Rehoboth Beach
Meet the three candidates for Rehoboth Board of Commissioners
Two open seats to be filled in Aug. 9 election
The Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners election is coming up in a few weeks on Aug. 9, where three first-time candidates are vying for two open seats: Susan Stewart, Chris Galanty, and Jeffrey Goode.
The board is the governing body of the city, responsible for creating the budget, appointing city officials and enacting ordinances. Seven commissioners, including the mayor, serve at a time for three-year terms, with no term limits. Two current commissioners, Edward Chrzanowski, who’s gay, and Francis “Bunky” Markert Jr. are not seeking re-election.
The Washington Blade spoke with each of the candidates about their platform and vision.
Susan Stewart is a lawyer, financial adviser and full-time Rehoboth resident. She is the senior vice president of The Stewart Group, RBC Wealth Management and serves on the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission as well as the Mixed-Use and Stormwater Utility Task Forces.
Stewart said her overarching vision for the future of Rehoboth is to have a community defined by cooperation and pursuit of common goals to make the city the most beautiful, well functioning, productive and responsive to citizens that it can be.
“This campaign is about restoring trust and building a stronger, more united Rehoboth Beach,” Stewart’s campaign website reads. “I am running because I want to be part of a team that governs better by listening more, arguing less, and focusing on what truly matters.”
Her main platform issues are related to city code reform, responsible commercial development, legislative approach, city finances, and oversight of consultants and legal services.
Stewart said she thinks that some of the conflict that has defined federal discourse and polarization has hit the small town.
“That is a real obstacle to getting things done and I’d like us to all be part of this solution,” she said. “I hope Rehoboth Beach will be a well-run community with a very efficient government that … has completely shed this image of being a place where it’s really hard to get anything done.”
Stewart referenced the current lawsuit facing the city of Rehoboth regarding the hiring of City Manager Taylour Tedder. Some residents claim that Tedder’s employment contract violated the city charter. She supports the city in defense of the lawsuit because it will be very costly if it loses, and believes that commissioners should want the city to not be harmed financially.
A central issue is how to balance the needs of businesses and residents, according to Stewart.
“I think we all benefit from having a thriving Rehoboth, and that’s defined by people having good quality of life. Visitors having good experiences [and] businesses being able to thrive.”
Stewart describes herself as a creative problem solver and considers her background as a lawyer and financial adviser as a big differentiator to the other two candidates. She also had an athletic career on the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse Team and coached collegiate basketball and lacrosse.
“Sports really taught me resiliency,” Stewart said. “Getting up after you got knocked down, being able to fight hard for what you want, but not allowing it to devolve into personal attacks … I think that’s a huge, huge skill set to bring to this position, and getting good professional board members is critical.”
Stewart identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community and said that people who live in Rehoboth and people who own businesses there know that the city thrives in large part because of the influence of the gay community.
Stewart’s goal is to be the agent for bringing together businesses and residents “to create the best Rehoboth we can.”
Chris Galanty came to Rehoboth for the first time in 1995 and has always been drawn to beach communities, like the one where he grew up in New York. After visiting every summer and being part of the gay beach house community, he fell in love with Rehoboth and bought a home in 2018, while still living in D.C. part-time.
Galanty works in the environmental sector and has volunteered for multiple organizations. He has worked for Habitat for Humanity and Save Our Rivers, and has served on the Bloomingdale Civic Association in D.C. and the Rehoboth Beach Streets and Transportation Committee.
If elected, Galanty would be the youngest commissioner on the board. His main priorities are excellence in city operations, fiscal responsibility, restoring Deauville Beach to Rehoboth, public safety and quality of life, environmental protection and resilience, and support for local businesses and tourism.
“I’m very invested in Rehoboth. This is our home. This is where we’re going to be living really for the rest of our lives,” Galanty said.
As part of the campaign process, Galanty said he has met with all major department heads, from the city manager to the chief of police to the head of the wastewater department. His focus is on transparency, communication, and accountability.
“There are a lot of things that are going well here,” Galanty said. “This is a well-run city government, but there are areas for improvement.”
Part of Galanty’s drive to run was to ensure that Rehoboth continues to be a safe place for the gay community for generations to come, as he has been an out gay man for more than 30 years.
“I think representation is incredibly important, and making sure that there are members of the LGBTQIA community represented in city government is important,” Galanty said.
A lot of people want to maintain the small town feel, according to Galanty. They don’t want skyscrapers, they don’t want to become Ocean City. They want [Rehoboth to be ] walkable, safe, pedestrian-friendly, and environmentally friendly.
“One of the things that people like about Rehoboth is that they can walk everywhere, and I’m really a big advocate of transportation safety and bicycle and pedestrian access,” Galanty said.
Balancing the economy and tourism with maintaining a good quality of life for residents is a tricky issue and is talked about on the campaign trail, said Galanty.
Galanty manages his household and business by ensuring that spending and revenue align. You don’t want to spend more than you’re making, and what is spent should reflect the values of the community, he said.
“I’m very mindful of the financial responsibility and management issues that are being discussed,” he said.
If elected, Galanty would like to see a more vibrant downtown business district by the end of his term. He believes his unique set of experiences as an urban planner, community advocate, and environmentalist set him apart from the other candidates.
“My hope is that Rehoboth Beach retains its unique character and charm, but also evolves to be more responsive, more transparent and more results oriented.”
Jeffrey Goode has been in Rehoboth full-time for about eight years but has had a second home there for much longer. With an economist background, he has worked as a research manager for about 40 years, mostly with the federal government in D.C. He has also taught classes part-time at colleges such as American University, Georgetown University, and the Catholic University of America.
Goode is now mostly retired from the government and has time to run for office. He said he decided to run for “fiscal sanity and competence.” His number one priority is getting control of spending.
He said since moving here eight years ago, the budget has doubled and is now around $44 million. Goode is worried the city will hit its borrowing limit of $75 million in the coming years. If elected, he would not vote for any budget that exceeds the rate of inflation.
His top five priorities are: fiscal sanity, rescinding the stormwater impact fee, getting back control of Deauville Beach, vigilance in protecting the beach, and concentrating on everyday infrastructure improvements instead of large projects.
Goode said that Rehoboth is “basically overcrowded now,” and the way to control it is to use economics to be able to service all of the people who visit, such as parking fees. The number of tourists needs to be correlated with the infrastructure but for several months of the year, the city is overflowing, which reduces the experience, according to Goode.
Goode also said that the gay community in Rehoboth is an extremely integral and important part of the city.
Goode’s wife, Suzanne Goode, is a current commissioner. There are no rules against spouses serving together, as outlined in Section 3 of the city charter. The city’s election administrator and city solicitor reviewed the charter and found that it does not address spouses serving simultaneously, according to the City of Rehoboth Beach’s communications manager. Some have criticized Suzanne Goode’s social media posts as too conservative for the progressive town, including posts related to immigration and climate change.
Goode said he has seen mixed reactions to his run for a commissioner seat. He wants to reassure residents that he is trying to balance things out, rather than grab power.
“There’s no rules saying a family member can’t run. They’re not appointing you. You have to go get elected. You have to get elected by the people as a whole,” Goode said. “I don’t see any conflicts of interest. I don’t see any problem.”
Suzanne Goode has expressed frustration over the other commissioners not being transparent with her about updates to the lawsuit against the city. Following a tense meeting on July 7 where she asked about it and was shut down, a new workplace civility rule was implemented mandating “mannerly and courteous behavior” among city employees and commissioners.
Jeffrey Goode claims that the Board of Commissioners operates like a political machine that helps to select and support candidates, including his two opponents in this election.
Galanty and Stewart both disputed this claim. Galanty said he is an independent candidate running on his own volition, and made this decision after a significant amount of consultation with his husband and family. Stewart said that this characterization of a political machine is a reflection of the citizenry and the voters not wanting to see spouses on the commission.
If elected, Goode hopes to save taxpayers money and make the city fiscally sound.
“I would hope that [in] our city, everyone could be proud of it. I hope it’s a safe, welcoming, wonderful resort to go to. I hope our fiscal situation is strong.”
How to vote
Voting is open on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the convention center. Property owners can vote, even if they don’t live in Rehoboth full-time, but must register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election.
Rehoboth Beach
Susan Stewart could make history as Rehoboth’s first openly gay mayor
Aug. 8 election features four candidates for top job
(Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a three-part series profiling the candidates for mayor of Rehoboth Beach, Del.: Commissioners Suzanne Goode, Susan Stewart, and Craig Thier; a fourth candidate, William Raak, filed to join the race but has not responded to Blade inquiries.)
Residents of Rehoboth Beach, Del. will elect a new mayor this summer after Stan Mills announced plans to retire after serving six years as mayor and 12 as a commissioner. One candidate who could make history is Commissioner Susan Stewart, who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community, a potential first for the town, which has never had an openly gay mayor.
Stewart is a current city commissioner for Rehoboth Beach and has served as a member of the Mixed-Use and Stormwater Utility Task Forces.
A Pennsylvania native who spent her adult life working in Washington, D.C., Stewart has owned a home in Rehoboth since 2013 with her partner of more than 20 years and began living there full time during COVID.
Stewart described her campaign as offering vision, leadership, and integrity. She has a background as an attorney and financial adviser.
She spoke about the work that she is doing as city commissioner that she would continue as mayor, specifically with Reimagine Rehoboth.
“I’ve been shepherding through a master planning initiative for the first time,” she said. “We’ve never really had an overall study with urban planners and transportation consultants.”
Stewart highlighted the upcoming ‘Charrette Week’ from July 13-17 when members of the community can learn about the city from urban planners and give their input on the planning initiative.
“We’ve got this natural beauty and we’ve got some things we can work on,” said Stewart. During ‘Charrette Week’, Stewart said that the community will also have the chance to rename ‘Reimagine Rehoboth’ due to the pushback it initially received.
“Getting the community engaged and united behind is the big goal,” said Stewart.
Stewart also mentioned that she is the liaison with Clear Space Theatre Company as it aims to build their own venue in town. She expressed hope in bringing this vision to fruition as she values the art and culture that the company brings to town.
“It hasn’t been lost on us that the Kennedy Center has sort of cut loose a lot of its patrons,” said Stewart.
Stewart also said she wants to increase age and racial diversity in Rehoboth through supporting the construction of more workforce housing.
“We don’t generally have [racial and age diversity] here. I wish we did,” said Stewart.
According to the 2024 census, the median age of Rehoboth in 2024 was 63 with 44% of the population being 65 and over. Additionally, 89% of the city’s population was reported to be white.
Stewart also said that she aims to maintain Delaware’s perfect score on the Human Rights Equality Index in 2025, which she credits to the work of the assistant city manager, Evan Miller, and CAMP Rehoboth for getting Rehoboth to be recognized.
“Rehoboth is a great place for our broader LGBTQ+ community,” said Stewart.
She also said that she is proud to support organizations like CAMP Rehoboth, which the city was able to give a grant to for the first time this year according to Stewart.
“The city and CAMP Rehoboth have such a productive and wonderful relationship.”
Stewart said that she wants CAMP to know that they are always welcome to reach out if they ever have issues that require help from the city.
“We’ll continue to have a very productive and warm relationship.”
The Blade also asked Stewart about her public disagreement with fellow City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Suzanne Goode in March of this year.
During a commissioners meeting on March 9, Stewart outlined allegations that Goode used derogatory language in emails, particularly toward City Manager Taylour Tedder.
“All of our emails are public information under FOIA. I simply asked the city to link them on the website, and then the city published a transcript of [Goode’s emails].”
Stewart said that she did this on behalf of the city’s employees such as Tedder: “We have a moral and legal obligation to support our employees.” She also said that this situation has escalated since the March 9 meeting.
At the meeting, Goode denied all of the allegations and said that they were based on falsehoods.
“The challenge with Suzanne Good is that she burns through so much time in a public hearing because she wants to talk about all these things in the past,” said Stewart.
If elected mayor, Stewart said that she would look into measures to help meetings run smoother and prevent disruptions such as turning off mics and moving public comment to the end of the meeting instead of the end of each topic.
“We want public input, but the people that come there for good reasons to talk about things that they need help with get drowned out by these disruptions.”
The election will take place on Aug. 8, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth’s ‘Poodle Beach’ to be honored with historical marker
Delaware Public Archives to hold ceremony June 27
The Delaware Public Archives is set to unveil a new State of Delaware Historical Marker recognizing Rehoboth’s Poodle Beach Saturday, June 27, at 9 a.m. The unveiling will take place at the corner of Prospect Street and the South Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
The unveiling ceremony is free and open to the public and will include remarks from members of the community, government officials, and representatives from the Delaware Public Archives.
Located at the southern end of the boardwalk near Queen Street, Poodle Beach is one of the most famous sections of Rehoboth Beach, having served as a gathering place for the LGBTQ community for decades.
The Delaware Public Archives said that, “The marker recognizes the site’s longstanding role in the social and cultural history of both Rehoboth Beach and the State of Delaware.”
The petition to have Poodle Beach recognized with a historical marker was started by a group of Rehoboth Beach residents in June 2020 and was officially approved in December 2020.
Although the origins of where Poodle Beach got its name are unknown, its history can be traced back to du Pont heiress and well-known lesbian Louisa Carpenter. Carpenter and her LGBTQ group of friends would travel to ‘Carpenter Beach’ toward Dewey Beach in the19 30s and ‘40s.
Over time, the beach grew in popularity and began to be used predominantly by gay men in the following decades. It wasn’t until the ‘80s when the beach spread back toward the boardwalk as people stopped making the journey to Carpenter beach.
Poodle Beach was initially called “Lazy Gay Beach” because gay men got tired of walking so far from the boardwalk to get to Carpenter Beach.
There are multiple theories that explain how the name ‘Poodle Beach’ came to be. One of the most popular is the ‘Two cousin theory’ where it is rumored that a pair of cousins would drive up from Maryland and bring their poodle dogs onto the beach.
Poodle was also the site of the popular Labor Day weekend drag volleyball games that were started in 1988 and ended with COVID in 2020.
Rehoboth Beach
CAMP Rehoboth’s new director shares plans for busy summer
Dr. Robin Brennan on joyful approach to leadership role
Dr. Robin Brennan, CAMP Rehoboth’s new executive director, has been getting adjusted to her role and connecting with the Rehoboth community.
In March of this year, Brennan took on the role of executive director of CAMP Rehoboth, an LGBTQ+ community center in Delaware working to Create A More Positive (CAMP) environment, following the retirement of Kim Leisey.
When asked about her first few months with CAMP, Brennan said that she’s “in the listening and learning phase.”
“The first few months have been overwhelmingly beautiful, with such warm wishes from so many really diverse groups,” said Brennan.
“The more time that I’ve been at CAMP, it’s almost like I have more questions and more admiration for the solid foundation that it has,” said Brennan. She explained that she is taking her time to listen and connect with the Rehoboth community during these crucial first months.
She spoke to the stressful nature of this work, saying, “This work takes a lot of resiliency, especially being in a front-facing position as executive director of an organization. There’s so much pressure on this to be successful.”
Brennan is no stranger to high-pressure work environments, having worked in the public health field during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brennan earned a doctorate in public health from Drexel University and has spent nearly two decades working in higher education, which she says greatly influences her approach to her work.
“I am always giving back to and mentoring students, that’s always been a part of who I am,” said Brennan. She said that the adaptability and flexibility she practiced during her time as a professor influences her work, noting, “I think that to be flexible is a key to success.”
Aside from her tenure in academia, Brennan has worked for nonprofits, including with organizations such as Redeemer Health and Nemours Children’s Health.
Leslie Ledogar, president of CAMP’s board of directors, said that Brennan’s joyful approach to this work made her stand out in the search for a new executive director.
“I think that I’ve always naturally been positive and joyful because if I don’t, I will burn out,” said Brennan.
For Brennan, honoring CAMP’s legacy remains a top priority in her role at CAMP. “For me, legacy is so critical, so I want to honor the legacy that this foundation was built on.”
When asked about DEI funding cuts by the Trump administration, Brennan shared how she is navigating an administration that is targeting organizations like CAMP.
“This administration doesn’t open doors for opportunities. As a nimble nonprofit organization, we have always had to be creative,” said Brennan.
She said that she “would never want CAMP Rehoboth to rely on federal dollars, regardless of what type of political administration we’re in. I think relying on any kind of dollars or funding is problematic.”
“We need to stay creative and innovative, not chase money, and also our ears need to be listening to what our community needs,” said Brennan.
As younger members of the LGBTQ+ community grow disheartened by the growing attacks on queer rights, Brennan shared her thought process behind helping younger members of the community.
“I think my number one thing is to listen to them, to ensure that they know their voice is valuable. That’s the most important thing before giving advice is to listen to their concerns, their needs, their fears, their struggles,” said Brennan.
“They may not be your struggles, but ultimately, as a human being, they’re all of our struggles.”
Brennan brought up PRISM, CAMP’s social group for young LGBTQ+ adults to gather in community and experience new activities with likeminded young adults. This group offers a safe space where members can form connections with one another to build a sense of belonging.
Throughout the interview, Brennan reiterated her admiration for CAMP and the community it has brought to Rehoboth for decades.
“There is no place like CAMP Rehoboth, and what it has done for Rehoboth or what it has done for countless individuals who see it as an escape and a place of freedom, visibility, belonging, and hope,” said Brennan.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Brennan said that she first visited Rehoboth in 1996 as a young gay person. “I felt at home. I could breathe,” said Brennan. She said that she has been a frequent visitor ever since and bought a house in town three years ago.
Brennan shared how happy she is to have her teenage daughter growing up with Rehoboth in her life. She said that her ideal day in Rehoboth involves going to the beach, trying new food, and enjoying time with her friends and family that live in the area.
As the summer season commences, Brennan shared that there is a plethora of upcoming events for members of the community to attend and enjoy.
Brennan highlighted the CAMP Women’s Golfing League, which is getting started on June 4 with tickets on sale now for CAMP Rehoboth members.
The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is singing to honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. on June 19 with tickets on sale now.
This year also marks the 35th anniversary of CAMP, which will be celebrated with Pride in the Courtyard on June 26.
Brennan was excited to promote CAMP’s new partnership with Beebe Healthcare starting this summer. The partnership is designed to expand access to patient-centered health services in downtown Rehoboth Beach.
“Relying on this partnership will be critical to the success of the health of our community,” said Brennan.
Brennan also talked about SUNFESTIVAL, which will be held during Labor Day weekend and will feature David Archuleta as the headliner.
Lastly, Brennan highlighted CAMP’s annual Block Party, which is held each October. “We shut down several streets, we have 100 vendors, and it’s a beautiful way for the whole community to come together to wrap up the summer,” said Brennan.
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