VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates is getting answers about more controversial spending of your tax dollars. For months, we have looked into allegations in Daytona Beach from city credit cards being used for shopping and restaurants, to a Depuy Fire Chief who made $14,000 in overtime in six weeks.
During a meeting on Wednesday night, Daytona Beach City leaders raised concerns about the plan to purchase a building for $4.4 million.
Before the meeting, City Commissioner Stacy Cantu shared concerns only on Channel 9. Cantu told us city staff never made commissioners or the redevelopment board aware of their plans to buy the building on South A1A.
She asked the city manager why there was such a rush when the property had been for sale for more than 10 years, and according to her research, it’s only worth 2 million dollars.
“I have not heard this, and I’ve been here 5 years. If other commissioners are aware of this, it’s a sunshine law, and he told me to file an ethics complaint,” said Cantu.
The city wanted to tear down the Cruisin Café and turn it into an entertainment district similar to Boxi Park in Lake Nona until they find a permanent developer or business. The city manager didn’t make any comments, but a staff member explained the city doesn’t always advertise when it’s negotiating.
The rest of the commission and the mayor agreed that staff needed to be more transparent with elected officials and taxpayers going forward.
Taxpayers pushed back against the plan, some even saying they lost all trust in how money is spent after our investigation into the city’s finances.
The city’s plan was to use the Community Redevelopment Agency funds, which is money meant to help struggling areas in the city, to buy the building. Commissioners were supposed to meet next week to talk about their priorities for that pot of money.
That’s now been pushed back because commissioners asked for a second property appraisal and a more concrete plan.
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