LEWES, Del. - 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.
In a statement released on Tuesday evening, Lewes Building Official Jon Ward personally addressed growing questions surrounding the removal of the May 7 HPARC meeting video from the city’s website shortly before the recent Lewes City Council election.
"The temporary removal of the video was related to the protection of my rights as a City employee and to a formal complaint I had filed," said Ward. "The matter was not intended to limit public discussion, restrict transparency, or influence any public process."
Ward said the video’s temporary removal was to prevent a sway in a decision of a personnel complaint that was filed prior to May 7.
“The matter was not intended to limit public discussion, restrict transparency, or influence any public process," said Ward.
The controversy stems from comments made during an HPARC meeting in April 2026 by former HPARC Chair Kevin Mallinson, who criticized city leadership and council operations, including Ward and Councilman Joe Elder who was re-elected to council two days after the meeting.
Ward said he previously raised workplace-related concerns through city channels on two separate occasions involving conduct connected to HPARC proceedings. He also stated that comments made during the May meeting referring to the building official were “inappropriate in light of that prior history.”
According to Ward, he raised concerns with the city solicitor after the meeting and requested an independent review by outside legal counsel the following day.
“City employees should be able to perform their duties professionally and without unnecessary public disparagement,” Ward said. “At the same time, the public is entitled to transparency and accountability. These principles can and should coexist.”
Ward said he will cooperate fully with any independent legal review involving the video, the complaint and the city’s handling of the matter. It is still unclear who actually took the video down.
Meanwhile, an open letter from a staffer in city hall is raising new concerns about alleged is raising new concerns about alleged toxicity and employee treatment.
