‘A city kid’ and ‘warrior’ Lexington celebrates late councilman with plaque, book drive
A year after the death of Lexington Councilman Jake Gibbs, the city honored his legacy as a champion of downtown with the dedication of a new plaque on Main Street.
Gibbs, 66, died unexpectedly on March 3, 2020.
First elected to the council in 2014, Gibbs was in his third council term when he died. His district included much of downtown and the neighborhoods surrounding the University of Kentucky.
“Jake made his time on earth count for good,” said Mayor Linda Gorton on Friday during a dedication ceremony for the plaque in front of Alfalfa, the restaurant Gibbs once co-owned now located at 141 Main Street. The plaque depicts a tree with deep roots and honors Gibbs as a “dedicated servant to his community.”
Gibbs was also one of the Lexington council’s fiercest defenders of the environment and an advocate of the city’s tree canopy. Gibbs helped spearhead the creation of the nonprofit Trees Lexington! to encourage more tree planting on private property.
The plaque was paid for by the Downtown Lexington Management District, an organization that Gibbs championed to strengthen downtown. Gibbs was also an early member of its board, said Jim Frazier, the chair of the management district board.
“His wise counsel and singular focus on the constituents of the district helped shape and drive the mission of maximizing resources back to the district,” said Frazier. “He was a great steward for the community.”
An avid walker, Gibbs pushed the city for better, safer pedestrian crossings, more sidewalks and more ways to make Lexington bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
Gorton said Gibbs was a “warrior” for his constituents and downtown.
“Calling himself a city kid, he enjoyed and fiercely protected our historic neighborhoods and downtown,” Gorton said. “He had lived near downtown since he arrived in Lexington in 1978.”
Vice Mayor Steve Kay and Gibbs were long-time friends. But Kay said Gibbs had so many friends in Lexington.
“Jake was known by all as a person of integrity who loved the energy of the city and the full range of people who live there,” Kay said.
A native of Troy, New York, Gibbs moved to Lexington to study history at the University of Kentucky. He later received his master’s degrees in history and library science. He taught at Bluegrass Community and Technical College from 1988 to 2014.
Gibbs loved to read and was rarely seen without a book in his hand.
To honor Gibbs’ devotion to the written word, a book drive in Gibbs’ honor for the International Book Project is scheduled for March 14-22. The International Book Project program provides donated books to schools, prisons, homeless shelters, hospitals and other nonprofits locally and around the world.
People can drop off books at Good Foods Co-op, High Street YMCA, Sav’s Restaurant, Third Street Stuff, Cup of Commonwealth and West Sixth Brewing. Gibbs was a long-time supporter of local restaurants and local food.
“These were some of Jake’s favorite places,” said Councilman Kathy Plomin during a Tuesday council work session.
Accepted books include adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction, English, math, science and medical textbooks, dictionaries, complete encyclopedia sets before 2000, books in Spanish. The International Book Project does not accept cookbooks, religious materials, self-help or gardening books.
Plomin said the group particularly needs children’s board books.
Those who have more than 20 books to donate should contact the International Book Project directly to schedule a drop off time.
This story was originally published March 5, 2021 at 12:27 PM.
