Village Manager wants employees' input (Jim Kelly) (PBP) 7-20-14JULIUS WHIGHAM II 1 Google ancf Make magazine. 1 1-115 ravel �) L11 CO, t_Uu1`1-t �` 011F I IV V I
Q&A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: JIM KELLY, NORTH PALM BEACH
Village manager wants employees' input
Jim Kelly formerly was
schools police chief for
Palm Beach County.
By Bill DiPaolo
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Former Palm Beach Coun-
ty School District Police Chief
Jim Kelly, 59, recently came
out of retirement to take
the position as village man-
ager.
An attorney, Kelly was chief
for 23 years and oversaw a
staff of about 180 sworn offi-
cers with an annual budget of
about $18 million.
A Rockland County, N.Y.,
native, Kelly was hired by the
school district in 1978 as one
of the county's first school -
based police officers.
He became chief in 1989.
When he retired in 2012, the
county school district had
175,000 students and 21,000
employees. North Palm Beach
has 238 full- and part-time
employees.
Kelly has a bachelor's de-
gree in criminal justice from
Florida Atlantic University
and a law degree from West-
ern New England University
School of Law in Springfield,
Mass.
He and his wife, Vicki, have
been married 37 years.
They have three grown chil-
dren and eight grandchild-
ren.
Kelly, appointed village
manager on June 14, is paid
$135,000 annually.
Question: How will your job
skills as school district police
chief help in your current po-
sition?
Answer: The annual budget
in North Palm Beach is about
$18 million. That's about the
same as the budget I had as
police chief with the school
board.
The police department in
North Palm Beach takes up
about one-fourth of the bud-
get, so dealing with police is-
sues will continue to be a big
part of my job.
Every day, I dealt with a di-
verse group of people, from
educators to students to par-
ents. I had to handle many
tasks at the same time. That's
a lot like being a city manager.
Q: What is your philosophy
of leadership?
A: My staff is a team. I like to
discuss ideas out loud. I like
input from all employees. The
leader cannot think of every-
thing himself or herself. Once
I have made a decision, it's
:J1
Jim Kelly, the North Palm Beach
village manager, likes the small-
town atmosphere. CONTRIBUTED
made.
Q: What issues in North Palm
Beach need attention?
A: The North Palm Beach
Country Club was built in the
1960s.
We need to look at if there
are renovations needed or if
the work has to be redone. We
need to consider how to at-
tract new businesses, espe-.
cially along U.S. 1.
Q: The Kolter Group is build-
ing Water Club, a gated com-
munity of two 19-story res-
idential buildings with 20
townhouses on the west side
of U.S. 1 across from Benja-
:1 :1
min School. What impact will
Water Club have when com-
plete?
A: We have worked with resi-
dents to make sure it will not
be disruptive. Water Club will
increase our tax base.
Water Club will not be
our tallest building. We have
buildings in Old Port Cove
that are taller. I think it will be
a plus.
Q: How will the new $24 mil-
lion North Palm Beach Ele-
mentary school opening in
August impact the village?
A: The school will open as
an elementary school. In the
next two years, it will increase
to sixth, seventh and eighth
grades. It's a great opportu-
nity for North Palm Beach
students to stay in the same
school until they attend high
school.
Q: What is it about North
Palm Beach that brought you
out of retirement?
A: I wanted the small com-
munity atmosphere. I real-
ly enjoyed July Fourth when
we had potato sack races on
the golf course. There's a real
community feeling here. I'm
relishing it. .
bdipaolo@pbpost.com
Twitter: @Billdipaolo
7 p.m. Tuesday, commission chambers.
PALM BEACH SHORES
Town Commission
7 p.m. Monday, town hall.
PALM SPRINGS
Budget workshop
5 p.m. Thursday, village hall.
Village Council
6:30 p.m. Thursday, village hall.
PORT OF PALM BEACH
Board of commissioners
4 p.m. Wednesday, Maritime Office
Complex.
RIVIERA BEACH
Planning and Zoning Board
6:30 p.m. Thursday, city hall.
ROYAL PALM BEACH
Planning and Zoning Commission
7 p.m. Tuesday, village hall.
SOUTH PALM BEACH
Town Council
7:15 p.m. Tuesday, town hall.
WELLINGTON
Village Council special meeting
5 p.m. Tuesday, village hall.
WEST PALM BEACH
City Commission
5 p.m. Monday, city hall.
:A
FE
F