Mike Bradley will be the mayor of Sarnia for at least another four years after winning a 10th term on Monday.
The veteran politician, who has held the mayor's seat since 1988, received 16,238 votes, easily beating Sarnia Councillor Anne-Marie Gillis with 7,569. Kip Cuthbert had 592, and Fred Ingham received 397.
Speaking with Blackburn News shortly after his win, Bradley said he's looking forward to working with some fresh faces.
"After looking at the least four years, it's about reconciliation, it's about us moving forward and forgetting about the past," said Bradley. "I'm not a rear view mirror guy. We're going to move forward and make good things happen for the city. There's a good balance of veterans and new people, and we can make this work."
Bradley said the disconnect between the city hall and the public is huge.
"We totally had an open city hall both physically and mentally, and we've lost that. I want to get that back. I look at the new group and think 'hey I've worked with some of these people in the past, we can do it', we can take Sarnia back to where it should be," said Bradley.
"In the past three years, I've been ostracized at city hall, I've been shunned, and I've been harassed. There were lessons learned, and I will be different in my leadership style. I am not stopping being the guy that asks for the taxpayers of Sarnia what's going on at city hall."
Bradley's main challenger, Anne Marie Gillis, expressed disappointment with the outcome.
Sarnia Mayoral Candidate Anne Marie Gillis with some of her supporters. October 22, 2018 Photo by Melanie Irwin
"It didn't go the way that we were hoping it to," said Gillis. "We thought this would be a breakthrough moment for the city, but clearly the citizens of the City of Sarnia have chosen a different path."
Gillis said she's upset to see so few women elected.
"Only one woman on council and as it translates out into the county, it would appear that there are only a few women out at the county as well. So, that's disappointing from trying to break that glass ceiling and I know there were a lot of very good candidates there, that were coming forward that I would liked to have seen some younger women have the opportunity to serve as I've had the opportunity to serve."
Gillis worries for the city moving forward.
"I'm a bit concerned where the future is going to be for the city and how progressive the city is going to be -- because obviously we have a mayor who wants to take the city back. I also have grave concern for staff at city hall. We have an exemplary staff that work for and do so much for this city and have been unfairly maligned by not only the press, but the people in the City of Sarnia, and I worry for them."
Only two incumbents were re-elected, leaving Matt Mitro, Bev MacDougall, and Andy Bruziewicz on the outside looking in. Cindy Scholten, and Mike Kelch didn't seek re-election.
Longtime councillor David Boushy led the way with 11,561 votes for city/county councillor, and rookie Brian White will be moving up to a county seat after getting 8,462 votes.
Margaret Bird, and Mike Stark will join them on the dual slate.
The four city councillors for the next term will be Bill Dennis, Terry Burrell, Nathan Colquhoun, and George Vandenberg.
While turnout in the first internet/telephone vote in the city was 48.9 per cent, compared to 37.1 per cent in 2014, it was 9:45pm before any results were posted at city hall.
- with files from Melanie Irwin