Daytona mayoral candidate Derrick Henry: 'One city one vision'

Video produced by Multimedia Editor Serafina King Frederick / Derrick Henry speaks frankly on the issues in his race for mayor of Daytona Beach in Headline Surfer's online show, 'The Sunday Conversation.'

Video produced by Multimedia Editor Serafina King Frederick / Derrick Henry speaks frankly on the issues in his race for mayor of Daytona Beach in Headline Surfer's online show, 'The Sunday Conversation.'

DAYTONA BEACH -- Mayoral candidate Derrick Henry wants to see a united Daytona Beach that goes beyond the focus of tourism marketed globally as the "World's Most Famous Beach" and center of motor racing with the Daytona 500, or as he emphasizes in his campaign platform: "One City, One vision."

"Daytona Beach is in need of a fresh perspective, one that is not ideologically entrenched and it's really driven to make some positive changes in the city," the 43-year-old retired public school educator said. "I think that over the last 20 years the city of Daytona Beach has made a lot of decisions that have basically set us up as a place where businesses are not welcome."

Headline Surfer Publisher Henry Frederick interviews Daytona mayoral candidate Derrick HenryDaytona Beach mayoral candidate Derrick Henry answers questions about the controversy of absentee ballots and accusations of wrongdoing, for which he has since been cleared by the office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza.

Henry answered the tough questions in our weekly online video newsmaker feature, "The Sunday Conversation," where he talked about the need to strike a balance between tourism and providing a better quality of life for residents who live here and a more government-friendly City Hall for small business owners struggling to survive.

Henry also would like to see better race relations here in Daytona where African Americans comprise half the population with very limited job opportunities.

While Henry's interview was done several weeks ago, Headline Surfer delayed its publication until now with the hope that his opponent in Tuesday's general election, City Commissioner Edith Shelley, would agree to an on-camera interview, but she has shied away.

Daytons Beach City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Edith ShelleyWhile Henry's interview was done several weeks ago, Headline Surfer delayed its publication until now with the hope that his opponent in Tuesday's general election, City Commissioner Edith Shelley, would agree to an on-camera interview, but she has shied away.

Headline Surfer is the 24/7 Internet newspaper in New Smyrna Beach covering Volusia County and beyond via HeadlineSurfer.com, NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net