Small Town News

Making choices for the Lewes elections

---

Thirty years ago in Lewes, town leaders at election time would flip coins and draw straws. Whoever lost the toss or drew the short straw would have to serve for another year or find someone else to fill volunteer positions on Lewes Council or the Board of Public Works. That's not exactly the case, but it's not far from the truth either.

This year things are much different. With a large pool of accomplished retirees living in town and taking an active interest in their community, many good candidates are vying for elected office. That's good news for the town. Contested elections mean issues get aired and discussed. On Saturday, voters will go to two separate polls inside City Hall to cast ballots for two city council seats and two Board of Public Works seats.

For city council, Victor Letonoff is seeking re-election and deserves another term. He takes a keen interest in all city affairs, studies issues carefully and attends all meetings to hear citizen viewpoints. Incumbency brings the advantage of familiarity with issues. Letonoff's level headedness is an asset that

shouldn't be lost.

Choosing between Fred Beaufait and Midge Smith for the other seat is tough. Both bring excellent credentials and have proven effective and committed in volunteer initiatives. However, one issue marks a clear difference. Smith is a firm supporter of hiring a certified planner to help the town deal with issues inside and outside municipal boundaries. She feels the position is important for a town experiencing growth pressure and suggests that grant money and other funds could be found to finance the position.

Beaufait, on the contrary, feels that Lewes is mostly already developed and doesn't have the need or money for a planner. If you feel Lewes needs a full-time planner, go with Smith. If you feel the town can manage without a planner, go with Beaufait.

For the two Board of Public Works seats, Candace Vessella and Pres Lee stand out in a strong field. Vessella's management, government and regulatory experience would be beneficial for the public works board, and Lee's civil engineering background and volunteer work for the city make him a good fit.

Cape Gazette editorials are considered and written by members of the Cape Gazette editorial board which includes Dennis Forney, publisher; Trish Vernon, editor Dave Frederick, sports editor; Laura Ritter, news editor; and Jen Ellingsworth, arts and entertainment editor.





© 2011 Cape Gazette Lewes, Delaware. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from Cape Gazette