Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Meeting Procedure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Deltona commission approves consent agenda 4–3 amid Sunshine Law objections over Feb. 2 meeting
Summary
The Deltona City Commission voted 4–3 to adopt the consent agenda on Feb. 9 after residents and an attorney objected that items recessed from a Feb. 2 session were improperly continued without proper notice, citing Florida’s open‑meetings rules.
The Deltona City Commission voted 4–3 on Feb. 9 to adopt its consent agenda despite public objections that the items had been carried forward from a Feb. 2 session that some residents say was cancelled without proper notice.
Attorney Martin Pedrada, speaking for several residents, told commissioners he had provided "a letter and the case law and the arguments" in a packet and said "that act that happened at the last meeting was not only constitutional unconstitutional according to Florida constitution, and that's, in article 1 section 24 about having open meetings" and argued the continuation violated the Sunshine Law. He asked the materials be entered into the record.
City Attorney responded that on Feb. 2 the regular meeting had been called, a quorum was not present, and the vice mayor "acknowledged the lack of quorum and recessed the items on the agenda to 2 dates certain" — the special meeting on Feb. 9 and the regular meeting on Feb. 17 — and said the city clerk had confirmed notice was provided for the Feb. 9 meeting. The attorney cited the commission’s adoption of Robert’s Rules of Order and referenced an Attorney General opinion (noted in the record as 90‑56) describing notice practices when meetings are adjourned and reconvened.
Commissioner Howington said he remained concerned the continuation had been handled inconsistently and stated he would "be voting no on these items because I don't believe the continuation was done properly" until he received clear legal authority demonstrating compliance with Florida Statute 286.011. Several residents who said they had viewed a cancellation notice or been locked out of the earlier meeting urged commissioners to renotice items and reconsider.
Despite those objections, with a motion by Commissioner Harriot and a second by Commissioner Santiago, the commission voted to adopt the consent agenda; the mayor announced "Motion passes 4 to 3." The record does not contain roll-call attributions of individual yes/no votes, only the final tally.
The commission adjourned the special meeting and recessed for a five‑minute break before a workshop on Chapter 66 (parking regulations).
What happens next: Commissioners who voiced legal caution stressed they would seek clearer written legal guidance on the Feb. 2 process; the public record includes the attorney’s packet of cases and advisory opinions entered at the Feb. 9 meeting.
