AA_Dec20_WEB

egulars | city people
by diane feen | Photo by Melissa korman
New Delray Beach Commissioner
You could say that Juli Casale
is a fighter of sorts. The newest
Delray Beach Commissioner had
bruised knuckles to prove it.
No, she is not a WWE competitor, she is a retired businesswoman,
environmentalist, wife, mother, and tennis player.
But her gloves came off after she decided to go up
against incumbent city commissioner Bill Bathurst. But it was
not a day at the beach for this petite Guilford, Connecticut native.
“Running for a Commission seat was gruelling. My opponent
was well-known and well-funded. I ran a true grassroots campaign,
knocking on over 6,000 doors to bring my message directly
to the voters. For over three months I spent every day walking
and knocking on doors.”
Knocking on doors and covering new terrain is nothing new to
this self-made businesswoman. She worked in the cleaning and
restoration business and was the youngest female in the industry.
Though it took a lot of hard work (sometimes 80 hours a
week) Casale started at the bottom cleaning out the truck and
worked her way up to stratospheric success.
That is the trademark of this self-determined Delray resident.
It is determination that catapulted her in the business world,
and it is determination that garnered her Dean’s List status as a
Harvard University graduate.
But don’t go thinking that Casale is a brainiac. “I am persistent,
not intelligent, but I’m a hard worker,” she says. But to those who
know Casale she is not only intelligent but also quite savvy and
diligent about everything she attempts. She served on the board
of the Delray Beach Preservation Trust and was appointed to the
Planning and Zoning Advisory Board.
Her motivation for these boards – and her commission seat –
is to protect the environment that she cherishes (Delray Beach)
and to preserve the best of its culture and land development.
But her initial foray into city politics was less about being
in the epicentre of action and more about inaction. “One day I
heard about a plan to develop a 102-unit complex virtually in
my backyard. I didn’t think it was possible, but I quickly realized
this ill-conceived project was gaining traction.”
So Casale sprang into action and fought for the right to keep
the neighborhood intact. “I spent two years fighting that development
because it was the wrong project in the wrong place. I
am not anti-development I am pro-appropriate development.”
As a result of this ordeal, Casale decided she wanted to be
more involved in land use decisions. She also realized that you
need to be a Commissioner if you want to affect real change.
And so far, she has. She championed the passage of two resolutions
aimed at reducing polystyrene plastic, an environmental
pollutant used to package take-out food.
According to Casale, Polystyrene products are harmful to humans
and the aquatic environment. “Restricting the use of polystyrene
foam and replacing it with less-hazardous, compostable,
or recyclable products protects our residents and environment.
The ocean is our natural resource. We need to protect it.”
Though Casale is the new kid on the block in the Delray Beach
Commission, she has wide vista-sized visions for its future. “It
often takes a lot of work to get things done, but I am excited to
do that for the city.”
You can trust her intentions are pure and attainable. “Juli is
a very determined person. If she says something, she will do it.
Before commission meetings she researches issues to make sure
she understands them thoroughly. She wants to make decisions
that are best for the Delray,” said her friend Kelly Barrette.
Her husband Robert is also in awe of his wife. “Juli has a gracious
and endearing demeaner. She doesn’t take herself too seriously.
But whatever task she sets her sights on, you won’t find
a person more driven or determined, or who will work harder.”
She and Robert fell in love with Delray 22 years ago after attending
the Delray Pro-Am tennis tournaments. At first, they
were snowbirds, but the beckoning of the village by the sea drew
them in. Eventually they moved full-time from Connecticut.
That’s the reason Casale is so passionate about preserving the
integrity of Delray. “There is something unique about Delray because
of the way people care about each other and the quality
of life. I hope to continue to protect our environment and our
commercial tax base. It’s necessary for our long-term economic
prosperity.”
When asked what she reads Casale said mostly city documents
because of her interest in budgeting. Though this sounds quite
nerdy, she is anything but. She had dinner parties (pre-Covid)
at her house religiously and is known as a wonderful, accomplished
cook. Her husband Robert has taken cooking classes all
over the world (in his travels) and the two enjoy hosting friends
for highbrow conversation and Italian fare.
She is also known as a consummate caretaker of animals in
all its formations. “I rescued a pelican, two ducks, two turtles, a
cattle egret, a squirrel, a red headed woodpecker, and I’ve raised
at least 15 ducks.”
She raised motherless ducks by researching the internet and
coming up with caretaking skills. “The duck eggs need to be
turned every day and they require a very specific level of humidity.
My daughter and I built a makeshift incubator.”
She also adopted a dog and two cats from the street. Her motto
is: if an animal comes into their house it doesn’t leave. “I went to
purchase food at a pet store, and I saw a dog that looked so sad. I
kept going back and she was still there. I went for two weeks and
eventually I brought her home.”
Casale is also mother to 11-year-old Kiki and friend to all who
need her. Many of those include residents of Delray.
“My vision for Delray Beach is for it to grow, not mutate. Our
‘village by the sea’ feel is worth preserving. It is the essence of
our quality of life.”
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www.AtlanticAveMagazine.com | December 2020 | 63