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Long-term tax collector hailed
By JIM ROSS © St. Petersburg Times, published October 23, 2000
Norine Gilstrap took office in December 1974, when she was appointed to complete the term of her late husband, Bob. Two years later, Mrs. Gilstrap stood for election and won another term. She has been tax collector ever since. Now Mrs. Gilstrap is calling it quits, clearing the way for fellow Democrat Lee Cooper or Republican Janice Warren to take the job. But people aren't allowing Mrs. Gilstrap to leave quietly. That was evident Sunday afternoon, when about 250 people streamed into the Citrus County Auditorium to honor Mrs. Gilstrap with food, fun and kind words. "This is just awesome," said Mrs. Gilstrap, who was taken to the party in a limousine and received a police escort. "Without your support and your friendship, most of all, this would not have been possible." Mrs. Gilstrap arrived to find tables with blue and yellow table covers, balloons of the same colors, and trays of chicken, ribs and sheet cakes. Circuit Judge Patricia Thomas, who served on the School Board before she was appointed to the bench, told the audience that she considered Mrs. Gilstrap a role model. "Instead of being a politician, you've been a statesperson," Thomas said. Property Appraiser Ron Schultz said his predecessor, Charles Allen, cautioned him to honor Mrs. Gilstrap, whose dedication to family and her office was legendary. Respect that, Allen said, "or she'll rip your head from your shoulders." In Florida, the tax collector typically isn't a high-profile person. His or her office is responsible for gathering property and tangible taxes; processing car tag and title information; handling boat title transfers and renewals; overseeing occupational licenses; and collecting fees for hunting and fishing licenses. Mrs. Gilstrap and her staff did all that, and more, and received good reviews in the process. But that's not the only reason Mrs. Gilstrap inspired so many words of praise Sunday. She was a reminder of the days when Democrats held the political power in Citrus and when the people who held elected office were raised there. (She grew up in Dunnellon and moved to Citrus in 1951.) More important, she is recognized as a classy person. "The epitome of grace and goodness" is the way her good friend, Alida Langley, put it. When Mrs. Gilstrap took over for her deceased husband, she and her small staff toiled in the basement of the Old Courthouse. On Saturday, during a dedication ceremony celebrating that building's rebirth, Crystal River Mayor Curtis Rich joked about the 5-foot-high ceilings. "I still have the bumps on my head when I went down to visit," said Rich, who stands 6 foot 4. Mrs. Gilstrap attended that ceremony, but her office has been in the new courthouse since 1978. She is leaving her post just as the new courthouse is slated for expansion. John Sullivan, the Inverness City Council member and director of courts, served as master of ceremonies Sunday, along with county Commissioner Jim Fowler. Sullivan said he was never surprised to arrive at the new courthouse and find Mrs. Gilstrap's car parked there, no matter the hour. "She's been a wonderful servant for Citrus County," Sullivan said. "We all are better off because of Norine," Schultz told the audience, "and her mark on this community will endure for a long, long time." - This story includes information from Times files.
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