Rehoboth Beach tables committee structure discussion

After months of discussion, Rehoboth Beach commissioners have decided to table a proposal to revamp the city’s committee structure.

Back in November, Commissioner Toni Sharp introduced a proposal that would eliminate the city’s five advisory committees in favor of one general committee.

Those committees include: streets and transportation, beach and boardwalk, environment, animal issues, and trees and green infrastructure. The trees and green infrastructure group is the only of the five to have met since the discussion began because it had work to do related to Arbor Day.

Commissioners resumed discussion during a commissioner workshop May 6. Sharp said her suggestion was in response to hearing commissioners complain that committees aren’t productive and are a time suck for city staff. She just wanted to see if there’s a different way, she said.

Sharp then suggested commissioners table the subject because Taylour Tedder, the city’s new city manager, will be starting soon and maybe he can offer a fresh perspective on the issue.

Mayor Stan Mills said he’s been against the proposal the whole time.

Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski said he agreed with the mayor, but also agreed with the idea of Tedder taking a look at the situation.

Carolyn and Dave Diefenderfer, city residents who were both on city committees, spoke in favor of the city having multiple committees.

Carolyn said there are people who want to volunteer for the city. It’s disturbing that Lewes recently thanked the volunteers on its committees, but Rehoboth would rather get rid of them, she said.

Dave, who is on the streets and transportation committee, said sometimes the committees hear from constituents with small problems that don’t need to be dealt with by city commissioners. For example, he said, there were traffic concerns on Munson Street, and after a few meetings, something was able to be done, he said.

Resident Frances Kelleher said there could be a consolidation of the committees or a clearer definition of what each committee works on. There’s overlap in a number of the committees, she said.

Ultimately, the commissioners agreed to table the discussion in favor of Tedder’s review. No time table was set for how long he would be allowed to review the structure.