4970 City Hall Blvd  
City of North Port  
North Port, FL 34286  
Meeting Minutes  
City Commission Joint 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  
Friday, January 16, 2026  
9:00 AM  
Suncoast Technical College Conference Center  
4748 Beneva Road, Sarasota  
Convocation of Governments  
Elected Officials and Others Present:  
The following officials were present: City of North Port Mayor Pete Emrich, Vice Mayor  
Barbara Langdon, Commissioner David Duval, Commissioner Demetrius Petrow,  
Commissioner Phil Stokes, and City Manager Jerome Fletcher; City of Sarasota Mayor  
Debbie Trice, Vice Mayor Kathy Kelly Ohlrich, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch, Interim  
City Manager Dave Bullock, and Commission Reporter Jamese Johnson; City of Venice  
Mayor Nick Pachota, Vice Mayor Jim Boldt, City Council Member Kevin Engelke, City  
Council Member Lloyd Weed, City Manager James Clinch, and Deputy City Clerk Toni  
Gregory; Town of Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon, Town Manager Howard  
Tipton, and Administrative Assistant/Records Management Specialist Stephanie Garcia;  
Sarasota County Chair Ron Cutsinger, Vice Chair Mark Smith, Commissioner Teresa  
Mast, Commissioner Tom Knight, Commissioner Joe Neunder, County Administrator  
Jonathan Lewis, and Deputy Clerk Charlie Maloney; Sarasota County School Board Chair  
Bridget Ziegler, Vice Chair Robyn Marinelli, Board Member Liz Barker, Board Member  
Thomas Edwards, Board Member Karen Rose, Superintendent Terry Connor, and  
Administrative Assistant Kathy Tomkins.  
1. Welcome/Pledge/Introducations - Tim Enos, Chair, School Board of Sarasota County  
Ms. Ziegler called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m., led the Pledge of Allegiance, and  
introductions were made.  
2. Convocation Goals and Agenda - Bridget Ziegler, Chair, School Board of Sarasota  
County  
Ms. Ziegler reviewed the agenda and goals.  
3. Open to the Public - Citizen Comments  
Steven Martinucci: Spoke to Sarasota High School noise levels.  
4. Capital Projects – Update/Highlights  
Dr. Kemp provided  
a presentation including Skye Ranch School, Wellen Park High  
School construction, Garden Elementary replacement project, North Port High School  
(NPHS) renovation, Suncoast Technical College (STC), student projections, total  
capacity, NPHS age, and STC expansion.  
5. Future Focused Strategic Initiative - Terry Connor, SCS, Superintendent  
Mr. Connor provided  
a
presentation including graduation rates, education funding  
pressures, constraints, current conditions, financial landscape, declining enrollment,  
State education funding, increased infrastructure, Florida empowerment scholarship  
impact, pandemic federal funding, maintaining competitive compensation, rising costs,  
co-location laws, future focused strategic initiative, and examples.  
6. City of North Port - A. Jerome Fletcher, City Manager, City of North Port  
Mr. Fletcher provided  
a
presentation including recent and upcoming events,  
accomplishments, goals, partnerships, and programs.  
7. City of Sarasota - David Bullock, Interim City Manager, City of Sarasota  
Mr. Bullock provided  
a
presentation including recent and upcoming events,  
accomplishments, goals, partnerships, and programs.  
8. Sarasota County Government - Jonathan Lewis, County Administrator, Sarasota  
County  
Mr. Lewis provided  
a
presentation including recent and upcoming events,  
accomplishments, and partnerships.  
9. City of Venice - James Clinch, City Manager, City of Venice  
Mr. Clinch provided  
a
presentation including recent and upcoming events,  
accomplishments, goals, partnerships, and programs.  
10. Town of Longboat Key - Howard Tipton, Town Manager, Longboat Key  
Mr. Tipton provided  
a
presentation including recent and upcoming events,  
accomplishments, goals, partnerships, and programs.  
11. Other Business - Bridget Ziegler, Chair, School Board of Sarasota County  
Discussion took place regarding partnerships, Students Taking an Active Role (STAR)  
program, and youth advisory board.  
12. Adjournment - Bridget Ziegler, Chair, School Board of Sarasota County  
Ms. Ziegler adjourned the meeting at 10:52 a.m.  
City of North Port, Florida  
By:  
___________________________________________  
Pete Emrich, Mayor  
Attest: _________________________________________  
Heather Faust, City Clerk