Representatives of the Newtown Business Council updated the Newtown CRA advisory board on Jan. 9, 2025, describing a year of community engagement, prioritized strategies and organizational steps toward formal nonprofit status.

Why it matters: The council’s priorities inform local economic-development work that the CRA and city staff may support through grants, zoning and partnerships.

Mary Butler, president of the Newtown Business Council, told the board the council ran weekly meetings for six months in 2024, completed articles of incorporation, opened a bank account and filed for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Rochelle Gallant, business relations coordinator (City of Sarasota Office of Economic Development), said the council had engaged about 50 people in a July community gathering, used facilitators for topic groups and distilled community input into five “silos” for action: health and wellness; business and financial; arts and culture; youth education and mentorship; and safety and security.

Gallant read the top five community priorities identified under the business-and-financial silo: (1) need for a greater variety of service businesses, (2) rezoning of commercial districts, (3) parking and garage space, (4) reevaluation of green space, and (5) addressing unemployment and wages. The council plans to apply for an Equity Impact Initiative (EII) consultant through the U.S. Economic Development Administration to draft an action plan for each priority.

Butler said two facilitators — Judith Williams (business and finance) and Melanie Lavender (arts and cultural) — are working with the groups. The council listed community partners and members including Emeralds Park, Multicultural Health Institute, Bay First Bank, Opportunities for All and JBW Diversity Group.

Board members discussed alignment between the CRA plan and the council’s priorities, possible grant and program partnerships, and the importance of continuing community representation in the consultant selection and action-plan drafting. No formal board action was taken; staff will coordinate future alignment between the CRA plan and the council’s consultant-driven action plan.