Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr.

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

🩵 CELEBRATING ONE OF DELTONA’S OWN! 🩵

Today, Commissioner Santiago and I had the privilege of meeting 11-year-old Zoey Santiago and her parents to celebrate some incredible news!

Zoey, who was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and now calls Deltona home, was selected from among thousands of photographs to be featured in a presentation by the National Down Syndrome Society. On September 12, Zoey’s image will once again appear on the big screens in Times Square, helping share a powerful message of inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity for people with Down syndrome!

We congratulated Zoey’s parents on their resilience, their dedication, and, of course, their amazing little girl. We also had a great conversation about ways we can continue bringing awareness and creating opportunities right here in our community.

I was especially proud to present Zoey and her family with an Office of the Mayor Challenge Coin as a small recognition of this very special moment.

Zoey, Deltona is proud of you! Keep shining and showing the world just how special you are.

We have so much amazing talent right here in our City of Destiny, and moments like this remind us why celebrating our residents and their accomplishments matters.

Congratulations, Zoey! We’ll be cheering you on from Deltona as you light up Times Square! 🩵🗽

Follow her here: Zoey Camille's Adventures - Down Syndrome

City of Deltona, Florida

09/01/2026

From the City of Deltona, Florida:

Exciting news! Thornby Park is getting a brand-new, handicap-accessible playground!

Crews began removing the existing playground today, and construction on the new playground is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

As soon as the playground is ready to open, we’ll let you know!

08/31/2026

🌼🇺🇸 Democracy starts with learning how our community works!

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with an awesome group of Girl Scouts who are working toward earning their Democracy Badge for Daisies and Brownies, Kindergarten through 3rd grade!

We had a great conversation about local government and talked about:

🏛️ The different jobs and responsibilities within local government
📜 How laws are made to help our City operate
🇺🇸 The role and responsibilities of the Mayor

I loved their questions and their excitement to learn more about how their City works. It is never too early to teach our young people about civic engagement, leadership, and the importance of being involved in their community.

Who knows? We may have had a future Mayor or City Commissioner in the room today!

Thank you to the Girl Scouts, their leaders, and their families for allowing me to be part of their journey toward earning their Democracy Badge!

Keep learning, keep asking questions, and keep making a difference! 🇺🇸🌼

City of Deltona, Florida

08/30/2026

🎗️✨ GLITTER & GOLD FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS ✨🎗️

Tonight, Maria Elena and I had the privilege of attending the Childhood Cancer Foundation, Inc.’s 19th Annual Glitter & Gold Gala, and it was especially meaningful to see this incredible event held right here at The Center at Deltona.

One of the most powerful moments of the evening was hearing Mike and Rikki share their son Leo’s story.

Back in 2024, Rikki sent me an email asking if we could Light Deltona Gold to help bring awareness to childhood cancer. We did, and ever since then, we have continued to light our City gold in September to stand with the children and families fighting this terrible disease. 🎗️

This Deltona family has been through so, so much. No family should ever have to watch their child battle cancer, and while organizations like the Childhood Cancer Foundation cannot take away that fight, they can help make sure families do not have to face it alone. Through their support, Leo’s family was able to focus more on what mattered most, their little boy, without having to worry about some of the financial burdens that come with the journey.

And tonight, we heard the news we have all been praying for…

This November, little Leo will RING THE BELL! 🔔💛

What a blessing. What a fighter. What an incredible testimony of faith, strength, family, and community.

Thank you to the Childhood Cancer Foundation for the work you do for families when they need it most. And to Mike, Rikki, Leo, and your entire family: Deltona has been shining gold with you, praying with you, and cheering Leo on.

This November, we will be celebrating right alongside you when that bell rings! 🔔🎗️💛

No child fights alone. Huge shoutout to Sheriff Mike Chitwood for helping raise money at the auction tonight!

City of Deltona, Florida

08/27/2026

🚧🛝 Thornby Park Closure🛝🚧

Thornby Park will be closed beginning Tuesday, Sept. 1, until further notice while crews install a brand-new playground!

The park will remain closed during construction for everyone's safety.

We appreciate your patience while we make this exciting improvement and will share updates as work progresses and the new playground gets closer to opening! 🌳

08/26/2026

Today I stopped by Holygroundscafedeltona (Holy Grounds Coffee & Eats) right here in the City of Deltona, Florida! ☕️

What a great environment, great coffee, and an awesome place to spend some time. I especially loved their Prayer Board. There’s something special about seeing a local business create a space where people can share their prayers, encourage one another, and build community.

If you haven’t checked them out yet, pay them a visit!

📍 1200 Deltona Blvd., Suite 6, Deltona, FL 32725
⏰ Open 7 days a week | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Supporting local businesses means supporting the people who invest right back into our community. Stop by, grab a cup of coffee, and show them some Deltona love!

08/26/2026

Traffic Notice:
The center turn lane on Deltona Blvd. between Normandy Blvd. and Whitewood Dr. will be closed Thursday, August 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for utility rehabilitation work.

Drivers should use caution in the area and expect possible traffic delays.

08/26/2026

Great news! The Lake Monroe boat ramp restoration is officially getting underway!
Work begins September 8. City staff held the project kickoff meeting this morning (August 26) to get everything moving.

The improvements will include:
• Restoration of the West side of the boat ramp, plugging the artesian boils.
• New seawall in front of the restored West area.
• Restoration of the boat ramp and docks.
• Benches and tables for the residents to enjoy the area.

Once complete, the boat ramp and surrounding area will be restored to pre-construction conditions. The best part? The project is expected to be finished before the spring boating and fishing season!