I write to voice my strong opposition to your consideration of transferring the wastewater treatment system to Sussex County (outfall system and treatment plant). Please consider the following four points as you debate giving away a substantial treasure owned by the city.
1. The original decision, pursuant to a referendum, was passed by the slimmest margin. Many residents were moved by the need for the city to retain control of its own destiny. I personally suffered the slings and arrows of most of my fellow beachgoers, for both the potential damage to the ocean and the disruption due to the construction. I still believe it was the right decision, particularly given the relatively stable size of the City of Rehoboth Beach moving into the future, and the value of city control.
2. Sussex County is a proven unreliable partner. Unchecked development is continually overstressing existing infrastructure. The county’s demonstrated excesses will fall disproportionately on the residents and taxpayers of Rehoboth Beach, and add massive uncontrolled pressure on the recently completed wastewater system. I realize more needs to be done to the treatment plant over time. One only needs to look at the list in last Friday’s Cape Gazette pp. 18-19 to see the full list of development in the pipeline.
3. I realize the subject of fees is planned for another meeting, but wastewater fees will be dependent on what the city decides here. In Sussex County, fee structures will be decided by developer and business interests, not the voting public which approved the outfall in first place. I prefer that water and wastewater be billed on usage; what could be more fair than that?
4. With all due respect, the city has a checkered record in project management, conservatively spending cash on hand, or its use of idle borrowing authority. The commissioners voted themselves authority to approve expenditures and contract adjustments beyond some threshold and took it away from the mayor and city manager. I recommend the public vote on decisions of this magnitude (or a parking garage). It took a referendum to get the outfall in the first place; large-dollar decisions should also go to the people.
Robert A. Streimer
Rehoboth Beach
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