Special City Commission Meeting: Preliminary Millage Rate Adoption and Project Pause Discussion – July 28, 2026
Special City Commission Meeting – July 28, 2026
This special meeting of the Sarasota City Commission, held on July 28, 2026, immediately following a budget workshop, focused on setting the preliminary millage rates for Fiscal Year 2026–2027 for the City of Sarasota, Golden Gate Point Streetscape, and the Downtown Improvement District. Commissioners also discussed and voted to pause several major capital projects pending the outcome of an upcoming statewide referendum on Amendment 3. Three citizens provided input, and the commission unanimously approved the millage rates and budget items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Lowe (city resident) urged the commission to consider the “frictional cost of indecision” on projects such as McCowan, Bobby Jones Clubhouse, and the Performing Arts Center, noting that delays and changing direction have real costs not captured in spreadsheets.
- Kelly Brown (city resident, president of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations) spoke in support of maintaining the Neighborhood Grant Program ($40,000 in the budget). She explained the program has been in place since 1998, was reduced from $50,000 to $40,000 in 2023, and used all funds in Cycle A of 2025–2026, benefiting 18 neighborhoods. She emphasized that many neighborhoods depend on these funds for meeting space, communication, and community-building, and urged the commission to keep the program in the budget.
- Martin Hyde (city resident) criticized several budget items, including $21.4 million on health insurance (over $20,000 per staff member), $9 million in post-employment benefits, $6.6 million on IT, losses at the Van Wezel and Bobby Jones, and parking department losses. He also commented on statements made by commissioners and staff during the workshop, and presented satirical gifts (a calculator and paint-by-numbers set) to illustrate his view that the city’s finances are mismanaged.
Discussion Items
- Preliminary Millage Rate Presentation: Finance Director Kelly Strickland presented the proposed millage rates, noting that the operating millage rate of 3.2730 would remain unchanged from the previous year. Citywide debt service millage was proposed at 0.1305 (a decrease). For Golden Gate Point Streetscape, operating millage was unchanged at 0.6148, and debt service millage decreased slightly to 0.4977. The Downtown Improvement District millage was set at 2.0. Strickland explained that rates set tonight can only be lowered, not raised, at the two public hearings in September.
- Discussion on Pausing Major Projects: City Manager Fryling recommended pausing five “generational projects” – the Sarasota Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Downtown Master Plan study, Water Transit, Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative, and Bay Park Improvement (phase 3, already approved by the city but pending county approval) – due to the unknown financial impact of the upcoming Amendment 3 referendum. Commissioners debated whether to handle each project separately and what activities should continue during the pause. Commissioner Alpert sought clarification on whether pausing meant halting all work; Fryling clarified that ongoing contractual amendments (e.g., with the Performing Arts Foundation) and extension of a letter of intent for the credit union property would continue, but no new financial commitments would be made. After discussion, the commission agreed to direct the city manager to provide a detailed breakdown of what will continue and what will be delayed for each project.
- Budget Issues and Neighborhood Grants: Strickland confirmed the proposed budget includes five new positions and the $40,000 neighborhood grant program. Fryling noted that the five positions would not be filled until after the referendum. Commissioners voted unanimously to accept all proposed budget issues.
- Clarification on Closed Captioning: Commissioner Ahearn-Koch noted that closed captioning is currently provided only for city commission meetings (using a live captioner), not for planning board meetings, which rely on a less accurate machine. She suggested considering closed captioning for planning board meetings in the future, but this was not part of the current vote.
Key Outcomes
- Preliminary Millage Rates Approved Unanimously: The commission adopted the following maximum millage rates for FY 2026–2027:
- City operating: 3.2730 mills
- Citywide debt service: 0.1305 mills
- Golden Gate Point Streetscape operating: 0.6148 mills
- Golden Gate Point Streetscape debt service: 0.4977 mills
- Downtown Improvement District operating: 2.0 mills Motion by Vice Mayor Ohlrich, seconded by Commissioner Ahearn-Koch, passed 5–0.
- Pause on Major Projects Directed: The commission voted unanimously to direct the city manager to provide, before the final budget hearing, a detailed report on what activities will continue and what will be delayed for the following projects during a pause until after the November referendum: SPAC, Downtown Master Plan study, Water Transit, and Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative. (Bay Park was excluded because phase 3 is already approved by the city, pending county action.) Motion by Vice Mayor Ohlrich, seconded by Commissioner Ahearn-Koch, passed 5–0.
- Budget Issues Accepted: The commission voted unanimously to include all proposed budget issues (five positions, $40,000 neighborhood grants) in the FY 2026–2027 budget. Motion by Commissioner Ahearn-Koch, seconded by Commissioner Battie, passed 5–0.
- Staff commended: Multiple commissioners thanked Finance Director Strickland, City Manager Fryling, Deputy City Manager Jorgensen, and other staff for their work on the budget.
Meeting Transcript
Good good afternoon. Welcome to the special city commission budget meeting for fiscal year twenty-six-twenty seven. Um I'd like to call the meeting to order. And first we will have an invocation by the city auditor and clerk, followed by the vice mayor leading us in the pledge of allegiance. Thank you. Those who can stand, please stand. Heavenly Father, we affirm our faith in thee. We seek your divine strength, wisdom, and guidance in the deliberations that affect the lives of each of the citizens of our community. In that name we pray, amen. I project one individual. Okay. Um are there any changes to the order of the day? No, Mary. Okay. So I'm going to ask Ms. Griggs to recite the pledge of public conduct. Thank you. And then we will have citizens input. Thank you, Mayor. We may disagree, but we will be respectful to one another. We will direct all comments of issues. Okay, thank you. And we have three people who have signed up to speak for three up to three minutes each. David Lowe, Kelly Brown, and Martin Hyde. And as usual, please state your name and whether or not you are a city resident. Okay, Mr. Lowe. Uh David Lowe, uh City resident, and still unfortunately unpaid. Uh commissioners, I had not planned to speak today. I've been here for two days, and frankly, I thought the budget, Kelly and Nick and all involved did a tremendous job. That said, I would be remiss if I didn't say something. Within the last couple hours, we have talked about money aside, the McCowan project, Bobby Jones Clubhouse, and the Performing Arts Center. Three very different projects, but I think they raise a common question. Do we understand the frictional cost of indecision and start and stop decisions? Those costs don't appear in spreadsheets. With the McCowan, the housing authorities trying to move ahead with a major project facing uncertainty about a piece of their plan. With Bobby Jones, we've had years of discussion about what should happen there and with the clubhouse. And with the performing arts center, we have spent years studying and debating the city's important civic assets. Just last week I heard a commissioner speak about conversations she had had with three performing arts uh experts, and the opportunity that they saw as ripe for that opportunity. Those are real costs, even when they don't show up on a spreadsheet. As you make decisions, please be mindful, not just of the cost of saying yes, but the cost of not deciding, delaying or repeatedly changing direction. And particularly as you begin work with Ms. Fryley and establishing priorities for the new period of city leadership. I hope the Commission can gear clear direction on major projects and then allow the organization to move forward. Clarity has value. Uncertainty has cost. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lowe. And Ms.
openpublica.com