Four candidates file for Lewes BPW election

Four candidates have filed to run for three seats in the Lewes Board of Public Works election in May. 

Incumbents Robert Kennedy, Tom Panetta and Earl Webb, and challenger Richard Nichols are each seeking three-year terms on the city’s utility board in the Saturday, May 8 election. Other candidates have until Thursday, April 1, to file to run for a seat.

Robert Kennedy 

Kennedy joined the board in 2016 when he ran unopposed. He earned re-election in 2018.

Kennedy worked for 21 years as executive director and senior regulatory officer at Delaware Public Service Commission and Division of Public Utilities Control. During his time with the state, Kennedy supervised and directed technical staff of accountants, auditors, engineers, consultants and attorneys, which collectively provided technical analysis, expert testimony and policy analysis for public service commissioners. The group assisted the PSC in evaluating utilities’ contractural arrangements. His work mainly dealt with investor-owned utility companies that offered electric, water, natural gas and other traditional utilities.

“I am seeking to be re-elected so that my experience as a former utility regulator and consumer advocate is available to the board as we consider the effects that increasing demands for utility service place on our customers, infrastructure and operations while continuing to provide exceptional utility service at competitive prices,” he said.

He said the BPW customers enjoy the lowest electric bills in the state and among the lowest for water and sewer services. He said his goal is to keep rates as low as possible.

Kennedy works together with his fellow directors to arrive at decisions; however, he’s responsible for coordinating the BPW’s recent revision to its strategic plan with updated goals and objectives for the next 10 years.

His goals for the BPW’s future include continuing to provide safe, reliable and dependable utility services; protecting the environment by extending central water and sewer services in the BPW’s service area; increasing water-quality monitoring in the aquifer and addressing any changes before water enters the distribution system; and repairing and replacing aging water and sewer infrastructure as necessary.

He also wants to find innovative ways to reduce the cost of electricity while accelerating renewable energy in the BPW’s power portfolio, review the rate structure on a regular basis, and continue working to ensure the BPW operates with sound practices applied in a fair, consistent and non-discriminatory manner.

Kennedy was born and raised in Lewes, and has been a property owner for most of his life. He lived in Lewes until he entered active duty with the U.S. Army. After his two-year mandatory service, he moved back to Lewes and worked for Otis Smith’s Fish Products Company, performing general office functions as the company’s assistant comptroller. After the company was sold, he assumed duties with the state. Following service with the state, Kennedy worked for Kent-Sussex Industries in Milford, retiring in 2010.

Richard Nichols

Nichols is seeking a seat because he believes the board needs to improve its relationship with the public as well as mayor and city council.

After moving to Lewes in 2019, he attended several council, committee and BPW meetings to learn more about his new community.

“[City meetings] were open, they had a good back and forth, and they didn’t use rubber-stamping-type procedures,” he said. “We noticed that the BPW board of directors were very different. They were not so open, not so engaged with the public and not as transparent in communicating with the public.”

If elected, he said, he believes he can help remedy that. During a 36-year career in construction management, Nichols dealt with contractors, vendors and city governments through building department interactions. He also served as president of the co-op board for a 73-unit Manhattan residential building.

During his time in construction management, Nichols managed a variety of projects in New York City, from high-rises to commercial, residential and institutional buildings, including the Javits Convention Center. He also spent two-and-a-half years in Tehran, Iran, working on an urban “new town” development site in the northern area of Tehran.

In 2000, he was hired as director of capital improvements for a New York City company that managed buildings, primarily high-rise residential buildings. As part of his job, he also managed capital improvements for commercial buildings the company owned in Washington, D.C. He retired after 14 years with the company.

Since moving to Lewes, he’s noted the failure at the wastewater treatment plant and the eroding relationship with mayor and city council. He believes he will bring a different set of career and life experiences that are not incompatible with the BPW’s operations.

“I thought that perhaps if I volunteered, I might be able to contribute and help the board be more responsive and encourage public input,” he said. “The most important thing is to see if I can be helpful in working out a better partnership with mayor and city council.”

Nichols was born and raised in Wilmington. He moved to New York City to attend college at Columbia University. He earned a master’s degree in architectural technology and earned a New York state architectural license before switching careers to construction management. He and his wife married in 1965, and together they raised a son and a daughter.

Tom Panetta

Panetta was elected to the BPW in 2018, earning the most votes in the election. Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Panetta moved to Lewes 13 years ago. He has lived all over the country and has spent some time in Europe. He brings 30 years of experience in the electrical power generation and distribution field. He worked for General Electric for 25 years building and designing power plants, managing projects of about $50 million. He also worked as a consultant.

Panetta was in charge of the effort to determine the root cause of the wastewater treatment plant failure in December 2019. The result was been an extensive list of corrective actions, varying from more oversight to added redundancies at the plant. He said the lessons learned can be applied throughout the BPW operation.

About a year ago, Panetta took the lead in the analysis of the BPW’s electric system. He worked with a consultant to determine how the system can prepare for future changes, such as increased use of electric vehicles, more demand from continued population growth, and transitioning to sustainable resources.

On the sustainable resources front, Panetta has been developing a plan to add a solar array at the BPW’s well field next to Cape Henlopen High School along with a plan to add battery storage to the system to help level off the peaks and valleys of daily electric use.

Panetta, along with BPW President Pres Lee, has been negotiating with Mayor Ted Becker and, most recently, Deputy Mayor Bonnie Osler to resolve the dispute between the two bodies. The two sides have been working with Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, and Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, to find common ground and a path forward. Panetta said it’s a goal to strike a deal sooner rather than later.

“My background with GE has always been negotiating settlements,” he said. “Our policy at GE was to not go to court. It’s not a win-lose situation. Both parties have to walk away with something. That’s where I hope to get.”

Panetta has owned property in Lewes since 2001. He’s been a member of the Lewes Planning Commission since 2015 and chairs the subcommittee charged with developing an ordinance to adapt to sea-level rise, which he said benefits his work with the BPW. He was also a founding member of the Historic Architectural Review Board when he lived in Phoenixville, Pa.

Earl Webb

Webb was appointed to the BPW in September 2020 to serve out the term of Jack Lesher, who resigned due to health concerns. He retired to Lewes after a 37-year corporate career working for AT&T and General Electric.

“Over the last eight months, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the BPW business and the team,” he said. “The question I always ask myself is how we can get better. One of my favorite roles focused on improving the customer experience in GE Capital. Regardless of how well a business was run, we found ways to improve every year.”

He said the current board of directors has a good balance of knowledge and skill sets, and his experience in sales management, marketing, customer experience and running a European joint venture makes his background unique.

With a solid financial background at GE Capital, Webb was able to assume the treasurer role immediately upon appointment to the board.

“You always learn a lot in that role,” he said. “I will be reviewing all of the reserve policies at the end of March. I want to ensure we have the right balance of funds on hand to address potential emergencies, but also make sure we are not overfunded.”

Webb said he’d like to enhance the BPW as a leader in customer satisfaction through improved communications and proactive feedback. Another goal is to develop long-term, ecologically friendly solutions that provide best value for customers. And, he’d also like to ensure a level of strategic thinking that balances current and future needs.

Moving forward, he wants to create partnerships with other public works bodies to leverage best practices and lessons learned, while also striving for excellence in providing safe and efficient services.

As an appointee who was vetted by BPW members and mayor and city council, he believes he’s in a unique position with regard to their rocky relationship.

“I will continue to work to end the costly dispute between the BPW and City of Lewes,” he said. “There are smart and well-meaning people on both sides of this issue, but for the citizens of Lewes and the customers of the BPW, we need to solve this together.”

Webb is a sixth-generation Delawarean. Throughout his career, he’s lived in 10 different states and two foreign countries, but ultimately retired to his home state.

Webb began his career with AT&T in Georgetown. He started as a temporary, part-time employee and worked his way up the ladder before taking an executive-level position with GE.

Election information

Anyone wishing to become a candidate in the BPW election has until 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 1, to submit a candidate filing form. A candidate must be a qualified voter and have lived in the city full time for at least one year. They must be at least 21 years old and cannot be a current member of mayor and city council.

Citizens may register to vote in the BPW election through 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 23. Those eligible to vote include individuals who are at least 18 years old and have been residents of the city or BPW customers under the jurisdiction of the city for at least 30 days prior to the election. Also eligible to vote are nonresident freeholders or leaseholders. Voters must register separately from the city government election process.

Absentee ballots will be available to registered voters no earlier than Tuesday, April 13, and must be completed and returned no later than 6 p.m., Saturday, May 8.

The BPW’s election is the same day as the city council election. In order to vote in person in both elections, voters must go to city hall and the BPW offices separately. Results for both elections will be announced shortly after 6 p.m., May 8.