I really want to believe that Rehoboth Mayor Sam Cooper is not anti-business and especially not anti-gay business.
But I am having trouble. First there was the arrest of business owners related to the patio ordinance. Thankfully, there's a moratorium in enforcement of that ordinance for the summer. But I would have thought the Mayor would have gone out of his way, rushing to expunge the record of the arrest (a City-admitted mistake) of Aqua Owner and realtor Bill Shields. That he has not is very telling.
The article in the Washington Blade this week is most telling of all. “Cooper disputes claims that he is anti-business. He has said he supports local laws and regulations that prevent bars and other entertainment establishments from spoiling Rehoboth’s status and tradition as a family-oriented vacation destination.”
Aren’t we past having to explain that families come in diverse shapes and sizes? Aren’t we past having the Mayor use the coded phrase “family-oriented” when discussing Rehoboth?
Aqua Grill flew a “Beautiful Baltimore Avenue” flag two inches too low. They should have been gently warned and given time to fix it rather than having a code officer enter the place and upset the business and its clientele.
Aggressive, unfriendly code enforcement is just one of many reasons why Rehoboth business owners believe the City hassles the businesses that contribute to the status and tradition of Rehoboth Beach as a vacation destination for all.
As for the Mayor, this is yet again a sign that he does not recognize or appreciate the Rehoboth business sector or the gay community that keeps Rehoboth a thriving, popular resort. This makes my very sad.
Fay Jacobs
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