Ocala Council Approves $13.4 Million for 85 Vehicles and Equipment, Including $5.2 Million for 4 Fire Apparatus
The 5-0 vote on Nov. 3 covers 14 city departments and uses cooperative contracts including Sourcewell and the Florida Sheriffs Association.
Source: City of Ocala agenda item 2027-0206 ↗
The Ocala, Florida, City Council voted 5-0 on Nov. 3 to approve $13,378,535 for 85 vehicles and pieces of equipment for 14 city departments, according to the agenda memo and the council’s meeting minutes. John King of the city’s fleet operation presented the item, which was on the regular agenda and was not amended.
The memo says the purchases are funded through the city’s fiscal 2026-27 Fleet Capital Improvement Plan, drawn from the departments’ machinery and equipment accounts. It names no bond, lease, loan or grant, and it says that in most cases the units replace equipment that is past its useful life. The purchases run through cooperative contracts: Sourcewell, the Florida Sheriffs Association, the General Services Administration and a Florida state term contract.
Approved Purchases by Department
| Department | Units | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | 10 | $5,569,085 |
| Public Works Sanitation | 7 | $2,346,040 |
| Ocala Electric | 7 | $1,854,153 |
| Police | 18 | $1,016,534 |
| Water Resources | 14 | $1,229,409 |
| Recreation and Parks | 15 | $530,274 |
| Public Works Streets | 2 | $285,430 |
| Ocala Fiber Network | 4 | $282,799 |
| Public Works Stormwater | 1 | $72,595 |
| Facilities | 2 | $69,006 |
| Airport | 1 | $60,131 |
| Public Works Traffic | 2 | $32,700 |
| Parking | 1 | $24,713 |
| Growth Management | 1 | $5,666 |
| Total | 85 | $13,378,535 |
Fire Apparatus
Four fire units total $5,233,150, quoted by Matheny Motor Truck Co. of Ocala through Sourcewell contract 082025-RVG with delivery about 550 days out.
| Unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| E-ONE HP95 mid-mount platform | $2,298,668 |
| E-ONE Cyclone pumper | $1,117,823 |
| E-ONE Cyclone heavy rescue | $1,382,547 |
| Ford F-550 light rescue | $434,112 |
A Finance analysis attached to the item shows Matheny offers pre-payment discounts totaling $130,361 if the city sends funds by Nov. 30, and estimates the city would earn $286,157 in interest on the same money over 18 months. The analysis notes that the interest exceeds the discounts. The approved amount equals the non-discounted totals.
Other Large Purchases
Three 2028 Mack LR side loaders with Labrie bodies for sanitation cost $1,238,088 through Nextran Truck Centers of Ocala. Three Altec bucket trucks total $816,492, and an Altec Mud Dog 1200 hydro excavator costs $736,243. Police are buying 10 Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD vehicles at $59,330 each from Alan Jay Fleet.
How It Compares
The packet makes no comparison with earlier years. Without the fire apparatus, this year’s package is $8,145,385 for 81 units. In October 2024 the council approved $8,696,281 for 104 vehicles, excluding fire, the Ocala Gazette reported, and in November 2024 it approved $2,610,606 of fire apparatus from Matheny.
