       
|
Newsletter August 30, 2008 The Rehoboth Beach commissioners will meet Tuesday in special session. Note story in Cape Gazette:
Rehoboth schedules special meeting Nancy Martin August 5, 2008 Press release: DELAWARE ATTORNEY GENERAL UPHOLDS 'SUNSHINE LAW' COMPLAINT FILED BY COMMISSIONER DENNIS BARBOUR REHOBOTH BEACH NOW SUBJECTED TO UNPRECEDENTED STATE REVIEW Rehoboth Beach, DE – August 5, 2008 - For the second time in two months, the Delaware Attorney General has upheld a complaint filed by Rehoboth Beach Commission Dennis Barbour that various City meetings have been held in violation of the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – also called the "Sunshine Law". In his latest ruling issued late last week, the Attorney General also decided that Rehoboth Beach must sign a "consent agreement" with the state that requires the City for one full year to notify the Attorney General several days in advance of holding any "executive" meetings that are closed to the public. Commissioner Barbour called the Attorney General's decision a "regretful but necessary step to protect the public's right to know and the integrity of the City's decisionmaking process." According to Commissioner Barbour, "Mayor Cooper and I have tried to make sure that the public's 'right to know' is respected, but unfortunately there are other City Commissioners who prefer to conduct City business in private." The Attorney General ruling issued last week dealt with 3 meetings in March and April 2008 of the City's Boardwalk Committee, chaired by Commissioner Stan Mills. The Boardwalk Committee held 3 meetings closed to the public where it interviewed several engineering firms interested in a contract worth almost $200,000 to repair the City's Boardwalk. Immediately after the first closed meeting, Commissioner Barbour wrote to Commissioner Mills and asked that he follow the "Sunshine Law". However, Commissioner Mills disregarded Commissioner Barbour's concerns and went ahead with the additional closed meetings. According to the Attorney General, although it would have been proper to hold these "executive sessions", the Attorney General said that "we cannot ignore that the Boardwalk Committee violated FOIA on three separate occasions. The public has a right to know when executive sessions are taking place, the purpose of the executive sessions and the outcome of the vote to go into executive session. In order to ensure that these violations are not repeated, we will require that the Commissioners of the City of Rehoboth Beach enter into a consent agreement with the Attorney General, to require that the City provide notice of any and all Executive Sessions to the [Attorney General] at least three days prior to public notice of the Executive Session for a period of one year." According to Commissioner Barbour, this is the first time ever that the Delaware Attorney General has imposed this type of oversight on any governmental body in the state. This latest Attorney General ruling upholding Commissioner Barbour's complaint follows a similar ruling in May involving a late 2007 decision by a 4 – 3 vote of the City Commissioners to "downsize" the Planning Commission from 9 members to 7 members. The Attorney General found that a City Commissioner meeting dealing with changes in the Planning Commission violated the "Sunshine Law'. That FOIA violation was the direct result of discussions initiated by Commissioner Paul Kuhns at those meetings. Although Mayor Cooper's agenda for the meeting was limited to reducing the size of the Planning Commission, Commissioner Kuhns discussed and insisted upon a vote on his proposal to impose "term limits" on the Planning Commission. According to the Attorney General, the matter raised by Commissioner Kuhns "should not have been included in the business of the October 15 meeting, and it violated FOIA to have done so." Although the Attorney General refused to penalize the City in his May 2008 ruling regarding the meetings involving the Planning Commission, the Attorney General said at that time that this refusal "should not be read as a green light for intentionally or persistently violating the FOIA notice requirements." According to Commissioner Barbour, the latest Attorney General ruling on the Boardwalk Committee meetings demonstrates that Commissioner Kuhns and his supporters obviously did not understand the Attorney General's warning. Commissioner Barbour has stated that "although I have been criticized for forcing the City to defend the actions of Commissioner Kuhns, Commissioner Mills and their supporters, it is clear that the Attorney General believes that something wrong is going on here. This is not something that they can 'pin' on the Mayor or other Commissioners; it's a violation of the public trust that is the direct result of their actions." "Both of these Commisioners claim that they want the public to be involved in our decisionmaking processes," said Barbour. "These Attorney General rulings are the best evidence that these claims are hollow." August 2, 2008 Strong letters in yesterday's Cape Gazette. Issues covered: this election a referendum on increased taxes and increased debt, overdevelopment, honesty and dishonesty re claim trees will be cut down on Henlopen to accommodate ocean outfall pipe, keep being smart with what we have, Rehoboth finances vs. Wall Street schemes, the library and the restaurant issue, the move to cripple the Planning Commission, Rehoboth the model for other cities, conflicts of interest, the parking garage and new convention center keeps coming up, misinformation, the raising of the parking meter fees. . Letters from former Delaware U. S. Congressman Thomas Evans, Jr.; Commissioners Jan Konesey, Patrick Gossett, Joanne Hess, Jim Horty; Joe Knoll, Guy Martin, Carol Popham, Robert Mangrum, Stan and Betsey Heuisler, Tim Spies. ------------------------- Planning Commissioner, former City Commissioner: Keep being smart with what you have One of the speakers at a recent public hearing, in discussing future needs for the beach and the town,said something that clearly resonated with me: “Keep being smart with what you have”—and that is what we have been doing under the leadership of Sam Cooper. I have read letters that say that Mayor Cooper does not plan for the long term, that he does not have a vision. Sam Cooper has had a vision for Rehoboth Beach and has acted upon that vision from his first years in office. I joined the city commission the first year Sam Cooper was mayor and served with him for seven years. We were a diverse group of people with very different interests but with a common vision – to preserve, protect and enhance the small-town charm of Rehoboth Beach. That shared vision allowed us to work together, even when we disagreed, and reach consensus for the benefit of the community. Keep being smart with what you have means keeping the vision in mind when making critical decisions about the future of the community. One striking example of protecting and enhancing the community is our beautiful library. We all take the library for granted, but in Mayor Cooper’s first years, the library board wanted to move the library from its location on Rehoboth Avenue to a new location outside of town where it could expand to meet the future needs of the region. The mayor and commissioners at the time, working together, fought hard to keep the library in town. A town isn’t just the residential areas; a town needs its library, just as it needs the post office and the fire hall and the churches. These places draw people into town; they provide meeting places, cultural activities and customers for the businesses. We won a hard-fought battle, the library was able to buy the land next door and we now have a thriving library that draws both visitors and residents downtown year around. There are many more examples I could use to demonstrate long-term strategy to preserve, protect and enhance - the restaurant ordinance, for example – by limiting the size of restaurants, we were able to provide a fertile environment for innovative restaurateurs to build their business. There isn’t a community in Delaware or the surrounding resort areas that can top us for the diversity and quality of our restaurants. Keep being smart with what you have also means being smart with the financial resources we have. We’ve been smart and I’d like us to keep being that way. Unlike Wall Street firms, Rehoboth Beach finances are sound and we’re not asking foreign investors for bailouts. Wall Street is the last place we need to look for financial advice. The city has critical issues to deal with. To make the best decisions, we need to return the commission to what we had – people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs working together with a shared vision for the betterment of the community, people who put their own interests aside to work for the common good and reach consensus on decisions. That is why I’ll be voting for Sam Cooper, Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers on Aug. 9.
Jan Konesey ----------------------- Former congressman supports candidates The following open letter from former U.S. Rep. Thomas Evans Jr. was submitted to the Cape Gazette for publication. Dear Neighbor, As someone who cares deeply about preserving the special character of Rehoboth, we must elect those who share the same vision for our town. We should not become an Ocean City or Miami Beach. A few individuals may benefit financially but Rehoboth would be permanently destroyed from overdevelopment. Our quality of life is certainly worth infinitely more than “dollars for developers.” I hope you will consider voting for Sam Cooper for mayor and Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers for commissioners on Aug. 9. Their opponents do not share these brief thoughts about our wonderful community by the sea.
With best personal regards, ------------------------------ Cooper a proven leader Rehoboth can trust The election on Aug. 9 is critical for the future of Rehoboth Beach. All elections are important, but the future of our city will be determined by the results of this election. As a former planning commissioner and city commissioner, I have been privileged to see the workings of our city in a way few others have. I have had the high honor to work with Mayor Sam Cooper and he has my unequivocal support for re-election this year. I support Mayor Cooper not just because I know him. I also know his opponent from serving with him on the city commission. Sam Cooper is a man of integrity. Sam’s word is his bond. Whether he agrees or differs with your view, he will always listen to your opinion with an open mind and act after careful consideration of all the facts. He is beholden to no group or special interest. He always has the best interests of the city at heart. Even his opponent admits that fact. Mayor Cooper’s opponent says that those of us who support the mayor are content with a city that is “just OK.” While I don’t speak for others, I am proud to say that the city is much more than OK. This city is in great shape. As mayor, Sam Cooper has built upon his many years of public service to create bold visions for the future and bring them to reality. Under his leadership our lives have been enhanced by the Streetscape project and new Bandstand, the new Lake Gerar Bridge, a comprehensive tree ordinance, beach replenishment, curbside recycling and countless other projects. Our streets are among the cleanest and the safest in the nation for pedestrians and vehicles. Our neighborhoods are beautiful and we walk along our city streets without fear. Rehoboth Beach is a positive model for other cities. Mayor Cooper has brought about all these improvements without high taxes and without mounting debt. He has kept us financially sound and ready to take on the challenges of the future. But don’t just take my word for it. Our city has been ranked among the best beaches, the best places to retire and the best places to live by national magazines and organizations. Just “OK”? No, Rehoboth Beach is far better than just OK. If Rehoboth Beach were just OK, Sam’s opponent wouldn’t have been able to write that “thousands of visitors and residents alike want to be here and enjoy their home or vacation experience.” If things were just OK, we would not have the thriving business community that continues to expand every year. If things were “just OK” or “falling apart” as Mayor Cooper’s opponent contends, why aren’t our property values falling like the rest of the country? Our residential and commercial properties are holding their values despite national trends, because this city, and our mayor, are more than just OK. Sam Cooper is a proven leader we can trust and has the experience we need. I encourage all voters to vote for Mayor Sam Cooper on Aug. 9 or by absentee ballot. Your vote will serve the best interests of our city and ensure a bright future for all of Rehoboth Beach for years to come.
Patrick Gossett ------------------ Trains are running on time in Rehoboth Beach There is an often-cited statistic that speaks to Rehoboth Beach’s location being within five or six hours driving time of some 45 million people (roughly 15 percent of the population of the United States). An unstated statistic is that our city is probably the only vacation and retirement community along the entire Atlantic seaboard that has managed to resist the pressures inherent in that vast demographic and maintain the character and charm that attracts thousands of visitors and retirees each year. Those running for office this election cycle recognized the gem that is Rehoboth Beach and have chosen to make it their home. What we have here is not an accident. It is largely the result of a caring and committed Sam Cooper who has protected and preserved our city for the 18 years that he has served as our mayor. On Sam’s watch, he has proven that preserving charm and character is not inconsistent with the nourishment of a prospering and growing municipality. The trains are running on time and our trash is being picked up. It seems to me that this election is becoming more and more about a solution in search of a problem, i.e., a referendum on increased debt and taxes that, from what I can tell, will not speed up the trains or result in more efficient trash collection. Mayor Cooper deserves our thanks and support for another term in office.
Joe Knoll ----------- These financial times call for Cooper’s re-election In its mayoral election next week, the City of Rehoboth Beach faces a watershed decision about the future of its community. I’ve boiled it down to four questions and answers that make my choice easy. What do we have in Rehoboth Beach and what do we want? Rehoboth Beach, as it has evolved and as it exists today, is perhaps the finest and most-respected beach town on the Mid-Atlantic. It is charming and well-loved by its citizens, well-run as a working city, solving its challenges as they arise, getting better year by year, enjoying higher comparative property values and doing so with low taxes, reasonable debt and a common-sense approach to small-town government. Things just get done – bridges, streets, water towers and the Streetscape on Rehoboth Avenue - that many said could not be accomplished on time. Incumbent Mayor Sam Cooper has been the town’s leader for nearly two decades, and our citizens need only look around to understand his record of accomplishment and his skills. On an issue like spending taxpayer dollars carefully and well, Sam Cooper doesn’t have to claim he is for it; he has done it, year after year. The other candidate, Paul Kuhns, looks at the same town, sees a crisis in virtually every corner, proposes big projects and asks us to make him mayor based on years of unclear experience in New York finance and two years on the city commission. He says higher taxes are inevitable and that city debt is a good thing and has utterly failed to show why we should fix something that isn’t broken. I would like to continue our evolution as a charming and progressive beach community just as it has progressed over the two decades I have lived here. Sam Cooper has proven, in real time, that he can deliver that result. Will we get truly representative government from our mayor? The issue is whether an elected official will pursue their own narrow agenda or really listen and respond to what the public is telling them. On this score, the mayor’s record is established for listening and taking in facts on all issues, encouraging hearings and participation, and often waiting until the very end, when all opinions are in, to cast his vote or take his position. Paul Kuhns has a record also, and it establishes the big difference between his credibility when he ran for commissioner two years ago on promises, and now. One of his earliest actions as commissioner established the nature of his real approach. Working with his sidekick, Ron Paterson, Mr. Kuhn used his new majority to hurriedly push through a resolution to reduce the size of the city’s planning commission, kicking off two able planning commissioners, and sending a clear signal that his notion of planning was restricted to his notion of planning. Worse was the way he engineered it, pushing the motion through in a short period without a noticed hearing framing such an important issue, and forcing the city commission to make this important change when most citizens did not even know about it. Those who found out about the sudden and dramatic reduction in planning capability objected as best they could, sending in 50 letters within days, and speaking out against it at the meeting it was pushed through. There were no supportive letters and no public statements with the exception of one real estate agent supporting the reduction Paul Kuhns and helper Paterson voted for, weakening the planning commission in spite of what the citizens overwhelmingly said they wanted. The explanation? Mr. Kuhns said he had decided it would be “more efficient” if the planning commission were smaller, and that he had spoken to citizens who supported the elimination of the two volunteer planning commissioners but “did not want to be identified.” The mayor and Dennis Barbour objected to the unfair procedure and voted against the reduction, and you know how Paul Kuhns and Ron Paterson voted. You decide which kind of kind of representation you want – the honest consideration of your views by Sam Cooper and Dennis Barbour, or the reliance on invisible supporters by Paul Kuhns and others. Do we care about ethics and integrity? Mayor Cooper has served Rehoboth Beach for nearly 18 years without conflict, a missing city dollar or any hint of impropriety. Paul Kuhns refused for months to even admit that his brother was directly involved in the very wastewater disposal alternative for Rehoboth Beach that Kuhns was advocating. When Mr. Kuhns was finally shamed into actually telling the public of this obvious conflict of interest, he angrily called those who noted it “fearmongers,” and indicated he still doesn’t consider it a conflict. Bluntly put, this is ethically tone-deaf, and makes Mr. Kuhns look untrustworthy next to the mayor’s proven record of integrity. Mr. Kuhns confirmed his approach to such issues by actually voting against a proposal in the city commission to adopt an ethics and disclosure rule that would have identified such conflicts and prevented them. Put me down as fearing the rise of such conflicts of interest in our small town and put me down for Cooper on this one. And finally, who says Sam Cooper is the right choice for Rehoboth? The most significant and respected leaders in our recent city history have made it clear, based on their experience, their knowledge of the town’s needs and challenges, and their personal experience with the mayor, that Sam Cooper is their choice. This includes former Mayor John Hughes; former city commissioners Patti Shreeve, Jim Horty, Hughes, Patrick Gossett, Jan Konesey and Richard Sargent; and planning commissioners Mary Campbell (chair), Shreeve, Gossett, Konesey and Mable Granke. Former Delaware Congressman Tom Evans, who served the state with distinction for many years and is still an active Rehoboth Beach resident, joins with his endorsement letter of Cooper, Barbour and Zellers as well. Every one of these respected individuals, representing diverse professional and partisan approaches, is still living in and serving Rehoboth Beach and is still vitally concerned about the city’s future. All share the common view that the city needs Sam Cooper. Hughes, currently the secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, captures Sam Cooper when he says: “I know Sam well and appreciate his fiscal restraint and steady leadership. His love of Rehoboth runs deep and his record in office is convincing. These perilous times call for the precise qualities Mayor Cooper possesses.” I agree. Please get out and vote.
Guy R. Martin --------------------- Cooper deserves support for another term The election in Rehoboth this year for mayor is between two very qualified candidates with different versions of what the city should be in the future and also differing opinions as to how the city operates at the present time. Commissioner Kuhns favors an expanded role of government and large capital improvements, which will require going out into the bond market for a new convention center, parking garage and an expanded city hall complex. These improvements are in addition to the Boardwalk reconstruction, rebuilding the former Wilmington Trust building on Rehoboth Avenue, the construction of a new police station and the new system for sewage disposal yet to be decided upon. Mayor Cooper favors an approach of working within the comprehensive plan and within the budgetary constraints dictated by the revenue base of the city as well as available grants from federal and state-sponsored programs in doing the improvements needed for the city to operate efficiently without the significant increase in taxes and debt burden that Commissioner Kuhns’ proposals would entail. Each candidate’s approach is from men who are certainly sincere and believe their way is the best path forward for the city. Your vote should probably be determined by the approach with which you agree. When one walks the streets and Boardwalk area of Rehoboth as I usually do, you can’t help but come to the conclusion that with Mayor Cooper and the present city staff, led by City Manager Greg Ferrese, we have a great city with minimal taxes, excellent services in terms of trash pick up, police protection, fire protection, water quality and the other amenities that make Rehoboth a desirable place to live. Looking at the recently renovated and updated downtown area, including the magnificent Bandstand, the Lake Gerar Bridge, and the improved beach, Rehoboth looks great, feels great and as far as I can see, works very well. I see no need to change what isn’t broken. Additionally, all of the these improvements have been completed without the need to incur significant bonded debt or going to the capital markets. The main negative in city operations that I see is that the high parking meter fees are hurting the business community, acting as a deterrent to people coming into the city, given the extra costs involved. Although we live in Rehoboth, we often go outside the city to eat and shop, given the high parking costs. My understanding is that the significant meter increases were favored by Commissioner Kuhns and opposed by Mayor Cooper. Having served with Mayor Cooper on the commission for four years, I can attest he is a fiscal conservative who carefully watches the taxpayers’ money to see it is spent wisely. As a business owner, Sam would not support an increase such as was proposed by the majority of the commissioners and only reduced when opposed by virtually the entire business community. As I expressed to both candidates in the last year, there is a consistent majority on the commission, of which Commissioner Kuhns is a member, that vote as a block and the commissioners no longer seem to act as individuals or get along, which is an unhealthy situation. Mayor Cooper and his family have lived in Rehoboth for generations and were part of building the city and making it what it is today. The mayor has continued that tradition of service and has done an excellent job. After much thought and reflection, we have concluded that Mayor Cooper deserves our support for another term.
Jim Horty ------------------------ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it in Rehoboth As many others did, I received my tax bill a few weeks ago and I am sure you remain as astonished as I am at how low the bill is. And equally astonished at how many excellent services we receive for the low taxes. Our city is clean and well maintained, as is our main attraction, the beach. Our police department keeps crime at a low level. On special holidays, our excellent maintenance crew puts up festive decorations. Everyone walks our streets with smiling faces. But will this period of low taxation and remarkable services continue? I am deeply concerned about some of the proposals four of the city commissioners have made in last 10 or so months. As a planning commissioner I was and am dumbfounded at action to reduce the number of commission members. I think this was a spiteful action, aimed at one or two of our group who are the hardest-working, most caring members of the commission. And the reason the meetings are perhaps shorter now is due entirely to two factors: 1. Fewer applications are being received. At last fewer people are no longer trying to tear down the beautiful old homes which so graced our city, and partition the land on which they once stood. And 2. The applications are now well prepared, accurate and complete. We no longer have to postpone public hearings because the applicant failed to complete the application properly. I know there are some who consider the applications too long and perhaps infringing on other property owners’ rights. Surely the rights of all the city and the immediate neighbors are important enough to require full disclosure of all factors involved in the partitioning. And while those who proposed such additions to our downtown area as a parking garage and expanded convention hall now either deny making the proposals or say they are withdrawing their support, can we really believe them? If the current mayor who has always stood for fiscal responsibility, prioritizing the city’s needs, seeking funds from other sources for projects which are vital to the city, is voted out of office, will his successor be as careful and thoughtful in planning for the future? Will he bring the countless years of experience and knowledge of Rehoboth Beach which Mayor Cooper possesses? Or will he answer to the demands of a few who want to commercialize our downtown area? There have been so many instances of certain commissioners denying that was their intention, and yet I have been present at many meetings when these proposals have been made and have been astounded at how quickly they are dismissed or forgotten when the public begins to express concern over costs and other future needs. But will the proposals be made again if there is another administration looking for a way to destroy our city’s image and profit from this destruction? The continuing suggestion that nonresident property owners no longer be qualified to serve on the commissions and committees not only puzzles me, I regard it as a somewhat short-sighted point of view. The nonresident group (some 60 percent of property owners) brings to this city a rare and unusual source of knowledge of business, law, medical procedures, administration and countless other categories of experience and great service. We have an amazing pool of such experts here, ready to provide guidance. While I agree that living here full time undoubtedly provides a better basis for understanding for daily issues, I can only cite Commissioner Barbour’s reminder that commissioners are elected/appointed to set policy, while those who live here year round should carry out the policies. It is not so critical that each commissioner have intimate knowledge of the city, and again, the valuable diversity of knowledge and experience that many who live outside the city bring to all of us should be highly treasured. I believe with all my heart and mind that Mayor Sam Cooper, Commissioner Dennis Barbour and commissioner candidate Lorraine Zellers will continue to provide the kind of leadership and vision that has made our little mile of land so precious to all of us and I urge you to consider giving each of them your vote so that Rehoboth Beach will continue to be the proud and lovely town we all so love.
Joanne Hess ----------------------- Cooper, Barbour, Zellers the best candidates If you plan to vote for either Paul Kuhns or Ron Paterson in the Aug. 9 municipal election, remember you are writing them - and their developer friends and realtor allies a blank check. Kuhns himself in his campaign letter warns voters taxes are sure to go up. But, of course, he doesn’t say by how much. How much per taxpayer per year, Mr. Kuhns? $1,000? $2,000? $5,000? More? The taxpayers in Rehoboth Beach are currently obligated to fund wastewater treatment and Boardwalk rehabilitation. But, on top of all that, Kuhns and Patterson and their political boss Steve Simmons and their friends and allies have pursued, promoted and pushed for a study for Rehoboth to build a hulking new downtown parking garage. Kuhns also has pushed for the study for the city’s erecting an enlarged, new or renovated convention center. And - despite the fact Kuhns promotes himself as a former Wall Street whiz on municipal finance, and despite his having called for “long-range financial planning” for Rehoboth for three years - this “tax and spend” program has no price tag! They will not tell us how much it will cost. Maybe they don’t know ... maybe they don’t care as long as we pick up the tab. Instead of watching Kuhns and Paterson and Simmons and their supporters try to turn Rehoboth into something to “compete with Ocean City,” and raise our tax bills through the roof, and take voting rights away from nonresidents while they give them to realtor-constructed legal corporations, don’t vote them in. Sam Cooper and Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers all care about Rehoboth and are fiscal hawks. Give them your support and they’ll spend it slowly and wisely.
Stan and Betsey Heuisler ------------------------------- Barbour a man of great integrity, intelligence I’m writing to provide a unique perspective on Dennis Barbour. I’ve known Dennis for over 18 years, and have been a local Rehoboth neighbor of his since purchasing my home here over eight years ago. Dennis is passionate about serious issues. He also has a self-deprecating wit that puts people at ease. Anyone who has attended city commission meetings has seen both sides of Dennis. Since he became a city commissioner in 2005 he has demonstrated his passion for making Rehoboth a better place for its citizens by tackling difficult and complex issues. His successful efforts to forge consensus with revisions in our zoning code and enactment of our tree ordinance are evidence of his leadership skills. As a result of his efforts Rehoboth is now a better place. In three short years he has already accomplished much on our behalf that is very positive. Dennis’ leadership skills and commitment are the result of a career dedicated to service in the nonprofit sector. His professional challenges have included bringing adverse parties to consensus and developing strong business plans to ensure that nonprofits are able to sustain themselves. His record of professional success is testimony to his passion for causes he strongly believes in. Dennis is passionate about Rehoboth because he believes so strongly in the importance of preserving what our community is all about. Friends of his constantly ask him why he continues to go to extraordinary means to represent the citizens, like traveling from Cleveland every two weeks for commission meetings, at his own expense, while he was based there for a year of his term. His response has always been, “Someone has to be foolish enough to do it.” That’s evidence of Dennis’ self-deprecating wit. Dennis is a man of great integrity. He’s an asset to our community, and we need to make sure he continues to be our commissioner by voting for him on Aug. 9.
Robert Mangrum --------------------------------- Rehoboth benefits from Zellers I have been vacationing or living in Rehoboth for more than 60 years. My grandfather built here in 1911. I believe I know Rehoboth. I have seen the good and the bad over the years. Lorraine Zellers is “the good.” She loves Rehoboth. She will work hard for all of us to keep this the first-class town it is. Lorraine does not have a hidden agenda, does not have business investments or anything that she can prosper from. She is very open-minded; if she does not know the answer to your question, she will get back to you. Lorraine would be a benefit to Rehoboth as a city commissioner. With her class and charm she is an asset to Rehoboth and will work diligently for the good of Rehoboth. On Aug. 9, I encourage you to vote for Lorraine Zellers.
Carol Popham ------------------------------------- Kuhns should check facts before misinforming Rehoboth Beach mayoral candidate Paul Kuhns has been spreading misinformation about the ocean outfall option for the city’s wastewater. He has told people who live on Henlopen and Columbia avenues that the city would have to chop down trees along the city’s right-of-way in order to install the system. That is not true. If the city opts for ocean outfall, the only excavation will be under the street surface that is already black-topped. It will not be necessary to cut down trees. Mr. Kuhns will say anything in order to promote the land application program touted by Tidewater Utilities. Why did Mr. Kuhns wait until only two weeks before the election to disclose the fact that his brother is in charge of Tidewater’s account to purchase land? The failure to disclose is especially disturbing after Mr. Kuhns vote against a conflict of interest policy for the city commissioners. Mr. Kuhns continues to disparage a local political action committee (PAC), Save Our City. He is silent about another local PAC, Citizens for Rehoboth. That PAC was formed three years ago and supported Bob Sokolove for mayor. Major contributors to Citizens for Rehoboth Beach were local developers. Many of those developers also signed Kuhns’ petitions to run for city commissioner two years ago and now for mayor; those developers also have Kuhns’ political signs in their yards and those of their listings. That PAC (Citizens for Rehoboth Beach) has not made any filings with the state’s Department of Elections since year end 2005, a violation of the state’s election laws. The result of the illegal violation is that voters cannot see whether there have been other contributions to Citizens for Rehoboth Beach or from the Citizens to Rehoboth candidates. Mr. Kuhns’ silence on this PAC supported by the real estate industry is telling. To check the facts for yourself, go to http://elections.delaware.gov/. Connect the dots.
Timothy C. Spies July 25, 2008 In the Cape Gazette today:
Architect concerned I can’t say the same about his opponent, Paul Kuhns. While his current letter to voters says he is not interested in “dismantling” the zoning laws and tree ordinances we have in place, I am not certain I can believe that. Here’s why: When Kuhns was running for commissioner in 2006, city leaders had put forth a FAR refinement ordinance that was coming up for public hearing after the election. The proposed ordinance was viewed by most as a creative and positive overlay on previously enacted ordinances, which would among other things encourage the use of front porches and make more flexible the use of attics and cellars, etc. The ordinance eventually passed, of course, but it is Paul Kuhn’s behavior before passage that causes me to question his honesty and integrity. During the campaign, Kuhns was refusing to say whether he would support the proposed ordinance “until he had talked with all the people.” At the very same time, he was quietly emailing another candidate for commissioner asking that candidate to secretly work with him to defeat it. In the email, Kuhns wrote, “I think they [proponents] see the deadline as the election. If both you and I win there might be a chance that they may be defeated 4 to 3.” What Kuhns thought was a secret email was shared, and thus we know of his duplicity. I believe his hope was to avoid taking a position on the ordinance until after the election when he could then work openly to defeat it against the will of the majority of Rehoboth Beach citizens. Maintaining and enhancing the character of this special city is an extremely important issue to all of us citizens. In light of Kuhn’s disgraceful behavior in 2006, and in light of his ethical breaches that have been noted recently by others, I cannot possibly consider Kuhns a viable candidate for mayor at this time of great challenges. Please join me in voting for the man who has a proven record of accomplishment and fiscal and ethical responsibility - the “Mayor for ALL of Rehoboth” – Sam Cooper. Vote as well for the two candidates for commissioner who can work best with Sam in furthering all of our interests – Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers.
James E. Ellison
Kuhns responds to fearmongering group The group is also insinuating that I would like to frivolously spend $40 million of the taxpayers’ money on a convention center and parking garage to rival Ocean City for its business. This is absolutely false. We have a “community center,” which is called the convention center, which is used for various civic and commercial functions. I would like to continue that use. However, I do not accept losing substantial taxpayers’ dollars on an annual basis, as the present administration is willing to do. I do believe upgraded amenities to the facility would create the revenue needed to break even and would be very reasonable and cost effective in the long run and should be explored. Right now I want to use the space behind the firehouse for a more valuable purpose. It is a property with the potential of 125 parking spaces even without a garage, and with almost no cost whatsoever, it could produce significant revenue. Why do we collect trash and recyclables in one of the most valuable properties in the downtown? Finally, one of the leaders of this group recently penned a couple of very inflammatory letters to the editor, questioning my credibility. This individual referenced a couple of items. I will discuss the most disturbing. The commissioners of the City of Rehoboth Beach are in the very early stages of investigation into a solution for its major wastewater problem. The community has been assured by the present mayor that there is only one viable solution. As a commissioner I owe it to my constituents to make sure we examine all of the relevant information. There are other solutions. I brought two outside water companies to the city to discuss alternatives. My brother is an agent for a local real estate firm. His firm has a contract with Tidewater Utilities to find and acquire/lease land. My brother is in charge of the account. Tidewater Utilities was one of the local water companies that presented instructive information to the city, no sales pitch, simply providing information on alternatives that Mr. Cooper has hidden from you. After consultation with our city solicitor and representatives of the state of Delaware Public Integrity Commission on this very subject, the commission stated, “At present there is no conflict of interest, because at present the events that could raise the potential of conflict of interest are too remote and speculative.” When it finally comes to a decision involving the choice of a solution and/or a vendor, I will again consider all of the relevant facts and, if I have the need, will recuse myself from the process. It would not be in the best interest of the citizens of Rehoboth Beach to disqualify myself simply due to someone promoting an alleged, perceived conflict of interest.
I say this with all humility; I am disappointed to have to write this letter. I believe this small-minded group will continue to stretch the truth and create innuendo until the election is over, as they have done for the past three years. As I have said before, if you have questions, please contact me directly. As I go door to door, I repeatedly hear that people are tired of this group’s fearmongering. Most people just want to hear what we can do for the community. I am here for the citizens of Rehoboth Beach. If you are looking for facts, call me, and I trust your vote for me will put an end to this type of politics in our small town.
Paul Kuhns
Kuhns’ idea of progress a disturbing image
Rehoboth does not need tax and spend leaders That’s why it seems so puzzling that mayoral candidate Paul Kuhns has pursued, promoted and pushed for a study for the city to build a hulking new downtown parking garage. He also has pushed for the study for the city’s erecting an enlarged, new or renovated convention center. That’s hundreds of thousands of our taxpayers’ dollars to study spending more millions of our taxpayers’ dollars. Understand, this is after we Rehoboth Beach taxpayers have to fund wastewater treatment and Boardwalk rehabilitation. He is aided in this by city commissioner candidate Ron Paterson, and their political boss, Steve Simmons. Do the taxpayers of Rehoboth Beach need tax-and-spend candidates with the economy in such bad shape? And does Rehoboth Beach even need an outsize new parking garage and garish new convention center to “compete with Ocean City?” Maybe Kuhns and his colleagues have an “edifice complex.” Add this to still unresolved conflict-of-interest questions and an attempt by Kuhns last year to disenfranchise from civic participation all nonresident voters living 50 miles or more outside of Rehoboth Beach, and it seems to us you have a young, energetic guy who needs a little - maybe a lot - more time to learn what our community is really all about. He just may have been listening to the wrong people. It makes the fiscal hawks, Mayor Sam Cooper and commissioner candidates Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers, hard not to vote for.
Stan and Betsey Heuisler
Barbour a selfless, dedicated commissioner That is the kind of selflessness and dedication we need in a public servant. Now he is back in Washington permanently and looks forward to serving the citizens of Rehoboth for another term. Some folks may fault Dennis for not attending the dozens of local county and city committee meetings that are scheduled each month, but Dennis is not a micro-manager. He is a policy maker. Several commissioners bury themselves in so much minutiae that they cannot focus on the big issues. Thanks to Dennis Barbour and the city commissioners who have supported his efforts, the city is an increasingly more attractive place to live and vacation. Houses in scale with their neighbors and a green canopy of trees over this city by the sea are important to me.
Finally, at the July 18 debate an audience member asked each of the five candidates if he/she would pledge to not take any action that would reduce the current rights of nonresidential homeowners, such as voting in city elections and being eligible to serve as a city commissioner. Only Dennis Barbour, Sam Cooper and Lorraine Zellers took that pledge. Please join me in voting for Dennis Barbour, Sam Cooper and Lorraine Zellers on Aug. 9.
Joan S. Gary
Barbour asks voters to examine his record
Part-time residents do matter, Commissioner Paterson. I am currently the only nonresident city commissioner who lives beyond one mile of our city limits. At the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners’ Association debate last week, Commissioner Paterson said that he believes that all commissioners should be full-time residents of Rehoboth Beach. He cited as a reason for this belief the fact that he has attended so many local, non-commission meetings in the past three years. I believe that incumbents should be assessed on their accomplishments, not on the amount of time spent at meetings. As a nonresident commissioner for the past three years I have major accomplishments that I can point to, among them important revisions to our zoning code and our comprehensive tree ordinance. Mr. Paterson can point to the amount of time he has spent in non-commission meetings.
If Commissioner Paterson is re-elected I fear that one of his major accomplishments in his second term will be to eliminate our nonresident commissioners as well as the franchise for part-time residents. This is a critical election for all of our citizens. I hope you will examine my record before deciding which incumbent you will vote for.
Dennis Barbour
Commissioner Paterson distorts the truth
People lie, facts do not lie. At public meetings he has misrepresented the impact of the 4-3 votes by the city commissioners since last fall. He claimed that there have been only five such votes, a small number in comparison to all of the votes cast by commissioners. But the facts are that the number of 4-3 votes is higher, and, more importantly Mr. Paterson cannot or will not distinguish between unanimous votes on minor matters like spending money on playground equipment and the 4-3 votes on substantive issues. The facts are that the 4-3 voting bloc in which Mr. Paterson voted with the majority votes (including Mr. Kuhns) has weakened our zoning and tree ordinances; the voting bloc has approved proposals for expending huge amounts of money on plans for a grandiose municipal complex with parking garage and enlarged convention center, and the voting bloc even voted down a conflict of interest policy for themselves! Mr. Paterson has also chastised one of his opponents for joining with two citizens in filing and winning a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) complaint against the city in connection with efforts to make the planning commission more friendly to developers. But the facts are that the attorney general found that the city violated the FOIA law, primarily because Mr. Kuhns initiated discussions that went beyond the agenda that was advertised to the public. Further, as to Mr. Paterson’s disapproval of the expense and the time he had to spend answering the attorney general’s questions, the facts are that if Mr. Kuhns had stayed within the bounds of the law, no money or time would have been spent. Mr. Paterson appears to believe that the state’s sunshine laws and transparency in government are not worth defending and that when he participates in decisions that flout the law, he should not be held accountable. In response to a question on why he participated in the 4-3 vote to gut the planning commission, Mr. Paterson claimed that he “asked for statistics” (his words) which allegedly show that the planning commission has become more efficient as the result of his effort to reduce the number of its members. He claims that when he was chairman of the planning commission for two years, decisions were made more quickly – and that in the two years after he left the planning commission, the time to move a subdivision application through to decision “increased greatly.” But the facts are that Mr. Paterson never asked for any statistics from the city or any independent party, but instead he apparently read meeting minutes and then concocted his own “statistics” based on his own self-serving analysis that was intended to justify his vote. The facts are also that Mr. Paterson’s analysis and his conclusion are out and out wrong because there is no great disparity between the time that it took the planning commission to reach a decision during his two years compared to the following two years. The facts are that while Mr. Paterson was chairman, several decisions about subdivision applications took three, four and five months – not the two months he refers to as “the most ideal situation.” Perhaps it’s time for Mr. Paterson to identify what person he “asked for statistics” and exactly what those “statistics” show. More important, in his rush to defend his position to make the planning commission a more favorable venue for developers, he also fails to acknowledge the fact that some subdivision issues simply require more time to make sound, rational decisions than do others – yet in his view, apparently a very quick decision is better than a good decision. Although Mr. Paterson is a retired high school teacher of government, he has failed to master the most fundamental principles for good government: honesty, integrity and transparency. There does appear to be one fact that Mr. Paterson got right: he has bragged about never missing a single city commission meeting, while admonishing one of his opponents for an occasional absence over a three-year period. But, with Mr. Paterson’s record of distorting facts and his disregard for the truth, I wouldn’t want him representing me at city hall no matter how perfect his attendance record.
Timothy C. Spies
Zellers will make a great Rehoboth commissioner As she makes her run for office, Lorraine has been walking our neighborhoods and listening to the views of citizens across the city. She appreciates the issues that face the city and she is prepared to assume a position of leadership. Her years of involvement in Country Club Estates Property Owners Association and in Save our Lakes Alliance 3 have shown her to be a clear thinker and an active participant in worthwhile efforts to make our great city even greater. In her words, “Every city has to grow to retain its vitality, but that growth should occur in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, what’s already here.” Lorraine will continue to work to preserve our natural environment, to build the success of our commercial businesses and to pursue worthwhile city projects only when we have the funds to pay for them. Lorraine Zellers is exactly what we need on the city commission, and I urge all my neighbors to vote for her on Aug. 9.
Howard Menaker
Mayor Sam Cooper’s YouTube Ad is a First in City Elections July 24, 2008 (Rehoboth Beach, DE). Barack Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul …. and now Sam Cooper? Yes, as part of his campaign for re-election as Mayor of Rehoboth Beach, Sam Cooper is reaching out to voters with a YouTube video entitled “A Pivotal Year for Rehoboth Beach Elections” – which can be viewed at www.samcooperformayor.com. City Commissioner candidates Dennis Barbour (who is also running for re-election) and Lorraine Zellers (who is running in her first election) also join Mayor Cooper in the video. This is the first time that any candidate in Rehoboth Beach has used YouTube to communicate with voters. Mayor Cooper explained that “I’ve been going door-to-door to speak with many voters, I’ve sent out letters, and I’ve taken part in the scheduled debates. But there are many other voters who want something more – full-time residents who have busy schedules, and part-time residents who aren’t here every week. YouTube is a great way to connect with these other voters – and, quite frankly, it fits in with my overall approach of accomplishing a goal in a fiscally conservative way.” Although the YouTube video is a creative way to reach voters, Mayor Cooper realizes that he’s not ready for Hollywood. “OK, I don’t have movie star looks and a speech coach might make me sound a little better. But I’m a genuine guy, and one thing I know is that I love this City and my accomplishments show that I’ve been a good Mayor. Many years ago a presidential candidate asked a question like, ‘Are you better off today than you were several years ago?’ For the residents of Rehoboth Beach, I think the answer is ‘Definitely’”. From today's Cape Gazette. ----------------------- Go to www.samcooperformayor.com to see the YouTube video! -----------------------
See also pages 28 and 29 of today's Cape Gazette: --------------------------- Nancy Martin July 24, 2008 All are invited to the "Coffee with the Mayor" under the tent on the Mayor's lawn this Sunday 11 a.m.to 1 p.m. This event promises to be as much fun as the "Coffee with the Mayor" three years ago, when the Washington Post and the New York Times as well as the Delaware newspapers covered the volatile election and the popular event. In 2005 Mayor Cooper won two to one over the challenger who wanted to unseat him as Mayor. That election featured issues that are prominent again in this year's 2008 mayor election. July 21 2008 (1) Look to www.saveourcityrehoboth.org webside and click the on black recording bar to listen to the complete debate among the five candidates at Friday night's Homeowner Association debate. You might especially want to listen to the five candidates' opening statements. (2) The City today has had to remove campaign yard signs from those places that impinge on the City's right of way in front of our houses. Generally the right of way can be determined at the point where the telephone and utility poles are erected. Signs can be erected behind these poles. If you find your yard signs have been removed by the City, you can either go to the area behind the City's Building and Licensing building just east of City Hall and retrieve your signs. Or you can email the candidates and ask that new signs be erected by them on your lawn.
sam@samcooperformayor.com You can also call Ron Paterson and Paul Kuhns and state you want yard signs replaced. Many of the yard signs had been placed in front of rental or for sale property.
Nancy Martin July 18, 2008 You may listen to the recording of the complete candidates’ debate at Wednesday’s event by going to the home page of www.saveourcityrehoboth.org and click on the black recording bar at the top of the page. As you know, there is a contested mayor race this year. Commissioner Paul Kuhns is running to unseat Mayor Sam Cooper. Voters vote for one. Three candidates are running for the two seats on the City Commission: Commissioners Dennis Barbour and Ron Paterson are running for re-election to the City Commission and candidate Lorraine Zellers is running for a seat on the City Commission. Voters vote for up to two candidates for the City Commission. Cape Gazette editor Dennis Forney moderated the debate and posed the questions. You now have a chance to hear directly from the five candidates about their views on key issues raised. You will find interesting quotes in the recording. Key questions in the debate: (1) The proposal for the City to erect a parking garage and a new or enlarged convention center in the middle of the city. Reference to this parking garage and convention center comes up several times in the debate, including strong language. A citizen asked candidate Commissioner Paul Kuhns: “Are you in favor of the city erecting a parking garage in the middle of the city and enlarging the convention center? If not, what has changed your mind?” Paul Kuhns’s answer: After denying he has aggressively pursued the consideration of the parking garage and convention center, Paul Kuhns said, “Yes, we do need to move forward with this and that because it was in our master plan.. . . Mayor Sam Cooper’s answer: “Probably 12 or 15 years ago, I was defending what we had, trying to prevent it [the convention center] from being torn down. We made modifications to it. It’s where I think it ought to be; I’m not for expanding it. As far as the parking garage, I’m not for that, and I think what you have heard here is an obfuscation of the facts. Any fifth-grader, if they sat through the meetings of this city commission, for them to sit here and say ‘Oh, we just wanted to study it,’ is just wrong.” Moderator Dennis Forney then said to the Mayor: “You do not mince words!” ----------------- (2) Fiscal responsibility: Candidate Paul Kuhns stated he knows you have to have a long-range plan and you have to include debt for a city to move forward. Comments by Mayor Sam Cooper stating he is proud of the City's accomplishments, including tens of millions of dollars of majuor projects like Streetscape, the beach replenishment, the storage tanks, the new Lake Gerar Bridge, major projects that have been completed with minor borrowings along with cash grants, and we still have low debt. We would continue on this strong record. Note the strong letter in today's Cape Gazette on this subject. (Included below.) ---------------------- (3) Two alternatives for the City's handling its wastewater disposal and the costs for such: ocean outfall or spray irrigation: Paul Kuhns: "If the cost is exactly the same, if the cost to our users is exactly the same, if those numbers come out to be the same I would have to go to the spray irrigation. Mayor Sam Cooper: "It would probably be ocean outfall because we know the most about it. The spray irrigation could be pie in the sky at this point. Paul says 'They think they can.' Well, we're going to put them to the test soon and we're going to see if they can." Note letter in today's Cape Gazette on this subject. (Included below) ----------------------- (4) The responsibility for the action by the City Commissioners in a 4-3 vote to reduce the number of Planning Commissioners serving on that board from nine to seven. Commissioner Paul Kuhns, who had led the move last October by the City Commissioners to reduce the number of planning commissioners serving on that important city board from nine members to seven, stated he had gone to a couple of Comprehensive Development Plan meetings in the early spring. He had been under the impression the planning commissioners were making refinements. But, Kuhns stated further, it seems the planning commissioners are doing much more. When we actually get the Comprehensive Development Plan, it will be a much longer process. Commissioner Ron Paterson, who voted with Kuhns to reduce the number of planning commissioners from nine to seven, stated he thought the role of the planning commissioners was to make revisions only. Paterson added, Connie Holland of the State Planning Office has said Rehoboth Beach has the best Comprehensive Development Plan in the state. The planning commissioners are bringing in a lot more issues. Are they revising or are they writing a new plan, Paterson asked. Mayor Sam Cooper: We passed the first Comprehensive Development Plan, called the Long-Range Plan, in l996-1998. That was long before the State began mandating the CDP process every five years for all municipalities. The Planning Commissioners are looking at a new plan, not just putting a new cover on the 2004 CDP! This is important. Candidate Lorraine Zellers stated she had gone to last Saturday's planning commission public meeting. She found the commissioners are doing a tremendous amount of work. She would have voted against the other commissioners' efforts to reduce the number of planning commissioners from nine to seven. Commissioner Barbour: It was from the Comprehensive Development Plan process that Rehoboth Beach has gotten to the enviable place we are in now. He was opposed to the effort to reduce the planning commission. See Cape Gazette letter on this subject. (Included below.) -------------------- (5) Transparency, truthfulness, and citizen involvement Commissioner Dennis Barbour noted that when he was elected to the City Commission in 2005, there was a spirit of collegiality and working together on the City Commission. Much progress was made toward passing ordinances that ensured property values were protected and enhanced, neighborhoods and our small commercial district were protected, efforts that were successful to continue to protect the unique character of Rehoboth Beach and make our city the envy of other resort cities. Citizens worked with city commissioners to ensure this progress. Now citizens, in overwhelming numbers, write to the city commissioners their views on significant matters of concern, and they are ignored or shoved away. See Cape Gazette letter on this subject. (Included below.) ---------------------- (6) Supporting the business community Candidate Kuhns urged the city encourage tourism. Policemen need to be small ambassadors. Take police cars off Rehoboth Avenue. "Speeding in the summer is not something we need to be concerned about." Commissioner Barbour noted Paul Kuhns championed the raising of the parking meter fees. Letters in today's Cape Gazette:
Mayor Cooper, Barbour, Zellers the fiscal conservatives Compare Rehoboth Beach to Middletown. Rehoboth‘s population and housing have remained fairly constant over the past two or three decades. In the early 1990s Rehoboth wisely decided not to annex nearby municipal and county land because the city would then lose its control over its beach. The beach, Boardwalk and Bandstand are truly the greatest draw to our fine city. People do not drive halfway across America to shop. Today Rehoboth has a small debt of about $2 million and a budget of about $16 million. Mr. Kuhns is proposing an increase in debt of $70 to $100 million to finance grandiose projects like a new or bigger convention center and a parking garage. That is a staggering amount for any city with a $16 million budget. Does he plan to annex land or drastically increase the housing in order to pay for this mountain of debt? For sound growth, fiscal restraint and responsible leadership, vote for Sam Cooper for mayor, and Dennis Barbour and Lorraine Zellers for city commissioners.
Dottie Blakely
Mayor Cooper has impressive record I feel strongly that Mayor Cooper should be re-elected based on his extremely impressive record and accomplishments. Other factors in this election concern me a great deal.
Mary J. Keeling
Zellers has best view of what Rehoboth should be I can say, unequivocally, Lorraine Zellers is all of the above. She has exhibited these characteristics throughout her professional life. She runs major pharmaceutical trials, ensures the accuracy of the data and manages budgets to stay in the black. You may ask why I, as a resident of Henlopen Acres, care about what happens in Rehoboth? I have been coming to Rehoboth Beach for 60 years with my family. At one point, I searched from New Jersey to Virginia to see if I could find a better place for a summer home. After all my searching, I found out that Rehoboth is the best. I care deeply about the city and what happens in it. While I may sleep in Henlopen Acres, I eat and shop in the city. Over the last 60 years, I have spent countless American dollars in Rehoboth businesses, including some of those owned by several of the current commissioners. Lorraine Zellers shares my views of what Rehoboth should be and I urge you to vote for her on Aug. 9.
Dr. E. F. Shaw Wilgis
Conflict of interest I admire Paul’s devotion to his parents and his brother. In no way would I ever want to criticize his personal life. I agree with Ms. Clark that personal attacks have no place in public discourse. My disagreements with Paul are entirely related to the way he has done his job as commissioner and his failure to follow Delaware state law regarding conflicts of interest. I acknowledge that my comments are critical, but they are not personal. The fact is that Paul owns several businesses that would directly benefit from improvements to the Rehoboth convention center and may benefit from a parking garage. Paul has not disclosed these conflicts of interest. More importantly, in the next several years, the City of Rehoboth Beach will need to find an alternative disposal method for our sewage effluent. Paul wants to force residents to pay Tidewater to spray the effluent on land that his brother has been hired by Tidewater to find and purchase. Tidewater charges its customers four times the Rehoboth Beach rate for water; there is no reason to believe they would charge less for effluent disposal. Using Tidewater will probably cost each Rehoboth homeowner an additional $1,000 per year and Paul’s brother stands to gain significantly if Rehoboth chooses Tidewater. Paul should follow the Delaware Public Officials Code of Conduct, disclose his brother’s relationship with Tidewater and recuse himself from any votes or discussions regarding the disposal of sewage effluent or Tidewater Utilities.
Richard Sargent
Vote Cooper, Barbour and Zellers in Rehoboth First, I was impressed by the efforts of the planning commission to seek input from the public on any and all issues affecting the future of our city. Saturday’s public meeting was just one of a series of well-advertised workshops that the planning commission has been holding this year. Likewise, we were impressed by the report of the many individuals who have responded by providing written comments and/or attending these special workshop meetings as well as the planning commission regular meetings. Second, it is abundantly clear that the planning commission is a dedicated and hard-working group. It remains committed to serving the city despite having had its membership abruptly reduced from nine to seven at the very time its workload was significantly increased with the conduct of the state-mandated review and update of the city’s plans for the future. Third, consultant Bruce Galloway spoke about the importance of having site-plan review of all large-scale developments and the inadequacy of the current city code in this regard. We were not aware of loopholes in the code that allow some large developments to take place without review. Clearly this is something that the planning commission should not wait until it completes its update of the CDP to recommend corrective action. Fourth, in response to the many citizens who wrote to the planning commission and who showed up on Saturday to express opposition to a parking garage or a new or enlarged convention center in the middle of our small city, Chairman Dr. Preston Littleton stated that this issue of a parking garage and a new or expanded convention center seems to have gotten on a fast track at the city commissioners’ level without input from the planning commission. No recommendation for a parking garage or a new or enlarged convention center appears in the state-approved 2004 comprehensive development plan. Regarding the current review and update of this plan, Chairman Littleton stated that the planning commission has been in the information-gathering phase and has not yet begun to formulate recommendations on this or other issues. One could not leave the workshop meeting without being aware of the importance of the work of the planning commission to the future of our city. But what sticks in my mind is the effort led by Paul Kuhns last fall to reduce and thus handicap the planning commission - and doing so despite 40 or 50 letters from citizens opposing such reduction and no letters supporting such a reduction. This is the same city commissioner who has pushed aggressively for the accelerated consideration, without planning commission input, of the parking garage and also an enlarged convention center. Paul Kuhns will, I suspect, now backpedal on this promotion of either the parking garage or the enlarged convention center issue. Our Mayor Sam Cooper and Commissioner Dennis Barbour, both running for re-election, voted against the reduction of the number of planning commissioners to serve on that important board. They are the fiscal conservatives who have stated clearly they will not charge ahead with projects like a parking garage and a new or enlarged convention center or other optional capital projects the city apparently not only does not need and cannot afford but also which residents have said they do not want. Lorraine Zellers, candidate for election to the city commission, also is a fiscal conservative who has stated she will not support, most particularly at this time of financial downturn, such big-ticket optional development projects and will do all she can to protect the impressive progress the city has made in preserving the unique character of Rehoboth Beach.
Nancy Martin July 15, 2008 The five candidates for election to the Rehoboth Beach city commission and to the mayor's seat will meet in two debates this week. Please come. Running for election for the opportunity to serve is an enormously pressured process. The candidates deserve to see friendly faces in the audience for their debates. Please come. Bring questions you'd like the candidates to answer for you. The candidates: Mayor Sam Cooper running for re-election to the mayor's seat. Commissioner Paul Kuhns running for the mayor's seat. Voters vote for one. Commissioners Dennis Barbour and Ron Paterson running for re-election to their City Commission seats. Candidate Lorraine Zellers running for election to the City Commission. Voters may vote for up to two city commission candidates. The two debates: (1) Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, July 16, 10 a.m. in the Commissioners Room at City Hall the debate sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. (2) This Friday night, July 18, 7 p.m. at All Saints Episcobal Church, 18 Olive Avenue, the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association debate.
Nancy Martin July 8, 2008 In the Cape Gazette: Letters from former Commissioners Patti Shreeve, Mable Granke, Richard Sargent in the Cape Gazette supporting the re-election of Mayor Sam Cooper Former commissioner Patti Shreeve supports Cooper To fellow Rehoboth Beach voters, We chose to move to Rehoboth Beach more than 17 years ago, because of the small-town attributes that persisted here, in spite of years of market influences which had so drastically changed many neighboring resort towns. After becoming involved in city government, I learned details of all the efforts of past commissioners and mayors to adapt to necessary growth and change without losing what we value most about our small city. Our Mayor Sam Cooper has been an important part of this effort, always striving to keep what is best about Rehoboth Beach, while adapting and improving infrastructure and amenities. Having worked with Mayor Cooper for 11 years, I have observed firsthand his ability to determine needs, coordinate citizens and experts to conceptualize major projects, and see them through to fruition in a timely manner with fiscal responsibility. It is easy to look to other government entities and see that this is not always the case. During Mayor Cooper’s tenure, the city has built two new water towers to ensure plentiful drinking water and necessary water for firefighting. The electric, sewage and water infrastructure under Rehoboth Avenue has been rebuilt as part of upgrading and enhancing the entire roadway. Power lines are now underground, allowing the new trees to mature to shade trees and businesses to be seen without the previous chaos of wires, transformers and poles. The new Bandstand, part of the Rehoboth Avenue Streetscape project, allows a view of our best feature, the Atlantic Ocean, while enjoying the many performances. The entire beach has been replenished, with dunes the length of the Boardwalk. Silver Lake Bridge went through extensive repair and Lake Gerar Bridge has been completely replaced. The water treatment system has been upgraded. Basic city services are dependable and efficient, and recently, the city has coordinated with the state for curbside recycling. All of these projects, large and small, have been funded with city taxes, bond issues, federal and state support in a fiscally conservative manner, strongly positioning the city to face future challenges. One of the most important current issues facing city government is removing our wastewater treatment system outfall from the canal. This is a complicated problem and will be addressed with the county and the state appropriately. Options need to be weighed, primarily for safety and good stewardship of our environment, with due consideration for costs, both immediate and into the future. I know that Mayor Cooper has the experience and competence to do that. Enhancement of the city’s public buildings is an issue that Mayor Cooper initiated and is committed to; however, he will not proceed in a rash manner to spend taxpayers’ money or raise taxes or take on expansive debt in order to proceed. With great integrity, Mayor Cooper will weigh options and plan a course, along with commissioners and citizens, for buildings that suit our current needs and that we will be proud of for years to come. As someone who has seen Mayor Cooper in action, I am confident that we would benefit by re-electing him on Aug. 9. Change is constant, but for those of us who appreciate this city so much, change should be thoughtful and enhancing to our beaches and Boardwalk, our commercial district and our neighborhoods. Mayor Cooper is keenly aware of the need to balance all of these concerns.
Patti Shreeve ------------------- Rehoboth needs Cooper’s steady hand at helm -- Letter of former Planning Commissioner Mable Granke By some standards, I’m still a newcomer. The Granke family started vacationing in Rehoboth in the 1960s. Dick and I decided to retire here and bought our home in 1985. I moved down full time in 1989 knowing two people. It was a decision never regretted. It has been my privilege to serve on the planning commission and help not only with the first comprehensive development plan, but the current adopted plan, and I know the importance of a plan with vision, positive standards and follow-through in implementing. This is why the next three years are so important for us; we are at a fork in the road and the path we choose is crucial to our well-being. This is why our Mayor Sam Cooper needs re-election. Here’s why: Sam Cooper serves all of us. He is a life member of the Rehoboth Beach Fire Department. Our city is on solid fiscal ground. When new water storage towers were needed, it got done. Water meters were installed so we could know our water use and conserve. Sam Cooper has developed an excellent working relationship with the state. As a result, the vision and need to revitalize our downtown – Streetscape – was done in a fiscally prudent manner. Beach replenishment when needed was done in partnership with the state. Lake Gerar was improved in partnership with the citizen organization known as Save Our Lakes Alliance 3 (SOLA3) in addition to working with SOLA3 in addressing the concerns for Silver Lake. We had to have a new bridge over Lake Gerar. It is finished and an asset to the city. We are on solid ground fiscally. How many towns or governments can say that?
It is because of competent fiscal prudence and leadership of integrity by our Mayor Sam Cooper.
I am now very much on a fixed income with heating oil, gas, electricity, food and health costs on the rise. I need a mayor who works to keep our town fiscally responsible, particularly as we face the critical mandated decision regarding removing Rehoboth wastewater from the canal. We need the steady hand of Sam Cooper. He has my vote!
Mable Granke ---------------------- Kuhns fails to disclose conflicts of interest -- Letter of former City Commissioner Richard Sargent Two years ago, when Paul Kuhns first ran for commissioner, he participated in a debate that was arranged and moderated by his campaign manager. Neither Paul nor his campaign manager bothered to disclose their relationship. Even after they were confronted at the event, Paul said nothing and let his campaign manager try and defend what was clearly an inappropriate situation. Many people in Rehoboth hoped that the situation was an oversight and that Paul had learned that he should disclose conflicts. Unfortunately, Paul continues to hide his relationships and business dealings from us in direct violation of Delaware law. The City of Rehoboth Beach has major expenditures in the next few years, but Paul is pushing very hard for the city to demolish the city offices and convention center and replace them with new offices, a larger convention center and a parking garage. With a slow economy and the state and federal government’s focus on getting people out of their cars, there is no state or federal money for this type of project. The residents of Rehoboth Beach will have to pay millions of dollars to fund Paul’s project with little or no benefit except for businesses very close to city hall. Paul has failed to tell us that he is part owner of at least three businesses and properties directly surrounding city hall. Paul stands to gain significantly if the city builds adjacent to businesses and property he owns. Why hasn’t Paul told us about this obvious conflict of interest? In the next couple of years, Rehoboth Beach is required to change where we dispose of the effluent from our sewage treatment plant. As the commissioners look at various options, Paul is advocating entering into a deal with a private company to dispose of the effluent using land application, regardless of the long-term costs to the city. Paul has refused to tell us that his brother is a consultant for the company Paul wants us to pay millions of dollars. Paul’s brother is not just working for this company; he is working on land acquisition for disposal of effluent. In fact, when Paul was asked why he did not disclose his brother’s relationship to the citizens of Rehoboth Beach, Paul said, “It is none of their business!” Why hasn’t Paul told us about this obvious conflict of interest? The Delaware Public Officials Code of Conduct, which covers the commissioners of Rehoboth Beach, states that public officials must “avoid conduct which is in violation of their public trust or which creates a justifiable impression among the public that such trust is being violated.” The code of conduct states that no public official shall participate in the review or disposition of any matter in which the official has a personal or private interest. The code goes on to state specifically that an official “has an interest which tends to impair the person’s independence of judgment,” when their official action “would result in a financial benefit or detriment to accrue to the person or a close relative.” Paul’s failure to disclose conflicts of interest is no oversight. Paul has decided that it is none of our business who benefits from his decisions as commissioner and that he is not subject to the laws of the state of Delaware. Paul Kuhns does not have the integrity necessary to be mayor of Rehoboth Beach.
Richard Sargent July 6, 2008 (1) Campaign announcement: Country Club Estates resident Lorraine Zellers has launched a vigorous campaign, telling why this election is crucial, why she wants to serve on the City Commission. Lorraine Zellers has established a most appealing website full of informationfor us -- about her campaign, her resume and accomplishments, voting facts (absentee balloting procedure, deadlines, dates, times), city business, and other useful links. www.zellersforcommissioner.com Look to the wbsite for information about Lorraine Zellers. And contact Lorraine directly for more information at 302-226-0554 or write to Lorraine at zellersforcommissioner@yahoo.com. (2) Yard signs: Contact Lorraine directly and ask for a yard sign to be delivered to your lawn. (3) Party: And the best part: All of us are invited to a "Cocktails and Conversation" party next Saturday, July 12, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring Lorraine Zellers at 308 Stockley Street, hosted by Walt and Elaine Davis and Carol and Doug Popham. You likely have received your invitation in the mail. Here's our opportunity to meet and talk with Lorraine, share our concerns, and learn Lorraine's thoughts on issues important to us, to our community, to the City of Rehoboth Beach. Mayor Sam Cooper and Commissioner Dennis Barbour, also running in this most important election, will speak as part of the program. All we have to do is respond by July 9 or as soon thereafter as possible, so that plans can be made: R.s.v.p. Elaine at 302-227-2836 or zellersforcommissioner@yahoo.com Nancy Martin July 2, 2008 Chair of our Planning Commission, Dr. Preston A. Littleton, Jr., has announced the date and subject of the next public meeting addressing the update of our critical Comprehensive Development Plan. NOW, in the planning stage, is the time for all of us to provide our input, by appearing and speaking at the Saturday July 12 meeting, or by sending in our comments about what we want our Rehoboth Beach to be.
Nancy Maritn The announcement:
Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission CDP Workshop Regulating the Use, Misuse, and Re-use of Our Land 10:00am, Commissioners Room, City Hall Let’s Continue the Great Turnout for the Planning Commission Workshops to Revise the Rehoboth Beach Comprehensive Development Plan! Our next discussion is on Saturday, July 12 at 10:00am in City Hall and we’re opening a very important topic — Regulating the use, misuse, and re-use of our land. - Where do we need to do a better job of managing land use in our City – Lot shape? House orientation? Boardwalk lots? Lot coverage? - Are our current zoning and building codes adequate to the task? - Are our enforcement policies and procedures doing the job? - Rental housing always raises questions. What are the problems and what should the City do? - Is there any way to work more effectively with the County to manage growth near the City? Our CDP workshop discussions are not limited to the above topics and, as time will allow, we will we revisit prior workshop topics where their consideration was not completed. The Planning Commission welcomes your input regarding the future of our City. Please don’t wait until the end of our Comprehensive Development Plan revisions to speak out on any issue. The Planning Commission needs your ideas and your observations to help us do our job. Please stop by and give us a few minutes of your time and experience. We look forward to seeing you.* Saturday, July 12 10:00am, Commissioners Room, City Hall
* Should you be unable to attend the Planning Commission’s July 12th CDP Workshop meeting, we would welcome your input via mail, fax, or e-mail sent to City Hall marked to the attention of the Planning Commission. Suggestions can also be sent to the Planning Commission’s special CDP e-mail address:
In the Cape Gazette today: Rehoboth candidate welcomes voter input I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind words, encouragement and support following my filing for city commissioner and last week’s letter to the editor. It means a great deal to me to hear from you. Over the next few weeks, I look forward to meeting and talking with you in person about Rehoboth and your vision for its future. This is an important election and I urge everyone to get engaged, follow the issues and vote. Remember you may vote by absentee ballot if you will not be in Rehoboth on election day. Please visit my web page www.zellersforcommissioner. com. You will find a link to City Hall and information about obtaining an absentee ballot. Also be sure to read about the issues - click on “City Business” and “Ongoing Business.” Again, I welcome your input and will be chatting with you about these issues.
Lorraine Zellers Barbour gives reasons for seeking re-election I am running for re-election in 2008 to complete the job I was elected to do in 2005, which was to preserve our community through zoning and other ordinances that would retain our City’s quality of life. Since 2005 I have worked hard to fulfill this mission. In 2006 I authored our comprehensive tree ordinance, one of the most progressive, flexible and fair in the country, and worked cooperatively with other city commissioners to ensure a unanimous vote for passage. Following on that success, and again working with other commissioners, in 2006 I proposed amendments to the zoning code to further preserve the scale of our neighborhoods by encouraging architectural features - like front porches and basements - that allow more residential space for owners who use those traditional features instead of simply “building big.” Again, the vote on that package was strong, at 6-1. Working together, between September of 2005 and 2006 your city commission made more concrete progress than it had in years on the issues that you made clear - in the 2005 election - were important to you. Unfortunately, the narrow three-vote majority result of the election of 2006 unleashed a dynamic that tore at the fabric of consensus that the commissioners had worked so hard to develop in the prior year. Suddenly, some city commissioners began to push back in concert with real estate developers and speculators, urging us to “slow down,” “take more time” and “improve the decision-making process.” The record will show that the period from September 2006 to September 2007 was dismal in terms of what the city commission accomplished. The results of the 2007 election polarized the commission further. Some city commissioners are now focused on things like undoing important parts of our comprehensive tree ordinance and zoning code, developing options for building a $40 million municipal complex without knowing how to pay for it, pursuing alternatives for a parking garage next to city hall that will only encourage several hundred more cars to drive on our streets and even planning for a potentially huge expansion of our convention center so we can “compete” with resorts like Ocean City. These same commissioners have mounted public and private attacks on citizen volunteers, have imposed a shroud of secrecy on our proceedings and have consistently voted against the expressed views of large blocs of citizens. Commissioner Kuhns has proposed that nonresident property owners should be barred from serving on city boards, commissions and committees. He, Commissioner Paterson, and two other commissioners voted against my proposal to adopt ethical standards for our city commissioners that were based on those that elected state officials must adhere to. These same four city commissioners, including Commissioner Paterson, have consistently refused to schedule city meetings and hearings at times that are convenient for our citizens, opting instead to schedule them on Monday mornings and evenings rather than on the weekend, when many nonresidents could attend. Finally, those same four commissioners, including Commissioner Paterson, have consistently ignored the will of large numbers of citizens who have written to us and appeared at our meetings to oppose their positions on these issues. Making matters worse, three of these commissioners, including Commissioner Paterson, have taken to micromanaging city affairs rather than fulfilling their proper role as informed and unbiased policymakers. The 2008 election is, if anything, more pivotal than the 2005 election, for it will decide whether we continue with a broken city commission that has a vision of the city that few of us share, - or whether we will elect a city commission that can resume its accomplishment of great things on behalf of all of our citizens. This past year, serving as Rehoboth’s only remaining nonresident commissioner who lives beyond a mile of our city limits, has been personally draining, contentious and unproductive. I have neither designs on higher political office nor any business interest to be advantaged by being your commissioner. I decided to run only reluctantly, but did so only because I believe that there is far too much at stake in this election to capitulate to an opposition that does not share the vision of those who elected me to office in 2005. As I said at the beginning, my work on behalf of those citizens who simply want to preserve and protect our community is not yet completed. That said, your vote will determine the course of our politics as we move forward. I trust the voters to decide for themselves what vision they choose for our future.
Dennis J. Barbour Rehoboth candidate looks forward to post Well, the new election season is already here as evidenced by the number of signs and letters already posted. The candidates were certified on Monday and most of the names are very familiar – except for one. Who is Lorraine Zellers and where does she come from? Why does she want to be city commissioner? All very good questions – here are the answers. I was born and raised in Baltimore. My husband and I found Rehoboth by accident, fell in love with it and have been coming back for 34 years. I am a concerned citizen and a nonresident property owner. Along with my husband of 39 years, I have had a home in Country Club Estates for the last 9 1/2 years which we’ve renovated ourselves. We have one son, soon to be married. I’ve been in the medical field for 38+ years, the last nine as clinical research coordinator for the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore, managing the research initiatives and building teamwork and consensus among different departments with different priorities. Why am I running? The easy answer is I love this city and want to preserve those special things that make it so unique among its neighboring resort towns. The rest of it is a little harder to answer. When we first came to Rehoboth 34 years ago, we were immediately captivated by its differences from Ocean City – charming homes, streets with trees that were good for walking and biking, wonderful restaurants and delightful shops, and of course, the beautiful untouched beaches. I believe that these are the things that keep people coming back and should be preserved. Every city has to grow to retain its vitality, but that growth should occur in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, what’s already here. I supported ordinances to reduce the bulk and scale of new construction. Great progress has been made in this area and I’m running to see that progress continues. I believe we have to be good stewards of our environment and that the trees, lakes and canals must be protected because they are an integral part of Rehoboth. I voted to support the tree ordinance and am running to safeguard it. I have worked with Save Our Lakes Alliance 3 (SOLA3) for the past five years promoting the health of the lakes. I am running to continue that work with the city and other municipalities as they work to solve the problems facing the lakes. I feel that the city has been managed well and has worked within its budget. Our streets are clean and safe, taxes are low and there is little debt. However, there are critical decisions now facing our city that will influence Rehoboth’s future and the kind of city it becomes. Rehoboth is one mile square – it’s not a huge metropolitan center like Baltimore, Philadelphia or DC. I believe that government has to be prudent in balancing new initiatives with our history and resources, and at the same time consider how those initiatives will impact our community. I want to help create that balance between Rehoboth’s past and its future. I don’t believe in change for the sake of change or progress at the expense of our quality of life. Rehoboth has to make several decisions in the next few years that will involve taking on large debt for a long period of time. The city needs a plan for wastewater management; it has businesses that need parking initiatives, it has city employees who require more space. These decisions will come with big price tags. I believe in a government that is fiscally responsible so that debt does not overwhelm us. A plan for funding these projects must be in place before they start and I am running to help set priorities and create that plan. In medicine, doctors take an oath to “do no harm” and I am running to ensure that the same principle applies to our elected officials. With that in mind, I feel that all facts need to be on the table, especially when spending so much money. Our community is so small that, of necessity, people are involved in a wide range of business and personal relationships. I am running for a transparent government and disclosure of any personal or business interests as a way to ensure open and honest deliberation when making decisions that will affect Rehoboth’s future. As a nonresident property owner, it is particularly important to me that I can vote, hold office, serve on committees and provide input to my elected officials. Rehoboth is unique in that way and I’m running to see that this right is not challenged. I promote inclusion rather than exclusion of all citizens and welcome everyone’s input. I’m running because I don’t feel that my voice is being heard. Over the past several months, a trend has developed that alarms me. There is dissension on the commission with one side pitted against the other. It appears that a them/us mentality is being fostered. Rehoboth cannot afford this divisive kind of thinking – there is too much at stake. Rehoboth needs elected officials who are working together to make Rehoboth their “special interest” and do what’s best for everyone. I am running because I feel that I can help build the teamwork and consensus that we must have to go forward. We need to set priorities, examine alternatives objectively, get the best job for the money and work together to get things done. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will tell you that I am willing to work hard for you. I bring a different perspective. I promise to come to the table with an open mind, willing to get input from all of you, willing to listen to options objectively and then make a decision that we all can live with. I care about this city and want to represent you as city commissioner. In the next few weeks, I hope to meet many of you so we can have conversations about what we want for Rehoboth. I look forward to it.
Lorraine Zellers ----------- Nancy Martin, www.saveourcityrehoboth.org June 20, 2008 "Preserve the character of Rehoboth Beach" In today's Cape Gazette a report of the citizen input at the public workshop of the Planning Commission last Saturday. Please note all citizen comments are welcomed -- are urged -- at this important planning stage. Look to the City website www.cityofrehoboth.com and click on CDP in the left-hand links column to read the draft of the current Comprehensive Development Plan now in the process of updating. Then email your comments to 2008cdp@cityofrehoboth.com. The next public meeting to consider the new Comprehensive Development Plan is set for l0 a.m. Saturday, July 12, City Hall Commissioners Room.
Nancy Martin ---------------------------------- Rehoboth Beach citizens respond to city's CDP revisions
By Ryan Mavity Rehoboth Beach business owners and residents came out in force to the planning commission’s latest meeting on the state-mandated five-year review of the city’s comprehensive development plan. The discussion at the Saturday, June 7 meeting centered on preservation and redevelopment of residential and commercial districts. Other issues also surfaced, such as building a parking deck and renovations to Rehoboth Convention Center. Rosalyn Merrell of 15 Columbia Ave. said she would favor lowering height restrictions from 35 to 32 feet in residential neighborhoods. She said houses in Rehoboth are too tall and lowering the limit produces houses more in keeping with the character of the city. Former business owner John Papajohn said there is nothing the city can do to stop people from coming down but the city can take steps to control growth. Papajohn said if the city wanted to create more of a town center, it could allow people to live in upstairs apartments above businesses. He said the city could slow down development by tightening parking requirements for hotels and apartment complexes. He said if the town wants the downtown business community to look nice, it must give incentives to business. Alex Moore, president of Rehoboth Beach Main Street, said hotels should be required to provide parking but not restaurants or residences. He said the city should work with the Department of Transportation on a more beach-friendly way to get to the beach. “To go and park in that parking lot, and then getting on a city-style bus and riding into town, isn’t particularly appealing to me,” Moore said. “Something like the Boardwalk Tram in Ocean City, a trolley or something open-air would give you that beach feel.” Lou Wood of Rodney Street said she thought the city was moving in a lot of different directions with no central plan. Wood said crime is rising in the city but officials are not addressing it. Tina Trapnell, who lives on Maryland Avenue, said it was good that the commission had a vision for the city but a vision was not enough. She said she was not in favor of bringing more events to the convention center and that the appeal of Rehoboth was its small-town ambiance. “I’m not interested in revolutionizing a good thing. This isn’t Ocean City. The attraction of Rehoboth, as was mentioned, is the beach. But it is still considered a place where you can go and enjoy yourself. If you want to have rock and roll or something, you can go to Ocean City. That is not the allure that Rehoboth has,” Trapnell said. Joyce Lussier of 99 Henlopen Ave. said she was against having a parking garage because she did not see the need to bring more cars into Rehoboth. Former Commissioner Patti Shreeve said it is becoming harder to define what Rehoboth is. She said she favored the idea of improving the transportation system to have a bus or trolley Plan that only takes people around Rehoboth. Dale Lomas, owner of Atlantic Liquors and the Crosswinds Hotel, said property owners need incentives to build nicer buildings. He said citizens and city officials need to keep an open mind when it comes to building a parking garage in the city because it might be needed, not only for beach parking but for parking for city employees. Finally, Lomas said, there was a wall between city residents and the business community. He said one way to rectify that was by having more community-based businesses, such as a grocery store, that would keep locals in town to buy goods, instead of going out on Route 1. Commissioner Harvey Shulman said of an in-town grocery store, “The last CDP was very specific in highlighting the need for an in-town grocery store. It’s not to take away from the small markets that do a very nice job. We recognized five years ago the need for a grocery store, as well as other business. In that five-year period, we’ve actually had discussions on other loss of businesses, like the pharmacy. It’s amazing you can see more lawyers in Rehoboth than you can see doctors and dentists.” Shulman said the city could give some incentive to businesses, like a grocery store, to come into town but that it was also up to the business community to help come up with ideas to bring more community-oriented businesses into town. Bill Shields, owner of Aqua Grill, also said Rehoboth was losing its sense of community and suggested one way to fix that is to allow more multiple-use buildings. He said some of the city’s traffic problems are caused by people coming in from their residences on the highway, instead of having an apartment or condo in town. Shields said that has also had an effect on businesses because instead of going to places in town, people are getting their food and supplies from out on the highway. Finally, he said customers at his restaurant have complained about parking meter prices within the city. Still, Shields said it wasn’t too late for the city to build more of a sense of community. “There’s no other town where everybody melds and respects one another,” he said. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful place.” Chairman Preston Littleton said he was very pleased with the broad perspectives offered at the meeting, in particular the input from the business community. The next meeting on the comprehensive development plan will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 12, in the city commissioners’ room. An agenda has not yet been released. May 30, 2008 In today's Cape Gazette:, Letters: Save Our City should be applauded for PAC Paul Kuhns is wrong about political action committees (PACs) (Cape Gazette, May 23). I can say this as someone who has worked on campaign finance reform for years. First of all, a PAC is required under Delaware state election law if an organization is involved in political activity. The purpose is to provide greater transparency by reporting requirements for contributions raised to influence elections. PACs hold contributors to a high standard of accountability. Unfortunately, too many interest groups refuse to comply with state law and the lack of strong enforcement often allows them to get away with it. In 2007 in Dewey Beach, Citizens to Preserve Dewey formed a PAC to comply with the law and amazingly enough was criticized for it by other groups that thumbed their nose at the law. We naturally asked the Delaware Elections Commission to investigate their failure to comply. Save Our City in Rehoboth Beach has chosen along with other citizen groups to form a legally required PAC and should be applauded for it - not criticized. Anyone who thinks less of them for compliance does not understand the value to the electorate of PACs and the reporting they require.
Joan Claybrook, president Save Our City uses upfront approach It is my hope that this letter can help clarify the understanding of the reason for the existence of a political action committee (PAC). This type of organization is governed under Title 15 of the Delaware Code and is required if a group of citizens desire to come together for a common concern or to support a candidate and solicit contributions in order to communicate with a mailing or help a candidate run for office. A report must be submitted giving names and dollars spent. It is a public record and allows for access to the record. It seems to me that this is an upfront and open way to conduct an effort to bring about a needed change in legislation, write new legislation or support that person running for office who subscribes to the same goals of the organized group. I have always gone on the premise that there is strength in numbers. That is the reason I joined in the efforts of Save Our City, because the organizers of the group had as the primary goal the follow through needed to achieve the vision and goals of the adopted comprehensive development plan and sustain those goals in the current update. Rehoboth Beach is a beautiful treasure. Walk the streets and experience the feel of a sense of community. We can grow and improve without losing that original charm and the very reason so many of us decided to live here. I, for one, intend to keep striving toward that vision. Think about it as we approach summer and another important city election. Check out the ins and outs of the requirements for a PAC by calling the state Board of Elections at 302-739-4277.
Mable Granke Save Our city not a special-interest group City Commissioner Paul Kuhns, who fails to acknowledge that he sought Save Our City’s endorsement two years ago, continues his malicious attack on the organization in his letter to the editor last Friday. Save Our City (SOC) is a citizens’ action group committed to community interests, not “special interests.” Its mission includes preservation of our neighborhoods, the protection of trees and the support of our business community. Judging by the ferocity of his attack, Mr. Kuhns’ goals for the city must be quite different. People’s belief in the goals and mission of SOC is demonstrated in part by the mailing list for its newsletter, which goes to over 700 Rehoboth Beach property owners. Mr. Kuhns’ constant efforts to slur the organization and by inference its supporters reflect poorly on his judgment and call into question his ability as a city commissioner to act in a fair and impartial manner.
Cookie Brusnighan Fellow commissioner questions Kuhns I was taken aback to see “Paul Kuhns for Mayor” signs sprouting up all over town last Memorial Day weekend, before he has even been certified to run for mayor by the Rehoboth Beach City Commission. However, I was not surprised that he acted before the commissioners had considered his application to run for mayor. After all, in just the past year he acted to gut the planning commission in the face of overwhelming documented citizen opposition to it; he suggested that any nonresident who lives outside of a 50-mile radius be forbidden from participating in organized city affairs, without any documentation that residents or nonresidents were in support of that change; he vetoed the idea of weekend commission meetings in the face of the documented support of citizens who wanted them; he vetoed the idea to have public hearings on our new wastewater options and the construction of a $30 million municipal complex on weekends when residents and nonresidents could attend; and he is the chief champion of an expeditious plan to contract out that $30 million for a new municipal complex without finding out whether the citizens want it and how we will pay for it. It looks like he’s building some sort of an empire of his design that the public will be allowed to comment on only after the design is complete. I’m not surprised by any of the above. I am, however, surprised how much his record contrasts with his 2006 campaign motto of “let me be your voice.” Since his record clearly indicates that he has not been the voice of the citizens who have expressed and documented their opinions to him since he was elected, one has to wonder who he is speaking for. Perhaps an examination of the individuals who signed his petition for election in 2006 and 2008 might render some clues. And perhaps the voters need to ask Commissioner Kuhns directly who is supporting his campaign financially and in kind. Sunshine in government. I fully support it and abide by it. Check my record. Has Commissioner Kuhns?
Dennis J. Barbour Just how independent is Commissioner Kuhns? In his letter to the editor last Friday, Rehoboth Beach City Commissioner Paul Kuhns asserts that he is one of the “independent thinkers” on the city’s board of commissioners. When Mr. Kuhns ran for the seat two years ago, seven of the 16 signatories on his petition were local realtors and developers. Earlier this month, Mr. Kuhns submitted a petition to run for mayor with five of the 15 total number of signatures representing local realtors and developers. Consider those statistics and compare them with Mr. Kuhns’ regressive voting record on planning and zoning issues affecting all Rehoboth Beach property owners. Is Mr. Kuhns primarily serving the interests of the real estate machine, and just how “independent” is he?
Timothy C. Spies May 22, 2008 Two important Rehoboth Beach events set for Saturday, June 7. (1) Planning Commission public workshop: 10 a.m. (All of us are urged to provide input now on certain critical city planning issues.) (2) Save Our Lakes Alliance 3 lakes clean-up: 9 a.m. to noon: (A fun work project) The two public notices: Saturday, June 7 Planning Commission Workshop 10:00am City Hall – Commissioners Room Seeking your thoughts about the preservation of residential neighborhoods, commercial redevelopment, and affordable housing in Rehoboth You missed the workshop on walking, biking, and enjoying our parks! Don’t worry, Rehoboth’s Planning Commission is continuing the discussion at its next workshop on Saturday, June 7 at 10:00am in City Hall and we’re adding new topics— How can we better preserve our residential neighborhoods? Is there any potential for commercial redevelopment? What are your the feelings about the plans for the convention center, parking deck, etc? What are our police and fire needs? First Street is hazardous – what should we do? How can we meet the need for affordable housing in Rehoboth? Are there zoning changes that should be recommended? How can we finance needed improvements and additions to our commercial base? Please don’t wait until the end of our Comprehensive Development Plan revisions to speak out. We need your ideas and your observations to help us do our job. Please stop by and give us a few minutes of your time and experience. We look forward to seeing you. ----------------------------------------------- And also: FOURTH ANNUAL LAKES’ CLEAN-UP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED It’s time to dust off those rakes, gloves and kayaks and join your neighbors for a morning of good “clean” fun. Come help keep Rehoboth’s star attractions beautiful! WHEN: Saturday, June 7, 2008 TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon * Refreshments will be provided WHERE: Silver Lake – meet at the wildlife refuge at south end of the white bridge on Silver Lake Drive Lake Comegys – meet at the Lake Comegys Townhouse Assn dock off Cottage Lane, accessed through Pine Lane just before entering Dewey on Silver Lake Drive Lake Gerar – is being maintained by the City so will not be part of our clean up this year EVENT SPONSOR: Save Our Lakes Alliance (SOLA3) is a 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to “preserve and protect Lake Gerar, Silver Lake and Lake Comegys” and is the sponsor of this annual event. See www.sola3.org for more information and become a valued member. CONTACT: Tom Zellers (302) 226-0554, Cell (443) 386-9241 E-mail – atzellers@yahoo.com; or saveourlakes3@aol.com
In today's Cape Gazette: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rehoboth to discuss website updates
Rehoboth planners to review city parks
Planners to hear motel subdivision case |