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The three commissioners were not the only ones to win big at the Saturday, Sept. 15 elections in Dewey Beach. Four referendum items that will be added to the town charter won in landslide fashion, including one that gives citizens the right to petition for a referendum. That received 815 ‘yes’ votes and 218 votes for ‘no.’
“What that does is give citizens more rights,” Mayor Dell Tush said.
She added that commissioners and the mayor are elected to serve the public. Dewey Beach, Tush said, was one of the few towns without the right to petition on its charter. “I really think this is going to make commissioners more aware of what the people want and more receptive to listening to the people,” Tush said.
Matters regarding emergency and monetary issues cannot be petitioned. That leaves many of the items on a typical council meeting agenda available for referendum. Commissioner Dale Cooke said he does not expect excessive petitioning.
“If that happens and the people see that it’s being abused,” he said, “it can be changed in the future.”
The Citizens to Preserve Dewey group, which backed Tush, along with the other elected commissioners Richard Hanewinckel and Diane Hanson, claims to have collected over 800 signatures requesting a referendum regarding the proposed 68-foot structure in Ruddertowne. But, after a 2-2 vote in which Cooke abstained from voting, the project went forward to the planning and zoning committee in July. After the planning committee makes its decision, the final determination will be made by the commissioners. Now, citizens have the option of petitioning the issue to referendum before the commissioners can vote.
“I think, basically, what this is going to do is tell the council if the people are telling you something, you better listen to them,” Tush said.
But, Cooke said, the planning commission will most likely find a compromise between 68 feet and 35 feet before the issue comes to a commissioner’s vote.
“The planning and zoning group is a pretty good group,” Cooke said,” and all along I’ve been saying they’ll come up with a pretty good compromise.”
Other referendums items supported by the public include changing the fiscal year (736 ‘yes to 278 ‘no); allowing resident trust holders to run for commissioner (719 to 311); and prohibiting gambling, with the exception of limited charitable gaming and state lotteries (810 to 250).
Contact Eddie Phillipps at eddiep@capegazette.com
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