Reardon enters race for Lewes council seat

Dennis Reardon has announced he’s seeking a seat on Lewes City Council. Reardon filed Feb. 5. He will be facing off against one-term incumbent Fred Beaufait, 76, and three-term incumbent Victor Letonoff, 77.

Reardon, 72, is a Delaware native who served more than two decades in family court as a state deputy attorney general and later as chief master, presiding over criminal and civil matters.

He grew up in Wilmington, but his family had a home in Lewes, and he visited the town throughout his childhood, beginning in the late ‘40s. Reardon built a new home on the Lewes Beach parcel once occupied by the family’s old house.

He said he has no agenda or alliance to any groups or individuals and if elected he would bring a pragmatic, common-sense approach to office.

Throughout his career, Reardon said, his management style has been to get people involved in whatever task is at hand.

It was a successful way of getting things done, he said, and it led to good decision-making. It’s a style he would like to bring to city council and use to increase citizen involvement, he said.

Until Reardon entered the race, an election would have been unnecessary because Beaufait and Letonoff would have automatically retained their seats. The two highest vote getters win.

Reardon was defeated in his 2012 bid for city council by four-term incumbent Ted Becker and first-time candidate Bonnie Osler, a retired career federal government attorney. Reardon was the third highest vote getter in a field of five candidates.

The annual municipal election is Saturday, May 11, at City Hall. Polls open at 8 a.m., and close at 6 p.m.

The candidate filing period closes at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 4.

For complete voter and candidate requirements and additional election information visit city hall or go to www.ci.lewes.de.us.