Book 68 Page 40447 01/19/24 9:00 A.M. MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CONVOCATION OF GOVERNMENTS OF THE SARASOTA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE SCHOOL BOARD OF SARASOTA COUNTY, THE CITY COMMISSIONS OF THE CITIES OF NORTH PORT AND SARASOTA, THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY, AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VENICE OF JANUARY 19, 2024 PRESENT: Sarasota Board of County Commissioners (BCC): BCC Chair Michael Moran, Vice Chair Joe Neunder, BCC Commissioners Ron Cutsinger, Neil Rainford, and Mark Smith, and County Administrator Jonathan Lewis School Board of Sarasota County (SBSC): Chair Karen Rose, Vice Chair Timothy Enos, SBSC Board Members Thomas Tom" Edwards and Robyn Marinelli, and Superintendent Terrence "Terry" Connor North Port City Commission: Mayor Alice White, Vice Mayor Phil Stokes, Commissioners Pete Emrich, Barbara Langdon, and Debbie McDowell, City Manager Alfred Jerome Fletcher, I, and City Clerk Heather Faust Sarasota City Commission: Mayor Liz Alpert, Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, Commissioners Kyle Scott Battie and Debbie Trice, City Manager Marlon Brown, and Deputy City Manager Patrick "Pat" Robinson Longboat Key Town Commission (LBK): Mayor Ken Schneier, Town Manager Howard Tipton, and Deputy Town Clerk Savannah Cobb Venice City Council: Mayor Nick Pachota, Vice Mayor Jim Boldt, Assistant City Manager James Clinch, and City Clerk Kelly Michaels ABSENT: Sarasota Board of County Commissioners (BCC): None School Board of Sarasota County (SBSC): SBSC Board Member Bridget Ziegler North Port City Commission: None Sarasota City Commission: Commissioner Erik Arroyo and City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs Longboat Key (LBK) Town Commission: Vice Mayor Mike Haycock, Commissioners B.J. Bishop, Gary Coffin, Penny Gold, and Debra Williams, and Town Clerk Trish Shinkle Venice City Council: Council Members Joan Farrell, Rachel Frank, Rick Howard, Helen Moore, and Ron Smith, and City Manager Edward "Ed" LaVallee 1. WELCOMEPLEDGEINTRODUCTIONS (AGENDA ITEM I) SBSC Chair Rose called the meeting to order at Suncoast Technical College (STC) in the Conference Center, located at 4748 Beneva Road, Sarasota, Florida, at 9:00 A.M., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and welcoming of the County, City, Town Commissioners/Counol Members, School Board Members, and Representatives to the annual Convocation of Governments (COG) Meeting. Attendees from the County, City, Town Commissioners/Counel Members, School Board Members, and Representatives introduced themselves. 2. CONVOCATION GOALS AND AGENDA (AGENDA ITEM II) SBSC Chair Rose reviewed the Convocation Goals and Agenda for the COG Meeting which included presentations and discussions. 3. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (AGENDA ITEM III) Citizens' Input received from an individual in the Conference Center at STC. 4. HISTORY OF SUCCESSFUL JOINT USE COLLABORATION (AGENDA ITEM IV) Diane Cominotti, Director of Planning, SBSC Planning Department spoke before the Bodies, referred from a PowerPoint presentation displayed on the projector entitled "A History of Successful Joint Use Collaboration, and provided a brief overview of past and future Joint Use Project collaborations between SBSC and Sarasota County, City of Sarasota, City of Venice, City of North Port, and Town of Longboat Key. County Administrator Lewis thanked Ms. Cominotti, Jody Dumas, SBSC Assistant Superintendent Operations/Chief Operating Officer, and SBSC Superintendent Connor for recent conversations and new opportunities to collaborate on Oak Park and the Sky Ridge Elementary Schools. City Manager Brown stated that the new Bobby Jones Golf Course(BJGC) has opened and there is an opportunity for schools who offer golf to utilize the facility; that the hope is to encourage City schools to play at BJGC with a cost; that SBSC Superintendent Connor can reach out to collaborate on how the facility can really be used, and SBSC Chair Rose stated that this is a phenomenal opportunity and thanked City Manager Brown. 5. AFFORDABLE HOUSING (AGENDA ITEM V) City Manager Marlon Brown, City of Sarasota, spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview of attainable housing efforts the City Commission has taken and introduced Director Steven "Steve" Cover, Planning Department, City of Sarasota, who came before the Bodies. Mr. Cover presented and referred from a PowerPoint presentation displayed on the projector entitled "Attainable Housing Update. Question posed by North Port City Mayor White about the maximum bonus of four times the base density was addressed by Mr. Cover. SBSC Chair Rose thanked Mr. Cover and City Manager Brown for their presentation. 6. CITY OF NORTH PORT (AGENDA ITEM VI) City Manager Alfred Jerome Fletcher II, City of North Port, spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview on the following: Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis completed in 2020 showed traffic signals are needed at North Port High School (NPHS) across from Perennial Road as well as on Price Boulevard; that the vendor selection process has been completed and a vendor was selected to install the traffic signals for approximately $660,000 and construction will commence June 2024 Suncoast Technical College (STC) expansion project has the need for Phase 3 to occur; that he, Ron DiPillo, Executive Director of Career & Technical Education at STC, and SBSC Superintendent Connor and his staff all worked together to continue to move this project forward; that help has been solicited in the State to gain financial support since there is a shortfall in the project as well as working with other stakeholders who may also want to contribute; that the hope Book 68 Page 40448 01/19/24 9:00 A.M. Book 68 Page 40449 01/19/24 9:00 A.M. is some of the funding in the outyears can be moved forward and accelerated to next year to commence planning/design of the project SBSC Chair Rose stated that the collaboration is ongoing; that the SBSC has discussed this on multiple occasions; that SBSC Superintendent Connor can be seen affirming the SBSC is very much on board to work with the City of North Port. 7. CITY OF SARASOTA (AGENDA ITEM VII) City Manager Marlon Brown, City of Sarasota, spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview on the following: Requested SBSC to see if there is recycling specifically in the classrooms and if a Recycling Program can be mplemented to perhaps encourage more recycling The need to provide more affordablelattainable housing, along with focusing on skill trades, apprenticeships programs, and training opportunities, especially in North Sarasota SBSC Chair Rose stated that recycling has been in schools for many years and is a source of revenue; that the desire is to discuss skill trades in North Sarasota at an SBSC Workshop; that in the past grants were obtained. SBSC Superintendent Connor stated that the student forum discussed recycling this week which is a student-driven initiative; that attainable housing conversations are very much a reality and the SBSC has been having a lot of discussions informally/formaly around different partnerships; that he and Ron DiPillo, Exeçutive Director of Career & Technical Education at STC have been discussing how to continue to expand high wage, high demand, and relevant Career & Technical Workforce Development programming within the district; however, there is also a focus in the North County area. Sarasota City Vice Mayor Ahearn-Koch stated that the Recycling Program, which is not only for actual recycling, is to educate the next generations on how and what to recycle in order to avoid contamination, and SBSC Superintendent Connor concurred. City Manager Brown left his seat at 9:40 A.M. Sarasota City Commissioner Trice stated that skill trades and exploring opportunities between the City and the SBSC for apprenticeship for students and graduates is favored. North Port City Commissioner Langdon stated that in the past couple of months the City of North Port has implemented a Natural Resources Division; that the team's first initiative is increasing recycling activity in the City of North Port; however, a heavy component will be resident education and collaborating with the SBSC to coordinate this effort. City Manager Brown returned to his seat at 9:41 A.M. BCC Commissioner Rainford stated that in South County (North Port, Venice, and Englewood) there is a huge demand for nursing resulting from hospitals being constructed; that Resilient SRQ funding invested $15 million towards careers and trades; however, expanding this to include nursing can be seen, and SBSC Superintendent Connor provided input. 8. SARASOTA COUNTY GOVERNMENT (AGENDA ITEM VIII) County Administrator Johnathan Lewis, Sarasota County, spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview on the following: BCC Commission adopted a Strategic Policy Agenda last week and one has to do with water supply BCC Commission prioritized collaborations around ffordable/atainable housing options Sarasota County is working with the SBSC for Hi Hat Ranch planning which is a long-term 30-year build-out involving schools and school facilities River Road located South of US 41 will be building schools in the North Port area and asked what will this mean for the School District? SBSC support is appreciated for the new Regional Fire Training Academy Opportunities should be viewed not just for park purposes when schools are being built since there are also opportunities around Evacuation Centers which the Sarasota County can become involved 9. CITY OF VENICE (AGENDA ITEM IX) Assistant City Manager James Clinch, City of Venice, on behalf of City Manager Edward "Ed" LaVallee, spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview on the following: City Manager Brown returned to his seat at 9:47 A.M. City of Venice shares the interest of future evacuation opportunities and shelters Requested an update on Venice High School's (VHS) population and future plans Commended Diane Cominotti, SBSC Director of Planning on the PowerPoint presentation entitled "A History of Successful Joint Use Collaboration" Provided an update on the everyday partnerships shared with schools in the area 2023 was the most successful year had in partnership with the SBSC and thanked them Venice High School's Parade of Champions" which is every year and honors any sports team won a State Championship Venice Elementary School (VES) has Public Safety interactions approximately every month with the Police and Fire Departments Professionals from the City of Venice have partnered with the Chamber of Commerce "Real World Wednesday" where organizations teach career opportunities at high and middle schools Student Government Day at VHS in the month of November affords students the opportunity to shadow professionals for a full day and conduct a mock City Council Meeting VES held a Holiday Card Contest Venice City Departments offers tours on a regular basis Assistant City Manager Clinch concluded and complimented the Administration of VES and VHS for their support and collaboration. BCC Commissioner Neunder posed a question asking are there any opportunities for young students to explore career opportunities at the Waste Water Treatment Facility, and stated that to correct the record, Sarasota County's Landfill is nationally recognized; that Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School's football team won the State Championship, which is the first in 51 years and a celebration will be held on January 30, 2024; that a new Mosquito Management Facility will be opening which is located at the intersection of Laurel Road East and Honore Avenue near the County Sheriff Office's Support Services Facility. SBSC Superintendent Connor stated that everyone is invited to see what is being done at the schools in the district. 10. TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY (AGENDA ITEM X) Town Manager Howard Tipton, Longboat Key (LBK), spoke before the Bodies and provided a brief overview on the following: The best place to see bald eagles is at Landfill Operations Book 68 Page 40450 01/19/24 9:00 A.M. Book 68 Page 40451 01/19/24 9:00 A.M. The need to understand the business side of Recycling since the market place changes frequently and is a great way to share with children the business side to make recycling profitable LBK does not have a lot of children but is a donor community Anna Maria Elementary School attended Florida City Government Week The need to continue to ençourage the SBSC to invest in Public Safety training, which is a high demand career field, as well as Hospitality training since The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort is preparing to open this year and there is a challenge to find hospitality workers Discussion was had with SBSC Chair Rose and SBSC Superintendent Connor to afford an opportunity to collaborate for LBK residents with lifelong learning since the County is building a new library on LBK SBSC Chair Rose acknowledged Commissioner Battie presence. 11. OTHER BUSINESS (AGENDA ITEM XI) North Port City Commissioner Langdon invited those in attendance to an Open House tomorrow, January 20, 2024, from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M for the new North Port Fire Rescue Training Tower. Sarasota City Mayor Alpert stated that with regards to school tours, the other advantage is having children see what other types of career opportunities exist and to visit local governments. Question posed by LBK Town Manager Tipton asking if the SBSC has any items on the 2024 Ballot and if SO, can an update be provided, was addressed by SBSC Superintendent Connor. Question posed by North Port City Mayor White asking if there is a plan to start a Plane Mechanical School as the result of hearing about the shortage of pilots and mechanics in the news, was addressed by SBSC Superintendent Connor and Ron DiPillo, Executive Director of Career & Technical Education at STC, who came before the Bodies. SBSC Chair Rose thanked the governments represented, STC Culinary Arts Program Chef and students, STC staff for the use of the Conference Center, and SBSC staff for coordinating today's event. 12. ADJOURNMENT (AGENDA ITEM XII) SBSC Chair Rose adjourned the Convocation of Governments (COG) Meeting of January 19, 2024, at 10:10 A.M. 3 CI Ehleet o LIZ ALPERT, MAYOR : ATIEST a V Sha SHAYLA GRIGGS CITY AUDITOR ANB/CLERK