Regular Meeting of Wilmington City Council

Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 6:30 p.m.

Council Chambers
Louis L. Redding City/County Building
800 North French Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801

AGENDA

  1. Call to Order
    Invocation
    Pledge of Allegiance
    Roll Call
  2. Approval of Minutes
  3. Committee Reports
  4. Acceptance of Treasurer's Report

5. Non-legislative Business

M. Brown Sympathy Kenneth Oates
M. Brown Sympathy Anthony J. Ciotti, Sr.
M. Brown Retirement Delores Nelson
Gregory Sympathy James Edward Bryan
Gregory Sympathy Julio Rodriguez
Gregory Sympathy Dr. Emma Burgess
Shabazz Retirement Terry Toliver
Shabazz Recognize Mimi Brown
Shabazz Retirement Lonnie Edwards
Walsh Celebration of Life – Mason Webster Dunn

5. Legislative Business

Hanifa G.N. Shabazz: 4th District

Agenda #3984
Ordinance 14-046
3rd & Final Reading		 Approve the removal of New Street from the Official City Map
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing a change to the Official City Map of Wilmington to remove New Street from the map. New Street is near Vandever Avenue, Palmers Row and Mabel Street. Delmarva Power recently renovated a substation at the site based on a City Design Review and Preservation Commission (DRPC) recommendation. New Street is now
completely surrounded by the substation, thus the need to remove the street from the official map. The City Planning Commission approved this Ordinance at its October 21 meeting.
Revision 1 to Agenda #3985
Sub. 1
Ordinance 14-047
3rd & Final Reading		 Adopt the subdivision plan known as "Walnut Ridge at 15th and Walnut Streets" and to accept the dedication of a new city street to be named "Dyson Way"
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be approving a subdivision plan known as Walnut Ridge, located at 15th and Walnut Streets, to create nine parcels for residential development. The Ordinance would also add a street to the Official City Map that would be known as Dyson Way. The City Planning Commission approved this Ordinance at its October 21 meeting.

Charles M. "Bud" Freel: 8th District

Revision 1 to Agenda #3954
Sub. 1
Ordinance 14-034
3rd & Final Reading		 Amend Chapter 2 of the City Code regarding expenditure and revenue control, review and reconciliation
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, this Ordinance would provide a more transparent process by which the City’s Expenditure Review Board looks at spending trends among City departments. The Ordinance would require that the Board hold each of its required quarterly meetings during a regularly-scheduled session of the Council Finance Committee. These public review sessions would also be expanded to include a discussion of departmental vacancies as well as the City’s General Fund and Water/Sewer Fund. Under the Ordinance, the City Budget Director would also be required to notify members of the Council Finance Committee if department expenditures reach or exceeded 75% of appropriated funds within a fiscal year. The Budget Director would also be required to notify the Finance Committee in writing whenever the City is projecting a budget shortfall of 3% or more (instead of the current 5%) of budgeted revenues in any fiscal year. In addition, the Ordinance would change the date (to January 31 instead of March 1) by which the City Council must enact legislation reconciling, amending or transferring funds among financial accounts in City departments for the prior fiscal year. This revised date will bring the reconciliation process in line with the availability of the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) which is completed by December 31 of each year.
Agenda #3995
Ordinance 14-051
3rd & Final Reading		 Authorize an agreement with Lerro Corporation to provide on-site engineering services for WITN TV
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing a three-year agreement whereby the Lerro Corporation would provide on-site engineering services for WITN, Wilmington’s government access television station (Channel 22 on the Comcast system). The annual cost of the agreement is $15,000 and would expire December 31, 2017 unless it is terminated sooner as provided for
within the agreement. The Lerro Corporation currently provides engineering services under a similar three-year agreement and Council wishes to continue that arrangement at no increase in the annual cost of the contract.
Agenda #3997
Ordinance 14-052
3rd & Final Reading		 Amend Chapter 44 of the City Code regarding adoption of County annual and quarterly assessments of municipal property
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be amending Chapter 44 of the Wilmington City Code, specifically Section 44-31, relating to the City’s adoption of annual and quarterly assessments of municipal property by the New Castle County Board of Assessment. The ordinance, while maintaining the City’s use of County property assessments within Wilmington’s borders, directs the City Finance Department to designate a contact person to serve as the liaison with the New Castle County Department of Land Use, to provide assistance in researching properties under an assessment appeal, and to report to City Administration officials and Members of City Council.
Agenda #4003
Ordinance 14-054
3rd & Final Reading		 Amend Chapter 45 of the City Code regarding the Wilmington Water, Sewer and Stormwater Citizens Advisory Board ("CAB")
Synopsis This Ordinance is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing an amendment to Chapter 45 of the City Code regarding the members of the Wilmington Water, Sewer and Stormwater Citizens Advisory Board (CAB). The CAB is a seven-member body with five members appointed by the City of Wilmington and two members appointed by the New Castle County Government. Specifically, this Ordinance would allow no more than one of the five City-appointed members of the CAB to reside outside of the City limits, as long as that member lives within the New Castle County limits and works in the City of Wilmington.
  1. Petitions and Communications
  2. Adjournment