Deltona City Commissioner Nick Lulli has resigned his post less than a year after knocking off an incumbent in a wild 2024 campaign.
In a brief resignation letter dated Aug. 27, Lulli said he is “no longer eligible under the terms of the City Charter to serve in the role as of today.”
He thanked the city manager, deputy city manager and city attorneys for their dedication to Deltona, adding: “I look forward to connecting once I have a moment to catch my breath.”
Lulli, a communications consultant and former broadcast journalist, didn’t respond to a text message seeking comment.
The City Commission will have 30 days to appoint a replacement, and the District 6 seat will now be on the 2026 ballot for a two-year term. The next commission meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3.
Lulli voted yes in a recent 4-3 decision to have Deltona join other cities and counties in suing the state over Senate Bill 180, which communities say has unconstitutionally taken away home rule on local zoning and planning issues.
Lulli, who first got involved in city politics after receiving a $650 water bill, defeated incumbent Commissioner Jody Lee Storozuk in November 2024 by a 51-49 margin. Lulli had attempted to get Storozuk disqualified, alleging he violated election laws, but Lisa Lewis, the Volusia County supervisor of elections, and City Clerk Joyce Raftery filed affidavits certifying Storozuk was eligible, and Lulli ultimately dropped the lawsuit.
In 2023, Lulli won an $8,000 settlement of a libel lawsuit against the city after then-Commissioner Tom Burbank posted on social media that Lulli is a “tool,” and “(probably) an impulsive liar,” and capped it off with an offensive prison reference. Burbank’s post was criticized as homophobic, as Lulli is gay. But the libel claim was based on Burbank’s questioning of Lulli’s professional credentials and the “liar” reference.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Deltona city commissioner resigns after 10 months; District 6 seat will be on 2026 ballot
Reporting by Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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