Ocala City Council Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Ocala City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 4:00 PM in Council Chambers at Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue. Mayor Ben Marciano and all council members were present: Council President Ire Bethea Sr., Pro Tem Jay A. Musleh, and Council Members Kristen Dreyer, James P. Hilty Sr., and Barry Mansfield. The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 PM.

Proclamations and Awards

• Mayor Marciano presented the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Award to Tyler Corkern for his volunteer work mentoring youth through Young Life, promoting mental and social well-being, supporting people experiencing homelessness, and co-owning One Body Fitness with his wife.
• Mayor Marciano proclaimed April 24, 2026 as Arbor Day. Amy Liberty announced the city’s annual Earth Day/Earth Fest event at Tuscawilla Park on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, with free trees and pollinator plants; Anthony Santangelo noted Ocala Electric Utility and Tower Hill Nurseries would also give away trees.
• Service awards were presented: Captain Chris Hickman (Ocala Fire Rescue, 25 years), Robin Ford (Community Development Services, 35 years), Donna Guinn (Ocala Police Department, 35 years), and Howard Smallwood Jr. (Ocala Electric Utility, 35 years).

Presentations

• Natalie McComb, Executive Director of the Reilly Arts Center, and Adam Volpe, Senior Director of Operations and Programming, presented the annual Reilly Arts Center and Marion Theatre update: 125 events held so far, nearly 39,000 patrons, on track to exceed 50,000 by year end, and more than 30% of patrons from outside Marion County. The center provides about 125 music lessons weekly, awarded over $20,000 in need-based scholarships, and partners with Marion County Public Schools. Mayor Marciano confirmed Marion Theatre attendance is trending upward.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved unanimously (5-0) on a motion by James P. Hilty Sr., seconded by Kristen Dreyer. Approved items included adding Parcel 26297-000-01 to the surplus property list; renewal of janitorial contracts with Jani King of Jacksonville and Serviamigos Solutions, LLC ($51,694 aggregate); contracts to Stejack, LLC ($52,439) and The Ford Design Group, LLC ($83,880) for home rehabilitations; a Marion Rock, LLC change order for Lift Station No. 127 Force Main Reroute Phase 1 ($67,479); a one-year mosquito control renewal with Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management, Inc. ($85,000); the Circle Fore at S.W. 48th Avenue Developer’s Agreement; and City Council meeting minutes. Item 6h had been pulled before the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Roger Johnson, owner of the parcel next to Water Reclamation Facility No. 3, confirmed the plant’s location and expressed interest as an adjacent land manager during discussion of the expansion study.
• Thomas Berthardt wished to speak on one of the first-reading ordinances; he was informed the public hearing would occur at the next council meeting on May 5, 2026.

Ordinances and Public Hearings

• First readings were introduced for Ordinance 2026-12 (Comprehensive Plan amendment deleting Policies 18.13 and 18.24 on roughly 251.09 acres near SW 43rd Court), Ordinance 2026-13 (rezoning approximately 251.09 acres from PUD-06 and OP to PD), and Ordinance 2026-14 (rezoning approximately 283.55 acres west of I-75 and north of SW 66th Street from PUD-02 to PD). Second and final readings are scheduled for May 5, 2026.
• Ordinance 2026-10 was adopted 4-1 (Bethea voting no) to change the Future Land Use Map designation on approximately 74.11 acres in the 2300 block of NW 27th Avenue from Medium Intensity/Special District to Employment Center for Friends Recycling. Staff reported no state objections and consistency with the comprehensive plan.
• Ordinance 2026-11 was adopted 4-1 (Hilty voting no) to reduce the Airport Advisory Board quorum from four to three of five members. Council Member Hilty expressed concern about absenteeism and lack of formal attendance/term-limit policies; City Manager Pete Lee said broader board policies could be discussed at a future workshop.

General Business

• Approved unanimously (5-0) a property exchange agreement with Ocala SE 8th Street, LLC. The city will exchange most of a 2.7-acre parcel for a 2.18-acre parcel better suited to relocating and expanding an aging electric substation serving downtown and hospitals, retain a 0.6282-acre portion for its fiber facility, and use a temporary lease (about $1 per year for four years, then escalating fees) while decommissioning takes an estimated three years.
• Item 10b, the potable water sale/purchase agreement with Central State Water Resources for Oak Haven subdivision, was pulled.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) a two-year contract (with two one-year renewal options) to Marion Rock, LLC for the Parking Lot Improvement Program, not to exceed $1,000,000. Council Member Mansfield asked about grinding down old thermoplastic markings; City Engineer Sean Lanier agreed to review specific locations.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) Task Work Order No. 2 with McKim & Creed, Inc. for the Water Reclamation Facility No. 3 Expansion Conceptual Engineering Report ($128,118). The facility is permitted for 4 million gallons per day, operates at about 3.2 million gallons per day (about 80% capacity), and the study will examine doubling capacity to 8 million gallons per day within the existing site.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) the third amendment with In Depth, Inc. for water storage tank inspection and cleaning, not to exceed $150,000.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) use of a Sourcewell cooperative agreement to purchase an Atlas Copco mobile bypass pump from Hydra Service, Inc. for $188,281; the pump will provide backup for stationary lift-station pumps during maintenance.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) use of a Sourcewell cooperative agreement with National Auto Fleet Group to purchase four replacement Ocala Police Department vehicles for $226,495.
• Adopted unanimously (5-0) Budget Resolution 2026-135 transferring $92,444 from General Liability Claims funds for the police vehicles; Council Member Dreyer clarified the remainder comes from OPD’s Machinery and Equipment account.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) a State of Florida cooperative purchase with Deere & Company for a tractor with attachments for Ocala International Airport ($115,688) and adopted Budget Resolution 2026-136 transferring $115,688 from the Airport Reserve for Contingencies. The old tractor is 11 years old and had a transmission failure; staff said it would be sold through GovDeals.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) a two-year grounds maintenance agreement with Sulter Precision Cuts, LLC for the northeast quadrant ($108,284), 66 locations mowed 22 times per year.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) a three-year stormwater grounds maintenance agreement with Sulter Precision Cuts, LLC for the southeast quadrant ($294,840), 78 locations mowed 14 times per year. Council Member Hilty asked why the two contract terms differed; Public Works Director Darren Park said he would provide an answer.
• Approved unanimously (5-0) purchase of Ocala Electric Utility inventory items from multiple vendors in the amount of $1,005,746.
• By a ballot vote of 3-2, Council appointed Thaddius Neasman to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the remainder of a four-year term ending March 1, 2030; Council Members Musleh and Dreyer voted for Buck Martin.

Reports

• City Auditor Randall Bridgeman reported internal audit observations on OPD payroll: on-call compensation was not rotated fairly and overtime approval did not follow the employee handbook. One employee improperly received pay while on FMLA leave, requiring about $925 to be recovered. OPD has begun corrective actions, including a standing overtime order requiring supervisor approval and documentation; the auditor will monitor compliance for three months.
• Police Chief Balken reported 7,416 incidents (down 2% from last year), 303 criminal cases (up 7%), 238 arrests (up 13%), about 1,000 traffic stops, and 158 crashes. He highlighted the Evidence Unit: about 900 crime scenes processed last year, about 3,500 evidence items recovered, over 325 fingerprint hits, 18 DNA hits, and 25 ballistic matches; evidence inventory was reduced from 107,000 to 87,000 items.
• Deputy Fire Chief Richard Lietz reported 1,114 calls in the past two weeks (86 motor vehicle accidents, 2 structure fires, 42 community paramedicine calls), bringing year-to-date calls to 8,189. He highlighted a vehicle fire in the AdventHealth parking garage and a sawmill fire, and noted Marion County is under a red flag warning and a countywide burn ban.
• City Manager Pete Lee announced a City Council Strategic Planning Session on April 30, 2026 at 8:00 AM at Mary Sue Rich Community Center, and a June 9, 2026 workshop on boards/commissions and CRA procedures. Staff will meet with Senator McClain on April 23, 2026 regarding HB-399 and third-party fiber installation.

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda and General Business items presented for action were approved, mostly unanimously (5-0), except Ordinance 2026-10 and Ordinance 2026-11 each passed 4-1, and the Planning and Zoning appointment passed 3-2.
• Item 6h was pulled from the consent agenda, and item 10b was pulled from General Business.
• Next regular City Council meeting is May 5, 2026 at 4:00 PM, preceded by the Audit Committee at 3:30 PM. Council Member Hilty invited members to the Saving Mercy ribbon cutting on Friday, April 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM.
• Council Member Mansfield requested fiber-optic customer data (total customers, additions/cancellations over six months, vendors, service map, and city assets) and raised a constituent concern about kratom, prompting discussion of awareness and state-level action. Council Member Dreyer requested review of two intersections for possible four-way stops or traffic-control changes.