★ ★ ★PUBLICRECORDOCT 6 2025

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Sarasota CRA Special Meeting, October 6, 2025: Minutes and Newtown Appointment

City Commission — Monday, October 6, 2025

BodySarasota, Florida

SessionCity Commission

DateMonday, October 6, 2025

StatusFILED

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Transcript — Verbatim

0:00

We are going to recess as the City Commission and reconvene as they a special session of the community redevelopment agency.

0:10

And as the community redevelopment agency, we need to approve the minutes of the special Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency meeting of August 18th.

0:22

I'll move.

0:24

Second.

0:25

All right.

0:26

Commissioner Batti uh moved approval of the minutes for August 18th.

0:31

Commissioner Ulrich seconded.

0:33

Commissioners, if you will vote.

0:38

Is that your vote, Commissioners?

0:40

Motion passes unanimously.

0:42

All right.

0:44

Now we have our next item is the appointment regarding a Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board members.

0:58

And I'm going to call on our CRA Secretary Griggs and Economic Development Manager Appleby to make the presentation.

1:07

I'm going to pass it to you.

1:10

Good morning, Commissioners and Mayor.

1:12

Wayne Appleby Economic Development Manager and staff to the Newtown CRA.

1:15

I just wanted to make aware you have one vacancy as a result of Richard Harris's recognition resignation when he left town.

1:23

You have two applicants this morning.

1:24

They both are qualified.

1:26

They both live in the CRA area.

1:28

So you certainly can appoint either one at your selection.

1:32

I just wanted to point out that we have an additional vacancy that will be coming up in December and in two months.

1:38

Alexander Chow's term will be up and is not eligible for reappointment.

1:44

So if the board so chose, you you could appoint both today, one with being a delayed appointment till December.

1:51

Otherwise, uh if you appoint just one, staff will hold the application of the person not selected and will be back in a couple of months.

1:59

All right.

1:59

Commissioner Alrick.

2:02

So I read the information about both candidates.

2:06

I think they're both qualified.

2:14

Oh man, I don't know if we've second that would be a discussion of that.

2:23

Commissioner Aaron Koch.

2:24

Yes, thank you.

2:26

I uh read both applications as well.

2:29

And you know, pleased to have people to uh apply for this position.

2:36

I had the opportunity to to have a discussion with Mr.

2:39

Preston.

2:40

And um I did not have an opportunity to speak to Ms.

2:44

Johnson, although I did give her a call.

2:46

I um there was no answer, so I did not have was unable.

2:50

And um as you all know, I really much prefer to appoint people I've met and spoken with.

2:56

Um so I am okay to go forward, um, please to go forward with Mr.

3:02

Preston's application.

3:04

And um would love to be able to make a motion to to nominate Ms.

3:10

Johnson, but I I I have not met with her, so I'm not comfortable doing that at this juncture.

3:14

Um if we could um impress on her if the motion goes that way um to carry her application forward by impress on her to maybe reach out to the commissioners who want to um uh meet with her um expressly.

3:28

I would be one of the commissioners that would want uh either a phone call or an in-person meeting.

3:34

Okay.

3:34

All right.

3:35

Vice Mayor.

3:36

Uh yeah.

3:37

Actually, I agree with Commissioner Ahern Koch.

3:41

While I believe both of the candidates are well qualified, uh I would like to go ahead and uh support the nomination on the floor for now and hold the second one, hoping we are going to get additional candidates to choose from.

4:01

Um, but know that at least we've got one standing by and encourage her to talk to us.

4:09

Yes, please.

4:10

Uh Commissioner Batti.

4:12

Uh yes, uh thank you, Mayor.

4:13

And uh I concur.

4:15

I know Mrs.

4:15

uh Johnson personally, she lives right around the corner from me, and we went to school together, so I know that she would be highly qualified, but again, I have you know, to the commissioner and the vice mayor's point, I haven't spoken to her um in any capacity and didn't even you know have the conversation with her in regards to her interests in uh you know being on the CRA just seeing our application, but not have a smoke with the book.

4:44

Mr.

4:45

Uh Preston is a long-standing uh member of the community of Newtown and a very valuable, you know, um component to what's happening in Newtown um today.

5:00

uh Preston is a longstanding um member of the community of Newtown um and a very valuable you know um component to what's happening in Newtown um today so um again you know I concur and and welcome you know him to the board of uh the CRA you know my man um uh yeah I agree and as far as the second appointment my concern was that that has a you know a specific qualification and the second applicant really didn't meet those qualifications.

5:22

I would like to see um you know because I think it was to have some architecture I'm trying to look it up but the you know my my thing doesn't but it was you know some experience in architecture or building or something and um so I I would you know like to see uh at least somebody you know some other people apply or if not I'd like to be able to talk to Ms.

5:47

Johnson too before and I I have talked to Mr.

5:49

Preston before.

5:50

Um so I guess there's I think there's consensus for appointing Mr.

5:55

Preston right now.

5:56

Well we did have a motion so let's just vote because we did have a motion and say thank you.

6:04

Is that your vote commissioners?

6:06

All right passes unanimously and then I think we go out uh and we adjourn as the um community redevelopment agency board and

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Community Redevelopment Agency█████████████████████████████████████████████77%

Personnel Matters█████████████23%

Summary of Proceedings

Sarasota CRA Special Meeting, October 6, 2025

The Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) held a special meeting on October 6, 2025, from 9:41 AM to 9:47 AM. The board unanimously approved minutes from the August 18, 2025 meeting and appointed a new member to the Newtown CRA Advisory Board.

Consent Calendar

Approval of Minutes (CRA.1): The board approved the minutes of the Special CRA Meeting of August 18, 2025, by a 5-0 vote. No public comments were permitted on this item.

Discussion Items

Appointment to Newtown CRA Advisory Board (CRA.2): Economic Development Manager Wayne Applebee presented that there was one vacancy due to Richard Harris's resignation and that two applicants—Danny Preston and Ms. Johnson—were qualified. Several CRA members expressed a preference for appointing Danny Preston, noting they had spoken with him but had not been able to contact Ms. Johnson. Commissioner Kyle Scott Battie also noted that the second applicant may not meet specific qualifications (e.g., architecture or building experience). A motion was made by CRA Member Ohlrich to appoint Danny Preston, seconded by CRA Member Battie.

Key Outcomes

Minutes approved: 5-0 vote (Item CRA.1).
Danny Preston appointed to the Newtown CRA Advisory Board (5-0 vote). The board decided to hold Ms. Johnson's application for consideration of a future vacancy, with encouragement for her to reach out to commissioners.
The meeting adjourned at 9:47 AM.

Meeting Transcript

We are going to recess as the City Commission and reconvene as they a special session of the community redevelopment agency. And as the community redevelopment agency, we need to approve the minutes of the special Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency meeting of August 18th. I'll move. Second. All right. Commissioner Batti uh moved approval of the minutes for August 18th. Commissioner Ulrich seconded. Commissioners, if you will vote. Is that your vote, Commissioners? Motion passes unanimously. All right. Now we have our next item is the appointment regarding a Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board members. And I'm going to call on our CRA Secretary Griggs and Economic Development Manager Appleby to make the presentation. I'm going to pass it to you. Good morning, Commissioners and Mayor. Wayne Appleby Economic Development Manager and staff to the Newtown CRA. I just wanted to make aware you have one vacancy as a result of Richard Harris's recognition resignation when he left town. You have two applicants this morning. They both are qualified. They both live in the CRA area. So you certainly can appoint either one at your selection. I just wanted to point out that we have an additional vacancy that will be coming up in December and in two months. Alexander Chow's term will be up and is not eligible for reappointment. So if the board so chose, you you could appoint both today, one with being a delayed appointment till December. Otherwise, uh if you appoint just one, staff will hold the application of the person not selected and will be back in a couple of months. All right. Commissioner Alrick. So I read the information about both candidates. I think they're both qualified. Oh man, I don't know if we've second that would be a discussion of that. Commissioner Aaron Koch. Yes, thank you. I uh read both applications as well. And you know, pleased to have people to uh apply for this position. I had the opportunity to to have a discussion with Mr. Preston. And um I did not have an opportunity to speak to Ms. Johnson, although I did give her a call. I um there was no answer, so I did not have was unable. And um as you all know, I really much prefer to appoint people I've met and spoken with. Um so I am okay to go forward, um, please to go forward with Mr. Preston's application. And um would love to be able to make a motion to to nominate Ms. Johnson, but I I I have not met with her, so I'm not comfortable doing that at this juncture. Um if we could um impress on her if the motion goes that way um to carry her application forward by impress on her to maybe reach out to the commissioners who want to um uh meet with her um expressly. I would be one of the commissioners that would want uh either a phone call or an in-person meeting. Okay. All right. Vice Mayor. Uh yeah.

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