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Punta Gorda 1% sales-tax committee reviews final project batch, flags downtown flooding and public safety as top priorities

1% Local Sales Tax Committee · January 13, 2026

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Summary

At its Jan. 13 meeting the 1% Local Sales Tax Committee reviewed final project submissions and recommended priorities for Council consideration; members asked staff to return corrected cost data and discussed funding tiers, with downtown flooding phase 3 rated highest.

The Punta Gorda 1% Local Sales Tax Committee met Jan. 13 to review the final batch of candidate projects and prepare a ranked list for the City Council’s March 11 review.

Committee members moved to approve the Dec. 9 minutes (Sherry Danko moved to approve “the December 9 meeting minutes as presented,” and Mike Fox seconded), then began a short-form review of projects that had been presented in December.

Finance Director Kristen Simeone told the committee the local-option 1% sales tax has produced “about 4 and a half million dollars per fiscal year” recently and recommended planning conservatively on roughly $4,000,000 per year for a six-year cycle (approximately $22.5 million total) when assembling tier 1 and tier 2 priorities. Simeone said Council traditionally sets a tiered approach so the city funds the highest priorities first and uses additional funds for next-tier projects.

Staff presented a range of projects across parks, waterfront, streetscape and utilities. Downtown flooding phase 3 was the highest-rated project to date, followed by a replacement fire truck and a public-safety expansion, according to the ranking packets. Several park and waterfront projects were discussed in detail, including Gilchrist Park Harbor Walk seating and shade, a proposed Waterfront Sports Activity Center for non-motorized boats, Harborwalk improvements at Lashley Park and Merage Point, and living-shoreline pilot concepts that could include oyster beds and mangrove plantings.

Committee members repeatedly asked staff to provide a single linear ranking (highest to lowest) and to append clear cost estimates for each project. Several projects include only preliminary cost ranges: Harborwalk improvements at Merage Point were described as “almost, just under 1000000 dollar project”; Trebut Park design and construction was presented with a construction estimate larger than $1,500,000; South Punta Gorda Park near Fire Station 2 showed a preliminary $4,000,000 estimate; airport-road complete-street construction was noted as partially funded with a larger unfunded portion.

Members also flagged data issues on project sheets (for example, a lift-station project title that did not match the line-item text). Staff agreed to check the budget book, correct numbering and cost entries, and return with a consolidated ranking and cost-addendum at the committee’s February meeting.

The committee closed the meeting after agreeing to return the projects, with any added technical detail, for final ranking in February. A motion to adjourn was carried by voice vote.