News

By Dan Moffett

    South Palm Beach’s search for a new town manager drew more than 70 applicants from municipalities across the country — and that included a chauffeur and a bartender.
    “I wanted this to be the toughest decision you have to make,” outgoing Town Manager Rex Taylor told the Town Council.
    In the end, council members found whom they were looking for in the Ivy League community of Princeton, N.J., and they said the decision to choose Jim Pascale wasn’t all that difficult.
    “He has excellent credentials,” said Mayor Donald Clayman, “and we’re very fortunate to have someone of this caliber.”
    Pascale, 62, served 30 years as the city manager in Princeton Township, N.J., before retiring two years ago.
    “Local government is all I’ve ever done in my adult life, and I think I have a proven track record in municipal management,” he said. “I have a skill set that I’ve honed carefully and would like to use to attain the same success that I had in Princeton here in South Palm Beach.”
    On a personal level, Pascale said the timing is right for moving south. He and his wife have reared five children and watched them leave their house, so the empty nest in New Jersey makes possible a new start in Florida. He says he is considering living in South Palm Beach.
    “Pascale doesn’t need the job but he really wants the job,” said Councilwoman Bonnie Fischer, after council members unanimously approved his contract Dec. 15.
    They said they were impressed by Pascale’s enthusiasm for embracing the transition from a land-locked Northeastern college community to a tropical beachfront condo town of snowbirds and retirees.
    “The body of law in most states is very similar — whether it’s Florida, New Jersey, Texas or you name it,” he said. “There will be a learning curve to learn the subtle nuances of your set of laws, but it won’t be totally foreign. And I like to think that because I am from out of state, I can bring a value added to the position in that I’ll be able to look at issues with a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective.”
    Pascale said not everything is different between the two communities: “In Princeton, everyone was an expert on everything. I suspect it’s similar to South Palm Beach.”
    Other finalists for the job were town managers Mark Kutney of Loxahatchee Groves; Robert Kellogg of Sewall’s Point; James Drumm of Zephyrhills; Kenneth Sauer, formerly of Haines City; and Greg Dunham, formerly of Manalapan.
    “All the candidates were excellent,” said Vice Mayor Joseph Flagello. “Any one of those six could have walked in here and done an amazing job.”
    Pascale, who has a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University, takes over the $103,000-a-year position in January.
    Taylor retires after nine years in South Palm Beach. He previously worked as town manager in Leesburg and Vero Beach.
    “I started in this profession 43 years ago. I was just counting and this will be approximately my 925th city council meeting,” Taylor told council members during the December meeting. “So I think I got the record around here for a while.”
    Council members praised Taylor for his service, especially his willingness to guide inexperienced officeholders, and even young administrators from neighboring communities.
    “I appreciate your mentoring me over the years,” Flagello said. “Rex has always been great about giving you the thumbnail sketch and breaking down the big complicated thing to where you could understand it more easily.”
    “I just can’t thank our outgoing town manager enough for the outstanding job he has done,” Clayman said.