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.
An independent investigation into the temporary removal of a Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission meeting video from the City of Lewes website is expected to be completed Friday, July 10, but it remains unclear whether the public will ever see the findings.
Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe admitted she ordered staff to remove a controversial public meeting video from the city’s website just one day before the recent Lewes City Council election.
McCabe refused to answer any questions asked by CoastTV News.
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.
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.
