City officials will consider spending $723,000 to purchase more materials for the Ocala Fiber Network’s day-to-day operations during an upcoming meeting.
The Ocala City Council will discuss whether to approve the purchase of over $723,000 in materials for the Ocala Fiber Network during its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 5.
According to a city staff memo, the materials are intended for the day-to-day operations of the network and were bid out through the Advanced Utility Resource and Supply, Inc. (AURSI) website to ensure the city obtained the lowest possible pricing.
City staff notes that the Utility Services Warehouse issued an invitation to bid on April 11 and now recommends awards to six different vendors.
If approved, the total expenditure will not exceed $723,341. The following table summarizes the bids awarded to each vendor:
| Vendor | Total Bid Awarded |
| Advanced Media Technologies, Inc. | $5,625.00 |
| GrayBar, Inc. | $614,240.00 |
| Gresco, Inc. | $36,050.00 |
| Rexel USA, Inc. | $40,575.00 |
| Stuart C. Irby, Inc. | $13,942.50 |
| WESCO | $12,908.00 |
| Grand Total | $723,340.50 |
The expenditures will be tracked under City Contract No. WHS/260610, and while the warehouse will purchase the inventory, user departments will be responsible for staying within their budgeted expenditures when items are issued.
The continued investment in the Ocala Fiber Network comes amid scrutiny of the municipal internet service.
Earlier this year, the James Madison Institute, which is a Florida-based research organization that advocates for limited government and economic liberty, cited the Ocala Fiber Network as an example of why Florida municipalities should not enter the internet business.
Citing reporting from Ocala-News.com, JMI noted that between 2021 and late 2024, not a single new residential service area was added to the city’s network.
Despite this period of stagnant residential growth, JMI cites Ocala-News.com’s reporting on the city’s continual investment in infrastructure as problematic. It refers to a city-approved measure for $1.6 million for new fiber projects and exploration of new bond financing for a $90 million citywide expansion of services.
Additionally, Ocala-News.com recently reported that the city settled a lawsuit for $110,000 following a 2022 incident involving the network’s expansion. During that incident, a contractor installing fiber optic conduit ruptured a 12-inch reclaimed water line near SE 25th Avenue and SE 14th Street. The break spilled thousands of gallons of wastewater and resulted in over $196,000 in emergency repairs. Investigators later determined the drilling company had failed to obtain the required right-of-way permit before starting work.
What are your thoughts on the city’s Ocala Fiber Network? Share them in a comment below or, if you have more to say on the topic, write a letter to the editor.