John Gilkey has lived in Clarksville with his wife Virginia for 53 years. He says they moved into the Fairlawn subdivision after they were married and have never left. It wasn’t until January 2012 that he took office as the Town Council representative for Clarksville’s 2nd District. After more than a decade of service to Clarksville, Councilman Gilkey decided it was time to step away and not seek re-election in 2023. Before he sets off to enjoy his retirement, we asked him to reflect back on his years of service to the Town of Clarksville.

Q: Why did you first decide to run for political office?
A: “I was a journalist with the News and Tribune for 37 years, many of which I spent covering government. I would sit in a meeting and think to myself that I knew more about many topics than the officeholders and believed I had better solutions in mind than those in charge.”

Q: What has been the most challenging part of serving the Town?
“In my mind the most challenging thing about serving on the council is the time commitment it takes to be prepared for the various meetings and the sheer number of meetings involved. In addition to the Town Council, I presently serve on the Plan Commission, the Redevelopment Commission and as one of the town’s appointments to the Board of Managers of the SoIN Convention and Visitor Bureau. For eight of my 12 years, I also served on the town’s Technical Review Committee.”

Q: What has been the most rewarding part of serving the Town?
“When I ran for office the first time, my goal was to revitalize the Eastern Boulevard corridor which, over the years, had become run-down and a bit of an eyesore. I created a video of ducks swimming in a massive swimming-pool-size water-filled pothole in the unused parking lot of a major department store on Eastern Boulevard. That site now accommodates new residences and businesses. We have completed sidewalks along the length of Eastern Boulevard and constructed an entry point to the town’s Heritage Trail in addition to resolving major safety hazards along the corridor. We also resolved drainage issues in the 2nd District with the installation of a new stormwater detention basin in Ray Lawrence Park.”

Q: What is something you feel you haven’t been able to accomplish despite your best efforts and time in office?
“My focus on Eastern Boulevard included construction of a “Gateway” project serving as an entrance to what was once called Clarksville’s “Miracle Mile.” Regrettably, after working for years with the Redevelopment Commission to acquire and demolish the former America’s Best Inns and Suites and finding a developer willing to invest $35 million in the construction of a major housing project on the site, Councilmembers Ramsey, Henderson, Voignier and Hauber managed to stop the project because they were opposed to new apartments along the Eastern Boulevard corridor while supporting massive apartment developments in the town’s south end.”

Q: What would you consider your biggest accomplishments or personal victories in office?
“I am most proud of the new development I have been a part of bringing to Clarksville, principally through the town’s Redevelopment Commission. I have been a part of bringing hundreds of millions of dollars of new developments including commercial and residential growth. As a result, the town will have additional revenue for infrastructure projects through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue and from increases in Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) funds from new wage earners moving into the town. Because of limits on General Fund revenue supported by property tax revenue, income streams such as LOIT are needed to help fund items such as town salaries. In the past year the town has lost several key people to higher-paying jobs in the area because we could not meet market wage levels. From a quality of life standpoint, I started the town’s Independence Day Concert which is held annually at St. Anthony Church.”

Q: If you had the power to change one thing about the Town or how it is operated without needing the support of the rest of the council, what would it be?
“I have long thought Clarksville should be a city. We had outgrown the town form of government when I joined the council in 2012. The hiring of a town manager has been a realistic stop-gap measure but severe differences among council members regarding the town’s development have held us back. Look at neighboring Jeffersonville with a mayor with a clear vision of where to take the community and you will realize that as a town, Clarksville is condemned to 4-3 splits of opinion on development. People should be able to elect a leader with the vision they support, and that leader should be able to move forward to accomplish that goal.”

Q: You sometimes submit opinion articles to the News and Tribune. Do you still plan to do that even after retirement from Council if you see something you want to address?
“The fact that I will no longer hold elected office does not in any way mean that I will not be deeply involved in my community. When I see elected officials being led by ignorance or swayed by a handful of social media pundits, I will make my concerns know in the appropriate forum.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering a run for public office in the Town of Clarksville?
“My advice to someone running for council is simple; Let your actions be led by the wants and needs of the community, not a handful of loud, and often uninformed people with a presence on social media. Run for the good of the community, not simply to get elected!”

Q: How do you and your Wife Virginia plan to spend the rest of your retirement once your last term ends?
“Over the decades we started investing in a timeshare group acquiring “points” for stays. We now travel monthly and with no town meetings to schedule around will find it easier to go when it is convenient for us rather than when we can fit it into my meeting schedule.”

Q: Is there anything else about yourself that residents may be interested to know?
“I am an avid photographer and videographer. I will participate in the 2023 Louisville Photo Biennial with a photo exhibit at the Clarksville Library September 8 through November 23. In addition, I enjoy flying drones for fun and profit. I hold an FAA Private Pilot License in addition to a SUAS Drone Pilot license. I also hold a General class HAM radio operator license.”

To learn more about Councilman Gilkey, click here.