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8 - CAPE G.EI'IWE, Friday, Jmxuaz'T 10 - January 16, 199"/
Continued from page 6
brought George Smith to my front
door, stood there with Smith a few
steps behind and to the fight, and
brazenly asked me to vote for
Smith. Smith uttered not one
word. In addition, I personally ob-
served Stango putting up election
signs for Smith, Ford and Pratt.
How much more obvious could
the connection be?
It is astonishing and distressing
to learn that Smith, Ford and Pratt
want to change the city charter,
just now, obviously so that Smith
can vote twice for his candidate
Gooch for police chief. Appoint-
ing him and subsequently voting
for him in order to break a tie is
indeed double voting and must not
be permitted. That's just not hon-
est, and Smith knows it. So, too,
do Ford, Pratt, Steen and Bisbee.
The Lewes Personnel Planning
and Review Committee which
proposes the charter change was
stacked by Smith and is made up
of his favorite council pair, Steen,
a lawyer under contract to the city,
and Bisbee, a full-time employee
of the city. (Oh, Smith put Shee-
han on the committee to make it
look good, knowing full well that
the vote would be 4-1, which it
was.)
Steen and Bisbee don't even
live or pay taxes in Lewes, for
heaven's sakes. How in the world
can they ethically and morally
serve on a committee to establish
policy for the town. What a trav-
esty that is. They have no business
being on any committee. People
who live and pay taxes in Lewes
should be named to policy com-
mittees. Lawyer Steen should give
legal advice - as is appropriate -
and nothing more. Smith knows
that, too.
Mayor Smith had an opportuni-
ty to do great things for Lewes and
he has failed miserably. Now he
should stop being so selfish and
stubborn and should appoint a
candidate for police chief who
would be acceptable to all, and
Ford and Pratt should stop abet-
ting Smith in his shenanigans.
Ford admits Gooch is not quali-
fied when he lists things that
Gooch must accomplish in six
months.
Gooch has had years to better
himself professionally and has not
done so. What makes Ford think
he'll do it now within six months?
Who's kidding whom? Why are
these people so obstinately op-
posed to hiring a professionally
trained and well-qualified police
chief?. It's time for compromise,
mediation, or something other
than a bull-headed stalemate
which is not helping Lewes at all,
but rather doing a great deal of
harm. Pratt's verbose, vitriolic, vi-
tuperative and petty attack on
Kevin Moore is reprehensible,
undignified and out of order. Pratt
is struggling to defend himself
and can do so only by viciously
striking out at an upright citizen of
Lewes. Pratt claims he represents
the majority of voters. However,
he'fails to recognize (or else hopes
we won't realize) that as an in-
cumbent running in the last elec-
tion, he defeated Judson Bennett,
who was running for the first time,
by a mere 27 - yes, only 27 votes.
That's not a majority by any
means. What's more, Pratt accus-
es Moore of insulting Steen and
Bisbee by saying they are "mind-
less or spineless." I don't read that
anywhere in Moore's letter. I'm
sure, also, that Moore's opinions
are shared by more than just a
"few" of us, as Pratt would have
us believe.
Pratt says Moore should be con-
structive. Why then is Pratt not
more constructive and less per-
sonally motivated? Why doesn't
he do more for the town and pay
less attention to his own ego.
Pratt's letter to the editor was not
a proper opinion piece, but rather
he used it as an instrument.to
mount his scurrilous attack on
Kevin Moore.
Finally, I, too, will be among
those who oppose the charter
change when it is presented and
will speak out loudly and clearly. I
cannot stand dishonesty in any
form, and there's plenty of it in
our city government at the present
time.
Mabes Morrill
Lewes
In response to
letter from Anthony
This is a rebuttal to the com-
ments made by Richard Anthony
in his very lengthy letter pub-
lished by the Cape Gazette on
Dec. 20. Mr. Anthony cites his ex-
perience in the field of eldercare
and I also have been involved as
an advocate for the elderly in the
State of Delaware for 14 years. I
take issue with some of his objec-
tions to the Assisted Living Pro-
ject to be constructed on Route 1
and County Road 270A.
Assisted living facilities are
subject to many state rules and
regulations and more stringent
guidelines are being developed by
the Division of Services for Aging
and Adults with Physical Disabili-
ties. Our emergency services in
this area are excellent and staffed
by many dedicated professionals
and volunteers. The sub-station,
with an ambulance is located only
a short distance from this pro-
posed project.
I feel the tone of Mr. Anthony's
letter was very condescending
with regard to my comments be-
fore County Council. It also
seemed to be very derogatory to
the developers. He evidently is
joined by Ms. Mable Granke in
his opposition. I find this just a lit-
tle strange. On March 21, 1995,
Ms. Granke and I were partici-
pants in the Governor's Confer-
ence on Aging. At that time, she
and I discussed the great need for
a project such as this in our area.
She also said she had her eye on
a piece of property, located on
Route 1 between Rehoboth and
Dewey Beach that would be per-
fect. I agreed with Ms. Granke
that this location would be excel-
lent, but unfortunately neither she
nor I had the several million dol-
lars the owner wanted for this
property, nor had we the expertise
to get this project off the ground.
Now we have a local developer,
who builds a first-class complex
(East Atlantic Apartments), has
the expertise tO make this project
happen, and the many approvals
needed. Personally, that is enough
for me and for the more than 400
citizens who signed the petitions.
I agree with Ms. Granke and
Mr. Anthony that there might be a
more desirable site in Sussex
County, but is it so strange that the
senior citizens, who make their
home in the beach area, would
like to be near family and friends
as they grow older and more in-
firm?
I must admit that I voiced an ob-
jection to the East Atlantic Apart-
ments due to a traffic problem on
Route 1 and the north end of Road
270. However, there have been no
problems and the developers
erected a most attractive complex.
Ms. Granke wholeheartedly
supported the apartment complex
and I fail to see the difference.
One project is for moderate in-
come families, the other for senior
citizens. It seems that the develop-
ers are trying to serve both ends of
society. They deserve support,
and not continued criticism and
objections.
Lucien Ferguson
Lewes
More comments on
Silver Lake easement
In response to the Coast Press
editorial and forum on Silver Lake
access dated Jan. 1, 1997, we en-
joyed bringing in the new year in
our coast town, but not with the
biased editorial it projected acting
as public relations for the petition-
ers. In an earlier publication itstat-
ed that litter and crime have been
a problem there.
We asked it to retract this state-
ment as no research was made as
to the dates of these occurrences.
As to this writing we cannot find
any criminal occurrences on the
Silver Lake easement or to the
homes of petitioners. We have re-
quested in writing through Judge
Graves any relevant evidence of
crime in this area. In regard to the
trash problem, we walked daily in
August, prime season time, noting
no litter. As for dogs relieving
themselves, Mr. Houlon can ask
his own neighbors to the right
with the "Beware of Dog" sign, or
to his left with two beautiful gold-
en retrievers with freedom to run.
We have been falsely accused of
being unfair and untrue in our
statements and questions asked.
We have researched all details
with many full time residents, lo-
cal officials, and county officials
with little time. A few points of
concern in Mr. Houlon's letter
needs a response: How can one
say keeping the access path open
to the public will "degrade the
area", while all access paths to the
ocean have not degraded our area.
These public paths are an essential
access to the beauty that abounds
us in this community.
A statement, "there was no "re-
al' public access made." "No
Trespassing" signs were posted by
owners, a huge driveway gate
erected beyond owners property
line with "Beware of Dog" sign
posted and four foot brambles
growing, how could anyone in-
trude on this passage? "Imagine
our shock and dismay" in regard
to property lines and the fight of
way easement. Every homeowner
has a survey and title search when
purchasing property. Some of
these homes were recently con-
structed. How did the recent sur-
veyors establish property lines?
We need this small portion of the
south shore of Silver Lake to com-
plete a circle to stroll around "all
shores" of the lake and to also
safely access the Rehoboth
Boards. Mr. Houlon also notes
that by selling this beautiful
shoreline, the public would ensure
that the "ecology of the delicate
shoreline will be preserved."
How can this happen with four
private boats stored for the winter
and presently lying on the shore-
line with great damage to the sea
grass existing and party decks ex-
tending on the shores.
We have been falsely accused
of being unfair and untrue in our
statements and questions asked. I
delivered our statements in front
of the judge at the Dec. 20 hear-
ing. Why weren't you heard?
The public access path presents
wildlife opportunities to be expe-
rienced by this generation as well
as our future generations and pro-
vides the circle needed to stroll
around all shores of Silver Lake.
Over several dozen letters were
received with 166 signatures in
opposition to selling out for
$50,000.
Please continue to write your
sincere feelings to Superior Court
of the State of Delaware, Pro-
thonotary Office, P.O. Box 756,
Georgetown, DE 19947, referring
to CA#96M-10-01. Put us on your
calendar for March 6, 1997, for
the public open forum court hear-
ing in Georgetown. See you there!
Martha Tillman
Dewey Beach
Nursing School thank all
Beebe School of Nursing stu-
dents recently held a candy
fundraiser which was greatly sup-
ported by local residents and
Beebe Medical Center staff.
A portion of the fundraiser prof-
it has been used to support chil-
dren and families at the Sussex
County Consortium this holiday
season. The nursing students
would like to extend their heartfelt
appreciation to the Rehoboth K-
Mart store, especially to Tom
Usher, general manager of the
store and to assisting staff Ann
Powell and Suzanne Ostan, who
provided a generous discount on
all purchases for the Consortium.
The discount allowed the stu-
dents to purchase more gifts for
the children and their families
than the students had anticipated.
Maureen Leary
Public Relations,
Beebe Medical Center
Labor ruling favors
Rehoboth police;
city to appeal
By Rosanne Pack
If a recent Public Employees
Relations Board (PERB) ruling
stands, sergeants of the Rehoboth
Beach Police Department have
won the fight to be represented in
the same union bargaining unit
with officers of lesser rank, if they
elect to affiliate with a labor
union.
The Delaware PERB issued a
ruling earlier this week, clearing
the way for the current 17 officers
below the rank of chief of police
to vote as one group in an up-com-
ing election to determine if they
will be represented by the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Teamsters,
Public Employees Division. Be-
fore a city objection led to a PERB
hearing in December, the majority
of Rehoboth officers had signed
letters of intent requesting an elec-
tion to join the IBT Local 326.
According to Deborah Murray-
Sheppard, principal assistant/hear-
ing officer for PERB, an election
can be scheduled within 30 days
of issuance of the ruling unless an
appeal is filed. Murray-Sheppard
was the hearing officer and author
of the ruling.
City to appeal
Gregory Ferrese, city manager,
said that an appeal will be filed be-
fore the Monday, Jan. 13 deadline.
He said he and Walter Speakman,
city attorney, feel that an appeal is
justified.
"We still take the position that
sergeants are supervisors" he said.
• "We will appeal to the full board,
and not just appear before a hear-
ing conducted by one person."
Contacted Wednesday, Jan. 8,
Mayor Sam Cooper said he had
not read the ruling that was issued
Monday, Jan. 6. Because of the
short time span allowed to file an
appeal, seven days from the date
of the ruling, he said it is neces-
sary for the city manager to make
a decision. The full board of com-
missioners has not been contacted
on the issue.
"They put you in the position of
having to give a quick decision,"
Cooper said. "This is not commit-
ring the city to much in the way of
time and legal fees anyway."
The City of Rehoboth Beach ob-
jects to sergeants of the police de-
partment being represented along
with officers of lower rank, saying
that they are too often in a supervi-
sory capacity. Ferrese and Speak-
man presented the city's position
at a Dec. 3 hearing.
Included in their arguments was
the opinion that sergeants are fre-
quently responsible for evaluating
and recommending merit increas-
es as well as recommending disci-
plinary actions for lower ranked
officers.
In making an appeal, Ferrese
said that the city will emphasize
what it feels to be the most valid
objections to all officers under the
Continued on page 13