 Gillon's effectiveness as a civic administrator was well regarded, and he was twice appointed by the State Government to serve as the commissioner of a city outside Brunswick.His first appointment occurred in November 1976, when the 12-man Sunshine council was sacked by the state government due to its financial mismanagement, having left the city $1,700,000 in deficit; Gillon served as the state-appointed commissioner of the City of Sunshine until early 1982, successfully restoring its finances to the point that an elected council could be restored to the city.Later in 1982, the Richmond council was dismissed by the state government following a report which revealed allegations of electoral malpractice and fraud, and Gillon was appointed by the state as commissioner of the City of Richmond, serving in that role until 1988.