DSCA has helped the City of Sarasota make the budget process more transparent—and the tradition continues! Two upcoming Budget Town Halls give residents a chance to learn, ask questions, and see how city projects are prioritized.

Mark Your Calendars:

• May 5, 2026 – First Budget Town Hall
• August 5, 2026 – Second Town Hall (just before final budget approval)

Both sessions start at 5:30 PM. These meetings are your opportunity to get a clear view of the City’s plans—including Capital Improvement Program projects, utilities, and public parking—and provide meaningful input.

Stay informed. Get involved. Make your voice heard!

The third “first reading” of the revised special events ordinance is scheduled for April 20. While the next draft has not yet been released, it is expected to include enforcement language as directed by the City Commission.

We recently learned that changes to maximum decibel levels at special events will not take effect until May 1st, even though the Interim City Manager’s directed staff to lower the levels back on November 17, 2025. The maximum decibel level for downtown special events should be lowered from 100 db to 85 dBA / 90 dBC. The dBA reflects general sound levels, while dBC reflect bass or low frequency sound.

On March 23, the City Commission hired Siebein Associates, an acoustics consulting firm, to review Sarasota’s sound levels in the following areas: Downtown, Newtown, the Sarasota High School neighborhood, and St. Armands. In addition, issues involving street performers and loud vehicles will also be studied. This effort will cost between $175,000 and $250,000.

On April 6, the Commission asked the City Attorney, Joe Polzak, to direct the consultants to begin a near-term review of the draft sound ordinance, which was prepared by former City Attorney Bob Fournier. Various sound measurements—which may take several months—can proceed concurrently. The goal is to avoid delaying needed changes such as the plainly audible standard and the ban on motor vehicle revving.

Nonetheless, staff now indicates the current sound ordinance draft may not be reviewed until August. Sound measurements are scheduled from May through August, a traditionally slow period. Click here to read more.

Great news for downtown Sarasota — Karie Friling has been unanimously confirmed as our next City Manager. She comes with strong municipal credentials, but what stood out during the selection process was her reputation for accessibility and genuinely listening to constituents. She's currently wrapping up her role as Executive Director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, IL, and is already in contact with City Hall staff on current priorities. Her official start date is May 29 — though she may well be spotted around town before then as she settles in. We look forward to welcoming her. Click here to read more.

After 17 months and three interim city managers following Marlon Brown's October 2024 retirement, Sarasota has unanimously selected Karie Friling as its next city manager — and its first woman to hold the post. Five finalists visited the city February 23-24 for a two-day process that included a community meet-and-greet, with three DSCA board members participating in the interviews. The commission wasted no time, voting unanimously on February 27. Interim city manager Jennifer Jorgensen, who also serves as Director of Government Affairs, expects her tenure in the role to be a quite short one. 

Interim City Manager Dave Bullock will conclude his service to the City of Sarasota on March 6, wrapping up approximately 10 months in the role.

On behalf of DSCA, we would like to express our appreciation for Dave’s leadership. He never felt like an “interim.” He brought a steady hand, thoughtful leadership, and genuine engagement to the position. Many share the same sentiment, whether working closely with him or interacting briefly. We wish him continued success in his next chapter.

With Dave’s departure, Jennifer Jorgensen, currently the City’s Director of Government Affairs, will step in as Interim City Manager to ensure continuity while the search for a permanent City Manager continues. By all accounts, the transition is expected to be smooth and relatively short.

Read more about Dave here.

Here's something genuinely cool happening in your city: Sarasota is in the final stretch of selecting its next City Manager, and you're invited to come meet them, get a feel for who they are, and share your thoughts.

Starting with 88 applicants back in December, the City Commission has narrowed the field to five finalists. The public gets a chance to meet them in person at an Open House on Monday, February 23, 5:30–8:00 p.m. at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex. Come. Ask questions. Form an opinion. This is exactly the kind of civic process that doesn't get enough attention — and your voice matters here. The Commission is expected to make an offer by February 27, so this is your moment.

Review the finalists and their materials here.

The search for Sarasota’s permanent city manager is moving ahead with Sumter Local Government Consulting. The City Commission has narrowed the field from 87 initial applicants to 42 semifinalists.

The consultant will conduct video interviews with the semifinalists. Commissioners will review those interviews individually. At a special meeting on February 10, the commission plans to select approximately six finalists and invite them to Sarasota for in-person interviews.

The in-person process is expected to include one-on-one sessions with each commissioner, meetings with the City’s leadership team, a city tour, full commission interviews, and a public open house. A final selection will require a supermajority vote (four commissioners).

The timeline matters because Interim City Manager Dave Bullock is scheduled to depart March 6, making this the City’s second interim manager since Marlon Brown’s retirement in October 2024.

More: Your Observer coverage (Jan. 15, 2026)

Sarasota unveils its ambitious transportation vision for the coming decades with the 2024 Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization draft. The top 10 priorities under the Sarasota In Motion master plan include expanding the city's trail network, enhancing east-west corridors, extending the North Legacy Trail, implementing Shade Avenue as a complete street, improving core route transit, constructing a roundabout at Cocoanut Avenue and Second Street, transforming Fruitville Road and Main Street, upgrading Ringling Causeway and Coon Key bridges, and redesigning the Boulevard of the Arts. These projects, set for completion by 2045, have the potential to revolutionize how residents navigate Sarasota. Explore the detailed plans and contribute to the city's future transportation landscape. Read more: https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2024/jan/25/sarasota-transportation-projects-decades-ahead/

The Sarasota City Commission grapples with proposed zoning changes for downtown establishments, seeking to redefine the distinctions between restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The amendments aim to prevent potential misclassifications and ensure clarity in operations, hours, and outdoor seating. Notably, the debate revolves around Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch's stance on requiring an on-site kitchen for a venue to be classified as a restaurant and her concerns about defining outdoor bars based on activity rather than the location of the bar counter. Read more about the proposed changes and their potential impact on downtown establishments: https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2024/jan/20/defining-bars-clubs-restaurants-city-amendment/