Robin Gibson Steps Down as Lake Wales Deputy Mayor, Ending 50-Year-Long Political Legacy
by James Coulter
After nearly 50 years of helping promote economic development through city government, Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson officially ended his political career with dignity and grace.
At their regular meeting earlier this month, Lake Wales city commissioners bid farewell to Gibson, who stepped down from his position and passed the torch to the newly elected commissioner, Terry Miller. Commissioner Keith Thompson was appointed to fill the deputy mayor role.
During his farewell speech, Gibson remarked on his career-long goal of overseeing community redevelopment, especially in Downtown Lake Wales.
Gibson was instrumental in forming the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in the mid-1980s. However, he became disheartened when city officials used the CRA less to promote development and more to funnel funding into the city’s treasury.
“Frankly, it drove me nuts,” he said. “So much that I did what I thought I would never do, and that is run for election to public office.”
Gibson admitted that, during his time in public office, her served less as a “leader” and more as a “lawyer”, helping to guide the commission on how best to utilize the CRA statute to help promote redevelopment.
He cited five significant decisions that he helped the commission make during his tenure:
- Change city managers with the intention of fully utilizing the CRA.
- Hired the “right” planning firm.
- Took a risk with entering an $18.5 million bond to fund the renovation of Market Plaza and Park Avenue.
- Won several competitive grants, including more than $30 million for community redevelopment.
- Entered litigation to reclaim ownership of the Historic Walesbilt Hotel, finally obtaining the title through a settlement.
Over the past ten years, Gibson has witnessed Lake Wales Downtown undergo massive redevelopment and refurbishment, and he hopes to see all that hard work completed with the hotel renovation.
“This is the chance of a lifetime,” he said. “So I leave you now, and I wish you all the best. I plead with you: keep the momentum going. Make it better. Make it more beautiful.”
Mayor Jack Hilligoss thanked Gibson for his leadership and service, which put “Lake Wales on the right train and right track.” Commissioner Carol Gillespie commended him for serving as “a role model that we can all be happy to follow.”
After being sworn into her new seat, Commissioner Miller mentioned how she was “standing on the shoulders of giants,” including Gibson.
“I know Lake Wales is really experiencing a renaissance,” she said. “Mr. Gibson really raised that flag, and he is the reason I ran is to keep that flag raised.”
Dolores Vogel, President of Lake Wales Main Street, honored Gibson during public comments by telling him about a bench in front of East Park Avenue that will be dedicated to him with a plaque.
“On behalf of Lake Wales Main Street, we thank you for all you have done,” she said.
One resident, Al Goldstein, used his time during public comments to commend the former deputy mayor and his many accomplishments.
“Hard to recognize a man who has done a wonderful job not only in ten years but also for the city and the state,” he said. “Our politics are a distance apart, but he always respected me for what I thought, and I always respected him.”
