A political activist much wiser than me once stated, “There’s really no such thing as the ‘voiceless.’ There are only the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard.” It’s up to all elected officials to ensure no one in their district is “preferably unheard.” However, I fear there’s approximately 400,000 voters being deliberately silenced because of two commissioners’ unwillingness to fill a vacant port commission seat and give our community representation.
Last September, Jean Enright, the Port of Palm Beach commissioner for Group 3, resigned due to rumored conflicts about her retirement benefit eligibility under the DROP program if she remained on the commission.
Instead of promptly calling a meeting to discuss filling the vacant seat, and evaluating how to minimize harm to the community due to Ms. Enright’s departure, Chairman Blair Ciklin cancelled the September meeting. Since then, he unilaterally cancelled at least three more meetings, which conveniently halted discussion about filling the vacant seat. As the port meets once a month, Ciklin has now cancelled at least one fourth of our annual meetings to date.
The open seat deadlocks the vote needed to take the port into its next generation of economic vitality and job creation. Projects that would create more jobs in Riviera Beach and Palm Beach County are stalled without a majority vote in favor of them. These projects include securing an economic impact study to attract more mid-sized cruise ships, subsidizing bus passes for workers in Belle Glade/Pahokee to work at the port, ensuring all port contracts are sent to bid out in the community instead of handed to the chair’s friends, having formal discussions with developers interested in building a restaurant/hotel at the port for the community, and being consistent with the Riviera Beach marina development next door to have continuous improvement along the waterline.
Thirteen applicants, at least six of which had notably impressive credentials, applied to be nominated to the open port commission seat. Upon receipt of the applications, the port commissioners discussed the process to fill the vacant seat. Commissioner Wayne Richards and I, recommended each commissioner submit several names from the 13 applicants whom we deemed qualified to be appointed. Whichever applicant was selected by the majority of commissioners would be appointed. This process allowed a consensus of different commissioners’ preferences.
It also ensured that each applicant, who took the time to apply, would at least be given the courtesy of having their application reviewed. Furthermore given that there were thirteen applicants and each commissioner was selecting several applicants, the process gave the port at least a reasonable chance to fill the seat. It’s unlikely at least one applicant would not be selected by more than one of the four commissioners.
Unfortunately, the Ciklin and Commissioner Deandre Poole refused this process and insisted to only have each commissioner select one applicant. Furthermore, Ciklin insisted each commissioner must pick the identical applicant in order for the applicant to be appointed to the vacant seat. As you can imagine, that is an impossible scenario. The probability that four commissioners selecting the same individual to fill the vacant seat is incredibly low. Worse, the Citkin and Poole indicated they “are in no rush,” potentially leaving the seat vacant until it is up for election in 2028.
As the commission was deadlocked, I proposed we try both processes, alternating to the next process if the first one did not work. Ciklin and Poole refused to compromise.
Florida Sen. Mack Bernard successfully added a bill to the legislative budget this session, which removes the port’s funding unless vacant seats are filled. This was an opportunity to fill the seat. But, to add insult to injury, instead of promptly calling a special meeting to fill the seat, the Ciklin asked the port’s lobbyist to fight Bernard’s bill.
The refusal to select a process that allows the seat to be filled, the refusal to support Bernard’s bill, the repeated cancellation of meetings, and the refusal to call a special meeting to fill the seat is “deliberate silencing.” I humbly beg you all to support candidates who do the job you elected them to do, and fill the vacant seat.
Varisa Lall Dass is a Port of Palm Beach commissioner representing Group 2.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Port of Palm Beach’s deadlocked board has port tied in knots | Opinion
Reporting by Varisa Lall Dass, Opinion contributor / Palm Beach Post
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