The Ocala City Council on Jan. 7 approved a series of routine procurement awards, contract renewals and a budget resolution to accept $501,396 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2024–25.

Key approvals included: a task work order with Kimley‑Horn and Associates to update the city’s wastewater master plan; a five‑year biosolids disposal contract with ACMS Inc.; a one‑year renewal of a construction services agreement with Miller Pipeline LLC; a six‑month contract with Markham Enterprises LLC for sidewalk repairs; the purchase of 14 RMAG circuit breakers for the electric utility; a professional services agreement with Kimley‑Horn for design work to expand the SunTran facility; a piggyback agreement award to Ring Power Corporation for a replacement boom crane; purchase of emergency audio‑visual warning equipment from East Coast Emergency Inc.; and a two‑year conduit/installation contract award to American Cable Electric LLC for the Ocala Fiber Network. Council also adopted Budget Resolution 2025‑124 to accept and allocate HUD CDBG funds totaling $501,396 to programs in the city’s 2024–2028 consolidated plan and 2024 annual action plan, including housing rehabilitation and land acquisition/clearance and demolition.

Staff presenters and summary points:
- Sean Lanier, city engineer, said the Kimley‑Horn task order will update wastewater capacity and infrastructure recommendations for the next 20 years.
- Lanier also told the council ACMS was the most cost‑effective option for biosolids disposal among available Class I landfill receivers.
- Darren Park, public works director, said the Markham contract will repair roughly 591 sidewalk sections (about a mile of sidewalk) from the city’s maintained 172 miles.
- Doug Peebles, electric utility director, said the RMAG breakers protect substation equipment and personnel; staff recommended the purchase.
- Ty Chegazola, city projects director, described the Kimley‑Horn professional services agreement as design work for two additional bays and charging stations at the SunTran facility; he said the project is funded through a previously awarded grant.
- Mel Pool, director for Ocala Fiber Network, said the American Cable Electric contract resulted from a competitive bid and will support underground conduit work to meet growing customer demand.
- James Haynes, director of community development services, presented the HUD CDBG award and said the funds will be used for activities outlined in the consolidated plan.

Votes and outcomes: each item was presented, discussed briefly by staff, and approved by roll call. The transcript records affirmative roll‑call votes for each item (individual roll calls appear in the meeting record). Staff recommended approval on all items; no formal opposing votes were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: the approvals cover capital planning (wastewater master plan update), ongoing operations (biosolids disposal, pipeline construction services), equipment and fleet needs (breakers, boom crane, emergency equipment), sidewalk repairs and fiber infrastructure, and federal housing dollars for local programs.

What’s next: staff will proceed under the approved contracts and record the CDBG allocation in the city budget; the Kimley‑Horn wastewater update and SunTran design work were described as multi‑year efforts.