Civic League Charter and County Administrator

On December 21, 1966, the News Journal published an article stating the League's resolution to endorse the proposed City Charter of Daytona Beach. The League praised the City Commission's "progressive action in causing a new City Charter to be compiled." Specifically the League endorsed a plan to annex areas directly West of the city, beyond the intersection of U.S. 92, I-4 and I-95 and including the section containing the jai-alai fronton, dog track and other businesses vital to the greater Daytona economy. In addition, the League favored the election of a Council for policy making, and giving administrative authority to a city manager whom would set and rate the standards for all personnel. Finally, the League advocated two-year terms for the mayor and councilman and the requirement for city office candidates to produce weekly accounts on receiving and spending campaign contributions. This last provision also prohibited "persons with vested interest from contributing."

After a three-year committee study of county government, the Civic League decided to support the employment of a county administrator in Volusia County. This information became public in a News Journal Article on December 24, 1967. A letter written by Committee Chairman L.W. Grabe Jr. was sent to each of the City Commissioners. In this letter the Civic League announced that after a three-year study of county administrations across the nation, they enthusiastically endorsed a plan for a county administrator or county manager. They advocated the plan because they learned "that without exception the economies which will accrue through this much improved integration of management problems will offset the salary of a highly qualified administrator many times over." The Civic League implored the Commission to implement the plan with dispatch.

On February 5, 1969 the Civic League convened a joint meeting with the County Government Study Committee to discuss the proposed Volusia County Charter. Civic League Chairman, Lou Fuchs, expressed to the study committee the League's dissatisfaction with the Charter's proposal to appoint an administrative assistant, with limited authority, instead of a County Administrator with full authority. The League felt that the appointment of an Administrative Assistant fell short of expectations because it "held little in the way of improvement over the existing situation... providing little in the way of effective and competent direction of county affairs." The members of the Executive Committee were given two options. First, they could accept the Charter and recommend a County Government Study Commission, or second, they could reject the Charter and recommend a County Government Study Commission. Bert Gowan moved and Hyatt Brown seconded the latter option that was unanimously approved by the Executive Committee. Fred Wills then moved to have Lou Fuchs call the Chairman of the County Commission, Mr. Fellows, to directly express the views of the Civic League with respect to the Charter. Mr. Fellows was contacted and he expressed to the League that the proposed Charter was the most voters would accept at that time. Furthermore, Mr. Fellows did not see any benefit for future meetings between League members and the Commission on the Charter proposal.

On February 15, 1969 the League's stance on the proposed Charter was reiterated in a News Journal article. Their opposition aligned the League with a citizen group known as the Volusia Citizen's Committee for a Charter Study Commission or VCCCSC. The County, the League and the VCCCSC all had their own ideas for a study committee. The county wanted a committee of 15 people, while the VCCCSC wanted 30 and League thought 21 would suffice. J. Saxton Lloyd told the News Journal that the League would submit three names from its membership for the Committee. The VCCCSC estimated the cost of the study at $30,000 with $25,000 coming from County funds and $5,000 from private contributions. The County Commission's bill did not state a dollar amount but did identify the County as the source of funds.

On June 30, 1970, the electorate of Volusia County, as proposed by the Volusia County Charter Study, adopted the Volusia County Charter. The painstaking efforts of the Civic League and other area organizations were finally realized with the Charter's approval. The Civic League could be especially proud over their fight for an effective County Manager. The Charter stated that the County Manager "has full authority for the revenues being paid to the city with the specific condition that the revenue be designated for parks, recreational facilities and cultural pursuits."