Amherstburg Voters Turn to New Leadership After Eight Years of Prue

Chris Gibb has been elected mayor of Amherstburg following Monday's vote. Unofficial results show Gibb received 3,928 votes. He beat out Bill Fryer, who garnered 3,284 votes, and incumbent Michael Prue, who secured 1,704 votes. Prue had served as mayor since 2018.

Gibb previously held the position of deputy mayor. He now moves into the top seat, replacing Prue. The town will also see a change in the deputy mayor's office. Bill Petruniak won that race with 5,146 votes. He defeated council member Linden Crain, who received 3,590 votes.

Gibb celebrated at The O on Monday night, surrounded by supporters. He expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him. “Very excited, very excited, humbled, a little overwhelmed, but I’m ready to get started,” Gibb said. He emphasized his intent to work with the new council and deputy mayor to move the town forward.

Gibb stated his goal is to implement plans developed over the last four years. He wants to align those plans with the priorities of the newly elected council. “For me personally, it’s really implementing all the plans that we’ve worked on for the past four years, to be able to implement them and start moving this town in the direction that our next council wants to take it,” he said.

Outgoing mayor Michael Prue held a smaller gathering at Artisan Grill. He plans to retire and travel with his wife. Prue also intends to spend more time reading, cooking, and fishing. He acknowledged that residents wanted a change in direction. “I’m not sure what that direction is because it’s very difficult for me to understand how they would pick a mayor and a deputy mayor who are so diametrically opposed.. but that is what the town has just chosen,” Prue said.

Prue noted that he ran for re-election because residents asked him to. He campaigned on reducing taxes and continuing policies he viewed as positive. However, he accepted that voters chose a new path. “I told people what I was going to do to help them going forward.. how I was going to reduce their taxes, how all of the things that have been happening in the town in the last four years, which I thought were really good, but people wanted change,” he added.

Two incumbent council members won re-election. Molly Allaire received 5,226 votes, and Peter Courtney received 3,813 votes. Three new members joined the council. Jen DeLuca led the field with 5,597 votes, followed by Keith Boussey with 2,896 votes and Wes Ewer with 3,370 votes. Certified results are scheduled for release on Tuesday, Oct. 27.