2024 general election key dates for Florida
Key dates to remember for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election
Four candidates are vying for the mayoral seat in Bonita Springs.
Here’s what you should know about the race and a Q&A with each candidate.
All Bonita Springs residents who are registered and eligible to vote can participate in the at-large mayoral race in the general election Nov. 5.
Key issues shaping the race include managing sustainable growth, improving infrastructure to mitigate flooding and preparing the city for future disasters. The next mayor will play a critical role in balancing development with environmental preservation while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The mayor’s annual salary is $26,582, with a term limit of two consecutive four-year terms. The mayor and city councilors can serve up to two four-year terms back-to-back.
Derrick Botana
What are your top priorities if elected, and how do you plan to achieve them?
If elected, my top priorities will be sustainable growth, community preservation, and disaster preparedness. I envision a Bonita Springs that balances development with environmental stewardship by implementing smart zoning laws and investing in green spaces. To foster collaboration with the city council, I will establish regular communication and joint task forces focused on key initiatives. Transparency and accountability will be achieved through open forums and accessible budget reports. We’ve learned from Hurricane Ian to prioritize resilient infrastructure; I will advocate for improved drainage systems to address flooding. Fiscal responsibility will guide our budget decisions, ensuring we meet residents’ needs without compromising our future.
What is your vision for growth and development in the city, and how will you balance it with the need for environmental sustainability and preserving the community’s character?
My vision for growth in Bonita Springs focuses on creating a vibrant community that respects its unique character and environment. I propose smart development practices that prioritize mixed-use spaces and green infrastructure, ensuring new projects enhance rather than overshadow our natural landscapes. By promoting sustainable building standards and preserving open spaces, we can foster economic growth while protecting our ecosystems. Community engagement will be key; I will host workshops to gather resident input and ensure developments reflect our values. Together, we can achieve a balanced approach that supports both progress and preservation, making Bonita Springs a model for sustainable development.
How do you plan to foster a strong working relationship with the city council and other local government bodies to ensure efficient governance?
To foster a strong working relationship with the city council and local government bodies, I will prioritize open communication and collaboration. I plan to establish regular meetings and joint workshops, allowing for shared goals and transparent discussions on key issues. By encouraging input from all members and actively seeking diverse perspectives, we can build a cohesive team focused on efficient governance. Additionally, I will promote a culture of respect and accountability, ensuring that everyone’s voice is valued. Together, we can create a unified approach to addressing community needs, streamlining processes, and enhancing our city’s overall effectiveness.
What specific measures will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in the city government?
To ensure transparency and accountability in Bonita Springs city government, I will revamp our website for easy access to budgets, project updates, and meeting information. I will establish regular town hall meetings to encourage resident participation and ensure their voices are heard. Additionally, I will implement clear performance metrics and accessible reports, allowing residents to track government progress. Finally, I will enhance our citizen advisory boards to improve transparency and communication in overseeing key projects. These initiatives will build trust, keep our community informed, and ensure Bonita Springs is responsive to residents’ needs.
What lessons did Bonita Springs learn from Hurricane Ian and how will you apply those lessons to future city planning and disaster preparedness efforts?
Hurricane Ian taught us essential lessons about disaster preparedness and community resilience. Moving forward, I propose creating emergency response grants to provide immediate assistance to residents and businesses, minimizing reliance on insurance claims for quicker recovery. I’ll partner with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to develop a comprehensive storm surge resiliency plan to protect our coastal areas. Effective communication is crucial, so I will ensure reliable channels keep residents informed during disasters. Additionally, I will implement proactive evacuation measures and focus on infrastructure improvements to address flooding and safeguard our community.
How will you address local roadway flooding and other infrastructure needs in Bonita Springs?
To address local roadway flooding and infrastructure needs in Bonita Springs, I will prioritize a comprehensive assessment of our drainage systems to identify and rectify problem areas, especially due to aging infrastructure and inadequate drainage. I’ll collaborate with county, state, and federal agencies to secure funding for necessary upgrades. Additionally, I will implement green infrastructure solutions, such as permeable paving and small berms, to mitigate runoff and sheet flow flooding. By modernizing our traffic systems with innovative technologies and enhancing coordination among local agencies, we will ensure safe, reliable transportation and lay the foundation for a resilient, sustainable future for all residents.
How will you manage the city’s budget to ensure fiscal responsibility while also meeting the needs of the residents?
To manage the city’s budget responsibly while meeting residents’ needs, I will prioritize fiscal accountability and transparent financial planning. I will ensure that essential services are funded while also focusing on community investments, particularly in infrastructure and public facilities. Recognizing the importance of supporting all residents, especially for our seniors, I will advocate for the construction of a community senior center that provides resources and activities tailored to their needs. By collaborating with community stakeholders and employing innovative budgeting strategies, we can balance fiscal responsibility with the essential services that enhance the quality of life for every resident in Bonita Springs.
Ruth Condit
What are your top priorities if elected, and how do you plan to achieve them?
My three top priorities are enhanced urban aesthetics, streamlined small business permitting and clean and healthy water in both our natural environment and man-made water systems. Aesthetics start with: Maintaining and upgrading landscaping in the medians along Old 41 and Bonita Beach Road, reducing the visual litter of neglected and confusing signage, power washing sidewalks and business facades not up to code. Permitting procedures need to be examined for protracted inefficiencies that subject small businesses and start-ups to burdensome expenses and excessive regulations. Water will improve with active engagement in initiatives like promoting natural filter marshes for stormwater retention ponds.
What is your vision for growth and development in the city, and how will you balance it with the need for environmental sustainability and preserving the community’s character?
Bonita stands apart from its neighbors with a preserved history, a real downtown center, beautiful beaches, natural landscapes and wetlands. To protect all this and reduce sprawl, Bonita needs to encourage infill development over peripheral expansion. Marginal and abandoned areas should be reclaimed and adaptive reuse of existing buildings encouraged. New communities on the periphery should embed commercial activity to cut down on traffic. Since transportation plays a role in our communities, transportation and land use decisions must be made simultaneously. I hope to see the completion of our downtown vision with tourist, resident and business activity throughout the day.
How do you plan to foster a strong working relationship with the city council and other local government bodies to ensure efficient governance?
The pathway to strong working relationships with city council members is spelled out in our City Charter and in Roberts Rules of Order. Guidelines requiring full participation in all meetings while demonstrating dignity, respect, kindness consideration and courtesy to all need only be acted on and enforced. Roberts Rules requires the Mayor to run smooth meetings promoting efficiency, professionalism and civility. Since Bonita values intergovernmental relationships with neighboring communities and regional entities, I will attend when possible all scheduled meetings and events to promote goodwill and better friendships with elected officials and leaders throughout Southwest Florida.
What specific measures will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in the city government?
I would like to streamline the city’s website to reduce the number of clicks required to get information. All civic events should appear on the calendar including those hosted by other entities such as police and fire departments. I would enhance the accessibility of city council meetings with an audio soundcheck before meetings and handouts spelling out abbreviations used in local government communication. Sunshine equals hearing and understanding. Public reporting systems allow citizens to track progress on budgets, spending, residential and commercial development projects and city operations. Also fostering accountability is the tracking of clear action steps for reaching staff goals.
What lessons did Bonita Springs learn from Hurricane Ian and how will you apply those lessons to future city planning and disaster preparedness efforts?
With Irma, many residents who evacuated looked back and felt it was really unnecessary. That view carried forward with Ian. Following the severity of that event, I think the community will follow forecaster weather predictions more closely After all, the technology has improved and can be trusted a bit more. People will now listen to the media and city and county directives. As Mayor, I will ensure that the city staff will continue to work closely with the County and follow the recommendations outlined in Lee County’s “Hurricane Ian After-Action Report.
How will you address local roadway flooding and other infrastructure needs in Bonita Springs?
To address local roadway flooding and other infrastructure needs in Bonita, I will take a six-pronged approach.
- Comprehensive Drainage Systems — This involves improving and expanding stormwater drainage systems to handle heavy rains and runoff to reduce roadway flooding. Regular maintenance and upgrades to existing systems can prevent blockages and overflow.
- Green Infrastructure — This uses solutions like permeable pavements, rain gardens and bioswales in new developments for natural stormwater management.
- County and State Partnerships — I will work closely with county and state agencies to acquire funding for large infrastructure projects. Lobbying for state and federal grants will help city efforts focused on resilience and flood prevention.
- Community Involvement — I will reach out to our residents through public forums. These will aim at individual flooding issues and ensure that infrastructure planning prioritizes the most urgent needs.
- Rapid Response Units — These can be established for emergencies during heavy storms to clear flooded roadways and provide help for affected residents.
- Climate Resilience Planning — This will be essential because of rising sea levels and more frequent storms. It should focus on roads, bridges and drainage.
How will you manage the city’s budget to ensure fiscal responsibility while also meeting the needs of the residents?
To ensure fiscal responsibility while meeting the needs of residents, I will focus on basic services like public safety, infrastructure and capital improvements — prioritizing spending where it will have the greatest impact. By eliminating wasteful expenditures and increasing government efficiency, we can do more with less, ensuring that taxpayer money is used effectively. I will support policies that promote local economic growth and encourage private investment, which will expand the tax base without raising taxes. Through careful planning, we will meet residents’ needs while maintaining a balanced, sustainable budget.
Mike Gibson
What are your top priorities if elected, and how do you plan to achieve them?
- Traffic — work with our partners at the county and state to implement the quadrant plan for BBR and 41. Work with the county to make our traffic lights smarter and tie them together to make traffic flow better. Look at long-term plans to see if a divergent diamond intersection may work for our interchange.
- Water quality — expansion of projects like the bioreactor that is already reducing the nutrient load in the Imperial River.
What is your vision for growth and development in the city, and how will you balance it with the need for environmental sustainability and preserving the community’s character?
We need to protect the DRGR for our sustainability of drinking water well fields and open space. Growth should be focused more on infill development creating a more walkable area to live in and reducing the traffic causing sprawl that traditional development has caused.
How do you plan to foster a strong working relationship with the city council and other local government bodies to ensure efficient governance?
The Mayor is only one of the seven making the decisions, nothing gets done without at least four yes votes. I have a good relationship with those that are currently on council along with those that are running. I have also worked with a majority of the County Commissioners and many of the county staff and will keep the communication open with them to keep things working well.
What specific measures will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in the city government?
With all the changes in how people choose to get their news today, the city needs to figure out how best to reach them on social media and possibly with Ads on YouTube and other streaming services. The City has a list of people who want to receive info from the city, we need a way to get more of our residents signed up to receive them.
What lessons did Bonita Springs learn from Hurricane Ian and how will you apply those lessons to future city planning and disaster preparedness efforts?
We learned that we have to be ready for any disaster with resources ready to be deployed. Prior to the storm we have to make sure those that should evacuate are heeding the warnings. We need to maintain our disaster reserves in the budget and may need to increase them due to inflation.
How will you address local roadway flooding and other infrastructure needs in Bonita Springs?
The City implemented a stormwater and drainage fee to fund upgrades in the city’s drainage infrastructure. Maintenance of the drains may need to be scheduled more often to be cleaned out along with the maintenance of the swales. There are also projects underway in some of the areas worst affected.
How will you manage the city’s budget to ensure fiscal responsibility while also meeting the needs of the residents?
Running the family business, I am keenly aware that we have to make a certain margin to keep our doors open. The City is no different, working with residents and the council we need to determine the level of service people expect and what they are willing to pay in taxes to accomplish that. I believe our millage rate is close to where it needs to be and while I would like to be able to lower taxes, it’s not something that can always be done. But we can make sure that the city runs efficiently and we don’t waste any money.
Rick Steinmeyer
Steinmeyer, a long-time Bonita Springs resident, became mayor in 2020, earning 52.3% of the votes cast. Steinmeyer did not respond the The News-Press’ Q&A request.