Statements by Gerald L. Rocha, Sr.
552 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any opposed? The ayes have it. The the agenda is adopted. We only have one item on the agenda, and that's the evaluation of bids, water quality improvements, and our water and wastewater director Mr. Jason Lyon is up again. The floor is yours, sir.
Play from 1:29:25Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 1:34:11Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Yes.
Play from 1:15:09Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Rocha seconds.
Play from 1:15:29Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Rocha seconds.
Play from 1:18:39Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Yeah. Um, thank you, Council President. Um, just to piggyback off of Councilwoman Arndt's point, I don't know where that the wheelchair fits in on that. Um, you know, that was to me the driving force for me to support this ordinance is because of witnessing the wheelchair on the median on uh the corner of Forest and Saulsbury Road. I uh You know, I know we
Play from 1:43:31Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
I agree with the statements that Councilman Lewis and and Dr.- Councilman Dr. Sudler have said, but that still doesn't apply to a wheelchair in the median. I don't I don't understand, I haven't had I just don't understand, or help me to understand, why solicitation can't take place on the sidewalk. I just don't understand, like the solicitation itself, the act of solicitation, I don't have a problem with that. I don't understand why it can't take place on the sidewalk instead of a strip median. When when it was over by DelTech, that median's a little bit different. Now that it's occurring on what is not even really a median, it's just something that DelDOT puts there to separate the traffic or whatever, I I just am not convinced that we can't address the safety portion of the ordinance and still have the solicitations take place, but in a safer spot other than in the middle of the road. I I haven't heard anybody...
Play from 1:50:57Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
come up to the microphone tonight, or in the last two months we've been talking about this, and give me something concrete to change my mind so that we can take care of the safety of those individuals so that they don't get hurt trying to do this. I just, you know.
Play from 1:52:20Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
que, New Mexico. They've been upheld. Roanoke, Virginia. Uh, you know, it's, uh, you know, that's why we didn't, uh, sit around and had, and, and draft an ordinance that we thought sounded good. That's why it's been legally vetted and, and improved in committee. Um, anyway, this is not a debate on the ordinance, I just wanted to clarify questions that had have been made because this is just first reading. Uh, we have a chance to debate and discuss it on the second reading. I yield, Mr. President.
Play from 1:54:07Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Permission to dialogue.
Play from 1:56:57Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you. Thank you. So, based on what you just said, what what statute are you leaning on that's enforceable by... are you still referring to the state statute?
Play from 1:57:03Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
And since I still have the floor, I'd like to redirect to uh Chief Johnson to address what was just read, if you could please.
Play from 1:59:43Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Yeah. So, um, thank you, uh, Councilwoman Hall, for enlightening on that part of the statute that you pointed out, and Councilman Lewis, because that, to me, that brings a whole different perspective. And I know I had heard members of the audience that came up and stated it like that. But, you know, we do try to listen to staff recommendations, um, and weigh it. You know what I mean? That's what I try to do anyway. Um, and if my if my if I'm looking at our staff and if our staff is is advocating for this, try to respect the fact that that's being what the ask is for. The the the bottom line though is
Play from 2:23:31Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
what mechanisms do we need and if the if they're already in place, then they're already in place. Then we we have to challenge our staff or our officers, you know, and I'm trying to now find out, you know, state statute or this ordinance to accomplish the job, right? And what is it? Now it sounds to me like I'm I'm hearing that we can use the state statute that's already in place. So now I just need, you know, I'm I'm leaning towards listening to what Dr. Sudler is saying, and also listening to what Councilman Boggerty is saying, do we need more time before we just I I think I might need to hear more uh and weigh more on this before I sign off on this uh this this The chief still has to go back and do some homework, ask his uh safety officers, traffic safety officers. So at this point right now, uh I think the evidence is pretty clear to me uh and I'm not saying that we just toss this this ordinance out, Councilman Anderson, I'm not say suggesting that. But I think that there that uh we need more answers. Number one, if this the state statute is sufficient, how do we get the state statute implemented for us so that the safety of these individ-
Play from 2:24:26Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, uh, Council President. Uh, Chief, one one more question. Um, can you explain what the state statute is in Title 21 in reference to jaywalking, and is there any part of the jaywalking law that can be used in this instance?
Play from 2:35:56Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Chief. Uh at this time I I I yield.
Play from 2:38:58Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I am, sir. How are you?
Play from 01:20Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, home resting in the house so far. I coughing up a storm, but I feel free to be back on the stretch. So uh I don't have anything to report at this...
Play from 01:26Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes, um thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I I just wanted to make a statement in regards that um brought up the idea of the comprehensive plan um that that originally my first statement was in reference to DelDOT. Not necessarily to call weight on the MPO. So Marilyn, I I wondered if you think that uh that I was pointing the finger at at the MPO.
Play from 22:20Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
To, you know, being in that, you know, traffic situation that I had, and I found other municipalities, I mean DelDOT can act, and they were able to, and I think there's one moving right now
Play from 22:43Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
highways if you will, to like 301 and stuff like that. Um as we grow, how do we keep up with providing relief in traffic uh on a long-term basis? Not to knock any of the work that's already been done. Um you know within the city of course, you guys have uh done you know a lot of great studies, particularly Salisbury, you know in my area, and Kenton Road, and things of that nature, but by by no means, but just something for us as a council to think about and get educated on so that we're able to make good decisions when it comes to transportation in the future, and I'm sure the MPO will help us assist with that. And I would definitely uh like to be a participant in a workshop as well. Um you know, so, you know, I um but by no means did it did it did did I intend on putting all the weight on the MPO as much as DelDOT and our colleagues on the council when it comes to thinking about you know how we are going to as our population grows uh to that effect. And with that, I yield.
Play from 22:56Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
mean that they're looking at possibly putting or improving um more roads next to the railroad system or can you elaborate on that to give me some clarity?
Play from 36:02Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay, would a would a road system um next to the rail, would that impede? I know you said um building housing 25 ft would not be compatible, but what about a road itself leading to um some residential area that is beyond 25 ft?
Play from 37:29Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay, I'll I'll have that conversation with you, too. Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for your presentation. I yield, Chairman Boggerty. Thank you.
Play from 38:25Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Any other questions, comments, or concerns?
Play from 47:07Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, uh is there any of Now, members of the public that Can you please approach, and you know,
Play from 47:14Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Are there any more questions?
Play from 48:47Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me. Um Mr. Hugg, um under your uh safety and capacity improvement priority, do you have any um indication as to where College Road improvements would be coming up? Because I I know we've we've had that on the list, you know, for as long as I've been on the council, and I just want to know priority-wise, do we know if DelDOT has an I know they've done some work right off of Kenton Road, but, you know, when when do you think they would incorporate the rest of the uh Right. Right. improvements on College Road on both sides with sidewalks and
Play from 1:05:14Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Right.
Play from 1:05:47Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay, yeah. I I just noticed, you know, that we have pedestrians walking down College Road, particularly on Well, depending on which side Which way you're going, but on the side where there's no sidewalks,
Play from 1:05:59Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
and uh I I've been uh hoping that we would be able to get that on the, you know,
Play from 1:06:08Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
in the queue, at least.
Play from 1:06:37Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Right.
Play from 1:06:42Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
So when When it When it When you have it listed like uh at the top, it says Economic Development Priorities, is that like priority number one, and then Safety
Play from 1:06:54Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
No, I agree.
Play from 1:07:46Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Mm-hmm.
Play from 1:07:47Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. So basically, with the exception of how you uh categorize them, the way the list is written, that that's the priorities that we're going to submit to DelDOT?
Play from 1:07:48Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Yeah, okay. Yeah, that's what I thought. Okay. I thank you. Thank you for clarifying that, uh, Mr. Hugg. Uh, I yield, uh, Chairman Boggerty.
Play from 1:08:06Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh, thank you, uh, Mr. Chairman, um...
Play from 1:13:24Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, I can do it. I I just can't see everyone's... You know, I'm navigating through the agenda, but but I just can't see if there's questions and things. I'm just not there to see if I'm missing anybody. You want me to continue?
Play from 1:13:36