OCALA, FL (352today.com) – In a fast-growing Marion County, local leaders are joining forces to plan smarter, collaborate more closely, and make sure the community’s future needs are met.

The collective efforts of all government entities in Marion County are focused on doing what’s best for its citizens. That collaboration is what gives the Interlocal Agreement added significance.

What is an Interlocal Agreement?

An Interlocal Agreement, or IA, is a formal contract between two or more government entities – such as counties, cities, school boards, or special districts – that outlines how they will work together on shared responsibilities or services.

It helps everyone stay on the same page and work together for the good of the community, while still allowing each agency to do its own job.

A Unified Approach to Planning

The IA was fully executed by all the parties involved on March 15, 2023, and brings together key agencies through:

  • Joint workshops to discuss policy and set direction

  • Coordinated land use and school facilities planning

  • Regular meetings to address issues of mutual concern

Layers of Collaboration

The Technical Working Group has a representative from each agency that includes elected officials. That’s where staff and one elected official come to the table, bringing different perspectives to the discussion. This group forms the foundation of the collaboration:

  • Top Tier: Public Schools Planning Officials and elected leaders

  • Mid-Tier: Subcommittee of the Technical Working Group (meets semi-weekly)

  • Base Tier: Staff-level meetings to discuss detailed planning

“That’s kind of the idea, to plan jointly, the different municipalities, the school board,” said Chuck Varadin, Marion County growth services director. “It gives us an opportunity to coordinate and talk as a sub team and look at different things.”

Building Scalable Processes

“One of the things that we’re doing now, especially with that subgroup is developing the process that we can then scale in future years,” Varadin added.

Balancing Priorities and Challenges

Each entity – whether a municipality, the school board, or the county – advocates for its own interests, which can create challenges. Still, all agree on the greater goal.

“All these agencies, we’re here for the citizens of Marion County,” said Stephen Ayers, Marion County Public Schools director of student assignments and records. “The good news about having the interlocal agreement is that it’s making all of the agencies with a vested interest sit at the same table.”

Data Sharing and Communication

  • Agencies share consistent data for long-range forecasting

  • Communication is key to understanding each other’s needs

“We’re separate entities, but we can’t work without each other,” said Ayers. “It’s a pendulum swing, but that pendulum needs to find a middle ground.”

Looking Ahead with Intentional Planning

Florida statute mandates that local government entities establish interlocal agreements.

“Statute is speaking to us uniformly at that point,” said Tracy Straub, Marion County assistant county administrator.

The county supports the school system by sharing permit data, though housing density remains an issue.

“If everything had been growing at pace, we wouldn’t have anticipated three households living in one house,” said Straub.

Planning for the Future

“The best thing we can do is to come up with the best tools… and continue to monitor that and adjust it,” said Jeffrey Shrum, City of Ocala growth management director.

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