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Deltona appoints Chris Novick to fill District 6 seat after 5-1 vote
Summary
The Deltona City Commission voted 5-1 on Sept. 22 to appoint Chris Novick to the remainder of the District 6 term through November 2026 after accepting ranking totals; the meeting included public comment and a unanimous vote to exclude a late application.
Deltona City Commission on Sept. 22, 2025, voted 5-1 to appoint Chris Novick to fill the remainder of the District 6 commission term through the November 2026 election, after accepting a ranking sheet produced by commissioners.
The appointment followed public comment, a brief argument over whether to include a late application, and the formal administration of the oath. The vacancy arose after Commissioner Lully submitted a resignation effective Aug. 27, 2025, and the city attorney told the commission the replacement process follows Deltona City Charter, section 5.
City Attorney (unnamed) told commissioners the vacancy was advertised on the city's website and that the posted deadline for applications was noon on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. The city clerk said one application arrived late, around “10:55 ish” the preceding Sunday; commissioners voted unanimously to disallow late entries before conducting rankings.
Several residents spoke during public comment. David Sosa, who identified himself as an applicant and a former Deltona commissioner for District 6, told the commission he had received “at a minimum of 50 emails showing support” and said, “the will of the people must speak.” Lori Wannakee urged commissioners to look for kindness and respect in a District 6 representative, saying the role requires listening and civility. Dave Markel asked commissioners to “place the citizens first” and pick the applicant best prepared to serve the district.
After public comment commissioners completed a ranking exercise. The clerk announced the point totals: Kimberly Eddins 21, Christopher Novick 13, Christian O'Brien 18, Julio David Sosa 19, and Jody Lisa Rosic 19. The commission then voted on a motion to accept the scoring totals and appoint Chris Novick to Position 6; Vice Mayor Harriott moved to accept the scoring and appoint Novick and Commissioner Avila Vasquez seconded.
A roll-call vote recorded five yes votes and one no: Commissioner Avila Vasquez — yes; Commissioner Caldwell — no; Commissioner Hovington — yes; Commissioner Santiago — yes; Vice Mayor Harriott — yes; Mayor Biella — yes. The motion passed 5-1. Following the vote, the city clerk administered the oath of office; Novick repeated the oath to support the U.S. and Florida constitutions and to uphold the Deltona City Charter and ordinances.
The city attorney said the appointment fills the seat until the next election in November 2026. The commission adjourned to its regular meeting schedule at 6:30 p.m.
Discussion vs. decision: the commission’s formal decisions were (1) a unanimous vote to exclude a late application from consideration and (2) the 5-1 vote to accept the ranking totals and appoint Chris Novick. Public comment and several commissioners’ remarks constituted discussion but did not change or add formal conditions to the appointment on the record.
