4970 CITY HALL BLVD  
NORTH PORT, FL 34286  
City of North Port  
Meeting Minutes  
City Commission Special Meeting  
CITY COMMISSIONERS  
Alice White, Mayor  
Phil Stokes, Vice Mayor  
Pete Emrich, Commissioner  
Barbara Langdon, Commissioner  
Debbie McDowell, Commissioner  
APPOINTED OFFICIALS  
Jerome Fletcher, City Manager  
Amber L. Slayton, City Attorney  
Heather Faust, City Clerk  
Wednesday, September 18, 2024  
10:00 AM  
City Commission Chambers  
CALL TO ORDER  
Mayor White called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.  
ROLL CALL  
5 -  
Present:  
Commissioner Pete Emrich, Commissioner Debbie McDowell, Mayor Alice White,  
Vice Mayor Philip Stokes and Commissioner Barbara Langdon  
Also Present:  
City Manager Fletcher, Deputy City Attorney Golen, Assistant City Clerk Powell, Board  
Specialist Bodmer, Police Captain Fussell, Stormwater Manager Wong, Fire Chief Titus,  
Public Works Director Speake, Assistant Public Works Director Wisner, Development  
Services Director Ray, and Deputy City Manager Yarborough  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Ms. Wong.  
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
Mayor White requested a motion.  
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Stokes, seconded by Commissioner Langdon,  
to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried on the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Commissioner Emrich, Commissioner McDowell, Mayor White, Vice Mayor Stokes  
and Commissioner Langdon  
2. PUBLIC COMMENT:  
In person public comment:  
Robin San Vicente: Spoke to stormwater management.  
Chuck English: Spoke to stormwater management.  
3. PRESENTATION: TIME LIMIT OF 15 MINUTES  
24-1338  
Presentation on the City of North Port’s Stormwater Drainage System.  
A.  
Mayor White announced the item.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
Ms. Wisner provided a presentation including hydrology, water movement in North Port,  
permitted stormwater system, rainfall data, estimated rainfall, commercial development,  
drainage system components, stormwater drainage system objectives, water control  
structures, routine stormwater drainage system maintenance, and projects.  
Commission questions and discussion took place regarding presentation time limit.  
There was consensus to allow enough time for staff to finish the presentation.  
Ms. Wisner continued the presentation including rehabilitation, Drainage System  
Improvement (DSI) map, costs, capacity options, adverse weather preparation, temporary  
ponding, water outflow, precipitation rates, and citizen stormwater management.  
Commission questions and discussion continued regarding Stormwater Management  
Master Plan, system performance, water retention usage, park utilization for stormwater  
management, stormwater utility usage, funding sources, utility tax, stormwater  
management plan adoption and availability, Cocoplum Waterway dredge update, closed  
system  
potential,  
commercial  
development  
site  
retention,  
impervious  
surface  
development, weather changes versus development, swale maintenance, outfall versus  
gutter, sidewalk flooding, canal maintenance, water lettuce impact, WCS limits, wildlife  
impact, staffing requirements, flooding history, temporary ponding timeline, and swale  
depth impact on maintenance.  
In person public comment:  
Pam Tokarz: Spoke to maintenance updates and information outreach.  
Robin San Vicente: Spoke to information outreach and swale maintenance.  
Recess was taken from 11:38 a.m. to 11:49 a.m.  
4. GENERAL BUSINESS:  
24-1230  
A.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding a Vulnerability Assessment  
and Adaptation Plan.  
Mayor White announced the item.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
Kelly Westover, Stantec, and Jason Evans, Stetson University, provided a presentation  
including overview, objectives, timeline, compliant vulnerability assessment requirements,  
process, asset classes, evaluating flood risk, sea level rise and high tide flooding, present  
day rainfall, present day 100-year storm surge, sensitivity analysis, recommendations,  
adaptation strategies, and next steps.  
Commission questions and discussion took place regarding infrastructure costs versus  
next steps, Myakka River role and impact on waterways, 100-year storm surge modeling,  
alternative strategies, benefits, utility study versus vulnerability assessment, Price  
Boulevard  
versus  
vulnerability  
assessment  
impacts,  
Commission  
stormwater  
management efforts, big slew reduction study versus vulnerability assessment, funding,  
next steps, pending projects, timeline, and direction requested.  
In person public comment:  
Robin San Vicente: Spoke to transportation study.  
Pam Tokarz: Spoke to community input and information outreach.  
Commission questions and discussion continued regarding transportation study  
clarification and evacuation routes.  
5. PUBLIC COMMENT:  
There was no public comment.  
6. ADJOURNMENT:  
Mayor White adjourned the meeting at 12:46 p.m.  
City of North Port, Florida  
By:  
_________________________________________  
Alice White, Mayor  
Attest: _________________________________________  
Heather Faust, City Clerk