There has been much talk, including from three of the candidates for commissioner, of suspending Dewey Beach Town Manager Marc Applebaum.
There are legal reasons why this is not the right thing to do.
Section 15C of the town's charter states "The Town Manager may be removed for just cause" then follows with "....adopt a preliminary resolution stating the reasons for his removal." The town would have had legal liability to the town manager had they voted to suspend him without stating the specific reason, and if that reason turned out to be false there would have been additional legal liability.
The commissioners did the right thing by immediately separating the affected employees from reporting to the town manager and launching the independent investigation.
Unless there is evidence that there is an immediate threat, the employee should not be suspended. Imagine if anyone could simply get a group of employees together to make allegations against their supervisor and force a suspension without real evidence?
To date some of the employees who made the allegations have not made time to be interviewed by the investigator. The sooner they consent to an interview, the sooner the public will find out the truth.
The town manager has been a dedicated and highly effective public servant. He and the employees making the allegations deserve to be treated equally and respectfully while the investigation is being conducted.
Being a commissioner requires that one act with integrity by showing respect for due process as well as fairness to both the complainants and the town manager. The three candidates who are calling for Appelbaum's immediate suspension before the facts are known are demonstrating their lack of respect for the due process and fairness needed in this situation.
Diane TenHoopen
Dennis Trencher
Eleanor and Jim Tyler
Suzanne Pranzatelli
Elaine Bole
Lynn Myer
Renee Luttrell
Mike Boyd
Don and Pat Gritti
Amy Levy
David Jasinski
Faith Duncan
Mary Kaye Nickel
Herb Nickel
Dewey Beach
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