CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city of Clearwater will soon appoint an interim mayor after a sudden resignation was given during a Monday momet rning meeting.
The now-former Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard started off the announcement by saying, "This is probably one of the toughest things I’ve ever done in my entire life but I know it’s right because I’m not a quitter."
According to the city of Clearwater's website, Hibbard first became a part of Clearwater's government in 2002.
One day after he quit, 10 Tampa Bay's Malique Rankin spoke with Hibbard just before he was on his way to meet the city attorney to discuss his resignation.
When asked if he plans to have a transition period, Hibbard said, "I don't think so. I think it's best to just move on for everybody."
Hibbard said he's received hundreds of calls and emails since he quit as mayor.
"Well, I'm going to miss the city, I love the city of Clearwater. I've served for over 13 years," he said. "There's some great things that are going to occur over the next couple of months. I won't be as intimately involved as I otherwise would have. But they'll continue on, as will I."
Hibbard said his decision to quit wasn't premeditated. When asked what his thoughts were in the moments before he re-entered the meeting, he said, "Well I was not anticipating leaving. I thought about it, discussed it with my wife, but I saw that I wasn't making any headway with my fellow council members. I think that the expenditures that they are going to make is unfortunate. I don't think I'm going to change their mind or they change mine. If you're going to drive off a cliff, I'm not going to stay in the vehicle."
Since Hibbard's resignation, Vice Mayor Kathleen Beckman took over the procedural aspects of the meeting and finished the agenda. The vice mayor title is rotated between city council members, the city says. A special city council meeting is expected to next week to determine how to fill seat one.
Hibbard had just under a year until the next mayoral election in Clearwater. He has previously shared he has no intention of running for re-election. He said with his resignation less than two years before the election, the city will appoint an interim, and no special elections will be held.
When asked what his message is for the people of Clearwater, Hibbard said, "I thank them for the trust. Know that you still live in a wonderful city with tremendous staff that is committed to making the quality of life in Clearwater superior to other cities around us. They should be happy to live here and proud to live in the city of Clearwater. And the show will go on."
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
10 Tampa Bay's Courtney Holland contributed to this report.