Employment contract approved for the next Sarasota city manager

Sarasota’s new city manager is signed and sealed, but not yet delivered. 

At the end of a second-straight marathon meeting, the Sarasota City Commission on March 23 unanimously approved a contract agreement with Karie Friling of suburban Chicago, Illinois. According to terms of the employment agreement brokered by City Attorney Joe Polzak, the tenure of the city’s first female city manager will officially begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 29. 

She will assume the role of city manager 19 months following the retirement of Marlon Brown in October 2024, the position filled on an interim basis by now-retired Public Works Director Doug Jeffcoat, former Longboat Key Town Manager Dave Bullock — who resumed his retirement on March 6 — and currently Manager of Government Affairs Jennifer Jorgensen.

Photo by Andrew Warfield

Joining the meeting remotely was Sumter Local Government Consulting principal Warren Hutmacher, whose firm facilitated the search, relaunched in September 2025, for Brown's successor. Friling also watched the proceedings online.

Hutmacher told commissioners Friling cleared all background checks conducted by Sumter.

“I just wanted to confirm that we have completed all of the background investigation on Miss Friling, including criminal, credit and reference checks,” he said. “We did reference (checks) with both folks she suggested and folks that she didn't suggest. All of the criminal and credit checks came out perfect.”

On Feb. 27, the City Commission unanimously agreed to name Friling, 58, as city manager, three days after a two-day immersive interview process for the five finalist candidates. She comes to Sarasota after spending much of her career in the Chicago area, her most recent position as executive director of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Illinois, where she has served since 2021. 

Previously, she was village manager of the Chicago suburb Village of Homer Glen, Illinois, from 2019 to 2021, and assistant village manager and development services director from 2006-2019.

Her compensation package includes:

• Starting annual base salary of $279,500 with cost of living increases of 2% for the first two years of employment. The advertised hiring range for the position was between $275,000 and $295,000.
• Vehicle allowance of $600 per month plus mileage reimbursement for official travel outside of Sarasota and Manatee counties.
• Relocation reimbursement not to exceed $17,500 unless otherwise approved by a majority of the City Commission.
• Up to $4,000 per month for temporary housing within the city limit not to exceed six months.
• Should Friling voluntarily resign or is terminated for cause within 24 months of employment, she shall reimburse the city on a prorated basis for relocation expenses paid.

Following the vote, City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs, who along with City Attorney Joe Polzak spearheaded the renewed search, put the lid on the 17-month city manager search by simply saying, “Congratulations, Ms. Friling.”