Statements by Brian E. Lewis
596 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Now, I just like to uh state that I just went through various documents uh that I have before me, and uh Councilwoman Arndt is correct. The application has to meet the grant standards in the spirit of fairness. So, Mr. Wilson, I would go through the paperwork with a fine-tooth comb to make sure you have your Ts crossed and your Is dotted. And I'll leave it at that. Thank you.
Play from 58:08Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Can you hear me now?
Play from 1:38:09Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I was I would just like to say that, um, you know, I find it very um disheartening and uh disappointing that disappointing that um they were not in compliance,
Play from 1:38:11Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Um, I really don't think your proposal's going to work, Mr. Lyon, because, um, actually that—
Play from 2:17:33Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
it used to be my district uh until it was um redistricted a couple years ago. And uh some of the residents over there um still call me and they have concerns uh with the speed. Um you know you say that uh that they actually had a sign up there at one time because uh I've been over in this area for uh at least 25 years now, and they actually did have a do not enter sign, but people disregarded it, rushing to work, rushing home, wherever the case may be, and they went down there. Um the barriers have made a difference from my understanding, uh from hearing from the residents over there. Um I understand, you know, the situation with the fire department, uh but I agree with Mr. Rocha. I I think that uh, you know, there there still would be enough time um to to get to a fire or whatever the case may be. Um I I really uh don't think that you put that for another do not enter sign, um it's going to be enforced. Uh first of all, there's uh not enough police officers to sit there and enforce it uh unless you're going to put a camera there. You know, you're going to put a license plate reader camera up there and you know click the tag numbers of people uh committing the violations? Um so that's where I stand on this. It's uh it's not going to work. And that's all I have at this time.
Play from 2:17:37Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes, I have a question for the Chief uh, and and let's be factually speaking, do you have enough resources to put a police officer over there to conduct traffic enforcement if in fact uh this proposal was approved?
Play from 2:29:10Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I mean let's face the facts. You and I have discussed this uh as far as uh speed. You know, we still have speed issues, but uh when it was a major issue in my district uh a couple years ago, and I and I got those uh radar enforcement signs, um you had indicated that you don't have enough resources to put a cop on every corner to uh hit those speed traps. So, I mean I'm sure that the way it stands now, you're not going to have the resources to put a cop there to try and ban people from entering a do not enter street. Am I correct?
Play from 2:29:55Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Understood. Uh my next question uh to Mr. Lyon, how much would it cost the city to close off that road and would we be able to get any grant money if it were approved?
Play from 2:30:47Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Correct, or a a uh cement barrier uh or a cement curb where you could not enter.
Play from 2:31:08Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
close off that that close off that section of the street.
Play from 2:31:21Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. That's all I have. Thank you.
Play from 2:31:39Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh yes. Actually um, I was listening to what Mr. Sudler was saying and um he does bring up a good point about a automatic gate. Uh if you drive down Route 1 in Delaware, you'll notice on the side of the road you have like service roads and you have uh like a gate that's operated um I believe by DelDOT, if I'm not mistaken, and they can actually uh raise the gate electronically uh from headquarters or whatever the case may be, uh and whoever, like the state police, if they have to get off that access road, they either make a phone call or they have a remote control. So that may be something that Mr. Lyon can look into uh because DelDOT does that, I've seen it on Route 1. And um as far as Mrs. Arndt's comment, um it would be nice if we did live in a perfect world where everybody obeyed the ordinances and the laws, but take down those barriers tomorrow afternoon
Play from 2:35:32Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. I have no objection in supporting Councilman Anderson's ordinance uh with the agreement that uh Mr. Lyon looks into uh the gate option, uh closing off the road permanently, uh or cement barriers.
Play from 3:27:10Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, uh I wanted to make sure though that's put on the record.
Play from 3:27:31Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. The Chair recognizes Council President Anderson.
Play from 3:36:30Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Chair recognizes Councilwoman Arndt.
Play from 3:37:04Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilman Rocha.
Play from 3:41:26Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Thank you. All righty. Well, there's no further action, there's no action required on
Play from 3:44:39Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Next slide, please.
Play from 3:44:51Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Next slide? Okay. All right.
Play from 3:47:00Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. There's no There's no action. Thank you. If there If there are no other questions, I'll call for the adjournment of our meeting for the Safety Advisory and Transportation, and I'll turn it back over to our Council President.
Play from 3:48:32Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh thank you. Good evening. Uh if I get cut off, it's because my battery's low. I'm on my phone, but uh bear with me. Uh I concur with my colleague Councilman Sudler, excellent presentation, uh well-prepared and informative. Uh now I'm one of those financial hawks that you referred to this evening. I'm aware. And once again, you know, this matter comes to funding, and the city being able to assist. Uh as you heard earlier this evening uh during Mr. Bobby Wilson's presentation, again, it comes to funding. Uh I would urge you to put in an application, if you already haven't done so, for the Economic Development Fund, if you fit the criteria, and I would refer to Ms. Melson-Williams if you have any questions pertaining to the criteria and such. But um I would implore you to do that, even though I'm not a big fan of the Economic Development Fund. Um now the two questions that I have for you this evening, they're a little off-base, but one of them is, um will your community center have free programs for families that are having financial issues, because we have a lot of neighborhoods in the City of Dover where, you know, the families of these youth are suffering hardships?
Play from 4:24:40Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Uh my next question is that you have spoke with representatives from DSU. Would they be willing to assist you by offering any funding for your study?
Play from 4:26:41Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Uh thank you for answering my questions. And again, I would implore you to walk down any avenue you can. Uh I know Mr. Sudler has made some recommendations um pertaining to trying to ascertain funding. Uh again, I would implore you to look into filing the application with the Economic Development Fund if you haven't already done so, because I know there's a criteria that you have to fit. Um and I I wish you all the best and and thank you for thank you for quoting me, by the way.
Play from 4:27:41Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Yes. I would like to make a motion that the full report of 21CP investigation be released to the public for full transparency.
Play from 4:57:41Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
You You can very easily shoot this motion down, but I want it on record that I am for the full investigation of 21CP to be released to the public for transparency. They paid, I believe, $50-plus thousand for this report, and I believe the citizens have a right to know. And tonight, I respect you, Mayor Christiansen. I fully respect you for agreeing with me that this report should be released.
Play from 5:21:38Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I can I stand. Yes, sir.
Play from 5:23:02Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Quite frankly, this has been festering too long. Uh, there's been articles in the newspapers, uh, letters in the newspapers from constituents. Um, I I think we need to make a decision. And like I said, you could very easily shoot me down, but I'm a clean-hands person, and I believe that the report should be released to the public. They paid for it. They paid $50-plus-thousand for this report. Taxpayer dollars. I The mayor even agrees with me. The mayor even agreed with me. That the report should be released for full transparency. So I call the question.
Play from 5:35:46Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Aye.
Play from 5:36:52Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 5:38:09Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Second.
Play from 5:39:39Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Call the question.
Play from 5:39:45Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Aye. Aye.
Play from 5:39:56Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes. Mr. Mr. Lyon, um, is there anyone currently cleaning up the area through federal assistance like the EPA or DNREC?
Play from 5:41:25Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
The city caused the contamination?
Play from 5:41:45Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Um, isn't the caveat though with this proposal that the city once again will be giving away land to Downtown Partnership if they give us grant money?
Play from 5:41:51Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay, I just wanted to make sure on that. That's all I have. Thank you.
Play from 5:42:34Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
I'll second that motion, Councilman Lewis.
Play from 39:14Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
I, uh, concur with Councilman Sudler, um, that I, uh, believe, uh, training is vital and, um, would it be possible and, I guess I would defer to the city clerk on this question, I know in the past we have had the Public Integrity Commission come to the chambers here at City Hall and conduct a training, uh, where I believe, uh, if I'm not mistaken, all the city boards and commissions were required to attend and were present including council members. Would that be something, uh, that we could do that, uh, would be able to assist, uh, in this training request by Councilman Sudler?
Play from 40:08Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
That That sounds, um, plausible to me. Um, my second question is, do we know who conducts the training for the State Dover Human Relations Commission? Can we, uh, inquire to find out if it's a private entity or uh who trains them with uh the various, um, uh particular areas such as the ethics, Robert's Rules of Order, etc.?
Play from 41:36