Clearwater, Florida Mayor Frank Hibbard resigned in the middle of a city council meeting Monday.
“This is likely One of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.but I know it’s right,” a surprised Hibbard told his colleagues at the talk.
The announcement came around 9 a.m. just after a break, with Hibbard sitting under the city seal, flanked by four board members. The council was discussing the development of a new Town Hall.
“I am not going to give up, but I am no longer the right leader for this council,” he said.
Hibbard referred to himself as a “busy man” who believes in “making sacrifices for public service,” but expressed concern about the course Clearwater would take as he packed his belongings into a briefcase. He mentioned that he was proud of some of the things the board had accomplished and expressed confidence that local politicians would make more progress without his help.
“In good conscience, for my family, for my own health and other things, I cannot continue to be mayor,” Hibbard said. “I know this is shocking, but I’m just the wrong guy right now.”
He wished the council well, thanked his staff, and left the room. The four remaining council members agreed to a 10-minute recess and then went back to work. Councilor David Allbritton commented that what just happened was “shocking” but not cause for alarm.
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“I don’t want anyone to be scared off by this,” he said.
Hibbard moved to Clearwater from Chicago in 1979, according to his official biography. He was serving his third term as mayor after being re-elected in 2020 after an eight-year hiatus in office.
Nearly 120,000 people reside in the northwest Florida city, which celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, Hulk Hogan and Evel Knievel have called home.
