Vice mayor Scott Stiltner, conservationist Derek LaMontagne vie for Port Orange mayor

On Aug. 20's ballot, Port Orange residents will decide on a new mayor.

Current Mayor Don Burnette is running for the Volusia County chairman's job . Current Vice Mayor and City Council District 4 representative Scott Stiltner is vying to take his place and is facing off against Derek LaMontagne.

But that's not all as far as changes in Port Orange. City Council District 3 representative Drew Bastian can't run again due to term limits and that seat will also see a new member: Barry Pitek or Shawn Goepfert. Stiltner’s seat is also now open and being contested by Joseph Mialki III and Lance Green.

Election 2024: Meet the 3 candidates running for Volusia County School Board District 2

Candidates responded to a questionnaire from The News-Journal. Answers were edited for space and grammar.

The candidates

Derek LaMontagne

Name: Derek LaMontagne.

Age: 38.

Occupation: Chemist/conservationist.

Political experience: Volusia Forever Advisory Committee member; former Port Orange Environmental Advisory Board Chairman (resigned in protest of city's poor environmental enforcement); former volunteer in local congressman's office; campaign volunteer for 6-plus local races over the years; ran for mayor in 2020; experience in student government in college.

Top three priorities:

1. Stopping illegal over-development and protecting our wetlands, especially in Spruce Creek.

2. Making Port Orange government more transparent and listening to its residents.

3. Reducing government waste and keeping taxes low.

Why are you running?

To Save Port Orange, meaning, to make Port Orange feel like a small hometown again. I hope to address all of the grievances the people of our city have, from too much sprawl to too much inflation. See www.SavePortOrange.com to learn more.

What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of officeholder you will be?

As a non-lawyer, I volunteered more than a year of my time representing nonprofits in court and recently won a favorable ruling that the harmful Interstate 95/Pioneer Trail interchange was not clearly in the public interest, and that its permit should be denied. However, the state decided to arbitrarily ignore that fair hearing and issued the permit anyway. We are currently appealing that travesty of justice, but entities (like Port Orange) that should be advocating for protections for Spruce Creek are instead spreading misinformation about the terrible, costly project, and I vow to stop that and protect our people and environmental resources.

What is something about your community you treasure and aim to protect? What is something you will seek to change?

That is easy — Spruce Creek waterway and the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve! Both are under imminent threat from bad projects that our city is doing nothing to stop. These projects, such as the awful Pioneer Trail Interchange, plan to isolate and starve the Spruce Creek Preserve, ignore and add to the pollution in Spruce Creek, and destroy what little remains of the watershed needed for clean water and to prevent flooding. This is unacceptable, and Port Orange deserves a leader who will stop approving bad development, and protect our quality of life instead, no excuses.

Scott Stiltner

Name: Scott Stiltner.

Age: 54.

Occupation: Retired law enforcement/water treatment specialist.

Political experience: Port Orange City Council / vice mayor.

Top three priorities:

1. Maintain strong public safety services throughout our community.

2. Continue efforts to improve stormwater infrastructure, retention and drainage.

3. Constantly work to improve overall quality of life factors throughout our city.

Why are you running?

I have received a tremendous amount of encouragement and support from fellow residents and business owners over the past year to step up and serve as the mayor of Port Orange.  My public service experience, knowledge of city operations, positive attitude and leadership skills make me the best candidate to be the mayor of Port Orange.  I have served and been invested in the city of Port Orange for over 35 years, and I want to be part of making it the best city it can possibly be.

What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of office holder you will be?

Being a father.  My proudest accomplishment is raising two amazing children in the very community I have served for so long.  Watching your children grow and develop into successful productive adults with your guidance and influence is hands down the best accomplishment a parent can ever have.  Raising a family in Port Orange allows you to see and utilize all aspects of city government and services from a genuine and invested perspective.  I love that both my kids want Port Orange to be their forever home as well.

What is something about your community that you treasure and aim to protect? What is something you will seek to change?

Port Orange is an extension of my home and family.  It still has a great community feel, with everything needed to have a wonderful life.  Overall quality of life is a big deal, and it matters to all our residents.  We need to do our best to protect it and improve it.  We need to improve how we look at stormwater issues from a regional perspective.  It takes time and funding to improve stormwater infrastructure that in many cases is 40 years old or more.  I will fight for state funding to help improve these concerns and work collectively with regional partners for viable solutions.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Vice mayor Scott Stiltner, conservationist Derek LaMontagne vie for Port Orange mayor