North Port commissioners direct staff to reinstate Warm Mineral Springs annual pass amid affordability concerns

North Port commissioners on Feb. 2 directed city staff to reactivate the annual pass for Warm Mineral Springs at fiscal‑year‑2025 rates while keeping the current multi‑visit pass structure, after public commenters and commissioners pressed staff on affordability and transparency.

The directive came during a workshop discussion of the park’s fee structure. Longtime patrons urged the commission to restore an annual pass so residents on fixed incomes could bring guests without facing steep per‑visit costs. “The city is not full of rich people, lot of fixed incomes, and raising the prices, which are already kinda high, frankly, is not gonna attract more patronage,” said Joseph Grizo during public comment.

Parks and Recreation Director Sandy Funheller summarized the history of the change, noting an ordinance process in July 2025 that amended the City fee schedule and that staff discontinued the annual pass on Sept. 30, 2025 after finding no sales for that product. Funheller told commissioners staff ran an outreach campaign and sold eight annual resident passes during the September outreach. She described implemented changes including a new Sarasota County resident rate and a reduction in the 30‑visit pass discount from about 66.67% to 50% and presented three options: reactivate the prior annual pass at FY25 rates; reactivate with updated pricing and eligibility tiers (city resident, Sarasota County resident, senior, veteran); or add promotional flexibility to the multi‑visit pass.

Aquatics Manager Devon Pulis said a change in residency classification explains part of why nonresident 30‑visit pass sales rose between fiscal years: the area around the springs is unincorporated Sarasota County, which increases the nonresident share. On attendance and capacity, Pulis said the City typically begins limiting entry when there are about 600 people in the water for safety reasons and provided Oct.–Dec. fiscal‑year attendance figures (about 30,075 previously, 36,201 in the current period). Pulis gave a current split of roughly 59% nonresidents, 8% Sarasota County residents and 30% city residents.

Commissioners pressed staff on senior and veteran discounts. Staff recommended applying those targeted discounts to an annual pass rather than stacking them on heavily discounted multi‑visit passes, saying they would run the numbers to ensure fiscal alignment. Funheller also reported a projected fund balance near $1.7 million as of Sept. 30 that could support building renovations and said staff expect to have a guaranteed maximum price for construction in March.

Vice Mayor Langdon sought a consensus direction to have the city manager reactivate the annual pass at the FY25 rates and bring back an amended ordinance; the commission recorded unanimous consensus. The directive was entered as a consensus note for staff to prepare an ordinance for future commission review.

The commission did not hold a formal roll‑call vote on the ordinance at the workshop; staff and commissioners said additional calculations and ordinance language would be produced and returned for review.