Wilmington City Council Newsletter December 9, 2022
2022-2025 Strategic Plan of the Wilmington City Council is Adopted
During the regular meeting of Wilmington City Council on December 1, 2022, the council adopted its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan of the Wilmington City Council. The Plan serves as a guiding document for Council’s legislative, policy, and financial decision-making, as well as a template for engagement with the City’s stakeholders.
The 2022-2025 Strategic Plan reflects the collective policy priorities of the members of the Council with the purpose of helping Council Members to:
- Establish a Council-driven policy framework to guide engagement with a broad base of constituents, department leaders, and administrative office staff
- Allow Council to focus on policy priorities while leaving space in the policy agenda for addressing unforeseen issues that may arise
- Ensure that Council’s core values are upheld and policy areas attached to those values are consistently and adequately addressed
- Demonstrate fiduciary responsibility and transparency through the establishment of a Strategic Plan for legislation where progress toward the Council’s goals can be assessed and measured
- Facilitate legislative continuity in the 108th session and beyond
Because each Council Member has varying responsibilities, policy interests, and constituent concerns, the Strategic Plan functions as a means of leveraging their diverse knowledge, skills, and abilities toward coordinated legislative action.
To read the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan of the Wilmington City Council in its entirety, or to download the document, members of the public can visit the link here.
To view the resolution that the Council adopted, visit the link here.
The Wilmington City Council Appoints 9 Individuals to its Reparations Taskforce
The following individuals were appointed by City Council President Ernest “Trippi” Congo and approved by a majority of all members of the Wilmington City Council to be members of the City Council Reparations Taskforce:
- Shane Cannon
- Dr. Michael H. Casson, Jr.
- Darryl L. Chambers
- Bebe Coker
- Alisia Drew
- Dr. Jason L. James, Jr.
- Renata B. Kowalczyk
- Leandra C. Marshall
- Coby Owens
These individuals shall be responsible for making findings and recommendations to the City Council regarding issues of systemic racial disparity, racist practices and procedures, and/or institutional discrimination against African Americans, resulting from the delivery or provision of City government services or the implementation or effect of City policies, and resulting from the delivery or provision of other government provided services or widely implemented business practices or the implementation or effect of government policies or business practices.
To view the vote count and discussions that took place, visit the link here.
December 8 Wilmington City Council Recap
Agenda Results for legislation that passed during the December 8 Regular Wilmington City Council meeting are as follows:
MICHELLE HARLEE, 4th District Council Member
AGENDA #0258 RESOLUTION 22-080 A Resolution Scheduling a Public Hearing on January 19, 2023 on an Ordinance to Rezone Fourteen Parcels of Land Located Within the Area Generally Bounded by Maryland Avenue, the Amtrak Railroad Corridor, I-95, and Lower Elm Street From a Zoning Classification of M-1 (Light Manufacturing) to a Zoning Classification of C-2 (Secondary Business Centers) was ADOPTED by City Council. Synopsis: This Resolution schedules a public hearing on January 19, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers regarding an ordinance proposing the rezoning of fourteen parcels of land located within the area generally bounded by Maryland Avenue, the Amtrak Railroad Corridor, I-95, and Lower Elm Street (being Tax Parcel Nos. 26-042.20-015, 26-042.20-016, 26-042.20-017, 26-042.20-018, 26-042.20-019, 26-042.20-020, 26-042.20-021, 26-042.20-023, 26-042.20-024, 26-042.20-025, 26-042.20-026, 26-042.20-027, 26-042.20-095, and 26-042.20-096) from a zoning classification of M-1 (Light Manufacturing) to a zoning classification of C-2 (Secondary Business Centers). Members of the public will be allowed to participate in the public hearing (i) in person in the City Council Chambers and (ii) virtually in accordance with 29 Del. C. § 10006A. The instructions for virtual participation will be provided on the agenda for the January 19, 2023 Council meeting.
For details on the substitute ordinance, visit the link here.
City Council Begins The Process Of Filling District 1 Vacancy
The Wilmington City Council is now soliciting letters of interest from residents affiliated with the Democratic Party of the City’s 1st District to consider filling the seat that has been vacated by the late former Councilwoman Linda M. Gray.
Pursuant to the City Charter, to qualify to fill the vacancy, an applicant must be twenty-five (25) years of age or older, a Democrat, and reside in the 1st District.
Those residents interested in filling the vacancy have until January 6, 2023, to submit resumes, a letter of interest that includes their vision for the 1st District, and a copy of their driver’s license or state issued identification to the following email address: CouncilVacancy@wilmingtonde.gov
Or by mail to:
Wilmington City Council
Louis L. Redding City/County Building
800 N. French Street, 9th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801
Letters sent via mail must be postmarked by January 6, 2023.
Once the application deadline has passed, submissions will be verified with the Department of Elections to confirm eligibility. Upon verification, a list of eligible candidates will be made public. The Committee of the Whole of Wilmington City Council, chaired by President Ernest “Trippi” Congo, shall be charged with recommending a candidate to fill the Council vacancy in accordance with the procedures outlined in the City Charter Section 2-34.
Each candidate will be scheduled for an interview with the Committee of the Whole which will vote on and propose, by Resolution, its recommendation of a person to fill the Council vacancy. The vote must be approved by a majority of the City Council.
Visit the Hare Pavilion on December 10 for a Chance to Win Prizes and to see Santa Claus
Stop by Hare Pavilion Saturday, December 10, 2022, from 4pm to 6pm for a visit with Santa Claus! Tag @riverfrontwilm in a picture of you and your family with Santa and use hashtag #RiverbrightWilmington for a chance to win a Riverfront gift basket with gift certificates to Wilmington Blue Rocks Delaware Children’s Museum, Delaware Theatre Company, Del Pez Mexican Gastropub – Wilmington, UBON Thai Kitchen & Bar and more! One winner will win the Riverfront basket and 4 winners will receive passes to the Delaware Theatre! Bring a new toy for the Neighborhood House Inc toy drive and receive a free pass to the Delaware Children’s Museum or Riverwalk Mini Golf!
For more details, visit the Friends of Riverfront Wilmington Facebook page here, or Riverfront Wilmington’s website here.
Holiday Parking
The City of Wilmington’s holiday season parking meter policy is currently in effect through Monday, January 2, 2023. To support holiday shopping during this period, from Noon to 6 p.m. each weekday, the City will not require payment at parking meters in the Downtown Business District (defined as the area bounded by 2nd Street to 12th Street, and by French Street to Washington Street) and in the Riverfront Business District. Official holidays such as Christmas Day (December 25) remain FREE all day. A two-hour parking limit will remain in effect, however.
Exceptions to this temporary parking policy involve streets designated as “tow-away zones,” where no stopping is allowed at those meters at the times posted. All applicable traffic regulations, other than those requiring payment at parking meters, will be enforced, including time-limited parking (two-hour or one-hour parking as designated by signage) or overtime parking, bus stops, fire hydrants, double-parking and parking too close to pedestrian crosswalks, etc.
###
Media Contact:
Yesenia Taveras, Director of Communications
Office: 302-576-2585 | Cell: 302-757-5748
Email: ytaveras@wilmingtonde.gov
City Council Website: www.wilmingtoncitycouncil.com