Regular Council Meeting a G E N D A
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REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING A G E N D A JULY 9, 2012 - 7:30 P.M. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 15 LOOCKERMAN PLAZA DOVER, DELAWARE OPEN FORUM - 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO OFFICIAL MEETING (7:15 P.M.) The “Open Forum” segment is provided to extend the opportunity to the general public to share their questions, thoughts, comments, concerns, and complaints. Discussion of any item appearing on the agenda as a public hearing is prohibited during the Open Forum as an opportunity will be provided during consideration of that item. Citizen comments are limited to three (3) minutes. Council is prohibited from taking action since they are not in official session; however, they may schedule such items as regular agenda items and act upon them in the future. INVOCATION BY CHAPLAIN WALLACE DIXON PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILMAN HARE AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS * CONSENT AGENDA Those items on the Council Agenda which are considered routine and non-controversial shall be marked with an asterisk (*) and will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Council. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of Council so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered a separate item. * 1. Adoption of Minutes - Regular Council Meeting of June 25, 2012 2. Presentation - Lutheran Senior Services of Dover, Inc. - Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) * 3. Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee Report - June 25, 2012 A. Review and Recommendation - Filling Critical Positions - Library Page (4) - Library (Committee Recommended Approval of the Request to Fill the Four (4) Library Page Positions, as Recommended by Staff) B. FY 2013 Hiring Freeze and Recruitments (Committee Recommended Removing the Hiring Freeze and Granting the City Manager the Authority to Recruit for Vacant Positions Within the Confines of the Budget) C. Reduced Rates for All-Electric Homes in December, January, and February (Committee Recommended That the Proposal to Reduce Electric Rates for All-electric Homes Be Referred to Staff for Cost Analysis and Review) Council Agenda - July 9, 2012 Page 2 * 4. Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee Report - June 27, 2012 A. Request for Two (2) Hour Parking Designation - Gooden Avenue (Committee Recommended Approval of the Request for a Two (2) Hour Parking Designation on Gooden Avenue) B. Update - Dover High School Construction (Committee Recommended That City Council Send a Letter to the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Requesting the Installation of a Traffic Signal at the East Entrance of the New Dover High School and Sidewalks on the North Side of Route 8 in That Area) 5. Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee Report - July 9, 2012 (Except for the Following Time Sensitive Issue, the Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee Report from July 9, 2012 Will Be Presented to Council During Their Regular Meeting of July 23, 2012 for Review and Consideration) A. Review of Grant Application - Disaster Recovery for Critical Infrastructure (DEMA) * 6. Monthly Reports - May 2012 A. Budget Report B. Chief of Police Report C. City Assessor’s Report D. City Manager’s Report E. City Planner’s Report F. Dover Fire Department Report G. Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Report 7. Final Readings - Proposed Ordinances The First Reading of the Following Proposed Ordinances was accomplished during the Council Meeting of June 25, 2012. Copies of the proposed ordinances are available at the entrance of the Council Chambers. A. #2012-16 - Amendment to Chapter 114 - Vegetation, to Create a New Article III - Bamboo B. #2012-17 - Amending Chapter 26 - Businesses, Article I - In General, Section 26-1 - Sale of Dangerous Substances 8. Council Members Announcements /tm S:\AGENDAS-MINUTES-PACKETS\Council-Agendas\2012\07-09-2012.wpd THE AGENDA ITEMS AS LISTED MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED IN SEQUENCE. THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO INCLUDE THE ADDITION OR THE DELETION OF ITEMS, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING The Regular Council Meeting was held on June 25, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. with Council President Leary presiding. Council members present were Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Russell, Mr. Lynn, Mr. Perza, Mr. Bonar, Mrs. Williams, Mr. Hare, and Mr. Hutchison. Council staff members present were Police Chief Hosfelt, Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Koenig, Mrs. Townshend, Fire Chief Fortney, City Solicitor Rodriguez, and Mrs. McDowell. Mayor Carey was also present. OPEN FORUM The Open Forum was held at 7:15 p.m., prior to commencement of the Official Council Meeting. Council President Leary declared the Open Forum in session and reminded those present that Council was not in official session and could not take formal action. Mr. Richard Gardner, 233 Squawigm Road, indicated he is an employee of the City of Dover Electric Department and read the following statement into the record: The City of Dover may be the most affordable city to reside in the region. With a tax rate of .3378 cents per hundred, Dover has been able to maintain the 14th lowest tax rate out of the 20 towns and Cities in Kent County. Lower than Dover's would be Woodside, Hartley, Viola, Houston, Kenton and Smyrna. The Dover Council has been able to lower tax rates from .48 cent in 1984 to the present .3378 cent. In 1984 Gas $1.20, Bread .79 cents. Earlier this year the City Manager proposed a 1 penny tax increase along with an increase in the trash fee. An additional charge that would help recover some of the cost for rising landfill cost, but City Council opposed to any increases. In fact, council stipulated that staff cut spending in the electric budget and pulled money from electric rate stabilization fund that would assist in an electric rate reduction. To balance the budget, 12 positions will be cut this year, employees will be asked to pay for their healthcare, do to years of neglect to fund the $76 million deficit to Other Employee Post Benefits (OPEB) and the City will borrow $633,300 from electric reserves in addition to the already (8) eight million dollar to balance the 2013 budget. The Dover Police Department is a full service police department that has one of the highest clearance rates in the State of Delaware. The City of Dover's Electric Department which is staffed by 42 employees (which is down from 60 just a few years ago) has been recognized nationally for its excellent reliability public power provider. Customers enjoy a response time of 28.56 minutes and if your power is interrupted it would only likely be for an average of 38.21 minutes per year. CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 25, 2012 PAGE 2 In Dover you will find a state of the art Park and Recreational Facility with softball and soccer fields along with a soon to be completed multi-million dollar library. How long will the residents of the City of Dover be able to maintain this level of expectation? The workforce that has built this City to this level of comfort is now leaving. The golden handcuffs have been removed. The pensions are poor, the wages have been frozen and now the benefits are being taking away. Thirty seven (37) well qualified and experienced employees have left for employment elsewhere over the past one (1) year. The City Manager has said he is torn between representing the non-bargaining staff and working for Council. What else are we to do? Mr. Clay Hammond, 505 Troon Road, noted that there had been recent discussion regarding economic development within the City and indicated his feeling that there was a need to expand the scope of economic development. It was his opinion that parts of the historically black community looked the same as they did in the 1970s. He explained his concern that the major players in economic development have totally neglected the black community, which has the greatest need, and and that this should be addressed. Since public funds are utilized for economic development and the black community contributes to those funds, Mr. Hammond requested that the major players in this regard begin to focus on the needs of this community. He noted that census data reflects that poverty and economic disparity are greatest in the black community. Pastor Gregory Gordon, 54 S. New Street, echoed Mr. Hammond’s concerns, noting that more than 1,000 skilled and unskilled laborers have come to work in the downtown area. He advised members that he has been successful in employing over 300 people during the past year. He reiterated concerns regarding work being conducted in the downtown area by out of town contractors. He mentioned that there is a federal mandate that would benefit companies hiring individuals who have been out of work for over six (6) months. Pastor Gordon suggested that if the contractors who are working in the Fourth District hired individuals from that area, a difference could be made in the City of Dover. He announced that a Block Party would be held on New Street on July 28, 2012 and encouraged all members of Council to attend. He also announced that a town hall meeting would be held on June 30, 2012 at Bible Way Temple Church and requested that members of Council participate and let others know what is going on in the community and discuss jobs for the City. The invocation was given by Councilwoman Russell, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS Mr. Hutchison moved for approval of the agenda as presented, seconded by Mr. Bonar and unanimously carried. Council President Leary noted that staff requested that Items #11 - Reappointments by Mayor Carey and #12 - Appointments by Mayor Carey be considered by consent agenda.