Cities are like a beautifully intricate kaleidoscope, composed of people, businesses, and governments. When these elements are in harmony, even the most ordinary places can flourish into vibrant, thriving communities. However, recently, leaders from both political sides had disrupted this balance, plunging us into what was now being called the Great Recession—a familiar echo from history’s past.
I questioned my decision to attend the National League of Cities Convention. Did I truly want to listen to over 4,000 mayors and city commissioners voice their economic struggles? I was just an ordinary American, not a politician. Yet, I was inspired by my father, Hibbard Casselberry, founder of the City of Casselberry, Florida. Our family owned land he had acquired over the years, and if we couldn’t sell it, we would only be paying taxes.
As I arrived at the Orlando convention hotel, I hoped for a spark of inspiration, but the atmosphere seemed to offer little solace.
The halls were alive with politicians exchanging tales of endless challenges and scarce resources. I wished I could tap into my father’s wisdom. Relying on the hope that our leaders would correct the economic course was no longer viable. I needed to find a way out of this economic mire.
Entering the final session of the convention, I was drawn to an empty chair at the front, as if it held fresher insights. I set my notepad and pen before me and folded my hands, reminiscent of waiting for a teacher’s approval. As more attendees gathered, I posed my favorite convention question: “What have you learned this week?” When no answer resonated, I asked, “What project has worked particularly well in your city?”
Every American, whether a citizen or not, should hear these mayors and commissioners discuss the challenges cities face—not just during elections or from brief flyers, but in candid conversations among peers. These individuals committed themselves to making a difference, regardless of their methods or outcomes.
Soon, they would leave the convention’s idealized environment and return to the real world, grappling with environmental, housing, regulatory, and human needs amidst shrinking budgets. I wanted to ask them how they managed to balance all that while maintaining their families, jobs, and sanity. Such capability would rival that of any Super Hero. As the lights dimmed in the convention room, I kicked off my shoes and settled in.
The first glimmer of hope came from a speaker who highlighted the agility of small cities compared to their larger counterparts. The idea felt like magical pixie dust, as if inspired by nearby Disney World. I pondered when a city lost its nimbleness—was it due to size or population? How could any city leader learn to be nimble? My ears eagerly absorbed one insightful nugget after another, filling half my page with notes.
The next panel included renowned mayors Ralph Becker of Salt Lake City, John Hickenlooper of Denver, R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis, and Joseph P. Riley, Jr. of Charleston. The task of distilling their vast knowledge into memorable soundbites fell to Michele Norris, host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” a woman with over two decades of experience and her own celebrity status.
Norris captivated the room with her description of these visionary leaders. When she mentioned the word “innovative,” I noted it down. She spoke of their ability to see possibilities where others did not, their vision to navigate tough times, and their willingness to take risks.
As Norris continued, her description of these leaders as “a bit crazy” struck me with surprising clarity. I let out a startled laugh, drawing curious looks from those around me. Despite my embarrassment, I eagerly continued to write, anticipating the next trait.
Great leaders build coalitions and, above all, they serve their communities.
Norris had given me a valuable perspective, illuminating the essence of my father’s qualities. He embodied every characteristic she described, and many would have called him “crazy” as well.
In that moment, I realized I had a starting point for my own journey—to contribute to strengthening my city amid this economic challenge. I was working on a biography of my father, Hibbard Casselberry, founder of the city of Casselberry, Florida. Through his lifetime and career, he had navigated real estate booms, economic busts, natural disasters, the Great Depression, a World War, and a business shutdown.
Though I didn’t have a perfect solution, I had hard facts and inspiring stories. I wasn’t lost at all. I had a roadmap from the past: his contracts, photos, newspaper clippings, marketing ideas, and his secret files he kept locked in his safe.
I also understood the personal and professional tolls his work took on his marriages, friendships, and goals for the future. They came from my own experiences and those who shared their firsthand experience to help me write the book, The Tax Free Town. As impossible as it might seem, from the time it was incorporated in 1940 to 1976, seven years after his death, it was a municipal real estate tax-town.
His legacy of enduring, growing, and prospering through challenges would guide me. Now, it was up to me to learn from his successes and failures to carve a path to a resilient and successful future.
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