Saliba, Marasco launch Lewes council bids

Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba and Lewes Planning Commissioner Amy Marasco are seeking seats on Lewes City Council.

Saliba filed the paperwork March 1, the first day of the filing period.

He has served on council as deputy mayor for three years.

“I am running to continue working to enhance Lewes’ quality of life – public safety, recreational opportunities through our beaches, bike and walking trails, our historical identity, and a robust economy,” Saliba said.

Among the achievements he said he is proud of: 

• Secured permitting for seven Lewes Beach homeowners to have two reserved parking spots, due to lack of off-street parking

• Played a key role in securing 99-year leases for 12 property owners on Pilottown Road to match other lease terms in the city

• Led the acquisition of the former Army Reserve Center to become the city’s new municipal campus.

Saliba said he sees no need to increase taxes or fees in the near future.

“Mayor [Andrew] Williams and I will continue to build our relationship with the University of Delaware’s Lewes campus and identify ways to collaborate,” Saliba said. “Our nonprofit community remains critical to a thriving Lewes, and we should support them.”

Amy Marasco

Marasco has launched a city council bid, running to fill the seat that will be vacated by Councilwoman Carolyn Jones, who is retiring.

“This is my opportunity to give back,” Marasco said. “I like finding common ground. I like consensus building, and I like innovation as a leader.”

Marasco said the biggest challenge facing Lewes comes from flooding and heat, so environmental issues will be a priority.

“I want to look at what we do in a balanced way, a common-sense way to protect our wetlands and our properties,” she said.

Last summer, Marasco launched the Footprint Project, an effort to get young people involved in environmental issues, and hosted a workshop to help craft a greenprint for the city.

She said she will also be focused on finding solutions for revenue, parking and annexation.

Marasco said she would also launch a listening tour ahead of the 2025 comprehensive plan update.

Marasco previously served 12 years as a councilperson and vice mayor of Hillsboro, Va., a tiny town 50 miles west of Washington, D.C.

She is credited with helping transform Hillsboro from a place that commuters whizzed through five days per week to a vibrant destination and safer community.

“We reinvented the town. We put in a traffic-calming system, safe drinking water and made the town pedestrian-friendly,” she said.

Jones said she is supporting both Saliba and Marasco.

“It is quite apparent [Saliba’s] ideas have been good for the city,” Jones said. “I was honored to have worked with him. He is a smart cookie.”

“We definitely need what [Marasco] brings,” Jones continued. “I’ve watched her on the planning commission. She is a real asset.”

At the March 1 budget workshop, Williams praised Jones for her passion.

“She works hard to address concerns on a personal level, and I very much respect that,” he said. “I hope she continues to show interest and contribute as she has in the past. There comes a point when personal things take precedence, and I’m proud of her for realizing that this is the time to step away.”

Candidate filing forms will be accepted until Thursday, April 4.

The Lewes Board of Public Works is also accepting candidate forms until April 4 for three open seats. Incumbents Tom Panetta, Earl Webb and Richard Nichols have all filed for re-election.