Richard Edwards was re-elected for his second term as Bowling Green Mayor Tuesday, Nov. 3 by 554 votes.

“I’m a great believer in collaboration. I believe it’s a hallmark as my efforts as mayor,” Edwards said after his win was unofficially announced. “I’m not a very poltical person at all, I (simply) like things to move forward, and we have to work togther.”

Edwards said his plan is now is “to continue our strong industrial growth cycle.”

“We’ve had an amazing amount of success over the past four years of economic development. Our fisical stability has become very, very important to this city,” he said.

A focus for him during his next term will be the landuse plan. “It’s the first time since 1987 that (we’ve had) it updated,” he said. “It’s important that we now move ahead with implementation of that plan (and) that process is already well underway, especially … the use of the East Wooster Street corridor.”

Edwards emphsized relationships between the city and the University and working with city council.

“Bowling Green has a long rich history of people working together for the betterment of the community,” he said.

Local business owner Kelly Wicks lost the election with 3,010 votes to Edwards’ 3,564.

“I don’t think we as a community could have done anything better to try and make a change,” Wicks said during a concession speech.

Wicks declined to comment when approached for an interview.

The third candidate, University student Daniel Phillips, said that although he only received one percent of the vote, he believes he raised awareness for the message of safe and fair student housing.

“It is much more about the message and what we are trying to get done,” Phillips said. “No matter the result, the campaign did a really good job of making the message and allowing the community to understand the student’s perspective on some things. The campaign was just the beginning of this and it really acted as a catalyst and now it’s what we decide to do with it.”

He said no matter if he is involved in politics in the future or not, he will continue to work for this cause.

“I know going forward we are going to be able to address what we started because now the city is aware and both candidates are aware now,” Phillips said. “I’m fairly confident that both of the candidates would be willing to work with me and other students to make the conversations we are having continue.”

Phillips said his future in community politics is “up in the air.”

“Given the time and the circumstance, I’m going to do what’s best for myself,” he said.

As for his fellow candidates, Phillips said either would do a good job as mayor and ultimately hopes they will continue to foster a relationship with the University.

“Both have run very good campaigns,” he said. “My biggest expectation is that they keep students and engaged and keep them part of the conversation.”

Daniel Gordon and John Zanfardino were also re-elected to another term as First Ward and Second Ward Councilmen, respectively.

Former Vice President of Student Affairs for the University Jill Carr was also elected to the Bowling Green Board of Education.