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Residents condemn negative political mailer during Ormond Beach budget hearings; officials call for unity
Summary
Multiple residents and business leaders used public comment at the Ormond Beach City Commission meeting to denounce a widely distributed mailer that attacked several commissioners; callers urged civility and asked the mayor to clarify his stance after his campaign contributor paid for the mailer.
Several residents called on the Ormond Beach City Commission to repudiate a negative political mailer that appeared citywide during the budget debate, saying the flyer sowed division and misrepresented commissioners’ positions.
Jeff Boyle, who identified himself during public comment, said the mailer carried the name of local donor George Arnold and portrayed commissioners as “pickpockets stealing from taxpayers,” language he said contradicted the officials’ public records. Boyle asked the mayor to distance himself from the flyer and its rhetoric, saying it “disrespects our residents and diminishes our city.”
Multiple speakers tied the mailer to the week’s budget fight. Resident Susan Persis said the budget “strengthens our commitment to the public safety by ensuring our firefighters and police officers have the salaries they deserve and the resources they need,” and criticized the attacker for implying commissioners oppose the tax increase. Another speaker, Eric Palacios of the Ormond Chamber, told commissioners the last‑minute budget maneuvering had already been discussed in workshops and said: “This mailer is misleading.”
Mayor Jason Leslie and commissioners responded at the dais by noting the mailer was an outside political communication and that campaign literature of that nature is protected speech. Leslie said he had not coordinated the mailer with the commission and reiterated his pledge to work with colleagues on city business. Several commissioners, including Kristen Deaton and Travis Sargent, urged the community to move past the mailer and focus on policy issues.
The episode surfaced repeatedly during the meeting’s public comment period and the budget debate; commission members took no formal action against the flyer but many publicly urged civility and more constructive engagement from political actors in the city.
Residents seeking follow‑up were told to provide contact information during public comment so staff could respond to individual concerns.
