North Port — The City Commission of North Port on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, adopted the city’s fiscal year 2025–26 millage rate and approved the non‑district budget while failing to authorize two separate ordinances that would have elevated the communications and information technology divisions to full departments.

City Manager Fletcher told the commission the tentative budget is based on a 3.7667 millage rate — $3.7667 per $1,000 of assessed value — and said that rate is budgeted to generate $39,421,820 in general‑fund revenues at a 96.5% collection rate. "The proposed millage rate is budgeted to generate $39,421,820 in general fund revenues and a 96.5 collection rate," Fletcher said.

The millage ordinance (Ordinance No. 2025‑24) passed 5–0. The manager said the ad valorem revenue increase is tied to personnel costs for 14 additional general‑fund positions, increased facility maintenance for deferred projects, a transfer to the renewal and replacement fund for future capital needs, generator improvements, and the city share of roof replacements for Fire Stations 83 and 84.

The commission voted twice on separate second‑reading ordinances to change the status of the communications division and the information technology (IT) division to departments. Both ordinances (Ordinance Nos. 2025‑26 for communications and 2025‑27 for IT) failed to pass because neither received the unanimous affirmative vote the commission required for that change. Each measure drew a 3–2 tally in favor but failed under the city’s stated voting threshold.

Separately, the commission considered the city’s non‑district budget and capital improvement ordinance (Ordinance No. 2025‑25). The City Manager had asked the commission to adopt an option that would exclude funding for elevating communications and IT to department status. A motion to adopt the ordinance as presented (removing the elevation funding) passed 4–1, with Commissioner Petro recorded in the transcript as dissenting.

Public comment at the meeting focused on public safety and the proposed department changes. Debbie McDowell, a resident, urged the commission to prioritize public safety over creating new departments. "Please vote no to creating 2 new departments," McDowell said, and noted that roughly $100,000 was available in the budget that could be used to add police staffing or support personnel.

Mayor Stokes convened and closed the special meeting. The meeting record shows the commission approved the agenda at the start of the session by a 5–0 vote.

What changed and what didn’t: the city adopted the millage and the broader non‑district budget language (including the exclusion of funding for the two department elevations), but the two standalone ordinances that would have elevated communications and IT failed because they did not meet the commission’s required affirmative threshold.

The commission did not take further formal action at the meeting on public proposals to change residency or activity restrictions for registered offenders; such requests were made during public comment and not before the commission as an ordinance or formal item.

The meeting was adjourned at about 5:18 p.m.