By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
PORT ORANGE, Fla. -- Don Burnette has proven himself to be a capable and trustworthy mayor and there's no need or reason for him not to be re-elected after the votes have been cast and counted in Tuesday's primary election.
In fact, there's every need and reason for Burnette to be re-elected for another term. Most notable for his experience, continuity and personal drive.
Burnette, 53, and a loan officer, has been mayor since 2016. He is being challenged by Sarah Jones, 76, a retired public health chemist and by Derek LaMontagne, 34, and a self-described blue-collar health and safety worker.
If Jones sounds familiar, it's because she has made previous runs for public office. She's twice run against Port Orange City Councilman Chase Tramont and lost both times.
There's really no need to say goodbye to Burnette, who has spent a decade in elected servitude for the city, which puts a priority on public safety and smart growth with respect to commercial and residential projects, both large and small.
Much of that credit for Port Orange's success goes to Burnette and deservedly so. Though he would not be able to do so without the excellent policy-making dialogue on the dais by his elected colleagues Tramont, Drew Bastian, Scott Stiltner, and Marilyn Ford, who replaced her late husband, Bob Ford.
Shown with Port Orange Mayor Don Burnette (in the middle and in order left to right) are city council members Scott Stiltner, Drew Bastian, Marilyn Ford and Chase Tramont.
Much of that credit for Port Orange's success goes to Burnette and deservedly so. Though he would not be able to do so without the excellent policy-making dialogue on the dais by his elected colleagues Tramont, Drew Bastian, Scott Stiltner, and Marilyn Ford, who replaced her late husband, Bob Ford.
Among the big-league projects led by Burnette: Riverwalk Park and the $1.6 million Dunlawton Smart-Light-System, which is being installed to improve traffic flow.
As for public safety, the city council's recent decision to increase pay for cops despite an increase in taxes, is a wise and prudent investment, considering Port Orange is ranked as the second safest city in Florida.
Again, testaments as to why Burnette is the absolute best person for the job. Headline Surfer endorses Don Burnette for mayor of Port Orange in this non-partisan race in the Aug. 18 primary.
Sarah Jones, has said her top priorities would be public safety and lowering taxes, but she can't have it both ways since personnel costs account for more than half of the city's costs. And the third candidate, Derek LaMontagne, is all over the place without specifics or solutions. Burnette provides the steady hand and is a voice of reason. He is undoubtedly the face of Port Orange governance.
It would not be shocking to see Burnette win the election outright with 50 percent plus one more vote, and therefore avoid the need for a runoff in November among the top two vote-getters.
Either way, Headline Surfer is confident the voters will look to Don Burnetteas as their mayor moving forward when all the votes are counted.
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.