Delaware’s Court of Chancery allowed a lawsuit against the City of Rehoboth Beach to proceed.
Rehoboth Beach residents Tom Gaynor and Steven Linehan filed the lawsuit in August 2024, alleging the city violated its charter and the Freedom of Information Act when hiring its new city manager Taylour Tedder.
Delaware’s Department of Justice found the city violated FOIA in the hiring process in June 2024.
The Court will not move forward the FOIA violation accusations but did not dismiss the alleged charter violations.
The charter state city manager candidates must have a degree in engineering and at least four years of experience in a city manager or practical engineering role.
Tedder does not have an engineering degree and served as city manager in Nevada for almost three years, according to the court’s memorandum opinion. He was also an assistant city manager in Kansas.
Tedder was hired just over a year ago despite pushback on the hiring process and his compensation package, which includes a $250 thousand salary and a forgivable $750 thousand loan if he remains in the position for seven years.
The Court opinion directs plaintiffs and defendants to meet and discuss a case schedule going forward.
