Rehoboth blessed with talented candidates

Impressive.

That’s the best word to describe all the candidates for two Rehoboth Beach commissioner seats in the Aug. 10 election. They bring educational and experiential breadth along with a great passion for preserving and improving the qualities that attracted them to become part of the community.

Those who haven’t had a chance to get acquainted with Mark Betchkal, Edward Chrzanowski, Charlie Garlow, Susan Gay, Gary Glass and Suzanne Goode can read their views in the July 26 edition of the Gazette. Their biographies and interviews are also available at Rehoboth candidates.

This is a dedicated group of candidates who in many cases have already been active in city governance and have done their homework to best understand issues facing the state’s preeminent beach resort. 

In this talented field, Gay and Betchkal arise as the best choices to fill the seats being vacated by Stan Mills and Toni Sharp, who served well for many years.

As a planning commission officer and one well versed in the importance of planning, codes and ordinances, Gay is a firm believer in process and in involving the community in decisionmaking that conforms to the city’s rules and vision. She is emphatic about applying the codes fairly. She is plain-spoken, knows her material, and communicates clearly and effectively. She understands and embraces Rehoboth Beach’s authentic and unique sense of place.

Like Gay, Betchkal’s compass points unwaveringly to fairness. He has doggedly campaigned for transparency in city government, putting his money where his mouth is using freedom of information tools to successfully access documents he insists should be publicly available.

Close to the Gazette’s heart, Betchkal and Gay strongly advocate for the tree canopy that helps define Rehoboth. Betchkal’s goal of making Rehoboth the coolest beach town by planting trees along all of its streets for the shady benefit of visitors and residents resonates, particularly for our warming planet.