Agenda for Regular Meeting

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and Approval. This Ordinance authorizes the City to authorize its option for a second year of service under Contract 18028PR – Summer Food Service Program – between the City of Wilmington and Preferred Meal Systems, Inc. for the summer of 2018 at the price of $1.52 per individual breakfast, $2.61 per individual lunch, $0.80 per individual snack, and $2.61 per individual supper.

Synopsis:   This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This resolution authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation’s application for an Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Trails Grant from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in the amount of $100,000.00. The funds will be used to replace the playground equipment at Speakman Park with new, safe equipment and improve access to the playground by improving the walkways around it.

Synopsis: This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to accept an Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program grant from the National Park Service in the amount of $306,447.00. The funds will be used to construct a new playground and spray pad at Father Tucker Park.  No matching funds are required.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, this Ordinance would authorize various parking regulations in the City.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would support recognizing February 14, 2018 as “Socks for the Homeless Day” and encouraging all individuals and organizations to be mindful of those experiencing homelessness in the State of Delaware and the City of Wilmington.

Synopsis:  This Substitute Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be amending Chapter 36 of the City Code to establish the Gun Offender Registry Act (“GORA”), which would require all gun offenders who reside in the City of Wilmington to register with the    Wilmington Police Department. A Wilmington resident would be required to register with the Wilmington Police Department within five (5) business days of disposition and release if he or she has been convicted of a gun offense in the State of Delaware as specified in Title 11 of the Delaware Code and Chapter 36 of the City Code. The GORA is similar to a sexual offender registry, and those required to register could be photographed at the time of registration. Further, registrants would be required to periodically verify registry information and provide notification of a change of address. A registrant remains in the Act’s database for a term of three (3) years from their initial registration. If the registrant re-offends or violates any provisions of the Act, their three (3) year term will begin anew. This ordinance is intended to assist the Wilmington Police Department in its efforts to curb violent crime, particularly criminal acts involving firearms.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration and City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 34 of the City Code by changing the enforcement of Chapter 34 from criminal enforcement to civil enforcement with attendant civil penalties for non-compliance. In addition, this Ordinance amends Chapter 4 by deleting Section 4-27, 119.0 (authorization for exterior improvements to vacant structures) and Section 4-27, 120.0 (annual vacant property registration fees), and incorporates these provisions into Chapter 34.  Lastly, this Ordinance amends the annual vacant property registration fee provisions (previously found at Chapter 4, Section 4-27, 120.0; now located at Chapter 34, Section 34-210) to: 1) increase the registration fees for properties vacant 3 or more years; 2) require registration of buildings vacant for 6 consecutive months rather than 45 consecutive days; 3) impose a fine of $2,500.00 for failing to register a vacant building within 30 days; 4) exempt vacant buildings owned by the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank Corporation (“Land Bank”) from registration requirements; and 5) provide that purchasers of a vacant building from the Land Bank be billed a vacant registration fee based on the duration of vacancy from the time he or she received the building from the Land Bank, rather than a vacant registration fee based on the duration of the vacancy prior to receiving the building.

Synopsis:   This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration and City Council for Council’s review and approval. The ordinance amends Chapter 5 section 5-101 entitled “Schedule of Fees” by amending the section to increase the business license fee for rental dwelling units to $100 per unit, not to exceed a total business license fee of $2,500.

Synopsis:   This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration and City Council for Council’s review and approval. The ordinance amends Chapter 5 section 5-58 entitled Public Nuisances by modifying the definition of a public nuisance to extend the time period during which points may accumulate to better capture nuisance activity impacting the public interest.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration and City Council for Council’s review and Approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 5 of the City Code by repealing the requirement that all owners, operators, and lessors of any rental dwelling unit attend and complete a city approved landlord training program as a condition of the rental license, but allows the Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections to require attendance and completion of a city approved landlord training program as a condition for the issuance of a provisional business license.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends the Capital Improvements Program for the Six Fiscal Years 2012-2017 for the purpose of transferring the entire balance of funds remaining in the “Weapons Range Improvements” project into a newly created project entitled, “Patrol Rifle Program,” in the approximate amount of $194,600. There will be no net change in the total funds for the Capital Improvements Program for the Six Fiscal Years 2012-2017, which remains at an amount of $253,641,000.00.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2012 for the purpose of transferring the entire balance of funds remaining in the “Weapons Range Improvements” project to a newly created project entitled, “Patrol Rifle Program” in the approximate amount of $194,600.  There will be no change in the total funds for the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2012, which remains at an amount of $108,537,000.00.

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends the Capital Improvement Program for the Six Fiscal Years 2006-2011 to alter the allocation of previously budgeted expenditures and to allow for the inclusion of a newly created capital project.  There shall be no fiscal impact to the City as the amendment simply allocates surplus funds already budgeted for one project to be used for another newly created project by transferring the entire balance of funds, approximately $568,400, from the “Station #5 Replacement” project to the “Station Renovations/Refurbishing” project within the Fire Department.  There will be no change in the total funds for the Capital Improvements Program for the Six Fiscal Years 2006-2011, which remains at an amount of $165,888,000.00.   

Synopsis:  This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2006 for the purpose of changing the Capital Budget funding allocation for the Fire Department, as set forth in the amended Capital Improvements Program for Fiscal Years 2006-2011, the first year of which is the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2006, which amendment transfers the entire balance of the funding for the “Station #5 Replacement” project to the “Station Renovations/Refurbishing” project, in the approximate amount of $568,400.  There will be no change in the total funds for the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2006, which remains at an amount of $80,843,000.00.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being introduced by City Council for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be requesting that the Delaware Attorney General perform a study and issue a report regarding the present legality of devices that essentially modify weapons to operate like a fully automatic machine gun, a process which should include public input and the recommendation of law changes as warranted.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Wilmington Police Department’s application for a Fund to Combat Violence Grant from the State of Delaware in the amount of $91,000.00. The funds will be used to purchase new        Fatal Collision Equipment and obtain training, software, maintenance, and batteries for it as well as to purchase two rescue patrol unmanned aerial vehicles for use by the Forensic Unit as part of a statewide coordinated program.  No local matching funds are required.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by the administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Wilmington Police Department’s application for a Fund to Combat Violent Grant from the State of Delaware in the amount of $393,251.85. The funds will be used for an overtime program focused on combatting violent crime using intelligence driven data to direct the overtime to particular areas and utilizing patrols, walking assignments, tactical response initiatives, and plain clothes operations. No local matching funds are required.

Synopsis:  This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. If approved, Council would be authorizing the Wilmington Police Department’s application for an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $218,603.00. The funds will be used for anti-violence overtime and the salary for one civilian cold  case investigator. No local matching funds are required.