TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Activating a Communications Department; Providing for Findings; Providing for Conflicts; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Continue Ordinance 2025-26 as presented to second reading on September 18, 2025.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Continue Ordinance 2025-26 as presented to second reading on September 18, 2025.
* Pros: Creating a Communications Department will strategically strengthen internal support for the entire City organization; enhance resident engagement and public trust; and ensure scalable, effective management as North Port grows.
* Cons: Requires additional funding for the Communications Department in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget.
Option 2: Deny Ordinance 2025-26 as presented.
* Pros: Does not require additional funding in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget for Communications.
* Cons: Not activating a Communications Department and maintaining the current structure limits strategic planning capacity and operational oversight; could result in misaligned messaging, slower responses, fragmented support across Departments; and reduced ability to build public trust.
Background Information
The following provides a chronological order of events pertinent to changing the Communications Division to a Department:
> June 16, 2025: During the budget workshop, as part of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget development process, the creation of a Communications Department was proposed in the City Manager's Proposed Budget. There was a consensus by the City Commission to direct the City Manager to not include the change of the Communications Division to a Department in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
> July 23, 2025: During the budget workshop, the City Manager's Proposed Budget did not include funding to activate a Communicati...
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