State of the City Address reflects on North Port's 65th year

Published on January 24, 2025

City Manager Jerome Fletcher delivered his 2025 State of the City Address on Thursday, emphasizing the City's focus on infrastructure enhancement and economic development. The speech was delivered at the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting at Suncoast Technical College.

2024 marked the City’s 65th birthday, creating a benchmark to measure its progress since its incorporation in 1959.

Fletcher celebrated significant achievements of the past year, including welcoming 286 new businesses to North Port and major healthcare developments starting to come to life.

"Having our own hospitals means that we are not just a sleepy little town anymore. We're building a community," Fletcher said.

The City Manager praised the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) update as a game-changing initiative. Not only did the update put the code in line with state and federal law, it also created opportunities for commercial development necessary to sustain North Port’s future.

Infrastructure improvements were also highlighted, including the City’s Road Rehabilitation Project, Water Control Structure enhancements and the Price Boulevard Widening Project, expected to begin this year. Fletcher addressed financial challenges with these continuous improvements, emphasizing the balance of the will of the voters and responsibility as public servants.

The speech acknowledged the dedication of City staff and the importance of community engagement. Fletcher encouraged residents to stay involved and “come along for the journey with us.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Fletcher expressed confidence in North Port's future.

"With this strong sense of community spirit and the dedication of our City team, I am confident that North Port will continue to thrive,” Fletcher said. “We will continue to build on the strong foundation we've laid in 2024.”

Fletcher’s full remarks, as prepared, and a video can be viewed at NorthPortFL.gov/StateOfTheCity.