REGULAR MEETING
July 9, 1945
The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Dover was held on Monday, July 9, 1945, at 7:30 P.M. The meeting was called to order by Vice-Mayor LeFevre, and later conducted by Mayor Woodford. On roll call the following members were present: Messrs. Vane, Hinkle, Carson, Downes, Keith, Burton and Hartnett. Miss Ruth Scotton was sworn in as Acting City Clerk by Vice-Mayor LeFevre.
MINUTES
Upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Hartnett, it was voted to dispense with the reading of the Minutes of the last regular and special meetings.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
The City Manager’s report for the month of June was read by the Acting City Clerk and was accepted upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Keith.
ALDERMAN’S REPORT
The Alderman’s report for the month of June was read by the Clerk and was accepted upon motion of Messrs. Keith and LeFevre. A check amounting to $271.60 was turned over to the City Manager, accompanied by a report of 26 arrests.
POLICE REPORT
The report of the Chief of Police was read by the Clerk and was accepted upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Keith.
APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT CUSTODIAN AT FIRE HOUSE
The City Manager explained to Council that Tom Baker, Chief of the Fire Department, had expressed a need for an assistant custodian at the fire house to be on duty when the regular custodian is absent. Mr. Baker had suggested that Mrs. E. R. Kingery, who lives next door to the fire house, would be willing to act in this capacity. After discussion, and upon motion of Messrs. Downes and Hinkle, Council voted to hire Mrs. E. R. Kingery as assistant custodian at the fire house at a rate of $5.00 to $7.00 per week, the rate to be definitely determined by the City Manager after consultation with Mrs. Kingery.
VACATION PLAN FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
At the request of the City Manager, City Council was requested to decide on a permanent vacation plan for the employees of the City. Upon motion of Messrs. Keith and LeFevre, the following plan was adopted. It was decided that no employee was due a vacation until after he had been in the employ of the City for at least six months. Starting after the six months’ period, the employee shall accrue vacation time at the rate of one day per month. In other words, after seven months’ employment the employee shall be due one day’s vacation. After twelve months he shall be due six day’s vacation. Equivalent salary may be given to the employee at his option in lieu of time off. No vacation money or vacation time-off shall be given in advance of the date when it is due. Vacation time-off or vacation money may be taken either in units of one day or may be accrued until the total amount for that year has been earned.
CHLORINATION OF SWIMMING AREAS AT SILVER LAKE
The City Manager read a letter from Mr. R. C. Beckett, State Sanitary Engineer, concerning the condition of the water for bathing purposes at the swimming areas at Silver Lake. This letter stated that unless some type of chlorination was begun by the City at these areas by July 16th, it might be necessary to condemn Silver Lake as unfit for bathing purposes. Water tests taken weekly by the Dover Army Air Field health officers were also read by Mr. Wilcox, these reports indicating that the condition of the water at the swimming areas was fair at the present time and the swimming area was not “but of bounds” for the Army personnel. Mr. Wilcox presented two different plans for purification of the water at these swimming areas and costs for each. After considerable discussion on the subject, Council decided to take no definite action until a later date.
REFUND ON ELECTRIC BILL FOR AMERICAN LEGION CARNIVAL
Upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Hinkle, Council voted to return to the American Legion their potion of the cost or one-half the bill, for electricity consumed at the American Legion Carnival held June 27 to July 7, 1945, the same procedure as was followed last year.
NEW 8” AND 6” WATER MAIN AND TWO NEW FIRE HYDRANTS FOR KINGS HIGHWAY NORTH OF MUNICIPAL POWER PLANT
The City Manager explained to Council the need for the replacement of the existing water main by a larger main and the installation of two fire hydrants on Kings Highway from the Municipal power Plant to the property of R. E. Lewis. He pointed out that the present main is inadequate for fire protection or for domestic consumption when residences are built on the east side of Kings Highway. He also said that the International Latex Corporation plans to expand its production and will require a considerable increase in water from this line.
Mr. Wilcox presented the estimated costs for this new water line, using either asbestos cement pipe or cast iron pipe. Upon motion of Messrs. LeFevre and Keith, Council voted to install an 8” and 6” water line of cast iron pipe from the power plant to the property of R. E. Lewis, without cost to the International Latex Corporation.
POWER LINE EXTENSIONS
A program was presented to Council by the City Manager for the possible extension of certain of the City’s power lines, these extensions proposed for the protection of the areas now embraced by the City o Dover, to give better service to customers now served in these areas and, in some cases, to take in new customers. Mr. Wilcox explained that if the City did not extend some of our present electric lines in the rural areas and expand to a point of protecting the areas now embraced by the City there was great and immediate danger of the Eastern Shore Pubic Service Company and the Rural Electrification Administration coming into our territory, which would not only hinder any future expansion of our lines, but would lead to encroachment upon our present customers. He further explained that since the greater portion of the City’s revenue is derived from the sale of electricity, it is of the utmost importance to protect this revenue by rounding out some of our present lines and, in some cases, extending others to prevent neighboring utilities entering our present territory.
After discussion, it was recommended that the Mayor appoint a committee of three to go over this proposed power line extension program with Mr. Wilcox and to submit a report of their decision at the next meeting. Mayor Woodford appointed the following Councilmen to act on this committee with Mr. Wilcox: Messrs. Keith, Carson and Hartnett.
BONUS FOR LINE FOREMAN
Mr. Wilcox explained that he felt it was necessary for Council to take some action on the matte of a raise for Jerry Campbell, the line foreman, in order to retain his services. he did not propse an increase in weekly salary as this would probably tend to make other employees dissatisfied, but suggested that it might be an inducement to give Mr. Campbell a bonus. Upon motion of Messrs. Burton and Hartnett, Council voted to give the line foreman a bonus of $100 per year, payable every six months.
SALARY FOR ACTING CITY CLERK
Upon motion of Messrs. LeFevre and Keith, Council voted to set the salary of Miss Ruth Scotton at $50.00 per week as long as she assumes the duties of Acting City Clerk.
The meeting adjourned at 9:50 P.M.
Ruth Scotton
Acting City Clerk