Editor’s note: This letter was sent to Sen. Russ Huxtable and Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall with a copy to the Cape Gazette for publication.
The Rehoboth Beach Board of Mayor and Commissioners voted April 6 to forward a proposed package of city charter amendments to the state legislature.
As our state Senate and House representatives, this legislative effort will be in your hands. As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to delete the proposed restrictions on who is eligible to run for election as a city commissioner.
In my opinion, this is anti-democratic and probably unconstitutional. Without question it is a petty, vengeful, bullying action aimed at punishing one specific Rehoboth Beach family. Last year, sitting Commissioner Suzanne Goode’s husband ran for a commissioner’s seat. Rehoboth Beach voters had the final say, and he was defeated decisively. When voters elect candidates for office, that is called the democratic process.
Now, because a majority among the current mayor and commissioners personally dislike Commissioner Goode, both because of what she stands for and the way she conducts herself, they have decided to waste time chasing a charter amendment to prohibit persons who cohabitate from running for election to the commission if their spouse/partner/significant other is already serving on it. Such a scenario has happened once in the history of Rehoboth Beach, and what are the odds that it will ever happen again?
Some commissioners have described this proposal as a safeguard against nepotism or undue influence via pillow talk. These things also have the potential to occur when spouses and partners of sitting commissioners are appointed to city boards, committees and judicial bodies, which has happened before in Rehoboth Beach.
If you are not willing to delete the proposals regarding candidate qualifications, I urge you to add language applying the same restrictions prohibiting persons who cohabitate with a sitting commissioner or mayor from serving on other Rehoboth Beach citizen committees.
This candidate qualification issue has been brewed in a conflict of local personalities, and you have better things to spend time addressing. Just before the commissioners voted, the instigator of the provision said she would be satisfied to withdraw it, but that went nowhere.
My purpose is not to defend Suzanne and Jeffrey Goode, but rather to stand up for basic democratic principles.
I think other proposed charter changes that deal with taxing authority are overly broad and have not been adequately vetted; they should be shelved pending a more thorough airing by Rehoboth Beach citizens. Thank you for considering my views.
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