Donna Moore: 35 years behind the scenes in Rehoboth

She's worked under three city managers, watched marshland turn into developments and switched jobs, but after 35 years, Donna Moore is still working for Rehoboth Beach.

Sussex County born and bred, Moore started her career in the police department as the chief's secretary in 1980, a position she held for 19 years. It was within the police department that she met her husband of 34 years.

In 1999, she moved into the city administrative offices where she runs the water and tax billing, elections and city worker insurance. Moore said she asked for the job when it became available because she was ready for something new.

"Multitask is the main thing," she said of how she juggles her different duties.

Last year was a first for Moore: she had to run and put together three elections - the referendum on the ocean outfall and City Hall projects, the municipal election and the special election on the town's zoning ordinance.

"Thank God for my coworkers. They were here to stand behind me and get things together," Moore said.

The hardest part of running an election, she said, is keeping the voter files up to date, because the candidates will frequently ask for them to canvass voters during their campaigns. What made last year's three elections particularly hard, Moore said, was that they all had different rules. She said she relied heavily on City Solicitor Glenn Mandalas to help get her through it.

Moore's job requires taking phone calls from citizens about their tax and water bills, calls that sometimes involve talking folks off the proverbial ledge.

"I just try to tell them we are going to look into the situation. I try to work with the customers as much as I can," she said.

Moore explains her work ethic comes from her parents, who owned a grcoery store on Route 24. She worked at the store through high school.

"My father always said, 'The customer is always right,' and you try to work with them and treat them the way you want to be treated."

As for what she enjoys most about her job, Moore said, "Being busy."

In her 35 years at the city, Moore has seen plenty of changes. She's served under four mayors, three city managers and two police chiefs.The most drastic change she's seen over the years has been construction all over Sussex County.

"As a child we'd take the Coastal Highway going to Ocean City, and my father would say, 'You'll never see anything built up here because it's all wetlands.' But it happened," Moore said.

Although she's worked nearly 36 years for the city, Moore said she has no plans to retire anytime soon. She says she still enjoys her work and hopes to stay on for another 10 years. Her husband is already retired.

"The city's been good to me over the years," she said.

Moore is reluctant to be in the spotlight, but city officials recently recognized her for her contributions. On Feb. 11, she received the city's Distinguished Service Award from the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented by Mayor Sam Cooper.

City Manager Sharon Lynn said, "Donna's 36 years of dedicated public service to the city are admirable in many ways. She is both organized and highly ethical. Donna is committed to her job in ways not readily apparent in today's environment. She takes her job very seriously, yet she is a continual jokester among her comrades in the office. She gives of herself 110 percent every day!"

"I was very honored," Moore said. "It makes you feel good. it makes you feel like you've accomplished something."