City Commission picks Alpert as mayor

Liz Alpert is the new mayor of Sarasota, elected today at an annual City Commission meeting held to fill the position.

Alpert, who served as vice mayor for the past year, replaces outgoing mayor Shelli Freeland Eddie. The board voted 3-2 to select Alpert, with commissioners Hagen Brody and Willie Shaw casting their votes for Shaw.

In the city’s commission-manager system of government, the mayor is a ceremonial position elected by the board every year. The commissioner selected as mayor presides over City Commission meetings.

Ahead of the vote, Alpert asked the rest of the commission to support her as the most senior member of the board who has not served as mayor. Afterward, she expressed her excitement about assuming the role for the next year.

“I’m truly very humbled by this opportunity to serve as mayor of this great city of Sarasota,” Alpert said.

Before the selection of a new mayor, Eddie delivered the annual State of the City address. In her speech, Eddie detailed a list of accomplishments within the city during the past year. She also mentioned some issues the commission will face in the next year, including the forthcoming budget process for fiscal year 2018-19 and the potential adoption of a new form-based zoning code.

The board unanimously selected Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch as vice mayor.

“I look forward to another year of challenges and achievements,” Ahearn-Koch said.