Ocala City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026

The Ocala City Council met on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 4:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Ocala City Hall. All members were present: Mayor Ben Marciano, Pro Tem Jay A. Musleh, Council Members Kristen Dreyer, James P. Hilty Sr., Barry Mansfield, and Council President Ire Bethea Sr. The meeting included proclamations, presentations, unanimous approval of the consent agenda, 11 public hearings for ordinances, 12 general business items, an internal auditor's report, department reports, public comments, and discussions on future policy.

Proclamations and Awards

• Mayor's Citizen Recognition Award presented to Heaven Colon for offering free classes on domestic violence, mental health, breast cancer, and autism, and for community service.
• Constitution Week Proclamation presented to Holly Denton, Regent of the Ocala Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, proclaiming September 17-23 as Constitution Week.
• Resolution honoring Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Stanley Edwards Sr. presented to his son Richard Edwards, recognizing his service as a former city councilman, pastor, and civil rights activist.

Presentations

• Healthy Ocala Analytics Report: Presented by Jen Houser (Creative Springs), Lauren Debick (Creative Springs), and Debra Velez (Marion County Hospital District). The initiative includes a resource directory, social media, and digital advertising. Since launch, display ads received 750,000 impressions, video ads 107,000 impressions, and the website had 30,000 sessions (a 228% increase from the previous nine months). Most-visited categories: housing/utilities, behavioral health, food/clothing. Total investment: $54,000 ($44,000 from hospital district, $10,000 from city).
• United Way Outstanding Campaign Coordinator Award: Presented to Christopher Ramos and Otania Brunelle for leading the city's campaign that raised $92,278 for United Way of Marion County.
• Florida Public Relations Association Government Team of the Year Award: Presented to the Public Information Office, led by Gregory Davis. Greg Davis also provided a communications update showing social media growth of 2,811 followers in six months and top posts reaching 175,000 people.

Consent Calendar

• All six items approved unanimously (5-0) without discussion:
  • Resolution 2026-52 accepting donation of “Zebra Longwing” sculpture bench (valued at $7,000).
  • Budget Resolution 2026-157 appropriating $200/year for 10 years for sculpture maintenance.
  • One-year renewal with Milsoft Utility Solutions ($96,216).
  • Additional expenditures with Uptown Services, LLC ($93,000).
  • Assignment of airport ground lease from Tartan Holdings to Aeroplex Ocala Hangar Association.
  • Approval of City Council meeting minutes.

Public Hearings (Second and Final Readings of Ordinances)

All ordinances were approved unanimously (5-0) after staff presentations and public testimony where applicable.

• 9a: Alcohol license for on-premises consumption at La Quinta Inn & Suites (3530 SW 36th Ave). No objections; staff recommended approval.
• 9b: Alcohol license for off-premises consumption at BJ's Wholesale Club #260 (7030 SW 59th Ave). Applicant representative Michael Martinez spoke in support. No objections.
• 9c-9f: Four ordinances (2026-28, 29, 33, 34) to change future land use designations and rezone city-owned properties on NW Martin Luther King Jr. Ave and NW 14th St to Public and Governmental Use. Staff said properties lacked appropriate designations; no public comment.
• 9g: Ordinance 2026-30 rezoning 5.93 acres at 314/28 NW 14th St and 1332 NW Magnolia Terrace from M-1/B-4 to M-1 (Light Industrial) for continued industrial expansion. No public comment.
• 9h: Ordinance 2026-31 rezoning 3.23 acres at 1501 NW 14th St from G-U to B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to resolve inconsistent zoning for a radio tower property. Councilmember Mansfield asked if the tower would be affected; staff said no. Approved.
• 9i: Ordinance 2026-32 rezoning 3.05 acres at 1700 block NE 18th Place from M-1 to M-2 (Medium Industrial) to unify zoning for B&W Landholdings. No public comment.

General Business

All items approved unanimously (5-0).

• 10a: One-year renewal with McShea Contracting for citywide traffic striping ($550,000). Councilmember Hilty raised concerns about grinding of old markings; staff explained grinding only when exceeds threshold.
• 10b: Three-year agreement with Atlantic Pipe Services for stormwater pipeline inspection/maintenance (not to exceed $450,000).
• 10c: One-year renewal with Odyssey Manufacturing for liquid sodium hypochlorite ($670,000) with 2.8% CPI increase ($1.79 to $1.84/gallon).
• 10d: Purchase of Hach Company equipment and accessories ($100,000) for water/wastewater monitoring.
• 10e: One-year renewal with Perfection Collision Carstar for auto body repairs ($150,000).
• 10f: Three-year contract with Restocon LLC for concrete repair services ($250,000).
• 10g: One-year renewal with VIP Security & Investigations for citywide security ($399,000). Councilmember Dreyer praised the security team.
• 10h: One-year renewal agreements for professional engineering services (multiple firms).
• 10i: Purchase of inventory items for Ocala Fiber Network from Gresco, Inc. ($495,494).
  • Public comment opposed: Turner Lozell of the James Madison Institute argued against expanding the city-owned fiber network, citing 96% coverage by private providers, taxpayer risk (citing Dunellon's debt), and potential discouragement of private investment. He asked the council to release a feasibility study and put bond financing to a vote. Council did not respond; the item passed unanimously.
• 10j: Task work order with McFarland-Johnson for Holding Bay Design at Ocala International Airport ($182,776), funded by FAA grant.
• 10k: Resolution 2026-53 accepting FAA Contract Tower Competitive Grant ($220,000) for air traffic control tower rehabilitation. Airport director noted total cost may exceed grant by ~$25,994, covered by airport fund. No match required.
• 10l: Appointment to Airport Advisory Board. Three applicants: Camp Clifford, Robert Little, Paul Neering. Councilmembers expressed support for Clifford and Little. Ballot vote: Camp Clifford appointed (4 votes for Clifford, 1 for Little).

Internal Auditor's Report

• Vincent Lovino presented an advisory on segregation of duties within the pension process. Found that the pension process was never designed with separation of duties; a generically named user account, undocumented changes, and manual spreadsheet calculations were used. Risk rated high due to $452 million pension fund. Recommended a forensic accounting specialist for retroactive review. Management accepted findings but considered risk within tolerance. Council discussed and suggested taking the recommendation to the three pension boards for a decision on a forensic audit.
• Supply Chain Cybersecurity Incident Report: Status update provided. Draft report completed, vetted by legal, and distributed to departments. Internal audit plans to present final report at the September 15 council meeting. City recovered approximately 90% of remaining funds after the incident.

City Manager's Report

• Peter Lee reported that Parking Garage Two is near completion (soft open by end of week or early next week). Hotel construction continues; Broadway lanes remain closed. Future downtown parking discussions planned.

Ocala Police Department Report

• Chief Mike Balkins reported 7,400 total incidents (16% increase), 2,700 dispatched calls, nearly 300 crimes, over 200 arrests, 1,200 traffic stops, 160 crashes. Property crime driven by retail theft; joint operation with sheriff's office led to 48 arrests and recovery of $7,600 in stolen merchandise. Received FDOT directive to remove license plate reader cameras from state roadways within two weeks.

Ocala Fire Rescue Department Report

• Chief Clint Welburn reported 1,179 calls in the period (18,659 year-to-date), including 133 accidents, two fires, 35 community paramedicine calls. Storms on August 18 and 22 caused damage to three homes (no injuries). Announced September 11 remembrance ceremony at Veterans Park at 8:30 AM, followed by Feed the Fearless event.

Public Comments

• Albert Kaminsky (Spectrum Governmental Affairs) welcomed new customers after Spectrum/Cox merger, highlighted offers (free year of mobile service, $1,000 savings guarantee, U.S.-based customer service), and noted Spectrum's $30,000 grant to United Way and $18,000 to Marion County Senior Services.
• Ryan Panzagraft (5705 SW 108th St) expressed frustration with the city manager's delayed response (nearly a month) regarding questions about a financial incident, praised police chief and mayor for transparency, and criticized the chief of staff for telling him to sit down at a prior meeting. He called for more transparency and communication. Council President Bethea responded, acknowledging the need for timely communication but noting that the public commenter had been upset. Panzagraft reiterated his concerns.

Comments by Mayor and Council

• Mayor Marciano: Announced a focus on synthetic kratom, planning a video series and proposing an ordinance to limit smoke shops near schools (similar to county initiative). Council directed staff to look into the ordinance.
• Councilmember Hilty: Expressed support for city staff, acknowledging operational errors but affirming their integrity and dedication.
• Councilmember Dreyer: Raised the issue of transportation impact fees, noting a business charged $100,000 by the county. She pressed for progress on a mobility fee that would give the city control over its fees. Staff reported ongoing negotiations with the county, with a meeting expected soon. Dreyer emphasized council's unanimous support for city control.

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items, public hearings, and general business items were approved unanimously (5-0).
• Camp Clifford appointed to the Airport Advisory Board for a four-year term ending September 1, 2030.
• Internal auditor's recommendation for a forensic pension audit will be presented to the three pension boards for consideration.
• Council directed staff to explore an ordinance limiting smoke shops near schools, following the mayor's proposal.
• Staff will continue negotiations with Marion County on a mobility fee interlocal agreement and report back to council.
• The next council meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2026, at 4:00 PM, with a second public hearing on the FY 2026/27 budget and final millage rates at 5:01 PM.