Sarasota’s Bay Master Plan calls for new performing arts center
A master plan by the city of Sarasota calls for the creation of a new performing arts center in Bay Park that will accommodate more people than the Van Wezel.
After 31 years in local government, including 15 years with the City of Sarasota, City Manager Marlon Brown has announced his retirement. As someone who helped lead Brown’s rise to City Manager, I would like to express my gratitude – on behalf of many – for his years of service to our community.
As a newly elected commissioner, I quickly became friends with City Manager Brown because we both shared a philosophy of getting things done quickly. It required us to use the limited time we had in our privileged positions to achieve lasting results for the people of Sarasota. This philosophy was a refreshing contrast to the indecision and obstructionism that had plagued City Hall in the past.
Brown’s leadership skills were unmistakable: He was straightforward with the City Commission, city staff and our citizens. His pleasant tone, broad smile and easy laugh softened the delivery of his passionate messages on issues of general public concern and helped temper the harsh truths that sometimes needed to be communicated. And his willingness to listen — coupled with his experience and eagerness to make progress on key issues — made him the clear choice for strong leadership following the retirement of his predecessor.
By charter, our city manager has most of the executive powers normally afforded to an elected mayor, but he acts at the will of the city commission, not the will of the voting public. Make no mistake: The city manager is the most powerful person in local government, and Marlon Brown was up to the challenge of providing the strong leadership Sarasota needed.
We handed him the reins at a historic moment when Sarasota’s affordable housing crisis, exacerbated by misleading rhetoric from disingenuous advocates, had reached a critical point. On top of that, our local economy – still reeling from the fifth longest red tide outbreak in Florida’s history – was now facing a global pandemic.
Brown’s work ethic and commitment to our citizens were undeniable. It was common to find him sitting at his computer, answering emails from constituents long after the lights went out at City Hall. And despite having to lead our city through the largest pandemic response in our history, Brown did not let that stop him from engaging the community in its commitment to the future.
The City Manager played a key role in the creation of The Bay, our newest regional waterfront park in downtown Sarasota. He was instrumental in revitalizing and adjusting the size of the historic Bobby Jones Golf Course – allowing for the restoration of acres of protected wetlands and the development of a new nature park. Working with the City Commission, Brown also successfully negotiated the conservation easement that protects this green space from development in perpetuity.
Brown was instrumental in introducing and expanding new transportation options and infrastructure for commuters. The city manager has also been a strong ally of our arts and cultural institutions, supporting the return of the Players Theatre to the city and laying the groundwork for a modern performing arts venue that is essential for Sarasota to remain the heart of the “Culture Coast.”
He cares deeply about ordinary workers and local businesses, who are too often dismissed as “special interests” by those pursuing their own interests. This motivated the city manager to successfully introduce a series of award-winning zoning changes that prioritize affordable housing in the city’s development.
He boosted the morale of our police department, proposed city budgets that lowered taxes, reduced inefficiencies in government, and expanded services – all with style, humor, and grace. That’s why I can safely say that without Marlon Brown’s leadership, many of our recent advances as a city simply wouldn’t have been possible.
Thank you, City Manager Brown, for all you have contributed to Sarasota. We can’t wait to see where your next chapter takes you.
Hagen Brody is a former mayor and city councilor of Sarasota.
