TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Heather Faust, MMC, FCPC, City Clerk
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Dissolving or Suspending the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board.
Recommended Action
Option 1: I move to direct the City Clerk to draft an Ordinance dissolving the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board for consideration by the City Commission at a future meeting.
City Commission Options
Option 1: I move to direct the City Clerk to draft an Ordinance dissolving the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board for consideration by the City Commission at a future meeting.
• Pro: Eliminates the administrative burden of maintaining a Board that is unable to consistently meet membership or quorum requirements, allowing City resources to be focused elsewhere and allows the City to create a Task Force/Ad Hoc Committee as projects arise.
• Con: Permanently removes the City's dedicated advisory body for historic preservation and cultural matters, reducing opportunities for citizen input and specialized recommendations to the City Commission.
Option 2: I move to direct the City Clerk to draft a Resolution to temporarily suspend the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board for consideration at a future meeting.
• Pro: Provides the City with additional time to evaluate the Board's future, recruit qualified members, and address membership or quorum challenges without permanently eliminating the Board.
• Con: Suspends the Board's ability to advise the City Commission on historic preservation and cultural matters, which may delay projects or reduce community engagement during the suspension.
Option 3: I move to maintain the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board and direct City Clerk to continue recruiting qualified applicants to fill existing vacancies and support the Board's continued operation in accordance with the City Code.
• Pro: Preserves a dedicated Citizen Advisory Board focused on historic preservation and cultural initiatives while allowing the City to continue recruiting members to restore full functionality.
• Con: If vacancies and quorum issues persist, the Board may continue to experience difficulty conducting meetings and providing timely recommendations to the City Commission.
Background Information
The Historic and Cultural Advisory Board was temporarily suspended when the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2022-R-66 on November 22, 2022. The suspension was based on concerns regarding the Board's membership and its inability to consistently achieve a quorum, which limited the Board's ability to effectively carry out its advisory responsibilities. Resolution No. 2022-R-66 temporarily paused the Board's operations while the City evaluated its future, with the suspension remaining in effect until January 1, 2024.
Following the temporary suspension, the City Commission revisited the future of the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board to determine whether it could be restructured to better serve the community. Rather than permanently discontinuing the Board, the Commission expressed interest in reestablishing it with a revised membership structure that would make it easier to recruit and retain qualified members while improving the Board's ability to achieve a quorum. The City Commission directed the City Clerk and City Attorney to amend the Board's membership requirements by reducing the maximum number of members and resetting prior Board members' term limits upon adoption of the changes.
The Historic and Cultural Advisory Board was subsequently reestablished; however, despite efforts to maintain members, the Board has continued to experience significant vacancies. As of the date of this agenda item, the Board has one active member, which is insufficient to establish a quorum or conduct official business. As a result, the Board has been unable to fulfill its advisory responsibilities.
Over the period of 2024 through 2026, the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board has presented three memorandums of recommendation to the Commission regarding historical site designations. Commission provided direction to the Board to create a policy on process and criteria for historic designations. This direction was discussed by the Board but was not completed
Accordingly, this item is being brought before the City Commission for discussion and possible action regarding whether the Historic and Cultural Advisory Board should be dissolved or suspended due to its continued inability to effectively function. The Commission's direction will provide staff with guidance on the future of the Board and the administration of its responsibilities.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Good Governance
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. HCAB 2024 Minutes
2. HCAB 2025 Minutes
3. HCAB 2026 Minutes
4. July 9, 2025 Memo
5. December 18, 2024 Memo
6. September 11, 2024 Memo
Prepared by: Sara Lane, Administrative Service Specialist
Department Director: Heather Faust, MMC, FCPC, City Clerk