REGULAR MEETING
January 12, 1959
The regular meeting of City Council was held Monday, January 12, 1959, at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Haman presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs Fromm, Hayes, Holpp, Turner and Zartman.
Invocation was offered by the Rev. Leonard Taylor.
MINUTES
Minutes of the last meeting were accepted as read, and bore the written approval of Mayor Haman.
REPORTS
Report of the Chief of Police for December was accepted as read.
Report of the Alderman was accepted as read. Checks in the amounts of $69.00 and $461.95 were remitted to the City. Report of the Acting Alderman Shockley was accepted as read. Check in the amount of $15.50 was remitted to the City.
Report of Cash receipts for December was accepted as read.
Report of Budget Expenditures for November was accepted as read.
Fire Recorder report for December was accepted as read.
FIRE MARSHALL REPORT
Fire Marshall George D. Hill Jr. reported on his activities during the past year and stated his opinion that the Fire Marshall should have more direct power of enforcement. He declared that the duties of the Fire Marshall were so time consuming that a full time employee was required. He believes that the duties necessarily required if a Fire Marshall cannot be performed without injury to a businessman such as himself and stated that he would prefer not to be reappointed, although he was willing to serve in the position until a successor was found.
On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council authorized the Mayor to appoint a committee to study the requirements of the Fire Marshall’s office and recommend to Council such ordinance changes as believe to be necessary.
FIRE MARSHALL
On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Turner, Council by unanimous vote appointed George D. Hill Jr. as Fire Marshall for the City of Dover.
ELECTION BOARD
On motion of Mr. Holpp, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council appointed as the election board to conduct the annual City election on Monday, January 19, 1959, City Alderman Dempsey and Councilmen Davis and Mundy. On motion of Mr. Turner, seconded by Mr. Holpp, Councilmen Fromm and Hayes were appointed alternate members of the election board.
On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council authorized printing 1500 ballots and 500 sample ballots, and the employment of the necessary election clerks.
HOLLAND FURNACE
Judge Daniel L. Herrmann appeared before City Council representing the Holland Furnace Company and requested that their permit to do business within the City be extended. He reported that all claims against the Company which were brought to his attention had been settled. On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Turner, Council authorized extension of the permit through June 30, 1959.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
Report of the City Manager was accepted as read.
SCHOOLEY PROPERTY
A letter from Richard Haber, Chief Engineer, State Highway Department requested Council to decide whether to carry out its earlier proposal to exchange a City lot at Pennsylvania Avenue and Division for the lot of the former Schooley property on Division Street between State Street and American Avenue. The State intends to sell at public auction whichever property it finally acquires to secure some return on the cost of reconstructing Division Street. The Friends of Old Diver were opposed to the exchange because they wanted the Pennsylvania property retained as a park. Council discussed the various possibilities, with the end in view of both plots eventually becoming park land. Mr. Zartman moved that the offer to exchange land be withdrawn. The motion was not seconded. Mr. Fromm moved that Dover exchange properties with the State Highway Department as formerly proposed, and that the State Highway Department be urged to retain the former City lot for park use. The motion was seconded by Mr. Holpp and was carried by a vote of 4 to 1, Mr. Zartman voting No.
AMBULANCE BILLS
Mr. Ward presented a list of ambulance bills due from individuals whose hospital bills had been paid by the Kent County Levy Court. The Levy Court informed Dover that it had no funds from which the ambulance bills could be paid. On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Zartman, the City Manager was authorized to adjust the amount of the bill.
WATER TAPPING FEES
On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council authorized the following charges for water taps effective February 1, 1959:
3/4” Tap - $32.00
1” Tap - 40.00
To the above fees will be added the following charges for excavation, backfill and patching per foot of street:
Unpaved streets - $3.25 per foot
1st Class Street - 5.25 per foot
State Highways - 6.75 per foot
D P & L MEETING
The Utility Committee reported that a meeting had been held between representatives of DP&L, Kuljian Corporation, the Utility Committee, Mr. Ward, and Mr. Neylan to discuss contract proposals for purchased power. DP&L will give its replies to questions of Dover at a later date.
PLANNING COMMISSION
Mr. Fromm reported on the activities and studies of the Planning Commission and recommended that ordinances be prepared to reconstitues the Commission in accordance with State Law and to set up a Zoning Commission. On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Hayes, the City Solicitor was directed to prepare an ordinance by Mr. Turner, the City Solicitor was directed to prepare an ordinance providing for a Zoning Commission.
LIBRARY SITE
The Library Commission requested Council to designate which portion of the Richardson site they will grant for library use and stated their desire tp acquire use of the property from State Street east through the carriage house. Council purchased the site with the tentative plan of using the carriage house for a police station. On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Turner, Council authorized granting to the Library Commission for as long as it is used as a library site, that portion of the former Richardson site which runs from State Street to a point four feet west of the carriage house west wall, providing the offer is accepted within sixty days and library construction begun within fourteen months.
HOME RULE
City Solicitor Buckson reported on the Mayor’s Association meeting at which a Home Rule bill as a constitutional amendment was considered, and on a second Home Rule bill which will be considered at a meeting of the Association on January 22.
RESOLUTION CITY SEAL
On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council by unanimous vote adopted the following resolution:
RESOLUTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF A SEAL FOR THE CITY OF DOVER
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City of Dover have deemed it in the public interest of the said City to adopt a new seal for the said City, and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the said City have determined that the seal should represent the historical significance of the name of this City and also be symbolic of the history of the said City:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the following described seal is hereby adopted as the seal of the City of Dover for use in connection with all documents, records, publications and other business transactions of the said City.
The seal hereby adopted as the seal of this City is emblazoned as follows:
The said seal shall consist of two concentric circles appearing in the margin thereof at the top, the words “The City of Dover” and in the margin thereof at the bottom “Delaware”; within the innermost circle there appears three devices, superimposed upon an equilateral triangle, the uppermost device being the Coat of Arms of William Penn, Kent County, Delaware, the lower left device being a representation of the great seal of the State of Delaware, omitting however, the wording “great seal of the State of Delaware” where they appear on said seal, and the lower right device being a representation of the seal of the Town of Dover, Kent, England; the upper left cortex of the aforementioned triangle contains a representation of the dogwood flower, the upper right vortex of the said triangle contains a representation of a holly leaf and the lower vortex of the said triangle contains the date in figures “1683” and also the words “Capital of the first State” are engraved thereon.
Passed January 12, 1959.
BUILDING INSPECTOR
Mr. From discussed the activities and powers of the Building Inspector and at his suggestion Council will receive monthly reports beginning with the regular meeting in February from the Building and Health Inspector, Thomas Baker.
Council adjourned at 11:00 P.M.
F. Neylan
City Clerk
All ordinances, resolutions and orders adopted by City Council at its meeting of January 12, 1959 are hereby approved.
January 14, 1959 W. Edward Haman,
Mayor