MAYOR PROPOSES CUTTING CITY COUNCIL BY 2

VENICE MAYOR JOHN HOLIC HAS BEEN BUSY THIS WEEK SENDING OUT MEMOS TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ONE OF WHICH IS SURE TO STIR SOME CONTROVERSY.  HOLIC SAYS HE WILL ASK THEM TO CHANGE THEIR COMPOSITION FROM SEVEN TO FIVE MEMBERS, BRINGING IT IN LINE WITH MOST OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE SOUTHWEST PLEX.  HOLIC ALSO SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE LENGTH OF THE TERM FROM THREE TO FOUR YEARS TO COINCIDE WITH EVEN NUMBERED ELECTION YEARS.  HOLIC ESTIMATES THE CITY WOULD SEE A 28% REDUCTION IN SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.  HE WROTE THAT NORTH PORT, THE CITY OF SARASOTA, AND SARASOTA COUNTY…ALL COUNCILS THAT REPRESENT A LARGER CONSTITUENCY THEN THAT OF VENICE DO SO WITH FIVE-PERSON COUNCILS.  HOLIC WROTE ANOTHER MEMO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS TUESDAY SAYING HE WILL SEEK CONSENSUS TO MAKE INTERIM CITY MANAGER NANCY WOODLEY’S POSITION PERMANENT.  WOODLEY WAS THE CITY ENGINEER UNTIL FORMER CITY MANAGER ISSAC TURNER RESIGNED ON FEBRUARY 8^TH, AND HOLIC SAID WOODLEY IS A PROVEN LEADER AND A KNOWN ENTITY WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS ACTING CITY MANAGER.