About Don
Don graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 1985 and earned his Bachelors and Master of Business Administration from UCF. A lifelong resident of the area, he and his wife Anita decided to start a family here and now have 2 boys, Matthew and Patrick, both in college.
With dedicated community involvement, Don was first elected to serve District 2 on the Port Orange City Council in 2010. He then served as Vice Mayor for 2 years and was elected Mayor of the city in 2016 in addition to his day job as a Senior Loan Officer.
Accomplishments
Don Burnette Qualifies for County Chair by Petition
Teams of supporters helped Don Burnette gather over 5,000 signatures of Volusia County registered voters to Qualify by Petition for the 2024 County Chair election.
Collecting this amount of signatures is a monumental task that shows the incredible level of support for Don throughout the county.
City Honored with Prestigious Financial Reporting Award
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has recognized the City of Port Orange with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This prestigious award is in acknowledgment of the City’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022.
“This award is a testament to the City’s unwavering commitment to financial transparency and accountability,” stated Don Burnette, Mayor of Port Orange.
Port Orange receives
$15 million grant to update wastewater facility
With the assistance of Mead & Hunt, the City has secured $15,150,000 from the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program to implement substantial upgrades that will enhance the resiliency of its Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) during storm events.
The project includes an overhaul of vital electrical components within the plant, along with the installation of two new natural gas-powered generators and various equipment enhancements.
Read the story by Pamela Comme of WESH
Burnette Recognized by Florida League of Cities
Port Orange Mayor Don Burnette is receiving praise from the Florida League of Cities (FLC) after the league recognized him with a 2021 Home Rule Hero Award.
Recipients of the Home Rule Hero Award are local government officials—elected and nonelected—who consistently responded to the League’s request to reach out to members of the legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue.
Read the story by Sean Moody, NewsDaytonaBeach.com
Port Orange Riverwalk Development On Track
“Glad to see Bristol moving forward with site plan development and buying other properties they are going to need along with ours,” Mayor Burnette said. “They should be turning dirt within a year to start construction. People will get to enjoy a beautiful civic waterfront, an amphitheater on the water along with the trail being extended further and other new amenities. I am very excited for the future of this project.” — Mayor Don Burnette
Read the story by Chris Snyder in Hometown News
Parks and Rec Facility Improvements
With the addition of 10,000 square feet, the new REC offers sports, games, and several multi-purpose new spaces for residents of all ages to enjoy. Construction began on August 16th, 2021 and the project was originally expected to be done by August 2022 but was delayed due to “material and labor shortages,” according to the city.
Read the article by Brenno Carillo in the Daytona Beach News-Journal