REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Suzanne Goode said transparency, fiscal oversight and infrastructure improvements will be the cornerstones of her campaign for mayor.
Goode, who was elected commissioner in 2024, is focused on increasing public involvement in city government and curbing what she describes as excessive spending by city leadership.
"I am seeking radical transparency, to replace the current closed-door governance," Goode said.
Goode proposes a series of referendums that would give taxpayers more control over major city decisions.
- The Executive Mandate: A referendum to amend the charter to return executive power and accountability directly to the people. At present, there is little oversight by the Board of Commissioners over spending decisions, which therefore are executed largely by the city manager and his top administrators.
- The Transparency Mandate: A referendum to prohibit the negotiation of executive compensation packages in closed-door executive sessions.
- The Direct Democracy Mandate: A referendum giving citizens the legal right to trigger a mandatory public vote on any municipal expenditure or master-planning contract exceeding $1 million. I proposed such a mandate earlier this year in public session, but was unable to get backing from my colleagues.
- The Accountability Mandate: A referendum establishing a strict, publicly auditable competitive bidding process for all consulting and master-planning contracts like Reimagine Rehoboth
Goode said one of her most immediate concerns is what she views as neglected infrastructure throughout the city like uneven sidewalks, aging stormwater pipes, aging water mains and aging sewer mains.
Before joining the Board of Commissioners, Goode said she became involved in local issues as a full-time Rehoboth Beach homeowner after moving to the city in 2017. Goode said her previous experience in finance has shaped her approach to city government.
"My background in economic consulting makes me well-suited to the cost-benefit analysis needed to make sound decisions on behalf of taxpayers on all issues which come before the board," said Goode.
Therefore, a major focus of her campaign is city spending. Goode has frequently criticized budget growth, employee benefit increases and borrowing approved during her time on the commission.
"Rehoboth does not have a revenue problem so much as a spending problem," she said.
Goode said that in her time as commissioner, she has spearheaded the effort to reject the county's $20M proposal to send up to 5 million gallons/day of treated effluent to the ocean outfall off of Deauville Beach.
When it came to the hiring of a new city manager, Taylour Tedder, Goode raised concerns about how the decision was made and how much was spent in
However, Goode's time in city hall has been met with opposition from fellow Commissioner Susan Stewart. The two had a public dispute at the March 9 commissioners meeting. During that meeting, Stewart accused Goode of a prolonged pattern of misconduct dating back to September 2023.
"The establishment, including Commissioner Stewart, used selective, out-of-context emails and anecdotal evidence to portray me in a false light because they are terrified of democracy and transparency," said Goode. "They want to talk about out-of-context emails; I want to talk about why they have blown out the budget by 30 percent while reducing the beach size to 75 percent of what it was."
Stewart is also running for the mayor. The Rehoboth Beach municipal election will take place on Aug. 8.
