OPEN TOWN MEETING
An Open Town Meeting was held on February 18, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Hutchison presiding. Members of Council present were Mr. Carey, Mr. McGlumphy, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Ruane, Mr. Salters and Mr. Truitt. Mr. Ritter, Mr. Speed and Mrs. Williams were absent.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS
Mr. Carey moved for approval of the agenda as presented, seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried.
BRIEFING BY VARIOUS CITY ORGANIZATIONS
Mayor Hutchison welcomed students from Wesley College who were in attendance at the meeting. He invited them to ask questions later in the meeting.
Kent County Levy Court
Mr. Dave Burris, President of Kent County Levy Court, spoke about the activities of Kent County. Mr. Burris noted that work on the new Kent County Administration Building is progressing nicely. The groundbreaking occurred after Labor Day in 2003 at the site of the former Acme on Route 113. The road leading to the complex has been dedicated, and the County is working with local legislators to obtain funding for improvements. He noted that the intersection of Route 113 at the Blue Hen Corporate Center will be upgraded by DelDOT. The Court House and O'Brien Building were sold to the State, and renovations will begin at the O'Brien Building soon. The projected move-in date for the new County building is March 2005.
The park near Smyrna to house the Aerospace Foundation is moving along, and federal funds are being used for that park. A historical study revealed early 18th century farm remnants, necessitating a broad range study. This has slowed down the progress. The Foundation will utilize 40 acres, and Kent County will use the remaining 49 acres for a northern County park. A southern County park is also being established south of Killen's Pond between Harrington and Milford.
Mr. Ruane, noting that the City has retained the services of a library consultant to study how the City can improve its library services, asked if there may be an opportunity for the City and County to cooperate in providing library services. Mr. Burris advised members that Kent County provides computer systems for all of the libraries in Kent County. He stated that there is no plan to add any additional libraries near the City. Mr. Burris noted that there are library tax districts, and the districts determine through their library boards how those funds will be utilized.
Mr. Pitts stated that the City is pursuing expanding recreational opportunities for residents and indicated his hope that the City and County could work together in addressing the needs of residents, both in the City and in the nearby area as well. Mr. Burris stated that the County had supported the City for the recreation center that was proposed in west Dover. He added that the two parks currently being pursued by the County are not located near the City and that the County Commissioners are not in favor of adding any type of building at Brecknock Park since the open space would be lost. Mr. Burris added that the County may be interested in building some sort of gym at the site of the new County building at a later date (perhaps in 2008/09). There is additional property located at that site to allow for future expansion.
Mayor Hutchison asked what type of growth the County foresaw outside of the City of Dover. Mr. Burris responded that he believes the current Population Consortium estimates are low by approximately 12,000 people for current County residents. He stated there are close to 14,000 vacant buildable lots in Kent County, not including those lots located in town/city limits. Kent County Levy Court anticipates that an additional 30,000 people will move into the County over the next 5 to 8 years. He noted that the growth zones in Kent County only represent 16% of the land mass. Kent County hopes to unveil a new program next month called the Transfer Development Rights Program to get builders and developers to go outside of the growth zone to purchase development rights for a farm and transfer them into the growth zone. Mayor Hutchison stated that it would be critical for the State, County and municipalities to work together over the next five years to ensure balanced growth.
Mr. McGlumphy asked for clarification about the County's plans to build a gym. Mr. Burris stated that Mr. Vansant, the County Parks Director, would like to have a gym at Brecknock Park, but the Commissioners do not favor that approach. Instead, the County would like to look at using land at the new County building site. However, if the City pursues a recreation center or the Delaware Civic Center becomes a reality, the County would likely explore construction of a gym at the northern or southern County park locations. Mr. McGlumphy encouraged a partnership between the County and City on a recreation center. Mr. Burris stated that the County would look at supporting a recreation center in the City, but his constituents would be best served by the County locating a center elsewhere to address the needs of other County residents. Mr. Salters noted that a decision had not yet been made on construction of a recreation center. He added that there may be a need for more than one facility to serve residents of the City and stated that the Delaware Civic Center has been discussed for many years. Mr. Burris stated that whatever the City does as far as recreation in the future will impact the County's decision to construct. He noted that Mr. Vansant and Mr. Carter work well together and should continue to coordinate efforts on behalf of the County and City.
As a final note, Mr. Burris stated that Kent County is the poor County out of all three, and the Governor's budget is proposing a 60/40 split reversal on the paramedics. He noted that it will cost the County close to $1M to provide paramedics at the County level. He added that the County is running into some dilemmas about how to spend funds, and requested that the City talk to the State legislators about keeping the good of Dover and Kent County residents in mind when facing budgetary decisions.
Mayor Hutchison thanked Mr. Burris for attending the meeting and sharing information with the City. Mr. McGlumphy stated that the schools are being forced to change the way they do business because of the No Child Left Behind legislation, which will result in school facilities being inaccessible for recreational activities. The recreational programs will continue to suffer until the City and/or County decide to provide some type of indoor facility for the children in the community. Mr. Burris agreed and noted that residents of Smyrna must come to Dover just to see a movie. Everyone agreed that the City and County must continue to work together to address the many needs of the citizens.
Kent County Tourism
Ms. Mary Skelton, Director of Kent County Tourism, reported that she and Mr. Wolfensberger, Director of the Central Delaware Economic Development Council, have worked closely with Delaware Today on the Kent County supplement, which is produced on a yearly basis. That new supplement is out today and includes information on the area and advertisements from local businesses. Ms. Skelton stated that the diverse economy of Delaware has allowed it to continue to maintain growth through the difficult economic times since September 11, 2001. She added that new hotels are coming to Milford, Harrington and the Smyrna area. Plans also continue for a hotel on Loockerman Street. She stated that the Dover Downs Hotel runs at a 95% to 98% occupancy rate. Ms. Skelton stated that, because of the growth, her budget has grown and is being invested in advertising in local newspapers of other states. She thanked everyone for their support and distributed copies of the Kent County Supplement.
Mr. Ruane commended Ms. Skelton for her work and asked about the status of the signage project with DelDOT. Ms. Skelton stated that the signs have started going up, and additional signs will be erected on Route 1 and in other areas around the City.
Mayor Hutchison thanked Ms. Skelton for her efforts in promoting the City and Kent County. He noted her hard work on making Old Dover Days and the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast successful events. Ms. Skelton thanked the Mayor for his comments and stated that the success of the prayer breakfast was based on the support of the Mayor and the quality of speakers. She offered her support to the next Mayor, should the event continue in the future. She added that she looks forward to working with the City, Kent County, and the Chamber in continuing to address the tourism needs in the area.
Central Delaware Economic Development Council
Daniel Wolfensberger, Director of the Central Delaware Economic Development Council, distributed information about the organization's activities. He noted that the unemployment rate is 3.5%, and the number of employed people has increased by about 700. He added that there has been growth in the education, health care, retail and lodging industries, as well as in residential construction. Mr. Wolfensberger noted a number of new, relocated, and expanded businesses in Kent County, including Wal-Mart, ClientLogic, Fordham Brewing, Monster Racing, and Delaware State News. A contract has also been signed for the design of a business plan for a high tech incubator for Delaware State University.
Mr. Wolfensberger stated that they will continue monitoring companies such as Playtex, Kraft, and Reichhold where the future is uncertain. He added that there continues to be a question of the impact of slots on Delaware's economy if they are expanded in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The replacement of C-5's with C-17's continues to be a concern at Dover Air Force Base and is something that will be followed closely.
The goal of the Central Delaware Economic Development Council is to continue to retain existing jobs and attract above average paying jobs. Mr. Wolfensberger stated that he would continue to seek funding to augment the organization's marketing efforts. He noted that a key to the group's success has been cooperation with the Delaware Economic Development Office and other key organizations.
Mr. Ruane asked about the potential for attracting businesses to Garrison Oak. Mr. Wolfensberger responded that the property has great potential, but there must be infrastructure in place to make the property more desirable. He added that the Kent County Aero Park is selling out, and they will need to have another site such as Garrison Oak to attract new companies. Mr. DePrima pointed out that he has been assured by City staff that utilities can be extended to the site in a timely manner. A 69KV line is located on the other side of Route 1, and water lines have been run in front of the site. There are also sewer lines in the vicinity. He pointed out that economic development is a long process and it could take 10 years for Garrison Oak to be built out. Mayor Hutchison noted that the current value of the property is $40,000 per acre and the City continues to receive rental income on a yearly basis.
Mr. Pitts noted that there is land available west of Dover and asked if there were any plans to explore locating businesses in that area. He suggested that a post office may be well-suited for the area. Mr. Wolfensberger stated that infrastructure would be an issue and he felt the City should focus on the Lafferty Lane area because of the easy access to Route 1 and the location of other businesses in the area.
Downtown Dover Development Corporation
Mr. Michael Harrington addressed the Mayor and Council on behalf of the Downtown Dover Development Corporation and stated that the Corporation is very unique. The mission is to encourage development in the downtown Dover area and the membership includes Council members and business leaders from throughout the community. A great deal of time goes into coordinating the activities of various organizations to benefit the downtown area.
Mr. Harrington stated that funds have been invested in needy projects, such as the hotel project on Loockerman Street and small businesses in the downtown area. He commended the Council for their assistance with short and long-term loans to assist the Corporation. He noted that the focus is currently on the west side of Dover where some environmental issues exist. This includes properties such as the Capital Scrap Yard, Chesapeake Supply and the old Ice Plant. Four properties have been purchased on the west end of Loockerman Street. The homes have been demolished and the land is now being marketed for an office building. The Corporation is now working on obtaining funds from the Joint Finance Committee to assist with this project.
Main Street Dover
Mr. Ed Perez, Director of Main Street Dover, thanked the Mayor and Council for their support over the past year and added that the Downtown Dover Development Corporation is an incredible organization that is doing many good things in the downtown area. He noted that a crucial element of Main Street is the development of a work plan and added that the goal of the group is to revitalize the downtown business district. Mr. Perez stated that Main Street has focused on developing a recruitment plan and implementing strategies to address concerns of the businesses in downtown Dover. Such strategies include hosting quarterly merchant meetings to improve communication between the City and business owners and partnering with local organizations, such as Kent County Tourism and the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, to leverage resources and enhance the provision of services to local businesses. He added that the Facade Grant Program has reviewed 68 applications and 54 have been approved to assist business owners. A Web site has also been developed to market the downtown Dover area.
In the future, Main Street Dover will focus on the 13 vacant buildings in the area. Four of these buildings have been leased and permission has been received from three additional owners to do a window decor program to market the availability of the facilities. A Safety Task Force has been developed to review safety issues and report back to the merchants. A new business investors task force has also been developed which includes property owners and bankers. The goal is to recruit new businesses and provide information to assist new businesses. Mr. Perez informed the group that the Backstage Pass Party, Main Street's annual fundraiser, would be held on February 24th and he invited everyone to attend.
Mr. Ruane asked what key elements would be necessary to bring about change in the downtown area. Responding, Mr. Perez stated that he felts many of the property owners needed to be more creative in marketing and undertaking renovations to enhance their properties. Main Street may recommend some sort of enforcement action in the future to address this problem. Mr. Perez added that the location of one or two successful businesses can have a domino effect on the downtown district; he has seen this happen in other cities. Mr. McGlumphy suggested that perhaps stores be sought out that represent different ethnic groups and that stores stay open longer to allow students to frequent them. Mr. Perez stated that there are many issues to be considered when a business wants to locate in the area, such as the suitability of the building and investment required by the business owner. Mr. Pitts stated that the African American Festival brings in a large crowd, but there are many other ethnic groups. He suggested that additional events be held on a regular basis to appeal to those groups and added that such events may encompass a larger area than just Loockerman Street. Mr. Perez responded that this was an option.
Mayor Hutchison noted that change is important and there are many opportunities for Main Street to work with the Downtown Dover Development Corporation to effect change in the area. He thanked Mr. Perez for his leadership. Mr. Salters stated that there are many businesses on Loockerman Street that are not offering apartments upstairs or investing funds in the business. He added that unless we have business owners who are willing to invest in the property and make it nice, the same problems will exist 15 years from now. Mayor Hutchison stated that there is a great student population and there needs to be a concerted effort to bring businesses that the students would frequent to the downtown area .
Subject Matter Presented from the Floor by Citizens
Mr. Greenfield stated that vacancy issues exist in the housing stock. There seems to be a problem with getting things resolved and perhaps the City should look at increasing fees for empty houses and buildings, much like the City of Wilmington has done. Mayor Hutchison explained that the City is currently reviewing its fee structure and should look into this further.
Mr. Ruane asked the students present what type of store or event would attract them to the downtown area. Amanda Lovejoy, a sophomore at Wesley College, stated that the City of Newark has a whole strip of shops for students on Main Street. She stated that the City of Dover may be able to do the same thing to attract not only college students but also high school students. Some store ideas include a record shop, a diner, a coffee shop, and Grotto's. Mr. DePrima stated that he has talked with the administration of Wesley College about relocating its book and gift store downtown. He asked if the students would support that concept.
Heidi, a freshman at Wesley College, stated that parking is difficult in the downtown area and a store for Wesley would not do well right now. Mr. McGlumphy asked if Wesley had anything as far as stores or dining facilities for the students like the University of Delaware does. Heidi responded that the only thing is a coffee shop. Mr. McGlumphy suggested that a block be developed to serve this segment of the population.
Another student, Barry, stated that she heard the majority of the funds coming into the City come from Delaware State and Wesley College students, but there is nothing there for them to do. She stated that a bar would attract college students. She also noted that Dover Air Force Base is one of the worst locations for service men and women because there is nothing to do. She encouraged the development of a jazz restaurant or nightclub in the downtown area. Barry added that 10:00 p.m. is too early to close. Another student stated that she was only 19 and there were no clubs to attend for those under the drinking age.
Travis Topal, a senior at Wesley College, felt that it would be a good idea to put new stores downtown, but the students are concerned about prostitutes and drug deals going on in the downtown area. Because of the parking situation, many students have to walk through areas where there is illegal activity and that is a deterrent for people coming downtown.
Mayor Hutchison suggested that a survey be conducted to find out what type of stores would interest area residents, including college students. Another student suggested that brighter colors and lights be used to attract young people. Mayor Hutchison also suggested that a group visit Newark and use them as a model for improving the downtown area. Mr. Ruane suggested that students participate in Main Street Dover. Mr. Perez agreed, and noted that there are no shops downtown that cater to younger people. The students asked where they could send their suggestions. Mr. Perez recommended that people send suggestions to the Main Street Office.
Mayor Hutchison thanked the presenters and the students for attending and voicing their concerns.
Mr. Carey moved for adjournment, seconded by Mr. McGlumphy and unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.
LISA C. GARDNER
SECRETARY
All orders, ordinances and resolutions adopted by City Council during the Open Town Meeting of February 18, 2004, are hereby approved.
JAMES L. HUTCHISON
MAYOR
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