110 SE Watula Avenue  
Ocala, FL 34471  
Ocala  
City Council  
Synopsis  
www.ocalafl.gov  
4:00 PM  
Tuesday, January 6, 2026  
1.  
2.  
Call to Order  
Roll Call  
Mayor Ben Marciano  
Present:  
Pro Tem Jay A. Musleh  
Council Member Kristen M. Dreyer  
Council Member James P. Hilty Sr  
Council Member Barry Mansfield  
Council President Ire J. Bethea Sr  
2a.  
New Employees  
- William Polykronis, Facilities  
- John Shinnick, Facilities  
- Gary Bozeman, Public Works  
3.  
4.  
Public Notice  
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Public Notice for the January 6, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting was posted on  
December 3, 2025  
Proclamations and Awards  
Presentation of the Arbor Day Proclamation to the Presidents of Pioneer Garden Club  
Jacqua Ballas and Marjorie Hendon  
4a.  
4b.  
4c.  
Presentation of the Newton A. Perry Day Proclamation to Jessica Fieldhouse, Ocala  
Main Street Executive Director, and to Delee Perry, daughter of the late Newton A. Perry  
Presentation of the Marion County’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Day  
Proclamation to Ms. Paula Leahmon, President of Marion County’s Dr. Martin Luther  
King, Jr. Commemorative Commission, Inc.  
Presentation of the late Honorable Mrs. Mary Sue Rich Proclamation to the family of  
Mrs. Mary Sue Rich  
4d.  
5.  
6.  
Presentations  
Consent Agenda  
Consent Agenda items are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one roll call vote.  
There will be no separate discussion of these items unless members of Council or the public  
request specific items to be removed for separate discussion and action.  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA  
Jay A. Musleh  
SECONDER: James P. Hilty Sr  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Fiscal Year 2026-27 tentative budget calendar  
6a.  
6b.  
Presentation By: Tammi Haslam  
Budget Resolution 2026-119 to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to appropriate  
funds from the Police Trust and Agency Fund reserve account to supplement the  
purchase of handheld x-ray equipment in the amount of $48,515  
Presentation By: Michael Balken  
Certified administrative costs for SunTran’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget as required by  
Section 341.071 of the Florida Statutes  
6c.  
6d.  
6e.  
6f.  
Presentation By: Tom Duncan  
Four-year renewal agreement with Truist Bank for comprehensive banking services  
through May 31, 2030  
Presentation By: Peter Brill  
Resolution 2026-10 to accept the donation of outdoor sculpture “Flamingo”, valued at  
$9,500 into the City’s public art collection for permanent display at Tuscawilla Park  
Presentation By: Emily Parkman  
Resolution 2026-11 to appoint members to the City of Ocala’s Affordable Housing  
Advisory Committee for three-year terms ending December 31, 2028  
Presentation By: James Haynes  
Budget Resolution 2026-120 to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget to accept and  
appropriate program income for the City of Ocala’s State Housing Initiative Program  
grant in the amount of $1,152  
6g.  
Presentation By: James Haynes  
December 16, 2025 City Council meeting minutes  
6h.  
Presentation By: Angel Jacobs  
7.  
Consent Agenda Items Held for Discussion  
Should any items be removed from the Consent Agenda for discussion, they will be discussed at  
this time.  
8.  
9.  
Introduction and First Readings of Ordinances  
Public Hearings / Second and Final Readings / Adoption of Ordinances  
Public hearing to review and receive comments concerning SunTran’s proposed budget  
for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 which includes Section 5307 grant funding from the Federal  
Transit Administration, Florida Department of Transportation Block Grant funding, toll  
road revenue credits, and local matches from the City and County for a total budget of  
$6,300,562  
9a.  
9b.  
Presentation By: Tom Duncan  
Public Hearing to consider the issuance of a location permit for the sale of beer, wine and  
liquor for off-premises consumption for Wal-Mart Stores East, LP, doing business as,  
Walmart #4245 located on Parcel 29850-001-00 (Quasi-Judicial)  
Presentation By: Endira Madraveren  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
ADOPTED  
James P. Hilty Sr  
SECONDER: Jay A. Musleh  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Ordinance 2026-5 to amend the Code of Ordinances, City of Ocala, Florida, Section  
122-1225 to authorize the use of above-ground air curtain burners as an ancillary use to a  
materials recovery facility as well as establishing conditions and limitations relating to  
such ancillary use (COD25-0004)  
9c.  
Presentation By: Jeff Shrum  
James P. Hilty Sr  
Introduced By:  
Motion Amended to postpone Ordinance 2026 5 to amend the Code of Ordinances, City  
of Ocala, Florida, Section 122 1225 to authorize the use of above ground air curtain  
burners as an ancillary use to a materials recovery facility as well as establishing  
conditions and limitations relating to such ancillary use (COD25 0004) to February 3,  
2026 City Council meeting  
RESULT:  
POSTPONED  
MOVER:  
Jay A. Musleh  
SECONDER: James P. Hilty Sr  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Ordinance 2026-6 to rezone approximately 3.57 acres for a portion of property located at  
2336 NW Seventh Street (Parcel 22682-000-00) from M-1, Light Industrial, to M-2,  
Medium Industrial (Case ZON25-0014) (Quasi-Judicial)  
9d.  
Presentation By: Emily Johnson  
Kristen M. Dreyer  
Introduced By:  
Motion Amended Ordinance 2026-6 to rezone approximately 3.57 acres for a portion of  
property located at 2336 NW Seventh Street (Parcel 22682-000-00) from M-1, Light  
Industrial, to M-2, Medium Industrial (Case ZON25-0014) (Quasi-Judicial), removing  
Section 7(1) from the Ordinance  
RESULT:  
ADOPTED  
MOVER:  
Kristen M. Dreyer  
SECONDER: James P. Hilty Sr  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
10.  
General Business  
One-year renewal of the Construction Services Agreement with Miller Pipeline, LLC, for  
Water Resources Improvement Program Projects in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000  
10a.  
10b.  
10c.  
10d.  
Presentation By: Sean Lanier  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED  
James P. Hilty Sr  
SECONDER: Kristen M. Dreyer  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Renewal of contract with Art Walker Construction, Inc. for lime sludge hauling services  
at Water Treatment Plant No. 1 with a two-year expenditure of $180,000  
Presentation By: Sean Lanier  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED  
Jay A. Musleh  
SECONDER: Kristen M. Dreyer  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Cost-share agreement with St. Johns River Water Management District for the Ocala  
Lower Floridan Aquifer Conversion Phase IV project in the amount of $2,000,000  
Presentation By: Sean Lanier  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED  
James P. Hilty Sr  
SECONDER: Barry Mansfield  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Budget Resolution 2026-121 to accept and appropriate funds from St. Johns River Water  
Management District for the Lower Floridan Aquifer Conversion Phase IV project in the  
amount of $2,000,000 and transfer the cost share amount of $2,000,000 from the Water  
Resources fund reserve for contingencies account  
Presentation By: Sean Lanier  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
ADOPTED  
Kristen M. Dreyer  
SECONDER: Barry Mansfield  
AYE: Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
10e. Item pulled.  
Budget Resolution 2026-122 to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to accept and  
appropriate 2025-26 State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program grant funding in the  
amount of $242,771  
10f.  
Presentation By: James Haynes  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
ADOPTED  
Jay A. Musleh  
SECONDER: James P. Hilty Sr  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
Purchase of various inventory items for Ocala Fiber Network from multiple vendors in  
an amount not to exceed $207,590  
10g.  
Presentation By: Mel Poole  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED  
Kristen M. Dreyer  
SECONDER: Barry Mansfield  
AYE:  
Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
A three-year Agreement with Exceleron Software, LLC, for MyUsage Prepaid Software  
in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000  
10h.  
Presentation By: Veronica Martinez  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED  
James P. Hilty Sr  
SECONDER: Barry Mansfield  
AYE: Musleh, Dreyer, Hilty Sr, Mansfield, and Bethea Sr  
11.  
12.  
Internal Auditor's Report  
City Manager's Report  
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Legacy contracts update  
Business tax revenue  
2050 Vision Workshop scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 12:00 pm in  
Council Chambers  
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Baseball field rentals  
Train derailment on Magnolia  
Safe Routes to School meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 5:00 pm  
at Howard Middle School  
13.  
Ocala Police Department Report  
Overview of Crime and Traffic Stops  
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Department Highlights  
14.  
Ocala Fire Rescue Department Report  
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Unit Responses  
Service calls update  
Department Highlights  
15.  
16.  
City Attorney's Report  
Public Comments  
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Shanta Norton, 117 NW 16th Terrace, Ocala, FL, spoke on student safety  
Dr. Kathryn Crowell-Grate and Nathaniel Grate, 2825 SW 34th Avenue, Ocala, FL,  
spoke on pedestrian safety  
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Jason Tolbert, 201 NE 37th Court, Ocala, FL, requested permission to place  
Wingstop signage near the public sidewalk and street median  
Jerry Lourenco, 9875 SE 58th Avenue, Ocala, FL, expressed concern regarding the  
City's Roll-Off Compactor Ordinance  
17.  
Informational Items and Calendaring Items  
- Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - City Council workshop Re: Sanitation Rate Study - 12:00pm -  
Council Chambers  
- Monday, January 19, 2026 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday - City Offices closed  
- Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - CRA Board meeting - 3:30pm - Council Chambers  
- Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - City Council meeting - 4:00pm - Council Chambers  
- Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - TPO Meeting - 3:00pm - McPherson Governmental Campus  
Auditorium  
- Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - City Council meeting - 4:00pm - Council Chambers  
- Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - CRA Board meeting - 3:45pm - Council Chambers  
- Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - City Council meeting - 4:00pm - Council Chambers  
Power Cost Adjustment Report - November 2025  
17a.  
18.  
19.  
Comments by Mayor  
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Mayor's Fitness Challenge 2026  
Mental health services for the incarcerated  
Comments by City Council Members  
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Council Member Dreyer requested the City schedule a meeting with the County's  
Affordable Housing Committee to assist the County in streamlining their process  
for affordable housing  
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Council Member Dreyer commented on the public notice sign posted in front of the  
strip mall located near State Road 40  
Council President Bethea thanked the City for services provided for Mrs. Mary Sue  
Rich's burial celebration  
20.  
Adjournment  
Adjourned at 5:35 pm  
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