DeLand, FL - With a deadline just under a year away, the Volusia County Elections Office announces it's ready to make the changes for Amendment 10.
Volusia Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis spoke to county leaders earlier today (January 21st) and discussed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between her office and the county. That MOA will help her position transform from a county charter officer to a constitutional officer, as laid out in Amendment 10.
That is, however, dependent on whether or not the county succeeds in its challenge against Amendment 10.
If it doesn't by the effective date – January 5th, 2021 – county employees within the department of elections will no longer be employees of Volusia County, rather the office itself. The supervisor of elections and the office will also vacate its current location at the Volusia County Historic Courthouse sometime in March of this year and move to a new location off of Woodland Boulevard.
All of this would also be done in conjunction with a transition team formed by County Manager George Recktenwald. That team will ensure that the transition is ready if the county's appeal is not successful.
"We have a put a good process in place with good procedures," said Lewis to the county council. "We are all one county."
But, County Chair Ed Kelley, who so far supports the transition agreement, asked if they would have to follow through on the conditions if their appeal against the long-battled amendment actually prevailed.
"Short answer to your question: if we prevail in front of the First District Court of Appeals, we would not need to proceed further with the memorandum," said Michael Dyer, interim county attorney. "Each of the agreements that would be coming before you are conditioned on Amendment 10 having legal effect."
Since the First DCA also does not work on a deadline, the county is unsure of when they will receive a ruling. According to Dyer, it could be today, or it could be months down the line.
