Agenda for Regular Meeting

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be urging the Delaware General Assembly to support legislation currently before the House of Representatives that would enable the Mayor, Wilmington City Council and local school districts to review and comment regarding the establishment of a charter school in Wilmington. House Bill No. 56, sponsored by Representative Charles Potter, is in line with an already approved City Council Resolution that requested that a State moratorium be imposed on new charter schools in Wilmington until the State Board of Education has developed a strategic plan to improve the educational outcomes for Wilmington students.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing changes to Chapter 44 of the City Code affecting the Wilmington Downtown Business Improvement District (WDBID). Specifically, the Ordinance would extend the authorization of the WDBID to October 1, 2024 and would stipulate that a property re-assessment by the New Castle County Board of Assessment Review (NCCBAR) would become effective, with regards to the WDBID having to adjust its assessment for a property within its jurisdiction, only after the NCCBAR makes a final decision about an assessment appeal, as opposed to when the assessment appeal is originally filed with the NCCBAR which is the current practice. Finally, the Ordinance would authorize the City to prohibit the issuance of a business license to any person or business which is delinquent in payments to the WDBID.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the elimination of traffic and parking regulation related to the Community Education Building (CEB) on French Street. Pursuant to Substitute No. 1 to Ordinance 14-024, City Council had previously authorized temporary traffic and parking regulations related to the CEB that will expire on May 14. This new Ordinance would continue all of the previous traffic and parking regulations regarding the CEB with the exception of allowing the closure of French Street to vehicular traffic which is currently permitted two times each weekday to allow for the loading and unloading of students from school buses. After passage of this Ordinance, only the intermittent closure of French Street would be permitted for the loading and unloading of students and only when such a closure is directed by the Wilmington Police Department in consultation with officials of the CEB for the safety of students.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the City Treasurer to access the City’sBudget Reserve so those funds could be used if needed to pay City expenditures. The Ordinance also instructs the Treasurer to replenish the Budget Reserve as tax proceeds which are due to the City become available. Council would be authorizing the Treasurer in this Ordinance to have Budget Reserve borrowing authority through the end of Fiscal Year 2015 which is June 30, 2015. The Treasurer must replenish all funds borrowed from the account no later than October 1, 2015.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be pledging the City’s full faith, credit and taxing power as guarantor of the Wilmington Parking Authority (WPA) as it refunds its Guaranteed Parking Revenue Bonds, Series of 2005, and issues Guaranteed Parking Revenue Bonds, Series of 2015 in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $15 million. The refunding will allow the WPA to obtain a lower interest rate on the new bond issuance which the City deems to be in the public interest of the City.

Synopsis: This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing an amendment to Chapter 37 of the Wilmington City Code related to the parking of tractor trailers and buses within the City. The legislation imposes an outright prohibition against the parking of any commercial or recreational vehicle that is 11,000 pounds or more or 20 feet in length or more unless the vehicle is actually being loaded or unloaded or unless the driver has a lawful street storage permit issued by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The Ordinance would also prohibit the parking of any boat regardless of its weight or dimension. The new prohibition also pertains to all trailer coaches, semi-trailers and tractor trailers regardless of size or purpose. Violators of the Ordinance would be subject to a civil penalty as well as the immobilization or towing of their vehicle according to procedures set forth in current law. The new law would be enforced by any Parking Revenue Enforcement Officer (PREO) or Wilmington Police Officer.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be expressing its support for the findings and recommendations of the Wilmington Public Safety Strategies Commission to deploy resources more efficiently and effectively, improve relationships in the community, increase accountability, improve morale within the police department, enhance investigatory capacity of the department, and to otherwise reduce violence. The Council further requests that the Commission continue working with the City to help prioritize and support the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.