This is Northport Now, where we bring you everything happening in and around our city. From tree giveaways to commission highlights, here's what you need to know. With summer and more pool time around the corner, it's important our first responders are ready to act. Because of
this, Northport Fire Rescue recently took part in specialized pediatric drowning simulator training with Sarasota Memorial Healthc Care Systems Education Team at Northport ER. Firefighters practice managing high-stress pediatric emergencies, improving communication under pressure,
refining intubation techniques, and using the Handtov mobile app to ensure precise medication dosing and protocol accuracy. This type of training is especially important in Florida, where pools and water recreation are part of everyday life. Quick, confident action can make all the difference in
responding to water related emergencies. Ongoing preparedness gives our crews the skills to provide the highest level of care when every second counts. In celebration of National Arbor Day, the Natural Resources Division will host another community tree giveaway on
Friday, April 24th from 4 to 6:00 p.m. behind city hall. This event features an expanded selection of trees in a convenient late afternoon schedule so residents can stop by after work. Trees will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis with one tree available per household. Please bring
proof of residency such as a driver's license or utility bill. Staff will also provide guidance on proper tree planting and ongoing care. Trees will be available while supplies last. The giveaway is funded by the Environmental Protection Fund, which is supported through city mitigation and code
enforcement fees associated with land clearing permits and development activity. Join us on April 24th to take part in this community effort to grow a healthier, greener Northport. Coming up next in the Northport University online series is our Storm
Smart Northport webinar on April 17th at noon. Living in Florida means we all deal with storms, but being prepared can make a big difference. This free community session is designed to help residents get ready with confidence. City staff will cover the key storm risks facing Northport, how wind and
water caused most damage, and practical steps to protect your home and family. You'll also learn what to expect before, during, and after a storm. Plus, how the city manages storm water and supports recovery efforts. Whether you're new to the area or a longtime resident, you'll
walk away with useful, actionable information to keep your household prepared. Register today at northportfl.gov/webinar. And don't forget to bring your questions for the live Q&A. April marks both National Child Abuse
Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. A time to reflect on the importance of protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. Behind the scenes, our detectives face some of the most difficult cases imaginable. Detective Whitmore and Detective Robas along with the Internet
Crimes Against Children team dedicate their work to investigating crimes against children and bringing offenders to justice. This work demands immense strength, compassion, and commitment. Every day, these professionals approach each case with purpose, and determination to keep our community's
children safe. We're deeply grateful for their efforts and for the support they provide to victims facing unimaginable challenges. Remember, if you suspect abuse or see something that doesn't seem right, speak up. Your voice could make all the difference.
It's time for more commission meeting highlights where city manager Jerome Fletcher takes us through the latest commission decisions and what they mean for the public. Here to tell us more about the commission meeting and workshop earlier this week is city manager Fletcher. Hey Jerome, thank you for joining us. Hey Madison, thanks for having me.
>> So let's talk about a couple of the meetings that took place this week. The first one was a workshop that was on April 6th and one of the big items on that was an economic development update. So what were some of the highlights from that presentation? >> Oh yes. So some of the highlights were it was broken down into two different
sections. The first one was the focus on workforce development and how we are growing as a city. How we need to be make sure that we're very targeted and how we actually approach the workforce that's coming to this city. We have a lot of healthcare initiatives that are happening, but we also want to make sure that we hit all of our target industries
so that we are the most well-rounded city to work at that we can be. The other part of the update was different segments of our city that are developing and some that are important to people based on where they live or the history that they have. And the goal there as we outlined those different properties were
to let the city know that things are happening and things just don't happen on their own. But we have a hand in those things and showing people where some of the new development is coming is getting exciting. >> Sure. Yeah. Just important to remember that there's always strategy behind it. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Um and if people want to see what's going on with that, we do have a current
development map on our website. So we'll link that in the show notes if you want to see all the things that are popping up. So in that same meeting on the 6, we heard from the utilities department as well where they outlined some potential budget proposals that might save us some money. So can you tell us more about that discussion and what the
commissioners had to say about that? >> Absolutely. So I asked the utilities director to prepare this small discussion just to give the commission a sense of how there are things that we do which could be called enhancing services that we believe are actually mandatory
services although they're not regulatory mandated if that makes sense. >> Sure. And with we were talking about water quality and water pressure in this example, I think total they may have saved about three or $400,000, but they were things that we're not willing to
jeopardize as we provide the quality of water through our utilities department that we believe our citizens should expect. We did not recommend for them to be cut. But if we don't show the people, and when I say the people, I mean the commission and the public as we have these conversations that there are
levels that we are not willing to go below, then they'll never see that we actually have thought about those things and have considered and kept some of those things in our budget to maintain their quality of life that they expected. >> Right. Absolutely. And I think right now water is more important than ever. Um,
and so if anybody wants to catch up on that meeting, um, along with any other city commission meeting, you can find it on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/northport. So you can catch up on that discussion. But moving forward, then it was a week of meetings. The next day was a regular
commission meeting on the 7th. One of the topics on that agenda was borrowing authority for a specific list of capital projects. I know we've talked a lot about this in recent years, but how did this latest conversation go? So, I think people think that we have forgotten about borrowing since the referendum
failed last May of 2025. And we I have been talking about this for almost a year now, since last May. I'm like, there is a way that we can keep trying to do this. And the way that we're trying to look at it is the borrowing language in our charter has been interpreted to say that any kind of debt
is a debt is a debt. But when you look at our charter, it clearly states in the first statement that the city of Northport can borrow money and it says loans and and bonds in that statement. So now we really need to go to the court and say, hey, you know, based on this language as it's being interpreted and
how it's written, do we have the ability to borrow and pay back these projects? And the the first way to do this is to pay for it within our own budget. So we are looking at reducing our budget so that we can borrow for a few projects
roughly around $30 $35 million be able to show the public that we're fiscally responsible and can do that and then go from there if we're successful through the court by saying that yes they have a ruling on our language in our charter that hopefully is in our favor.
>> Right. So definitely more to come about that and it's not it's not a loophole. It's in the charter so we'll get it all sorted. >> Right. It's in the charter, but when you have different legal interpretations, you know that none of us are lawyers. Well, except for our city attorney who is a lawyer, >> right? >> But none of us in here are lawyers. So,
we are now taking it to the next step to say, "Hey, look, let's let a a qualified outside official look at our charter and our language and see if we can borrow." And I think that the projects that we're borrowing for are all, of course, community impacts and they're needed. And then to be able to pay for those
projects without raising a tax or a mill rate to get it done. Um that's got to be something we should all be proud in if we're successful. >> Definitely. So moving to things a little bit lighter, a little less uh you know city governmenty. In another decision, the commission moved forward with an
ordinance to create a youth advisory council. So how did that discussion go and what does that mean? >> Uh it went well. Um, I think that being young and impressionable is great and having them close to our jobs and our work experiences can enlighten them and
sort of guide them in ways that they may want to be shaped on how they plan their future. So, bringing the youth council on will give that young body a front row seat to what we do in government and how we process whether it's policies or or procedures. And you know it it will only
strengthen the the team of tomorrow that will guide us in our public policy decisions through elected officials or through us through public administration who are staff and the operators of the different departments. So it's great. We encourage it. They're awesome. You know they're eager and I think that if we
give them the right information and treat them with the respect that they deserve as young minds who have opinions that may differ from our older minds, I think that it's a great combination. >> I agree. And at that meeting, there were several poignant public commenters that were students that if that's who we're
going to be adding, we it's going to be a great youth advisory council. Um, and it'll be I'm sure they'll love to be able to make a difference in their city. So, we'll look forward to seeing what that is. And then finally, the city commission also decided to present a key to the city to someone special that we
all know. So, can you tell us who that is? >> Alice White, our former commissioner and mayor. And you know, she is the tree lady. and I've been here for 4 and a2 years and she's been very visible and vocal during that time as far as supporting our community and I know that
her you know toward Northport and you know the tree giveaways and things that she does and the nonprofit she's helped spans decades before I even arrived here. So I think she's a great reflection of a person from our community who has provided not only a great impact but she has a positive
attitude regarding getting things done. doesn't mean she agrees with everything that the city does or doesn't do, but she has a way of making sure people felt heard and she asked good questions and she's not coming at the city with any negative intent to hurt or harm anyone. And to me, that goes a very long way.
She's very kind and very generous with her time and making pies and everything else that she does. But, uh, I'm glad to see that she she's getting I think she's welld deserved and, you know, she's awesome. >> Definitely, I agree. Shree lady, pie lady, the lady. So, um, yeah, that's certainly welld deserved like you said.
So, we appreciate the updates, Jerome, as always, and we'll catch up again in a couple weeks for the next commission highlight. >> Okay, sounds good. Thank you. >> You can visit northportfl.gov/meings to view the agendas for upcoming meetings or watch videos of any meeting you missed. We'll be bringing you more
highlights after the next commission meeting later this month. Thanks for tuning in to Northport Now. Be sure to check out the show notes for links and more details on everything we covered today. Have a great week, Northport, and don't forget to stay informed, stay
engaged, and stay connected.