NORTH PORT — After serving four years on the board, researching issues, traveling to lobby for the city and answering hundreds of residents’ emails each month, former North Port city commissioner David Garofalo now is taking time for himself.

Garofalo, 36, who lost the Nov. 6 election to Cheryl Cook, says he is happy and has found time to do what he wants instead of reading voluminous pages of contracts, proposals and backup materials for the next City Commission meeting, or dressing in a suit and tie to attend a Florida League of Cities conference.