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9 January, 2017 4 4 Comments

The Past Can Inform Our Future If…

January 9, 2017 By Jeff Perlman 4 Comments

Park Avenue in Winter Park.

In October 2014 I had the privilege of participating in a Urban Land Institute panel focusing on Winter Park.
ULI’s TAP program (Technical Assistance Program) brings outside help to communities seeking advice on how to seize an opportunity or address a vexing issue in their city.
It was a great honor to be chosen to participate, because I have long admired Winter Park and I’m a big fan of Bob Rhodes, who is a legend in Florida.

Bob was Chair for the Winter Park TAP and shortly after the exercise he was honored with a much deserved lifetime achievement award from Leadership Florida.

Led by Bob, the panel produced a document aimed at framing some issues that Winter Park was facing relating to downtown development and offering them some solutions to consider.
So it was interesting for me to return to the city two years later to see what was happening downtown.
We spent a day strolling, dining and shopping on Park Avenue over the holiday break.
It was a beautiful day and the street was bustling.
Park Avenue has a similar scale to Atlantic Avenue, mostly two and three story buildings. Winter Park has some distinct architecture and it’s streetscape is immaculate.
Gorgeous planters, attractive signage, cool little side streets and a lineal park that runs alongside Park Ave gives the city remarkable charm.
While Atlantic Avenue is restaurant heavy, Park Avenue is dominated by retail.
There are a fair amount of chain stores and franchises ranging from Gap for Kids and Restoration Hardware to Starbucks and Burger Fi.
But there’s also a decent number of independents—the feel is decidedly upscale but not pretentious.
It’s a vibrant street and just feels good.
What makes Winter Park interesting is it’s able to succeed as a counter to much larger Orlando which sits (looms) next door.
Orlando’s downtown has come a long way in recent years under the leadership of Mayor Buddy Dyer.

As a result, Orlando is now much more than just theme parks and vacation villas.
Still, Winter Park still feels like an oasis in Central Florida.

The city wants to keep that charm and I think it will. ULI was brought to the city as a result of a strong desire for Winter Park to remain special in a sea of sameness, sprawl and traffic.

We also visited Celebration which is known for its new urban layout and variety of architectural elevations.
Now 20 years old, Celebration looks better with a little age on it. A former Leadership Florida classmate was one of the developers of the landmark project–which has received a huge amount of press over the years– so I had some insight into the thinking that Disney was trying to achieve in Celebration. The goal was to replicate some of the best features of American town planning before cookie cutter design began to proliferate. Critics called it a “Stepford” community, almost too perfect to feel warm and authentic.
I remember visiting some years ago and it felt much more faux than it does today. It has aged well and even my kids–not usually attuned to such things–noticed how different the neighborhoods were in terms of design.
Celebration and Winter Park stick out in a region that is suffering from an acute case of sprawl with all of its attendant illnesses including choking traffic and soulless sameness.
I wish there were more places like Winter Park and our own Delray Beach.
I sense that there’s a large market of people who want a walkable lifestyle, distinct architecture, interesting shopping choices and good local restaurants. Throw in attractive open spaces and large doses of culture and educational opportunities and you have a recipe for enduring success. You also have a recipe for high housing costs, which price many people who would enjoy and contribute to these places out of the market. One answer is density–done well of course–which adds supply and is also better for the environment. But the “D” word is often a third rail in local politics and public officials unwilling to do the hard work of engaging the community in an education effort often abandon the types of development patterns that people long for and create value well beyond a bottom line.
Will cities like Winter Park and Delray change?
No doubt.
But as long as they keep their “bones” and scale intact they will continue to succeed.
We just need more communities to follow their lead. And more public officials willing to push for quality of design rather than simply judging projects based on numbers.

5 January, 2017 1 Comment

Community in an Age of Screens

January 5, 2017 By Jeff Perlman 1 Comment

We’re a dot, but that dot means a lot.

Maybe it was just the holidays.

I hope not.

But there seems to be a feeling in the air–a desire to reconnect, a hunger for progress and a passion for community taking root in Delray Beach again.

Everywhere I roam–the breakfast places, the Chamber, Old School Square, the Coffee District, downtown, holiday parties and in my email inbox–I’m hearing from people who are tired of feeling tired, angry at feeling angry and itching to feel productive again.

They want to build. They want to grow and prosper. They want to lead. They want to feel connected to something other than a smartphone screen.

They don’t want to simply see things happen, they want to make things happen.

We’ve been waiting a long time for this. Is it real or a mirage?

I guess we will see.

2016 for many people was not a very good year.

We lost a lot of icons–Ali, Bowie, Prince, John Glenn, George Michael on Christmas Day, Carrie Fisher and her mother just after Christmas.

The presidential election was brutal.

There’s opiate addiction, division, violence, racism, terrorism and hacking. I was hacked myself—as was a young man I mentor (and he mentors me). He ended up as part of an international news story, but that’s a tale for another day.

A writer I admire wrote this on Christmas Day. His name is Bob Lefsetz and he writes mostly about music, but also about life.

“I don’t know why we hate each other so much. I don’t know why certain people believe they have the answers. I don’t know why society has become so coarse.

But I do know at the end of the day we’re just people, here for a very short time. And what makes us feel best is to be part of a community.

Choose yours. Just be sure to join; to belong. Because people will surprise you. When you’re down and out they’ll lend a hand. They’ll listen to you.”

Well we are about to find out.

There’s an election in March.

Two seats are up for grabs on a City Commission that is divided and angry with one another.

Already 8 candidates and maybe more are lining up.

This ought to be fun.

There are two ways this can play out.

We can have a somewhat civilized election focused on ideas or we can roll around in the gutter for a few months.

The last few election cycles have not been high water in marks in terms of political discourse.

You’d have thought we were living in war torn Libya based on the negativity; not a nice city with rising home values, a thriving downtown and amazing assets.

That’s not to say that there aren’t problems.

Opiate addiction, property crime and unsavory sober home operators are among the complex issues facing Delray.

A lack of middle class housing options, schools that continue to struggle and very high commercial rents are also challenges that deserve our attention.

Let’s see if any of these are addressed in the upcoming election.

All of the challenges we face require community to either overcome or improve. Nobody has all the answers—even if some pretend they do—but there’s no denying that cities, businesses and organizations function better when people work together. Dismiss that simple premise as sentimental claptrap, but it’s also true. A unified, focused and sustained community effort can and has made all the difference in this city.

The other “issues” we face and talk about are manufactured: i.e. self-imposed. We choose function or dysfunction.

For example:

Civility is a choice.

Micromanaging is a choice.

Being able to compromise is a choice.

Majoring in the minor is a choice.

Address those and you’ll be able to quickly stop the attrition at City Hall and begin to establish stability.

Whether we progress or decline is a choice.

If you want to see an iPic downtown you can make it happen.

If you want to settle a lawsuit–you can.

It’s really not that hard. Unless of course, you make it so. I’m afraid, that we have made it so.

****************************************************************************

A quick word about recent elections and endorsements.

A reader recently questioned my judgment in recent election cycles. That’s fair game. But before you draw a sweeping conclusion it’s helpful to know all of the facts as well as the context of the times.

But first a little background on what I’ve learned in observing local government for 30 plus years.

Truth is, being an elected official is the equivalent of an MRI. It reveals who you really are.

All of us have strengths and weaknesses and being an elected official will reveal both. There is no hiding in public office.

Hopefully your strengths outweigh your weaknesses and hopefully you can work on those weaknesses because public service provides a unique opportunity for personal growth and yes service to others, which sometimes gets lost.

The reader said she agreed with many of my views but felt that my endorsements in recent cycles contradicted my writing.

I appreciate the comment because it allows me to clear the air. (Wishful thinking?).

The only elected official currently serving that I have endorsed is the mayor, during his first run for office. I was off the team early after one group meeting and a few personal attempts to discuss areas of differences that didn’t go very far. These things happen—and while they are not happy occasions– life goes on.

In the last mayoral election, I voted for other items on the ballot, but I didn’t vote for either mayoral candidate even though I know both men and have considered them friends over the years. I was disappointed in the campaigns that both waged and have said so in this space several times and in personal conversations.

I feel they mischaracterized the state of our city, its history, its achievements and its character.

In prior years, I proudly endorsed Fred Fetzer, whom I served with against a candidate who I never heard of before (and never have seen since) and Gary Eliopoulos who is a close friend and deeply experienced in all things Delray. He’s also really funny and trust me when I say that we need humor in government.

I also endorsed another former colleague Pat Archer in her attempt at a comeback and my neighbor and friend Bruce Bastian who lacked a long local resume but whose calm demeanor and maturity would have been welcomed today. I watched my friend get unfairly labeled—in my opinion– but I also understand that entering the kitchen means you sign up for the heat.

Ideally, we are able to choose candidates that have long track records of community involvement. Those are the candidates who know our city best and those we know best. Or we think we know….heavy sigh.

As I have mentioned earlier, there’s something about a commission seat that reveals layers we may not have seen before–some good, some not so good. And so sometimes we miss on the people we think we know. I wish I had better radar, because life would be far less painful. And I have questioned my judgment many times in an attempt to be better and to learn.

Why?

Because these things matter and they are important. And so when you tell friends that you are behind a candidate and that you believe in them, it’s a significant limb you are choosing to walk out on. It’s also a risk, because sometimes you are wrong. Sometimes the candidates don’t turn out to be who you thought or hoped they would be. And sometimes, you have to look in the mirror and say you missed. And sometimes you get fooled.

Not to minimize or skirt the issue, but I have learned that mistakes are seldom fatal and that success is never final.

My view is pretty basic. I’m a long term player. I don’t try and pick winners. I try and help the candidates I feel (emphasis on feel not know) will move the city forward. I have backed people I knew would lose but they were– in my opinion anyway– the better candidate.

I’ve made some bad picks too, but as soon as I see someone veer off the rails into behavior I think will hurt Delray, I point it out.

It has cost me some relationships. No doubt about it.

Sometimes speaking your mind gets you banished—you wander the desert so to speak. But I’ve also learned that the truth is a stubborn thing, it tends to get in the way of rumors, misinformation and lies. In my book, I wrote about being the subject of criticism. As someone who likes to be liked, it was a hard lesson to learn. But I learned that while nobody has all the answers or is always right, if you know who you are and have the right motivations—for example the community’s interests over self-interest—the criticism– (if false) doesn’t stick over time and your true friends see the real you and stick by you because they know who you are.

I don’t mean that to be flippant because losing a relationship is never pleasant. It hurts. But I’m not the type who can stand by silently or sanction behavior just because of a personal relationship.

Ultimately that is not being a friend–a nuance missed by a few folks.

I’d rather be on the outside than pretend just to go along to get along. You pay a short term price for that sometimes. But never a long term one.

I’ve learned that the politicos come and go, but those who are doing the real work in the community stay—if we’re lucky.

I’d rather support their work than pretend or grade on a curve. In business, the adage is to fail fast and move on. If you can’t agree, try and fix it, but if that’s impossible there’s no sense pretending. I don’t think that’s being a real friend or a good citizen. I aspire to be both.

There are political insiders who think they know me when they don’t. Some of my biggest critics are people I’ve never had a conversation with and couldn’t pick out of a line-up. Others do know me and we just don’t see eye to eye.

Some see things that aren’t there and they think I’m “behind” people I’m not.

That goes with the territory I suppose.

But if I support someone you’ll know it. I tend to talk and write–and then talk and write some more. And now that I co-own a newspaper—well… we buy ink by the barrel.

If I think you’re good for Delray I will say so. If I think your bad for the city I love I will say so as well. It’s not personal, even if I don’t like you or even if I think you’re wonderful.

It’s about Delray.

It has been for 30 years now.

2 January, 2017 1 Comment

A New Year; Let’s Make it a Good One

January 2, 2017 By Jeff Perlman 1 Comment

A new year.
A new set of possibilities.
As we turn the page on ’16, a year many are happy to see pass let’s endeavor to start fresh and dream big.
In that spirit here are some predictions and wishes:
-America begins to turn the tide on its opiate addiction. Maybe this is the year when doctors stop over prescribing pains meds. Maybe this is the year that government gives prosecutors, cities and regulators the tools they need to hold irresponsible sober home operators accountable. Maybe this is the year we appreciate responsible providers who are trying to save lives.
-Perhaps 2017 will see the formal adoption of the Congress Avenue Task Force’s vision and catalytic development on the old Office Depot site as well as near Saltwater Brewery.
-We’re rooting for new FAU football coach Lane Kiffin to build a winning program in Boca. Kiffin is a bold hire with baggage, but he’s got a pedigree that’s intriguing to say the least.
-Boca continues to reel in companies, grow new ones and build its downtown. It’s economic development office shows what’s possible– even with a small team. We predict more of the same in ’17.
-We see The South Florida Garlic Festival thriving at its new venue at John Prince Park attracting foodies and taking advantage of the “glamping” trend.
-We’re hopeful to see iPic open in ’17 and predict it will function well and enhance Delray’s downtown.
-We predict that Impact 100 for Men will have a successful launch and attract more donations as a result.
-We believe ’17 will be the year when Old School Square and President Rob Steele will soar. With sometimes contentious lease negotiations with the city in the rear view mirror, the organization can concentrate on growing and fulfilling its historic and important mission.
-We predict big things for the Via Mizner project anchored by the Mandarin Hotel. It’s a landmark project. Make no mistake.
-We hope that plans to revitalize 20th Street in Boca gain traction in the New Year.
-14 years ago a new “central park” was envisioned where a surface parking lot once existed near Old School Square. Let’s hope ’17 is the year that the park takes shape.
-Let’s also hope ’17 is the year that stability returns to Delray City Hall. The ability to hire a new City Manager is a golden opportunity.
-We predict this is the year that positivity begins its slow march back to the public square. As a result we predict a better Boca Delray.
Happy New Year.

21 December, 2016 0 Comments

Resumes versus Legacies

December 21, 2016 By Jeff Perlman Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: We will see you after the holidays. Have a safe, happy and joyous holiday season! Thanks for reading and sharing!

Resumes versus legacies.
Which would you rather have?
I’ve been thinking about this lately.
I have this app called “Time Hop” and every day it gives you a look back at 7 years of social media memories.
It’s really kind of cool.
Well 7 years ago this month , we lost a local icon named H. Ruth Pompey and the app let me know. I’m glad it did. Because the memory of Mrs. Pompey brought back a smile. I adored her. So did everybody who knew her and many knew her because she and her amazing husband C. Spencer Pompey were integral parts of Delray and Palm Beach County for decades.
They influenced generations of young people and touched many lives very deeply.
Educators, historians, coaches, mentors, founders and leaders, the Pompey’s amassed remarkable resumes but more importantly they left lasting legacies.
Delray has been blessed with many wonderful people who have left legacies of kindness, achievement, voluntarism and dedication. Remembering them is important–because even though many are gone now they are still very much a part of us and ingrained in the DNA of our town.
So remembering Mrs. Pompey also inspired me to remember a slew of other very special people.
Such as…Ken Ellingsworth, a founder of the Delray Affair, a longtime chamber president and former City Commissioner who welcomed generations of young business people to town and helped them get involved. Those were the days when the first stop you made if you opened a business or a professional practice was the Chamber of Commerce.
At the chamber, mentors like Ken and later the terrific Bill Wood got you plugged in so to speak. The mission was two-fold, get involved to grow your business and grow the business community to help others succeed. I think Karen Granger and her team at today’s chamber are following in this tradition; with the chamber serving as a hub of activity, connection and community.
I thought also of my friend Barbara D. Smith who also left a lasting legacy. I pass a building named after her every morning at the Achievement Center on Lake Ida Road and I still remember Barbara’s kindness and concern for our city’s most vulnerable children.

She served briefly on the city commission but she had decades of achievement under her belt before she even thought of running.
That’s how it was in those days. People tended to volunteer for years before seeking public office. We knew who they were and they knew us.
Think of how advantageous that is: we know if they show up and do their homework, we know if they can work well with others, whether they are capable of compromise or of evolving. We know whether they listen and learn or just keep their own counsel or if they are merely puppets controlled by others.
We knew them through years of service.
It was a whole lot better tradition if you ask me.
I also thought of Carolyn Gholston and her husband Joe, two leaders in our southwest neighborhood who worked closely with the city and police department on a vision for creating a safer neighborhood for all.
About a dozen years ago, voters passed a bond issue to build a new splash park at the Catherine Strong Center named after our first female mayor who also served as a city clerk. Mr. and Mrs. Gholston worked hard to muster votes for the bond because they wanted to see the first ever park in that part of our city. It wasn’t about them, it was about their neighborhood and about the future.
As we exit 2016, an interesting year, I can’t help but remember friends we have lost.
As I rode in the holiday parade for the first time in a decade, we passed by what we on the City Commission used to call “Garito” corner. Every year, the large and boisterous extended family would stake out real estate on a corner that once housed the venerable Green Owl. And every year when mayor’s and commissioners passed by they were greeted with loud cheers and laughter.
This year, the corner was mostly quiet. The Green Owl has closed (for now) and Barbara Garito, the family matriarch and our beloved City Clerk and friend passed away earlier this year.
I miss her smile. But we are so much richer for having known her and so many others who have made Delray such a special place.
You see cities are made special by people, not by rules and regulations, building heights and millage rates. All of those have their place–but the real magic comes when people devote themselves to a place, work together, build trust, laugh with each other, cry with each other and constantly reach out to bring others in.
Those are the people who leave legacies. And make a true difference. Maybe they didn’t build the biggest chamber or clean up every street in their neighborhood but they did touch a whole lot of lives. And continue to do so.
Legacies–that’s what they left. And that’s what’s truly important.

Happy holidays and see you in the New Year!

19 December, 2016 3 3 Comments

Trust & Confidence Make The Difference

December 19, 2016 By Jeff Perlman 3 Comments

and also for lunch and dinner.

America is a politically divided nation.
But there’s a few things Americans agree on when it comes to the federal government.
It can’t be trusted.

It’s wasteful.

And it’s led by people who say and do anything to get elected and then abandon those promises to serve special interests.

Is the same dynamic infecting local government as well?
A new study by NYU Professor Paul Light, a recognized expert on public service, concludes that almost 70 percent of Americans say the government needs major reform, even though there is a wide divide on what needs to be done and how to get there.
As an old political science major, I find the study interesting.
But this blog focuses on local issues and so I always try to view findings through that prism.
Does this national trend threaten the reputation and trustworthiness of local government?
About a decade ago, I was part of a small group of local mayors who founded the Florida League of Mayors. It was an offshoot of the Florida League of Cities and the organization tried to capitalize on surveys at the time that found Floridians had enormous trust in local government and that mayors especially had the confidence of citizens.
People might have been wary of Tallahassee and may have been disgusted by Washington but they liked their local governments.
Trust and confidence in your City Hall is an often underrated asset.
And it works both ways: citizens obviously win when they have faith that their tax dollars are being spent wisely and that their local officials can solve problems and seize opportunities. And those who work in local government win too when their citizens support and trust them. They can safely innovate and they can feel confident that their citizens support them in what can be very difficult jobs.
There was a time when Delray stood out in this regard. A time when over a thousand citizens volunteered for the Police Department, raised money for public safety budgets, voted to go into debt and raise their taxes to fund community projects and generally felt that City Hall was an agent of progress, a place where problems were solved and where you could find answers and support.
City staff was outcome oriented and not mired in process. Things got done: Small things–kitchen permits, sea grape maintenance, leases for key non-profits etc.
Big things got done as well–the Decade of Excellence, the creation of a Community Land Trust, the adoption of a Downtown Master Plan and more.
How do big and small things happen? What makes progress possible?
In a word: culture.
Not the kind that might describe art and music, but rather the kind that allows for collaboration, creativity, compromise, compassion, civility and empathy.
A good culture is built on trust and accountability–those two words are not mutually exclusive. You can have both.
When you have a good culture in your town, there are no limits to what can be accomplished.
The best leaders I have seen empower people. And the best outcome you get from a culture of empowerment is confidence and momentum.
Positive momentum is immensely powerful. It creates special cities. When you believe in what your doing and you have the confidence to venture great leaps occur.
I started writing about Delray Beach in 1987. I hear many people around town comparing this era to the 80s. It’s not a good comp as they say in real estate.

Some say the level of dysfunction and rancor among commissioners is comparable to that era. Some say it’s not as bad, some say it’s worse.
My take: the 80s were rough here, marked by crime, drugs, blight, instability at City Hall and racial tension.
But some big things got started. Some important seeds were planted. The first historic districts, the launch of Old School Square, the creation of a CRA, a major effort to improve local schools, the seeds of Pineapple Grove, Visions 2000 and the Decade of Excellence.
Pretty great stuff. And yet…what do people remember as much or maybe more than the achievements? They remember the revolving door of managers and department heads, the backbiting among elected officials and the sense that other places were thriving and we were stuck.
And then it changed.
The culture that is…a new crop of commissioners and a new mayor were elected, stability returned–civility too. Progress happened and Delray was on its way.
Delray developed a brand as an innovative city, a pacesetter, a good place to work, a good place to live and a good place to invest. Fun, vibrant and entrepreneurial were among the words often used and bus loads of people from other cities came here to see how “it” was done.
So what’s the buzz now?
Citizens suing the commission over a charter violation because warring elected officials cannot compromise.
A revolving door of managers and department heads.
Major private investments delayed, pronounced dead or in costly litigation.
Residents complaining about a toxic culture and how hard it is to volunteer in this city. Yep, how hard it is to volunteer because of a culture of toxic politics on the commission.
2017 is a New Year and a chance to turn things around. It can be done.
We’ve done it before.

If we do, we will solve problems and seize opportunities. If we don’t, we risk 30 years of progress and more important –our future.
It’s time for a change. If you love Delray as many of us do, it’s time to get moving. We stand for what we tolerate. And right now we are tolerating a whole lot of nonsense.

14 December, 2016 0 Comments

LA Story

December 14, 2016 By Jeff Perlman Leave a Comment

The Salt and The Straw in Larchmont Village

Greetings from Los Angeles.
I’m out here with our west coast Tabanero team interviewing agencies for what will become our first major advertising effort in 2017.
It’s the next step in our start up entrepreneurial journey and it’s exciting.
We’ve done billboards, print ads, Amazon promotions, events, samplings, coupons and social media advertising along the way, but the new effort will represent our first large scale–for us anyway –advertising campaign.
It’s exciting and a little scary too. This is our shot and while we’re confident we’ve got a great hot sauce and Bloody Mary mix we are all veterans in business. We know it’s not easy and that there’s no shortcuts. We have great assets: a great tasting premium sauce and some excellent retailers and some challenges too: a crowded category and a need for more brand awareness. We are a challenger brand in a world of Goliaths. But we see that as our advantage because we live in a world where consumers want new and exciting over old and tired.
We’ll keep you posted.
Some impressions about LA: I love it.
Yes, there’s traffic and sprawl. Crazy traffic and debilitating sprawl.
But there’s also great weather, very interesting people and this is where you can see the future emerge.
LA and NYC are where trends are birthed and spread.
So when I come here I like to look around. What are the new restaurant concepts? What are the new items on menus? What are the new drink trends?
What’s happening in retail, hotels, fashion and design?
It’s interesting for me to see what’s happening and what people are talking about. Information is currency. And you never know what insight you might glean that can help you in whatever business you’re in.
The same principle applies to cities.
Switched on municipal leaders are always scanning the horizon for ideas that can be customized for their communities.
Whether it’s street furniture or pop up retail, unique crosswalks or parking technology it pays to see what others are doing.
When I venture west I stay in the Hotel Orlando a very comfy boutique hotel.
It’s amazing how boutique and historic hotels and inns have become focal points for cities and neighborhoods.
A few great little hotels mixed in with restaurants, art and event spaces can literally make a place pop.
On this trip I’m anxious to see creative work spaces. One agency we interviewed is housed in an old industrial space that has been converted into one of the nicest offices I have ever seen.
Wide open, with exposed ceilings and fun games and furniture, the space is just inspiring.
I also loved that the office featured a slew of dogs. It was comfortable but productive.
Count me in as someone who would love to work alongside dogs, mine and others.

West Hollywood where I’m anchored is a cool spot.
Since I can never adjust to the time, I find myself up early and able to take walks before a day of meetings.
I stumbled on a neighborhood featuring very old but beautifully designed apartments I later learned were designed by legendary architect Leland Bryant in the 20s and 30s for movie studio personnel.
The craftsmanship, details, bay windows and unique design are stunning. It made me wonder whether these types of artisans exist today or whether developers would even consider these types of details given the high cost of land and the regulatory hurdles we’ve instituted.
Curious I did some light research on Bryant who turned out to be quite the guy. I learned that he built 300 projects in Los Angeles and Hollywood in the time it would take to get one or two projects approved and built today considering rules and politics.
None of his iconic and beautiful projects would meet today’s codes despite their enduring beauty and value. Now that’s food for thought.
I’ve often wondered in our zeal to “control growth” with rigid codes and batty politics whether we are also stifling creativity. While developers and architects bear their fair share of responsibility wouldn’t it be interesting to challenge them to be creative and design something that generations might embrace rather than fight. Heavy sigh.
Leland Bryant would be dead in his tracks today.

Another observation…
As mentioned, California is a great place to search for trends.
Food and restaurants have come a long way in the last decade.
It seems like every industry and option are being disrupted by innovative artisans.
California is teeming with them.
From cold pressed juices and craft burgers to artisanal sandwiches (I kid you not) California has it all.
Sure some ideas are hipster pretentious, but others are just flat out inspiring.
A marketing firm we use out here recommended we visit a small ice cream shop called the Salt & Straw to sample various interesting flavor combinations. We did.
Aside from seasonal offerings like fennel eggnog there were options that included olives and sea salt and goat cheese.
Somehow it works. The ice cream was amazing.
My California colleague, a native Floridian, said the creativity he found in the Golden State keeps him here despite the high cost of living, heavy taxes and traffic.
“California is where the creators come to innovate,” he said. “It’s aspirational. Not every one makes it here. It’s hard and the competition is fierce but it’s where you come if you want to make an impact.” As they say if you want to dance you go where the music is playing.
Can Florida make the same claim?
I have to ponder that one. But if the answer is no it ought to be yes.
The places that empower people and inspire dreams and risk taking are the ones that will thrive.
I found Delray to be highly aspirational when I came here. I think Boca is a city coming into its own these days. As a friend recently told me about Boca: “that city has depth.”
By that he meant assets.
He’s right.
Delray has assets too, but there needs to be greater attention paid to ensure that those assets stay healthy and new assets need to be developed.
More on that when I come home.

12 December, 2016 7 7 Comments

Teachable Moments

December 12, 2016 By Jeff Perlman 7 Comments

Leaders not only seize the day, they seize the moments.

This is a season for reconciliation and appreciation.

I tell friends who endure criticism that in most cases it makes no sense to feed a troll.
That’s what the troll wants; for you to engage and respond.
Why give them the satisfaction?
I can only think of two exceptions:
-their warped views are gaining traction
-their actions provide a teachable moment.
Well in this case, there’s no chance of the former but there may be a lesson here to talk about. Let’s see if we can find it.
I was invited to ride on a float in the Delray holiday parade this past weekend with a group that included the Mayor and Vice Mayor and City Manager of Lake Worth and some folks from the Garlic Festival.
I said yes.
Why?
Because I like my friends from Lake Worth and I really like the people associated with the Garlic Festival.
For those of you who need a review, after nearly 20 years, the Garlic Fest is leaving Delray for John Prince Park in suburban Lake Worth.
It wasn’t a happy departure. In my opinion it was a needless controversy and not a good thing for Delray to see the event leave.

Others disagree. C’est La Vie.
Lake Worth is happy to see the event at a county park–good branding for the city; no expense.
The folks in Lake Worth have a sense of humor. It comes in handy in life and in cities.
They thought it would be fun and smart to put a float in the Delray parade to remind people of the move.
For many years, Lake Worth has had an inside joke relating to their high end neighbor Palm Beach.
The saying “Lake Worth making Palm Beach Nervous for 100 Years” has appeared on shirts and hash tags etc.
It’s both self deprecating and complimentary. Obviously, Lake Worth doesn’t present a serious threat to Palm Beach nor does it aspire to be Palm Beach. Lake Worth has its own charm.
So as a play on that schtick those on the float -me included –wore a t shirt that said “Lake Worth Making Delray Nervous.”
Now trust me Lake Worth does not want to be Delray Beach. Nor should they want to be. But there are leaders in Lake Worth who wouldn’t mind aspects of Delray’s success.
Again–the shirt struck me as complimentary and done in the spirit of fun.
While cities compete, they also root for one another and make fun of each other too –usually in an innocent way.
Former Boca Mayor Steven Abrams and I once debated over whose city was better and appeared on the cover of the Boca News in boxing gloves. Did we say harsh things about our cities? You bet we did.
Did we mean it? Not really.
I like Boca. Steven likes Delray.
It seems the shirt got under the skin of someone who seems to be aggrieved frequently–especially if you don’t agree with her.
That’s Ok, she’s entitled.
So she spewed on social media on a page I don’t frequent, opining that the float “dissed” Delray and that it was disgusting for a former mayor (that would be me) to partake in this grievous insult of her beloved Delray Beach. (A friend sent it to me, otherwise I would have missed it).
Well…
Where do we begin? What is the teachable moment?
Ok, how about this.
It’s ok to have a sense of humor. In fact, it’s imperative.
It’s ok to like another city other than your own.
It’s ok to root for a neighbor to succeed and I’m rooting for Lake Worth.
I have lived in Delray Beach for almost 30 years and few have questioned my love for this city–even those find my beliefs about smart growth, economic development and the Garlic Festival–well disgusting.
But to equate wearing a t shirt to an act of municipal treason is so far off the mark that it defies description.
I didn’t think I was participating in a protest but what if I was?
Is it wrong if someone wanted to make a statement about losing a community tradition that supported local non-profits and didn’t harm anyone?
Are we so tribal that we can’t like another city? Are we so humorless and angry that we can’t poke fun, or crack a joke?
There are many many many people who don’t like the blistering criticism of Delray Beach from a small batch of people who have never given back much if anything to this town.
But they are often the first to assign blame, take offense, assume motives, lash out and yes make threats. (Like don’t advertise in a paper because the owners don’t agree with your politics).
As we approach the holidays, we sadly live in a divided city in a divided nation. I sincerely hope we can bridge those divides both in Delray and across America.
Maybe it would help if we gained a little perspective.
In east Aleppo people are praying for death over injury because death is more merciful when you live in a place with no hospitals, food or medicine.
In countless households across our nation, families worry about sons and daughters in the grips of addiction. People are jobless, homeless and in despair.
A former newspaper colleague of mine just lost her daughter to cancer. She was a young mother.
If a Garlic Fest float can anger you, I suppose you are blessed. I reserve my anger for injustice, hatred, racism and corruption.
So your comments don’t bother me. Your judgment of my motives and those of my friends also mean nothing because you don’t know us. You think you do, but you don’t. I actually wish you’d get to know some of us because we aren’t monsters. You might find we love his city too and that there are projects and needs we can work on together. (Yes that’s an olive branch).
I think we are very fortunate in this city. Look around, appreciate, enjoy. What you like about Delray didn’t happen by accident. What you don’t like won’t be solved by division. That’s the teachable moment.
Happy holidays!

8 December, 2016 13 13 Comments

Time for a Reset–Actually Past Time

December 8, 2016 By Jeff Perlman 13 Comments

Delray is abuzz with chatter about a mailing that takes issue with Mayor Glickstein’s job performance.

Interestingly, it is not the content that is controversial. Instead, what has some people fired up is that the source is anonymous. I get it– literally, having been on the receiving end of anonymous criticism myself over the years.

If I have something to say, I say it. And I put my name on it.

It is no secret I have taken issue with the ability of the current administration in Delray Beach to get things done. I’m not a fan of the culture I see taking root, the instability at City Hall, the coarseness of our dialogue, the lack of gratitude for what has been built and what is currently being proposed and the beat down of some good people and organizations.

I see micromanagement, division, a lack of trust and transparency, backstabbing, bullying and a host of other ills.

I see us majoring in the minor—arguing over sea grape permits for instance instead of focusing on our challenges and our opportunities.

But unlike that mailer, I sign my name to my opinions.

In fact, I bought a share of a newspaper to have a voice and I have blogged twice a week for years on local issues. I even wrote a book that shared my thoughts, ideas and opinions. So for those of you who speculate as a hobby—all you have to do is ask me or read. I’m anything but shy with my opinions when it comes to Delray Beach.

And by the way, when people do speak out critically, it’s often because they care.

Sure, not all the time.

Sometimes it’s personal, but many times it’s because something rubs them the wrong way about something they care about. As for me, honestly there are people I can’t stand but I wouldn’t criticize them because they aren’t my cup of tea—my dislike tends to be driven by whether I think they are doing right by a town I love. If I believe they aren’t, I feel a responsibility as a citizen to speak out.

It’s just that simple.

As for the content of the mailer, I think we ought to be concerned about the turnover at City Hall. I don’t think the new codes work and I don’t think commissioners listen to each other. I disagree with the statement that the new codes haven’t stopped growth—the fact is we need investment and jobs certainly more than we need lawsuits.

I’ve heard from city staff at all levels of the organization— there’s concern about instability. There are issues at City Hall. We can spin and deny or we can deal with it.

My belief is that the culture on the dais is a major cause of the issues. Not the sole cause, but a major cause.

Take a look at the last commission meeting. Review the discussion of how to fill the vacant commission seat and then scroll through to commission comments and judge for yourself. I recommend you take a few Maalox before you listen.

I’m out of office almost a decade but I can’t walk down the street without someone asking me what’s going on at City Hall. Whether they can’t get a kitchen permit typed, a grease trap approved or wonder why it is taking forever to get the iPic opened or why we are losing festivals, people are concerned. In my opinion, they should be. People need to wake up and pay attention, because as citizens, voters, taxpayers, volunteers and business owners—I’m all of those things by the way—we have a stake in the outcome. So do many of my friends. So that’s why I/we won’t go away.

If you disagree with me that’s fine.

But almost every room I walk into, the talk of the town is the often rancid politics in this city and the inability to get things done. I know property owners who are sitting out a hot real estate cycle (after a horrendous recession) because they fear the approval process and politics in our city. I know of many long time contributors who feel they are not being listened to, who are frustrated and worried about their city or their non-profit. But they fear speaking out.

And I get it. It can be scary.

But if you love something enough you dig down and do it anyway. So you don’t get invited to every party in town. So what? But some do worry about retribution and that ought to worry us as well. We need our public square to be as safe and civil as possible so we can have substantive conversations.

So call me and others has-beens, or never weres; choose to believe what you will about motivations or aspirations. It doesn’t matter. Because the issues don’t go away if left unresolved they just fester.

I believe our commission is unaware of the impact its approach on issues large and small has had.

It is corrosive and exhausting, but they do not see it. They often do not get out of the way of staff; they won’t work with applicants, projects or even with each other. Nowhere is that more glaring than in the wake of Commissioner Al Jaquet’s departure from the commission.

While a process was put in place that should have made making the choice of his replacement simple, this commission has chosen to ignore the success of past commissions when dealing with the same issue. And more importantly placed politics and personal grievances ahead of the charter and the city’s business.

Rather than finding common ground, they are willing to ignore the city charter – the guiding legal document of our city – and leave a vacancy on the commission for several months. In fact, it will be April before a new commissioner is elected, sworn in and seated. Given the politics—a word they seem to hate but appear to practice—not having a fifth vote may deadlock the city, an outcome that they seem to realize is likely.

There were a slew of good candidates to choose from to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Jacquet.

But this deadlock was sadly predictable; I’ve been telling people this was going to happen since Mr. Jacquet announced his departure and the two warring sides declared different philosophies on how to fill the seat.

That’s all well and good. But the charter anticipates political posturing. It gives commissioners not one but two chances to figure it out and make a decision.

So after the dust clears on round one, you get to think about the decision for a week. Hopefully you cool off and choose at the second meeting. If you don’t—and the charter is clear—your failure to make a decision triggers a special election. Now the people get to choose and yes it’s expensive, distracting, confusing and logistically challenging to hold an election—but they chose that option and in so doing you put politics and personal differences over our city’s governing document.

The latest city attorney—it has been hard to keep track without a scorecard—gave the commission some cover citing logistical issues etc., but I think he’s wrong. The integrity of the charter is sacrosanct. You either have a governing document or you don’t. Ignoring what’s inconvenient in it is a slippery slope and sets a dangerous precedent. Apparently, a lawsuit filed by another applicant will answer that question hopefully soon.

But we have seen this song before—with our Land Development Regulations; where personal preferences and political considerations often trump the rule of law. That leads to lawsuits and bad reputations.

So while I think anonymous mailings are ultimately not the way to go, the lack of transparency and results by this administration and commission are equally disappointing.

Leadership is sorely needed, with less of a focus on optics and yes politics.

That’s how I see it—and I’m not alone. I don’t enjoy feeling this way; I love my city too. I want to see the mayor and commission succeed. I know them all and believe they too want to see a stronger community—even though we disagree sharply on how you get there.

But amazingly, there is an opportunity here. If they choose to see it.

They can take pot shots at critics, label people, guess at their motivations etc. Or they can hit the reset button look in the mirror and figure out a way to work together and truly listen to each other and to others.

Even if, especially if, they disagree.

I know how hard the job is—and I know how rough, nasty and threatening people can be.

I did get death threats—I did have an anonymous newspaper distributed on Atlantic Avenue that brutalized my family. I had someone tell me they knew when my kids got out of school and what time I picked them up.

But I was extremely fortunate to work alongside colleagues that worked well together. We didn’t always agree. We debated. We argued. Not all of us were the best of friends. But it never got personal. We worked hard to ensure that.

And we worked hard to make sure that decisions did not harm the city we were sworn to serve. You can decide whether we succeeded or failed. I think the people I worked with and others did amazing things.

I get that each side of this divide feels unlucky to be up there with the other side.

But I see self-inflicted trauma over mostly small things—other mayors and commissioners dealt with far, far worse.

There’s an opportunity here—for compromise, leadership and rapprochement or at least détente.

Those who care about this community would like to see its elected leadership seize the moment. And we’d also like to see an election season focused on issues and ideas—not personal attacks and pretending that Delray is an awful place. Because it isn’t; it’s a great place, with problems galore, but talent and passion to solve anything thrown our way.

That’s how it used to be when things worked here.

It wasn’t all cronies and crap—although we’ve had our share of that too. It was about collaboration, compromise, respect, thankfulness and outreach too.

Those days are beginning to seem hazy—and we’d be best served not to allow those values to be replaced by anger, frustration, fear, insults and a lack of trust. If we do, 30 years of progress will be lost and any hope for the future will be compromised.

Signed, Jeff Perlman.

5 December, 2016 2 2 Comments

The Enduring Magic of Downtown

December 5, 2016 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

Petula Clark’s iconic “Downtown” featured a session guitarist named Jimmy Page.

I love downtowns.

I love cities.

And sometimes you wonder where these “loves” come from.

I’m not referring to the garden variety affection many of us might have for one thing or another, I’m talking about this deep seated feeling you have for things you are passionate about.

I just always loved being in a downtown. Large, medium or small –main streets ‘complete me’ as Jerry Maguire would say.

I like the energy, the hustle and the bustle; the ability to people watch and the sense of discovery.

My favorite big cities: my native New York a city of neighborhoods, Chicago with its magnificent architecture and Boston a big city that feels small and crackles with history.

For midsize cities there’s Pittsburgh, with the Strip District, incline and iconic Cathedral of Learning, Quebec City which is simply breathtaking and the vastly underrated Cleveland which would qualify if it had nothing but the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.

Small cities hold a special place; Asheville, Portland, Maine, Burlington, Vermont, Gatlinburg (prayers), Brevard NC, St. Augustine, Naples, Cooperstown, Port Jefferson, Camden, Me., Bennington and of course Delray and Boca are my favorites. There are more.

There’s just something about an active and vibrant place that lifts your spirits.

A sense of place and a sense of community are important elements that lifts a downtown. Good architecture never hurts, but is not the most important element. Places come to life when they are unique, lively and offer a mix of activities and offer an abundance of culture, history and unique businesses.

Nothing mind blowing or unexpected on that list. So why do I love downtowns?

I may have finally figured it out.

Last week, during a particularly melancholy moment at the end of a very long day I got a private message via Facebook from my cousin Judy. She sent me a video of Petula Clark singing her classic “Downtown”. The video was accompanied with a few words: “I remember that this was one of your mom’s favorite songs.”

It was.

My mom, who passed in ’98, loved that song and whenever it came on the radio she would stop and sing along –usually to me and my sister.

Sometimes she would play the record in our living room and grab us and dance when we were very little.

In my memories, it is raining and we are waiting for my father to come from work. In my memories, the song always lifts our mood.

I think my mom could relate to the song in a very personal way. She was very young and working in Manhattan for a large life insurance company when she met my dad. It must have been so exciting to be young in the city with your entire life in front of you. “Downtown” was released in November ’64 two months after I was born and right around her first wedding anniversary. It was a year after the JFK assassination and I can only imagine that the song’s sense of possibility provided a welcome respite.

“When you’re alone and life is making you lonely

You can always go downtown
When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything’s waiting for you…”

I thanked my cousin for remembering; then I watched the video and my mood brightened instantly.

And I thought to myself: maybe just maybe this is why I love downtowns. Thanks mom: message received.

30 November, 2016 0 Comments

In Pursuit of the Breakthrough Brand

November 30, 2016 By Jeff Perlman Leave a Comment

Sound advice…from a wise post it note.

I haven’t had a soda for over 300 days.
Prior to my streak I would drink 2-3 Diet Cokes a day. I did this for at least 25 years and prior to that it was Diet Pepsi during my newsroom days.
No more.
No more aspartame. No more high fructose corn syrup. No more sugary soft drinks.
For me, it’s Celsius, Diet Snapple, Bai and water. (And the occasional happy hour indulgence).
Celsius is a Delray born and now Boca based beverage that I have been involved with for several years. I’m a proud shareholder and work for a firm that has a major stake and emotional investment in the brand.
We believe in Celsius and have for years.
Why?
Because the brand is right on trend: a healthy fitness drink that has no sugar, aspartame or corn syrup.
It’s also clinically proven to burn calories and fat and provides a nice burst of energy without a crash or jitters.
I’m proud of the company and the progress the team have made over the years.
It’s hard to build a brand. Very hard. But that’s where the value is…you want to be a brand not a low cost commodity. (Same for cities). Breaking through in a noisy world is a colossal challenge.

And the beverage business is ultra competitive, capital intensive and complex.
But then you see the headline…and you remember just how cool the business can be.
Bai–one of my favorite brands–was snapped up by Doctor Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG) for $1.7 billion last week. Breathtaking..
DPSG– along with Coke and Pepsi –are on the hunt for companies offering healthy options. Sales for their legacy brands are flat (pun intended) and while volumes are huge, there is little to no growth and consumers are moving away dramatically from calorie laden and sugary beverages.
This shift is not a fad, but a trend. I don’t think it will go back.
And so our bet on this local company may prove prescient after all.
We have always believed. And that’s important in the world of entrepreneurship because there will be ups and there will be downs.
The Bai deals gives you hope. But…while the money is nice and how you keep score in business, for those who are entrepreneurs there’s always more. In our case, it’s a belief in the brand and what it does for people. It helps them “live fit” as we say.
Over the years, I’ve heard from many people who have made Celsius a part of their lives. They enjoy it and it’s helped them achieve health and fitness goals–which is the point of a “functional” beverage.
We often read about “disruption” in the world of technology. But it’s happening in food and beverages too.
Healthy products— clinically proven– is a great place to be these days.

And there are several other local brands that are making it happen too. I met with a great one last week–Fro Pro, a delicious and healthy bar/meal replacement run by two very cool and very passionate people. I’ll share their story in a future post.
We have high hopes that our pioneering brand will be the next breakthrough. (And we have a few more in the pipeline too).
Until then, it’s back to the daily grind/joy of building something you believe in.