Ocala's electric utility could spend just over $107,000 to keep the software behind its outage phone line, repair dispatch, and service tracking in place.
The Oct. 20 City Council agenda includes a vote on that renewal, putting a largely back-office part of the city's electric response operation before the board, according to Ocala-News.com.
Here's what to know
The proposed renewal involves Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc., products used by Ocala Electric Utility.
That includes its Interactive Voice Response system, Outage Management System, and Engineering Analysis tools.
Council members are expected to vote on extending the 12-month agreement, costing an estimated $107,100, during their regular Oct. 20 meeting, according to Ocala-News.com.
Through that system, the utility takes outage reports on an automated phone line, pinpoints where power is out, and sends repair crews to the proper location.
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Customer service staff also use the platform when residents report other electrical issues, including low-hanging power lines, flickering lights, partial power losses, and broken streetlights.
More background
The estimated cost is split between software support and telecom-related expenses.
Ocala-News.com reported that $33,516 of the total is for annual licensing and support, while the rest would cover monthly call charges, federal and state telecommunications fees, taxes tied to the IVR and Customer Service Center, and a 5% contingency fund.
The platform tracks outage history and can produce reports sorted by utility pole number, feeder line, or individual customer. Those records give the utility a detailed look at where recurring problem areas may be developing.
Ocala Electric Utility uses those reporting functions to log local incidents and compile the monthly outage reports it must send to the Florida Municipal Power Agency.
The renewal affects how the utility documents service interruptions, handles incoming calls during outages, and keeps up the administrative reporting expected of a municipal power provider in North Central Florida.
What's being done?
City staff submitted a renewal package that, if approved by council members, would keep the Milsoft system supported and subscribed through Sept. 30, 2027.
The cost of the agreement is already built into the city's Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget.
The renewal would continue the software support structure behind several utility functions at once, from automated outage intake to dispatch coordination and engineering analysis.
Both city staff and legal counsel recommended approval before the proposal goes to the council for a final vote.
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