Q3: Mayor John’s Response

Looking back over your time as mayor, what accomplishments are you most proud of and why do they matter for the future of Lake Placid?

When I reflect on nearly three decades of service to this community, what fills me with the most pride isn’t any single project or ribbon cutting — it’s the cumulative picture of a town that is genuinely better, stronger, and more vibrant than when I started.

That said, there are several accomplishments that I believe have fundamentally shaped Lake Placid’s future.

First, championing the Lake Placid Mural Society from its earliest days. What began as a creative idea has grown into one of Florida’s most distinctive tourism attractions, drawing visitors from across the country and putting our small town on the national map. Tourism dollars flow into our local businesses because of that vision, and I’m deeply proud that our town had the courage to embrace it.

Securing our Government Center was a milestone that people don’t always fully appreciate — but having a permanent, professional home for the town’s operations signals stability and institutional strength to every business, every family, and every investor considering Lake Placid.

The complete transformation of Devane Park gave our residents a beautiful, functional community space that reflects the pride we have in this town. Parks matter — they are where families gather, where children play, and where community bonds are built.

More recently, I’m proud of the groundbreaking of our new police department — a long overdue investment in public safety that this community deserves.

And right now, we have nearly $40 million in infrastructure grant projects underway that will upgrade our water and sewer systems for generations to come.

But perhaps what excites me most looking forward is what is just arriving — Amazon bringing a distribution center and real careers to our families, Culver’s adding to our growing business community, and Interlake coming alive with new restaurants and foot traffic that tells me our downtown revitalization is working. None of these happened by accident. They happened because of 28 years of relationships, trust, and consistent leadership. And the truth is — we are just getting started.