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Ocala council approves ordinances, contract renewals and tentative budgets; list of motions and outcomes
Summary
At its September session the Ocala City Council adopted multiple zoning ordinances, contract renewals, utility expenditures, a transit grant and tentative city and downtown budgets and millage rates. This summary lists each formal action and the council's recorded outcome.
At its September council meeting, Ocala City Council members approved a series of ordinances, contract renewals, budget and millage resolutions, and procurement actions. Items were approved by roll call when recorded; staff recommended approval on each.
Votes at a glance
- Ordinance 2025-35 (rezoning parcel approx. 7.23 acres from R-1 to R-1AA; case ZON25-0010): Adopted on second reading; staff recommended approval and P&Z recommended approval. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Ordinance 2025-36 (rezoning ~1.59 acres at 458 NW 1st St to B-4 General Business): Adopted on second reading; staff recommended approval and P&Z recommended approval. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Annexation and PD items for 2275 SW 50th Ave (ordinances/resolutions 2025-38, 2025-39, 2025-40 and related resolution): Adopted on second reading (details reported in separate article). Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Change order and additional expenditures under contract with All Webs Enterprises, Inc. to install 90 feet of 30-inch casing to seal a subsurface void below a well: Council approved the change order; staff explained the work addresses an underground void (sinkhole risk). Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Approval of expenditures for electric utility services provided by Duke Energy, Inc. for FY2025–26: Council approved an expenditure allocation; budget noted at $140,000 for the coming year (city reported prior year partial-year actuals totaling just over $100,000). Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Third amendment to Sun Grama Transit management services agreement (downtown circulator/trolley): Council approved additional funds to the operations and maintenance agreement. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Adoption of resolution 2025-39 accepting a public transit service development grant agreement with FDOT to support the trolley; council noted a 50% city match and a three-year pilot service window: Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Budget resolution 2025-181 to appropriate trolley funds: Adopted. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Renewal of a one-year contract with VIP Security Investigations LLC for citywide security guard services (second renewal of options included in original 2021 RFP): Approved. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Five-year renewal with D and G Solutions Group LLC (sanitation services rate increase noted): Approved. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- One-year renewal for as‑needed automotive body repairs with Michael Lessard, Inc. (DBA Perfection Collision Car Star): Approved. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Purchase of inventory items for Ocala Electric Utility (poles, cable, switches and related hardware): Approved. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Renewal/piggyback with Municipal Equipment Company for bunker gear procurement: Fire Rescue requested authority to expend up to an estimated $440,000 over the next two years for bunker gear required by NFPA standards; council approved. Outcome: approved on roll call.
- Adoption of tentative millage and budget resolutions for Downtown Development Districts A, B and C (Resolution 2025-177 and 2025-178): Council adopted the tentative millage rates (district A 1.7185; B 1.6332; C 1.4699) and a tentative Downtown Development Fund budget of $606,195,065. Outcome: adopted on roll call.
- Adoption of tentative citywide millage rate (6.6177, above rollback) and tentative general fund and total city budgets (general fund $188,100,612; total city budget $1,152,885,830): Council adopted the tentative millage and budgets (resolutions 2025-179 and 2025-180). Outcome: adopted on roll call.
Presentations and staff comments
City engineer Sean Lanier described the All Webs change order as installation of casing to seal an underground void and, when asked for a plain‑English explanation, said a sinkhole occurs when the void reaches the surface. Transit administrator Tom Duncan described the FDOT grant as covering half of trolley operating costs with a three‑year pilot program; staff said operating hours and days for the pilot are funded for the three‑year window. Budget director Tammy Haslam presented the required public‑hearing materials for tentative millage and budgets and noted the proposed rates were consistent with those presented at the council’s August workshop.
Each item above was brought forward with a staff recommendation; roll‑call votes recorded councilmembers voting in favor when noted. Where individual roll calls were recorded, the record showed councilmembers voting “Aye” for the listed measures.
