City Auditor Abinet Belachew submits resignation amid financial investigations

Daytona Beach City Auditor Abinet Belachew has submitted his resignation.Belachew sent his resignation letter Tuesday to Mayor Derrick Henry and members of the Daytona Beach City Commission.In the letter, Belachew said his resignation will be effective Oct. 15, in accordance with the 30-day notice requirement under his employment agreement.Belachew is the fourth high-level Daytona Beach official to resign in recent months.The other departures include Assistant City Manager Andy Holmes, Chief Building Official Glenn Urquhart and Fire Chief Dru Driscoll.“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the beautiful City of Daytona Beach and its residents,” Belachew wrote.Belachew said he was grateful to Henry and the City Commission for giving him the opportunity to serve as the city’s independent auditor.In his letter, Belachew said establishing and strengthening an independent internal audit function “inevitably involves challenges,” especially when the function is relatively new and exp