REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Rehoboth Beach has found its new City Manager in Laurence Christian. The City says that he was enthusiastically voted in by the Board of Commissioners Wednesday morning.
According to the City, after a 23-year career as a U.S. Army Officer, Christian ran the municipality of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania for the past three years, a community of around 33,000, about 10 miles south of Pittsburgh.
“Laurence certainly distinguished himself among the candidates we considered,” says Mayor Stan Mills, “and we’re excited about the new ideas he will bring with him. He joins the city at a pivotal time as we are awaiting certification and implementation of our comprehensive development plan, finalizing designs for a new beach patrol/public restroom building as well as streetscaping of Wilmington and Baltimore avenues, and, of course, we’ll soon be developing next year’s budget and capital improvement plan. We’re confident that Laurence’s previous professional experiences and commitment to community engagement will allow him to integrate smoothly into his new role as Rehoboth Beach’s city manager. He has our full support and confidence.”
The City says that during his time in the Army, Christian was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times, most recently serving as Infantry Brigade deputy commander/chief of staff at Fort Benning, Georgia. According to the City, Christian has had experience leading groups ranging from 30 to 1,700 personnel. During his time as senior leader of operations, personnel, training, and logistics at Fort Benning, he helped manage a 730-person organization in direct support of national strategic objectives.
According to the City, after Christian retired in 2019, he became one of the only 14 people selected to take part in the International City/County Management Association's Veterans Local Government Management Fellowship cohort, which is meant to prepare veterans for local leadership roles. Through that program, the City says he became an intern/military fellow with the city manager's office in Columbus, Georgia.
Christian currently oversees 108 employees, both full- and part-time in Bethel Park, including a $32 million annual budget. They say he established information technology and human resources departments there, and created a cross-divisional communications team to help with resident engagement and communication. He also created the municipality's first ever council vision statement and corresponding mission statement, values, and guiding principals, which are focused on residents, business friendly, and inclusive.
“I am both humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to working with our board of commissioners, staff, and residents,” Christian says. “Rehoboth Beach is a gem, both as a charming summer getaway destination and a year-round, inclusive place to call home. It was amazing to listen to the commissioners’ vision for moving the community forward, and I’m excited to engage with residents and collaborate with staff to refine and implement that vision.”
The City says Christian has a bachelor’s degree in history from Campbell University and a master’s degree in general administration from Central Michigan University. They also say he also attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and he holds local government certification from the International City/County Management Association. The City says that Christian's annual salary in Rehoboth Beach will be $160,000.
The City says that Christian will be filling the spot of former City Manager Sharon Lynn, who resigned in April after eight years of service. Christian is one of 70 people who applied for the position.
According to the City, Christian will be moving to Delaware with his wife, Anne Marie, and their three children ages 10, 8, and 6. Christian is expected to begin his new role in Rehoboth Beach January 3.