The City of Lewes is preparing to launch two separate investigations, one involving controversy inside city hall, including questions surrounding a deleted public meeting video.
Two investigations involving Lewes City Hall have brought to light concerns about harassment and transparency. An anonymous staffer accused City Hall of fostering a toxic work environment in an open letter. A separate investigation was filed and publicly announced by Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe and Deputy City Manager Janet Reeves, who accused Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba of harassment and retaliation. Questions about transparency also arose surrounding the temporary removal of an HPARC meeting recording from May 7. The Lewes building official ultimately told CoastTV that he requested the recording’s removal following comments that criticized not only a councilman who was up for re-election two days later, but also the building official himself, who had already filed a personnel complaint.
The City of Lewes building official says the temporary removal of a Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission meeting video was tied to a formal complaint and concerns about employee rights, not an effort to limit transparency.
The staffer described working in Lewes City Hall as "full of negativity and toxicity."
Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe and Deputy City Manager Janet Reeves have filed formal workplace harassment, bullying, retaliation and discrimination complaints against Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba, alleging what they describe as a prolonged pattern of hostile behavior within city government.