VOLUME 3 ISSUE 51
$2
DECEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 29, 2022
MCBCC reject or postpone three developments By Belea T. Keeney belea@magnoliamediaco.com
T
he Marion County Board of County Commissioners vetoed one proposed development on County Road 318 in the Farmland Preservation Area and a sand mine project in Orange Springs, while postponing a third project during a standing-room only
Dec. 20 board meeting. Each project generated sometimespointed discussion between members of the public, developer representatives, county staff and the commissioners.
Arden of Ocala in Silver Spring Shores The Arden of Ocala proposal for roughly 31 acres at 6650 & 6670 SE Maricamp Road, south of the post office and
north of Circle K, envisioned a multiuse development comprised of 180 townhomes and 468 apartments (all rentals), plus a clubhouse, playground, dog walk/ park, community garden, park areas and picnic tables. The Arden Group, based in Philadelphia, started its presentation with a marketing video showing its “luxury, highly amenitized” rentals that generated
titters among the audience. “Not exactly affordable housing,” said one audience member. The complex would include a dog park with a fountain, a Tesla car charger and high-end gym equipment. Board and county staff discussion focused on the Level E (failing) Maricamp Road that would absorb this project’s
See Controversial, page A3
School board rejects sheriff’s proposal to take over safe school department By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
T
he Marion County School Board on Thursday rejected Sheriff Billy Woods’ proposal to absorb the school district’s Department of Safe Schools into the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office. The department, led by Dennis McFatten, falls under the jurisdiction of the superintendent and oversees the communication between schools and law enforcement and implements security measures and emergency preparedness, according to MCPS. Woods’ proposal was for the sheriff ’s office to take over this department, hire its employees and pay the cost of their salaries, according to the agreement. The school district would then reimburse the sheriff for the expense. Similar agreements have been implemented in Brevard and Seminole counties. Woods said he formed the basis of his proposed agreement by reviewing each of those agency’s juvenile units, which house school safety units. Regardless of the board members’ opinions of the proposal’s contents, School Board Chair Allison Campbell said that it could not pass due to a matter of policy. In September, the board passed a policy that instructs the superintendent to work in conjunction with the district’s school safety specialist and advice from local law enforcement to develop a school safety and security plan. This means that school safety cannot be moved to Woods’ jurisdiction unless Superintendent Diane Gullet and her team put forth procedures within the policy to recommend it. The school board put the proposal up for discussion at its Dec. 15 work session, where 34 See Safe schools, page A2
Photos By Bruce Ackerman Ocala Gazette
O
cala Model Railroaders’ Historic Preservation Society (OMRHPS) and the College of Central Florida continue their partnership of bringing a model train collection to the community for the holidays. Jim DeLawter, OMRHPS president, said, “The CF Express has been chugging along for 26 years!” Viewing the trains is a holiday tradition for many local families, and thousands of patrons, young and old, visit each year. The display features modular train layouts and railroad See Trains, page A2
John Hall, left, and Tom Stuto, both of the Ocala Model Railroaders, make an adjustment to a model train on the tracks on the Giveaway model during the 26th Annual Trains at the Holidays at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.
Aria Dorsey, 10, who was helping out with the Ocala Model Railroaders, checks to make sure that model trains were running smoothly on the tracks of the HO scale model.
READ DAILY NEWS AT OCALAGAZETTE.COM
INSIDE:
Gun Licenses.................................. A4 Inmate Death................................. A5 State News...................................... A8 Ukraine........................................... B3 Calendar......................................... B5
Subscribers will receive their paper through USPS on the USPS schedule. Subscription orders must be received by 5 pm on Tuesday in order to be included in the following week’s delivery. Starting at $10/month ocalagazette.com/subscribe