This Week in Local Government

On Tuesday at a workshop, the Sarasota County Commission will lay out plans for affordable housing. On Wednesday, they will discuss the possible sale of the Hermitage land. The Manatee County Commission will discuss naming a street to honor Charlie Kirk.

Monday (10/06)

City of Sarasota Commission regular meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Second reading of amended vacation rental ordinance; School Avenue Greenway; city manager search update; traffic calming plan, new speed limits.

9:00 AM

City Hall, Commission Chambers, 1565 1st Street, Sarasota

Tuesday (10/07)

Manatee County School Board executive session (no agenda)

Highlights: District safety and security. Closed to the public.

8:00 AM

Walter Miller School Support Center, Conference Room 203, 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

Sarasota County Commission affordable housing workshop (agenda)

Highlights: Public comment; staffers seeking guidance on affordable housing from county commissioners.

9:00 AM

Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Main Ballroom, Venice

Manatee County Commission regular meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Update on $253 million HUD disaster recovery funding; Lena Road Landfill methane gas agreement; Bradenton-Palmetto Connector; naming a road after Charlie Kirk; Meals on Wheels Plus; regulating simulated gambling devices.

9:00 AM

Manatee County Administration Building, Chambers, First Floor, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

Sarasota School Board work session (agenda)

Highlights: The superintendent will present feasibility studies for alternative options to closing Wilkinson Elementary, including one of turning the school into a STEM magnet school; safety and security updates; instructional materials adoption timeline; progress monitoring and goal setting; more policy updates; AI policy discussion; boundary rebalancing discussion; invocation policy discussion.

10:00 AM

Landings Administrative Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota

Manatee County School Board regular meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Progress monitoring; audit report of 2024-25 finances; contract for substitute teaching; 2026 legislative priorities.

10:00 AM

Walter Miller School Support Center, board room, 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

Wednesday (10/08)

City of Bradenton Council regular meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Raising city stormwater fees; raising city water and wastewater fees; special-use permit to build a dock at 2101 Riverview Blvd., awarding Waste Pro of Florida a contract for recycling services; buying a lot near the baseball stadium.

8:30 AM

Bradenton City Hall, chambers, 101 Old Main St., Bradenton

Sarasota County Commission regular meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Declaring a portion of U.S. 41 as the “Dickey Betts Memorial Highway”; approve an agreement for fire services with Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department; discussing the possible sale of Hermitage land to the nonprofit that runs it; approving $27 million in bonds for construction of the Amaryllis Park Place 4 public housing project; approving an additional $7.9 million to fund the newly created stormwater management department; upzoning of several parcels in Venice at Jacaranda near I-75. Joe Neunder requests a presentation about the Legacy Trail expansion.

9:00 AM

County Administration Center, chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

Manatee County Commission work session (agenda)

Highlights: State legislative priorities for the upcoming session; stormwater funding; changes to MCAT transit services.

9:00 AM

Manatee County Administration Building, Chambers, First Floor, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

New College Foundation audit committee meeting (no agenda)

Highlights: No agenda yet. The Foundation’s financial transparency and use of funds have been questioned.

10:00 AM

The Keating Center, 441 College Drive, Sarasota

Zoom link: https://ncf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3Im5mGZaR2yTGtef89nNWw

City of Sarasota Planning Board (agenda)

Highlights: Central Gardens public housing project in Newtown; Amaryllis Park Place Phase IV public housing project in Newtown.

1:30 PM

City Hall, Commission Chambers, 1565 1st Street, Sarasota

Thursday (10/09)

Manatee County Commission land-use meeting (agenda)

Highlights: Denying The Pointe multifamily project due to flood hazard; affordable housing project at 1st Street and 301 Boulevard East; changes to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport development plan.

9:00 AM

Manatee County Administration Building, Chambers, First Floor, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton

Friday (10/10)

Manatee County School Board workshop (agenda)

Highlights: Technology plan; board policies.

9:00 AM

Walter Miller School Support Center, board room, 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton