Submitted By: Tom Duncan
presenter
Presentation By: Tom Duncan
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Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE:
title
Budget Resolution 2027-101 to amend the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget to accept and appropriate $837,458 in Public Transportation Grant Agreement funds from the Florida Department of Transportation, $788,775 in matching funds from the City of Ocala, $210,865 in matching funds from Marion County, and $220,000 in program income to support the Ocala/Marion County Public Transit System, SunTran, for a total amount of $2,057,098
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Fiscally Sustainable, Operational Excellence
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
body
BACKGROUND:
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provides annual grant funding to communities that will pay operating assistance of up to 50 percent for fixed-route public transit systems. To be awarded funding, the City of Ocala (City) entered into a Public Transportation Grant Agreement (PTGA) with FDOT. The City has been awarded $837,458, pending approval of the PTGA, which requires a local match of $843,458. The City and County are contributing a combined additional $6,000 for training and travel that the PTGA Agreement does not reimburse.
On September 19, 2023, the City of Ocala and Marion County entered into an interlocal agreement establishing their respective local funding commitments to operate SunTran. The Agreement states that the percentages of support between the City of Ocala and Marion County may vary from year to year based on service changes identified in the Transit Development Plan. For Fiscal Year 2026-27, the percentages will be 75 percent for the City and 25 percent for the County.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
The funding will support the daily operation of the Ocala/Marion County Public Transportation System, SunTran. This includes, but is not limited to, paying RATP Dev to run SunTran's daily operations, staff salaries for work on the federal and state grants that fund SunTran, fuel for the buses, utilities for the SunTran Administration & Maintenance Facility, and operating supplies.
The FDOT PTGA funds are necessary to operate SunTran.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City of Ocala and Marion County have budgeted their respective local matches in their Fiscal Year 2026-27 budgets. The City’s match of $788,775 is budgeted in account 091-016-650-544-54-83010. The PTGA funding, local matches, and program income will be allocated to expense accounts 494-050-451-544-54* to support the operation of SunTran.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
N/A
LEGAL REVIEW:
N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny
•
BUDGET RESOLUTION 2027-101
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 BUDGET TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE $837,458 IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION GRANT AGREEMENT FUNDS FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, $788,775 IN MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF OCALA, $210,865 IN MATCHING FUNDS FROM MARION COUNTY, AND $220,000 IN PROGRAM INCOME TO SUPPORT THE OCALA/MARION COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, SUNTRAN, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $2,057,098
WHEREAS, the FDOT annually provides grant funding to communities that will pay operating assistance up to 50% for fixed route public transit systems; and
WHEREAS, to be awarded the funding, the City must enter into a Public Transportation Grant Agreement (PTGA) with FDOT; and
WHEREAS, the City of Ocala will receive $837,458, which requires a minimum of $837,458 as local match; and
WHEREAS, on September 19, 2023, Ocala and Marion County entered into an Interlocal Agreement to establish their respective funding commitments of necessary local funds to operate SunTran; and
WHEREAS, although the percentages of support between the City of Ocala and Marion County may vary from year to year based on service changes identified in the Transit Development Plan, the percentages for FY2026-27 will remain the same at 75% for the City of Ocala and 25% for Marion County; and
WHEREAS, the local commitments for this PTGA Grant have been allocated by both the City of Ocala and Marion County in their respective FY2026-27 budgets; and
WHEREAS, the FDOT PTGA funds are necessary to operate SunTran.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA, duly assembled in regular session, amends the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget as follows:
SOURCE:
091-016-650-544-54-83010 SunTran Grant Match ($788,775)
USE:
091-099-999-541-81-91494 Transfer to SunTran Grant Match $ 788,775
SOURCE:
494-334-000-000-09-33482 FDOT PTGA Grant $ 837,458
494-381-000-000-19-38091 Contribution from ¾ Mill Road
Improvement Fund $ 788,775
494-337-000-000-07-34350 Mass Transit - Marion County Share $ 210,865
494-344-000-000-02-30310 Program Income - Bus Fares $ 110,000
494-344-000-000-02-34311 Program Income - Bus Passes $ 38,000
494-344-000-000-02-34435 Program Income - Bus Advertising $ 72,000
TOTAL $2,057,098
USE:
494-050-451-544-54-12020 SunTran OP - Salaries $ 98,478
494-050-451-544-54-21010 SunTran OP - FICA Taxes $ 7,534
494-050-451-544-54-22012 SunTran OP - DC Retirement $ 7,878
494-050-451-544-54-23010 SunTran OP - Life & Health Insurance $ 13,762
494-050-451-544-54-23030 SunTran OP - Long-term Disability Ins $ 354
494-050-451-544-54-24010 SunTran OP - Workers’ Compensation $ 110
494-050-451-544-54-31099 SunTran OP - Information Technology Allocation $ 9,000
494-050-451-544-54-34010 SunTran OP - Other Services $1,570,689
494-050-451-544-54-40010 SunTran OP - Travel & Per Diem $ 3,000
494-050-451-544-54-41010 SunTran OP - Outside Communications $ 9,456
494-050-451-544-54-41099 SunTran OP - Ocala Fiber Allocation $ 3,960
494-050-451-544-54-41199 SunTran OP - 800 MHz Allocation $ 8,322
494-050-451-544-54-43010 SunTran OP - Utility Services $ 14,000
494-050-451-544-54-45099 SunTran OP - Insurance Services Allocation $ 21,558
494-050-451-544-54-46010 SunTran OP - Repair & Maintenance $ 11,250
494-050-451-544-54-46012 SunTran OP - Facilities Maintenance $ 5,000
494-050-451-544-54-47000 SunTran OP - Printing & Binding $ 5,000
494-050-451-544-54-47099 SunTran OP - Copy Contract Allocation $ 5,000
494-050-451-544-54-49010 SunTran OP - Other Current Charges/Obligations $ 250
494-050-451-544-54-52010 SunTran OP - Operating Supplies $ 8,408
494-050-451-544-54-52012 SunTran OP - Small Tools $ 2,504
494-050-451-544-54-52020 SunTran OP - Fuel $ 206,678
494-050-451-544-54-52045 SunTran OP - Subscription Based Software $ 35,657
494-050-451-544-54-52060 SunTran OP - Equipment $1,000 - $4,999 $ 5,000
494-050-451-544-54-54010 SunTran OP - Dues/Books/Subscriptions $ 1,250
494-050-451-544-54-55010 SunTran OP - Training $ 3,000
TOTAL $2,057,098
This resolution adopted this ______ day of ______________________, 2026.
ATTEST: CITY OF OCALA
By: By:
Angel B. Jacobs, City Clerk Ire J. Bethea Sr.
President, Ocala City Council
Approved as to form and legality:
By: _________________________________
William E. Sexton, City Attorney
Reviewed for accounting accuracy & completeness:
By: _________________________________
Peter A. Lee, City Manager