REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Tensions inside Rehoboth Beach City Hall escalated during the March 9 commissioners meeting when Commissioner Susan Stewart publicly accused fellow Commissioner Suzanne Goode of a prolonged pattern of misconduct.
During the meeting, Stewart outlined allegations she said span from September 2023 to now.
"I want to address something that is very troubling and I think the time has come that commissioners need to speak out about this. What I'm about to describe is documented, has been formally responded to by the city, and directly affects this body's ability to serve our residents," Stewart said.
Stewart alleged that Goode’s communications included racially and sexually demeaning remarks about city staff and officials, statements she said meet the legal element of defamation under Delaware law, harassment targeting city staff and commissioners based on religion, and demeaning references to disabled family members of other commissioners.
Stewart also claimed the communications included false allegations of corruption and collusion against the mayor and other commissioners, dereliction of duties as an elected leader, and solicited outside interference in city operations.
According to Stewart, the city issued multiple formal cease-and-desist letters, but the conduct continued.
"It’s only escalated. That matters, because it tells us this is not inadvertent. It is deliberate," Stewart said.
Stewart called for greater transparency and requested the city publish Goode’s full email record through a link on the city website, saying the communications are already public records subject to Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act.
"This will not disclose anything private, it will simply make it easy for any resident who cares to see what’s happening to our city staff, come to their own conclusion," Stewart said. "The public deserves to hear Suzanne in her own words."
Stewart also urged commissioners to consider a formal reprimand in the future.
"Policy decisions and differences are one thing. Repeated harassment, we saw some of it here today, so I am employing other commissioners – I know it’s nice to be liked and not to stand out – we have a moral and legal obligation to protect the people that work for this city. And we need to stand up and we need to do it now," Stewart said.
Rehoboth Beach City Manager Taylour Tedder said he has not seen a situation like this before. “I really haven't seen anything like that before, it's not normal,” Tedder said.
Goode denied the allegations and said she was “blindsided” by Stewart’s statements. “Everything she said is untrue, outrageous and fabricated,” Goode said.
When asked whether action should be taken against Goode, Tedder said the emails referenced during the meeting raise concerns. “I think the emails speak for themselves and definitely suggest that,” Tedder said. Goode acknowledged she may have made comments after a previous complaint was filed against her that can be misconstrued. “When they filed a complaint against me previously I got upset and may have said things they can construe as attacking their personality or personal habits,” Goode said.
Tedder also pointed to language in the emails he described as inappropriate. “Calling me a derogatory term, the mayor's whore, which I don't think is a professional way to put something, talking badly about an employee's religion,” Tedder said.
Goode said her comment referring to Tedder as the “mayor’s whore” was taken out of context and said the email had been misinterpreted. “The problem is that it’s an email from February 2025, when I used the third person and referenced how other people might term it,” Goode said. “Tedder crossed a line by not acknowledging the subjective tense and the way it was phrased.”
Tedder specifically referenced an email in which Goode wrote to Rehoboth Beach City Solicitor Lisa Borin Ogden: “I am sorry that I learned from Google when you first interviewed in spring 2025 that you are Jewish. My opinion of my fellow Jews declined significantly thanks to you since last summer.”
Goode denied the comments were racist.
“I don't think a Jewish person can discriminate against another Jewish person,” Goode said. “I was saying that I was hoping you would show more compassion, knowing you're Jewish. It was hard for me to see how uncompassionate you've been toward me.” Goode also said she believes the city is attempting to force her out of office. “It’s a concerted effort to sideline me because I have been calling for accountability and oversight, which they don't want,” she said.
Goode said she does not believe her comments were discriminatory. “I’m not a discriminatory person. I’m not a person who discriminates,” Goode said.
Tedder said city employees want to feel supported in their workplace. “I think all employees do not want to work in a hostile work environment. They want to feel supported,” Tedder said. “Ultimately, one of our commissioners had the courage to do that and speak up and speak out, which feels good as an employee, and I'm not just talking about myself.”
As previously reported, a July 18 meeting at Rehoboth Beach City Hall, meant to address civility and protocol among city officials, instead highlighted claims of unprofessional behavior by some officials toward Commissioner Suzanne Goode. Goode said the exchange prompted multiple phone calls to City Manager Taylour Tedder.
At this time, the city has not added a link to Goode’s emails on the city’s website. CoastTV has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the emails.
