Statements by David L. Anderson
833 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
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Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Seconded by multiple people. Uh all those in Is there discussion? All those in favor?
Play from 1:35:23Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any opposed? None. Motion carried.
Play from 1:35:30Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
First order of business is proposed Ordinance 2025-25 amending Appendix F, fees, fines, Chapter 46, Fire Prevention and Protection. Mr. Jason Osika, Deputy Director of Emergency Management and Communications, you are recognized.
Play from 1:35:34Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Questions? Uh seeing none, what is the pleasure of the committee?
Play from 1:37:50Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's been moved by uh Councilwoman Hall, seconded by uh Councilman Boggerty uh to basically approve the staff recommendation and recommend approval by City Council. Um any discussion? Thank you for your work on this. All those in favor
Play from 1:38:05Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
We we have a uh state grant that's goes to the university um um the university um cities basically. Um And and my question on that is uh we need to uh appropriate that money to the fire department and the police department. Um If uh uh has We've been looking for a little clarification in language. Uh has that uh come yet?
Play from 1:51:24Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
That's good, because we need to uh fund the stipend program, and we need to uh and quite frankly uh you know, we we had a a couple more uh shootings that had happened, and I I we really really need to start getting these uh programs into play. I I can't tell you how much I want to see see those particular line items uh come before us as soon as possible. If uh
Play from 1:53:35Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
you all need any help and they we need that uh lobby, Mr. Mayor, uh we need to lobby to get something, a little language adjustment in the mini in the minibus basically that they they have, the mini-bond bill. Um let you know, let's let's do it, but
Play from 1:53:55Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
But, um we we literally have people being shot in the streets, and we have uh, you know, a lot of stress on maintaining fire levels, so that has to be a priority, I think. I want to thank you all for your work that you're doing on it.
Play from 1:54:32Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
So moved to adopt the agenda as presented.
Play from 1:13:57Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Yes.
Play from 1:15:04Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh this ordinance is uh an ordinance designed to uh increase uh pedestrian safety by getting people into safer locations uh because it's become a phenomenon where uh as we can all see, we don't need to uh do surveys, you see in your daily life uh that um
Play from 1:26:54Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
medians and intersections, and even uh uh people getting into the roads, is become a a major problem. And it is causing issues with people driving. We've gotten a number of complaints where people have even been in accidents trying to avoid people, or or and we, of course, know that people get injured. And uh it's uh it's time to do something about that. And this is uh uh an ordinance that I would say is uh uh definitely well drafted. It is uh I want to thank our city solicitor for that part as well as the uh the staff and members of Council. Uh it is uh drafted well enough where it is uh uh becoming a model. So I I believe that this uh that there have been concerns that were raised that have been addressed, uh such as uh for people concerned about uh people in need getting a fine. Under this ordinance, no one has to ever get a fine because it mandates that the uh first offense is a written warning with zero fine. So anyone who has uh any intentions or needs help, uh that opportunity would be made available to them, uh that if the only reason somebody would get fined is if they kept uh intentionally and persistently violating the law. And people who do that should be held accountable for insistent persistent violations of the law that
Play from 1:27:22Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
that endangers us, themselves and other people.
Play from 1:29:09Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
The ordinance uh also has uh uh petitions in it which will uh which are essentially designed to compliment uh the state law that is to be really enforced and doesn't apply to all areas of the city.
Play from 1:29:14Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
And there are areas of the city that is the state law doesn't apply to, and the state laws, we heard from testimony from our our chief and others, is um confusing whether it applies to this area. And if it's confusing, such that the Attorney General of the state of Delaware uh doesn't want to enforce it, then then it is uh and in fact, the Attorney General proposes a law a lot like ours,
Play from 1:29:37Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
the uh then how are citizens supposed to abide by it?
Play from 1:30:07Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
We have a responsibility to make sure that we have laws that are clear, that are enforceable, and that everyone can understand. And that's what this ordinance does.
Play from 1:30:13Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
I want to thank uh the staff for their work on this, thank members of the committee, and thank members of council. And I want to thank the members of the public for uh their input, which has been uh quite heartening and uh and endorsement by uh some very prominent organizations that have come down recently, including the Kent-Sussex Leadership Alliance. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield.
Play from 1:30:26Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Mr. President, and before members vote, I'd just like to caution them that we have an easy mechanism where we can go into executive session for for 3 to 5 minutes, uh
Play from 1:36:34Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Point of order, because uh waiving uh privileged communications just uh has the potential basically to allow The reason why it's privileged is because there's liability potential if that information is uh misplaced. So, uh we want to think and very carefully think whether or not we want to waive something that we haven't heard. If we know what is being said, then we If we know what is being said ahead of time, then we can waive that communication. Like if something were
Play from 1:37:01Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
That was an alternative suggestion.
Play from 1:38:46Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I do want to uh piggyback off of what uh Councilman Rocha said and just point out uh this ordinance shall not apply to sidewalks, private property, or other pedestrian walkways or within a vehicular and not within a vehicular lane of traffic. Uh, it is not intending to infringe on anybody's freedom of speech, not only it's not the intent, it explicitly ensures that doesn't happen. And it's uh, and with uh that type of ordinance, contrary to assertions that have been made, uh, courts have upheld it, even at the appellate level. In fact, there was the Salt, uh, I think the Salt Lake uh City, Utah case where that went up to the U.S. Supreme Court, and an ordinance just like this, 2020, and it was upheld. There's also been issues in New York where similar things have been upheld. They've been upheld in Albuquerque—
Play from 1:52:52Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. I also wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year. I also uh want to uh point out that at the uh Dashing Through Dover event on the 13th, Toys for Tots uh will be making one of their final collections. So, if anyone has been thinking of and is interested in helping those who uh would most benefit from some Christmas cheer, I'd like to encourage them to bring an item for the Toys for Tots. Even if you don't go to the parade and you don't know another site, please drop in. There's uh and then I would like to say that Mr. Mayor, you uh may need to defend your title, uh because uh you'll hear more in January, but uh the chili cook-off is back again. Took a year off last year,
Play from 3:02:39Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
here, but um a chili cook-off, which is a or mostly the annual community fundraiser for the commu- uh community fundraiser. This year's um uh beneficiary will be People's Community Center's youth program, who helps the um underprivileged youth in the city, mostly in the Fourth District. And uh because their their their programs are doing great, but the youth program has fallen a little bit short of their budget. And it's uh And so the community should step up to help out and to uh meet those particular needs. And I would just like to uh encourage anyone who wants to help ahead of time, you don't have to wait for January. Please feel free to uh reach out. Thank you very much. I yield, Mr. President.
Play from 3:03:40Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. We've been uh pretty busy in in the Fourth District. And uh one with uh we've had several meetings with uh constituents, uh a lot of them regarding problems with crime. Uh we there was a uh Neighborhood Watch meeting. There was there were also separate meetings with different constituents, uh some of which uh I want to thank you, Council President, and and uh Councilwoman Hall for also participating in. Uh we've been uh also looking at uh some of the issues. We had a very positive uh uh uh meeting with at the National League of Cities, which uh uh you'll be seeing some good information uh from that. Uh we've already dealt with some, but you'll be seeing good information from that
Play from 02:15Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I uh first of all, Ms. Smith, thank you so much for coming. It's always uh good to have you here.
Play from 30:32Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I have a question regarding the um the Dover uh air cargo freight uh study which was a a fine study in 2021. Um, now that we have the new joint use agreement, I was just curious uh do you think it would be useful for that to get a little bit of an update?
Play from 30:43Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Understood. I I thank you for that. And um if you were looking at uh if and also back uh in 2022 was the uh East-West Freight Routes Phase uh 1. Um is there any update on...
Play from 31:46Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
So that so that state study uh that that's not a Del-
Play from 32:40Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. The I had a uh uh one
Play from 1:08:42Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Question about the uh, and the I see that you have on here of some issue, some updates. Uh, do you have some a little more detail on the updates with the Dover High uh, sidewalks?
Play from 1:08:48Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I appreciate that. Cuz we we appreciate that very much, cuz that's been a, yeah, high priority issue for years, uh, going back to when the new Dover High was constructed. And I appreciate that you're staying on it because we have to quite frankly, um, make sure that the passage is safe.
Play from 1:09:18Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh, and I see that in other areas as well. Um, thank you. I I, I yield. But if uh, unless if anybody has a question, I yield. If not, I'll make a motion. I yield to Councilman Lewis, then.
Play from 1:10:05Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Mr. Mr. Chairman.
Play from 1:23:01Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh there is someone who wants to a member of the public who wishes to comment if you would like to allow that.
Play from 1:23:08Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Point of
Play from 1:29:49Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Point, point, point of
Play from 1:30:12Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh, thank you, uh Mr. Chairman. I just, Dr. Sudler, uh wanted to respectfully remind the citizens there's a 3-minute uh time limit. And uh, anyway, uh thank you.
Play from 1:30:17Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. The Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee is called to order. We'll give a minute um for everyone to take their space here. Please take your time, sir. Don't don't rush. We have plenty We're going to be here a minute. Thank you very much. Now, at this time, I'd like to entertain a motion to adopt the agenda.
Play from 1:45:12