Having been a public servant/elected official for almost 20 years (and a part-time resident of Rehoboth Beach for over 35), I was delighted to receive a mailing recently from city commission candidate Rachel Macha indicating she was putting her hat in the ring once again this year. I feel it’s important for all citizens to get engaged in this way.
However, upon further review of her current candidacy - and trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, I became extremely disappointed in her continuing lack of transparency. I had hoped she had learned lessons from last year when important questions were asked.
What are we to believe? Ms. Macha seems to be trying to have it both ways, and she owes the voters of our city an explanation. For example, her campaign website states, “I have been a Rehoboth Beach resident for 21 years…”. And yet, I have been informed she is registered to vote in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and that when she filed to run for office her proof of identity was her Florida driver’s license. So which is it? Is she a Rehoboth Beach resident or a Florida resident?
We all know a candidate does not have to be a full-time resident of Rehoboth Beach to be a commissioner, but every candidate does have to be truthful with the voters! If Rachel can’t be truthful with us about this important element, how are we to believe anything else she says?
And this conflict in her account of her residence raises another question for me and others: If she is going to spend a great deal of time in Florida every winter, as she has apparently done before, how can she possibly be an effective and responsible commissioner? In recent history, even those commissioners who are declared nonresidents have been in Rehoboth for commission meetings, committee meetings, etc. to listen to us (their constituents) and to know the latest developments on city issues. How can Rachel do that from nearly 800 miles away?
We need city commissioners who are in constant personal contact with us, not their friends in Florida. We need commissioners who are responsive to the residents and businesses in Rehoboth Beach, not Ponte Vedra. We do not need absentee commissioners.
Ms. Macha, please answer these questions!
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