Austin Bonta

Portage Mayor Austin Bonta presided over his first city council meeting Tuesday. "What I could say is that the first two days has been like drinking out of a fire hose, but I absolutely love it," Bonta said during his first mayor's report. "It has just been such a joy."

The Portage mayor's office and city council both flipped Republican in Tuesday's election. Austin Bonta unseated Mayor Sue Lynch with almost 59 percent of the vote.

Former Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas easily secured the Republican nomination to get his old job back. He defeated Art Elwood by a margin of 83-to-17 percent.

A proposed Portage subdivision is drawing concern from a plan commission member.