REGULAR MEETING
April 11, 1966
The Regular Meeting of City Council was held Monday, April 11, 1966 at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Carroll presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs. Biggs, Harris, Hastings, Hayes, Holpp, Hughes, Jackson and Smith.
The invocation was said by the Rev. Claude Fulks, South Dover Baptist Church.
MINUTES
Minutes of the meeting of March 28, 1966 were accepted and bore the written approval of Mayor Carroll.
REPORTS
Report of the Chief of Police was accepted.
Report of the Acting Alderman was accepted. Fines in the amount of $316.20 had been collected during March and remitted to the City. Report of Magistrate Court No. 7 for month of February, 1966 was accepted. A check in the amount of $1788.50 was remitted to the City.
Report of the Fire Marshal, Building Inspector and Health Inspector was accepted.
Report of Cash Receipts, General Fund, was accepted.
Budget Report, General Fund, was accepted.
Cash Report, Electric Revenue Fund, was accepted.
Cash Report, Electric Improvement Fund, was accepted.
Report of the City Manager was accepted.
SEWAGE PLANT
City Manager Ward, Plant Supt. Robert Smith and Supt. of Public Works Jack Woods reported on the operation of the sewage disposal plant and the efforts being made to reduce the problem of odors. They reported improvement and expressed confidence that continued study should result in acquiring knowledge of the proper treatment of the wastes involved and elimination of the odor nuisance.
POWER STUDY
City Manager Ward reported on the progress of a power study being made by L.G. Smith, consulting engineer, with whom he and Mr. Buttner had met recently in Baltimore. He has been working on the history and projected studies of growth and probably will recommend increasing transmission voltages to 69,000.
STEELE REZONING
Mr. William M. Steele requested that a plot of approximately 12 acres of land located between U.S. Route 13 and the Bay Road be rezoned from R-20 to RG-2. The request has been duly advertised for public hearing this date. Mayor Carroll declared the hearing opened. Harold Schmittinger, Attorney for Steele, the architect who is designing proposed apartment units, and Mr. Steele, spoke for the request. They exhibited sketches of the proposed units and explained they had not yet been approved by the Planning Commission who would not meet until the next night. There was no opposition expressed at the meeting to the proposed rezoning. Council has asked the Planning Commission for its recommendation, which will not be forthcoming until after its meeting of April 12. Mayor Carroll declared the hearing closed. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Biggs, Council deferred action on the rezoning until a recommendation is received from the Planning Commission.
ASSESSMENT APPEALS
The committee of Council appointed to hear tax assessment appeals reported that Wilson Kaplan owner of Capital Green Apartments asked that the assessment of his properties reduced from $583,400 to $510,000. He stated he purchased the properties for $907,000 and the assessment was based on an appraisal of $972,000. He asked that the assessment be reduced for at least one year because rental occupancies are low. The committee recommended that the assessment not be changed.
The committee noted that the Council was charged with assessment of property owned by the City Assessor. They recommended an assessment of $9100.
The report of the Committee was accepted. No further appeals were received.
On motion of Mr. Harris, seconded by Mr. Hastings, the recommendation of the committee on the appeal of Wilson Kaplan was approved.
On motion of Mr. Holpp, seconded by Mr. Hayes, the assessment of the property of William James, City Assessor, was set at $9100.
TAX RATE
On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Harris, Council set the tax rate for the 1966 tax year at 90¢ per $100 of assessment.
PARKS COMMITTEE
Councilman Smith submitted a written report of a meeting of the Parks, Playground and Tree Committee held April 4, 1966, which was accepted by Council.
TENNIS COURTS
Dr. Dustin Wilson, Superintendent of the Dover Special School District, spoke to the Parks Committee about the tennis courts at the Central School. He offered them for community use if the City would prepare them for resurfacing and maintain them after they were resurfaced by the School District. The same offer would apply to the tennis courts at the South Dover School. The Parks Committee recommended the offer be approved. On motion of Mr. Harris, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council agreed to prepare the courts for resurfacing and to maintain them.
TOWNE POINT PARK
An area in the Towne Point development has been set aside for park use. The Northeast Civic Association asked the City to improve the site and install play equipment. They offered to raise money to help pay for equipment. The planned entrance to the park is by way of a street which is not yet opened nor improved and is some distance from the present developed area. As a consequence children are cutting across private lots to get to the area with complaints resulting. A member of the Civic Association says the developer is willing to sell a lot which may be used as an entrance. The Parks Committee recommends that the City grade and level the park area. Council did not act on this recommendation. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Hughes, the City Manager was directed to determine whether an entrance could be obtained from the developer to the park area.
DREDGE POND
A report from the University of Delaware states that the spoil in the bottom of Mirror lake near the Treadway is suitable for fill. The estimated cost of dredging is $25,000. The Parks committee recommends that the amount be provided in the budget for the coming year. On motion of Mr. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Harris, the project was referred to the Legislative & Finance Committee to consider for inclusion in next year’s budget.
SAFETY COMMITTEE
Councilman Smith submitted a written report of a meeting of the Safety Advisory Committee held April 4, 1966, which was accepted by Council.
TRASH PICK UP
Council discussed the problem of garbage and trash collections on Loockerman Street during business hours which causes traffic tie-ups. On motion of Mr. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council directed that an ordinance be prepared providing for collections on Loockerman Street during hours suggested by City officials.
JAY WALKING
The Kiwanis Club wishes to promote a project to discourage jaywalking in Dover. Mr. James Maloney, Chairman of the Club Committee, asked Council to adopt a jaywalking ordinance which the Kiwanis Club would publicize for a period of about six months before it went into effect. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Hastings, Council directed that an ordinance prohibiting jaywalking be prepared. Mr. Hughes voted ‘No’ objecting to an ordinance which would make it unlawful to walk across a street to enter or leave an automobile.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
Councilman Holpp submitted a written report of a meeting of the Utility Committee held April 5, 1966 which was accepted by Council.
BOOHER WATER AND SEWER
The Utility Committee recommended denial of a request by W.C. Booher for extension of sewer and water facilities to a site outside City limits on S. Governors Avenue. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Hastings, Council approved the recommendation.
FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
Councilman Holpp reported his committee had met with officials of the Delmarva Poultry Industry to discuss details of the Chicken Festival which was invited to Dover in 1967. Additional meetings will be held. Council accepted the report.
DAYLIGHT SAVING
On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Holpp, Council directed that City offices open and close one hour earlier from the last Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October.
WESLEY MAY DAY
A letter from Wesley College requested permission to block off Fulton Street between State Street and Governors Avenue and a portion of Bradford Street front of Budd Hall from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M. on Saturday, May 7, 1966 for the purpose of holding May Day festivities. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Holpp, the request was approved.
PROJECT 29
Bids were received today for Project 29, construction of water and sanitary sewer lines in the vicinity of Webbs Lane and New Burton Road. Four bids were received with the low bidder being Edgell Construction Company, $66,635.00. On motion of Mr. Holpp, seconded by Mr. Smith, Council authorized award of the contract to the low bidder, subject to review of the bid by the City Engineer.
McDONNELL RESIGNATION
J. Henry McDonnell was recently reappointed a member of Planning Commission for a three year period ending in February, 1969. A letter from Mr. McDonnell declined acceptance of the appointment because it did not have the unanimous approval of the Council. Mr. McDonnell’s letter was accepted. Mayor Carroll announced he would name a replacement in the near future.
WILLEY REZONING
Harold Schmittinger, Attorney, submitted to council a request to rezone lands of Mrs. Agnes Willey from R-20 to various other designations. The request included an area known as the Beeches, portions of which are owned by others than Mrs. Willey. A public hearing would be required prior to any change in zoning. However, Council desired the names of owners of land other than Mrs. Willey before acting on the request. On motion of Mr. Harris, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council directed the Building Inspector to determine other owners of property included in the area in which rezoning is asked, before they set a date for public hearing.
Council adjourned at 10:50 P.M.
City Clerk
All ordinances, orders and resolutions adopted by City Council at its meeting of April 11, 1966 are hereby approved.
Crawford J. Carroll
Mayor
April 14, 1966