Lewes, police union settle grievance
Recent Lewes police officer promotions have been rescinded as part of an agreement between the City of Lewes and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 22.
As part of the agreement, the FOP has agreed to withdraw its formal grievance against the city. The settlement was formally announced Sept. 12, two days after a hearing was scheduled to take place.
FOP Lodge 22 filed the grievance in June, which included a vote of no confidence against City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe.
The union claimed McCabe breached the union contract when she hand-selected promotional appointees without the support of administrative staff, and that Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell was ordered to secrecy leading up to the email notification.
Lt. James Locklear was promoted to deputy chief, Sgt. Tyrone Woodyard was promoted to operational lieutenant and Cpl. Rick Schiazza was promoted to sergeant. Spell announced the promotions at the June 9 mayor and city council meeting. Those appointments have now been rescinded as part of the settlement.
The officers have reverted back to their previous ranks and pay grades, according to Timothy Mullaney, Lodge 22 legal representative. He said the officers are still eligible to be promoted in the future.
Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco said city management is working on compensation for those officers.
“The city manager, the chief and the HR manager are working to get proposals to council this month so we can look at alternatives,” Marasco said.
The city and union issued a joint statement Sept. 12 to address the grievance agreement.
“The city manager and chief, in consultation with the mayor and council and the FOP, will develop a framework for succession planning within the police department and will review and update departmental policies regarding career elevation, promotional steps and workforce procedures to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness moving forward,” the statement said.
Mullaney and Marasco expressed confidence the action will strengthen alignment between city management and the Lewes Police Department.
Had the grievance hearing moved forward, mayor and city council would have acted as judge and jury in the case.
Marasco also revealed the union recently filed a second grievance against the city for an internal personnel matter, unrelated to the first grievance.
While she said she could not discuss any details, Marasco said the city and the union are working collaboratively to resolve that grievance as well.
Mullaney did not comment on the second grievance.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
