A Rehoboth Beach city commissioner is being asked to resign by the mayor and others. An internal investigation found she sent thousands of emails over the past two years to elected officials and city employees that were found to be abusive and harassing, including emails containing anti-LGBTQ language and references to people’s religion.
As summer nears another end, the resort town is facing a political storm of growing calls for Commissioner Suzanne Goode to step down.
Mayor Stan Mills is leading those calls.
“Commissioner Goode has violated her oath of office and has disgraced the position of commissioner, and she should resign,” Mills said.
“Her vitriolic actions have been directed at city staff,” he said.
Goode was found to have sent the emails from her official city email account.
“Her intensity of belligerence only escalated and is at an unacceptable level, which can no longer be tolerated and should never have been tolerated from the beginning,” Mills said.
The city commissioned an independent investigation and released a report. The investigation found the communications contained “intentionally degrading and derogatory language, references to individuals’ family members, religion and disabilities, as well as language hostile to the LGBTQIA+ community. The communications are not respectful or professional. They include, hostile, abusive and inappropriate language.”
At a recent city commissioners’ meeting, the mayor and others voiced their concerns. At times, the meeting became heated, as with an exchange between the mayor and Goode.
“Commissioner Goode, would you listen for a minute. Would you just listen for a minute?” the mayor asked. “I gave an introduction at the beginning of this meeting that we’re not relitigating this. We’re not reopening the investigation.”
“I get my opportunity to defend myself,” Goode interrupted, “because you have done this behind closed doors.”
“When an investigation is an attorney up in Wilmington looking at emails, who never deigns to contact me, who never contacts me, obviously, it’s a one-sided investigation,” she said.
“My words have been twisted. … I was never given the opportunity to defend myself. I’m just sort of gobsmacked by this whole thing,” she added.
“Words have been attributed to me, which aren’t mine,” she said. “Emails are taken out of context completely.”
Goode declined an interview request from News4 but in a statement said in part: “The report is an intentional misuse and weaponization of the FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] process. […] It fails to include context; it omits relevant details; it misrepresents and mischaracterizes my words; and it misconstrues my meaning by using selective emails and excerpts from emails.”
“Was I too verbose in my written communication? Yes: I fully acknowledge I sent excessively lengthy emails,” she said. “The August meeting was nothing less than a public bullying session run by those who seek to destroy the reputation of the sole Commissioner who has steadfastly advocated for more responsible use of taxpayer monies.”
As the board was preparing to vote on releasing the report, Goode left the meeting.
A city spokesperson told News4 she has not returned to City Hall since the August meeting.
Goode has another year left on her term and has shown no signs of resigning. The commissioners do not have the authority to expel her from the commission.
