McCabe hired as Lewes city manager

Lewes has found its new city manager, and it did not have to look far.

On June 10, mayor and city council announced it had reached an agreement with Ellen Lorraine McCabe, the former assistant city manager who had been filling the top role on an interim basis for the past eight months. 

“I appreciate all of the staff and support during the interim phase,” McCabe said. “I’m here to help our staff do their jobs, and we’re going to do it the best way that we’ve been doing it.”

Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams said city staff gave McCabe a strong endorsement. He said council knew early on that McCabe was the right person.

McCabe signed the agreement with the following provisions:

• $155,000 annual salary. Williams said that is about a $30,000 raise from her salary as acting city manager

• The agreement is for three years, with two two-year renewals

• After three years, McCabe has the option to return to a staff job. Council can also decide if it wants McCabe to stay.

McCabe has worked for the city for 18 years, starting out as a finance officer. Only two city employees have more seniority.

McCabe became assistant city manager in 2018, under Anne Marie Townshend, who resigned last August.

In negotiating for the city manager position, she said she wanted job security.

“I’m appreciative that council recognized my years of service with the city,” she said. “I enjoy working for the city and enjoy what I do. I wanted to continue as long as possible serving the residents of the community.”

Williams called the deal good, but not great, for both sides. 

“We’ve allowed a future council to move to an at-will position,” he said. “That gives [McCabe] some flexibility in the future to move back to a staff role. I think that’s unique and what other cities have looked for when they want someone to take on that role.”

Williams made reference to Rehoboth Beach’s recent hiring of Taylour Tedder as its city manager. Tedder’s salary is $250,000 per year, plus he received $50,000 for moving expenses and a $750,000 home loan that is completely forgivable if he stays with the city for seven years.

“[McCabe’s] salary is nowhere near what we’ve seen in recent signings. There are no moving expenses. She’s been driving a city car. She doesn’t even want a new laptop,” Williams said.

McCabe named Acting Assistant City Manager Janet Reeves as her permanent assistant. Reeves, who is also parks and marina manager, said she will continue working in that role, for the time being.

“I think I’ll still be working with [parks and marina], lifeguards and the dockmaster,” she said. “But how we shape that with other department heads is a discussion we’ll be having.”

Reeves said Parks and Marina Administrator Giulia Kirsch will have an opportunity for growth in the department.

McCabe said she is ready to take on the challenges that the city faces, which she said are growth, budgeting and forecasting for future success.

“I think the county’s reassessment is going to cause some concern as we get closer to that next year,” she said. “We’re all seeing the economy, and how do we plan for the services knowing everything is costing more?”