Girtman focuses on transportation, economy, but District 1 challenger wants spending cuts

Candidates for the District 1 Volusia County Council seat have very different priorities for the role.

While the incumbent, Council Vice Chair Barbara Girtman, is focused in part on transportation projects, challenger Don Dempsey is focused on trying to reduce taxes and the size of the county government.

District 1 includes northwest Volusia County and some other western areas. The district includes the city of DeLand's incorporated areas, "Orange City, DeBary, Lake Helen and Pierson; and unincorporated parts of Astor, DeLeon Springs, Emporia, Seville, Barberville and surrounding areas," according to the county's website.

Girtman has raised $49,978.58 for her campaign. Dempsey's campaign, which has $12,000, is self-funded intentionally, he said.

"There's a lot of, I think, scrutiny that goes along with people getting donations from one faction," he said.

Early voting began Oct. 26 and will end on Nov. 5, and the general election is Nov. 8. Early voting in Flagler started Oct. 24.

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Barbara Girtman

Girtman started her term on the County Council in 2019. She is a Realtor. Girtman, who is in her 60s, was born in Long Island and first moved to Volusia in 1984, but she grew up visiting her grandparents in DeLand, according to her Council biography.  She left for work and returned in 2011. She is married and has one son and two grandsons.

Girtman, who has a master's degree in health care administration, is also "a healthcare consultant and has a 30-year career in healthcare management roles," according to the county's website.

Her community and board roles include serving as board chair for the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization, among other roles.

In response to questions from The Daytona Beach News-Journal for a candidate Q&A, Girtman listed economic development, transportation and "preserving, enhancing and creating parks and trails" as her top priorities.

Girtman said that when she first ran for office, she had "great concern" for transportation and infrastructure in the west side of Volusia County.

"I didn't feel like it had a true advocate and champion for those concerns. One of the key concerns for me was Highway 17 and State Road 44, and I'm proud to say that in my four years, we have gotten approval for road improvements, infrastructure, sewer improvements on 17," she said, adding that a couple of roundabouts are planned on Highway 17.

Girtman said she aligns herself "with the authorities and the resources for transportation to try to have the greatest impact, not only for West Volusia but for Volusia overall."

On economic development, she said she wants "to see Volusia County lead the country in business assistance and incentive programs that can significantly reduce both startup and operational costs" for small businesses, according to her campaign website.

Growth and development are contentious issues this election season. Girtman said a lot of the growth and development have come in the municipalities. But the County Council recently created the Environmental and Natural Resources Advisory Committee, which will provide guidance on growth and development.

Girtman said she was one of the initial supporters of creating the committee and asked that it have 14 members. She said she wanted a citizen group that represented a variety of interests across Volusia County, including environmentalists and property owners.

"I really think it's important how we grow and that we listen to the voice of and concerns of the people," she said.

Girtman said, among other things, she is also focused on affordable housing and supporting efforts to get youth in underserved communities involved in sports.

"I'm running for re-election to continue a lot of the work that has been started," she said. "A lot of it is in a good place to be able to get some of these things done. And I believe I'm that person who will do that."

Donald Dempsey Jr.

Dempsey, 57, is an attorney with over 30 years of experience who has his own law firm based in DeLand. He focuses on criminal and family law, and he was a prosecutor in Volusia County.

Dempsey does not have elected experience. He ran unsuccessfully against 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza in 2020.

He was born in Volusia and spent part of his growing-up years here. As an adult, he moved to DeLand permanently over 30 years ago, and he owns a farm. He is married and has three children.

In response to questions from The News-Journal for a candidate Q&A, he listed his top priorities as reducing the size of government, cutting taxes and focusing on responsible growth.

He said he supports looking into the possibility of a 10% cut across the county government budget and reducing impact fees.

Dempsey said his approach to managing growth and development would be to look at issues on a case-by-case basis, adding that he wouldn't want to prejudge anything and would give people on both sides a fair chance to be heard on a proposal.

He said he can understand the perspective of property owners who want to develop their land as well as people who are concerned about development. Dempsey said he has invested in real estate and has attempted to subdivide commercial properties.

He said he believes in some cases development is contributing to flooding issues in the county, and that should be stopped.

Dempsey supports a business incentive program that he said used to be in operation in Volusia County. He said the program would allow businesses that are good for the community but may be undesirable to have as a neighbor, because of noise or some other reason, to lease county land.

Some examples are an archery range or a fish hatchery, he said.

"And if it turns out it's bad then pull the lease," Dempsey said in a video on his candidate Facebook page. "But at least give people an opportunity to create jobs and create beneficial businesses in our community that can be placed strategically that don't offend anybody but yet are productive for our community."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia Council District 1 race brings transportation, taxes in focus