Coastal towns: State must maintain restrictions until it’s safe

Gov. John Carney hasn’t officially extended the stay-at-home order beyond May 15, but municipal leaders along Delaware’s coast are preparing for a summer of a different color.

The Association of Coastal Towns, a group that includes mayors and town managers of all Delaware beach towns from Fenwick Island to Lewes, is taking a position that the state should not rush to reopen.

Terry Tieman, town manager of Fenwick Island, said public safety trumps all else during this unprecedented time.

“The whole thing is to base it on science and keeping people safe,” she said.

“We certainly don’t want to start getting to a good spot, then go back again and have another peak in the summer.”

Town officials agree Memorial Day is very unlikely, she said. Beyond that, with social distancing requirements expected to remain in place well into the summer, she said, ACT expects most Fourth of July festivities to be canceled, specifically fireworks events that draw thousands of people.

Lewes Mayor Ted Becker said the city-sponsored Fourth of July children’s games are canceled.

No firm decision has been made on other activities, such as fireworks, Doo-Dah Parade and the boat parade, as they are each organized by different groups, not the city.

City officials have some say in the fireworks, Becker said, and there are discussions underway to determine the best path forward.

“The contractor we’re working with has given us until early June to make a decision,” Becker said. “We’re watching what happens not only in terms of how the virus is going, but also what happens with short-term rentals and how safe we feel.”

Options under consideration, he said, include holding the fireworks as planned, postponing until later in the summer or canceling. Becker and Rehoboth Beach Mayor Paul Kuhns are taking the lead for ACT in sharing the group’s concerns and recommendations with Carney’s office.

“They want us to develop a reopening plan and submit it to the governor so he can have that as a reference point,” Becker said.

No matter how Carney decides to move forward, Becker said, it’s important that the state and towns are on the same page, specifically the state park beaches and Ocean City, Md.

“We need to confer with Ocean City and DNREC,” Becker said. “If Ocean City gets ahead of us or behind us, we can have a problem one way or the other. Same with DNREC.”

Reopening has to be a coordinated plan that involves every aspect of the local economy, he said.

“If we don’t have small businesses open, our beaches are not all that helpful,” he said. “Same with short-term rentals. It’s all rolled into one.”

Before Delaware can prepare to reopen, Carney said, the number of new positive COVID-19 cases must have peaked, and continue on a downward trend for 14 days. The state must also show that the number of positive tests as a percentage of total tests must be on a downward trajectory for a 14-day period.

Carney also said a robust testing program must be in place before he will consider lifting the state-of-emergency order.