Dewey Beach Residents to Elect Two New Commissioners

Kris Appel, 46 A resident of Baltimore, Md., and a Dewey Beach seasonal resident and homeowner for 12 years; founder and president of Encore Path, a company that develops stroke rehabilitation technologies; worked for 17 years for the U.S. Department of Defense National Security Agency. An election judge in Maryland and active in Maryland political issues and fundraising efforts, served on the executive board for the nonprofit National Academy Foundation, and founded The Apple Harvest Giving Circle, which raises money for other charities. Married to husband Steve for 16 years.

“I’m asking Dewey Beach voters to cast one vote for one independent voice.”
Call Appel at 410-790-8255 or email kappel1@earthlink.net

Marc Appelbaum, 53
A resident of Chevy Chase, Md., bought a condominium in Dewey Beach 25 years ago and stays there with his family for much of the summer season. Retired after selling his business, Kemp Mill Music, permitting time and commitment to being a commissioner. A volunteer at his children’s public schools, he has served on Dewey Beach Budget and Finance Committee since February.
Married to Liz for 19 years, with two children, ages 17 and 15.

“I will preserve and protect the Dewey Beach way of life we all love.”
Call Appelbaum at 301-613-0339 or email map12@verizon.net

Marty Seitz, 64
A resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, Bought a Dewey Beach vacation and rental condo in 1999.
A part-time consultant after retiring as a scientist working in research in energy technologies and consulting on advanced technology and energy use. Was president of Maryland community association of 425 homes after serving in various capacities on zoning and planning committees and served on advisory boards to the Montgomery County Executive for Public Safety and Welfare and for development of the Silver Spring business district. Married to wife Marilyn 40 years and has two adult children.

“I will maintain the Dewey community and plan for responsible growth.”
Call Seitz at 240-274-7188 or email mgseitz36@yahoo.com

Dewey Beach voters will head to the polls Saturday, Sept. 20, to elect two new commissioners to town council.

Three candidates are on the ballot, Kris Appel, Mark Appelbaum and Mark Seitz.
Commissioners Claire Walsh and Dale Cooke last month announced they would not seek re-election this year, leaving two open seats on the council.

The polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Dewey Beach Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave.

Residents of Dewey Beach and property owners, holders of leases of five years or longer and nonresident trust holders of recorded trusts for property in Dewey Beach are eligible to vote.

The ballot will also contain two referendum questions. The first asks voters to approve a charter ammendment to establish an accommodations tax to be paid by tenants renting or leasing residential property in Dewey Beach; the second seeks approval of a charter amendment consistent with current code requirements, not to exceed 35 feet in height.

Following the election, the newly elected commissioners will be sworn in at an organizational meeting Friday, Sept. 26, and will serve two-year terms ending in 2010.

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Q & A with the candidates – in their own words

If you’re elected, what do you consider your greatest responsibility, and how do you propose to meet it?

Kris Appel: The greatest responsibility I face is managing our budget, which is discussed in my answer to your third question. We next must address the divisiveness created during the last election, which continues today. I support the 35-foot height limit, and I believe that there are ways to negotiate with any developer rather than fighting expensive battles in court. I trust my neighbors in Dewey Beach want to be cohesive as they meet the town’s challenges. I will work with all groups in Dewey to find common ground. I will communicate openly and honestly and bring everyone together to find solutions we can all live with.

Marc Appelbaum: As a commissioner, I will implement the directions for the town that were identified by the comprehensive plan survey. Citizens want to preserve the architectural character of our small 22-street town that’s only two blocks wide. We don’t want more hotels or motels. We don’t want high-density residential construction. We want to protect the beach and the bay, and we don’t want a property tax! I will try to accomplish these goals. I’m a team player and want a healthy balance between residents, businesses and visitors.

Marty Seitz: As commissioner, my greatest responsibility is to strengthen good government that serves the interests of property and business owners. I will meet this responsibility by applying the town’s regulations uniformly to all citizens, by controlling expenditures and by working to a balanced budget. I will maintain Dewey’s way of life while promoting responsible growth. I will work with Sussex County officials to address parking and transportation issues. I will increase our knowledge of our resources such as trees and beach assets by promoting programs such as the Dewey Beach Tree-ific Program that I developed for the Dewey Beach beautification initiative.

Do you think Dewey has a parking problem and, if so, as a commissioner, what do you propose to do about it?

Kris Appel: Parking is a problem during summer weekends. Towing illegally parked cars is not a good solution for our town because most of the revenue goes to the towing company, not to us or to the vehicle owner, who is left with hard feelings about Dewey. I would expand “booting” cars in nonemergency situations, for the convenience and the increased revenue. I support increased access to public transportation, and better marking of lawful parking spaces. The first step is to count our public parking spaces, and I already have volunteered to help count our spaces in an inventory effort taking place this fall.

Marc Appelbaum: Dewey has a parking problem mostly on summer weekends. That’s when thousands of people want to come and enjoy what Dewey has to offer. Even though parking is limited, over 20,000 visitors can be found in Dewey on a typical Friday or Saturday night. They walk and taxi and carpool. We should look at more public transportation options. I am opposed to the construction of a parking garage. Our planning and zoning commission has been studying parking issues. I look forward to reviewing their recommendations.

Marty Seitz: Certainly, parking will always be an issue. Visitors who do not adjust to the limited parking often have problems. The town needs to improve maintenance of parking on public rights of way and to more effectively communicate parking regulations to visitors. Rental agencies can be encouraged to specify parking arrangements associated with their rentals and to list parking options. Visitors should be encouraged to carpool and to use the Rehoboth Park & Ride (on Shuttle Road) for daily or weeklong parking. Access to Dewey will continue to be in high demand. We can help visitors find parking solutions and improve their vacation experience.

Dewey could face a $700,000 deficit for 2008. Should spending cuts be made and, if so, what cuts would you propose and why have you chosen those cuts?

Kris Appel: Before deciding on spending cuts, I would like to see the department heads given more authority over their budgets. Some department heads have limited input into their creation, yet they are held accountable for adhering to them.
We must not let budget problems affect our lifeguards and police. Rather than focusing on cuts, I will increase revenue, stabilizing our budget to survive a fluctuating real estate market. We can increase revenue in several ways that include increased use of grant funding, improving our interest income by better investment of our reserves, collecting fees from utility companies and expanding booting of illegally parked cars.

Marc Appelbaum: Municipal budget deficits are occurring throughout our country due to economic conditions. Families must tighten their spending during tough times. We must do the same. At last week’s budget and finance committee meeting, we recommended that the town manager get with his staff and cut any nonessential expenses between now and the end of the year. I recommended new budgeting procedures. New revenue streams are being considered. I asked that our profit and loss statements be posted on the town website. They are now available. We’ve balanced our budget without a property tax, and I know we can do it again.

Marty Seitz: Funding cuts should be made. I will listen to recommendations of department heads that meet budget levels consistent with prudent budgeting practices. I expect to see reductions in office costs, vehicle expenses and overtime pay. I will choose cuts because they are confined to nonessential services. This can only be the case for efficiently run departments, which are critical for successful future budgets. We have an unprecedented opportunity this year to create a three-month budget and exercise the discipline to meet the budget. We can then apply this discipline to the 12-month budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2009.

Do you believe the interests of Dewey’s residents and business owners are the same? How will you address the concerns of these two constituencies?

Kris Appel: I find that our interests are not as different as people think. Everyone loves Dewey, everyone accepts that all places change over time, and we all want considered, measured changes that will bring improved services to our town, while maintaining the relaxed Dewey Beach way of life.

I support the thoughtful implementation of the comprehensive development plan, which Dewey Beach citizens spent 10 years creating. It contains the vision for our future. As an independent candidate, I will bring all interested parties together to discuss how best to implement it, while guaranteeing that we will never allow high-rise development.

Marc Appelbaum: We all love our beautiful beach, the sunrise over the ocean, and sunsets over the bay. Dewey is a barrier island with a small-town charm and something for everyone. It’s a small, vibrant beach town for families, singles and even dogs. Last summer in spite of our differences we all came together for a common goal – to prevent the construction of a 68-foot hotel. This year, I believe it is imperative we pass the 35-foot referendum. If future conflicts occur, I will use my business experience to encourage dialogue to resolve the issues.

Marty Seitz: Yes, in a well-functioning town environment, the interests of both groups will be aligned. Both business and residential owners have a vested, long-term interest in town government that is fair and free of allowances for special interests. I will seek a balance between services and revenues within each of these communities. As a result, businesses and residential owners pay for the services they receive, and are not burdened by expenses originating from the activities of others. I addressed these concerns by having been involved in town issues and will continue to be involved after my campaign.