Traverse City Record-Eagle

Election 2011

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  • Mike Estes is congratulated Tuesday during a party at the InsideOut Gallery in Traverse City after being elected mayor. Record-Eagle/Keith King

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  • Michael Estes

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  • Ralph Soffredine

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November 9, 2011

Voters put Estes back in mayor's office

He defeats Ralph Soffredine by wide margin, 2,517-1,776

By VANESSA McCRAY vmccray@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Former Traverse City Mayor Michael Estes earned back his old post.

City voters on Tuesday gave Estes a big win over longtime city Commissioner Ralph Soffredine. Estes garnered 2,517 votes to Soffredine's 1,776.

"I think there were two separate messages: One said, 'Keep everything the way it is,' and another message says, 'We can improve what we have. We have a wonderful city, but we can make it better,' " Estes said. "I just don't accept status quo."

Estes served as mayor from 2007 to 2009. He built his campaign around pledges to increase spending on city infrastructure such as roads and sidewalks and a willingness to consider other spending cuts.

"Our job on the city commission is to really be responsive to the citizens and provide for their needs at a reasonable cost," he said.

Estes succeeds Mayor Chris Bzdok, who did not seek re-election.

Irvin Neal cast a vote for Estes at the Glenn Loomis school building on Oak Street.

"I usually tell people if you don't vote, I don't want to hear you complain," Neal said.

Estes won his support because Neal wanted "someone new." Soffredine served as a city commissioner since 2003. Officials can get too comfortable when in office for a long time, Neal said.

Soffredine, the city's former police and fire chief, said he'll remain involved in some issues as a citizen, but mostly will step back from city government business.

"When they put me out to pasture, my political days are over. I'll still be on several boards," he said.

He thought his chances were good in the days leading up to the election, but said the final numbers weren't close.

"You take your shot," Soffredine said, of the campaign. "I just move on from there, and the city will survive."

Jasmine Dorsey voted Tuesday afternoon at the History Center of Traverse City. Dorsey received plenty of information about Proposal 1, a ballot question that asked city voters to keep or remove the city's non-discrimination ordinance. But Dorsey said she learned little about the mayoral candidates.

"The thing that kind of frustrated me this year is that the only thing you heard about was Proposal 1," she said. "I never got any literature or phone calls about people."

Philip Rosi faced a different kind of problem deciding between Estes and Soffredine.

"Both of them are good friends of mine," he said. "Both good people."

One of the first items on Estes' to-do list is to create a list of city priorities. His own include increasing infrastructure spending, which will "require some reallocation of city expenditures" to pay for projects, and a course of action for the long-discussed bayfront plan.

"What we need to do is quickly resolve what we're going to do with the bayfront plan, what we're going to do with the Open Space," Estes said.

City voter turnout was about 38 percent.

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