Agenda for Regular Meeting

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 2 of the City Code by creating an Office of Educational Advocacy as a division within City Council.  The office will serve as an advocate for the educational needs and rights of Wilmington students, regardless of where they attend school, and formulate legislative solutions to      improve the education of Wilmington students.  The chief administrative official of the office will have the title of Director of Educational Advocacy. 

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 45 of the City Code to authorize the Department of Finance to retain an outside vendor to make recommendations concerning the creation of an affordable water program and the setting of water assessment rates.  The Ordinance also permits the Department, after review, to accept in whole or in part, or to reject these recommendations.

Synopsis:   This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 34 of the City Code by establishing residential rent stabilization policies.  For non-exempt residential dwelling units, the authorized rent ceilings for rental units shall be determined by the current base payment standards established by the New Castle County Housing Authority.  In addition, and subject to the ren ceiling provisions, the maximum percentage increase to rent in any 12-month period shall be the lesser of (a) three percent (3%) or (b) the 12-month average percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (All Items), as most recently published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance exempts eligible elderly and disabled residents as well as residences with children under the age of five from having water shut off for nonpayment of water service charges.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution amends City Council Rule 11 to require draft legislation, presentations, reports, and updates be available for public viewing before Committee meetings. 

Synopsis:        This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution amends City Council Rule 2 to include an additional public comment time for each individual legislative item, followed by a final round of debate by members of City Council.

Synopsis:        This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution amends City Council Rule 2 to remove the residency/taxpayer requirement to give public comment.  It also amends City Council Rules 2 and 11 to explicitly require the posted Agenda to include a sign-up link for those interested in giving public comment virtually.

Synopsis:        This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. The Wilmington City Council 2022-2025 Strategic Plan seeks to foster a “Stabilized Wilmington,” as well as a “Transparent and Well-Represented Wilmington.” This Resolution requests that the Wilmington                        Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank (WNCLB) hold a public hearing within sixty (60) days of the adoption of this legislation to ensure the successful preservation and revitalization of the Gibraltar property in a manner that honors its historical significance and benefits the community at large.

Synopsis:        This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution expresses support for the appeal by members of the Delaware General Assembly to the Public Acting Public Advocate Ruth Ann Price on January 30, 2025, requesting an investigation of inordinately expensive electric bills. The Resolution also express strong favor for Senate Bills 59, 60, and 61, as well as House Bill 50, which propose legislative action to provide short-term and long-term relief for Delmarva Power customers facing financial hardship. The Resolution further urges additional actions, including but not limited to, immediately instituting a moratorium on electric utility shut-offs and late fees for residential customers for a period of 6 to 12 months, or until a comprehensive review of affordability measures is completed.

Synopsis:        This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. The Wilmington City Council’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan prioritizes a “Connected, Informed and Engaged Wilmington,” which includes facilitating engagement on matters involving constituent, civic, and community      concerns. This Resolution urges the Delaware General Assembly to address longstanding constituent complaints regarding high electricity rates and opaque contracts from third-party electricity suppliers by developing a plan to review the transparency, certification process, and practices of third-party electric suppliers certified by the Delaware Public Service Commission. The Resolution further           requests that the Delaware General Assembly issue a report, including findings and recommended actions, regarding certified third-party electric suppliers to improve consumer protections and regulation enforcement.

*Synopsis:      This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance is the third amendment to the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget, which was originally enacted in Substitute No. 1 to Ordinance No. 24-016 and was previously amended by Ordinance Nos. 24-050 and 25-001. This Ordinance will enable the City’s Fire Department to take over the provision of emergency medical services to City residents from Trinity Health of the Mid- Atlantic Region (St. Francis Hospital), which has informed the City that it will no longer be able to provide such services.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 34 of the City Code to establish a voluntary escrow program for tenants living in City properties.