Newly Elected Gilbert Councilmembers Release Statement Addressing Resident Concerns

(GILBERT, AZ.) – Gilbert’s four new councilmembers-elect are already pushing for change.

Following the results of the recent 2026 election which saw incumbents Chuck Bongiovanni, Jim Torgeson, and Bobbi Buchli voted out and replaced by Bus Obayomi, Bill Spence, Beth Goulden, and Joel Coen, the new crew means business.

After months and years of fighting back against rising utility rates amid a major increase in cost-of-living fueled by a fragile economy, Gilbert residents elected candidates who campaigned on lowering costs and closing the gap between residents and the town council.

The new council members will officially take their respective seats on the council in January of next year.

Until then, newly elected councilmember Bill Spence provided OpGov.News with a press release drafted by the four councilmembers-elect, which reads as follows:

“The People Have Spoken: A New Era of Representation for Gilbert 

On July 21, 2026, Gilbert voters sent a clear and unmistakable message: the status quo is no longer acceptable. Residents decisively chose Beth Goulden, Bill Spence, Joel Coen, and Bus Obayomi to bring new leadership, fresh ideas, and a renewed commitment to accountability. 

This election represents one of the most significant public mandates for a shift in Gilbert's fiscal and operational direction in decades. 

You spoke. We are listening. Now, we are getting to work. 

Our responsibility is to act on behalf of the residents of Gilbert and chart a new course focused on measurable results-restoring fiscal discipline, addressing affordability, strengthening our local economy, improving public safety, and rebuilding trust between Town Hall and the community we serve. 

Although we do not officially take office until January 5, 2027, your four newly elected councilmembers have already begun working together. We have met with one another, the Town Manager, and community stakeholders to better understand the challenges facing Gilbert and identify opportunities for immediate action. We believe leadership begins long before taking the oath of office, and we are committed to being prepared on day one. 

Your newly elected councilmembers are united with a shared vision and a common purpose: to put Gilbert residents first. Every decision we make will be guided by the understanding that our greatest responsibility is to the nearly 300,000 residents of Gilbert. We are humbled by the trust you have placed in us, and we are committed to earning that trust every day through epic transparency, robust collaboration, and clear results. 

Together, we have identified the issues residents consistently told us require immediate attention. While meaningful change takes time, we believe planning should begin now - not months from now. We are committed to developing practical, responsible solutions so that when we take office, we are ready to act decisively on the priorities you entrusted us to address. 

Gilbert residents have been subjected to significant increases in utility rates, and we are committed to exploring every possible option to alleviate the financial burden imposed on homeowners. This includes a detailed review of base utility rates, tiered rates, and the fees that make up the total cost of utility services. We believe that excessive utility rates are affecting housing affordability and are beginning to impact home values. We have requested the critical data necessary to develop options for fairer and more equitable utility rates for Gilbert families. 

The Gilbert Police Department has been the subject of controversy for far too long, and efforts to move the town forward have seemingly been unsuccessful. However, we have identified opportunities to provide our rank-and-file officers with the personnel, equipment, training, and world-class leadership they need to strengthen the department. We are committed to restoring that pride by investing in the men and women who serve our community while fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and transparency. Our goal is a police department that is proactive in preventing crime, responsive to the needs of residents, unwavering in its commitment to crime victims, and relentless in holding offenders accountable. 

In keeping with our promise of debt reduction and fiscal accountability, the four newly elected councilmembers have requested an immediate moratorium on all non-critical spending and the prioritization of needs over wants. This includes indefinitely pausing Gilbert Regional Park (Phase 2), the Freestone Pickleball Complex and Splash Pads, Desert Sky Park, and the Riparian Education Center, resulting in a savings of more than $478 Million for taxpayers. We can report that we have already succeeded in pausing Gilbert Regional Park construction. 

Furthermore, we have requested a complete moratorium on the issuance of all bonds, tax increases, and increases to any fees under consideration by the Town. This also includes the $750 Million in non-voter-approved MPC bonds addressed by Resolutions 4599 and 4600. 

In order to eliminate the "just in time" decision making in the budget approval process and to provide opportunities for greater fiscal responsibility, the four newly elected councilmembers have encouraged moving the FY2028 budget adoption date to late May, with an initial request for a final budget target of $2 Billion, nearly $500 Million less than the current FY2027 budget. 

Lastly, we are committed to epic transparency, resident empowerment, rigorous accountability, improved communication, and renewed civility among councilmembers, the Town, and 

residents. 

Our objectives are ambitious and bold, but this is what you have asked us to do, and we enthusiastically accept the challenge. Our approach will always be rooted in humility, collaboration, and responsible stewardship to ensure Gilbert remains one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family. 

By affixing our signatures, we affirm our commitment to you and to the new direction for Gilbert. Hold us accountable as we restore the balance of power to the residents. Join us by bringing together your friends, family, and neighbors with renewed enthusiasm, kindness, respect, and pride in the town we call home. 

Gilbert spoke and Gilbert won on Election Day. Now let's become Gilbert One. One town. One community. One vision. One future. Together. 

With gratitude we humbly pledge our service to you, 

Beth Goulden

Joel Coen 

Bill Spence 

Bus Obayomi”

The preliminary action has garnered support from residents across online social media platforms, but also claims of illegal behavior from incumbents. Bongiovanni posted on the social media platform NextDoor that he and councilmember Jim Torgeson were starting a podcast together, intended to analyze and criticize local leaders with “transparency, wit, and sarcasm”.

Photo Credit: NextDoor / Walt W.

While an investigation into the legality of a preliminary meeting behind closed doors was launched by Bongiovanni and Torgeson, the pair allegedly received no support from local authorities.

OpGov.News will continue to report on council matters, especially during this transition period. To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at tracy.t@lead4earth.org.