Agenda for Regular Meeting

This Ordinance is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing four changes to the City’s current law regulating clothing collection bins which was adopted on June 19, 2014. The changes include: (1) raising the initial permit fee to $100 from the current $25; (2) requiring that an applicant for a clothing bin, if that person is not the legal owner of the property on which the bin is to be placed, is required to obtain a signed letter from the property owner granting permission for the bin to be placed on his or her property; (3) an applicant for a clothing bin must have a current City business license and must keep the license in good standing upon seeking renewal of permission to place a
bin; (4)requiring that each bin shall display a notice advising of a regular collection schedule which shall be updated regularly.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be granting an easement and right-of-way to the Department of Public Works (DPW) for land owned by the City of Wilmington so DPW can make improvements to a portion of Baynard Boulevard located northeast of the intersection of Baynard Boulevard and North Broom Street. Specifically, this portion of Baynard Boulevard, which currently exists as a “paper street” on the City’s Official Map, would be built out to proper specifications to allow for the flow of traffic along this stretch of road surface, in effect, creating an access road for a wooded area owned by the City to the rear of the former Harper-Thiel property.

This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be urging a state task force to strongly support the finding that Delaware school children are not currently receiving adequate financial literacy instruction. Specifically, this Resolution supports the findings of the Council for Economic Education which advocates for financial literary programs to be provided to elementary as well as high school students, so students learn how to manage their money and make wise financial decisions. The State task force is expected to issue a report to the Governor, General Assembly and State Board of Education by next year.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Office of Economic Development (OED), to accept a $20,000 grant from the State Labor Department for the development of a comprehensive workforce training plan in conjunction with Delaware State University (DSU). The grant does not require a local match of funds, however, OED will provide an “in kind” match of $13,773 and DSU will provide a $15,000 “in-kind” match for research and consulting services. The plan would be used to recruit and train City residents in Customer and Technical Support services and assist them in finding employment in that field.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Public Works, to enter into a five-year agreement with New Cingular Wireless (AT&T) to continue to operate and maintain communications equipment on the City’s water tower at the Rock Manor Golf Course. This agreement also contains two, five-year extension periods, if the City and vendor agree to such an extension. New Cingular will pay the City $3,000 per month (or $36,000) for the first year of the agreement. The payment to the City will increase annually by 3%. This agreement is a successor to the original September, 1995 agreement regarding communications equipment on the Rock Manor water tower that was between the City and the former Wilmington Cellular Telephone Company.

This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Public Works, to extend, for one additional year, the contract with Utility Service Company, Inc. (USC), for the inspection, water flow testing and rehabilitation of the City’s approximately 2,500 fire hydrants. The original contract with USC became effective last March and contained two, one-year contract extension periods. The City will pay USC $386,920 (the same amount as the first year of the agreement) for the second year of the agreement which is scheduled to begin on or about March 12, 2016.

This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Public Works, to extend, for one additional year, the contract with Utility Service Company, Inc. (USC), for the valve inspection, exercising and rehabilitation services for the City’s approximately 2,500 fire hydrants. The original contract with USC became effective last March and contained two, one-year contract extension periods. The City will pay USC $386,920 (the same amount as the first year of the agreement) for the second year of the agreement which is scheduled to begin on or about March 12, 2016.

This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for City Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing changes to Chapter 4 of the City Code related to the responsibilities of property owners to maintain the buildings and fences in order to prevent decay and weather-related damage. Specifically, the Ordinance requires property owners to remove
loose paint, peeling, cracking and other signs of decay from buildings and to re-paint or re-apply a protective coating. The Ordinance also addresses fences saying all such structures shall be maintained in good condition with all evidence of disrepair such as large holes, collapsed sections, missing sections or broken railings and posts repaired.

This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Finance, to enter into a two-and-a-half year contract with Xerox State and Local Solutions, Inc., for management of the City’s Red Light Traffic Safety Enforcement Program. The annual cost of the contract, which begins January 1, 2016, is $1,058,760 to be paid by the City in a monthly amount of $88,230. The Ordinance allows for two possible renewal periods of one-year each. Xerox was selected by the City as part of a formal Request for Proposals process.

This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Finance, to enter into a two-and-a-half year contract with Xerox State and Local Solutions, Inc., for a parking citation database management and collection service system. The annual cost of the contract, which begins January 1, 2016, is $74,375 per month for Year 1, $76,234.42 per month for Year 2, $78,140.25 per months for Year 3, and if extended, $80,093.75 per month for Year 4 and $82,096.08 per month for Year 5. The Ordinance allows for two possible renewal periods of one-year each. Xerox was selected by the City as part of a formal Request for Proposals process.

This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be supporting passage of House Bill 202 which is pending before the Delaware General Assembly. HB 202 would ban the use of plastic or “single use” shopping bags by larger retailers in Delaware. The legislation would require shoppers to pay five cents for a single use bag should they need one when shopping. City Council would be urging approval of the legislation to reduce litter and blight and prevent damage to wildlife and to the environment from the use of plastic bags.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to apply for a $187,503.06 grant from the State of Delaware’s Fund to Combat Violent Crime. The WPD would use the money for overtime for high visibility police patrols, walking assignments, tactical responses and plain clothes operations. The money would also fund one police canine as well as associated costs such as veterinary bills training and equipment. No local match of funding is required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to apply for a $52,800 grant from the State of Delaware’s Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (SLEAF). The WPD would use the money to purchase 320 riot helmets to outfit all sworn departmental personnel for civil unrest operations. There is no local match of funding required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to apply for a $28,500 grant from the State of Delaware’s Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (SLEAF). The WPD would use the money to purchase a PADtrax evidence tracking system to be used for the Department’s evidence safe which holds all non-drug evidence that is utilized for prosecutions. There is no local match of funding required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to apply for a $7,850 grant from the State of Delaware’s Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (SLEAF). The WPD would use the money to purchase licensing for the Automated Vehicle Locator function of the WPD’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. There is no local match of funding required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to apply for a $2,500 grant from the State of Delaware’s Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (SLEAF). The WPD would use the money to purchase training aid materials for school presentations, community fairs and community outreach events. There is no local match of funding required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, (WPD) to accept a $32,295.49 grant from the State of Delaware’s Emergency Illegal Drug Enforcement Program. The WPD would use the money to perform specialized drug investigations on an overtime basis. No local match of funding is required.

This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Administration, through the Department of Police, to enter into a mutual support agreement with the Wilmington Job Corps Center on Vandever Avenue. The Wilmington Job Corps Center is funded and administered by the U.S. Labor Department which requires all Job Corps Centers in the United States to enter into mutual support agreements with a local police agency. This particular agreement does not require the WPD to provide any services that are not part of the Department’s normal operating procedures designed to protect and defend City residents.