West Palm Beach’s mayor has delayed his move to install a second executive with ties to the city’s largest developer on the board of a city agency after pushback from a neighborhood group.
Mayor Keith James had nominated Related Ross Executive Vice President Jordan Rathlev to replace a downtown resident on the seven-member board of the city’s Downtown Development Authority.
That move drew opposition from the West Palm Beach Downtown Neighborhood Association, which pointed out that the board already has one member with ties to powerful development firm Related Ross.
The association also objected that the appointment would reduce the number of downtown residents on the board to one.
The city commission was scheduled to vote on the nomination at its June 22 meeting, but James withdrew the proposal days before the meeting.
A city spokesperson said the item was postponed because Rathlev “is out of town,” though nominees are not required to be present for a nomination to be considered. She said the appointment is tentatively scheduled to be considered by commissioners at a July 6 meeting.
Association President Sitima Fowler wrote June 11 to city commissioners that she was “concerned about the optics of adding a second Related Ross executive to the board at a time when residents are actively engaged in discussions regarding the future of downtown and the waterfront.”
The board does not include any other direct Related Ross employees, but it does include Bernardo Neto, general manager of The Ben hotel, which Related Ross acquired in February.
Several downtown residents spoke out against the nomination at the June 22 commission meeting, with one referring to it as “taxation without representation.”
The DDA is a special taxing agency whose purpose is to support and enhance the city’s downtown. With its $11 million annual operating budget it provides extra security, maintenance and marketing for the downtown area.
Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm mayor postpones nomination of Ross executive after outcry
Reporting by Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
