Rehoboth commissioners to discuss city manager contract July 8

Spurred by complaints from concerned citizens, the Delaware Attorney General’s Office determined Rehoboth Beach officials violated the Freedom of Information Act several times during the process of hiring Taylour Tedder earlier this year.

Deputy Attorney General Dorey L. Cole issued her opinion June 26. As part of that opinion, Cole recommended commissioners discuss Tedder’s contract, including the compensation package, and ratify the vote associated with the contract at a future meeting held in compliance with FOIA’s open meeting requirements.

Commissioners have scheduled a special meeting for that discussion for 2 p.m., Monday, July 8.

After a months-long nationwide search, the city announced the hiring of Tedder in early April. Among other things, his contract calls for a $250,000 annual salary, plus $50,000 in moving expenses and a $750,000 home loan that will be forgiven in full if he stays for seven years. He was also not required to live within city limits and is allowed to remain an adjunct professor at Wichita State University. Tedder filled the office of former City Manager Laurence Christian, who left in early November after 10 months. Christian had a salary of $160,000, with none of the additional benefits.

The hiring of Tedder was announced about one month after city commissioners approved a $38.7 million budget for a fiscal year that began April 1. The budget included an increase in property taxes, parking rates, rental taxes, wastewater meter fees and a future increase to mercantile license fees to close a deficit in excess of $4 million.