Q&A With Jack Hilligoss

by James Coulter

Jack Hilligoss has lived and pastored in the city of Lake Wales for a total of 29 years— the first four when he attended Warner Southern College, the last 25 after he returned in 1997 to pastor what is now HighPoint Church. Jack has been married to his wife, Jenelle, for 35 years and they raised three children here in Lake Wales.

His church has grown from a constituency of less than 100 to reaching several hundred every week. HighPoint Church has invested deeply in the city of Lake Wales in the last 25 years. HighPoint has led community-wide efforts to serve the city and schools. They have given thousands of dollars and many thousands of volunteer hours to paint buildings, clean up streets, resource schools and classrooms, help equip emergency responders, and feed students. They have twice been recognized by the city of Lake Wales through proclamation for their service and for the financial savings it created.

In early 2022, HighPoint completed a relocation project to a new location on North Scenic Highway in Lake Wales.  The process took over three years and resulted in a win/win for the church and the city as the church’s old location was repurposed as the permanent home of Victory Ridge Academy, a school for special needs students in Lake Wales, which is a great asset to the city.

In 2021 Mr. Hilligoss was appointed to the City Commission of Lake Wales to fill the seat vacated by Commissioner Kris Fitzgerald. He has served in that capacity since and has also served as the Lake Wales Representative to the Polk County Transportation Planning Committee.

Recently, we sat down with Mr. Hilligoss to ask him a few questions concerning his positions on hot button issues. Here is what he had to say:

Q: The City of Lake Wales is predicted to triple in size in the next 10 years with 8,500 new homes approved in the city limits. What are your plans for the city to facilitate this growth?

This is THE ISSUE facing our city at this time. My response to this is “Locally Controlled Growth.” Growth is coming, it cannot be ignored or stopped, so the decision to be made is, “Who will be in charge of it? Who will be in control?” This is why I have been encouraged by and have backed the efforts of our city staff to work with landowners and developers who have sought annexation into our city. The more of this we do the more we control the quality of the development that takes place. Not to mention receiving the financial benefits of growth.

When landowners and developers are working with us rather than the county, we can make sure the development is high quality, provides plenty of green space, reduces monotony, and limits as much as possible the impact on our infrastructure. All of the new developments we have approved aim for these goals and meet these standards and they will need to continue to do so.

If we refuse to take control, if we choose to leave this in the hands of others, the development will simply grow up around us under the supervision and standards of the county. It is that reality, however, that makes me want to work harder as Mayor to facilitate stronger and more cooperative working relationships between the 17 municipalities of Polk and our County Government. I would explore how we can use the League of Cities and other groups like it to create more collegial and cooperative relationships so we can be less reactive and more proactive in planning.

Also, this year, our city staff initiated a year-long land-use study and I am anxious to see what comes of that. I am hoping it will provide a template we can use in future annexation and growth decisions.

One final concern I would share however is we need to be careful how we communicate about growth. There is a great difference and a great deal of time between 8,500 homes being “approved” and them actually being built.  “Approved” means different things, there are different levels of “approval”-and a large percentage of development “approved” by any city is never built.  Even if all 8500 units are built it will not happen in the next decade and will not triple the population in that time.

I don’t share this to deny that we are growing rapidly and need to deal with it responsibly. I do so because I have read a lot of sensational and irresponsible reporting on this issue in the local Lake Wales paper and, while that may grab readers, it creates a lot of unnecessary apprehension in our citizens.

Q: Concerns have been raised about waiving impact fees, especially in light of the approval of new development. These fees are necessary to fund any potential infrastructure. How do you think the city should address this issue?

In my time on the City Commission, the idea of waiving impact fees has never been raised or considered. I do not anticipate they ever will be. I would not be in favor of it.

The only place that may happen is when we are making an investment in the defined “opportunity zone” or “core development area” of Lake Wales (historic downtown and the Lincoln Ave. historic district) and I see great upside to that with no or minimal impact on the infrastructure of our city.

Q: Another prescient concern is education, especially about potential overcrowding and understaffing. How will overcrowding be addressed? Will developers be required to set aside “so much” land for schools? Will you put pressure on the Polk County School Board to allocate funds to the Lake Wales Charter Schools?

Whenever a development reaches a certain stage of “approval”-and remember not all of these thousands of homes are close to this-Polk County performs a concurrency study to assess if there is the need for future schools.

So, that concern is addressed again at the county level. However, our city staff does use the formulas of the county on their own to try and stay ahead of the curve on those needs. 

Polk County currently owns land in Lake Wales that is set aside for the building of future schools should they become necessary and some developers, like the Winter Haven Corporation, which is heading up the largest single development in our area, do work with the city to set aside a piece of their development for future schools. It is always something we can negotiate.

When it comes to funding for the LW Charter Schools, I would be happy to lend whatever help I can, but that is an issue that is completely outside the realm of City Government responsibility.

Q: Finally, there’s infrastructure. Many citizens have voiced concerns about Chalet Suzanne Road and their desire to see a sidewalk there. Others want existing streets to be repaved such as the road in front of Spook Hill Elementary. What plans and priorities towards infrastructure do you want the city to implement?

Citizen concerns about Chalet Suzanne and Thompson Nursery Road are certainly justified. The short, but frustrating, answer to that these are County Roads and not under the jurisdiction of the City of Lake Wales.

Having said that, it doesn’t mean we cannot do anything.  I voiced our concerns over these roads to the County Transportation Planning Board in late 2021. Groups of citizens from Lake Ashton have also gone to county meetings and advocated for these needs and concerns. We can also try to get neighborhoods and municipalities to work together to advocate for these needs at the county level.

Just this year an expansion of Thompson Nursery Road was green-lighted as well as the design and installation of a traffic light at a neighborhood entrance on that road. I think neighborhood advocacy played some part in that.

As far as city streets are concerned.  Lake Wales adopted a five-year repaving plan and was implementing it consistently up until COVID hit us. In response to that crisis, the City Manager scaled back spending to some degree. However, several city streets are currently slated for repair and repaving this year and next.

Q&A With LW Mayoral Candidate Curtis Gibson

by James Coulter

With more than four years of experience serving on the Lake Wales City Commission, Curtis Gibson seeks to go one step beyond his previous position as a city commissioner and hopefully serve his city as its mayor.

Gibson, 37, was first elected to the Lake Wales City Commission in 2017 and re-elected in 2019 with more than 63 percent of the vote, as reported by Lakewalesnews.net. He stepped down from his position last year to attend to his family and prepare for his mayoral run.

During his two terms as commissioner, Gibson has assisted the city with infrastructure, economic growth, and airport expansion. He has worked closely with the Dover Kohl Lake Wales Connected Plan, an initiative to help revitalize the downtown and northwest business districts.

Gibson first moved to Lake Wales at age 13. Upon graduating from Lake Wales High School in 2003, he went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree from Keiser University, his associate’s from Bryant and Stratton College, and complete police academy at South Florida State College.

Currently, Gibson works as an insurance adjuster with Geico. He and wife, Danielle, have five children. Curtis is a charter member of Rotary on the Ridge and has been active in other community groups and coaching youth sports.

We recently sat down with Mr. Gibson to ask him some key questions about local issues and concerns and to inquire about his positions. Here is what he had to say.

Q: The City of Lake Wales is predicted to triple in size in the next 10 years with 8,500 new homes approved in the city limits. What are your plans for the city to facilitate this growth?

A: Positive growth will expand our tax base and bring in new business, but we need to make sure it is well-planned, reasonable and reflects the culture and history of our community. Planned communities should follow the “Lake Ashton model” and incorporate decorative lighting and signage, green space, lower density housing and winding roads.

Q: Concerns have been raised about waiving impact fees, especially in light of the approval of new development. These fees are necessary to fund any potential infrastructure. How do you think the city should address this issue?

A: By annexing property, the city can place more stringent requirements on a developer. If developers can’t afford utilities and quality enhancements, they should either not develop or reduce the scale of their projects. The city needs to require that developers bear the full cost of bringing sewer water and other amenities to their property I oppose expanding use of septic tanks, something Mr. Hilligoss voted for, which can cause environmental problems and if developers cannot afford utilities in quality enhancements, they should either not develop or reduce the scale of their projects.

Q: Another prescient concern is education, especially about potential overcrowding and understaffing. How will overcrowding be addressed? Will developers be required to set aside “so much” land for schools? Will you put pressure on the Polk County School Board to allocate funds to the Lake Wales Charter Schools?

A: To be clear the expansion of schools is not in the scope of the mayor’s office. However, we can sit at the table and have a discussion about working in partnership we must ask new businesses and developers to buy into our city it should not always be the other way around we must create an environment for them to succeed while holding them accountable. With respect to pay, organizations attract and retain talent when employees feel valued and respected. Competitive pay and benefits allow employees to live, work, and raise their families with dignity.

Q: Finally, there’s infrastructure. Many citizens have voiced concerns about Chalet Suzanne Road and their desire to see a sidewalk there. Others want existing streets to be repaved such as the road in front of Spook Hill Elementary. What plans and priorities towards infrastructure do you want the city to implement?

A: Maintaining our roads, trails, and sidewalks may seem mundane until you feel the wear and tear every day on your way to work. We’ll stay on top of it with the help of the people and our dedicated staff. That’s how we ensure we are focusing on all areas of need, not just downtown. Trees, benches, lighting improvements, and new road configurations will draw people in and keep them safe. We’ll finish that work together. The next mayor and commission needs to work to get the city back on track with its six-year repaving plan, which was understandably delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit investigated a motorcycle crash in unincorporated Lake Wales last night, Wednesday, March 16, 2022 that resulted in the death of 44-year-old William Jason Babington of Lake Wales. The crash occurred around 10:40 p.m. on Buck Moore Road North and Oakland Park Drive. Preliminary details are as follows:

Mr. Babington was driving his red 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle northbound on Buck Moore Road North and failed to negotiate the curve just south of Oakland Park Drive. His motorcycle crossed the southbound lane, exited the west edge of the road, and traveled down an embankment where it struck a fence. 

Mr. Babington was ejected from the motorcycle and died at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet or protective gear at the time of the crash.

Impairment appears to be a factor in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing. Buck Moore Road was closed in the area of the crash for approximately three hours during the investigation.

*** Editors note: Family is asking for no calls, textor visits at this time ***

Lake Wales Art Festival Celebrates 51st Year

by James Coulter

For nearly 40 years, Tim Peters and his wife have been etching natural landscapes and subjects into porcelain. They throw their vessels, then carve into them with a small knife when the material is completely air dry like chalk. They then fire the pieces to make them strong and translucent, sometimes with a glaze of iridescent colors.

Like most good artists, Peters and his wife receive their inspiration from the natural world. They have traveled all over the country for 38 years and have visited countless landscapes that have inspired their work. However, rather than take direct inspiration from the scenery like a photograph, they instead take indirect inspiration, choosing to convey a vague impression.

“We no longer carve a single scene, but we remember where we have been and carve how we felt there,” Peters said. “So, this is what the top of the mountain could have looked like through the lens of time, emotion, and maturity.”

Peters received Best of Show at the Lake Wales Art Festival last weekend for his porcelain etchings. Of course, he felt “freaking great” about receiving the award, and he owes his success to his desire to always make a better art piece than his last. As someone who has been visiting the show since it 

“I like the people who come to this show,” he said. “I like the committee that put the show together, it is a nice show to do physically and monetarily.”

Peters was one of several dozen artists who attended the Lake Wales Art Festival last weekend. Presented by the Lake Wales Arts Council, the festival allowed artists and craftsmen of all types to congregate at Lake Wailes Park, showcase their artwork, and participate in its contest for various awards.

David Hunter received the Judge’s Choice for his etchings and sketches of Florida landscapes and wildlife. He has worked as a full-time artist for 43 years, both creating and teaching his craft.

He has attended the festival for many years and appreciates the camaraderie among fellow artists. He considers himself more of a casual artist, so he never really expected to win. Nevertheless, he appreciated his prize.

“It feels good,” he said. “Art is something I have always done all my life, I never expected to do anything with it, so I make my living with art.”

Voenlis Delgado was one of the many artists who received an award for excellence and merit. He received his award for his metal art sculpture. As someone with experience in automobile repairs and fishing, he combines both interests with sculptures of fish and other marine animals created from auto and motorcycle parts. Some are painted with natural colors, others with automobile paint.

“I am a fisherman,” he said. “I love the ocean. I wanted to create something dedicated to the ocean. Life on the water and in my work inspired me. I have been in the motorcycle industry for a long time, a lot of hand-forming metal and all that. That created a larger work.”

Lake Wales, Florida – According to multiple readers traffic has been rerouted for hours on Scenic Hwy in Lake Wales. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office a single vehicle accident to blame. According to Alicia Manautou, public information officer, a single vehicle accident involving a power pole is causing the traffic diversion.

According to reports the accident occurred at 12:10am. The driver in that accident appears to have not suffered any major injuries.

We will update if more information becomes available.

Lake Wales, Florida – The Lake Wales Police Department and Lake Wales Fire Department are currently working a motorcycle crash on Hwy 27 at Hunt Brothers Rd. The accident was called into 911 around 6:48pm.

At 7:25pm aeromed landed at Longleaf Business Park which is less than a mile from the accident scene.

This is a developing situation. We will update as more information becomes available.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating a fatal crash that occurred this morning, Saturday, March 12, 2022 in Alturas.

PCSO deputies and members of Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene of the single-vehicle crash on SR 60 about a mile East of Alturas Road, at around 7:00 AM.

Upon their arrival, they found a silver 2021 Toyota Corolla engulfed in flames. Firefighters extinguished the fire and located the driver deceased inside. There were no other people inside the vehicle.

According to witnesses and evidence at the scene, the driver was traveling westbound on SR 60 in the inside (left) lane, when he partially drifted into the grass median. The driver then overcorrected causing the Toyota to rotate clockwise in a northwest direction, cross both westbound lanes, and slide across the north shoulder of the road. The vehicle then struck a tree and caught fire.

The Toyota was registered to 26-year-old David Joseph Disimile of Temple Terrace, and detectives notified his family. It is believed that Mr. Disimile was the driver at the time of the crash, but an autopsy will be conducted to positively identify him and determine his cause of death. 

Westbound SR 60 was closed in the area of the crash for about three hours while emergency crews were on scene investigating. I do not have a photo from the scene.

Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead Exhibit on Display at Lake Wales History Museum

by James Coulter

The Mexican Day of the Dead is on Nov. 1. However, any day is a good day to reflect on the lives of passed loved ones. It is also a good day to learn more about Hispanic culture and tradition, which can be done with the latest traveling exhibit at the Lake Wales History Museum.

“Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead” is a traveling exhibit of 26 photographs, taken from Oaxaca, Mexico, and with bilingual panels in English and Spanish, that detail the rich traditions of Mexico’s most luminous holiday.

As its website description reads: “Join villagers immersed in all aspects of the celebration—preparing centuries-old recipes for the departed, scattering trails of marigolds to guide the dead home, and offering chocolate and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) at community gatherings.”

The exhibit also includes a traditional altar with photos and other honorary items that would be placed upon an altar. It also helps highlight the many different practices celebrated in Mexico and throughout Central and South America.

The traveling exhibit is currently on loan from the Field Museum in Chicago. It has been at the Lake Wales History Museum since Jan. 18 and will be on display until Apr. 16. A special reception was planned last week, but was canceled due to a potentially low turnout, explained Anderson Hanna, museum interim executive director and collection curator of exhibit.

However, even though the exhibit could not be scheduled during the time of the holiday, it still offers a valuable look into the rich traditions of the Hispanic community. As such, it provides the community an opportunity to learn more about their Hispanic neighbors, and for Hispanic residents to reflect on their culture, Hanna said.

“With the large Hispanic population around…it showcases their culture with respect to that particular event,” he said. “You would be able to see the differences between regions, so it celebrates an event that had quite a bit of meaning…We invite people to come in and tour the museum and toward that exhibit and see what it means and about.”

Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead Exhibit is currently on display at the Lake Wales History Museum until Apr. 16. The museum is open from Wed. to Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at: 325 South Scenic Highway, Lake Wales, Fl. 33853. Admission is free. For more info, visit their website at: https://lakewaleshistory.org/

Lake Wales CDJR Selected to Host Live Broadcast on RFD-TV During AgRally ‘22Farm Show on National AgDay–March 22

Lake Wales, Fla. (March 9, 2022) – Lake Wales Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (CDJR) was selected by the Certified Agriculture Dealer (CAD) Program, and their partner RFD-TV to serve as a host for the live television program as well as a local Certified Agriculture Dealer location providing a remote visits during the 3-hour live broadcast on RFD-TV on March 22^nd, also National Ag Day.

“We selected Lake Wales CDJR to hold a local event and provide live camera feed because of the great job they do in serving local farmers, growers and ranchers,” noted Patrick Driscoll, president of the Certified Agriculture Dealer Program.“During the remote feed of the broadcast, Sara Spinosa, communications specialist will interview Mike Roberts, current president of the Florida Fertilizer & AgChem Association to share the latest update on the fertilizer industry.”

“We will also be getting local reports from other industry experts who will be reporting from the other  dealer live broadcast locations across the country,” noted Driscoll, “Including Victory Motors, Craig, CO; Minot Automotive, Minot, ND; Fox Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Grand Rapids, MI; Jerry Ray Davis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Owensboro, KY; Central Valley Nissan, Modesto, CA and the Fort Worth stockyards Special Texas FFA event sponsored by Glenn Polk Ford, Gainesville, TX. 

Lake Wales Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is part of the Mahalak Auto Group, a family-owned organization whose roots stretch all the way back to 1966. It was then, over 50 years ago, that Ralph Mahalak Sr. opened his first Dodge dealership in Michigan.

Studio hosts for the broadcast will be Mark Oppold, former anchor for RFD-TV and Pat Driscoll, previous broadcaster with the Michigan Farm Radio Network. “We’re pleased to bring Mark, our award-winning anchor, back to the set for this next generation of agricultural events,” added Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of RFD-TV. “The combination of live TV with a local gathering at these certified agriculture truck dealers satisfies both the need to learn about new technology while also being able to socialize with other farmers, friends and neighbors.”

AgRally will begin at 2:00 PM eastern and run through 5:00PM on Tuesday, March 22. Social time aside, one of the most important parts of attending a farm show is being able to engage with new products, emerging technologies and company executives. “Our team recognized this simple fact right out of the chute and built an event around that premise,” added Driscoll.

Farmers, growers and ranchers should register for the event to participate in the Q&A sessions, win prizes like Yeti coolers and help each Certified Agriculture Dealer comply with their local Covid regulations. Registration is simple and will also provide the details for streaming the 3-hour live event to a mobile device. Register here to do all that.

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About Certified Agriculture Dealer Program

Certified Agriculture Dealerships know farming and ranching as their staff have successfully completed special agriculturally focused training to become a Certified business which can then offer AgPack^® a special package of cost savings and rebates for farm products.

About Certified Agriculture Dealer’s AgPack®

AgPack® is a package of farm and ranch management tools available exclusively through Certified Agriculture Dealers that give the agriculture customer an immediate return on their vehicle investment by saving thousands of dollars in farm and ranch operating costs. These products are awarded to qualified vehicle buyers, at no additional cost to the customer by several leading brands within the agriculture industry. To qualify for CAD’s AgPack®, the truck buyer simply needs to prove ownership interest in a farm or ranch. AgPack® is stackable on top of all other OEM, Fleet or VIP offers available to qualifying vehicle purchaser, and is awarded per vehicle, not per customer.If used to the maximum AgPack® can save farmers and ranchers nearly $30,000 in operating costs for products and services for their operations.

About RFD-TV & The Cowboy Channel

RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December of 2000, RFDTV is the nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyles, along with traditional country music and entertainment.  The Cowboy Channel is the official network of ProRodeo and the first 24-hour television network totally dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle and headquartered in the Fort Worth Stockyards and features a wide variety of “live” coverage from major western events.

About National AgDay

Founded in 1973, National Ag Day encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, and fiber industry. Learn more and register for events at agday.org

Five nominees selected to be inducted this year in the Highlander Hall of Fame are:

BILL CREWS

Former teacher and coach BILL CREWS.  Mr. Crews taught physical education from 1938-1970 and coached many of those same years as well. His only break was in 1940 to serve our country in World War II. Coach Crews’s teams were very successful on and off the court.

Congrats to the family of Mr. Bill Crews on his induction!

WADE DAVIS

Former LWHS athlete WADE DAVIS. Wade excelled as a right handed pitcher and committed to the University of Florida. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the third round and 75th overall pick of the MLB draft.

Congrats to Mr. Wade Davis!

HUBERT MORROW

Former LWHS athlete HUBERT MORROW. Hubert was one of the best athletes to ever wear a Highlander uniform. He excelled in basketball and football. Not only did he play the sports he helped coach them as well. Coach Morrow coached various youth sports teams and has given back to the Lake Wales athletic community in countless ways. Congrats to Mr. Hubert Morrow!

MARVIN PAVY

Longtime Athletic Director and coach and LWHS teacher MARVIN PAVY. Marvin taught Math and helped with testing for 38 years at LWHS. He has been the head football coach, head baseball coach and an assistant coach for both over his tenure at LW. Coach Pavy is a man of honor and commitment and recently retired after giving almost 4 decades of service to LWHS athletics. Congrats to Marvin Pavy!

ROD SHAFER

Former head football coach and LWHS teacher ROD SHAFER. Rod taught English and SAT Prep for 25 years at LWHS. He was the head Football Coach for 20 years and during that time the Highlanders won 14 District Championships. Coach Shafer was selected Coach of the Year on numerous levels and is currently in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Congrats to Rod Shafer!

The Highlander Hall of Fame will be Saturday, April 30 at the Lake Wales Country Club. To purchase Highlander Hall Of Fame Tickets please email us at [email protected] or visit www.lwbooster.com