OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Ocala City Manager Pete Lee presented the State of the City Address at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership’s “ExCEPtional Mornings” public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at the Reilly Arts Center.

The city has continued to grow and evolve in the face of inevitable change, said Lee. His presentation centered on using the acronym S.T.R.O.N.G. to illustrate Ocala’s investment in the future–the municipality is making certain that it’s Safer, Thriving, Rooted in its culture, that Outreach is a priority, and that the city’s Network makes it more robust, with Growth, and the opportunities and the challenges that come with it, are at the forefront of the city’s focus.

The strength within the City of Ocala comes from its people, said Lee, when referring to the mayor, council members and the municipality’s staff.

“I’m glad that they’re my council, and I thank everyone of them for their dedication and passion,” said Lee. “They’re committed to Ocala, and I thank them for their support of staff as we journey ahead. They set the priorities every year, and it’s our responsibility as a staff to implement the priorities and answer the calls that they have from citizens.”

An active community 

The City of Ocala is charged with many responsibilities, including ensuring the power stays on, providing clean water and well-maintained parks, police, fire and rescue, roads, housing grants, economic development opportunities, picking up the trash, repairing water lines, and that the staff that works for the city is fully engaged, knowledgeable and cares deeply for the place that they live and work, said Lee.

“Included in that are our first responders who keep us safe 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said Lee.

The Ocala Police Department is dedicated to keeping the community safe, said Ocala Police Department Chief Mike Balken, in a video that was part of the presentation.

The men and women of Ocala Fire and Rescue are ready to help when you need them, said Ocala Fire and Rescue Chief Clint Welborn, during the video presentation.

In 2024, Ocala saw a 5 percent increase in population, and at the same time, OPD officers saw a decrease in the crime rate by almost 5 percent. The OPD went 15 months without a homicide being committed within the city.

The OPD remains active and makes 6,000 arrests on an annual basis, and 21,000 traffic stops a year, to keep the community safe, said Balken.

First responders within the community are engaging and building trust with citizens on a routine basis.

Ocala Fire and Rescue has been safeguarding safety within the city, responding to nearly 25,000 calls for service a year, dedicating thousands of hours of training in fire suppression, emergency medical services and special operations to ensure they know how to serve the community best.

The emphasis on safety can be seen daily, as more than 250,000 commuters pass through the city every 24 hours. Ocala Fire and Rescue focuses on everything, from incidents as common as traffic collisions to strategic and technical rescues, said Welborn.

The impact of the arts and an emphasis on caring 

A vibrant arts and cultural scene make Ocala a city that offers a wide range of intellectual and entertainment diversions. Cultural experiences make the community energetic, colorful and effective. The city has 91 permanent art pieces.

The city has come a long way over the past decade, with most of Ocala’s changes being positive, said Lee.

Economic development and job creation have been huge focal points, and the Ocala Metro CEP has played a large role; the art community is also a key contributor as an economic driver, said Lee.

It’s the city’s engaged and knowledgeable staff, though, whose impact resonates throughout the community, and the city supports the growth of its employees. The City of Ocala is customer-focused first, cares about its employees, and the staff in turn cares about the work they do and for their community. The employees value their roles in the city, said Lee.

The City of Ocala has a culture of service and leadership, and how they interact and engage with others plays a critical role in their success. The city places an emphasis on being committed to every interaction, and the attributes of integrity, transparency, effective communication and consistency have been crucial in fostering trust, he said.

The city relies on its partnership with its businesses and citizens to be successful, as synergy doesn’t just create visibility, but also opportunities to grow, invest and to leave a lasting impact, Natalie McComb, Reilly Arts Center’s executive director, said during the video presentation.

Ocala by the numbers:

• 915,000,000 gallons of water returned to the aquifer.
• 206,994 SunTran riders
• 187,304 people served by recreation and parks
• 57,167 tons of solid waste collected
• 5,407 vendor partnerships
• 1,162 power restorations
• 282,000 cyber threats blocked
• 1,236 City of Ocala employees
• $56,909,354 invested into community redevelopment areas
• 194 cumulative technical automotive certifications
• 1,250 HVAC preventative maintenance services
• 45 miles of fiber cabling installed
• 111,227 feet or road resurfaced
• 25,100 customers assisted at service desk
• 96,704 total flights
• 99% overall customer satisfaction
• $1,152,885,830 citywide budget
• 1,825,514 social media reach
• 2nd most moved to city in the U.S.
• 71,500 residents