5 Reasons to Love Living in North Port: The People Who Serve It

Published on September 08, 2026

In this weekly five-part series, I’m highlighting five of the many reasons people choose to call North Port home. From education and local businesses to our natural environment, quality of life and the dedicated public servants who make it all possible, these are the amenities, investments and people that help our city prosper.

“I wouldn’t want your job.”

As the City Manager of North Port, that’s something I hear from members of the public from time to time. And I understand why. Working in local government isn’t always easy. The decisions we make can be complicated, the challenges are significant, and public servants face more scrutiny, criticism and distrust than ever before.

But my response is always the same:

I wouldn’t want any other job.

And I know I’m not alone in feeling that way.

For many of us, public service isn’t simply a career. It’s a calling. We choose to serve because we believe in community and want to make a difference in the place we call home.

That is especially true in local government. We are closest to the people we serve. Our employees live here, raise their families here, shop here and experience the same roads, parks, utilities and services as our residents.

Every day, City employees serve this community, often working behind the scenes. They maintain roads and parks, respond to emergencies, keep our water safe, help residents navigate City services, protect our community and so much more.

And they do it because they care.

North Port is one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities. Just this week, we officially crossed the 100,000-resident mark! That growth brings incredible opportunities, but also challenges. Keeping pace requires dedicated people willing to solve problems, adapt and find better ways to serve.

Our employees do that every day.

Of course, we don’t always get everything right. We hear criticism, and we should. Accountability is an important part of serving the public. But behind every City service, project and decision are people determined to give their best to this community.

That deserves recognition.

As we approach Labor Day, let’s take a moment to thank those who make North Port work. Not just the employees we see, but those less visible who contribute in ways large and small.

They are your neighbors, friends and fellow community members.

They answer the call when a storm approaches, fix the roads you drive on, care for the park where your children play, respond when you need help and deliver the services that keep us moving forward.

They choose to serve something bigger than themselves.

That is what makes public service special.

And that is why, when someone tells me they wouldn’t want my job, I smile. I get to work with people who care deeply about this community and are proud to play a part in its future.

I get to watch a city grow, not from the sidelines, but alongside the people building it.

Most importantly, I get to serve the place we call home.

So this Labor Day, please join me in saying thank you to the men and women who serve North Port. Thank you for the early mornings and long days, difficult decisions and challenging conversations, and the countless things you do that most people never see.

And thank you for choosing public service.

Because a great city isn’t defined by buildings, roads or infrastructure alone. It is built by people who care enough to show up, serve their neighbors and leave their community better than they found it.

I am grateful to serve alongside those people.

And I can’t think of a better reason to love living in North Port.

Jerome Fletcher is the North Port City Manager. He can be reached at jfletcher@NorthPortFL.gov.