Sarasota city commissioners sworn in, pick Battie as mayor for 2022-23

Two years after he was elected to the Sarasota City Commission as the District 2 representative, Kyle Battie is now mayor.

During Monday’s statutory meeting of the commission to swear in newly re-elected Jen Ahearn-Koch and newcomer Debbie Trice as at-large members, commissioners unanimously selected Battie, who served as vice mayor this past year, to succeed Erik Arroyo at the center of the dais. Commissioners Liz Alpert and Ahearn-Koch have served previously as mayor for a year, as had Hagen Brody, who ran an unsuccessful bid for Sarasota County Commission rather than seek reelection.

First, though, Arroyo delivered his state of the city address, highlighting accomplishments of the previous year including crime reduction, the launch of the Bay Runner trolley service and micro transit bike and scooter programs, the opening of the Lofts on Lemon affordable housing development, the comprehensive plan amendments designed to encourage more attainable and affording housing in the city, redevelopment of the Bobby Jones Golf Complex and, most recently, the adoption of a new city seal.

“Just imagine an affordable city where college graduates can return to work and live closer to their parents,” Arroyo said. “Imagine a city where there was a designated funding source to purchase waterfront land for public use. Imagine a city that demanded more strict building standards for waterfront properties and more strict noise insulation standards for properties in the downtown core. Imagine a city that embraces renewable sources of energy incorporated into public park. Imagine a city where every neighborhood has a local business where residents can get their basic necessities within walking distance. … All of this is possible in your city if we continue to support the tireless efforts of your elected representatives and professional city staff.”

Alpert credited Brody, who delivered an impassioned speech of his own during which he paused to compose himself, for pushing to keep many of the initiatives mentioned by Arroyo at the forefront during his tenure.

After Ahearn-Koch and Trice were sworn in and seated, Arroyo himself nominated Battie as his successor.

“I always start these things off by thanking God almighty,” Battie said in his first address as mayor. "Who saw this? I didn’t, but He did. He took a nobody like me and turned me into somebody who’s front of everybody without asking anybody.”

Battie thanked his two predecessors under whom he served — Brody and Arroyo — for laying the groundwork and leaving what he called big shoes to fill in the coming year.

“We have a lot of challenges that we'll be facing, and hopefully whether we agree or disagree we do so with respect because we need that in order for the city to be the greatest city not only in the state, but in the United States of America.”