Ocala council tables vote on management-fee amendment for Forking Tennis Center

Ocala City Council on Sept. 16 tabled consideration of an amendment that would pay the operator of the Forking Tennis Center a monthly management fee while the council asked staff for fuller financial records and a cost comparison with city operation.

The item (consent agenda item 6b) drew extended discussion after Recreation and Parks Director Julie Johnson told council the contractor, Jason Weiss Ventures Inc., has faced operating shortfalls as utilities, labor and court-maintenance supplies have risen. Johnson said the proposed amendment would add a management-fee payment of $1,900 per month for the remainder of the contract (October 1, 2025, through Jan. 30, 2030), described in the staff report as an annual $22,800 payment “not to exceed a total of $98,800.”

The amendment, Johnson said, follows an original procurement process: RFP REC/190417 led to a contract approved in February 2020 after Jason Weiss Ventures Inc. was selected. The contract had an initial five-year term plus a five-year renewal option; the city and contractor executed a first amendment in November 2024 to extend through Jan. 31, 2030.

Councilman Robert Hilty pressed staff on financial documentation. “To make a decision without seeing any financials is totally wrong,” Hilty said, adding that the renewal appeared timed so an amendment could be made without reissuing a public procurement. He also questioned whether it is fair for the city to “subsidize” a private operator when other local businesses face financial strain.

Johnson answered with the city’s current internal estimates for a municipally operated facility: she said membership and hourly revenues average about $105,765 a year and that, if the city operated the center directly, staffing and related costs would leave an annual net shortfall — mostly driven by roughly $182,000 in personnel costs. Johnson said some operation costs (for example, sales tax exemptions) differ between the city and a private operator, and that certain instructional services would remain contracted. She told council she would return with a formatted profit-and-loss history, utility reports and an estimate of what it would cost the city to operate the facility directly.

Contractor Jason Weiss was present and spoke briefly; he declined to expand on financial details during the meeting.

Councilman Paul Musley moved to table the item until the next scheduled council meeting; the motion passed on roll call with Councilmembers Musley, Bethea, Mansfield and Dreyer voting Aye and Councilman Hilty voting No. The council instructed staff to provide: (a) a P&L for the contract period available; (b) membership and player-count history; (c) utility and personnel expense reports; and (d) a city-run cost estimate to use as a comparison.

Why it matters: The amendment would have changed the contractor’s revenue model and committed the city to a continuing annual subsidy if approved; council members said they wanted the documentation necessary to judge whether the payment would be the lowest‑cost option for keeping the courts and programming operational.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting included: the RFP number (REC/190417) and original contract award in February 2020; the November 2024 first amendment that extended the contract through Jan. 31, 2030; staff’s estimate of current membership/hourly revenues ($105,765/year); an estimated annual personnel cost of roughly $182,000 that would be required if the city ran the center; and the proposed management-fee schedule ($1,900/month Oct. 1, 2025–Jan. 30, 2030; annualized $22,800, not to exceed $98,800). Some of those figures were presented by Johnson as estimates derived from monthly reports submitted by the contractor.

Next steps: Staff will return with the requested financial documents and a city-operated cost comparison at a future council meeting, as directed by the council. The amendment remains tabled.

Sources: Presentation and discussion at the Ocala City Council meeting, Sept. 16, 2025; Recreation and Parks Director Julie Johnson’s statements to council.