Governmental affairs director to serve in role until new city manager takes over
Jennifer Jorgensen, the City of Sarasota’s director of governmental affairs, will serve as interim city manager effective as of 5:01 p.m. on Friday, March 6, city staff has announced.
That is the precise time that current interim City Manager Dave Bullock will step down “to resume retirement,” a city news release said.
In January 2018, Bullock had retired from his position as manager of the Town of Longboat Key.
In February, Jorgensen won unanimous City Commission approval to fill the gap until the new city manager, Karie Friling of the Chicago area, begins work, the March 5 news release noted. (See the related article in this issue.)
“I’m honored the City Commission has faith and confidence in me to serve in this temporary role,” said Jorgensen in the release. “We have a dedicated team, and we’re committed to serving the community. Thank you to Dave Bullock for his insightful counsel and wisdom and to Deputy City Manager Pat Robinson and the department directors for their support during this short-term appointment,” she added in the release.
Jorgensen was hired in January 2023 as the governmental relations manager and then was promoted to director of governmental affairs in December 2023, the release continued. In the latter capacity, she has been “responsible for the city’s legislative strategy and policy goals,” along with the Procurement, Special Events and Grants divisions. “Jorgensen also is the senior staff point person” coordinating with the Bay Park Conservancy for the buildout of The Bay Park in downtown Sarasota, along with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation as its leaders work on plans for a new performing arts center for the community, the release explained. (See the related article in this issue about the performing arts venue.)
“Directly prior to joining the City of Sarasota, Jorgensen was employed by The Walt Disney Company with responsibilities that included overseeing global vendor strategy” and negotiating and administering vendor and service agreements, the release said.
She earned a Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law, the release noted, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from the University of Minnesota.
Her annual salary as the interim manager will be $228,000, as set out in her employment agreement that the city commissioners approved on Feb. 27.
Another detail in that agreement is the fact that she will not be required to relocate from a home outside the city limits to one within those limits, as required of the city manager.
Further, in regard to her hours of work, the document said, “Employee agrees to devote that amount of time and energy which is necessary for Employee to faithfully perform the duties of Manager under this Agreement.”