Three Facing Off In Primary For Seat On The Port Commission

By Linda Grasso

Democrats across central Palm Beach County will vote in a primary election Tuesday, Aug. 20, choosing between three candidates seeking a seat on the Port of Palm Beach Commission. Vying for the Group 2 seat are incumbent Commissioner Varisa Lall Dass and challengers Kelly Fleury and Jeffery Jackson.

The primary winner will advance to November’s general election, along with Republican candidate Ted Sarandis, who does not have a primary.

The Port of Palm Beach Commission oversees one of the county’s key economic engines. While the port is located in Riviera Beach, the port district includes a wide expanse of central Palm Beach County, including most of the western communities.

Varisa Lall Dass — Dass, the incumbent, was appointed to the Port of Palm Beach Commission in December 2022 to fill the vacancy created when Commissioner Katherine Waldron was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. Dass had previously run unsuccessfully for another port seat.

Dass holds degrees from the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, and she earned her law degree from the Stetson University College of Law. Dass is a partner with the law firm Kelley Kronenberg, where she focuses on first-party property insurance defense and has extensive knowledge and experience in contract law. She served on multiple port committees before her appointment.

In addition to her work with the port, Dass also serves on the Palm Beach County Planning Commission, is the port’s representative to the Palm Beach County Business Development Board and sits on the board of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority.

During her tenure, the port has experienced a growth surge. It has added more than 200 jobs and created a paid internship program to provide young residents an opportunity to benefit from the growth of the port. While the Port of Palm Beach has the authority to levy property taxes, it does not, and Dass intends to keep it that way. She views the success of the port as a win for taxpayers and all residents.

“It matters to have commissioners who are very economic-minded, who understand our business models, how to generate revenue, and how to generate profit, so we are able to continue operating without placing the burden on the public,” Dass said.

She noted that the 165-acre port is one of the largest economic generators in the area, employing, both directly and indirectly, 3,800 people. Each year, it processes more than $14 billion in commodities and contributes more than $260 million in revenue. This includes 2.5 million tons of cargo and 400,000 cruise passengers annually.

Dass is particularly proud of the port’s unprecedented revenue gain over the past year of more than $3 million, and she predicted continued increases in the future.

Another noteworthy accomplishment, Dass said, has been the expansion of the rail capacity at the port. It is estimated that the enhanced rail capacity will eliminate more than 29,000 truck trips from I-95 each year, significantly freeing up traffic. Also under her tenure, the amount of time traffic is stopped for rail traffic has decreased. If re-elected, her agenda would include utilizing airport-grade cement at the port that would be strong enough to allow for vertical stacking of containers.

To learn more about Dass, visit www.votevarisa.com.

Kelly Fleury — Fleury is also running for Seat 2 on the port commission. His credentials include a doctorate in religious education, as well as a juris doctor degree and an LLM from Florida Coastal Law School. He served as a family mediator for the Florida Supreme Court, is the former president of C&MA’s Haitian Association and is president of the Dezman Fleury Foundation, a nonprofit charity, since 1999. These organizations assist people in Palm Beach County and Haiti.

“I have been a pastor in Palm Beach County for 35 years, and I am running because I want to give back to Palm Beach County,” Fleury said. “When I came to America, I didn’t have anything, but now, I am living the American dream. I have raised successful children, and I am doing so by the grace of God.”

Fleury’s sense of community, he believes, makes him the right person to sit on the port commission. His years of ministry, he added, fit seamlessly for him to serve with the port.

Fleury said that his leadership will bring the port to the next level. For example, he believes that the port should be a gateway to trade, but he doesn’t see that so far.

“The port only has one cruise line. If elected, I will bring more businesses to the port… Our port could be a powerhouse driving our economic engine,” Fleury said. “The port district is the richest district in Palm Beach County, and its residents are living in poverty.”

He urged people to go to the Glades and see how people are living below acceptable standards, adding that he is upset to see how much money the port generates, yet many residents of the area lack the most essential things. He wants to bring more well-paid jobs to young people and offer opportunities to new college graduates.

If elected, Fleury said he will inject money into businesses in Palm Beach County and ask the beneficiaries to train those with little or no work training or experience. He doesn’t want young people leaving Palm Beach County to go elsewhere for work. He also wants to give money to daycare centers so single mothers will not have to pay to enroll their children so they can go to school or work.

To learn more about Fleury, find his page on Facebook.

Jeffery Jackson — Jackson, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retired captain with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is seeking the port seat after many years of distinguished government service.

Born and raised in western Palm Beach County, Jackson is deeply involved with the community. He participates in community youth organizations and has been recognized for his service with the Riviera Beach Youth Recreation Association, Federation of Families of Florida Inc., and Inner City Youth Golfers Inc., among others.

Jackson devotes time and energy to solving the lack of available affordable housing options. For example, he was instrumental in developing housing, such as the Thousand Oaks Community Development District, a master-planned affordable community. He chairs the Riviera Beach Housing Authority, and he and other commissioners developed Heron Estates, providing housing for seniors, veterans and other families with limited means. He intends to bring additional affordable housing to the Riviera Beach area.

Jackson also favors growing the Port of Palm Beach by providing additional amenities and creating additional jobs. He would like to see an increased number of luxury cruise ships embark and have their final destinations at the port. He envisions the port becoming a primary location for the shipment of commodities to the Caribbean. His goals are to expand revenue sources for the benefit of all who live and work close to the port.

Following graduation from Pahokee Junior/Senior High School in 1982, Jackson served in the United States Marine Corps. Following his military assignments, he became a member of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, rising to the positions of lieutenant and later captain, holding command assignments including staff oversight, fiscal responsibility and strategic planning for law enforcement and correctional divisions.

Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. He retired from the PBSO after 35 years of service and was awarded the Legion of Merit by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. He is a member of the Thurgood Marshall Masonic Lodge #121, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and an executive board member of the Tabernacle Learning Center. Jackson is married to his wife of 32 years, Charlayne Flint Jackson. They have five adult children and seven grandchildren.

Learn more about Jackson at www.jacksonforport.com.

In other Port of Palm Beach races, longtime incumbent Commissioner Wayne Richards was re-elected to the Group 1 seat without opposition. Incumbent Commissioner Jean Enright, a Democrat, faces a general election challenge from Republican Roderick Clarke for the Group 3 seat. Learn more about the port at www.portofpalmbeach.com.