Marco Island City Council Candidates

Published: 4:37 pm. ET October 6, 2024
Updated: 6:18 pm. ET October 6, 2024 / By
Marco Island City Council Election

Six candidates are running for four of the seven seats on the Marco Island City Council. They are incumbents Richard Blonna and Becky Irwin, and newcomers Tamara Goehler, Stephen Gray, Deb Henry, and Bonita Schwan. Jill Kiley, who also qualified for the race, withdrew on Sep. 9 because of a “health crisis” in her extended family.

The candidates are seeking the seats currently held by Rich Blonna, Jared Grifoni, Becky Irwin, and Joe Rola.

The election is nonpartisan, and the top four vote-getters will win.

Terms of office are for four years with a limit of two full consecutive terms and eight lifetime years of service.

Only Marco Island residents may vote in the election.

In this Post

I begin this post with several opportunities for you to learn the candidates’ positions on important local issues. Then, I provide overviews of their backgrounds, platforms, and endorsements, as well as links to their online presence and news articles found through a Google search. I close with a comparison of the candidates’ cumulative campaign contributions and spending.

More information may be added in the weeks ahead. Check back for updates before casting your vote.

In Their Own Words

All candidates participated in interviews with Coastal Breeze News reporter Steve Stefanides on YouTube and responded in writing to 16 questions developed by the Marco Island Civic Association, published on marcocivic.com. Both sources contain a lot of good information that I urge you to look at.

All candidates also responded to my Sparker’s Soapbox questionnaire (links below) as well as a questionnaire from the League of Women Voters of Collier County on Vote411.

Richard Blonna

Richard Blonna was born and raised in Newark, NJ. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from William Paterson University, a Master’s of Education from Seton Hall, and a Doctoral Degree in health education with a specialization in health counseling from Temple University.

Blonna

After a decade as a public health administrator with the NJ State Department of Health, Blonna was recruited for a faculty position at William Paterson University. He taught there for 28 years, retiring in 2014 as a Full Professor Emeritus. He was also a small business owner from 1990 – 2022, first writing textbooks and working as a training consultant, then producing and offering online self-help training books and courses.

Blonna was first elected to the City Council in 2020 and is now seeking a second and final term. He and his wife have been Marco Island residents since 2014.

Key Issues

According to Blonna’s re-election platform priorities, he will:

Endorsements

None found.

In the News

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Tamara Goehler

Tamara Goehler was born in the former Soviet Union, legally immigrated to the United States, and became a citizen in 1992.

She lived and worked for the U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Department of State in the Washington, D.C., area for a number of years, developing curricula, implementing cost-efficient operations, and ensuring high-quality outcomes.

Goehler

Goehler and her husband of 22 years moved to Marco Island in 2021. Her community activities include membership on the Collier County Republican Executive Committee, the Republican Club of South Collier, the Republican Women of SWFL, and the American Legion and AmVets. She also served as a poll watcher for the last Marco Island election.

Goehler believes her strategic planning and human and fiscal resource management abilities will enable her to promote unity and collaboration on the City Council.

Goehler is running as part of a team with Stephen Gray. See below.

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Stephen Gray

Stephen Gray moved to Marco Island from Chicago in 2015. He earned an undergraduate degree in plant sciences from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University with majors in finance and accounting.

Gray

During a 24-year career at Harris Bank, Gray developed expertise in risk management and the ability to handle complex financial and operational challenges. His professional background also includes roles as a retail buyer for Marshall Field’s, owner and operator of a tent and awning business, and work with the Indiana University Foundation.

His board memberships include the Protective Insurance Company, the Apollo Condominium Association in Marco Island, and the Springfield Remanufacturing Company in Springfield, Missouri, a 100% employee-owned company.

Gray believes his expertise in objective analytics and fiscal discipline will enable him to assist the City Council in focusing on operational efficiency, responsibly managing density and development, and fostering community engagement.

Gray is running as part of a team with Tamara Goehler. See below.

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Goehler•Gray

“We are unified in our commitment to putting the residents of the island first if elected to the City Council,” Goehler and Gray wrote in a letter to the editor of Coastal Breeze News.

“By running together, we can share resources and reach a larger audience. Since we are not backed by any special interest groups and will not personally benefit from these positions, we need to maximize the impact of our campaign funds.”

Key Issues

The team’s key issues are:

  • putting residents first and rebuilding the community’s trust in City Council,
  • responsibly managing density and development, and
  • water quality and the environment.

On their website, they outline how they would address Marco Island’s short-term rental (STR) problems, the variance involving the cemetery, the trolley, workforce housing, permitting, beach parking/access, traffic, and balancing business and resident concerns.

Goehler•Gray Endorsements

None found.

Goehler•Gray In the News

Goehler•Gray Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Deb Henry

Deb Henry was raised just outside of Philadelphia, PA, the oldest of four children. She began working at her father’s construction company when she was 19 years old and served with the company for 30 years, having purchased it in 1989.

Henry

While working, she attended night school and earned an associate’s degree in business at Bucks County Community College in 1997.

In 2019, Henry sold the company to become a full-time mom, and in 2003, she and her family moved to Marco Island. Her community activities have included volunteering at her daughter’s high school and serving on the City of Marco Island Audit Committee. She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Newcomers, and the 2024 Leadership Marco Class.

Key Issues

Henry’s goals are:

  • facilitate community newsletter,
  • electric bike and bicycle safety,
  • maintain roll back rate for taxes, and
  • prioritize clean water.

Endorsements

In the News

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Becky Irwin

Becky Irwin, 54, has been a full-time Florida resident since 1980 and a Marco Island resident since 2013.

Irwin attended Collier County public schools through middle school, attended high school in Fort Lauderdale, and earned a bachelor’s degree in classics with minors in archaeology and art history from Florida State University.

Irwin

She had a 20+ year first career in South Florida as Executive Director, Development Director, and Volunteer Services Manager for organizations including the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Habitat for Humanity, Take Stock in Children, and HANDY (Helping Abused, Neglected, Disadvantaged Youth). At the same time, she served as a board member and volunteered for a number of other non-profits, and she received awards for her community service.

Since moving to Marco Island, she has been a real estate agent. She is a member of the Marco Island Area Association of Realtors®, The Naples Board of Realtors®, and the Realtor® Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale.

In 2017, Irwin was appointed to the City of Marco Island Beautification Committee. In 2019, she was appointed to the Citizen Summit for the Strategic Plan, and she chaired the Arbor Day celebrations in 2019 and 2020.

Irwin is a graduate of the FL League of Cities Leadership Class I, Leadership Collier Class of 22, and the Leadership Marco Class of 24. She is affiliated with the Marco Island Women’s Club, the Marco Island Newcomers Club, and the League Club (Naples) (past board member), among other South Florida nonprofits.

Irwin was elected to the current term on the Marco Island City Council with, according to her City Council bio, the most votes ever received by any candidate in Marco Island history.” She is FL League of Cities Institute for Elected Municipal Officers I and II certified.

Key Issues

On her website, Irwin says:

  • the environment and outdoors “have always been front and center in my life,”
  • “our waterways and beaches are our most precious natural resources,”
  • “I am a proven fiscal conservative and have voted every year for the roll back rate,”
  • “I advocate for private property rights and limited government,”
  • “I support our first responders; Police, Fire, EMS, Water and Public Works… and thank and respect our military veterans,” and
  • “I support local families and local businesses.”

Endorsements

None found.

In the News

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Bonita Schwan

Bonita Schwan, 62, was born in Iowa. Part of a family-owned and operated cattle company, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Drake Law School, Des Moines, IA.

As an attorney, Schwan specialized in legislation and administrative rules. She also volunteered with the United States Peace Corps in Western Samoa (1990-91).

Schwan served on Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s personal staff when he was in office, where, she said, her responsibilities included providing recommendations to the governor regarding budget and policy matters for five State departments.

She currently serves on the board for the Cape Marco Cozumel Building HOA and as membership chair for the Marco Island Newcomers Club. She is also involved with the Marco Island Historical Museum, Marco Island Chamber of Commerce, Marco Island Woman’s Club, and Marco Island Volunteer Bike Path Committee.

Key Issues

Schwan’s platform issues are:

  • supporting the best interests of Marco Island citizens,
  • fiscally conservative policies and limited government,
  • prioritizing clean water and the protection of green spaces,
  • smart planning to improve our island infrastructure and facilities, and
  • a long-term vision to ensure the best decisions are made for all of us on our island.

Endorsements

None found

In the News

Websites, Social Media, Other Resources

Campaign Finance

Here is a summary of the candidates’ campaign treasurer reports filed through Oct. 5, 2024:

Marco Island Candidates contributions reported on 10/5/24
cityofmarcoisland.com

Of note:

  • Blonna has far out-raised and out-spent the other five candidates.
  • Blonna and Irwin each had five contributions of the maximum allowed of $1,000.
  • Goehler and Henry each had one contribution of $1,000.

Click here for contributor details.

Next Steps

If you are a Marco Island voter, it’s time to review the available information and make your decision on which candidate to vote for. I hope this research has been helpful. Thanks for wanting to be a more informed voter!

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