Information is the antidote for rumors

As a new $20 million City Hall takes shape in Rehoboth Beach, city officials await final permits for the city's $52 million wastewater outfall.

Together these two projects represent major investments in the future of Rehoboth and its infrastructure – they are certainly the largest investments in recent memory.

Major projects that incur major expenses always attract naysayers – in this case, from those opposed to infrastructure spending to others who say the outfall will put ocean wildlife and city beaches at risk.

Questions have long been raised about the outfall; plans were delayed for years as state officials searched for alternatives. Even today, the permits await final approval.

Meanwhile, city officials have run into a long list of change orders that have raised the cost of the new City Hall from an estimated $18 million to more than $20 million.

Citizens and officials have raised questions about cost overruns – not only about their number but also about the change-order approval process.

A majority of voters supports both of these projects; voters approved separate referendums allowing the city to finance each one.

At the same time, like citizens everywhere, Rehoboth residents demand transparency. They want to see for themselves how their money is spent so they can hold city government responsible for spending it properly.

In responding to criticism of the outfall project, even Mayor Sam Cooper said part of the problem seemed to be misinformation. Why not counteract misinformation by providing weekly updates on construction costs and problems as they emerge?

As city officials debated these two projects, they also hired a spokeswoman to manage communications. Spokeswoman Krys Johnson – or even Cooper himself – should offer weekly updates to quell rumors and answer questions.

These are large, complex projects. Frequent, open communication as they progress would go a long way toward building public confidence in city government and its infrastructure.