DELAND, Fla. — In Volusia County, a political newcomer will fill the position of county council chair.  Jeff Brower beat out former Councilwoman Deb Denys with 56% of the vote. 

On Wednesday, he celebrated with his family after a 14-month-long campaign. 

“It is really an honor," said Brower. "I am not sure it has fully set in yet.”

A longtime businessman and farmer, this will be his first political position. 

“I am a lifelong resident of Volusia County and we are going in the wrong directions," said Brower. "When I was a kid I had a boat and would fish in the Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito Lagoon and it's dead now. We’ve ruined out water, overdevelopment, taxes going up, and so that's what made me decide to run.”

Those issues are the first he plans to tackle once he is in office. 

“I want to roll back millage to where people pay less property taxes, but we have to not just protect our comprehensive land use plan but we have to restore it. We have to roll that back too to where it was before so we are protecting the lands that we have always said we won’t build on," said Brower. "We are developing too much of our beautiful green areas.”

He explained he is grateful to those who supported him and now trust him to take this position. He hopes community members come to him with their concerns, so he can help amplify their voices. 

“One of the greatest things about being chair is that I have a lot of leeway with what goes on that agenda, and what is going to go on the agenda that we will talk about two meetings a month is what the voters in Volusia County care about, what the taxpayers care about, the struggles that they deal with every day, that is what is going to be on the agenda,” said Brower. 

With his new office, Brower is hopeful he’ll guide Volusia County in a new direction.  

“I am bringing fresh eyes to it and a lot of new ideas," said Brower.