City manager describes retirement decision as 'heartfelt anguish'

As early as fall 2023, Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown first hinted to key staff and city commissioners of the possibility he may retire this year.

That was among the revelations made in the letter of resignation he wrote to commissioners dated Aug. 15. Per his employment agreement, Brown is required to give a 60-day notice of resignation to provide an opportunity to begin a search to replace him. In the letter, he offered to remain in his position until a successor is appointed or the commission decides otherwise.

In his letter Brown, 61,  wrote that his decision to retire now included both professional and personal factors.

“At the beginning of the year, I shared with you both professional challenges never experienced in my career and life challenges that I continue to face that led to my decision,” Brown wrote. “Adding to my decision were 31 years of government service, with that being one year more than what I set out as my target goal in this field, coupled with witnessing very close family, friends and colleagues leave us unexpectedly without having accomplished other lifelong career and personal opportunities/goals/dreams.”

Brown spent the last 15 years of his government administration career — all 31 of them in Florida — in Sarasota, coming to the city as deputy city manager in 2009. He was named city manager in January 2021.

"I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to Marlon Brown for what he has accomplished during his time in Sarasota," Mayor Liz Alpert told the Observer. "I have worked with him for nine years and can unequivocally say that he was an incredible city manager, and I will miss him very much. It will be my goal to make sure that the vision we shared for the city will be realized."

Brown’s letter is a combination of expressions of gratitude, hope for the city’s future and multiple paragraphs of caution, urging the commission not to succumb to what he called the vocal minority over the will of the silent majority. 

He concluded it by recommending Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson as his successor.

“During my tenure, both as deputy city manager and as city manager, our organization has achieved remarkable accomplishments that should be celebrated and recognized,” Brown wrote. “Together with you, we have laid the foundation and set in motion a vision for our city to further realize an even brighter economic and prosperous future despite opposition from a vocal minority. 

“Our city has grown into a municipality that is widely recognized and respected statewide, nationally and internationally, and as a result many have now chosen Sarasota as their home,” he continued. “My greatest fear is that the voices of dissent and their constant negative discourse will overshadow our achievements and jeopardize our city's continued progressive future, our low tax rate, our strong financial position and visible economic prosperity accessible to and enjoyed by our residents and businesses.”

Sentiments expressed in the letter suggest his decision to retire was not an easy one — describing it as “with heartfelt anguish” — and that while he has no specific plans for his next career move, he is embracing the opportunity.

“I am ready and excited to discover and fully embrace new challenges that may arise and to begin my next chapter,” he wrote.

Brown is the city’s third charter official to announce his retirement this year. City Attorney Robert Fournier and Deputy City Attorney Michael Connolly informed commissioners earlier this year that they plan to retire next spring.