Message from Your Commissioner

We as elected officials need to mind our Ps and Qs in order to deliberate action. We need to be knowledgeable on issues that we face and day-to-day challenges in our respective cities.

I make it my business to advocate for the things we need to better ourselves and to seek fairness across the board. Meeting with officials from other cities helps me learn and grow as a commissioner.

The City of Lake Wales is a member of the Florida League of Cities (FLC), and National League of Cities (NLC). To tell you a little about the FLC, when Florida's city officials formed a group of municipal governments for the first time in 1922, they wanted to shape legislation, share the advantages of cooperative action, and exchange ideas and experiences. Growing from a small number of cities and towns, FLC membership now represents more than 400 cities, towns and villages in the Sunshine State.

The League provides members with tailored advocacy tools and training programs designed specifically for municipal officials. It also serves as administrator for the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust, offers a comprehensive package of innovative financial solutions to Florida's local governments, and provides contractual support services to several statewide municipal and professional associations.

The NLC is a nonpartisan organization that embraces diversity of thought, perspectives and experiences. NLC focuses on what matters most to their member cities, towns and villages and municipalities nationwide. It's a resource and advocate for its members, and a key partner to the state municipal leagues.

NLC is recognized as a powerful and reliable partner and respected by federal policymakers.

With that being said it's important for elected officials to engage actively in conferences, summits, sessions, and meetings representing our city, state and nation wide. It gives us a chance to network, learning, share ideas, and advocate.

I have served on the FLC Land Use and Economic Development Legislative Policy Committee, NLC Community & Economic & Development Committee, FBC-LEO South Regional Coordinator/Membership Director, and member of the NBC-LEO. My involvement has helped me learn so much and to bring back ideas to my city.

I love what I do and I never thought I would be serving my country as an elected official. Thanks to all my supporters for believing in me to make the best decisions to make our city a great place to live.

Curtis Gibson is a Lake Wales City Commissioner. First elected in 2017, he won re-election in 2019 for a 2-year term.