VolusiaNews.net and NSBNews.net provide Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world.
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Photos by Henry Frederick / Steve Dennis (shown in the larger photo) can thank Michele and Robert Lott for costing him his 25-year tenure with the New Smyrna Beach Community Redevelopment Agency since they closed up their rented office for the Observer newspaper on Flagler Avenue earlier this month. NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Steve Dennis abruptly resigned from the Community Redevelopment Agency after his latest claim to ties with the district were called into question by his board's chairman and by NSBNews.net.
Dennis' departure started as a result of the Observer Newspaper abandoning its offices on Flagler Avenue two weeks ago with no forwarding location. In order to serve on the CRA its members must either live in the district, work in the district or be an officer in a corporation in a business located in the district.
When Dennis was fired last August as director of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, he was able to stay on the CRA after Michele Lott, publisher of Coronado Beach Publishing, wrote a letter to the city claiming Dennis was a "duly sworn officer" of the corporation doing business as the Observer newspaper.
But when the Observer left its Flagler Avenue offices which it shared with Lott's husband, Robert Lott of Lott Financial Services, Steve Dennis could no longer lay claim to his seat. The city then received a letter from Bob Garrigues, former president of the chamber, stating that Dennis was now a "duly sworn officer" for his company.
That did not sit well with CRA Chairman Charles L. Belote who sent an e-mail to other city officials, including CRA Director Tony Otte and CRA attorney Mark Hall, questioning the veracity of Dennis' new-found business connection within the CRA district.
"Pursuant to s.817.155, Florida Statutes, it is a 3rd Degree Felony to knowingly file a false document with the Division of Corporations," Belote wrote in the e-mail sent at 1:25 p.m. Friday, which included an attachment that cites the law.
Dennis was a no-show at Thursday's CRA meeting, which NSBNews.net attended and during which asked the CRA officials about the status of Dennis' situation with the CRA after the Observer newspaper closed up shop on Flagler.
NSBNews.net asked the CRA for proof of Dennis' membership with the CRA, for which the board attorney, Mark Hall, tersely responded, "We're looking into those questions. We just found out about this yesterday."
The Observer had vacated Flagler during the tail-end of the week of April 4, prompting NSBNews.net to call CRA Director Tony Otte in advance of Thursday's meeting to inquire as to Dennis' status with the CRA.
NSBNews.net was told by Otte's assistant that Dennis had called in the day before the meeting to announce he would not be attending the meeting because he had other pressing business. Otte's assistant, Claudia Soulie, told NSBNews.net that Dennis had not missed a meeting in years.
NSBNews.net called Bob Garrigues on Monday and asked him if Dennis' new appointment was legitimate or if it was just a mans for him to stay on the CRA.
Garrigues said the idea was Dennis'. As for his duties, Garrigues said they were not defined and added he was just trying to help Dennis out As for the legitimacy of it all, Garrigues said he was not trying to do anything illegal and said he would ask Dennis to call NSBNews.net back. Dennis did not call NSBNews.net or leave any messages through voice mail, e-mail or text message.