MINUTES OF THE STATUTORY MEETING OF THE SARASOTA CITY COMMISSION OF MARCH 11, 1994, AT 12:00 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Gene Pillot, Vice Mayor Patterson; Commissioners Mollie Cardamone and David Merrill; City Manager Sollenberger, City Auditor and Clerk Billy Robinson, and City Attorney Taylor ABSENT: Commissioner Fredd Atkins PRESIDING: Mayor Gene Pillot The meeting was called to order in accordance with Article III, Section 7, of the Charter of the City of Sarasota at 12:00 p.m. Mayor Pillot announced that Commissioner Atkins is out-of-town representing the City and sends his regrets for missing this important meeting and his congratulations for the results. City Auditor and Clerk Robinson gave the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 1. REMARKS OF MAYOR PILLOT (AGENDA ITEM I) #1 (0029) through (0215) Mayor Pillot stated that at the conclusion of each of the past several years, the Mayor who had completed his/her term as Mayor had presented some very well prepared, very useful, and very informative comments about the major events that had taken place during the preceding 12 months; that he has chosen not to do that today; however, he does offer the two following comments: 1. that he had read a definition of success which stated, "If today is made better than yesterday, that activity that has caused it, is a success"; that it has been his experience that the people of Sarasota have felt that today is better than yesterday; that during these past 12 months, he has come to know, even better than the previous four years, why that is so because of the cooperation among the people of the City of Sarasota; that (the citizens) have been willing to provide the resources and the opportunities and the evaluations thereof; that the City Staff: the City Manager, Deputy City Manager, City Auditor and Clerk, City Attorney, and others, have shown an excellence, not only in their qualifications and in their dedication to their job, but the reasons for which they provide the dedication to their job they care about their city; that the (this) Commission rarely has had 5-0 votes except for on the Book 36 Page 10320 03/11/94 12:00 P.M. Book 36 Page 10321 03/11/94 12:00 P.M. routine which shows the thoughtfulness, insight, and determination of each Commissioner to evaluate the data presented and the effects of the data on the City; and that the third dimension of the people, the Staff, and the Commission have together been the reason that today is better than yesterday. 2. that the second comment is one of appreciation and thanks to those people of the City of Sarasota who have given him the great privilege of not only serving as a Commissioner, but also the opportunity to sit in the company of John Hamilton Gillespie and the other mayors who have served over the past 100+ years; that he feels distinctly honored to have been given the privilege by the people by their elected representatives to be among those mayors, many of whom he has known during the 32 years has lived in Sarasota. Mayor Pillot thanked the Administration and all the people who work with the Administration for making this year one that has been enjoyable, especially Donna Grimm and Kathy Micko in Commission Liaison Office, and thanked the other four Commissioners who gave him the privilege of serving as Mayor. Mayor Pillot further stated that last and most importantly, he thanks his wife, Beverly, for her continuous support. 2. SELECTION OF MAYOR - NORA PATTERSON ELECTED AS MAYOR (AGENDA ITEM II) #1 (0220) through (0313) On motion of Commissioner Merrill and second of Commissioner Cardamone, it was moved to nominate Vice Mayor Nora Patterson as Mayor of the City of Sarasota. Mayor Pillot requested that City Auditor and Clerk Robinson proceed with a roll-call vote. Motion carried unanimously (4 to 0) : Cardamone, yes; Merrill, yes, Patterson, yes; Pillot, yes. Mayor Pillot stated that he had one last activity to perform before passing the gavel to Commissioner Patterson; and that was to allow citizens' input. John Patterson came before the Commission, presented Mayor Patterson with one dozen red roses, and stated that he appreciates the privilege of being the first person to address his wife as Madam Mayor. Mayor Pillot passed the gavel to Commissioner Patterson and offered her his congratulations. 3. REMARKS OF NEWLY SELECTED MAYOR (AGENDA ITEM III) #1 (0313) through (0710) Mayor Patterson stated that Gene Pillot, as Mayor, is a difficult act to follow; that he runs a good meeting, provided leadership for the City, always acted with complete integrity in his votes and his explanations of his votes and positions. Mayor Patterson thanked Gene Pillot, and stated that she. shall try to duplicate that act. Mayor Patterson recognized members of her family, close friends, and people who had worked on her campaign three years ago, that were present in the audience. Mayor Patterson read a prepared speech, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk, which stated the following: that Sarasota is a community of people that historically have acted in concert to achieve goals of a broader good than their immediate backyards which is what all great cities were originally about. that cities like Sarasota, once the beginnings of a relatively young state, have been stopped short in their natural growth by State laws and policies among which involuntary annexation is disallowed, making expansion of city boundaries virtually impossible. that taxation in Florida cities by counties for services not provided within city boundaries has exaggerated (Sarasota's) tax burden. that resources such as sales taxes in Florida are redistributed on the basis of population and not source of generation, making payment for common services to urban areas more markedly the burden of a small segment of the population; that the burden has fallen unequally on the shoulders of the poorest populations of the state which tend to require the most in police, fire, and human services. that Sarasota, although a very affluent city, still has a substantially lower average annual income than the unincorporated areas of Sarasota County; that with a higher tax burden and a lower average income, it is remarkable that the City of Sarasota continues in its collective heart to aspire to an excellence of environment and life style; that the will of Sarasota voters to create a special district downtown, and to build and maintain the Van Wezel, the opera, and the Book 36 Page 10322 03/11/94 12:00 P.M. Book 36 Page 10323 03/11/94 12:00 P.M. baseball stadium, in addition to the voluntary city boards who argue so passionately for things such as park improvements which are not near their own personal neighborhoods is evidence of this spirit. that Sarasota is a city where people care a great deal about the community; that Sarasota is a city that criticizes itself endlessly but in that criticism improves itself. that the problem which has been wrestled with during the downturn of economic activity is how to preserve a city like Sarasota while doomed to static boundaries and thus a static income base, and how to keep Sarasota a special place without creating an environment so expensive that the city's non-captive and most important audience, the residents and taxpayers, do not choose to live elsewhere. that City Staff has been downsized to the point that further reductions may damage the very purpose of maintaining the entity that is the City of Sarasota; that expenses have been trimmed sharply and further savings are difficult to identify. that it is imperative today that Sarasota exercise its tradition of working towards common goals; that with smaller staffs, City departments must work better together; that with fewer resources to share, the Staff must appreciate their already generous benefits; that with fewer dollars, citizens must help the City carefully target the precious dollars available for capital improvements, sO that an increased viability for every dollar spent is created. that the city residents, city business owners, city workers, and city staff must be guided by the knowledge that pursuit of special interests without consideration of communal goals will make this city less than it can be or once was; that she feels confident this will be a good yeari that if (the entire city) pulls together, Sarasota will continue to be a responsive and responsible community. Mayor Patterson thanked those who helped her gain her position on the City Commission, and stated that she will continue to try to justify their confidence; that she shall try to represent the Commissioners who have allowed her to wield the gavel in a manner with which they would wish; and thanked all those who had the patience to listen to her today for their interest and tolerance. 4. SELECTION OF VICE MAYOR = DAVID MERRILL ELECTED AS VICE MAYOR (AGENDA ITEM IV) #1 (0710) through (0740) On motion of Commissioner Pillot it was moved to nominate Commissioner David Merrill as Vice Mayor of the City of Sarasota. Motion carried unanimously (4 to 0): Cardamone, yes; Merrill, yes; Pillot, yes; Patterson, yes. 5. REMARKS OF NEWLY SELECTED VICE MAYOR (AGENDA ITEM V) #1 (0742) through (0785) Vice Mayor Merrill thanked Gene Pillot and stated that his service as Mayor will be difficult to copy, but has been something by which he has learned; and that Mayor Patterson has done an excellent job of laying out the challenges for the City next year; and that he looks forward to helping Mayor Patterson achieve those goals. Commissioner Cardamone stated that it is an absolute pleasure to say Madam Mayor, and offered congratulations to Vice Mayor Merrill. 6. ADJOURN (AGENDA ITEM VI) #1 (0787) There being no further business, Mayor Patterson adjourned the meeting at 12:26 p.m. - lora - M loon NORA PATTERSON, MAYOR ATTEST: Billy E Robenson BILLY ECROBINSON, CITY AUDITOR AND CLERK Book 36 Page 10324 03/11/94 12:00 P.M.