The challenges that have faced Rehoboth Beach for decades - managing growth in a way that preserves its character, and providing the infrastructure and services to meet the needs of its residents, businesses and thousands of visitors - make the election of our mayor every three years a decision of significant consequence.
Year after year, particularly on issues where the interests of developers have bumped up against the community's interest in preserving the special character of Rehoboth Beach, Sam Cooper's leadership has been vital.
In the last year, Mayor Cooper introduced and achieved adoption of an ordinance to protect the community from developers seeking to use commercial zoning to skirt the city's one dwelling per lot ordinance, and he introduced and moved a second ordinance to prohibit the use of hazardous narrow private drives by builders seeking to cram as many houses as possible into properties.
With a major development looming on our southern border, and another property offering the potential for a large development in the heart of Rehoboth, it is essential that we continue to have Sam’s effective leadership on these critical issues.
A recent letter to this paper argued that Sam should step aside and “let someone else take a stab at these issues,” without stating how the author believed that “someone else” would change direction, if at all. I don’t believe we can take that chance.
During the holidays, we all have seen what seem to be endless reruns of the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” where we are made to reflect on what the town of Bedford Falls would have become, absent George Bailey’s unselfish devotion to the community and its values over many decades. The movie paints a picture of “Pottersville,” a town that lost its soul to developers more interested in profit than the community. Imagine what Rehoboth Beach would be like today had we not had the principled and unselfish commitment of Sam Cooper, working with many others. I am voting for Sam, because I believe we need his continued leadership now more than ever.
Martha Cochran
Rehoboth Beach
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