Bainbridge Island Councilman Steve Bonkowski was unanimously approved as the council’s mayor for 2013 on Wednesday.

Bonkowski was initially selected at the city council’s annual retreat held on Sunday, Jan. 6. But he could not take over as mayor until the council voted him in at an official meeting.

Councilwoman Debbi Lester, however, didn’t waste any time handing over the honor and Bonkowski led the proceedings of the retreat for the rest of the day. Lester also handed over the responsibilities of leading the council’s Wednesday meeting as soon as Bonkowski was made official.

But before Lester handed over the title she took the time to note all the progress the city and the council had made over the past year. Lester presented a photo slide showing notable moments from the installation of solar panels on city hall, to the progress made on the Waypoint park.

After Lester was finished, Bonkowski was given the mayor’s gavel.

“It’s going to be a tough set of shoes to follow,” Bonkowski said to Lester. “I know how active you’ve been.”

Councilman David Ward was approved as the next mayor pro tem.

Under the city manager-council form of government, city council members vote for a mayor to represent the city and lead council meetings. The mayor does not supervise or direct city staff. Instead, the day-to-day management of city government is handled by the city manager, who answers to the city council.