City Commission Workshop on 2025-06-16 9:00 AM - City Manager Recommended Budget

4970 CITY HALL BLVD City of North Port NORTH PORT, FL 34286 Meeting Minutes City Commission Workshop CITY COMMISSIONERS Phil Stokes, Mayor Pete Emrich, Vice Mayor Barbara Langdon, Commissioner David Duval, Commissioner Demetrius Petrow, Commissioner APPOINTED OFFICIALS Jerome Fletcher, City Manager Michael Golen, Interim City Attorney Heather Faust, City Clerk Monday, June 16, 2025 9:00 AM City Commission Chambers CALL TO ORDER Mayor Stokes called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: 5- Vice Mayor Pete Emrich, Commissioner Barbara Langdon, Commissioner David Duval, Commissioner Demetrius Petrow and Mayor Philip Stokes ALSO PRESENT City Manager Fletcher, Interim City Attorney Golen, City Clerk Faust, Board Specialist Lane, Police Captain King, Fire Chief Titus, Performance & Accountability Officer Griffin, Human Resources Assistant Director Knowles, Police Chief Garrison, Assistant Parks & Recreation Director Sturgess, Parks & Recreation Director Pfundheller, Social Services Manager Carrillo, Assistant Finance Director Kukharenko, Emergency Manager Aloisio, Communications Manager/PIO Bartolone, and Development Services Director Ray. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Performance & Accountability Officer Kaitlyn Griffin. 1. PUBLIC COMMENT: John Krebsbach: Spoke to Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) rewrite regarding commercial projects. Susan Balmer: Spoke to educating citizens on the budget. Pam Tokarz: Spoke to various budget topics. 2. GENERAL BUSINESS: A. 25-2391 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 City Manager's Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. City of North Port Page 1 Printed on 7/23/2025 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes June 16, 2025 Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including mission and vision, commissioners’ strategic pillars and priorities, community highlights, annual budget process, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ready, items for City Commission consideration, staffing levels versus population growth, employees per 1,000 residents, government spending per resident, police department staffing and space, City Manager compensation, increased expenses versus revenues, millage rates 2015-2016, Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 ad valorem, ten-year taxable value history, major general fund revenues, general fund budget overview, general fund budget overview by department, general fund key changes, divisions to departments including, Information Technology and Communications, total budget by department, grants, historical Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement timetable, pending (FEMA) reimbursement, Road and Drainage District, Fire Rescue District, Solid Waste District, Building Fund, Utilities Fund, and Fleet Management Fund. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding taxable value increase, breakdown, City of Sarasota taxable value, merit increases, salary increase, and cost of living adjustment (COLA), funding reserves, State Legislator, police funding, growth, infrastructure, challenges, millage rate, FEMA reimbursement, ambulance funding, and Solid Waste Transfer Station increase. Ms. Faust read the following eComment into record: Debbie McDowell: Spoke to concerns over budget priorities. B. 25-2368 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Human Resources Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, impact of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funded proposal, and impacts of FY26 unfunded proposal. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding health care cost, including family care, health clinic, operating expenses, return on investment, private industry ’s health care insurance, cost sharing, cost sharing model, insurance cost for Commissioners, single coverage, and employee contribution. There was consensus for the city to absorb 100% of the healthcare cost increases for the FY26 budget with Commissioner Duval opposed. There was no public comment. Recess was taken from 10:50 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. C. 25-2378 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Police Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, impacts of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funded proposal, recommended FY26 proposals, and impacts of FY26 unfunded proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding open positions, community service proposals, increasing efficiencies, budget summary reductions, density consideration and geographical considerations,, public safety, revenue, fund balance, City of North Port Page 2 Printed on 7/23/2025 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes June 16, 2025 police headquarter funding, integration with information technology (IT), challenges, density population, gated community patrolling, quarterly updates, electronic surveillance unit, traffic, and school zone cameras. There was consensus to direct the City Manager to increase the Police Department budget by $500,000 for budget proposals that impact the proficiency of the department. There was no public comment. D. 25-2371 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 City Clerk Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, and impacts of FIscal Year (FY) 2026 unfunded proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding public records request cost and revenue, Deputy City Clerk salary, EasyVote budget proposal, retirement contributions, and goal percentage. There was no public comment. E. 25-2372 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 City Commission Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including budget summary. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding salary increase, possible charter referendum, Commissioner compensation, population growth, salary formula, government positions, and comparing compensation. There was consensus to direct the City Manager to bring back a recommendation for Commission compensation increases early next year. Ms. Faust read the following eComment into record: Debbie McDowell: Spoke to Commissioner salary increase. Recess was taken from 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. F. 25-2373 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 City Attorney Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measure, budget summary, and impact of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funded proposal. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding Police Legal Advisor, and City Attorney additional workload. There was no public comment. City of North Port Page 3 Printed on 7/23/2025 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes June 16, 2025 G. 25-2374 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Information Technology Division Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measure, budget summary, impacts of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funded proposals, recommended FY26 proposals, and impacts of FY26 unfunded proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding position reclassification, compensation study funding and timeline, software cost, and computer replacements. There was no public comment. H. 25-2375 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Non-Departmental Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including budget summary. There were no Commission questions or discussion. There was no public comment. I. 25-2376 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Parks and Recreation Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 cost recovery, Warm Mineral Springs cost recovery, aquatics and recreation, parks maintenance, signature events, revenue impacts, efficiencies and opportunities, budget summary, impacts of FY 25 funded proposal, recommended FY26 proposals, and impacts of FY26 unfunded proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding annexation, annual fee schedule, security system, parks maintenance, in -house mowing, Aquatic Center, Warm Mineral Springs (WMS), conservation, artificial turf, WMS cost recovery, water and sewer, facility rentals, efficiencies and opportunities, extended facility hours, and revenue. There was no public comment. J. 25-2377 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Social Services Division Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, and budget summary. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding the impact of Sarasota City of North Port Page 4 Printed on 7/23/2025 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes June 16, 2025 County Social Services. There was no public comment. K. 25-2369 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Finance Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, and recommended FY26 proposals. There were no Commission questions or discussion. There was no public comment. L. 25-2370 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 City Manager, Communications, and Emergency Management Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including Emergency Management organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, and recommended FY26 proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding Florida Retirement System (FRS) contribution, emergency management budget summary, salary increase, and Communication Division. Mr. Fletcher continued his presentation including Communication Division organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, and recommended FY26 proposals. There was a consensus to direct the City Manager to not include the change of the Communications Division to a department in the FY26 budget with Mayor Stokes and Commissioner Langdon opposed. There was no public comment. M. 25-2379 Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Development Services Department Recommended Budget. Mayor Stokes announced the item. Mr. Fletcher introduced the item and provided a presentation including organizational chart, performance measures, budget summary, unimproved lot program, impacts of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funded proposal, recommended FY26 proposals, and impacts of FY26 unfunded proposals. Commission questions and discussion took place regarding additional positions, bonds, unimproved lot program, administrative cost, retaining planners, tree fund budget, revenue sources to plant trees, liens, recovery cost, and lot registration. Ms. Faust read the following eComment into record: Debbie McDowell: Expressed concern to the item. City of North Port Page 5 Printed on 7/23/2025 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes June 16, 2025 3. PUBLIC COMMENT: There was no public comment. 4. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Stokes adjourned the meeting at 4:07 p.m. By: _________________________________________ Phil Stokes, Mayor Attest: _________________________________________ Heather Faust, City Clerk City of North Port Page 6 Printed on 7/23/2025