Deltona officials question mayor’s handling of Winter Ball funds

Where is the money from Deltona Mayor's Winter Ball going?

Questions are being raised about a Winter Ball hosted by Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr. The event was advertised by the mayor, and posted on the City of Deltona's social media page. However, the City of Deltona said the event had no connection to the city, wasn't organized or funded by the city. Questions are also being raised about where proceeds from the event would go and who they would benefit.

DELTONA, Fla. - Several Deltona city commissioners are calling for scrutiny of Mayor Santiago Avila Jr. over concerns about the handling of funds tied to the Mayor’s Winter Ball and the city’s involvement in the event.

The controversy centers on confusion over whether the ball was a city-sponsored event and how its proceeds were distributed. 

The backstory:

The mayor promoted the event on social media, stating it would be hosted by the city, and the event was advertised on the city’s official Facebook page. However, city officials later said the Mayor’s Winter Ball was not organized, sponsored, funded or administered by the City of Deltona.

Commissioner Dori Howington questioned whether a promotional video for the event, which was also associated with the mayor’s re-election campaign, was improperly produced using city resources. 

"It’s like watching a train wreck that you can’t stop," Howington said.

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Mayor Avila said proceeds from the event would benefit renovations and expansion of the Harris Saxon building at Harris Saxon Park, where the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia and Flagler Counties operate. 

However, the organization’s CEO said she was unaware of the fundraiser until the day before the event and stated there were no approved renovation or expansion plans for the site. She also asked that the organization’s name not be used in future promotions without written approval.

Former Commissioner David Sosa publicly released emails between the mayor and the Boys & Girls Club and called for an investigation into the matter.

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Following the event, the Boys & Girls Club said its leadership met with the mayor and agreed to continue discussions after the holidays on how the funds would support youth programs. In contrast, the mayor later posted that the money would be used specifically for expanding and renovating the Harris Saxon building.

The City of Deltona previously approved funding for Harris Saxon Park and has already allocated $2 million in its budget for those projects. City officials also confirmed there are currently no plans to renovate the Harris Saxon property.

Event listings for the Mayor’s Winter Ball continue to describe the event as presented in partnership with the City of Deltona and state that a majority of the proceeds would benefit the Boys & Girls Club, without detailing how much money was raised or how remaining funds would be used.

What they're saying:

The mayor did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment. City officials also did not answer questions about how residents should distinguish between events promoted on city social media that are officially affiliated with the city and those that are not.