In Rehoboth, proposed appointments draw questions

It’s city committee and commission appointment time in Rehoboth, and questions have been raised about some of Mayor Paul Kuhns’ nominations – especially to the planning commission.

In Rehoboth, each year the mayor presents a list of suggested committee and commission members to fellow commissioners. The other commissioners discuss those appointments during a workshop and then vote on them during the subsequent meeting.

This year, Kuhns has proposed filling four seats on the planning commission.  The 3-year terms of three planning commission seats are coming to an end – Chair David Mellen, Francis Markert and Paull Hubbard. The fourth seat is a one-year term to fill Commissioner Susan Gay’s seat.

During a commissioner workshop Oct. 7, Kuhns presented his possible appointments to the planning commission – Barry Covington, Mark Hunker, Rachel Macha and Stephen Kauffman.

Kuhns’ appointments of Macha and Kauffman went unquestioned, but the names of Covington and Hunker drew scrutiny.

First, when the names were introduced, Gay said she thought it was precedent-setting to include Hunker because she wasn’t aware of any other planning commission member who hasn’t been a resident or property owner. She said she wasn’t necessarily against a person being only a business owner, but she would like it spelled out in qualifications.

Gay also questioned the need to fill the seats with four new members when the commission is in the middle of developing the 2020 Comprehensive Development Plan. There’s a cohesiveness that will be lost with four new people.

“The planning commission will basically have to start over,” she said.

Referencing the recent 1-year extension on the plan’s deadline, Commissioner Pat Coluzzi said maybe the planning commission wasn’t working that well together.

In an interview Oct. 10, Kuhns said he thinks he’s presented a diverse selection of people to be on the planning commission. He said he’s looking to bring the best minds forward to help the city. 

The second questioning of a possible appointment came during public comment, when a Munson Street resident asked why Covington was on the list because he was involved in a years-long lawsuit with the city after not being allowed to put a pool in his backyard. Ultimately, the city won the lawsuit.

Kuhns said Covington’s lawsuit doesn’t preclude him from participating on city committees or commissions. Covington has a legal background and recently built a house in the city, so he’s familiar with the city’s building process, he said.

Unrelated to the planning commission, Gay also asked Kuhns why he would appoint people to committees when they aren’t a city resident or property owner. Especially, she said, when there are residents and property owners who are interested in participating. She suggested making nonresidents or property owners ex-officio members so their expertise could be used, but they wouldn’t have the right to vote.

Kuhns said there’s nothing in the city code or state code requiring committee members to be residents or property owners. He said a lot of people in the immediate area of Rehoboth Beach consider Rehoboth their city, and some of those people offer a wealth of knowledge in committee-related areas.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the proposed appointments during the Friday, Oct. 18 meeting.