Agenda for Regular Meeting

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing changes to Chapter 13 of the City Code regarding the placement of clothing donation bins anywhere in the City by individuals, businesses or other organizations. The Ordinance seeks to eliminate situations in which bins are being placed on properties without the property owners’ permission and situations in which the bins are overflowing, are not being collected in a timely manner by a responsible party and thus becoming a eyesore for the community. The Ordinance would make it unlawful for a clothing donation bin to be placed anywhere in Wilmington without a $25.00 per bin annual permit being obtained from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Permits may then be renewed annually for a fee of $25.00 barring any violations of the law by the person or entity placing the bin on a property. Violators of the revised law would be issued a citation by the L&I Department with fines ranging from $250 for an initial court conviction to $5,000 for subsequent court convictions of the same violation.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be supporting a concern raised recently by several State elected officials regarding a proliferation of charter schools in Delaware. Specifically, Council would be urging the State Department of Education (DOE) to take into consideration the views of lawmakers as they consider the effect of new charter schools on local schools and local communities. One local school district predicted recently that if pending charter applications affecting this district were approved, the district would lose as many as 800 students and $2.6million in State funding. The lawmakers’ concerns include adherence to State law by the DOE to insure that a proposed charter must provide a wholly unique and high quality education not offered in local schools.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be supporting the mission, vision and priorities of the Coalition for Fairness and Equity in Schools (known as the Coalition) which is advocating for a positive school environment where students are educated and respected; where discipline policies are fair, equitable and applied consistently; where children are given opportunities to learn and grow from their mistakes and where communities are engaged in the education process. The Resolution supports the efforts of the Coalition and the ACLU Delaware to eliminate zero- tolerance policies in public schools and end discriminatory practices.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be supporting a campaign by local fast-food workers for increased wages and the right to unionize. The campaign, entitled Delaware Fast Food Forward, is concerned that fast-food workers are paid a median national wage of $8.80 per hour or $18,304 annually which places such workers at $5,000 below the federal poverty rate for a family of four. The campaign is calling for a $15.00 per hour wage for fast-food workers.

Synopsis: Approval of this Resolution by City Council would authorize the City to allocate $3,522,825 in Federal dollars to support various community-based programs. These include $2,148,839 allotted for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), $436,410 for the HOME Improvement Program (HOME), $177,850 for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) and $630,341 for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA). The determination as to how these funds will be distributed throughout the community was made earlier this year by a committee comprised of Administration officials, City Council officials and community members.

Synopsis: Approval of this Resolution by City Council would allow the City Planning Department to apply to the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs for a $17,848 grant. The grant supports the annual salary of the Historic Preservation Planner position within the Planning Department. The remainder of the salary for this position ($39,675), or the local match required for the State grant, is funded through the Department of Planning’s operating budget.The historic preservation planner provides technical assistance to City departments and constituents on historic preservation issues and opportunities in the City; conducts federal project reviews for the City in accordance with the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Programmatic Agreement between the City, State and HUD; provides guidance on historic preservation tax incentive programs; conducts architectural surveys and develops (or helps constituents to develop) new National Register of Historic Places nominations; and represents the City in statewide historic preservation projects, issues and opportunities. The position provides limited administrative support to the Underground Railroad Coalition of Delaware and facilitates quarterly meetings of the Wilmington Preservation Roundtable.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the City to enter into a 14-month contract not to exceed $114,508 for PMA Management Corporation to process and administer insurance claims brought against the City, including workers’ compensation, general liability and automobile liability claims. The 14-month amount of $114,508 will remain firm unless the City requests additional services from PMA. The contract also contains a provision allowing for three, one-year extensions of the agreement at an annual price not to exceed $98,150.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be joining a national effort that is urging the United States Congress to recognize Hispanic Veterans who courageously served the United States and, in particular, to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment known as “Borinqueneers.”The 65th Infantry was originally organized as the “Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry” in1901. The 65th Infantry’s history in defending the United States stretches through World War I,World War II, and the Korean War during which it earned 10 Distinguished Crosses, 258 Silver Stars, 628 Bronze Stars and more than 2,700 Purple Hearts among other individual awards.