A second executive with ties to West Palm Beach’s largest developer has won appointment to the board of a city agency over the protests of city residents.
City commissioners on July 6 approved Mayor Keith James’ nomination of Related Ross vice president Jordan Rathlev to the board of the city’s Downtown Development Authority after more than an hour of sometimes-heated public comment and debate that led one commissioner to warn residents “don’t threaten us.”
The small city agency rarely draws widespread attention, but James’ move to appoint Rathlev emerged as a flashpoint as public opposition mounts to Related Ross’ prominent role in city affairs.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association, which represents residents who live downtown, spoke out against the nomination last month, pointing out that Rathlev’s appointment would reduce the number of downtown residents on the board and would give the seven-member board a second executive with Related Ross ties.
Also serving on the DDA board is Bernardo Neto, who is not a direct Related Ross employee but is general manager of The Ben hotel, which Related Ross acquired in February.
The more than a dozen people who spoke out July 6 against the appointment included downtown neighborhood leaders, residents from other parts of the city and even the president of the county’s chapter of the NAACP.
“Who’s more important, one developer or your constituents?” said Alfred Fields, president of the NAACP’s West Palm Beach branch. “Your constituents are here speaking tonight. They have been speaking loud and clear. So I ask you to listen to what they have said.”
Alan Levine, a resident of the city’s South End neighborhood, told commissioners that by giving two seats on a seven-member board to executives with ties to a single developer they were “turning your back on residents, which doesn’t surprise me.”
“Frankly I don’t think you have the nerve to say no to Stephen Ross,” he said, referencing the Palm Beach billionaire who controls Related Ross. “It’s as simple as that.”
Commissioner admits ‘the timing is horrible’
The sustained pushback from residents struck a nerve with commissioners, who bristled at the suggestion that they were merely following the orders of a powerful developer.
Commissioner Cathleen Ward defended Related Ross as “part of this community” and said she would not be cowed by residents’ demands to reject a Related Ross employee.
“I’m not going to be pushed into a corner,” she said.
Commissioner Stephen Sylvester told residents he was “not bought and paid for by anybody.”
“Don’t instill fear and don’t threaten us,” he said.
Commissioner Christy Fox, who represents the downtown, conceded that the timing of James’ decision to nominate a Related Ross employee was not good.
“I couldn’t agree more that the timing is horrible,” she said. “This is the worst possible time that we should be appointing someone from Related, with all the things that have been going on in the past few months.”
Related Ross’ close relationship with city leaders has come under increased scrutiny since the revelation in April that James was working with Related Ross on a plan to close a stretch of Flagler Drive downtown and build a waterfront park.
As part of their plan, James pressured the owners of E.R. Bradley’s Saloon, a prominent waterfront restaurant, to sell their property to Related Ross, with the mayor at one point invoking the prospect of eminent domain to seize the property without their consent.
The mayor paused the plan after it was revealed in The Palm Beach Post, but it led to questions about Related Ross’ influence in city decisions.
Ultimately Fox joined three other commissioners in voting to appoint Rathlev.
The only opposing vote was from Commissioner Shalonda Warren, who said “the perception of imbalance is one that has to be taken into consideration.”
“The rest of West Palm Beach need to know that their voices matter,” she said.
Commissioners also approved three other appointments to the DDA board: Craig Glover, owner of a home health care company; Daryl K. Houston, a vice president of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties (reappointment) and Kasia Marczyk, a wealth management executive.
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 OKs 2nd Related exec on city board, but not before protests
Reporting by Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
