Agenda for Regular Meeting Revision 3

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the execution of an amended lease agreement between the City of Wilmington and DETV Foundation, Inc. for studio space located at 2801 Lancaster Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware to provide that the City shall cover the costs of utilities related to the leased premises.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution establishes a Council City-Wide Parking Taskforce Commission to Conduct a Review of parking problems and concerns affecting residents, businesses and visitors throughout the City of Wilmington, Delaware and to propose legislative action, make Recommendations and to Report to this  Council within 180 Days. The primary Focus Areas of the Commission are 1) Signage in Residential, Downtown and Riverfront areas of the City 2) Administrative Parking Operations and Collection of Data such as the Parking Appeals Process, Cost of Parking Tickets, Optimal uses of Parkmobile services, Handicap Parking Rules, etc. and, 3) Neighborhood, Business, and College Parking issues and problems such as learning from the Neighborhood Planning Councils and Civics the specific parking problems in each Neighborhood; Businesses/Merchants parking concerns, and Parking Garage use and trends.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution encourages Wilmington City Council to support and use the National League of Cities Non-Partisan “Leading Together Cities Agenda” expressing agreement with the Non-Partisan 4 Shared Values that all levels of local and national government should utilize and adhere to in their relationships with each other and call upon the next President of the United States to adopt and achieve in the first 100 days of the next administration 4 policy and legislative priorities addressing Building Sustainable Infrastructure, Creating A Skilled Workforce, Ending Housing Instability and Homelessness, and Reducing Gun Violence.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance enacts a temporary 12-month moratorium on the monition of owner-occupied properties. The purpose of this temporary moratorium is to provide an opportunity for the Council and the Administration to determine whether the City’s polices 1) adequately assist elderly, low income or disabled residents as it relates to the payment of water utility charges; 2) afford such individuals sufficient protections against the unwarranted loss of their properties, including a review of specific threshold amounts triggering monition; and 3) provide alternative means for the collection of delinquent water utility charges when elderly, low income or disabled individuals would be impacted.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the City to enter into a professional services agreement with Operations Management International, Inc. for the management, administration, operation, and maintenance of the Wilmington Wastewater Treatment Plant, Renewable Energy and Biosolids Facility, Main Pump Stations, Storage and Control Structures and Systems associated with the control of Combined Sewer Overflows (including Global Optimal Real Time Control System), and Associated Infrastructure for a period of twenty (20) years with two (2) two-year extension periods.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance provides a partial property tax abatement for low-to-moderate, long-term City homeowners who meet certain eligibility requirements. Eligible homeowners who have their property tax obligation increased by 50% or more following a property assessment may apply for a partial abatement of their tax obligation.  The partial abatement would “freeze” their tax obligation at the  pre-assessment amount as long as the property homeowner meets the eligibility requirements.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution amends City Council Rules 2 and 3 to eliminate: (1) the Committee of the Whole meetings prior to regular City Council meetings; (2) the requirement that the public sign up by 5:45 p.m. to participate in public comment during the Committee of the Whole meetings; and (3) the duplicative second round of debate by Council Members.  In addition, as housekeeping matters, the word “official” in the first sentence of Rule 2 is replaced with the word “regular” and the sentence regarding the Council President’s authority to establish rules of decorum for public comment has been moved from Rule 3 to Rule 2.

Synopsis:  This Substitute Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Substitute Ordinance amends Chapter 13, Article II of the City Code by requiring all vacant properties located within the City of Wilmington to be maintained in a safe, secure and sanitary condition so as not to endanger the health, safety or welfare of City residents. This Substitute Ordinance authorizes the Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections or his authorized representative or designee to enforce City Code Section 13-42, and establishes the procedure for enforcement including the issuance of civil fines for violations of this Section, and the property owner’s right to appeal a notice of violation pursuant to this Section.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution encourages the Delaware General Assembly to develop and enforce processes by which Delaware public and charter schools would offer voter pre-registration and registration to eligible high school students via partnerships between school districts, municipalities and advocacy organizations.

Synopsis:  This Resolution rescinds censure Resolution 17-026 censuring Councilman At-Large Samuel L. Guy, Esq., for conduct unbecoming of the office of a member of Council.