Venice City Council Regular Meeting – October 13, 2026

The City Council of Venice, Florida, met on October 13, 2026, for a regular meeting that included ceremonial recognitions, audience participation, consent items, four public-hearing ordinances, a continued airport rate discussion, a city branding presentation, a housing authority appointment, and approval of 2027 state legislative priorities. All votes taken during the meeting were unanimous.

Ceremonial Items and Recognitions

• Administered oaths to new police officers Matthew Fronk, Tyler Baseley, Kacee Lundell, Brittany Ruiz, and Kieran Butler.
• Presented the Mayor's Pillar of the Community Award to Larry Humes for his historical and journalistic contributions to Venice.
• Proclaimed October 2026 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, presented to Security Analyst Joelle Gurk and IT staff.
• Proclaimed October 21, 2026 as Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day, presented to Kathy Lehner, CEO of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce.
• Proclaimed October 19-25, 2026 as Florida City Week, presented to City Manager James Clinch.
• Proclaimed October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, presented to SPARCC Advocate Mirna Marcia, Sgt. Sam Montes, and Detective Jessica Fernandez. The proclamation noted that 106,515 domestic violence offenses were reported in Florida in 2020, including 36 in Venice.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved the consent agenda, including the September 22, 2026 regular meeting and budget hearing minutes and the AFSCME Local 1718 collective bargaining agreement for October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028, after removing Item 26-0769.
• Item 26-0769, Accounts Receivable Write-Offs, was discussed separately. Councilmember Smith asked staff to do more to prevent customers from accumulating large balances, including water accounts over $1,000 and one over $2,000. Acting Utilities Director Patience Anastasio described the city's water-use app, leak alerts, and proactive leak-detection program. Staff attributed most uncollectible accounts to renters leaving without paying. The write-offs were then approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Linda Wildfang, director of the Venice Housing Authority, supported reappointing Peter Boers, saying his knowledge and leadership were important to the board.
• Chris Durbach, also transcribed as Stirbach during the earlier audience period, suggested using water from Flamingo Ditch as reclaimed water to help with flooding and lawn-watering restrictions.
• Christine Davis said she had made three public-records requests for the Airport Layout Plan included in the terminal building and tower proposals but had received different documents. She expressed concern about runway protection zones and asked the city for honesty and transparency.
• Kamala Martinez, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, invited the council to the Nov. 13 Big Impact 100 Beach Gala. She was limited to two minutes because she resides in unincorporated South Venice rather than within the city limits.
• During the airport rate item, Chris Durbach argued that the proposed increases were too high, cited FAA grant assurances and local-rate negotiation, said the city was not capturing revenue paid to the FBO, and questioned the financial benefit of airport expansion.
• Michael Rellinger, a pilot and Venice airport tenant for seven years, thanked the council and staff and expressed support for the revised rates. He also spoke on behalf of Dennis King, president of VASSY.

Public Hearings – Ordinances

• Ordinance 2026-32 (first reading): A temporary 12-month moratorium on accepting, reviewing, or approving applications related to facilities serving large-load customers, including large-scale data centers. Approved unanimously for final reading.
• Ordinance 2026-28 (final reading): Amends the Land Development Code to extend mailed-notice distance from 250 feet to 500 feet and to require neighborhood workshops to be held in person with an optional online component. Adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-30 (final reading): Amends Chapter 46 to update the description and authorized uses of the city parks system. Adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-31 (final reading): Adds Section 2-32 on filling council vacancies and amends emergency succession provisions. Adopted unanimously.
• No speakers signed up for these public hearings.

Airport Rates and Fee Adjustments (Continued Item)

• Airport Director Nick Dumas and Assistant City Manager Roger Omanheiser presented a revised proposal after a Sept. 30 tenant workshop attended by more than 40 people and 26 written comments. The majority of comments concerned hangar condition and affordability.
• The revised plan proposed a CPI-based standard T-hangar rate of $450 per month, described as the midpoint between cost recovery and the appraisal-based rate. The appraisal-based approach would support a potential $1.3 million reinvestment budget. It also proposed raising fuel flowage fees from 5 to 10 cents per gallon, square-footage-based tie-down rates, daily rates equal to 10 percent of monthly rates, a three-year phase-in, two years of regular CPI adjustments, and a first full rate review in 2032, followed by a five-year recurring review cycle.
• The plan addressed wait-list transparency by proposing published customer-number wait lists, a $100 initial fee credited to the first month's rent, and a $50 annual fee to remain on the list, based on a review of 18 airports.
• Councilmember Smith praised the revised approach but raised concern that moving jet rates to a square-footage-only basis would reduce the airport's ability to charge jets more for noise, pollution, and runway impact. Vice Mayor Bolt supported studying jet-specific rates. City Manager Clinch noted that jets rarely use city tie-downs and that those rates primarily affect piston aircraft.
• Councilmember Howard asked staff to take another look at the rates for the newer 900/901 hangars. Councilmember Engelke said he preferred considering non-hangar-based methods, such as landing fees, for capturing revenue from jet traffic.
• Councilmember Smith moved to approve the proposed adjustments and phased implementation plan and to bring back further options for jet-related rate adjustments. The motion passed unanimously.

City Logo Design and Branding Presentation

• Richard Zimmer of JORO Brand & Creative, with centennial logo designer Stuart Bailey, presented round-one concepts for a new city brand system based on refining the centennial logo rather than replacing it. The presentation included placard and type-lockup variations, color palettes, seals, badges, department and partner co-branding, and mock-ups for vehicles, signs, water towers, and stationery.
• Mayor Pachota said public feedback favored the historic placard. Councilmember Weed objected to the setting-sun imagery, saying it should suggest warmth and vibrancy rather than a sunset. Vice Mayor Bolt praised the work. Councilmember Frank asked to keep the existing clock-tower seal and cautioned against too many logo variations that could confuse the brand.
• No formal action was taken. Staff will collect feedback and return with a refined system.

Housing Authority Appointment

• Peter Boers, the city's procurement manager and former chair of the Venice Housing Authority, requested reappointment. He cited his work submitting budgets and five-year plans, distributing over $146,000 in resident-informed amenities and enhancements to Venetian Walk I and II, and improving HUD compliance.
• The council appointed Boers to the Venice Housing Authority for a term of Nov. 1, 2026 through Oct. 31, 2030. Councilmember Smith said he supported the motion but preferred city residents for such positions and noted that two qualified city residents had applied. The appointment passed unanimously.

2027 State Legislative Priorities

• City Manager Clinch presented the 2027 state legislative priorities, noting that successful appropriations generally focus on critical infrastructure and that the city would likely submit one or two funded projects. Humphreys Park at South Jetty was added as a lower-ranked priority.
• Councilmembers discussed adding the reopening of Caspersen Beach as a priority. Councilmember Frank suggested first raising it with Sarasota County at the joint meeting and asked that the beach renourishment item be clarified as a sand-source search.
• The council approved the priorities with amendments to include Caspersen Beach and clarify the sand-source project. The state delegation meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2026, at 9 a.m.

Charter Officer and Council Reports

• The City Attorney and City Clerk had no reports.
• City Manager Clinch reported that the city assumed ownership of the Venice Community Center and seven neighborhood parks under the new Sarasota County Parks Interlocal Agreement. He noted Student Government Day on Oct. 14, 2026, and previewed an Oct. 15 airport workshop on FAA policy, the digital tower system, and airport projects. He also said the new airport master plan would replace older Airport Layout Plan maps and would show the runway protection zone in the same location, with no additional structures.
• Councilmember Engelke reported attending Florida League of Cities committee day and a nine-city league meeting covering Manatee and Sarasota counties.
• Councilmember Smith praised work at the Venice Civic Center and raised flooding complaints from residents near the airport and Twin Laurel Boulevard, asking staff to respond and find solutions.
• Councilmember Frank and Vice Mayor Bolt reported on upcoming events, including the Sun Fiesta. Bolt noted an Orioles presentation to the Tourist Development Council estimating an economic impact of more than $700 million over roughly 10 years.
• Mayor Pachota made announcements about upcoming city events, including Sun Fiesta, Halloween events, Make a Difference Day, the holiday parade, and city bicycle rides.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda minus Item 26-0769 and separately approved the accounts receivable write-offs.
• Approved Ordinance 2026-32 on first reading and adopted Ordinances 2026-28, 2026-30, and 2026-31 on final reading, all unanimously.
• Approved airport rate and fee adjustments and the phased implementation plan, with direction to return with jet-specific rate options.
• Appointed Peter Boers to the Venice Housing Authority for Nov. 1, 2026 through Oct. 31, 2030.
• Approved the 2027 state legislative priorities, including the added Caspersen Beach priority and sand-source clarification.
• No votes taken during the meeting were less than unanimous.