The following letter was sent to the Rehoboth Beach Mayor and Commissioners with a copy submitted to the Cape Gazette for publication.
I would like to offer a resounding no to the mayor’s proposed transfer of the city’s wastewater treatment facility and infrastructure to Sussex County. There are numerous reasons to oppose this deal, the least of which points to the county as being an uncaring neighbor to the city, so any deal from the county now naturally smells bad. More important, however, for the citizens, taxpayers and registered voters of the City of Rehoboth Beach, the commissioners must reject this proposal in the best interest of the city.
The city has few assets contributing to its net worth, but the wastewater treatment facility and infrastructure are among the most valuable assets, and should not be negotiated away.
If these assets were transferred to the county, we would lose control of the entire facility, and future water and sewer rates. If transferred, the county’s insatiable and uncontrolled residential developments would place additional burdens on the system, and each city resident would bear the cost of the county’s development. If transferred, we would also lose any financial incentives to save water.
Alternatively, the city must retain this asset and its management but charge the county more for access to the system.
It appears that the city’s debt is now at the heart of this proposal. Where was this concern for debt when the city added $22 million debt for the City Hall and the additional debt for the outfall project?
Now, the mayor’s myopic vision proposes transferring existing debt in order to be able to borrow again for something (not sure what) else. Whatever happened to living within your means? And whatever happened to reducing fixed and discretionary expenses in effective financial management?
The city’s insatiable need to spend more and more while not adding any value-added to the residents is not going to be resolved by transferring valued assets to the county. Effective financial management will add value.
Lawrence Myslewski
Rehoboth Beach
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