Titans Leave A Wake

Jim Moran was known as “The Courtesy Man.”

I recently had the pleasure of spending a day at JM Family Enterprises in Deerfield Beach.

It was– in a word– amazing.

The campus on Hillsboro Boulevard is spectacular and the company that occupies the grounds is remarkable.

JM Family is in the car business—in a big way. Southeast Toyota and JM Lexus are what the company is famous for, but divisions also work in finance, insurance, franchising, and dealer consultation. JM is a nearly $19 billion a year concern, making it the 17th largest privately held company in America.

JM Family regularly makes “best places” to work lists and it’s easy to see why. The campus is beautiful, the amenities next level. Associates (that’s what employees are called) have access to six onsite physicians, a hair salon, gym, a state-of-the-art cafeteria, massage therapists, their own Starbucks, and great spaces in which to work and mingle. It was impressive. But the amenities-while wonderful– don’t tell the whole story. JM’s most valuable asset is its culture.

I was at JM Family for a business retreat, and we had a chance to hear from President and CEO Brent Burns and Scott Gunnell, the president of the JM&A Group which handles finance, insurance, and consulting.

Both men were passionate about their company’s mission and accomplishments. But what struck me the most was the reverence shown to founder Jim Moran, who built this conglomerate from an initial $360 investment in a gas station into a very special business.

Sitting there listening to Mr. Burns and Mr. Gunnell, I noticed how often they referred to Jim Moran’s values. Mr. Moran’s persona is very much alive on that campus and beyond.

“We do it better,” is the company tagline. The phrase is not meant as a boast but rather a challenge and an aspiration. Those four words serve as a reminder that JM  associates can and should do everything better than the competition.

Associates are valued but held accountable. Yes, there are perks galore, but you must produce if you want to stay.

Mr. Moran, as he is known, is everywhere in the building and in the hearts and minds of employees many of whom never met the man. He passed in 2007.

Listening to his values being proudly shared in 2023 by current leadership got me thinking.

South Florida has been blessed by a few “giants”; their businesses, civic, cultural, and philanthropic visions shaped our region and way of life.

JM CEO Burns happened to work for three of these giants: Michael Egan, the founder of Alamo Rent a Car, H. Wayne Huizenga who led Blockbuster, Waste Management and AutoNation and the legendary Moran.

I happened to have worked with (never for) a fourth such business titan: Carl DeSantis, founder of Rexall Sundown, a vitamin company, and a major investor in Celsius, which is revolutionizing the energy drink space.

Carl passed away in August, but he left a legacy that is ever expanding with investments in Tabanero hot sauce (shameless plug; it’s awesome), real estate, restaurants and more. The crown jewel remains Celsius, but Carl’s entrepreneurial energy and boundless aspirations didn’t wane after he achieved success, which he called “winning.” He just moved on to the next idea with enthusiasm and confidence.

I keep returning to the Celsius story, because it’s remarkable.

From humble beginnings in a small office on 4th Avenue in Delray Beach, Celsius grew to become a global juggernaut. Its partnership with Pepsi can be a case study (no pun intended) in how an upstart entrepreneurial brand can work with a legacy company to reach new heights without losing its soul.

We owe Celsius’ very existence to Carl’s vision and willngness to keep going when others would have stopped.

Carl’s legacy at Nova Southeastern University was celebrated last week when a new Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame class was inducted. It was 20 years ago that Mr. D dedicated the funds for the Carl DeSantis Building on the NSU campus in Davie. Today, that building is the hub of a vibrant and growing campus community where South Florida’s next wave of entrepreneurs are learning the skills needed to succeed.

I’ve gotten friendly with Andy Rosman, the wonderful business dean at Nova. That school has truly become an economic engine for our region and our friend Carl played a role that I’m not sure he fully realized.

That’s what standout people do, they create waves and value in unexpected and surprising places.

Thanks to Mr. D’s generosity, we are working in the philanthropic world as well.

We just ended the fiscal year at the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation where we are investing in a wide array of local, national, and international non-profit organizations that are making a difference.

I think about my friend Carl every day as I navigate my job at his family office in Delray Beach. We are committed, like our friends at JM Family, to keeping Mr. DeSantis’ spirit and values alive.

These special people shape our world and region. They create influence in unexpected places.

I never met Mr. Moran, but two special people working for the Delray Police Department 20 years ago were inspired by his Youth Enrichment Vocational Center in Hollywood. To address a car theft issue in the southwest section of Delray, Johnny Pun and Fred Glass intervened and urged youth in the area to stop stealing cars and instead learn to fix them.

They had success with a few kids at the Moran funded Youth Enrichment Vocational Center and decided to start their own school. Inspired by Mr. Moran, the Delray Beach police became the first department in Florida to charter its own school. That’s a part of Jim Moran’s legacy. Those are the waves I’m referring to.

I sure wish I had met Mr. Moran. I did meet Mr. Huizenga at a few business events over the years. He changed the Fort Lauderdale skyline and helped to turn that city from a Spring Break oasis to a business hub.

There are other big players who really shaped our region. The late Alex Dreyfoos played a major role in bringing the cultural arts to Palm Beach County and former Delray Mayor Tom Lynch, owner of a large insurance brokerage, created the template for how a successful business leader can bring those skills to local government. He played a key role in Delray’s renaissance, was a remarkable School Board chair and was influential on the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County among many other things.

It’s critical that we understand the legacy of those who came before us so we can navigate the future.

Last week, I mentioned that I was a has-been. I caught some flak from friends for that remark. So let me qualify that sentiment.

First, it is better to be a has-been than a “never was”, but I wholeheartedly agree that those who are retired, doing other things with their lives, or even deceased have a lot to teach us.

Let’s face it, this world is a mess. It wasn’t always like this and there are examples of people who came before us who knew how to get things done. The best ones did it with class, kindness, hard work, vision, guts, and empathy. They had ethics, took the long view and tried to move the big rocks.

They dared to dream big things and as a result big things happened.

I saw a glimpse of the power of that kind of leadership at JM Family, and I lived it with my friend Carl DeSantis. And I saw it in my adopted hometown of Delray Beach too. And for that, I am grateful. Eternally grateful.

 

 

The Four Freedoms

On this Memorial Day please remember that some gave all.

I’ve been watching the debt ceiling debate for months now.

Most people, I suspect, have been focused on this for a few weeks, but I’ve been concerned for a while because I’ve learned (the hard way) to be wary of extremists—on both sides of the aisle. As Maya Angelou warned us: “when someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

Good advice. Please be forewarned.

We live in an age where norms, values, expertise, experience and even morals are being brushed aside, like lint on your collar. We used to question and challenge assumptions and that’s healthy.

But these days we conclude and we slam our minds shut.  We discard, disparage, and destroy.

This is troubling news, but very real. It’s a fever that promises to break us before we break the fever.

So, when I heard rumblings about the debt ceiling months ago, I became alarmed. We have gone to the edge of a cliff a few times with the full faith and credit of the United States at risk only to pull back. But this time feels different to me, I hope I’m wrong, but I believe there are forces who want us to jump off that cliff. I hope there’s really a deal.

But this isn’t a discussion about the nation’s deficit, which is atrocious and embarrassing. Future generations will curse us, of that I am certain. We need to live within our means. It’s just that simple. But we don’t.

Still, this debate is about paying our bills. It’s about not endangering America’s economy and our place in the world.

A responsible government would pay its bills and then immediately sit down and come up with a plan to tackle the debt or  at least get it under control. But we are no longer responsible, we are tribal. There’s a difference.

We have become captive to the extremes, and I believe that most of us are not extreme.  Therein lies the problem.

We are stuck in a car with reckless drivers and that car is running over the norms, values and morals that built this nation. It’s heartbreaking.

Whenever I get overwhelmed by the gravity of a situation, I seek a change of scenery and the advice of wise counsel. I highly recommend both.

We happened to have a trip to New England scheduled so I was able to change my scenery to that of the Maine seacoast. There’s something about the history of New England, the architecture, the kindness of the people and the lobster that settles you. (Ok, I don’t like lobster, but I hear it’s good in Maine).

When I returned, I checked in with my good friend Kerry Koen for a heart to heart. I wrote about Kerry, our beloved former fire chief (he served both Boca and Delray in that capacity) a few weeks back. Anyway, Kerry loves history as do I. In preparation for our talk, I spent time on the plane reading about FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech and the Atlantic Charter, written by Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. I also read the 14thAmendment, especially the clause that says the “validity of the public debt, authorized by law … shall not be questioned”.

Pretty heady stuff for a short flight—I’m so glad we bought the comfort plus seats on Delta which gave us an extra centimeter of leg room….

I digress.

The Atlantic Charter and the Four Freedoms speak to fundamental American values. Not Democratic values or Republican values—American values.

The first of Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms is freedom of speech and expression—not just here but everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom to worship G-d in his or her own way—everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want—-which means that everyone the world over should be economically secure.

The fourth is freedom from fear—especially the horrors of war.

Later, in the same speech FDR outlined six goals:

Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.

Jobs for those who can work.

Security for those who need it.

The ending of special privilege for the few.

The preservation of civil liberties for all.

The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.

The Four Freedoms served as a justification for America to confront Hitler and his fascist followers. As captured by painter Norman Rockwell, the freedoms were considered values central to American life and an example of American exceptionalism.

Ask yourself, how we are measuring up to those values?

The Atlantic Charter, issued in August 1941, was a joint statement by America and Great Britain which called for no territorial aggrandizement, no territorial changes made against the wishes of the people (self-determination), restoration of self-government to those deprived of it, reduction of trade restrictions, global co-operation to secure better economic and social conditions for all, freedom from fear and want, freedom of the seas, abandonment of the use of force, and disarmament of aggressor nations.

The charter, ambitious and idealistic, was hugely influential and historians believe it was one of the first steps toward the formation of the United Nations.

It’s a monumental document written by serious people trying to save the free world from unimaginable evil.

Values and ideals should be ambitious. They should inspire and move people toward building a better world.

Like everything else, there are local parallels to national and world affairs.

Cities should have visions, values, and ideals. They should be inspiring and exciting to old timers and newcomers alike.

Those visions need to be updated every 20 years or so, if you believe what my good friends Chris Brown and Kim Briesemeister write in their great book “Reinventing Your City.” If Chris’ name sounds familiar, well it should. He was a pioneering CRA director and currently sits on our Planning and Zoning Board. Kim used to run the West Palm CRA. They know their stuff.

Visions are meant to be refreshed, but values and morals are meant to last. Still, even the strongest values are vulnerable to indifference and bad behavior.

Once lost, we enter dangerous seas. We become adrift from our moorings. There’s a reason we refer to a moral compass—our morals should guide us— always.

We hear a lot of talk around these parts about the Delray Way, but I wonder if we have lost sight of what that phrase means.

Here’s what I remember and understand it to be.

When confronted with a problem, we acknowledge the challenge and work together to make things better.

We try to be inclusive and involve the community.

We strive to make the community a safe place to serve, whether we work here or volunteer.

We respect differences, celebrate our diversity as a strength and find ways to move forward. We compromise. We put the community first, above our egos and our ambitions.

I grew up in this town watching people who practiced the Delray Way every day. I watched them revive a dead downtown, I saw them address education , I saw them clean up crime riddled neighborhoods and I saw them take three old and dilapidated buildings on the corner of Atlantic and Swinton and turn it into a community gathering place.

As I reviewed my friend Chris Brown’s book last week, I saw a photo of Old School Square in 1985. It was barren, beaten and blighted. Chris and Kim used the restoration of Old School Square as an example for other city leaders to take look at the assets in their community and make the most of them.

A few hours later, the magic of serendipity occurred. Chris called. We don’t speak regularly, but we do stay in touch. He made a point to call me each month as I recovered from Covid. I make it a point to learn from him when we speak. So, I asked Chris about Old School Square, and he told me that all the redevelopment we saw in Delray—the value, the vibrancy, the excitement—emanated like rays from that site.

As you know, the group that created Old School Square, that shepherded the restoration and more importantly infused the place with the idea of community was booted by the previous commission from the site after 32 years.

The election in March saw candidates who supported the eviction lose to candidates who want to restore the site and heal a community that needs healing.

When a community or a nation needs healing, I would argue the best path is to go back to your values and ideals. If you’ve strayed, you should come home.

We need to go home. We have the compass. Do we have the will and the leadership?

Update

Last week, we wrote about the tragic murders of Karen Slattery and Georgianna Worden and the death warrant signed by the governor for the killer Duane Owen. A day after publication, it was reported that a hold was put on the execution pending psychiatric evaluation.

According to the Florida News service: “Gov. Ron DeSantis temporarily put a hold on the execution of Duane Eugene Owen and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the death row inmate after his lawyers argued that he may be insane.

 

Owen, 62, is slated to be executed by lethal injection on June 15. But DeSantis issued an executive order calling for three psychiatrists to evaluate Owen.

 

According to the order, Owen’s lawyers sent a letter to the governor that included a neuropsychologist’s “recent evaluation” saying that Owen “meets the criteria for insanity.”

 

Owen was “feeling that he is a woman in the body of a man” and “was trying to fully become the woman he really was,” according to the order, which quoted from the neuropsychologist’s report.

We will keep you posted.

Living The 4 S’s

For more information visit www.4kids.us

We just went to a great event celebrating the important work of 4 Kids, a non-profit whose mission is to help children in crisis find a safe place to live.

I’ve been impressed with the leadership of the organization for quite some time and I owe my friend Karen Granger a debt of gratitude for introducing me to the world of 4Kids. We have a lot of children in our community who desperately need our help.

Karen, who used to serve as the president of the Delray Chamber, works for 4 Kids. She’s been a wonderful ambassador for the organization and has convinced several of my friends to get involved.

My company, CDS International Holdings, helped 4 Kids find office space in Delray and we are so proud of the work they are doing which has made it easier for families in southern Palm Beach County to access critical services.

I’ve been especially impressed by 4Kids President Kevin Enders, who has run the non-profit for the past five years.

Kevin comes from the private sector and he brings a business like focus to the mission while also exhibiting a great passion for children. It’s a great combination of heart and business rigor.

At the event–held at the magnificent Waterstone Hotel in Boca Raton—Mr. Enders talked about what makes an organization work well.

Borrowing from the work of Dr. Curt Thompson, author of “Anatomy of the Soul,” Kevin reminded us that people need four things to feel whole; the 4 S’s.

They need to be “seen”, they need to feel “safe”, they need to be “secure” and they need to be “soothed”.

I was touched by that formula and it’s been on my mind ever since.

And while it applies to non-profits, I think it also works for businesses, families and communities too.

So let’s spend a moment unpacking the formula.

People need to be seen.

We have a need to feel valued, respected, loved and understood. It’s important that we take the time to do so.

But while awards and official recognition are great, it’s the daily care that matters the most. In our busy world, it’s easy to glide through the day and neglect those we love and value. We need to be conscious about “seeing” these special people and letting them know how important they are. This is a simple concept, but so often we fail. Just this morning, a friend reached out to let me know they hadn’t heard from me lately. I felt terrible about it, but I was grateful to be made aware. We need to tend to our relationships.

Likewise, we all suffer setbacks and it’s important that we are soothed by our community or organization or family when the inevitable trials occur. I can personally testify to the power of soothing to heal the body and the mind. When I was seriously ill with Covid, the messages of support I received helped me through the ordeal. Love heals.

In addition, we need to feel safe and secure in our homes, communities and careers.

The trait I most value in a teammate or a co-worker is the ability to feel that I can make a mistake or  that I can be vulnerable and say I need help.

I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a team that allows me to learn and doesn’t make me feel bad or in danger when I turn to them and say “I can’t figure this out, can you help?”

Organizations get in trouble when people feel that they can’t make a mistake and that they have to pretend they know it all or risk their role. In reality, there’s a lot of wisdom in saying you don’t know what you don’t know. Smart people ask for help, not so smart people pretend they know it all.

I think the 4 S’s are a good prism to assess where we are in the various parts of our lives.

What are we getting and what are we missing in our jobs, communities, volunteer efforts etc.

I think a major issue in our nation is our inability to see others, especially those who are different or hold opposing views.

Similarly, it seems like the other S’s are related. It’s hard to feel safe, secure or soothed if you are not seen. The four go together.

I’m sure there are many other things we can think of as must haves. But the four S’s seem like a solid start.

I hope you have them all—-in abundance. And if you don’t, I hope you work hard to bring these traits into the lives of others.

 

 

 

The Art & Importance Of Stories

Stories are leadership tools and build community.

“Everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.”–Patrick Rothfuss, author

“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.” — Sue Monk Kidd, author

“Stories constitute the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal.”–Dr. Howard Gardner, professor Harvard University.

 

I really like those three quotes about storytelling.

I think there is a lot of truth in all three.

The story inside our heads does have a lot to do with our identity. I think the same goes for cities. The stories cities tell about themselves create an identity and paint a portrait of that community in our minds.

For example:

Dayton Strong and Boston Strong.

Hershey, PA the “sweetest place on earth.”

And maybe my favorite: Cleveland Rocks which is sure better than ‘the mistake by the lake.’

What stories do we tell about our communities?

Do we tell good stories about Delray Beach and Boca Raton?

It’s important to know those stories because they define us and we do “build ourselves” out of the stories we tell.

As for Sue Monk Kidd’s quote—well it’s very true. And it’s one of the reasons I write this blog which is a small (very small) effort to keep some of the old stories alive. I figure if you live here and really care, you ought to know about some of the special people and events that brought us to the present day.

Newspapers used to fulfill this important mission and our newspaper (Delray Newspaper and Boca Newspaper)  does yeoman’s work with limited resources. But the community water cooler is long gone or maybe it has moved to social media; which can be a very challenging place to try and find the truth. It can however, be a great source of misinformation, half-truths, conspiracy theories and vitriol.

But I use it anyway—to stay in touch with old friends and distant relatives. Oh and to post innumerable photos of my pets and view others pets. I think that’s what Facebook is best for.

But I digress.

This post is about storytelling and the importance of storytelling if you are leader. (See the third quote by Howard Gardner).

There’s a new book out by Paul Smith, a former Procter & Gamble executive, about the 10 types of stories leaders tell and how important they are.

While Smith focuses on business, his list translates to community work.

For reference, here they are:

ONE: Where we came from (our founding story) – Nobody ever quit their job and started a company for a boring reason. Find that reason for your company’s founder and tell that story. It will infect everyone with the same sense of purpose and passion. Same goes for our communities and the key initiatives and projects that make our cities different and distinct. Knowing where you come from is critical.

 

TWO: Why we can’t stay here (a case-for-change story) – Human beings are creatures of habit. Change is an unwelcome visitor. This story provides the rationale for why change is needed and a real human reason to care. Good civic leaders frame the important issues facing their cities and make the case for change.

 

THREE: Where we’re going (a vision story) – A vision is a picture of the future so compelling, people want to go there with you. And the best way to paint that picture is with a story about what that future will look like when you achieve it.

 

FOUR: How we’re going to get there (a strategy story) – Strategy is how you’ll get from where you are now to where you want to be. In other words, strategy is a journey. And what better way to describe a journey than a story? Think about our local journey, how we went from Dull Ray to the most fun city in America is an interesting strategy story.

 

FIVE: What we believe (a corporate-values story) – Values are only words on a piece of paper until they’re tested. This is a story of one of those awkward or uncomfortable moments when one of your company values was put to the test. Cities have values too. What do we stand for? What do we want to be? What do we value?

 

SIX: Who we serve (a customer story) – There’s no substitute for getting out of the office and meeting your customer face-to-face. A great mantra for those in public service. Citizens, businesses and other stakeholders are a city’s customers. City officials need to be visible, accessible and transparent.

 

SEVEN: What we do for our customers (a sales story) – A story about what you did for one of your customers that’s so impressive other people will want to buy what you’re selling as well.

What;s our unique value proposition as a community? If you move here, how will you feel? What will happen? What will you experience?

 

EIGHT: How we’re different from our competitors (a marketing story) – You probably have a list of reasons why your product or service is better than your competition. Well, guess what? Nobody remembers your list. But they will remember the story you tell them that shows them those differences as they play out in a story. A great economic development philosophy. What makes Boca and Delray different than West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Lake Worth Beach?

 

 

NINE: Why I lead the way I do (a leadership-philosophy story) – No series of buzzwords on a piece of paper could ever articulate the subtle, human, and complex nature of your personal leadership philosophy. If you want people to understand how to expect you to lead, you need to tell them a story about what shaped the leader you’ve become.

 

TEN: Why you should want to work here (a recruiting story) – Every company claims they offer competitive pay and benefits, challenging work, and great advancement opportunities. If you really want to attract the best talent, you need real stories about why it’s so awesome to work there.

Good advice for Delray’s next City Manager.

 

 

It’s Better (Or Is It The Same) In The Bahamas

Bay Street

 

A few years back, a small contingent of civic leaders from Palm Beach County were invited to Nassau, Bahamas to advise the government on how to revitalize their main drag, Bay Street.

The trip was organized by the U.S. Embassy which was manned back then by Ambassador Ned Siegel, a Boca resident who was appointed to his post by President George W. Bush.

I was invited along with former Mayor Tom Lynch, Boca Chamber President Troy McCllellan and Kelly Smallridge, the President and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County.

The trip was truly a first class adventure and Ambassador Siegel introduced us to top government ministers and prominent business leaders. We later invited many of those people to Palm Beach County where they toured West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Delray Beach so we could show them how theory met practice when it comes to revitalizing downtowns.

I was reminded of that trip last week when I walked Bay Street with my wife as part of a cruise to The Bahamas.

Nassau is picturesque and enjoys wonderful weather. There are some great old buildings enhanced by vibrant colors and a scale that is reminiscent of Delray.

In fact, there are a lot of historical ties between Delray and The Bahamas. Some of the earliest settlers in our town were from The Bahamas. I was especially intrigued by the Pompey Museum of Slavery.

C. Spencer Pompey and his wife H. Ruth Pompey are dear old friends and local legends. I’m pretty sure there is a connection between the museum and the Pompey’s of Delray. Sadly, Mr. and Mrs. Pompey have passed so I can’t ask them but I plan to delve into the history to satisfy my curiosity.

When we were invited to share ideas and best practices with The Bahamian government about a decade or so ago, Bay Street was struggling with crime issues, vacancy in certain sections, an underutilized waterfront and stiff competition from the Atlantis resort which was sucking tourists off the cruise ships out of the downtown and into the casino and water parks.

Walking around Bay Street last week I saw the same issues—only now there is another mega resort to worry about: Bahia Mar.

Sure the streets were crowded on a warm Sunday but it didn’t appear that many people were shopping. The retail mix is heavy on t-shirts, perfume, duty free alcohol and jewelry—not surprising given the heavy influx of tourists.

Bay Street could use more food options—and while I didn’t feel unsafe (despite warnings from the cruise line about crime) the level and intensity of solicitors was a turn off. You were just assailed from the moment you get off the boat to the moment you get back on. Yuck….

Years ago we recommended that Nassau turn up the Bahamian charm—for example increase security but outfit police in traditional uniforms and activate the waterfront by incentivizing restaurants and cafes to balance the multitude of t-shirt shops. Granted these aren’t “genius” ideas and I can’t remember the rest but the exercise was fun and we made a lot of friends as a result.

That I didn’t see a whole lot of change on Bay Street is indicative of how hard transformation is to achieve.

When I think of Delray’s transformation I feel the same way. It takes a whole lot of hard work, dedication, investment and some gutsy decisions to make change—and a fair amount of good fortune too. It helps to catch a break or two along the way, but by the same token change doesn’t happen by accident. It happens via intention.

Recently, I ran into some consultants who worked on our downtown master plan way back in 2001.

The efforts our community made over the years were rewarded with awards which are nice….but not as important as the opportunity and value that were created.

Now I get that not everybody was pleased with the results. And they are entitled to their opinions and we are compelled to respect those views.

Yet, I can’t help but think that sometimes we go overboard with our angst. The consultant mentioned to me that “Delray is so hard on itself” and that statement struck me. It rang true.

Just take a cruise through social media to see for yourself—ugh… all the negativity.

Criticism that isn’t constructive isn’t valuable at all. It doesn’t feel like affection it feels like anger.

Accountability is necessary and important, but it’s best when it’s rooted in love and empathy.

As we head into the holiday season, I hope we see more love and less anger. More constructive guidance and empathy and less vitriol and blame.

Root your community in those values, observe the guardrails and be patient. The magic will happen.

 

 

 

Tree Of Life

“These are wonderful people, good souls, who were just coming to synagogue as they usually did,” Rabbi Chuck Diamond, Tree of Life Congregation.

Diamond was a rabbi at Tree of Life until about a year ago when he retired. Like many in the tight knit Jewish enclave,  Rabbi Diamond remained a part of the community and knew the victims of Saturday’s tragedy in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He knew and had experienced their goodness.

Isn’t that always the case?

Aren’t they always good people who end up massacred or gravely injured while worshipping, going to school, attending a concert, sitting in a movie theater etc.
Take a look at last weekend in America.

A close look at 72 hours—two African Americans shot at random at a Kroger by a gunman who had tried to barge into a church earlier, the arrest of a hate filled crazy who terrorized the nation by sending pipe bombs to those whose politics he didn’t like and the massacre of 11 mostly elderly Jews as they went to synagogue to mark the Sabbath and to attend a baby naming ceremony.

One of the victims was 97 year old Rose Mallinger; a fixture of the congregation and a beloved member of the community.

We are being told by our so-called leaders to fear a “caravan” of desperate people or “others” who are coming for our jobs, benefits, possessions and privilege from outside our borders.

But maybe we should fear those who are already here. Those who decide to “go in” as the American Nazi wrote on some hate filled website and murder 11 good people or the mentally deficient steroid abusing loon who drove around in a van professing his hate with images of people he didn’t like in the crosshairs.

72 hours in America.
And this hate and violence is starting to feel very close to home.

I mentioned in an earlier post  that my wife and I were walking our dogs a few weeks ago when we heard gunshots across Lake Ida Road.
There for the grace…you know the rest.

I’ve been to Squirrel Hill, it’s a short distance from where my sister in law lives. A nephew has visited that very synagogue.
The pipe bomber spent his last weekend of freedom working at a strip club a few minutes away in West Palm Beach.

On Saturday night, we met a few old friends for dinner in Pompano Beach. Of course, the talk of the dinner was the craziness of our politics and the violence of our society in general.
We talked about being afraid to be out in public. We talked about how frequent the violence has become, how angry people seem to be and how our leaders and communities seem ill equipped to actually do something about it.

So we will see a few days of thoughts and prayers, some vague promises to tone down the rhetoric and then life will go on until the next tragedy which is never far behind.

We are taught that love will win.
That love will outlast hate. And I want and need desperately to believe that.
But these times are testing those beliefs and our faith in humanity itself.

Consider…
Famine in Yemen, children wasting away because some rich Saudi prince is playing politics.

A Washington Post columnist cut into bits in a NATO member’s embassy because he’s a critic of a regime?!  But the show went on when the country that sent the hit squad held an investment conference the very next week. Oh and we’ll sell them more weapons too. Not because they have shown how responsible they are but because we can’t afford not to cash their checks. It ought to be the other way around. We shouldn’t dare cash their checks because now we’ve put a price on our values.

Something very important is being lost in all this carnage, nastiness and looking the other way.
Something very basic.

Our decency.

Our values.

The moral high ground or even an attempt to hold it.

Where does it end?

We are at an inflection point and a reflection point as well.

Which road do we go down?

It’s not a hard choice but we have to make it. Love and hope or hate and fear.

Rose Mallinger, a 97 year old Woman and 10 other good souls  were  murdered this weekend by a Nazi in Pittsburgh. Two people were gunned down in a Kroger by a man hunting people of color.
It’s not supposed to happen here.

We are supposed to be better than this.
We are supposed to be a beacon for the world.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice

Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs wrote,   “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” 

Kind of a nice sentiment right? 

I mean who can disagree?

But maybe..,just maybe…a part of you is wondering if that’s just pie in the sky idealistic hooey. 

And I suppose it may be. But…

Ideals are important. Values too. 

It’s vital that we try and it’s imperative that we strive. 

I keep hearing how we live in an age of disruption where everything we know is being challenged. 

How we work. 

Where we work. 

How we get around. 

How we shop. 

Name the sector or the subject and it’s being rethought. 

Retail. 

Higher education. 

Cars. 

The Presidency. 

It’s both exciting and scary. 

Me, I’m cool with change.

I find technology interesting and I love to learn about new things and new ways of thinking. 

But I also feel it’s imperative that we hold onto some foundations, cling to bedrock values and think about what we want to see last. 

Traditions are important. So are roots and history. 

But they shouldn’t shackle us or prevent us from going to new places in our minds and communities. Values and traditions should inform us and the things that work should endure. 

Inclusiveness is one of those things. 

So Jane Jacobs was right. 

The table —so to speak—should make room for all who wish to sit there and participate. And efforts should be made to involve as many people as possible. We need the coalition of the willing to be ever growing. 

I think often about what my city has taught me (us) if we take the time to reflect. 

We work best when we include, when we seek to unite, understand and engage. 

We fail and we hurt others when we exclude, divide, label and ignore. 

Inclusiveness promotes respect and encourages participation and dialogue. 

A top down “father knows best” style of governing is a dead end. 

Inclusiveness is noisy, cumbersome, time consuming and not as efficient as top down decision making but it’s worth it. 

And it creates human connections. And we need that more now than maybe ever. 

The comedian Sara Silverman has a new show on Hulu in which she seeks to spend time with people who don’t see life as she does. 

I caught a sample episode online in which the Jewish liberal from New England visits a family of Trump voters in Louisiana. 

They talk about hot button topics including  gay marriage and immigration in a humorous way that doesn’t change any one’s mind but does change how they see each other. They laugh. They bond. They leave with their humanity not only intact but enhanced. 

To quote The Beach Boys: “Wouldn’t it be nice”. 

The Mapmakers

 

“In politics you have to know how to read the ground, the real topography. You can’t just go by the work of past mapmakers. You have to see clearly what’s there now.” Peggy Noonan

Peggy Noonan is one of my favorite writers.
While we are on different ends of the political spectrum, I always learn something from reading Peggy Noonan and I do–every week. I never miss a column.
The above quote is just one example of her brilliance. There’s usually one or two lines in every column that just stick with you and make you think.
Noonan’s advice to politicians is smart advice. It’s important for policy makers to hit the streets and talk to a wide range of people. You can’t rely solely on gurus and handlers.
But the people with experience have their place and the smart policy maker would be wise to consult with those who have traveled the road before them as well.
But you have to be open to new ideas and realities. You have to see clearly what’s there now and lead accordingly.
Still, there are some things are foundational. Some things that don’t change. Some parts of the map that must remain unaltered.
On a national level,foundational American values include: freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the notion that America strives to be a beacon of freedom for the world.
But cities have foundational values too.
Delray Beach was built on the values of citizen engagement, citizen driven visioning, collaboration, public private partnerships, an embrace of important non-profits, a respect for history and the notion that City Hall was a friend, beacon and supporter of people and organizations that aspire.
The topography may change, but if those values are lost we lose our identity. We lose who we are.
Delray was also blessed with some amazing mapmakers –to borrow a word from Ms. Noonan.
Leaders who read the topography beautifully and navigated through some strong seas to create a city that people love–warts and all.
Some of those mapmakers worked at City Hall, some at the CRA, some at the DDA, some at the Chamber of Commerce and some served as mayor’s and commissioners. Many were volunteers serving on boards and committees. Others built amazing non profits such as the Achievement Center and Old School Square. Some ran landmark businesses and found the time to start organizations or serve existing ones.
They both created and relied on the foundational values mentioned above.
They needed to know that if they attended a visioning retreat that their time would be well spent. They needed to know that their service would be respected even if they didn’t always get their way. And they needed to know that what they were building had a shot at lasting.
Not a guarantee- a shot.
The most precious and valuable commodity is time. Once it’s spent you can’t get it back. You can blow money and make more of it. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. If you waste time it’s gone–forever.
And so volunteers need to know that when they roll up their sleeves to serve that their time is well spent.
I’m keeping a close on the city’s budget discussions.
A city’s budget should reflect its goals and values.
Several key non profits including Old School Square, the Achievement Center for Children and Families and the Delray Beach Historical Society are concerned about losing their funding.
Not every city funds non profits but Delray was different. The mapmakers saw value in preserving history, supporting a non profit that looked after our most vulnerable and at risk families and creating a cultural arts center that serves as a gathering place for the community.
We are a rare city that has its own library. Decades of leadership saw value in having our very own library and the commission I served on thought it was important to move that library to new and larger space in a part of the community that would benefit greatly from having a good library in close proximity.
The list goes on.
Great cities have values. We should know them, respect them, always embrace change but also always respect the map. It’s our true north.

 

Time for a Reset–Actually Past Time

anon

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.