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COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
The Council Committee of the Whole Meeting was held on September 28, 2021 at 6:02 p.m., with Council
President Sudler presiding. Members of Council present were Mr. Anderson, Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Neil,
Mr. Hare, Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Rocha, and Mr. Taylor. Mayor Christiansen was also present. Civilian members
present for their Committee meetings were Mr. Shelton (Safety Advisory and Transportation),
Mr. McCutchen (Utility), and Mr. Contant (arrived at 6:03 p.m.) and Mr. Shevock (Legislative, Finance, and
Administration).
COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Adoption of Agenda
Mr. Neil moved for adoption of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Rocha and unanimously carried.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
The Parks, Recreation, and Community Enhancement Committee met with Chairman Rocha presiding.
Adoption of Agenda
Mr. Neil moved for adoption of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Hare and unanimously carried.
Evaluation of Bids - Inflow and Infiltration Evaluation (Jason Lyon, Director of Water and
Wastewater)
Mr. Jason Lyon, Director of Water and Wastewater, reviewed the background and analysis regarding the
evaluation of bids for the inflow and infiltration evaluation.
Staff recommended awarding the contract to Reybold Construction Technologies, LLC, for the City of
Dover, Inflow and Infiltration Removal Project, Bid #22-0003WW, for the amount of $488,914.50.
Mr. Hare moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Neil.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Lyon stated that the procurement policy was to submit the evaluation as a
public bid and City staff had reached out to minority vendors in this category but unfortunately there were
not a lot in this particular area.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Lyon stated that he could not guarantee anything but he was fairly confident
that the $488,914.50 would encompass all of the City’s needs to finish the project because they had done
a lot of research.
Mr. Hare moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Neil and
unanimously carried.
Mr. Anderson moved for a recess of the Utility Committee meeting. The motion was seconded by
Mr. Neil and unanimously carried.
Meeting recessed at 6:08 p.m.
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COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 PAGE 2
LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
The Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee met with Chairman Anderson presiding.
Adoption of Agenda
Mr. Hare moved for adoption of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Rocha and unanimously carried.
United Way - Request for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds (Michelle A. Taylor, President
and Chief Executive Officer, United Way)
Ms. Michelle Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way, reviewed a presentation from
United Way of Delaware and the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative entitled "Learning Pod Collaborative
Fighting for Equity for Our Dover Students," dated September 21, 2021.
Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Ms. Taylor stated that the learning pods would be taking place at the Boys and
Girls Club and the Green Beret Project. She noted that the First State Community Action was looking to start
some as well.
Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Ms. Taylor stated that the pod size could vary. She explained that there was a
total of about 100 students but the ratio was about one teacher to about ten students and the age/grade could
range anywhere from kindergarten to twelfth grade in a single pod. Ms. Taylor noted that the staff was
meeting each child where they were academically and working with their teachers and the school districts
to ensure they were getting the support they needed.
Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Ms. Taylor stated that the pod educators were not teachers, they were more
community-based organizations in partnership with the school districts. She explained that over the past year
they had worked with the school districts to do virtual tutoring and they still had a contract with them.
Ms. Taylor noted that they had brought tutors on site for their expertise and in some cases brought a liaison
in for trauma or social service support if needed.
Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Ms. Taylor stated that in most cases they coordinated with the school to provide
transportation to and from the pods but they did have some money in their budget for transportation. She
explained that in some cases a pod may serve two separate school districts. Ms. Taylor gave the example
that if a pod was serving both Capital School District and Caesar Rodney School District and was located
within Caesar Rodney’s District, Caesar Rodney may do transportation but Capital may not, so a mode of
transportation would need to be figured out for the Capital District students.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Ms. Taylor stated that the 85% participation rate that was mentioned in the
presentation was measured from the beginning of the program to the end of the summer which was almost
a full year’s attendance. She noted that each pod reported their attendance monthly.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Ms. Taylor stated that they shared a space with Delaware Multicultural and Civic
Organization (DEMCO) and were trying to figure out how to expand other grassroots partners in this project
as well.
Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Ms. Taylor stated that the pods met daily, five days a week.
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Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Ms. Taylor stated that the students were fed at the pods. She noted that they
had also partnered with the Division of Social Services (DSS) so if things needed to be sent home for the
weekend or if DSS needed to get involved the families would have additional support.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Ms. Taylor stated that to run the entire program the cost was about three
million dollars. She explained that she had a funder that she was currently working with and was considering
to make a commitment for one million dollars for two years because they wanted to focus on this program
for 24 months. Ms. Taylor noted that she was also working with the districts to come up with two million
dollars for two years. She stated that there were about 1,000 children in the pods and they were looking for
each district to put their percentage in out of their funding and United Way would have to raise the other
third which was why she was present that night.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor stated that they would be using the same research sources as the
school districts. She explained that the districts had given them the programs that were used in the schools.
Ms. Taylor noted that the pods could be thought of as an extension of the school day and that they did not
work without the school district. She explained that the school districts needed them to reach the students
that had the highest needs and they needed the school districts to be successful.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor stated that the students would be at the pods for about two to three
hours and they had committed to the school districts to provide 45 minutes of math and 45 minutes of
English Language Arts (ELA). She explained that for the remainder of the time at the pods they wanted to
do fun things with the students because they also wanted to create a love a learning so that when the students
went back into their school day they would be better students.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor confirmed that the students were broken up by location, not by
grade.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor stated that they would consider breaking the pods down by grade
rather than location if they could get transportation for everyone. She explained that each pod could serve
up to five different school districts so if staff had 40 or 50 students they may try to break them down into
smaller pods by grade but for pods with only ten or fifteen students that may be harder to do.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor stated that they would try to specifically look for City of Dover
individuals for the 100 students that they were going to target. She explained that she had met with Dr. Tony
Allen, President of Delaware State University, that day and due to the low percentage of African-Americans
entering college that were not prepared and that he would like United Way to have a greater focus on
students in the vicinity, especially since Delaware State University had just acquired Wesley College in
downtown Dover.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Ms. Taylor stated that when the time came to move this item beyond
informational, she could provide the contract to committee members for review.
Ms. Anne Smith, Central Delaware National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),
stated that she thought this was a great program but suggested that Ms. Taylor look for retired teachers rather
than using people who were not certified to teach. She noted that the Boys and Girls Club was quite far
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away in Wyoming, Delaware so she was not sure how many students they would reach there but she
supported Dr. Allen’s suggestion to look for inner-City students in the Dover area.
Mr. Hare moved to refer this item to staff for qualification of supplemental ARPA appropriation,
seconded by Mr. Neil and unanimously carried.
Discussion - Weatherization and Maintenance of the Post Office Building at 55 Loockerman Plaza
(Matt Harline, Interim City Manager)
Mr. Matt Harline, Interim City Manager, provided an update on the Post Office Building at 55 Loockerman
Plaza to include the following:
• The City would receive the keys to the Post Office Building at 55 Loockerman on Thursday,
September 30, 2021.
• The Post Office had given the City notice that they wanted to be released from their lease of the
building since their new building was complete and they were in the final stages of cleaning out the
old property.
• The Post Office had advised the City that they would be cutting off utilities which would then be
billed to City Hall. This would most likely go over budget regardless of the amount of weatherization
that may be done due to the City not knowing when the building would be turned over and therefore
not budgeting for the utilities, but Mr. Harline stated that he may have a potential solution for this.
• The building as it currently existed was permitted for a specific use group in the Building Code so
changing it to other uses in the interim may be difficult. Mr. Harline noted that any use where a lot
of people would be using the entire building could trigger substantial upgrades per the Code. He
noted that there was no sprinkler system so using the entire area for occupancy or use would
probably be difficult.
• Things that were allowed when the building was upgraded in the seventies were no longer allowed.
• Non-conforming uses were grandfathered for the City but if someone else used the building they
would have to bring it up to Code.
• There were multiple concerns regarding the building to include:
• Structural concerns (the wall on the library side was bowed out slightly) and there were
cracks in the basement (which may or may not be signs of foundational problems).
• The roof leaked which had cause wood rot and there were serious leaks in the dormers on the
top floor of the building.
• There was an antiquated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit in the
basement that was functional but was not a perfect system when the building was occupied.
Mr. Harline stated that it would be a challenge to keep the HVAC working well enough to
prevent rot and keep the water lines from bursting in the winter.
• There was almost certainly asbestos in the floor tiles and possibly elsewhere.
• There may be polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) in the transformer of the basement.
• There may be lead paint.
• There was mold (although it was not known if it was severe).
• Long-term reuse would involve substantial investment and demolition may end up being the
best option.
Mr. Harline stated that his recommendation was to secure the perimeter of the building with fencing and do
regular visits to the building. He explained that the Post Office had informed the City that some people had
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been sleeping on the back dock of the building so by adding fencing it would make it less possible for people
to get on the back dock. Mr. Harline noted that aggressive weatherization would need to be done including
covering the windows with plastic although as minimally as possible, especially in the front, but the utility
bills could be high. He stated that there was a second floor to the building with several offices so they would
try to find a way to minimize heating and cooling loss on that floor. Mr. Harline explained that the final part
would be to seek bids for a structural engineer to find out if the building was stable and sound for
renovation. He noted that they also wanted to talk to some other government partners to get discussion
started to see if there were options for the Federal Government to help out because it was a fairly central
location.
Responding to Mr. Anderson, Mr. Harline stated that the possible solution for the budget was that there was
a lease for the parking lot that had been renewed around 2000 or 2008 which meant the Post Office owed
$7,700 annually for parking. He explained that this had not been collected and the City had received a check
earlier that day for $33,000 which he believed was payment for the parking lease but staff was trying to
investigate it to confirm. Mr. Harline noted that the $33,000 had not been budgeted in revenue and could
possibly cover some of the cost this project would incur. He stated that a structural engineer would probably
run in the neighborhood of $15,000 plus or minus to get a thorough review and that is what he would like
to move forward with. Mr. Harline explained that the City was a long way from coming up with a long-term
plan but the first thing to do was find out if the building was safe so he was asking to move forward with
getting a structural engineer which was not budgeted.
Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Harline stated that if the structure was sound and could be rehabilitated
that would be the first and best thing to do. He explained that he did not know if it would be a solution for
parking in the downtown district if demolished, but it was his understanding that there was a possibility that
there may be an interest in the property parking for State employees. Mr. Harline noted that it was a beautiful
location for different options that would need to be looked into.
Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Harline stated that he did not know how it would work if it was turned
into State parking. He explained that Ms. Tina Bradbury, Downtown Dover Partnership, had accompanied
him to the property and had some ideas but nothing had been looked into.
Responding to Mr. Rocha, Mr. Harline stated that if the asbestos tiles were kept damp and the friable
asbestos could be kept from getting into the air it could be managed pretty well. He explained that if there
was asbestos in the insulation or other places where it would be much more friable then it would require
more tenting and more expense. Mr. Harline stated that there may be some environmental hazards in the
basement so he thought there would be some expense. He explained that in the worst case scenario, the
environmental costs could be more than the physical demolition of the building.
Responding to Mr. Rocha, Mr. Harline stated that the first thing to do would be the structural report to see
if the foundation had issues, if the report showed that all that could be salvaged were I-Beams then they
would need to look into an environmental assessment which would be a separate assessment by a separate
company. He explained that whether the building was reused or demolished an environmental assessment
would need to be done.
Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Harline stated that he believed the building was built in 1964.
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Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Harline stated that they believed there was lead-based paint in the building.
Responding to Mr. Hare, Mr. Harline stated he thought it was best to start with a structural assessment rather
than an environmental assessment to ensure the structure was sound. He explained that the environmental
assessment would be another expense so if it could be held off until the next budget year that would be
better. Mr. Harline noted that any environmental issues could most likely be encapsulated and left in the
building for the foreseeable future.
Mr. Hare stated that if the environmental assessment could dictate whether or not the building should be torn
down then it was his suggestion to start with that assessment first and follow it up by the structural
assessment if it was warranted.
Mr. Harline stated that a structural assessment would still need to be done to do the demolition work
properly.
Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Harline stated that his wild guess was that the City would be lucky to
demolish the building for less than one million dollars.
Responding to Mr. Boggerty, Mr. Harline stated that they had figured that the utilities for the building would
be around $1,500 a month at the minimum but it was still speculation based on other buildings that were
similar.
Mr. Sudler stated that he believed it would cost much less than one million dollars to demolish the building.
Mrs. Arndt stated that she agreed with the need for the assessment of the building and securing the building
but she wanted to make sure that it was maintained to look like a feature of the gateway to downtown Dover.
Responding to Mr. Rocha, Mr. Harline stated that the lease with the Post Office had been unique but he had
glanced through it. He explained that he could get some information on the past maintenance on how it came
to be and if there were other buildings the City was leasing that could run the risk of falling into the same
situation.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Mr. Harline stated that he believed the building was 3,400 square feet but he
was not sure but could get that information to him.
Mr. Contant stated that his recommendation would be to demolish the building based on the issues talked
about and the cost to repair them. He explained that he agreed that the environmental assessment should
be the first step and the City should try to put the cost of the structural engineer on the company it contracts
with for the demolition.
Mr. Contant asked what the current setback for the building was. Mr. Contant asked if Mr. Harline had the
cost for weatherization or putting up a fence.
Mr. Harline stated that staff had decided they needed to put up a fence that day and it would probably require
some surveillance periodically as well to keep people from sleeping there.
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Responding to Mr. Contant, Mr. Harline stated that what he was asking for was the ability to spend in the
neighborhood of $30,000 and the first choice would be to use the money that just became available for this
project. He explained that he had spoken to Ms. Lori Peddicord, Controller/Treasurer and Mr. Jeff Dill,
Budget Analyst, and there was not a source for $30,000 out of the general fund.
Responding to Mr. Contant, Mr. Harline stated that his original reason for bringing this item forward that
night was to get a start on the project. He explained that he would get more information to the Committee
as staff got a chance to have more data on the project.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Harline stated that the City did not have a structural engineer on staff. He
explained that the City did have an environmental scientist on staff but their expertise was in storm water.
Mr. Sudler recommended that Mr. Harline look into Apha Engineering for a structural report.
Mr. Harline stated that the City would seek bids from several different contractors for engineers.
Ms. Anne Smith, Central Delaware NAACP, suggested that the City partner with an engineer and barter for
the assessment.
Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Harline stated that he could provide the estimates for the environmental
assessment, structural engineering report, and weatherization so Council could see them individually.
Mr. Hare moved to recommend approval for weatherization of the Post Office Building at
55 Loockerman Plaza and to conduct an environmental assessment and structural engineering report
up to $30,000, seconded by Mr. Hare and unanimously carried.
Sale and Disposition of Excess Real Property (Matt Harline, Interim City Manager)
Mr. Matt Harline, Interim City Manager, reviewed the background and analysis regarding the sale and
disposition of excess real property for properties located at 145 North Ann Avenue, 710 Slaughter Street,
423 Collins Drive, and 131 North Kirkwood Street (Attachment #1).
Staff recommended reviewing the requests for the three parcels of land that had been properly declared
surplus and determining to which non-profits organization they should be donated. To declare Exemption
E under Section 2-244 (e) (5) applied to the property at 131 N Kirkwood Street may be donated to a
non-profit organization. Furthermore, direct staff to prepare such documents as may be necessary to ensure
that any stipulations are met for the use of the property.
Responding to Mr. Sudler, Mr. Harline confirmed that in saying “giving away” he meant gifting property
to a non-profit organization.
Ms. Faye White, 101 Babb Drive, Luther Village II Dover, Delaware reviewed the documents she had
submitted regarding her request for a building for her non-profits organization, A 2nd Chance - A Haven for
Abused-N-Battered Women and Children, Inc.
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Responding to Mr. Taylor, Ms. White stated that when she was operating A 2nd Chance in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania she operated from her own home and therefore had no over-head expenses, she utilized her
own finances to keep the non-profits going.
Mr. Taylor stated that he thought the best thing to do would be to table the discussion regarding A 2nd
Chance so that members of the Committee could meet with Ms. White to discuss the best route to take and
give Ms. White an opportunity to put her ideas in writing so she would have a roadmap going forward.
Responding to Mr. Rocha, Ms. White clarified that the name of the non-profits was not just A 2nd
Chance, the full name was A 2nd Chance - A Haven for Abused-N-Battered Women and Children, Inc.
Responding to Mr. Rocha, Ms. White confirmed that her organization was a registered 501(c)(3) non-profits.
Ms. Anne Smith, Central Delaware NAACP, stated that she would be submitting Ms. White’s proposal to
the Central Delaware NAACP to see if they could help her in her efforts to establish the organization.
Mr. Harline stated that his recommendation would be for the City to hold onto the property at 423 Collins
Drive and to work with National Council on Agricultural Life & Labor Research Fund, Inc. (NCALL) and
Habitat for Humanity for 131 North Kirkwood Street, 145 North Ann Avenue, and 710 Slaughter Street. He
explained that it would require a separate motion for Council to decide to donate 131 North Kirkwood Street
to non-profits since it had not been previously declared surplus.
Mr. Neil moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation to approve the exception to donate 131
North Kirkwood Street to a non-profit organization, seconded by Mr. Hare.
Mr. Tolano Anderson, 50 Dove Creek Terrace Dover, Delaware, stated that he supported all of the
non-profits that had been mentioned but he felt it was a disservice for the City to give the properties away
when there were citizens interested in purchasing them. He noted that while the properties had been listed
in the past, he believed they had been overpriced. Mr. Anderson explained that he had a specific interest in
the property at 710 Slaughter Street because he owned several properties close to it and he was also
interested in the two vacant lots across the street from it as well.
Responding to Mr. Anderson, Mr. Tolano Anderson confirmed that he was only interested in the 710
Slaughter Street property and the two vacant lots the City owned that were directly across the street from
it. He noted that one lot was buildable and the other was not.
Mr. Neil moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation to approve the exception to donate
131 North Kirkwood Street to a non-profit organization, seconded by Mr. Hare and unanimously
carried.
Mr. Neil moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation to donate 145 North Ann Avenue to a
non-profit organization, seconded by Mr. Sudler.
Responding to Mrs. Arndt, Mr. Harline stated that if the NCALL and Habitat for Humanity could not come
to a decision amongst themselves about who the property would go to, it could come back to Council to
settle any dispute. He noted that The Good Neighbor Next Door program had indicated that they were
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interested in the property at 131 North Kirkwood Street but he did not know that it was a registered non-
profit organization.
Mr. Neil moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation to donate 145 North Ann Avenue
to a non-profit organization, seconded by Mr. Sudler and unanimously carried.
Mr. Anderson stated that 710 Slaughter Street would be left on the table for discussion and asked that
Mr. Harline bring that property back and inform the Committee what was happening with it at a later time.
Mr. Neil moved for adjournment of the Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee meeting,
seconded by Mrs. Arndt and unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
SAFETY ADVISORY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
The Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee met with Chairman Taylor presiding.
Adoption of Agenda
Mr. Hare moved for adoption of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Neil and unanimously carried.
Prioritization of City of Dover State Capital Transportation Program (CTP) Projects (Dave Hugg,
Planning and Community Development Director)
Mr. Dave Hugg, Planning and Community Development Director, reviewed the background and analysis
regarding the prioritization of City of Dover State Capital Transportation Program (CTP) project.
Staff recommended approval of the 2021 transportation prioritization list.
Mr. Hare moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation. The motion was seconded by
Mr. Boggerty.
Mr. Hugg noted that there were two revisions made to the 2021 Transportation Project Prioritization list to
items two and ten (Attachment #2). He explained that item two had been corrected to read “Saulsbury
Road” instead of “Scarborough Road” and he had included a comment about the plans for Senator Bikeway
in the description for item ten. Mr. Hugg noted that he had received a question from Mr. Chris Asay asking
about the extent of work on West Street but he was unable to answer the question at that point in time. He
stated that the extent of work on West Street did not affect the priority but it would potentially affect the
scope of the project.
Mr. Anderson urged members of Council and the public to make comments on the CTP project and advised
that Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) was taking public comments. He noted that if anyone
needed the email address to submit comments he could have it emailed out.
Mr. Anderson stated that after the item was adopted he would like to make a motion to formally support the
requests for appropriation to the fund the Garrison Oak Connector Road.
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Mr. Hare moved to recommend approval of the 2021 transportation prioritization list, as
recommended by staff. The motion was seconded by Mr. Boggerty and unanimously carried.
Mr. Anderson moved to recommend the funding, as recommended by the Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) for the Garrison Oak SR-1 Connector to the State for approval in the next
General Assembly. The motion was seconded by Hare and unanimously carried.
Mr. Boggerty moved for a recess of the Utility Committee meeting, seconded by Mr. Anderson and
unanimously carried.
Meeting recessed at 7:52 p.m.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
The Utility Committee reconvened with Chairman Rocha presiding.
Update on Cross Connection Control Program (Jason Lyon, Director of Water and Wastewater and
Kate Mills, Water Production Manager)
Mr. Jason Lyon, Director of Water and Wastewater, introduced Ms. Kate Mills, Water Production Manager.
Ms. Mills reviewed a presentation entitled “Cross-Connection Control Program Update”.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Ms. Mills stated that the majority of plumbing fixtures a building would
need some sort of backflow prevention on them. She explained that the need would depend on how the
fixture was used and was installed.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Ms. Mills stated that fire systems went through the Fire Marshal’s Office
and they were keeping record of those annual testings.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Ms. Mills stated that the City was more focused on high-hazard
non-residential premises. She noted that the regulations said that residential properties more than likely
would be low-hazard, so that regulation could be satisfied through public education explaining how to avoid
backflow in those types of settings.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Ms. Mills stated that the program should not affect the majority of
residential customers. She explained that there was potential for specific cases but that was something they
would have to formalize in a cross connection control plan.
Responding to Mr. Taylor, Ms. Mills stated that she could not say that there would not be a cost to City
homeowners eventually because the potential was there. She explained that their immediate focus would be
on non-residential properties but as they moved forward with finishing the plan the regulation would need
them to address special considerations for residential and non-residential properties so they needed to make
sure they complied with the Delaware regulation. Ms. Mills noted that may include taking a look at some
specific residential locations, but for the most part they would be heavily relying on public education to
fulfill that portion of the program.
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Responding to Mr. Taylor, Ms. Mills stated that National Water Specialties Company (NAWSC) would send
out an assessment that the customer would fill out and send back and based on that they would determine
the next steps that would be required. She noted that if an inspection was required, the customer would need
to pay for it.
Mr. Lyon stated that they could certainly bring the plan before the Committee once it was finalized for
review and to answer specific questions before the ordinance came forth.
Mr. Anderson moved for adjournment of the Utility Committee meeting, seconded by Mr. Hare and
unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:11 p.m.
SAFETY ADVISORY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
The Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee reconvened with Chairman Taylor presiding.
Update on Police Chief’s Advisory Committee for 2021 (Thomas Johnson, Police Chief)
Police Chief Thomas Johnson provided an update on the Police Chief’s Advisory Committee for 2021 to
include the following:
• The Committee had its first meeting on September 30, 2020 and Ms. Courtney Ford was named the
chairperson.
• The group was a member-driven Committee of nine (9) people that represented the stakeholders of
Dover.
• The group met as often as it needed to, which during the first year had translated into a bi-weekly
schedule. He noted that the COVID spike did lead to the cancellation of some of the early meetings
but they were able to rebound from that with a shift to virtual meetings.
• In the autumn of 2020 the meetings featured presentations from various special units of the police
department in order to orient members to basic police functions. This included but was not limited
to: internal affairs, the hiring process, and the testing process which was validated to the Committee
through one of the member’s questions. The department went back to the testing company to make
sure that it had been peer reviewed and did not have any challenges in relation to equity or bias when
it related to the testing of police officers. They also got into the academy education process for new
police officers and the Committee was able to offer some curriculum updates that were adopted by
the course coordinator for the police academy. They covered field training education, orientation,
narcotics, Police Athletic League (P.A.L.), and the body-worn camera implementation.
• In the winter of 2020 the Committee pushed the Chief to use technology to connect with the young
people in the Dover area. They attempted to do a video contest, a subcontractor was hired to help
with marketing and a prize pool was assembled but the contest did not resonate with the youth and
they did not get much of a response which turned into a learning experience for the Committee and
the Police Department.
• In the spring of 2021 the resource psychologist at the police department was introduced to the
Committee so they could talk to him about what was involved in psychological issues during the
ongoing career of a police officer. To try and touch base with the youth of the community, they
recognized and solicited the idea of a youth subcommittee. Mr. Jordan Denby, President of the Black
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Student Union at Dover High School, jumped in and started to organize some of his classmates to
figure out why the Committee was not able to connect with young people. The subcommittee started
meeting before the close of school last year and had jumped back in on September 21st.
• In the summer of 2021 there was a lively discussion about the community response vehicle and was
able to partner with Council to get a lot of good things accomplished. They received a lot of
community feedback that the Committee was working on currently. They also conducted a survey
at National Night Out in August and that information combined with the feedback already received
had formed the basis for what the fall agenda would be. The Group Violence Intervention (GVI)
program spontaneously came out to a June meeting and came back to another meeting in July to give
more information.
• Topics that had come out of larger meetings and the survey were: individual officer engagement with
the community members, community services provided in and through the police department, youth
engagement, marketing communication, a revisit to gang and drug violence issues in Dover.
• In 48 hours the Committee would be celebrating its one-year anniversary with both the current
members and alumni.
Responding to Mayor Christiansen, Chief Johnson stated that Group Violence Intervention (GVI) was a
project the police department had been trying to develop for some time. He explained that GVI was a
program that was hyper-focused on the less than 1% of individuals that continuously prove they are part of
some of the most horrible violence in a community. Chief Johnson noted that the idea was to first try and
deliver services to those individuals to help with whatever challenges they may have that lead to that lifestyle
and if they still continue in that lifestyle regardless of the help then law enforcement hyper-focuses resources
to make sure they are not a continued danger to the community.
Mr. Neil moved for adjournment of the Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee meeting,
seconded by Mr. Rocha and unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m.
Mr. Hare moved for adjournment of the Council Committee of the Whole meeting. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Neil and unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m.
Roy Sudler Jr.
Council President
RS/JMTS/mr
S:\AGENDAS-MINUTES-PACKETS-PRESENTATIONS-ATT&EXH\Committee-Minutes\2021\09-28-2021 CCW Minutes.wpd
Attachments
Attachment #1 - Maps of City owned property proposed for sale
Attachment #2 - Revised 2021 Transportation Project Prioritization List
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Attachment #1
Council Committee of the Whole Meeting of 09/28/2021
City Owned Property
Proposed for Sale
145 North Ann Avenue
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Date Printed: September 27, 2021
File: m:\gis_data\projects\tech_mxds
\cm_maps\145_n_ann_ave
Department: Public Works GIS
City of Dover, Delaware ¯ Legend
Proposed Sale
Parcels
City Boundary
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City Owned Property
Proposed for Sale
Kent Av
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St
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423 Collins Drive Susse x
Ave
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Blvd afety
0 100 200 400 Feet
Date Printed: September 27, 2021
File: m:\gis_data\projects\tech_mxds
\cm_maps\423_collins_dr
Department: Public Works GIS
City of Dover, Delaware ¯ Legend
Proposed Sale
Parcels
City Boundary
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City Owned Property
Proposed for Sale
Lincoln St
For
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Davis Cir
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Cherry St
Paul St
Vine St
710 Slaughter St
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Legend
Date Printed: September 27, 2021
File: m:\gis_data\projects\tech_mxds Property for Sale
\cm_maps\710_slaughter_st Parcels
Department: Public Works GIS
City of Dover, Delaware City Boundary
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City Owned Property
Proposed for Sale
S t
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131 North Kirkwood Street
il St
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0 100 200 400 Feet
Date Printed: September 27, 2021
File: m:\gis_data\projects\tech_mxds
\cm_maps\131_n_kirkwood_st
Department: Public Works GIS
City of Dover, Delaware ¯ Legend
Proposed Sale
Parcels
City Boundary
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Attachment #2
Council Committee of the Whole Meeting of 09/28/2021
DRAFT September 21, 2021
2021 TRANSPORTATION PROJECT PRIORIZATION LIST
Each year the City of Dover submits a prioritization list of transportation projects to the Secretary of
Transportation and the Dover/Kent County MPO for consideration as part of the State's Capital
Transportation Program considerations. The following is the City's 2021 list. Several new projects were
added to the list reflecting the City's ongoing economic development initiatives and the
recommendations of recent and ongoing studies conducted by the MPO. Data on costs and funding
schedules are as presented in the FY 2021-FY2026 Capital Transportation Program.
1. Garrison Oak Connector Road
A direct connection from the Garrison Oak Business and Technology Center to the SR 1 Interchange at N.
Little Creek Road has been Dover's highest priority transportation project request for several years. The
City is aware of business development opportunities that were not successful due to the existing access
which is not conducive to efficient freight transportation. Access to this 385 acre business center
involves using local roads for the movement of goods and materials and for employee access. In 2019
the list of permissible uses of the GOBTC were expanded to include warehousing, distribution and
logistics support, a rapidly growing cluster in the Central Delaware Region.
A recently completed Dover Air Cargo Freight Access Study (Dover/Kent County MPO, July 2021)
reinforced the potential for significant employment growth in the Garrison Oak - Central Delaware
Aviation Complex portion of the City. For these opportunities to be realized a complete business-to-
business connector serving the area is essential. The Garrison Oak portion is recommended as Phase I of
that program, with an estimated cost of $4.7 million. The study outlined scope, existing conditions,
primary alignments and design, and costs for a multi-phased project (Phases II, III and IV being additions
to the City's priority list - see item 7).
This roadway system is consistent with and supportive of the future growth and development plans set
forth in both the City and County Comprehensive Plans.
2. Saulsbury Road/Route 8 Corridor Plan Improvements (SR8 & SR 15 Intersection)
Previously part of a broader Kenton Road/Route 8 Corridor Program, this project involves improvements
at Route 8 and Route 15, which are already in planning, design, and ROW acquisition. The work involves
improved turn and through lane improvements. The Route 8 Corridor Design Study (2008) also identified
several improvements along the Route 8 Corridor that will improve safety, better manage access, reduce
congestion, and provide improved traffic flow. This project was identified in the 2012 Hazard Elimination
Program. It is funded for construction in FY 2021 and FY 2022 with a budget of $6.1 million.
3. Kenton Road Corridor Upgrades, Kenton Road to Chestnut Grove Road
The companion project to the improvements along Route 8 are upgrades to Kenton Road from Route 8
to Chestnut Grove Road. This project is in planning, design, and ROW acquisition stages and includes full
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roadway development with drainage, shoulders, travel lanes, bike lanes and related improvements. The
Kenton Road Corridor project is focused on improved traffic flow as well as improved pedestrian and
bicycle safety. It is critical to improving the approach to the City from the northwest where new
residential development within and outside the City has occurred. The City has also requested that the
MPO further study the conditions along Route 8 west of Kenton Road to the City's westerly limits.
Planning, engineering, and ROW acquisition are underway with construction scheduled for FY 2026 and
a budget of $28.1 million.
4. College Road - Kenton Road to McKee Road
This project consists of pavement rehabilitation, construction of shoulders and sidewalks on both sides
of College Road, minor intersection and drainage improvements, bike safety improvements, utility
relocations and complete overlaid pavement. This project serves as a critical east-west connector and
addresses transportation needs for all modes and users. It is scheduled for FY 2023 and 2024 for
planning, engineering, and ROW, with construction starting in FY2025, with a budget of $1.7 million.
5. Sidewalks within the Walk Zone of Dover High School
Critical gaps in the sidewalk system near Dover High School remain, including along Mifflin Road and
Route 8 on the south side of the roadway traveling west. This project incorporates recommendations
from the Capital Gateway Study and Senator Bikeway Plan. The City is very concerned about public
safety in this area and urges funding through the statewide safety improvement program at the earliest
convenience.
6. West Street Improvements from North Street to the Transit Center
This project widens West Street to urban collector standards and includes bike lanes and sidewalks
connection to thew Dover Transit Hub. The project was identified by the Dover/Kent County MPO as
part of their pedestrian studies. West Street is an important connection for the DART transit services to
the City. Improvements were made in 2018 with completion of a multi-use path along West Street The
completion of the new Dover Post Office increases the importance of this project. It is budgeted at $1.3
million with planning, engineering, and ROW in FY 2022, FY2023 and FY 2024 and construction beginning
in FY 2025.
7. Business-Business Connector Roads (N. Little Creek Road to Horsepond Road; Horsepond Road,
lafferty lane and Starlifter Drive) - NEW Priority Request
These roads are new priority requests to DelDOT and the Dover/Kent County MPO reflecting the
completion of regional freight movement and air cargo studies by the MPO. These roads are a
continuation of the Garrison Oak Connector project, extending a business focused limited access
connection from the SR1/N. little Creek Road interchange south to S. little creek Road (Phase II);
improvements to Horsepond Road and lafferty Lane to facilitate imminent business development
(Phase III); and an extension of Starlifter Road (Phase IV) to facilitate the development of the East Dover
Employment Center as outlined in City and County Comprehensive Plans. These improvements increase
safety by taking industrial traffic off local streets, improve regional freight access, and support the long
term viability of the East Dover Industrial Center, the Kent County Aeropark and the Central Delaware
Aviation Complex. Preliminary cost estimates for these segments total $13 million, including planning,
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engineering, ROW, and construction. The City urges that initial funding for these improvements be
approved as soon as possible.
S. US 13 Sidewalk Construction
Construction of multi-use paths and sidewalks continues to be a City priority. Construction of sidewalks
is required when properties are developed or redeveloped but significant sections of the sidewalk
system are either missing or in poor condition. This program is ongoing and funded through the state's
sidewalk safety improvement program and included in the FY2022-2028 CTP.
9. Route S/Hazelettville Connector (Commerce Way to SRS)
A north/south connector from Route 8 to Commerce Way in the Enterprise Business Park was identified
in the Route 8 Concept Plan and Operations Study to encourage economic development and provide
traffic circulation options in this heavily traveled corridor. The project proposes a new connector road
with 2 travel lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks or multi-use paths for pedestrians. A preliminary alignment
has been determined as part of development activity on Route 8. It is budgeted at $2.5 million with
planning and engineering in FY2022, ROW in FY2024, and construction beginning in FY2025.
10. Kings HighwaY/White Oak Road and Route 13 Intersection
The intersection of Kings Highway/White Oak Road and US 13 needs improvements to meet acceptable
levels of service (now functioning at LOE liE"). Extensive adjacent commercial development has added
traffic and access burdens to this intersection. Nearby multi-use paths contribute to increased bike and
pedestrian traffic as well. This intersection was identified in the DelDOT Transportation Operations
Management Plan as a congestion hotspot in Kent County .. Recommendations include adding a two-
stage pedestrian crossing system and revising the intersection at White Oak Road and Centre Drive to
provide additional access to US 13. The revised plans for Senator Bikeway include a crossing of US 13 at
this intersection; this enhanced bicycle crossing must be included in planning and engineering of this
project.
11. Banning Street/Clarence Street/Forest Street Connector
The Dover/Kent County MPO is completing a study assessing the construction of a connector from North
Street at the Banning Street signal running along Clarence Street and extending north to Forest Street.
This study is an update to a study of the transportation needs in this area from about 2000. It includes
consideration of flooding, traffic flow, and intersection alignments near Lincoln and Forest Streets. This
new project is included as a placeholder pending completion of the Study and development of
alignments and costs.
12. US 13 Service Roads/Scarborough Road C&O Roads
This project would create a collector and destruction system of service roads parallel to US 13 from
Leipsic Road to Scarborough Road and a set of local access roads to the Dover Mall and adjacent
commercial complex. These roads were recommended as part of the US Route 13 Circulation Sturdy and
the State's Corridor Capacity Preservation Program intended to decrease traffic on the corridor by
providing more use of service roads through the area. It would have included a southbound toll exit and
a privately funded road facilityjo the areas near the Mall. At present only preliminary planning and
engineering funds are proposed in FY 2024 and beyond. Changing economic considerations have stalled
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discussions of the commercial complex adjacent to the Mall and any plans for the privately funded
roadways. For these reasons it has been moved toward the end of the priority listing.
13. Loockerman Street and Forest Avenue Intersection Improvements
This project was requested by the City to help spur redevelopment activities in the Downtown
Development District while improving traffic circulation and safety. It was identified as a needed
improvement through the Restoring Central Dover Study and the Westside Redevelopment Study
conducted in 2001. It is complementary to the Capital Gateway Study and would result in improved
traffic circulation, a more pedestrian friendly zone at the railroad crossing, and create a new gateway
into the Downtown. Work on this project has been deferred due to opposition to the design option
(roundabout). It should be reviewed as part ofthe DDP's proposed Downtown Master Plan activity. It is
not funded at this time.
14. Crawford Carroll Avenue Extension
This project was part of a proposed series of service roads serving the commercial activities on both
sides of USB. As a result of concerns about the feasibility of the project expressed by DelDOT, the
project has been removed from the DelDOT CTP, FY21-26 spending plan. The City encourages continued
consideration of other service road improvement opportunities on both the west and east side of US 13
even if the original design is not achievable.