4970 CITY HALL BLVD  
NORTH PORT, FL 34286  
City of North Port  
Meeting Minutes  
City Commission Regular Meeting  
CITY COMMISSIONERS  
Pete Emrich, Mayor  
Barbara Langdon, Vice Mayor  
Phil Stokes, Commissioner  
David Duval, Commissioner  
Demetrius Petrow, Commissioner  
APPOINTED OFFICIALS  
Jerome Fletcher, City Manager  
Michael Fuino, City Attorney  
Heather Faust, City Clerk  
Tuesday, January 20, 2026  
6:00 PM  
City Commission Chambers  
CALL TO ORDER  
Mayor Emrich called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  
ROLL CALL  
5 -  
Present:  
Mayor Pete Emrich, Commissioner David Duval, Commissioner Demetrius Petrow,  
Vice Mayor Barbara Langdon and Commissioner Philip Stokes  
ALSO PRESENT  
City Manager Fletcher, City Attorney Fuino, City Clerk Faust, Board Specialist Lindner,  
Deputy Police Chief Morales, Fire Chief Titus, Public Works Director Speake, and Public  
Information Manager Ingalls.  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Public Information Manager Madison Ingalls.  
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion to approve the agenda.  
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Langdon, seconded by Commissioner Stokes,  
to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried on the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
2. PUBLIC COMMENT:  
In Person:  
Steven Harrison: Spoke to Charter non-interference clause language and advisory board  
vacancy concerns.  
Valdy Olender: Spoke to Charter language clarifications, City Attorney communications,  
and public trust.  
3. ANNOUNCEMENTS  
26-0135  
Announcement of Current Advisory Board and Committee Vacancies  
A.  
Mayor Emrich announced the item and called on the City Clerk to read the  
announcements.  
Ms. Faust read the announcements into the record.  
4. CONSENT AGENDA:  
Mayor Emrich announced the item and queried the City Manager regarding items pulled  
from the consent agenda.  
There was no public comment.  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Stokes, seconded by Vice Mayor Langdon,  
to approve the consent agenda as presented. The motion carried on the following  
vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
25-2842  
A.  
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding Between the City of North  
Port, Florida, a Municipal Corporation, and Better Together Strengthening  
Families, Inc., a Florida Not-For-Profit Organization D/B/A Better Together  
to Reduce the Number of Children Entering Foster Care by Streamlining  
the Process of Caring for and Placing Minors Encountered During Law  
Enforcement Activities.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
25-2980  
26-0211  
B.  
C.  
Approve the Canine Donation Agreement By and Between the City of  
North Port, Florida, and High Cotton Bloodhounds for a Bloodhound Puppy  
Valued at $1,500.00 to be Utilized as a Search and Rescue Tool.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
Approve Sixteenth Amendment to Construction Manager at Risk Contract  
No. 2023-17.001 for Construction Services Contract Phase II, Work  
Assignment #2025-52FM, By and Between the City of North Port, Florida,  
and Wharton-Smith, Inc., for the Installation of Temporary Office Buildings  
at the Public Works Campus in the Amount of $277,640.00  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
26-0269  
26-0277  
D.  
E.  
Approve the Letter to Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply  
Authority (PRMRWSA) Providing Annual Water Demand Projections  
Report.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
Accept the Cash Receipts Summary Report for November 2025.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
26-0297  
26-0345  
F.  
Approve Contract for Transfer of Canine From the City of North Port,  
Florida, to the City of North Miami Beach, Release and Indemnification for  
the Transfer of K-9 Officer Rio to the City of North Miami Beach Police  
Department in the Amount of $10.00.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
G.  
Approve the Removal of Eva M. Rathgeber as a Regular Member of the  
Environmental Advisory Board.  
This item was approved on the consent agenda.  
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS:  
ORDINANCE - First Reading:  
A. ORD. NO.  
An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Regarding Golf Carts and  
2026-03  
Low Speed Vehicles; Amending the Code of the City of North Port, Florida,  
by Removing Subsection (B) of Section 74-152; Providing for Findings;  
Providing for Conflicts; Providing for Severability; Providing for  
Codification; and Providing an Effective Date.  
Mayor Emrich announced the item and requested a motion to direct the City Clerk to  
read by title only.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Stokes, seconded by Vice Mayor Langdon,  
to direct the City Clerk to read the Ordinance by title only. The motion carried on  
the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
Ms. Faust read the Ordinance by title only.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
There were no Commission questions or discussion.  
There was no public comment.  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion.  
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Langdon, seconded by Commissioner Stokes,  
to continue Ordinance No. 2026-03 to second reading on February 10, 2026. The  
motion carried on the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
6. GENERAL BUSINESS:  
26-0288  
A.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding the Draft Facility Lease Policy  
for City-Owned Facilities  
Mayor Emrich announced the item.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
Mr. Speake spoke to the item.  
Commission questions and discussion took place regarding options, tenant impacts,  
Awaken Food Pantry, and Family Service Center.  
There was no public comment.  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion and passed the gavel to Vice Mayor Langdon.  
A motion was made by Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner Duval, to direct  
the City Manager to bring back the Facility Lease Policy for formal Commission  
approval using a set discount based on market value. The motion carried on the  
following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
26-0331  
B.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding the City of North Port 2026  
State and Federal Legislative Priorities.  
Mayor Emrich announced the item.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
Commission questions and discussion took place regarding state preemptions, Florida  
Senate Bill 180 (SB 180), municipal home rule, general fund and property tax impacts,  
public safety, education funding, and Florida League of Cities Advocacy.  
There was no public comment.  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion.  
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Langdon, seconded by Commissioner Stokes,  
to direct the City Manager to prepare talking points to supplement the existing  
priorities including impact of potential property tax cuts on the ability of the City of  
North Port to continue delivering effective city services and to present the  
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as  
a project the City is requesting State  
funding for. The motion carried on the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
26-0340  
C.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Accepting an Invitation From  
Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners to Schedule a Joint  
Meeting of the Two Commissions in 2026.  
Mayor Emrich announced the item.  
Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.  
Commission questions and discussion took place regarding Sarasota County  
coordination, workshop preparation, and regional impacts.  
There was no public comment.  
Mayor Emrich requested a motion.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Stokes, seconded by Vice Mayor Langdon,  
to direct the City Manager to work with the Sarasota County Administrator to  
schedule  
a
joint meeting with the Sarasota County Board of County  
Commissioners. The motion carried on the following vote:  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon  
and Commissioner Stokes  
7. PUBLIC COMMENT:  
There was no public comment.  
8. COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS:  
Mayor Emrich called on Commissioners for communications.  
26-0021  
26-0022  
26-0023  
26-0024  
26-0025  
Commissioner Duval's Communications  
A.  
B.  
C.  
D.  
E.  
Commissioner Duval did not have a report.  
Commissioner Stokes' Communications  
Commissioner Stokes did not have a report.  
Mayor Emrich's Communications  
Mayor Emrich did not have a report.  
Vice Mayor Langdon's Communications  
Vice Mayor Langdon reported on events attended and important topics.  
Commissioner Petrow's Communications  
Commissioner Petrow reported on events attended.  
9. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL REPORTS:  
26-0299  
26-0311  
26-0332  
City Attorney’s Monthly Report  
A.  
B.  
C.  
Mr. Fuino did not have a report.  
City Clerk's Monthly Report  
Ms. Faust did not have a report.  
City Manager's Monthly Report  
Mr. Fletcher did not have a report.  
10. ADJOURNMENT:  
Mayor Emrich adjourned the meeting at 7:18 p.m.  
City of North Port, Florida  
By: __________________________________  
Pete Emrich, Mayor  
Attest: ________________________________  
Heather Faust, City Clerk