QUARTERLY OPEN TOWN MEETING
The Quarterly Open Town Meeting was held on February 3, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Hutchison presiding. Members present were Council President Christiansen, Mr. Lambert, Mr. Tudor, Mr. Leary, Mr. Pitts, Mrs. Malone, Mr. Fenimore, Mr. Salters and Mr. Hare. Staff members present were Chief Smith, Mr. Lucas, Mr. O'Connor, Mr. DePrima, Chief Carey and Mrs. Boaman.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS
Due to a scheduling conflict, Mayor Hutchison requested that item B(14) be moved to the first item under item B.
Mayor Hutchison stated that this meeting will provide an opportunity for the various committees and organizations associated with the City of Dover to share their goals and objectives with members of Council and with the public. He requested that each organization attempt to keep their remarks limited to five minutes so that all organizations have an opportunity to speak.
OVERVIEW OF DIRECTION OF CITY OF DOVER
James R. O'Connor - City Manager
City Manager, James R. O'Connor, gave a brief overview of improvements that have been made in the delivery of City services. In the area of electric service, we experienced 223 outages in 1993, but during 1996 the number of outages declined to only 112. We are becoming very participatory in the community by working with the Chamber in some of their programs and by working with local schools promoting energy conservation and safety. In the area of computer services and billing, we have made considerable progress in computer software utilization. We have accomplished the task of combining all utility billings into one bill. We are entering Phase II of this project, which entails the purchase of new software that will provide additional information for our customers that will show customer usage and will more accurately project our future needs. A quarterly newsletter is sent out with utility bills to communicate with and provide informational services to our customers.
In the Public Works area we experienced a 20% increase in the volume of garbage over the same period last year and service was provided without an increase in manpower or trucks. We also recorded fewer complaints during the holiday season. In the Grounds Division, many compliments were received on the improvements in our Christmas decorations as well as for all of our flower beds. From 1993 to 1996, we have reduced the number of employees in this area from three to two, which shows an increase in productivity. He reminded Council, however, that as we increase the number of flower beds throughout the City, the number of employees will probably increase. A new Recreation Committee is currently reviewing our present recreational programs and facilities and reviewing our future needs in the area of recreation. A proposed plan will be submitted to Council in the very near future.
Mr. O’Connor stated that the City’s financial outlook is very sound and we look forward to continuing in this direction.
Anthony DePrima, City Planner
Mr. Anthony DePrima, City Planner, distributed the executive summary of The Dover Plan, which is a summary of the full, recently updated Comprehensive Plan. In terms of construction activity in the City, Mr. DePrima stated that during 1996, the Planning Commission approved more than 400,000 sq. ft. of non-residential construction in the City, of which nearly one-half was related to retail and entertainment facilities. Almost 40% of the buildings approved this year by the Planning Commission were for public institutions, the largest of which was the Delaware State University Business and Economics Building. Only 10% of the applications reviewed by the Planning Commission this year were related to office development and industrial uses. On the residential side, the Planning Commission approved 44 multi-family dwelling units for Luther Towers and 53 single family lots created for the Cranberry Run Subdivision. The total value of construction in 1996, gauged by issued building permits, totaled approximately $34.5 million which is 38% lower than 1996. These statistics indicate that Dover is still a growth community; however, the numbers also reflect the fact that 1996 was a cool down year for the City from the prior four year period where we experienced record development approval and construction starts. He stated that the City’s growth is more paced, but is not considered slow.
It is expected that 1997 will sustain the same level of growth as experienced in 1996. Mr. DePrima stated that during the past year, the City of Dover has been contacted by many other communities in Delaware about many of our planning projects such as community planning exercises, tree preservation ordinances, our unique subdivision design ordinances, pedestrian planning and our historic district zoning. In many ways, the City of Dover is seen as a model for the State. For 1997, they are looking forward to working under the new Comprehensive Plan, working more on Silver Lake protection, implementing the bicycle and pedestrian-way plan, cooperating with the County on a growth boundary and annexation plan, possible expansion of the historic district and working on zoning issues for senior housing. They plan to broaden the emphasis of the Community Development Block Grant program to one that focuses on more than just housing, such as including community services as well as economic development projects.
Fire Chief Carleton Carey, Jr. - Robbins Hose Company
Carleton Carey, Jr., Fire Chief of the Robbins Hose Company, stated that they are entering their 115th year of volunteer service to the City and its surrounding areas. The Robbins Hose Company #1 is the only volunteer fire service in the nation to serve a state capital. They are averaging 750 to 800 fire calls per year. The membership continues to answer the call for help with highly trained volunteers, well equipped and with great enthusiasm. They are planning for the future with various recruitment programs, intensive training and use of the most modern fire equipment available to serve the citizens of the City of Dover. Fire Chief Carey expressed the appreciation of the members of the Robbins Hose Company for the cooperation and partnership of the Mayor, Council and City Staff. He also expressed appreciation to the members of Robbins Hose Company and to City officials for the confidence shown by giving him the opportunity to serve as Chief of the Robbins Hose Company.
BRIEFING BY VARIOUS CITY ORGANIZATIONS
Silver Lake Commission
Mr. Michael Malkiewicz, Chairman of the Silver Lake Commission, reported the names of the members of the Silver Lake Commission. He referred to the Options for the Protection and Improvement of Silver Lake, stating that it is the culmination of many years and many tax dollars which outlines the options that the City has to maintain and preserve the lake. The Commission has been charged with the responsibility of reviewing the options and making a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Committee. He assured members of Council that the Silver Lake Commission members fully understand that this needs to be a commitment by both the City and the County. The watershed that filters into the lake flows from areas outside the City limits so they realize that any improvement to the lake will require a commitment by both levels of government. They intend to have their review completed and their recommendations submitted to the City by March 1, 1997.
Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Doug Bennetti, President, addressed Council on behalf of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce. On their economic agenda for 1997, they are involved with the Delaware Civic Center for Dover and their By-Pass Committee is involved with the proposal for a SR1/Rt. 8 interchange. Their Infrastructure Committee is involved in decision making that effects all aspects of wastewater disposal. They are monitoring health care and insurance programs as they relate to Chamber membership.
They recently instituted a scholarship fund and will continue to work toward funding so that scholarships can be awarded to students. The Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce was the first Chamber in Delaware to be accredited. Every five years, you must be re-accredited and they are working very hard toward re-accreditation. Their legislative agenda includes strong support for the Comprehensive Plans of the City of Dover and Kent County. They do not support the State’s Land Use proposals as they currently stand. The Chamber’s position is that land use issues should be made by local jurisdictions. Referring to the current City of Dover proposal for a paid Mayor and remuneration increases for City Council, Mr. Bennetti stated that the Chamber is supportive of the proposals.
For the first time, the Home and Trade Show (April 11, 12 & 13, 1997) will be held at the Dover Mall. The Winter Living Expo will be held at the Dover Mall in the month of October. The Chamber is very involved with DAFB and very supportive of the Base and all of its activities. Mr. Bennetti outlined many activities that the Chamber sponsors. He stated that the Chamber will be involved in legislative issues affecting all of the Chambers in the State, which includes tax issues, land use issues, SR 1 toll plaza in New Castle, legislation for workers compensation, and proposed legislation for the Department of Transportation’s long range plan. Mr. Bennetti relayed his appreciation for the cooperation shown by the City to the Chamber of Commerce in the past and assured Council that they look forward to a cooperative relationship in the future.
Central Delaware Economic Development Council
Mr. Dan Wolfensberger, Director of the Central Delaware Economic Development Council, addressed the changes taking place in Kent County. Since change happens gradually, we often do not recognize just how much change has taken place. Referring to the unemployment rate, Mr. Wolfensberger stated that it is currently at 4.2% which is the lowest rate since 1989. The population in Kent County is 126,000 individuals as compared to 96,000 individuals 20 years ago. Referring to the labor force, Mr. Wolfensberger stated that the current number of individuals employed is 72,500 as compared to 26,500 20 years ago. Per capita income, another indicator of economic well being, has doubled from $8,160 to $16,000 plus. More people are making more money than ever in Kent County.
The Central Delaware Economic Development Council will continue to promote the City of Dover and Kent County as a location for expansion and a place for retaining new companies. They are already pursuing a number of very good leads. Land use issues are very important and they plan to support the concept of local land use decisions being made by local people who will have to live with those decisions. They will not support any proposals by the State to take away land use authority from local governmental bodies. Referring to the Kent County Aeropark, Mr. Wolfensberger stated that they are looking for new tenants and it is possible that a potential tenant will construct a new building at the Park. Also, progress is being made on the proposal for an expanded joint use agreement for joint use of the runways at the Base.
Civic Center Review Committee
Mr. E. Stuart Outten, Chairman of the Civic Center Review Committee, addressed members of Council. Mr. Outten recently updated members of Council on the progress of the Civic Center Review Committee so during this meeting he emphasized progress since the last update. They have engaged an architectural company to perform conceptual design work to depict what the Civic Center might look like if it was placed on the City property, known as Frazier’s Pit. They have several configurations, keeping it at approximately 100,000 sq. ft. They have requested that the plan incorporate an ice rink. The ice rink would not be incorporated in the Center but would be separate so that the concept of privatization could be pursued. Delaware State University has requested that consideration be given to locating the Center on their campus rather than on the City land. One parcel being considered is land near the Agricultural Museum, located south of College Road, and a second possible site is on land located on the north side of College Road near the Delaware State University’s Humanities Building. Although it does not seem to be an insurmountable problem, it appears that the City’s land contains more wetlands than originally known. A meeting is planned with Civic Center Committee and Delaware State University representatives to review the possibilities of the three sites. Mr. Outten stated that with their sports programs, Delaware State University is a key player in the project. Although it is taking longer than he would like, Mr. Outten assured members of Council that the Committee is committed to making a conclusive recommendation as soon as possible.
Dover Art League
Mrs. Rosemary Woodward, President of the Dover Art League, stated that they are a member supported visual arts center with approximately 375 family and individual artist and non-artist members which have grown significantly since last year. They are also financially supported by the Delaware Division of the Arts and this support has increased as well. Last June they purchased a new facility at 21 Loockerman Street which was a huge step for them. They have renovated the first floor with the financial support of the City, Nations Bank, 21st Century Redevelopment Funds, Kraft General Foods and many other individual and corporate donations. They provide art classes, that are taught by teachers from local schools who are hired on a part-time basis, which were attended by over 500 students last year. Nations Bank provided full scholarships to 50 of the students from the Dover Housing Authority. Mrs. Woodward outlined many of their current activities. Referring to the Arts Festival, she stated that they will collaborate with the Dover Arts Council and the Friends of Old Dover to hold the Arts Festival in conjunction with Old Dover Days. It is felt that this will expand the activities of Old Dover Days and boost attendance to the Arts Festival in the downtown area.
Their goal for 1997 is to raise the remainder of needed funds to complete the renovations on their facility. It is estimated that it will cost $45,000 to replace the roof and renovate the second floor which will provide space for educational programs and artists’ studios which will be open to the public.
Mrs. Woodward stated that they are continuing to grow in a stable manner and they feel that they are contributing to the economic development of downtown Dover. She asked that anyone with suggestions for the Dover Art League contact her as they are always open to new ideas for improvement in the future.
Dover Arts Council
Dr. Donald Parks, Chairman of the Dover Arts Council, stated that the mission of the Dover Arts Council is to promote excellence, access and education in the arts and humanities within our culturally diverse community in order to enhance the quality of life and to contribute to the economic vitality of the greater Dover area. Dr. Parks stated that last year they had two art tours but this next year they plan to concentrate on the Arts Festival which will be held in conjunction with the Old Dover Days celebration. Partnerships are very important and it is felt that combining the efforts of all parties will benefit everyone.
They are in the process of redesigning their newsletter of events and are coordinating the newsletter with the Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Tourism. As chairman of the Dover Arts Council, Dr. Parks stated that he works with many other organizations in the community. The Arts Council is planning some changes within the Council itself. Originally all members were artists and they now feel that there should be a mix of artists and business representatives. Mrs. Jane Richter has agreed to serve as the chairperson for the Committee for Change. As a part of the reorganization process, they will review every aspect of the Dover Arts Council and they are looking forward to a positive future.
Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization
Ms. Juanita S. Wieczoreck, Coordinator for the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), relayed that their most significant accomplishment since her last update to Council is the adoption of the Long Range Transportation Plan. The Plan was adopted with many of the City’s priorities included in it. This Plan will guide transportation programming and planning decisions over the next 25 years. They are in the midst of developing the FY98 Transportation Improvement Program which is a three-year list of projects for which DelDOT will seek federal funding. This program includes more Dover projects than has been seen for a long time. Action should be seen in the next construction season on Scarborough Road, the signals on Kenton Road at College and Walker Roads, and the improvements on White Oak Road. In systems management, improvements are seen for North Street, particularly between Mifflin Road and West Street, and a signal light at Mifflin Road. They are in the preliminary design stage for improvements on Walker Road to complete the sidewalk and bicycle network and drainage improvements. Improvements to Horsepond Road are in the design stage. Other activities include their support of Transportation Enhancement Funds for Dover as well as other Kent County projects. They continue to try to improve communications between the City of Dover and the Department of Transportation. They intervene on behalf of local senior citizens who have trouble accessing the transit system and have worked to coordinate efforts of those advocating reuse of the Train Station as a transit hub. They have a bicycle and pedestrian subcommittee that will work to ensure coordination of all involved parties.
Future activities include a workshop to develop a concept plan for U.S. Route #13 which will bring together local professionals in the architectural/engineering/planning fields to make recommendations on what types of improvements should be made on U.S. Route #13. This stems from the City’s Comprehensive Plan efforts where many participants listed U.S. Route #13 as one of the top ten worst aspects of Dover. They are also working on a nontraditional rural transit plan that will improve mobility of residents of the County to access the Dover area. They will be joining the opposition to making the Dover toll plaza a $2 toll as a solution to not constructing a second plaza in New Castle County. They will be reviewing the proposal for the S.R. 1/Route #8 interchange and shepherding future projects through the DelDOT pipeline such as sidewalks on U.S. Route #13, completing the sidewalks and closing drainage on Kenton Road between Route #8 and the Fire School Road, and upgrading the signals in downtown Dover.
They are attempting to increase their presence in the community which is important because the stronger they are in the community, the stronger their advocacy becomes to DelDOT.
Dover Parking Authority
Speaking on behalf of the Dover Parking Authority, Chairman Mr. William Witham stated that
the Parking Authority was incorporated in 1954. They currently operate seven City lots (City Hall parking lot, Bradford Street lot, Minor Street lot, Governors Avenue lot, Water Street lot, Loockerman Way lot and the North Street lot). They have expanded their parking facilities and currently manage over 415 managed parking spaces and over 100 spaces are now available to customers in the form of one and two hours metered spaces and all day parking spaces.
The basic function of the Authority is to expand and maintain public, off-street parking so that private enterprises and the government may mutually provide adequate parking spaces for the convenience of the public. They work very closely with many other Dover organizations and City staff. Last year, they implemented their Strategic Parking Plan for Dover which was designed to address parking problems and plan for the future. As a result, the parking plan has become more user friendly. They have successfully created an all-day customer parking lot to accommodate 29 spaces and have created more on-street parking for customers by discouraging employees from parking in two hour spaces. For downtown employees, they have lowered parking rates by over 30% with the average parking permit going from $31 per month to $22 per month. Annual permits were $346 and are now $240 and are now accepted in four installments. With an agreement with Colonial Investments, they have secured the management of 110 new parking spaces at the North Street parking lot. They have concentrated on safety issues to ensure that getting to and from all of their parking lots is safe for all users.
For the next year, they plan to continue a public awareness program on the availability of public off-street parking for all customers of downtown merchants. They will continue to improve the crosswalks for the safety of everyone. They hope to construct various information kiosks to provide shopping and parking information for downtown customers. They will continue to improve on their private/public relationships and will cooperate with the needs of the downtown merchants. Mr. Witham expressed appreciation to Mayor and Council and City staff for allowing him and his fellow members an opportunity to serve the City of Dover.
Downtown Dover Development Corporation
Mr. Gary Patterson, President, addressed Council on behalf of the Downtown Dover Development Corporation (DDDC). Mr. Patterson expressed appreciation to the City Manager for the splendid lighting display during the Christmas season and for agreeing to the suggestions of some of the DDDC members that the white lights be continued in the downtown area. Mr. Patterson stated his opinion that the white lights have brightened up the winter and added to the comfort level to downtown shoppers. Mr. Patterson also voiced appreciation to the City Planner, City Treasurer and City Clerk for the support they provide to the DDDC. Reviewing the highlights of accomplishments during the last year, Mr. Patterson stated that a major accomplishment was the receipt of two major 21st Century grants from the State of Delaware. The grants have not yet been dispersed but they are targeted for the Bayard Hotel and Capitol Theater renovations. The Corporation, along with the City Manager, negotiated a rather unique agreement with the State of Delaware for the sale of a parcel of land located to the rear of the Police Station which will be used as the new location for the Magistrates Court. This will also free up the current Train Station facility for another use and the DDDC, along with other interested parties, is reviewing the best possible use of this property.
The DDDC is looking for a role in the reuse of the Old Ice Plant on North Street. The Kunkle Corporation has moved into the south side of the South Governors Avenue Property and attempts to rent or lease the north side of the building are continuing. The utilization of Weyandt Hall by the citizens and employees of the City continues to grow. Well over 3,000 citizens are using the drive-thru windows and drop-off box for utility payments. The facility provides much better access for customer services and will be able to provide better services as we move to the future. The investment of this property was a joint venture of the City of Dover and the DDDC and it is an investment that continues to pay off. Negotiations are ongoing for the Richardson Hall property and the DDDC is very involved with this project. In the year ahead, we look forward to the groundbreaking of the new Magistrate Court. They hope to amend the target area boundaries for the downtown redevelopment area by moving west of the railroad tracks to the historic business and industry area that is just east of Lincoln Park. Expansion of the target area would allow the DDDC to review better uses or restoration of some of these parcels. They hope to develop a marketing plan for the western edge of the downtown business area and incorporate the area from Division Street to North Street. Mr. Patterson thanked the other members of the DDDC for their dedication to the Corporation.
D/FD Operating Services, LLC
Mr. George Wackerhagen, Vice President & General Manager of Duke/Fluor Daniel, stated that it has been almost one year since D/FD Operating Services assumed operations at McKee Run Generating Station. Mr. Wackerhagen stated that employee safety is a major priority of D/FD and they have experienced only one minor injury at the Plant during the last year. Safety is a major focus for D/FD as a business and they have committed themselves to keeping safety as a major issue in the future.
When the market is right, they attempt to generate energy aggressively and when the market is right for purchasing energy, they try to purchase energy aggressively. The measure of efficiency at the Power Plant has increased by 10% over the last year, which is a significant quantity in a unit of this size. He feels that they still have a long way to go but they are very pleased with the increase to date. In terms of plant availability, they have maintained this number at well above 90%, and in terms of forced outages they have reduced the frequency down to less than 1% as compared to 8.94% over its prior three-year history. On a nationwide basis, a plant of this nature typically experiences a frequency rate of 3.5%.
Mr. Wackerhagen stated his feeling that they have planted a seed of teamwork at the Plant, both internally and externally. Internally, they have tried to tear down barriers inside the organization, making people work together to capture the synergy of teams working together so that the end result is greater than the sum of the products that go into it. The external team work is also very important and this is where they turn to their partnership with the City of Dover and its employees and this partnership is an excellent one. The key activities taken place during the past year include a new 2½ million gallon oil tank which increases their capacity fivefold and they have worked aggressively to negotiate more favorable terms for gas pricing. They have computer networking with their corporate offices and this capability allows them significant technical support.
Regulations are rapidly changing and they are working very hard to stay on top of the changes. They have emphasized staff training over the past year. Since they have a small number of employees, they feel that it is important to broaden the skills and capabilities of these employees. Mr. Wackerhagen stated that he is proud of how well the employees have done. The company takes community development seriously and they have focused their energies on the community and economic development. Their involvement with the United Way Campaign resulted in the 35 employees at D/FD Operating Services raising $10,122.50, which is the highest per employee contribution within the County. Mr. Wackerhagen conveyed his appreciation for the cooperation shown to D/FD and assured Council that they will continue all efforts toward making the Plant as efficient as it can possibly be.
Greater Dover Committee
On behalf of the Greater Dover Committee, Mr. W. Charles Paradee, Jr., President, addressed Council, explaining that the Greater Dover Committee is a dues funded, nonprofit organization. It is made up of professional men and women from the greater Dover area that either are executive officers or persons that hold a senior management position within the firm they are employed by. They have 43 paying members, six ex-officio members and three honorary members. Their stated purpose is to help identify opportunities in the community, find broad and sound solutions for the problems and thus encourage efforts to make the community a vital and progressive center. To these ends, the Committee seeks to cooperate with and assist government authorities and other private organizations to provide the best quality of life for its citizens. They have the Greater Dover Community Fund which is administered under the Delaware Community Foundation which allows them to provide grants to worthwhile community projects. They have sponsored many projects within the Dover Community, with the latest project being First Night Dover, in conjunction with the City of Dover and other contributing businesses. Their main goal is to work for the betterment of quality of life for the citizens in the greater Dover area. They typically start a project, then encourage its continuance by others, which allows them to back out and start another worthwhile project. They feel this allows them meet the goals of their organization.
Kent County Levy Court
Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Mike Cebrick, stated that the City and County have a very good working relationship which benefits the citizens of the City and the County. Currently, the County is still seeking a site for their Emergency Headquarters. Unfortunately an agreement for a site that was selected has fallen through so they will continue their efforts on this project. They have completed many projects such as Picadilly Castle which has been very successful. They are constructing a new process station at the Water Treatment Plant and they have recently completed the update of their Comprehensive Plan. They are currently working on the protection of farmland, updating Subdivision Regulations and expanding their Geographic Information System.
League of Women Voters of Greater Dover
Mrs. Ellen Wasfi, President of the League of Women Voters of Greater Dover, addressed Council. Mrs. Wasfi stated that they are a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization of 50 members whose purpose is to encourage citizens to participate actively in government and politics. The Dover League is a local branch of the League of Women Voters of Delaware which has a current membership of 350 and the League of Women Voters of the United States which has a current membership of more than 90,000. Membership is open to any citizen, male or female, over the age of 18. The major goals of the League are to achieve the vital components of a healthy democracy. These goals are to increase voter participation, to improve citizenship knowledge and education, to rebuild civic participation and to enhance diversity and representation and involvement in the political process. During the past year, the Dover League has engaged in the following public service activities: co-sponsored a Candidates Night for Dover City Council elections; co-sponsored Candidates Night for County, State and National offices; assisted in the
publication of the Voter’s Guide to County, State and National candidates; participated in the statewide registration of new voters; co-sponsored the Southern Delaware Health Forum which took place at Delaware State University last fall; and acted as an independent monitor of the Dover Resident Advisory Council elections at Dover Housing Authority sites.
The success of these efforts in bringing more citizens into the political process is evidence that cooperation between diverse civic organizations and businesses benefits the entire community and makes democracy work. Other activities of the Dover League of Women Voters include increasing public awareness of the problems of children at risk, concluding a study of the structure of Dover’s City Government, and continuing to examine issues of international importance through a monthly foreign policy discussion series.
With its goal of making democracy work, the League of Women Voters of Greater Dover hopes to continue to act as a facilitator, bringing diverse grass roots organizations together to encourage multiple voices to be heard in the decision making process. It is their hope that such broad-based communication and involvement will lead to the building of a stronger community and the creation of a richer quality of life for all of Dover’s citizens.
Main Street Dover
Mrs. Susan O'Neill, Project Manager of Main Street Dover, stated that she often is asked, what is Main Street Dover and what have they done for the City of Dover lately? Mrs. O’Neill stated that Main Street Dover is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to stimulate economic development in Downtown Dover through historic preservation. This is done by creating a positive image for downtown, improving the physical appearance, rebuilding and diversifying the downtown’s economy and encouraging cooperation among downtown’s leadership. Main Street programs entail three phases; Main Street Dover has just finished the first phase which is the catalyst phase. This phase lasts approximately four years and is generally when the organization is created and the foundation is built. They are now entering the second phase which is the growth phase. This phase generally lasts eight to twelve years. It is during this growth phase that the majority of reinvestment needed in the historic/commercial district can take place. The third phase is the general management phase. Mrs. O’Neill stated that as they enter the second phase they are actually ahead of the curve. The average investment in physical improvements in Main Street communities during their fourth year is approximately $200,000. Last year, there was more than $238,000 of private money invested in downtown Dover. In the first two quarters of this fiscal year, there has been $170,000 invested in downtown Dover. Referring to the leverage ratio, she reported that for every $1 of public money invested, there has been $3.90 of private dollars invested. Mrs. O’Neill reviewed other economic statistics outlined on a fact sheet submitted to members of Council.
As to the question of what has Main Street Dover done lately, Mrs. O’Neill reported projects that are in progress as they enter the growth stage. They include the purchase of 52 street flags that will hang on Loockerman Street on every other light pole from State Street to the Train Station. They are currently working with the City to clean up the landscaping beds and to purchase planters for the downtown area. They have successfully applied for $62,000 of ISTE funds to redesign and expand the landscaping in downtown. Through the 21st Century Fund, they have created a Small Building/Big Impact Facade Grant Program. This grant program is similar to the one offered by the DDDC but focuses on smaller businesses. A business recruitment package has been prepared which will be used to solicit new businesses in downtown. They have conducted several surveys of downtown customers to provide as much information as possible to the existing businesses so they know what their customers would like to see in downtown. They are assisting the Friends of the Capital Theater in their effort to create a performing arts theater.
Main Street Board Members met on Sunday afternoon to review goals for next year. Some of these goals include the creation of a safety subcommittee, the creation of a speaker’s bureau, updating the market analysis, increasing retail sales, creating a marketing campaign for the entire downtown, continuing work to improve the physical image of downtown, and creating a web site for the Main Street Program and for Downtown Dover. They have a minimum goal to recruit five new businesses in downtown.
Mr. Frank Zaback, the new President of the Board of Main Street Dover, stated that the merchants are dedicated to the improvement of downtown. The Main Street Board met for several hours on Sunday afternoon and they contribute a significant amount of time to the efforts of Main Street. Mr. Zaback assured members of Council that they will continue to work very hard toward the efforts of downtown redevelopment and expressed his appreciation for the support from the City of Dover.
St. Jones River Greenway Commission
Mr. Chris Zimmerman, Chairman of the St. Jones River Greenway Commission, stated that the Commission consists of 15 members of which five are appointed from the City, five from the County and five from the State at-large. Their basic mission is to enhance and preserve the St. Jones River Watershed in terms of its natural features, provide educational material and to support the recreational activities in the area. For 1997, they hope to complete the St. Jones Greenway Master Plan. They have selected a vendor to work with the Commission to provide a Master Plan. Funds for this project have been provided by DNREC through their Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund. Mr. Zimmerman displayed a sign that has been created as universal signage for statewide greenway programs.
They have identified an old landing area along the St. Jones, located at Lebanon Landing. Mr. Zimmerman displayed an artist’s rendering of a fishing pier and carry-on boat and canoe ramp. He stated that there is significant history associated with this area and they would like to develop it in conjunction with their mission. The landing is a major link to other greenways including Tidbury Park and greenways that will cross through future development and those that are presently planned. They hope to go beyond a simple boat ramp and place to go fishing. They would like to see a walking tour so that people could visit some of the basic sites of this area which is rich with history.
Kent County Tourism and Visitors Bureau
Ms. Mary Skelton, Director, and Mr. Frank Fantini, President, addressed members on behalf of the Kent County Tourism and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Fantini stated that tourism has developed immensely over the past few years. We now have nine museums in Dover, entertainment complexes such as Dover Downs, full convention/conference centers such as the Sheraton, public golf courses, etc. This area now has many amenities to offer as incentive to tourists but our main tourist attraction remains our historical value and cultural development. Referring to the Friends of the Capital Theater, Mr. Fantini stated that this group is attempting to restore and preserve a century old opera house which is located in the most historic district of Delaware. Mr. Fantini reminded members of Council that when people consider major business relocation into a community, they look at quality of life for their employees and expect communities to provide cultural activities for their employees and families. Mr. Fantini stated that redevelopment of the Capital Theater into a Performing Arts Center will not only offer cultural diversity for our community, but it will enhance the revitalization efforts for the downtown area. Mr. Fantini stated that the organization was developed one year ago at the suggestion of Mayor Hutchison. They have made considerable progress during the past year, but he feels that 1997 is the year that they will see real action and progress.
Ms. Mary Skelton stated that her job is to bring visitors into the area to spend their money; to stay overnight in our hotels, to eat in our restaurants, to shop, and to visit in our community. However, she spends a great deal of time dealing with requests and questions from people from all over the country and she feels that this is an important part of her job. The first priority of the Tourism organization for this next year is marketing Dover and Kent County. This will be accomplished in many ways such as bringing more conferences and conventions into the area. They are working with tour operators and feel they are being successful in their attempts to bring more groups to our area. They plan to expand on special events. One project is to expand the Nascar week in September. They do not plan to expand on the June race because of the Old Dover Days celebration. For the September race, they plan a Nascar Festival prior to the race which will include a parade and other festivities. They plan to do more marketing in the area of sports. With the completion of Schutte Park, they feel they can bring in more tournaments to Dover such as tournaments for soccer and baseball and it is hoped that we can have multi-day tournaments which bring in people for longer periods of time. Ms. Skelton thanked Mayor and Council for the financial and personal support given to the Kent County Tourism and Visitors Bureau.
Sandra Yates - President of NAACP
Mrs. Sandra Yates spoke representing the Central Delaware Branch of the NAACP, stating their mission as “the purpose and aims of the Central Delaware Branch of the NAACP shall be to improve the political, educational, social and economic status of minority groups, to eliminate racial prejudice, and to keep the public aware of adverse effects of racial discrimination.” Mrs. Yates stated that she represents 217 members from every district in Dover, Smyrna and areas north of Milford. She wanted the community to know that they are not an organization of exclusion and that they have members from all walks of life. They have many subcommittees that are working actively to create goals and objectives that include community wide focuses and there are matters that they will be addressing over the next two years that will be visible and positive within the community. They are working toward goals that will improve the City and hope to have collaborative efforts with the many organizations represented at this meeting. Mrs. Yates asked that the City include the NAACP in similar meetings in the future.
Mayor Hutchison thanked everyone that participated in the meeting. It is his plan to utilize the Quarterly Open Town Meeting in February to provide City committees and commissions the opportunity to share their goals and objectives with Members of City Council.
Mr. Fenimore moved for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Leary and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 9:15 P.M.
DEBRAH J. BOAMAN
CITY CLERK
JAMES L. HUTCHISON
MAYOR