SPECIAL MEETING
September 23, 1957
The special meeting of City Council was held Monday, September 23, 1957, at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Haman presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs Carroll, Hayes, Holpp, Mundy, Tischer and Turner.
The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. Paul Kellogg.
Minutes of the last regular meeting were accepted as read.
Report of Budget expenditures for August was accepted as read.
BOND SETTLEMENT
City Clerk Neylan reported on the delivery of $450,000 City of Dover 1957 bonds, 4%, to the successful bidder, Harris Trust and Savings, in New York City on Monday, September 16 when settlement was made. Mr. Neylan reported that, of the proceeds of the bonds sale, $150,000 was used to retire the bond anticipation note at the Farmer’s Bank, and $200,000 was invested in short term U.S. Treasury bills. On motion of Mr. Mundy, seconded by Mr. Holpp, the action was approved.
ADDRESSOGRAPH
On motion of Mr. Holpp, seconded by Mr. Tischer, Council approved purchase of a new addressograph at a price of $1678 and asked the City Clerk to determine whether the $100 trade-in value would be allowed on the present machine even though it is to be kept.
STREET PROJECT BIDS
City Manager Ward reported that bids had been opened on City of Dover street project #3 as follows:
George & Lynch - $68,192.02
Edgell Construction - $69,665.90
H. Burton Elliott - $85,112.10
On motion of Mr. Holpp, seconded by Mr. Hayes, the contract was awarded to the low bidder, George & Lynch.
DIVISION STREET
Council discussed participation by the City of Dover in obtaining right of way for improvements to Division Street to be made as a State Highway Department project. On motion of Mr. Mundy, seconded by Mr. Tischer, Council authorized payment by the City of Dove of $15,000 towards the cost of acquiring the needed right of way.
BUSINESS
Maurice Hartnett III, representing H & E Farm Equipment Co., appeared before City Council requesting permission to locate that business on the Hartley Road on property formerly occupied by Paul Welch, contractor. The area is residential and the business in question differs from that formerly located there. Council directed that the request be advertised for hearing to be held Monday, October 14, 1957 at 7:30 P.M. Petitioners heard will be property owners on both sides of Forest Street from Saulsbury Road to Lincoln Street.
ZONING REQUEST
George Records requested Council to rezone the northwest corner of Governors and Waples Avenues and State Street to permit the location their of offices for Doctors. Council noted that these sites, now residential, must be individually advertised for opening of a business as required by City ordinance.
FIREMEN PARADE
The Mayor and Council were invited by the Robbins Hose Company to be present as judges on the reviewing stand at Bradford and Loockerman Street for the firemen’s parade to be held at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 8, 1957. The Fire Department is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Council requested the Clerk to send them a reminder a day or two before the date.
ORDINANCE
Council by a vote of 4 to 2 adopted the following ordinance, Mrs. Carroll and Mr. Hayes, voted No.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WATER METERS.
Be It Ordained By The Council Of The City Of Dover:
Section 1. Section 5, Chapter III, of the Ordinance of the City of Dover, as amended by the ordinance adopted May 13, 1957, is hereby further amended by striking out said section and enacting in lieu thereof the following:
Section 5. A water meter shall be purchased from the City and installed in accordance with specifications established by the City Manger and at the expense of the owner of the property at every property, both within and without the City limits, where water is supplied by the City of Dover. The owner of each such property shall be responsible to the City for the purchase price of the meter and for any work of installation provided by the City, regardless of any agreement to the contrary which may exist between such owner and tenant or occupant of the premises.
For the purpose of this section the term “property” shall be construed to mean each unit or portion of a dwelling or building which is divisible from other portions thereof and separately salable in the regular course of business in this locality, such as each end or half of a double house, whether or not the said unit or portion has been separately sold and owned. In all cases where the application of the test of this paragraph is uncertain or doubtful the decision of the City Manager as to what constitutes a separate unit for water metering purposes shall be conclusive.
Passed September 23, 1957.
Approved:
Clerk of Council Mayor
STREET CLOSING
David Green, Superintendent of Dover Special District, presented Council plot plan of “Fulton Addition to Dover” requesting that Council close Fulton and Bradford Road from Division Street to Fulton Street, and Wharton Street from Division Street to Fulton Street.
Council by unanimous vote adopted the following Resolution:
A RESOLUTION PROPOSING THE VACATING AND ABANDONMENT OF CERTAIN STREETS SITUATED WEST OF THE DELAWARE RAILROAD IN FULTON’S ADDITION TO DOVER.
Be It Resolved By The Council Of The City Of Dover:
Section 1. The Council of The City of Dover favors the vacating and abandonment of the following streets laid out upon a plot of Fulton’s Addition To Dover recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Kent County, Delaware, in March, 1878, in Deed Record Book Y, Volume 5, Page 200:
All that portion of Fulton and Bradford Road, shown as a 40 foot street on the said plot, between Division Street and Fulton Street;
All that portion of Wharton Street, shown as a 60 foot street, between Division Street;
Section 2. The Council of The City of Dover will sit on Monday, the 14th day of October, A.D. 1957, at 8:00 P.M., Eastern Daylight Saving Time, at the City Hall to hear the objections of such residents of the City or owners of the property affected as shall attend, in accordance with the provisions of Section 27 of the Charter of The City of Dover (Chapter 158, Volume 36, Laws of Delaware).
Section 3. The Clerk of Council is hereby directed to post copies of this resolution in five or more public places in the City of Dover and to publish the same in a newspaper published in the said City.
Adopted September 23, 1957.
Approved:
Clerk of Council Mayor
HANDBILL PERMIT
Simpson Ford Company of Harrington, whose permit to circulate handbills had been revoked because of littering City streets, requested Council to reconsider that action and reissue permits. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Carroll, the request to reconsider was denied.
AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT
City Manager Ward outlined to Council a plan to assign a station wagon to the Power Plant and one to Earl Nance, Line foreman. None would be available for administrative use. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Tischer, Council authorized issuing bids for purchase of a new unit for use of the City Manager.
City Manager Ward outlined to Council an offer be Schwartz Motor Co. to sell a 3/4 ton pickup equipped with an emergency electric generator at a reduced price of $2297.82 with an allowance of $175 on the trade-in of a 1948 Chevrolet pickup. Council authorized the purchase if approved by an inspection committee composed of Councilmen Mundy, Holpp and Hayes.
SALARY
Council authorized an increase in the salary of the City Manager from $9000 to $11,000 per year, effective October 1, 1957.
Council adjourned at 11:50 P.M.
F. Neylan
City Clerk