The Ocala City Council approved two-year contract extensions for several offices including City Manager Pete Lee last week, despite opposition from a council member and a local businessman who alleged a “cancerous culture” within the city’s code enforcement department.
The council approved several key contract renewals during its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 15.
Although the vote to approve Lee’s contract was split 4 to 1, with the Councilman Jim Hilty, Sr. representing the sole dissenting vote, the council voted unanimously (5-0) to approve contract extensions for other officials, including City Attorney Bill Sexton and Ocala Police Department Chief Mike Balken…