Regular Sarasota City Commission Meeting: February 17, 2026
Regular Sarasota City Commission Meeting: February 17, 2026
The Sarasota City Commission held its Regular Meeting on February 17, 2026, convening at 9:00 AM and adjourning at 2:56 PM with a lunch recess. The agenda included presentations, citizen input, approvals of consent agendas, legislative and quasi-judicial public hearings, and discussions on financial reserves and stormwater management.
Consent Calendar
- Approved Consent Agenda No. 1 items (VI-1, VI-2, VI-4, VI-6): landscape bed maintenance, LED lighting services, right-of-way registration for Tillman FiberCo, and a sodium hypochlorite supply agreement.
- Approved Item VI-3 (removed): Fundraising Agreement with Big Waters Land Trust for the Nature Park at Bobby Jones Golf Club ($3.5 million target).
- Approved Item VI-5 (removed): Lift Station No. 2 Improvements contract with Sequoia Construction Group ($1,382,185.00).
- Approved Consent Agenda No. 2 items (VII-1, VII-2, VII-3): budget resolutions for WCIND grants and a facility vehicle replacement.
- Approved Item VII-4 (removed): Adopted Ordinance No. 26-5589 for the Boys & Girls Club rezoning and site plan.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Martin Hyde raised concerns about the HR Director's departure, the $600,000 cost of City Hall bathroom renovations, the interim City Manager turnover, and the City Manager executive search process.
- Stephen Martin Nucci (noted as an anonymous speaker in the official minutes) requested stricter noise ordinance revisions, including extended residential quiet hours (10pm to 7am) and reduced plainly audible distance standards.
- Henry Kahwaty detailed zoning barriers for home elevation projects, specifically addressing setbacks, daylight plane requirements, and building coverage restrictions on barrier islands.
- Trevor Falk requested active enforcement of the vehicle noise ordinance, focusing on intentional engine and exhaust noise, and proposed establishing residential noise zones.
- Camilla Cherry (noted as an anonymous speaker in the official minutes) addressed noise complaints in the Newtown community, disputing reports against a local establishment and defending weekend evening activities.
- David Lowe questioned the fairness and process of potentially expanding the Downtown Improvement District (DID) tax assessment to residential properties.
Discussion Items
- Charter Official Evaluations: Commissioners deliberated on the completed evaluations, praising the self-assessment format. A primary point of discussion was the unique and expanded role of the City Auditor and Clerk, which combines duties not typically seen in other municipalities. Commissioners debated how to fairly evaluate compensation for this combined role.
- Lightshare Lease (XII.1): The Third Addendum and Restated Lease was introduced to formally incorporate the newly approved building expansion. Commissioner Ahearn-Koch led a discussion on modernizing the document, specifically requesting the removal of gendered pronouns in the definition of the City Manager.
- Natural Disaster Collection Reserve (XII.2): Staff presented the $5 million reserve proposal. Commissioners questioned the rationale for the amount, the timeline for building the reserve, activation triggers, the impact on ratepayers versus the general fund, and the mechanics of FEMA reimbursement.
- Stormwater Management (XII.3): City and County staff delivered a joint presentation on the integrated stormwater system. Key points of discussion included the city-county interlocal agreement, basin-based watershed dynamics, the county's increased maintenance frequencies, dredging projects (Philippi Creek, Whitaker Bayou), the RainCheck rebate program, and the future of the interlocal agreement.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes from January 5 (Special), January 16 (Joint), and January 20, 2026 meetings. (Vote: 5-0)
- Accepted the General Employees' Defined Benefit Pension Plan (GEPP) Board of Trustees Annual Report. (Vote: 5-0)
- Adopted Resolution 26R-3369 (South Poinsettia Park street lighting assessment district) with an amendment to Section 3C. (Vote: 5-0)
- Adopted Resolution 26R-3374 (St. Armands and Lido Key utility undergrounding assessment district). (Vote: 5-0)
- Approved Lightshare's Site Plan (24-SP-17) and Major Conditional Use (24-CU-03) for a building addition adding 34 treatment beds. (Vote: 5-0)
- Authorized execution of the Third Addendum and Restated Lease Agreement with Lightshare. (Vote: 5-0)
- Adopted Resolution 26R-3372, establishing the $5 million Natural Disaster Collection (NDC) Reserve policy within the Solid Waste Fund. (Vote: 5-0)
- Accepted the Stormwater Management presentation and the Annual Sarasota County Stormwater Environmental Utility Update. (Vote: 5-0)
- Directed Human Resources to complete a compensation evaluation for the City Auditor and Clerk and report back with a recommendation.
- Approved using the same evaluation format for Charter Officials in FY 2025-2026.
- City Attorney Polzak formally requested Shade (Attorney-Client) meetings for three pending lawsuits to discuss litigation strategy and settlement.
- Noted the withdrawal of City Manager finalist Mr. Gleason from the ongoing search.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I would like to call this meeting of the twebury twenty-seventh. Excuse me. February seventeenth, twenty twenty-six regular city commission meeting to order, and please join me in turning off your cell phones. I was at a performance the other day, and somebody's cell phone went off. So just a reminder. Okay, uh, first we will have the invocation by City Auditor and Clerk Greeks. And our vice mayor will lead us in the pledge. Moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Commissioner Ahern Koch. And we will vote, please. Thank you. I was going to invite him up as soon as I got there. I've been in those seats quite a lot in the opportunity. This just goes to show what an eager beaver Justin is. Okay. And Mary Benzel, the general manager of the Van Weazel. And so it is with sincere appreciation that we can commend Justin Gomleck for his outstanding service to the city and his exceptional dedication to accessibility at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Justin has served the city for over three years as the manager of education and community engagement for the Van Wezel, during which time he has become a respected role model within his department. He is known for the care, integrity, and passion he brings to his work by demonstrating his commitment to both public service and the transformative power of the arts. Justin's nomination for this commendation reflects his leadership as one of the city's strongest allies on the Americans with Disabilities Act. He truly cares about ensuring that individuals of all abilities can enjoy and participate in theater. His work extends beyond accessibility requirements and reflects a genuine desire to create welcoming, inclusive experiences for all patrons. One of Justin's most impactful contributions has been introducing relaxed performances at the Van Wezel. These performances accommodate flexible audience expectations, enabling individuals with sensory sensitivities to engage with live theater in a comfortable, supportive environment. Audience members are free to use fidget tools, move as needed, or take breaks without judgment. Justin is also working to establish a quiet room where patrons can decompress if needed, further enhancing the venue's accessibility. In addition, the Van Wezel now offers accessible dance classes in partnership with Revolution's Dance, expanding opportunities for creative expression and participation for individuals of varying abilities. Justin also booked Revolutions Dance for a school time performance for local students, highlighting how everyone can be involved in the arts. Through his leadership, compassion, and innovative approach, Justin has strengthened the city's commitment to accessibility and has made the Van Weasel a more welcoming space for the entire community. Thank you, Justin Gomlack, for embodying the city's values of integrity, accountability, teamwork, and respect. You serve the City of Sarasota with excellence and pride. Thank you very much, Justin. And your certificate. And would you like to say a few words? Put me on the spot, Madam Mayor. Just a few. No, I I can't do this alone. I have an incredible team that works with me, Mia Strickland and Margaret Lindsay, and of course, an amazing leader in Mary Bensell. The whole of the Van Wazel really I feel the support of everybody in every department. And I just want to publicly thank my coworkers, my boss, and my team. Thank you. Thank you. And Mary. And I really I'm so I'm so absolutely proud of Justin. Just so you know, Justin was a Broadway dancer. He performed in over 10 productions on Broadway, and he brings that expertise to us. And one of the things he does, which I'm going to avow myself of when I retire, which I'm sure will be fairly soon, will be his golden groupers performers that they learn how to dance all the different steps from the current Broadway shows we bring in. And Justin has a humanity that reaches beyond most people. And I'm so proud of you. And I can't it can't not be said that our Van Wazel Foundation, which is now called the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, has supported this program to over a half a million dollars every year.
openpublica.com