It’s not easy to see eye to eye with Rob Long.
That doesn’t mean he is anything other than a perfect gentleman who cares about others. It is simply because Long towers over most of us at a lean six-foot- four inches.
When asked how he feels about his towering height Long muses that he is the shortest person in his family. “My two younger brothers are taller than I am, and my brother Dan, who lives in Delray, is six-foot-7.”
Long and his family not only have a largeness of vertical dimension, but they carry with them a largeness of spirit and goodwill for others. His father David is a civil rights attorney who fought for students with disabilities to remain in public schools.
His mother Deborah is a social worker who worked to help those in need as well. It is their devotion to public service and helping others that left a large imprint on son Rob’s trajectory.
“I was taught that public service and giving back was a privilege – something everyone should do. I see it as a part of life, not something you do as a bonus,” said the Delray Beach Deputy Vice-Mayor.
Long’s back story is really the path that set him forward. He was raised in a small town called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania that has a total population of 5000. Though the size and limitations of a small town gave Long the impetus to eventually leave it behind, his roots were firmly grounded in Punxsutawney.
For many people the word Punxsutawney wouldn’t spark their memory for a night of trivia or a crossword puzzle. But to Long, it’s been a home base for generations. “My grandfather was a Borough Council member in Punxsutawney and my mothers’ family goes back five generations. My father’s side goes back two generations.”
But for Long, being in a small coal mining town was not in the cards. “One of the things that made me fall in love with Delray Beach 16 years ago is their sense of community. It’s vibrant, caring, and full of people who want to make it better.”
Long is one of them.
His passion for public service is his raison d’etre. He has been an elected official for eight years; two as a Del-ray Beach City Commissioner and six at the Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District.
He was also appointed to the Palm Beach County Transportation Agency’s Governing Board. “The TPA prioritizes $40 Million annually for municipal requests; I try to make sure that Delray Beach is well positioned for opportunities.”
Opportunity is something that Long seeks out, but not for himself, for others.
Currently he is on a committee vying to get Delray Beach another All American City Award. Delray Beach has received this coveted award three times, but it was 13 years ago.
But that doesn’t deter Long. He knows his lane and is constantly widening its focus for goodness and improvement.
As a means to that end, he is on the Tourist Development Council that funds programs to help the local economy in a productive way.
Being productive is one of Long’s passion projects. “It’s great being on boards because I get to advocate for South Palm Beach County and Delray Beach. My goal is to ensure that our downtown is as successful as possible.”
For his devotion to public service Long received a Public Service Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. He was also a 2022 Young Professional of the Year nominee (from the Delray Chamber) and a 2022 Leadership Excellence Award Nominee.
Though Long is dedicated to public service and supporting non-profits, his background is in civil engineering. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from Penn State and Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Florida.
After graduation his first engineering job was in Del-ray Beach. Call it kismet or karma, but Long found his sweet spot in Delray. “I fell in love with Delray Beach right away. It was a combination of the downtown, the vibrant art scene, the cool environmental vibe and the sense of community.”
Like any relationship it has become a two-way street. Long gives back in immense ways. And as everyone in town can see it is more amore than arduous.
“Rob is thoughtful and willing to take a stand and speak truth to power, which is important. He’s also articulate, intelligent, sees the big picture and wants to do the right thing. We need people like Rob to advocate for a better and kinder future,” said former Delray Mayor Jeff Perlman.
The accolades for this gentleman with a heart you can see in daylight or dim light is endless. “As a city commissioner I have found Rob to be responsive and accessible. When I contact him, he responds quickly and is always forthright. Delray is fortunate to have a fair progressive commissioner,” said Yvonne Odom.
If fairness is equality, then Long sees the front and back of the eternal line in the sand as one large circle of goodness. He supports Delray Citi-zens for Delray Police events and is an avid supporter of the EJS Project. He helps with EJS fundraising, event participation, mentoring, and lobbying for them in Tallahassee.
As a staunch environmentalist he has been a longtime supporter of Community Greening. He attends their fundraisers, donates, and participates in their tree planting. Long has also been involved with Habitat for Humanity GPPB. He’s been on their Young Professionals Board and lends a hand on their home builds.
This doesn’t surprise those who know him well. “Rob is a passionate public servant who cares greatly for Delray’s environment and quality of life, not only for us but for future generations,” said Mark Cassini, co-founder of Community Greening.
Thoughtfulness and caring are words that everyone uses to describe this dedicated public servant. Stephanie Immelmann, CEO of the Del-ray Beach Chamber, is one of them.
“The first word that comes to mind when describing Rob Long is ‘thoughtful.’ He is thoughtful as a person and as a City Commissioner. His decisions from the dais come from a place of well-considered delib-eration and it shows in his comments.”
Frances Bourque agrees. “Rob’s positions are thoughtful, and the result of studying the true facts before taking a position. Though he is often the minority vote, his voice is important and truthful. It is a gift to the citizens of Delray Beach to have Rob on the Dais.”
When not on the dais, Long is forever volunteering and supporting organizations and non-profits. He sponsors the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council’s Winter Fete each year and raised money (and shaved his beard) for the Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope.
There is also a creative side to this man of logic. He co-authored a children’s book called, The Great Weather Diviner: The Untold Origin of Punxsutawney Phil. He and co-author Andrew Dolberg did book signings at Barnes & Noble in Delray and donates a portion of the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity PBC.
“I started working on the first book during Covid to keep me sane. I’m really proud of it, we were finalist for a CIBA award,” said Long, who just finished his second book, Hugo the last flamingo.
On a more personal note, Long is engaged to fiancé Alexandria, who was the youngest PBC school board member in history. The two met (of course) at a charity event for the PBC Human Rights Council Winter Fête. If you look closely you might also find them at concerts, theater or enjoying Mother Nature’s bounty.
Being bountiful is something of great meaning to Rob Long. “Part of being a grownup is giving back to your community – it never feels like an obligation – it’s just what you do. I want to leave the world a little better off than when I came into it.”
We don’t doubt he will.
