A developer came to town over 20 years ago hoping to build 80-plus discount outlets along Freeman Highway. The suits in their Gucci loafers presented their plan at the Lewes Fire Hall to a packed audience.
It was apparent from the beginning that these representatives thought they were talking to a group of brain-dead citizens. They were badly informed and their demographic research (if any) was way off the mark. A spirited evening ended with a group of Lewes residents bent on stopping this kind of growth.
Later that week, the Citizens Coalition was born, with Mike Tyler as president and I became the vice president. Mike and the committee went into action at full speed. I took a leave from my work as a consulting gerontologist to join an ever-growing merry band of protesters, in good or bad weather, marching along the highway with signs against this invasive project.
Mike and his initial committee did not let down or go away until the developer went away.
I am saddened by the demise of the Citizens Coalition as we knew it. Mike deserves a vote of great gratitude for his work on many fronts. Mike's leadership on issues vital to Lewes and the coastal area has been of great importance to the quality of life in our county and beyond.
Jackie Finer
founding vice president
The Greater Lewes Community Village
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