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Daytona Beach Sesquicentennial Committee elects chair, reviews yearlong celebration plan
Summary
Volunteers named a chair and vice chair and heard a city staff presentation outlining a yearlong sesquicentennial program that includes a July 2026 weekend celebration, a fall website launch and digital and in-person outreach; staff and members discussed budgets, sponsorships, Sunshine Law requirements and next steps.
Betty Goodman, a retired assistant city manager, was elected chair of the Daytona Beach Sesquicentennial Committee at its first meeting, and Sue Odena was elected vice chair, after a motion and second from committee members identified as Amanda and Kelly.
The committee convened to organize volunteer roles and review a city staff plan for a yearlong 150th-anniversary celebration that city presenters described as a mix of existing events given a sesquicentennial theme, one large weekend celebration in July 2026 and digital outreach beginning before the anniversary year.
The committee exists to advise and assist city staff on programming, fundraising and outreach for the sesquicentennial; city staff said the committee will help with sponsorship outreach, historical research and community connections. Julie Barley, of the Daytona Beach communications department, outlined the planning timeline, digital tools and sample events staff proposed and asked members to identify areas where they could contribute.
"We started our planning back in October '24," Julie Barley said, summarizing the schedule that led to forming the committee and the city's goal to launch a sesquicentennial website by late this year. Barley said the website will host a calendar, a direct-to-consumer merchandise shop and a timeline of city history; staff showed sample pages and a logo lockup for use on banners and promotional materials.
Staff described a layered approach to programming: "sprinkling" sesquicentennial themes across recurring events such as the mayor's fitness challenge, the Easter beach run and the Christmas parade; a three-day weekend in July 2026 with free concerts at the Bandshell and fireworks; a potential VIP reception for sponsors; and smaller, history-focused activities throughout the year. Barley also described digital and tech features the city has tested: an Agents of Discovery augmented-reality app to create location-based historical missions for families, and AI-enhanced "talking" headshots of historical figures for interactive displays.
Leticia, identified by staff as the board liaison and clerk, reviewed legal and procedural rules for committee meetings, including Florida Sunshine Law requirements, public records retention and quorum rules. "These meetings require that all boards are open to the public and have reasonable ADA accommodations," she said, and she reminded members that, under Florida law, in-person attendance generally counts toward quorum. Staff said the committee is a nine-member body and that a quorum is needed to take binding votes.
Members discussed outreach goals and inclusivity. Several volunteer members urged a mix of digital and in-person options for merchandise and engagement, noting that many older residents prefer to buy items at events rather than online. A member representing newer residents urged additional marketing to people who have recently moved to the city so they know about local events and traditions.
On budgeting and sponsorships, staff said a working budget has been started but was not ready to present at the meeting. City staff asked members to identify where they could help — for example, sponsorship sales, budgeting, historical research or marketing — and offered to schedule one-on-one follow-ups to match volunteers with tasks.
During public comment, Leonard "Len" Lemble Powell, who identified himself as a longtime local historian and professor emeritus at Daytona State College and a Halifax Historical Society board member, urged the committee to use existing local historical resources and community partners. "Take advantage of the people in the community that know something about the history," he said, and he notified the group that the Florida Historical Society will meet in Daytona May 27–30, 2026, a schedule staff could coordinate with the sesquicentennial program.
Committee members and staff discussed next steps and cadence. Staff said they aim to have the sesquicentennial website structurally ready in the fall and noted the committee discussed launching active public-facing promotion on or about Jan. 1, 2026. Staff said they will follow up by email with the committee to confirm members' roles, share the presentation materials and propose a July meeting date for the group to begin more detailed planning and to review budget estimates and vendor quotes.
Votes at a glance: A motion to appoint Betty Goodman as chair and Sue Odena as vice chair was moved by Amanda and seconded by Kelly. The motion was recorded in the meeting transcript as "motion carries 1 7 0"; the transcript does not supply a full roll-call vote.
The committee closed with staff offering to arrange more conversational meeting space for future sessions and to meet individually with members who volunteered to help with fundraising, historical research and marketing.
