North Port commission approves agenda; resident asks staff to study charter language on elected-official communications

The North Port City Commission unanimously approved its June 4 meeting agenda and heard a public comment urging the city to study whether its charter should spell out how elected officials may communicate with staff.

At the start of the meeting the commission voted 5-0 to approve the agenda after Commissioner Stokes moved the motion and the vice mayor seconded it. The presiding official then opened the public-comment period.

Steven Harrison, who identified himself as a member of the Charter Review Advisory Board but said he was speaking only as an individual resident, asked the commission to direct staff to contact the cities of Venice and Charlotte County to learn how those jurisdictions handle communication between elected officials and staff. "Both jurisdictions allow elected officials to communicate directly with staff to obtain information, make inquiries, and in some cases conduct investigations while maintaining the commissioner-manager form of government," Harrison said.

Harrison said he had previously emailed commissioners with charter language and asked that North Port staff research whether similar provisions would be appropriate for the city's charter. He added that he was not suggesting anyone had acted improperly and said he fully supported city officials and staff.

The record does not show the commission immediately directing staff to take the action Harrison requested. The meeting proceeded to a series of proclamations and recognitions after public comment and adjourned later the same day.