At the end of her first month in office, City Manager Karie Friling joined the DSCA Board on July 1 for a candid and wide-ranging discussion about downtown Sarasota and the City's future.

She began with an overview of her first weeks and several major matters facing the City. She also confirmed that she has placed a hold in anticipation of a very tight budget - an early indication of the financial discipline that will shape the upcoming budget process.

The discussion included:

• The potential effects of proposed Florida property-tax changes on City revenues, staffing, services, and capital projects

• Sarasota's principal challenges over the next five years and downtown's role in addressing them

• Opportunities for stronger cooperation between the City and Sarasota County

• The neighborhood impacts of rapid downtown construction

• The future of the Sarasota Performing Arts Center and other major community investments

• Her early impressions of Sarasota and City government
  
  

The meeting gave DSCA an important early opportunity to hear directly from the City's new chief executive and to ensure that downtown residents are represented in the conversations ahead.

Full Video: Click Here

Speaker Video: Click Here