Marion County Commission to Decide How Employees Get Their 3% Raise; Library Roof and Health Department Funding Also on Oct. 20 Agenda

Marion County commissioners will decide on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, how county employees receive the 3% pay adjustment in the 2026-27 budget. The board approved the money at its final budget hearing on Sept. 24; the Oct. 20 item (9.2) asks commissioners to choose how it is paid, according to the county's Oct. 20 agenda packet.

Marion County commissioners at the board's Oct. 6, 2026, meeting. Still from Marion County's meeting video.

Three Options for the 3% Raise

The item, submitted by County Administrator Mounir Bouyounes, lists three options:

• Option 1, cost-of-living adjustment: 3% across the board for eligible employees, effective Oct. 31, 2026.
• Option 2, merit: the 3% paid as performance-based raises using an evaluation rubric, with each employee receiving the raise on their anniversary date.
• Option 3, hybrid: part of the 3% as a cost-of-living raise on Oct. 31, with the rest used for merit raises on anniversary dates.

The item lists no new budget impact because the money is already in the adopted budget. It does not say which employees are eligible or what share of the 3% would go to each part under the hybrid option; those details would come from the board's discussion. The item does not mention firefighters, whose pay terms are covered in our report on the firefighters' contract approved in June.

Library Headquarters Roof

A task order with Ausley Construction Company LLC of Ocala would recover about 62,000 square feet of the Marion County Public Library headquarters roof for $794,933.44, with up to a 10% contingency for a total not to exceed $874,426.78 (item 7.5.15). The work replaces wet or damaged insulation found by an infrared survey, installs an 80-mil PVC roofing system over the existing modified bitumen roof with a 30-year manufacturer warranty, removes unused vents and curbs, and adds retrofit roof drains and walkway pads. The contract calls for substantial completion within 70 days and final completion 30 days after that. Ausley is one of six construction managers the board approved in 2021.

The library system's 2026-27 annual plan of service, with about $110,000 in expected grant revenue, is also on the consent agenda (item 7.3.1).

Health Department Funding

The county's yearly agreement with the Florida Department of Health for public health services in Marion County sets the county's share at no more than $3,150,000 for 2026-27 (item 7.5.12). The county also handles facilities management for county-owned health department buildings, and the state will reimburse up to $350,000 for that work.

Other Oct. 20 Items

• Composting settlement: a mediated agreement that could send a denied food-waste composting permit on NW Gainesville Road back to a hearing; see our composting settlement report.
• Opioid settlement grants: six awards totaling $764,868.94; see who would get the money.
• Speed limits: new limits in Rainbow Lakes Estates and on East Highway 318; see the segment-by-segment list.
• Roads: a roadway projects update and NW 49th Street land purchases, covered in our road projects report.
• Reddick Park: a second amendment to the county's agreement with the Town of Reddick, with a $45,000 advance payment (item 7.4.1). See our Reddick guide.
• Public hearing at 10 a.m.: a resolution to close and abandon SE 136th Court in the Lake Weir Beach section (item 6.1).

Wednesday, Oct. 21: Two Discussion Items

The board's planning and zoning meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 1:30 p.m. has two items for discussion and direction, with no final approval on either:

• Freedom Crossings access on SW 60th Avenue: the property owners want to amend their 2020 access agreement to recognize an existing southbound left turn into Entrance B, which the agreement lists as right-in/right-out, and to add a right-in-only Entrance D. County Engineer Steven Cohoon's presentation recommends keeping the existing agreement, not adding Entrance D, and not making the left turn a permanent right, citing driveway spacing and signal concerns. Staff says a formal amendment would need two publicly noticed meetings.
• Drainage pond swap at West Highway 40 and NW 80th Avenue: the county bought 2.85 acres at the northwest corner in 2021 for about $3.02 million for a stormwater pond for the intersection project. The neighboring owner, 40 & 80th LLC, proposes relocating the pond to serve both the road and its development. Under the draft, the developer would design the new pond, pay any cost above the original estimate and take over its maintenance. The roadway contractor says the change appears feasible and may save money. No final agreement is up for approval.

How to Attend

Both meetings are at the McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala. The county streams most board meetings live on its website. On Oct. 20, comments on listed items come early in the meeting and general comments come later; walk-up speakers sign in at the foyer desk and get two minutes. At the Oct. 21 meeting, speakers sign in the same day and get two minutes. Accommodations can be requested at 352-438-2300 at least two days ahead. Commissioners are listed on our county commission page.

Sources: Marion County Board of County Commissioners agenda, Oct. 20, 2026 (items 9.2, 7.5.15, 7.5.12, 7.3.1, 7.4.1, 6.1 and others), including the draft task order 20Q-161-TO-55; Board of County Commissioners Planning and Zoning agenda, Oct. 21, 2026 (items 1.2.1 and 1.2.2), with the County Engineer's Freedom Crossings presentation and Sept. 25, 2026 letter, and the SR 40 at NW 80th Avenue property exchange presentation. Checked Oct. 18, 2026.