Rehoboth commissioners nix pay raises

Recognizing the position is largely voluntary, Rehoboth Beach commissioners declined to give themselves a raise during the city’s organizational meeting Sept. 19.

The annual salary for Rehoboth’s elected officials is $1,000 for mayor; $750 for secretary; $600 for commissioner.

The issue of an increase was first broached by Commissioner Suzanne Goode in February, as part of the budget discussion for Fiscal Year 2026, which started April 1. At the time, she said the time commitment expected of Rehoboth commissioners was too high and the volume of work had ballooned because of all the special meetings. She suggested the mayor make $20,000, while commissioners make $10,000. Ultimately, no decisions were made because the city charter spells out that commissioner raises can only be considered during the city’s organizational meeting.

At the Sept. 19 meeting, Goode said the salaries are from the 1990s and are insufficient for a person to devote the time it takes.

City Manager Taylour said salaries of elected officials from surrounding communities range all over the place – in Lewes, the mayor gets $4,000, while council members get $3,000; in Dewey Beach, it’s all volunteer; in Georgetown, the mayor gets $1,000, while council gets $500; in Milton, the mayor gets $80 for a regular meeting and $40 for additional meetings, while council members get $60 for a regular meeting and $30 for additional meetings.

Commissioner Mark Saunders supported the idea of an increase, but not at the rate suggested by Goode, but he said he didn’t think it would affect the level of work being done. People aren’t doing it for the money, he said.

Commissioner Chris Galanty, who was participating in his first meeting as an elected official, said he ran knowing what the salary was. It’s not an incentive for a position he considers mostly voluntary, he said.

Commissioner Susan Stewart, also participating in her first meeting as an elected official, said everyone on the board took the position knowing the compensation. It’s abhorrent to suggest commissioners wouldn’t give their all, she said.

Harvey Shulman, a former planning commissioner, said he hadn’t heard a good argument other than the numbers were old. This feels like a will reading, and the relative who was left out is complaining, he said.

At the end of the discussion, Goode made a motion for the mayor to make $18,000 and commissioners $8,000. The motion was seconded by Saunders for purposes of a vote, but it failed 5-1-1.

Saunders made a motion for the mayor to make $3,600 and the commissioners $2,400. This was seconded by Goode, but it failed 4-2-1, with Saunders and Goode being the favorable votes. Stewart abstained from both.

Election winners sworn in

Stewart and Galanty were sworn in immediately prior to the vote on elected officials’ salaries.

The election took place Aug. 9. Stewart finished first with 849 votes, Galanty was second with 806 votes and Jeffrey Goode, husband of Commission Suzanne Goode, finished third with 314 votes.

In all, there were 1,111 votes cast – 637 in person and 474 by absentee ballot. About 66% of the electorate participated.

As part of the swearing in, commissioners also approved its officers – Mills, as mayor, is the president; Gossett is vice president; Saunders is secretary; City Secretary Ann Womack is the board’s assistant secretary and Mary Moore is treasurer.

Additional appointments

Commissioners also voted in favor of a new appointment and reappointments for various commissions and boards. 

For the planning commission, Susan Gay and Earl Stockdale were reappointed, while Phil Tobey was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Stewart. All three terms end Sept. 19, 2028.

Edith Herron and William Pearlman were reappointed to the board of adjustment. Both terms end Sept. 19, 2028.

Laura Ritter was reappointed to the parks and shade tree commission. The term ends Sept. 19, 2028.

Gossett, as chair, and Galanty were also appointed to the personnel committee to one-year terms.

Commissioner Goode voted against Gossett being on the personnel committee because he was chair when City Manager Taylour Tedder was hired.

Editor’s note: This story has been changed to correct the amount of money suggested for commissioners by Commissioner Suzanne Goode.