Rehoboth sees dip in parking-related revenue this summer

Following a record-setting year in 2022, parking-related revenue in Rehoboth Beach dipped slightly in 2023.

According to Parking Supervisor June Embert, the city saw about $7.83 million in parking revenue from meters and permits in 2022. Revenue was about $7.45 million this summer, she said during a commissioner meeting Oct. 20.

The use of quarters to pay for parking continues to decline, and so does the need for coin machines. According to Embert, the city saw $1.6 million in coin revenue in 2016 and just $125,000 in 2023. Additionally, she said, coin machine usage was a little more than $35,000 in 2021, but only $14,000 in 2023.

Due to the continued decrease in the usage of coins, Embert said the city will begin phasing out coin machines over the next two summers because it will be cost prohibitive to replace them. The city’s two coin machines are nearing the end of their useful lives, and it will cost $90,000 to replace each one, which doesn’t make sense, she said. In an Oct. 25 email following the meeting, Lynne Coan, city spokesperson, said Embert misspoke about the cost to replace the coin machine. Coan said the cost to replace the machine is about about $9,500.

Embert said the city continues to see challenges around town – parking at the fishing pier, confusion about the ocean block of Lake Avenue, homeowners using right-of-way for their personal parking, the Deauville Beach parking lot, people backing into metered parking and people entering the wrong license plate when paying at meters.

Rehoboth Beach Patrol Capt. Jeff Giles said this summer was a good one. However, he said, there was a drowning over Labor Day weekend. That weekend was one of the toughest weekends to guard in his experience because the weather was great and the beach was packed, but the water was extremely rough, said Giles.

The drowning occurred 20 minutes after the lifeguards were off duty, but they all returned. With the help of lifeguards from Dewey Beach and Delaware State Parks, they searched arm-in-arm until 9 p.m., said Giles. It was a reality check for many of the lifeguards, he said.

“We made it a learning point, and they learned a lot that day,” said Giles.

Looking to next year, Giles said, he expects many lieutenants and sergeants to leave because they’ll have graduated college and won’t have summers off anymore. That said, he continued, there are many three- and four-year lifeguards returning next year and they’ll be in good shape.

Similar to his midseason report, Police Chief Keith Banks said the department continues to face staffing issues in the 911 call center and for seasonal officers. This puts a strain on the staff and officers because there are more events than ever taking place that need police support, he said, listing off Boardwalk events, support when President Joe Biden is in town, Fourth of July fireworks, the Bandstand, farmers markets and Sea Witch.

The police department will man those events, and it’s willing to pay, but it does take a toll, he said.

Banks said there continue to be complaints about marijuana usage, but it’s hard to enforce unless they see someone smoking it. Also, he said, people are more confrontational than ever before.

Banks said there were 126 traffic accidents this summer, but most of them – 79 – were related to parking incidents. Another third, he said, were near the post office.

Finally, Public Works Director Kevin Williams said his department was able to maintain staffing levels through the summer using an incentive program that gives a bonus if an employee stays on through the entire summer.

The recycling program on the Boardwalk improved slightly, but contamination rates remained high.

Williams said water usage was down, but wastewater usage was up. 

“Most notably, it was all kept in the pipes,” said Williams.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the correct amount of money it would cost to replace one of the coin machines.