A change is coming to Bonita Springs city government.
Mike Gibson won Tuesday's election as mayor, and is expected to take office in a couple of weeks.
"I'm still on cloud nine," Gibson said on Wednesday morning. "It was a great night all around."
Gibson, a small business owner in Bonita, defeated three opponents to win. He got almost 36% of the votes, with his nearest competitor getting just over 33%.
The current mayor, Rick Steinmeyer, received only about 10% of the votes, and came in last among the four.
Gibson said he believes the mayor did not campaign much, nor did he do a lot to promote his re-election.
WGCU News contacted Steinmeyer, who said he felt okay about Gibson's victory. What about the results? "I'm old enough to retire," Steinmeyer said.
Gibson said keeping Bonita's small-town charm, at a time when the population is growing, is a big challenge.
"I think we're doing the development right," Gibson said about keeping the most growth in the Old 41 downtown area. "We're trying to restrict the development, preventing the sprawl. You sort of keep the density in one spot. It's a walking environment. You get the businesses to support the density. People can walk or ride bikes. It is healthier."
The mayor-elect said another big issue in Bonita is flooding. He said he wants to improve drainage to reduce the threat of floods.
Heavy traffic has been a concern in Bonita. Gibson said the city and transportation planners have taken steps to improve flow at U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road. He also said he may encourage the Florida Department of Transportation to consider a diverging diamond interchange at Bonita Beach and I-75. He said he has driven the diamond interchange at Colonial and 75, and he believes it works well to keep vehicles moving.
Gibson has been a leader in the Bonita Springs Downtown Alliance, so he knows the city council members. One of them, Jesse Purdon, won another four-year term on the council on Tuesday. And retired business owner Jim Fitzpatrick won his contest for a seat on the council.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He can be reached at mwalcher@wgcu.org