In regular political discourse, the “common good” refers to those facilities – material, cultural or institutional – which should exist in a kind of relational obligation among all members of any community. I am writing as a longtime homeowner, voter and taxpayer in northernmost Rehoboth Beach (aka The Pines) to express strong concerns over an announced state takeover of what we long had been led to assume was our neighborhood’s beach, called Deauville Beach, which we now learn was, all along, rented state property.
This raises broad, unanswered legal, enforcement, public safety and health, environmental, jurisdictional, emergency and many other concerns. And then there are specifics, such as the three following. Can existing public investment in, for example, municipal wastewater piping be transferred at no risk to public financing already in service? Who are all the specific – by name, title, responsibility and contact number – state officials to contact concerning any interface with the now state-run and -maintained beach? Are any modifications needed for homeowners’ existing service, rental, mortgage or insurance contracts? It is distressing such information could not have been interchanged with the community members more present during seasonal or second-home occupancy.
One part of our political life here up to now has been sharing in the effort to maintain public facilities such as Deauville Beach for the sake of one and all. Of course, accepting such responsibilities served our own enjoyment, traditions, economic interests and environmental responsibilities. But the resultant atmosphere and environment in places such as Deauville demonstrates a very responsible community effort for the shared common interests. And so we would appreciate consistent communication and
courtesy.