I have never interviewed an elected official before, so writing a story about the mayor of Apex sounded big, daunting, a little out of my league. No matter that our new town leader is someone I wrote about in 2017 at the opening of his nonprofit Blue Lights College. No matter that he is someone I made a point of speaking to at Apex High School in 2019 at the unveiling of our reconstructed alma mater. From these brief interactions, I painted a picture in my mind of Mayor Gilbert, Apex police-captain-turned-politician, dressed in a suit and seated behind a mahogany desk with a long list of more important things to do than respond to my meeting request, and certainly more important people to talk to during the busy holidays.
It turns out, I was delightfully mistaken!
Jacques Gilbert is a man with whom you instantly feel at ease. Speaking with him is like chatting with a dear friend who has all the time in the world, just for you. No politics or pinstripes. Only genuine conversation, comfortable banter, and blue jeans.
As you’ll see, this story is less about The Mayor of Apex and all about a guy named Jacques who loves Apex and just happens to have the job of mayor.
A Modest Beginning
Jacques Gilbert grew up in what was long ago subsidized housing in the part of Apex known as Lower End. He saw childhood friends make bad choices and credits his parents with keeping close tabs on him in his youth. After graduating from Apex High School, he took a job reading water meters, a position he got through his father who led the Town of Cary’s water operations department.
“I did that for two years, but I didn’t have a purpose in it. It didn’t give me any joy. That’s when I started thinking about my hometown and the community I was raised in. It was a challenging area when I grew up there. A friend of mine said, ‘I think you’d make a great police officer.’ I said, ‘I can’t do it. I don’t think I have what it takes.’”
At his friend’s encouragement, Gilbert enrolled in some criminal justice courses at Wake Tech, earned his Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) from the Coastal Plains Police Academy in Wilson, and then took additional online courses. Determined to remain in Apex, he spent 29 years with the Apex Police Department, working his way to the rank of captain and earning numerous local and national awards and accolades.
As an Apex native, Gilbert has had a front-row seat to our town’s growth and changes. “There used to be a sign at the city limit that said: Welcome to Apex, population 3,000. And the stoplight at the intersection of [Highway] 55 and Salem Street used to go on blink around 8:00pm or 9:00pm.” From a more poignant perspective, he misses the close connections that were prevalent among the Apex residents of his childhood. “You would see the same people every day and have a conversation. I’m glad [Apex] is a place where people feel welcome, and they want to come and move here. I like meeting new people, but I like having a conversation. [Because of growth and technology], people are not intimate in conversation and it used to be that way.”
Today’s conversations, however, fuel Gilbert’s appreciation for the influx of people that bring fresh ideas and new life to the town. “I’ve enjoyed seeing Apex manifesting into the place it is today. People move here for a reason, because they understand quality of life and how attractive it is for their family. That brings growth. It brings people here, [and] of course it brings some challenges with infrastructure, but it’s about the people that come here. I get to meet so many different people. I say, ‘Where are you from?’ and they say, New York, or, Boston, or, Seattle. ‘How did you get here?’—that’s my next question. How did you get to Apex, North Carolina? That is exciting to me. Here we are today, a beautiful town still, and people move here because they understand how great we are.”
“My Heart Is Apex”
In 2016, Captain Jacques Gilbert retired from his full-time assignment with the Apex Police Department, but he remained a part-time instructor teaching defensive tactics and physical fitness. Running for office was the farthest thing from his mind.
“My heart is Apex. I knew my time was done at APD [but] mayor was not on my radar. I hadn’t even thought about it. I wanted to continue to serve in some way, I just didn’t know what it was. In January of 2019, it hit me: Why wouldn’t you consider being the mayor of Apex? I love serving people and I felt like being at the level of mayor put me in a better position to serve more people. I went home and talked to my family. We prayed about it—we pray about everything as a family.”
Gilbert’s wife, Meshara, was entirely on board with the idea, as were their daughter, Kalabria, and son, Logan. In fact, Kalabria put to work her talent for public relations, and her communications degree from Old Dominion, and she became Gilbert’s campaign manager. The very day that her father broached the topic of running for office, Kalabria predicted, “The doors will be wide open; no one will run against you.” Gilbert officially left the Apex Police Department in April 2019, and Kalabria was right.
Of course, Gilbert had some doubts along the way. Regardless of the fact that his interest in the mayoral seat stemmed from the desire to serve his town, and not from aspirations to become a politician, he knew he did not have a traditional political background. Nor had he progressed through what some consider to be the administrative ranks, from planning board to town council member and then mayor. It takes special skills and a certain mindset to stride, smiling, into politics without a political background, especially these days. In Gilbert’s case, since his first day as a law enforcement officer, his faith in God and an innate ability to cultivate relationships had been preparing him for this assignment, one which began in earnest on December 3, 2019, when he was sworn in as the 32nd mayor of the Town of Apex.
“I’ve had 29 years as an employee, a town staff member, so I understand what their concerns are, and I represent them at the table because I can see both sides. People call the police and complain about everything. I love it! I want to help—give me something! I may not be able to fix it, but I want to listen to you. I’ve always been about communication and listening to people. People want to be heard and I love problem solving. It’s what I get excited about, and an elected official should be a part of that dynamic. [People] have to know I can put all the pieces together and I have that in my background. I know so many people and I know what they do, what they bring to the table, and what their passions are.”
Uniting Apex for Today and Tomorrow
A quick browse of the Town of Apex website and it’s clear that our elected officials have put a great deal of time and energy into developing short-term goals and long-term visions for our town. There are plans for land-use, infrastructure, road repair, even for re-energizing the downtown area. So, when I handed Mayor Gilbert a virtual “magic wand” and asked him about his greatest hope for Apex, he didn’t hesitate.
“Unity. We all want the same thing,” he explained, “we just don’t realize it. We want what’s best for our family, but we focus on the negative because of what we see now. [If] it looks like a negative, really, it’s an opportunity for us to come together to solve a problem. Let’s transform complaints to solutions. I often end presentations, or anything I write, with: There is nothing we can’t accomplish when we work together. I really believe that.”
Gilbert wants all voices contributing to the conversation. He sees a priority in having young people engaged in town planning and decision making, and he recognizes that that starts with keeping our graduates here and making it affordable for them to stay. Stay-at-home-parents, empty-nesters, even residents with little to no experience serving our community—the mayor welcomes their thoughts, opinions, and ideas. To foster such collaboration, he is committed to exploring unique ways to establish partnerships, monitor growth, and create gathering spaces.
Presently, Apex’s residential rooftops outnumber its businesses, and growth is a perpetual thorn in the side of every mayor. Gilbert envisions commerce thriving in Apex by erasing the lines separating government and private businesses and building relationships. “Behind a logo, behind a business, behind a town are the people. A balance of business, residential, and gathering spaces allows people to stay right here in our town. They enjoy it, they spend money, and they stay here because they want to be here.”
Gilbert admits it’s a challenge, but that’s where unity plays a role. “There’s no way for people to come together without effective communication. Often, it’s after things are approved that we hear from people. We have to make sure they understand that there’s a public forum [at town council meetings]. Come and give your input. We won’t be able to please everyone, but I think we will be able to share more by opening those lines of communication. Let’s look at the big picture; let’s look at the entire plan.”
A Personal Invitation
In the time we spent together, it was easy to forget that I was talking to the mayor of Apex, and, it turns out, that is exactly how Jacques Gilbert wants it to be. “When I come to work, there’s a reason I’m not dressed in a suit and tie. That’s not Jacques. I do that for Town Council meetings and formal business presentations. I want [people] to see Jacques, who happens to fill the position of a mayor.”
“My invitation to everyone is…you’re here in Apex for a purpose and I believe your purpose is to help us get to where we’re trying to go. Let’s have a conversation about your passion and how you think you can contribute to what we’re doing. I really mean that, and I hope people see my heart in that. It’s not just a statement because that’s not who I am. This throws people off—but I’m not a politician. I don’t ever want to be a politician. I’m a man of faith who cares about people. I’m a man of compassion who loves people. I want that to be what people see.”
Mayor Jacques Gilbert welcomes calls, messages, emails, and visits. You can find him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, or reach out to him at jacques.gilbert@apexnc.org, at Town Hall (919-249-3400), or on his cell phone (919-522-9823). And if you happen to bump into him at the Salem Street Pub, stop and say hello, talk Tarheel sports, and get to know him. It’s easy. I promise.
