Lewes will release an investigative report on the temporary removal of a meeting recording.
Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe ordered video of the May 7th meeting of the Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission removed.
The video featured former commission chair, Kevin Mallinson, criticizing city government and, specifically, Councilman Joe Elder and Lewes Building Official Jon Ward.
McCabe says she removed the video after consulting with legal counsel and human resources about an employee complaint tied to the comments. The removal happened just before the town’s election where Elder was reelected.
Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco says that’s when town council got involved.
“All of council, all five of us, determined that was a change in practice and that we should find out all the information about that. Because, there were different perspectives on why it was taken down.” she said.
Marasco adds she is “very confident” in the report and the changes council will make based on it.
“He also provided some recommendations moving forward that council and our city management will be looking at to improve our processes. Because, we don’t want this to happen in the future. What we really want to have is a clear policy on what we do with videos for our public meetings.” she said.
The employee involved later identified himself as Ward, who told CoastTV he filed the complaint because he was concerned the comments would interfere with an ongoing personnel issue.
Marasco acknowledges the timing of its removal was a concern, but notes it was not the city’s intention to interfere with or influence any public process.
She adds the report will be released to the public in the near future. but employees who want their names redacted will have them left out.
