Cooper files for re-election in Rehoboth

Rehoboth Beach Mayor Sam Cooper said he would run for an ninth term, and he has now made it official.

Cooper will run for another term as mayor, pitting him in a rematch against Tom McGlone, who Cooper defeated in 2011, 665-483.

Cooper said he still enjoyed serving as mayor and working with city employees and residents. He said a primary reason for running again was to see through the city’s proposed ocean outfall project, which has been in the works for a decade. City officials are awaiting approval from Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on an environmental impact statement that would pave the way for $30 million in state funding for the project.

Having been part of the process from the beginning, Cooper said there’s no one else with his experience and knowledge of the outfall project, which calls for pumping treated effluent from the city’s wastewater treatment plant to a disposal site 6,000 feet off Deauville Beach.

The past year has seen the retirement of Cooper’s longtime city manager, Greg Ferrese, but he said he has been able to quickly establish a good relationship with new City Manager Sharon Lynn.

In addition to Cooper, Commissioner Lorraine Zellers has also filed for re-election. Zellers is seeking her third consecutive term, having held her seat since 2008 and has been the top vote-getter each time she has run. She led the field in 2008 with 760 votes, and garnered 712 votes three years later.

Also up for election is Commissioner Mark Hunker, who has not yet filed.