Sarasota City Commission approves $99,500 settlement in Stanley lawsuit

The Sarasota City Commission voted unanimously on Jan. 5 to settle litigation brought by Denisha Stanley against the City of Sarasota for $99,500, the commission announced after returning from a closed attorney‑client session.

City Attorney Polzak told the commission the closed session had been held under Section 286.011(8) of the Florida Statutes and that notice of the session, including the case name and logistics, had been provided in accordance with the statute. Polzak then invited the commission to make a motion based on the discussion in the closed session.

A motion to approve the recommended settlement amount was made and, according to the meeting record, was formally logged by the mayor as made by Commissioner Aharon Koch and seconded by Commissioner Batty. The motion described the settlement as an agreement to resolve Denisha Stanley v. City of Sarasota, case number 24‑CA‑003177, for $99,500. The commission voted 5‑0 to approve the settlement.

The record shows no votes were taken during the closed attorney‑client session itself. Attendees authorized to participate in the closed session, as read into the record, included the mayor, the vice mayor, the city commissioners, the interim city manager, the city attorney and deputy city attorney, and a certified court reporter. The meeting was then adjourned.

The action closes this phase of the litigation unless further court filings or public disclosures occur; the commission did not provide additional public detail about the underlying claims or the city’s financial accounting for the settlement during the open meeting.