Rehoboth Beach Commissioners to Consider Parking Rate Increases to Balance Next Year’s Budget
The City of Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners will consider parking rate increases, for both meter and permit fees, at meetings scheduled for a week from this Friday– February 16th. The increases are being considered in order to help balance the city’s budget for fiscal year 2025, which begins April 1st. Commissioners will discuss parking rates during a special budget workshop at 9 a.m. February 16th on the second floor of City Hall. The Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on parking rates at its 2 p.m. regular meeting February 16th. The meetings are open for you to attend, and comments from the public will be accepted. The meetings also will be streamed online.
Additional Information:
The initial proposed 2025 budget, which has a strong focus on staff, indicates a deficit of about $3.4 million. The $37,731,079 proposed budget (still a work in progress) is about $2 million more than the city’s current budget. Many of the increased expenditures relate to staff costs. The city anticipates a 17% increase in health insurance premiums and also is proposing to cover more of the insurance cost for employees (from 80% to 100%) to remain competitive with benefits offered by many other municipalities. In addition, based on results from a compensation and classification study undertaken this year, the city proposes to increase many of its employees’ salaries in order to be able to attract and retain quality staff.
“We must be able to appropriately staff and properly resource the many services the city provides to our residents, businesses, and visitors,” says Commissioner Patrick Gossett. “We want to continue to provide for the health and safety of the community and for the safe, clean, and friendly atmosphere for which we are known. This includes our beach patrol, our police department, and the ongoing maintenance and cleanliness of the beach and boardwalk. To do so, we need to have sufficient funding to meet these needs.”
The proposed budget also includes $9.5 million in capital expenditures, including funds for reconstruction of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol station/comfort facility, wastewater infrastructure improvements, and street resurfacing.
Parking meter rates were raised from $2 to $3/hour in the downtown area in 2019 and in the remainder of the city in 2022. The cost of seasonal permits was last increased in 2016; other permits (weekend, daily, etc.) were raised in 2018.
Commissioners will discuss parking rates during a special budget workshop at 9 am February 16 on the second floor of City Hall. It’s anticipated that the Board of Commissioners will vote on parking rates at its 2 pm regular meeting February 16. The meetings are open to the public, and public comment will be accepted. The meetings also will be streamed online.
The Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt the fiscal year 2025 budget at its March 15 meeting.
