • May 24: Seabreeze High School and Mainland High School celebrate their 2024 commencement.
  • May 30: Smart Growth America's Dangerous by Design 2024 report found that the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach metro area is one of the most dangerous in the U.S. for pedestrians.


June

  • June 11: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announces new partnership with Boeing, and the 400 high-paying jobs it will bring to Volusia County.
  • June 12: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the "Focus on Florida" 2024-2025 budget. Three Ormond Beach projects — totaling over $2 million in appropriations request — were vetoed. Volusia was allocated $10 million to help relocate Belvedere Terminals' proposed fuel farm project.
  • June 14: Three incumbent Ormond Beach City Commissioners are reelected without opposition. County Councilman Troy Kent is also reelected.
  • June 22: Volunteers help build almost 250 vertical oyster gardens for Oysters for Ormond, a resident-driven water quality initiative.
  • June 25: Volusia County School Board pulls contract with AdventHeath for the hospital system to continue being the "Official Healthcare Champion" for the district, citing a need to make sure it doesn't prevent students from educational opportunities.


July

  • July 12: Ormond Beach promotes Shawn Finley to assistant city manager. He previously worked as the city's Public Works director.
  • July 16: The Volusia County Council awards a $1.5 million contract for automated parking services, a move that created a new program requiring non-residents to pay to park on county-owned off-beach parking lots. This will go into effect on Oct. 1.
  • July 17: Citizens for Ormond Beach holds a candidate forum for local races that will be on the ballot in both the primary and November elections.
  • July 23: The Ormond Beach City Commission unanimously approves a tentative millage rate that is 3.87% higher than last year's rate, and 12.82% above rollback.
  • July 24: The Florida Department of Education releases school grades. Five of the Ormond Beach area schools — including Seabreeze High School — earned an "A."


August

  • Aug. 6: City settles lawsuit between Flagler County and the developer of Hunter's Ridge.
  • Aug. 8: Volusia County Schools holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $48 million Tomoka Elementary campus.
  • Aug. 20: Kristin Deaton wins race to represent Zone 3 on the Ormond Beach City Commission. The County Council chair and District 4 School Board races head to a runoff.
  • Aug. 26: City holds a community engagement meeting as it begins its 2045 Comprehensive Plan Update.
  • Aug. 28: After six months of radio silence from Belvedere Terminals after the company submitted a conceptual site plan application to the county for a fuel farm, County Manager George Recktenwald writes a letter to the company CEO seeking to discuss the project.


September

  • Sept. 10: Volusia County Schools looks to rezone more students — including 155 who currently attend Pine Trail Elementary and Pathways Elementary — to Tomoka Elementary to address overcapacity issues.
  • Sept. 13: Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and Sheriff Mike Chitwood ask for community support to keep schools safe after a rise of shooting threats.
  • Sept. 14: At the Museum of Arts and Sciences' annual Passport to Florida event, Cici and Hyatt Brown announce a surprise $150 million endowment, the largest gift to be ever granted to the museum.
  • Sept. 17: The Volusia County Council votes to discuss pursuing a charter amendment to implement a rural boundary, a measure to control growth, in 2025.
  • Sept. 18: A proposal to implement a landing fee at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport to address its $1 million debt is tabled by the City Commission after pushback from the local aviation community.


October

  • Oct. 1: The Volusia County Council votes 3-2 to keep existing regulations for "Heavy Industrial" I-2 zoned properties. Councilman Troy Kent and Jeff Brower voted against, wanting to look at changes for the site of the proposed fuel farm.
  • Oct. 9: Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida.
  • Oct. 15: Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington says his goodbyes at his final City Commission meeting. He chose to run for Florida House and was elected in November to represent District 28. He had served on the commission since 2003, and as mayor since 2016.
  • Oct. 21: Ormond MainStreet celebrates 29 years of serving the community.
  • Oct. 29: Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower calls for a temporary moratorium on all new development until flooding issues are addressed.


November

  • Nov. 5: Ormond Beach voters elect Jason Leslie as their new mayor. Leslie beat opponent Susan Persis in the race. Donna Brosemer also won the District 4 School Board race against Carl Persis. 
  • Nov. 19: The new Ormond Beach City Commission is sworn in for a two-year term. The new Volusia County School Board members — Krista Goodrich and Donna Brosemer — are also sworn in.
  • Nov. 20: The Jewish Federation of Volusia and Flagler Counties distributes food for 400 families to make Thanksgiving dinner.
  • Nov. 23: The Volusia Basket Brigade delivers over 4,500 boxed Thanksgiving meals.
  • Nov. 29: The annual Gaslight antique car parade is canceled due to weather. Cars were on display on Nov. 30 at Fortunato Park for the 66th Birthplace of Speed Antique Car Show.


December

  • Dec. 3: The City Commission awards a $2.5 million construction contract for the redesign of Cassen Park.
  • Dec. 4: Ormond Beach Police honors its Officer of the Year, Joshua Morris, and Civilian of the Year, Pauline Dulang, at its annual awards ceremony.
  • Dec. 5: The Halifax Humane Society's Paws & Pearls Fur Ball surpasses its $400,000 fundraising goal, raising a record-breaking $537,501 for animal welfare programs in Volusia County.
  • Dec. 10: Volusia County Schools approves a four-year contract with Superintendent Carmen Balgobin. Also at the meeting, the School Board voted to reconsider its appointment of Jessie Thompson as chair after remarks she made at a Moms for Liberty national summit came to light. At the summit, Thompson said she provided false data to board members to get items passed, and belittled Deltona High School students, questioning the school's graduation rate.
  • Dec. 14: The Volusia County Republican Executive Committee elects a new chairman for the Volusia GOP: Maryann Pistilli, of New Smyrna Beach, who was President-elect Donald Trump's Florida State Campaign director.

 

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