OCALA, Fla. – Dr. Manal Fakhoury is challenging Ocala mayor Kent Guinn for his spot in Tuesday’s election.
Guinn has been the mayor of Ocala since 2011 and was a city councilman before he was voted in as mayor.
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Fakhoury was the clinical coordinator for Ocala Health for 28 years.
The polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and will close at 7 p.m.
Guinn’s top platform is prioritizing public safety in Ocala.
While he has been mayor, Guinn said he has addressed the opioid and heroin crisis in Marion County through a task force.
The current mayor also wants to keep the economy strong. Guinn said the passing of the Enterprise Zone bill created hundreds of new jobs in Ocala.
He said he also wants to make sure the city’s government work’s for each citizen.
Fakhoury said if she was voted in as mayor, she would make it a priority to rebuild public transportation in Ocala.
She said she wants to increase Ocala’s sustainability by working with the city, county, state and federal governments.
Fakhoury also wants to prioritize public safety. She wants to continue high-quality training for the local police force, improve community outreach efforts and strategize a plan to retain and attract officers.
Growing the economy is another platform for Fakhoury. She wants to make Ocala look attractive for businesses to move to the city. She said the west side of Ocala has been neglected.