Runoff elections for two Ocala City Council seats will be held Tuesday
The two City of Ocala runoff elections will be held Tuesday.
Incumbent Jay A. Musleh and challenger Tyler Schlichter are squaring off for the City Council District 3 seat, while Lori Martin Gregory and Kristen Dreyer are competing for the District 4 seat.
Martin Gregory and Dreyer were among six people who ran in September to fill the seat of Matthew Wardell, who decided to leave the council before his term expired. No one gained 50 percent of the vote plus one, so the top two vote recipients moved to the runoff. Dreyer took 30.94% of the vote while Martin Gregory had 26.78%.
District 3 race: Rusty Juergens, Jay Musleh and Tyler Schlichter compete
District 4 campaign: Six candidates vie for open City Council District 4 seat in special election
Election results: Mayor Kent Guinn keeps seat; Barry Mansfield wins; runoff for District 3
Likewise, Musleh and Schlichter moved on to the runoff in their three-candidate contest, which also featured Russell "Rusty" Juergens. Musleh got 43.23% of the vote and Schlichter took 30.26%.
City council members earn $200 a month and serve four-year terms.
According to the Supervisor of Elections Office website, from Sept. 17, the day after the city's election, up to the end of October, the four have raised a combined $70,942.36.
In the Musleh-Schlichter contest, the candidates had a combined total of $35,930.36. The money raised for the other race was $35,012.
As of Friday afternoon, of the 38,464 eligible City of Ocala voters, 3,749 had returned mail ballots.
Mail ballots must be at the supervisor's office by 7 p.m. on Nov. 16, which is Election Day. On that day, polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
District 3 race
Jay Musleh
On a foggy Friday morning, Musleh was standing at the intersection of West Silver Springs Boulevard and Southwest Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue holding a campaign sign and waving.
Musleh said he has been campaigning at different street corners.
"This is what it's all about," he said.
The councilman is hoping city residents come out to the polls in record numbers. If re-elected, Musleh said there's so much left to be done. For example, making sure the city has good jobs, making sure first responders have what they need, growing the city smartly and tackling the fire user fee.
"I've got the experience, 9½ years on council and 16 years on the city's code enforcement board, some of them chairman," he said.
As for what separates him from Schlichter?
"Vote for experience; experience matters," he said.
Juergens told the Star-Banner that he's endorsing Musleh, citing the incumbent's honesty and integrity.
Tyler Schlichter
Schlichter could not be reached for comment.
A statement posted on the Supervisor of Elections website says Schlichter is a "Christian conservative, has a long history with the city of Ocala, going back nearly 20 years, a graduate of Forest High School and holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida."
Schlichter is vice president and partner at Central Florida Electric in Ocala, according to the site.
He supports first responders and "has a passion for improving Ocala," the statement says. His goals are to add parks, clean up abandoned buildings and keep Ocala clean and safe.
District 4 race
Kristen M. Dreyer
Dreyer said she has experience working with city officials and has met with them frequently.
Dreyer said there are 26,000 properties waiting to be developed and there needs to be a plan for first responders (police and fire) to handle that type of development. She said aside from the 60,000 residents living in the city, another 250,000 commute in and out of the city each day.
"We need to have a plan for that growth," she said
She said voters want someone who's already invested in the city. Dreyer said on Day 1 the new council member should be ready, have the knowledge needed to navigate the city, and be in a position to build bridges between the city and county.
"They're no days off. I've already been working," she said.
Dreyer said she has served on different boards for the city and has served the city and its residents for many years.
Dreyer said she's not seeking any endorsement from anyone.
Lori Martin Gregory
Martin Gregory said she has strong roots in Ocala and is proud of being a fourth-generation resident.
She said although she didn't have a desire to enter politics, the past 14 months have inspired her to give herself and service to Ocala.
"I've a strong appreciation of getting involved to make our city great," she said.
Martin Gregory said she's been in business for many years, both in Florida and California. She said she wants to build on what the city has, adding she has "a passion for Ocala."
Aside from her business expertise, long family history and caring for the city, Martin Gregory said she won't compromise on her values of family, faith and freedom.
Martin Gregory said small businesses have been hit hard within the past year and she wants the city to nature these businesses.
"I want to create a pathway for entrepreneurship and build a future for our children," she said.
Candidate bio boxes
Jay Musleh
Family: Wife Sigrid, four children
Work: Senior vice president and credit administrator, South State Bank
Experience: Councilman, presently serves on the Marion County Transportation Planning Organization and Tourist Development Council; served 16 years on the Ocala Code Enforcement Board.
Community service: Past president of Kiwanis Club of Ocala and former member of Marion Technical Institute advisory board.
Tyler Schlichter
Family: Wife, four daughters
Education: Graduate of Forest High School; bachelor's degree, electrical engineering, University of Florida
Work: Vice president, partner, Central Florida Electric in Ocala.
Community service: Volunteer soccer coach, Big Sun Soccer League. Habitat for Humanity supporter. Member, Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership.
Kristen M. Dreyer
Occupation: Associate real estate broker with RE/MAX Premier Realty
Education: Sociology degree from the University of Central Florida
Experience: Americorps member, 2001-2002; supervisor of clinical services for Lifestream Behavioral Center, 2003-2006; board member, Graceway Academy, 2014-2017; board member, Midtown Master Plan Steering Committee, 2016-2017; board member, Ocala Historic Preservation Advisory Board, 2016-present; board member, Ocala Main Street, 2020-present; board member, East Ocala CRA, 2021-present.
Lori Martin Gregory
Occupation: CEO of a film company that exposes corruption in the pharmaceutical industry.
Experience: Fourth-generation Ocala native, 40+ years' experience in healthcare, media, marketing and business, including nonprofit, corporate, entertainment and Wall Street.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb. Star-Banner reporter Danielle Johnson contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Tuesday is runoff election for 2 Ocala City Council seats
