REGULAR MEETING
August 8, 1960
The regular meeting of City Council was held Monday, August 8, 1960 at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Haman presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs Carroll, Davis, Fromm, Hayes, Holpp, Thompson, Turner and Zartman.
The invocation was said by the Rev. Mr. Best.
MINUTES
Minutes of the meeting of July 25, 1960 were accepted as read and bore the written approval of Mayor Haman.
REPORTS
Report of Alderman Dempsey for July was accepted as read. A check in the amount of $620.50 was remitted to the City.
Report of the Acting Alderman Shockley was accepted as read. A check in the amount of $551.20 was remitted to the City.
Report of the Chief of Police was accepted as read.
Report of the Fire Marshall and Building Inspector was accepted as read.
Report of General Fund Cash Receipts for July was accepted as read.
Report of Electric Revenue Fund Cash Receipts and Disbursements fir July was accepted as read.
ALDERMAN RESIGNATION
A letter from Clarence R. Dempsey tendered his resignation as City Alderman effective August 31, 1960 because of ill health. On motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Hayes, the resignation of Mr. Dempsey was accepted and the Clerk was directed to write Mr. Dempsey expressing the appreciation of the Mayor and Council for his faithful service.
ALDERMAN ELECTION
Applications to fill the unexpired term of Alderman Dempsey were received from George K. Shockley, Ralph D. Knotts, Sr., and Andrew W. Van Sant. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Turner, George K. Shockley was elected City Alderman to fill unexpired term of Clarence R. Dempsey.
Council discussed the matter of appointing an Acting Alderman to serve during any absence or inability of the Alderman, a position now held by George K. Shockley, but deferred action for further consideration.
PARK COMMITTEE
Councilman Holpp reported on the activities of the Park Committee and requested the appointment of two additional members to the group.
CURB HEARING
A resolution adopted July 25, 1960 provided for a public hearing at this meeting of City Council to consider the installation of curb and gutter on both sides of South Street from State Street to New Street and assessing the cost thereof against adjoining property owners.
At 8:00 P.M., Mayor Haman declared the hearing open. No interested property owners or residents appeared to object, nor were any written objections received. The hearing had been duly advertised.
On motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Thompson, Council by unanimous vote adopted the following resolution. Mr. Fromm was absent.
A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF CURBS AND GUTTERS ON BOTH SIDES OF SOUTH STREET BETWEEN STATE STREET AND NEW STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF DOVER AND FIXING THE COST THEREOF TO BE BORNE BY ADJOINING OWNERS.
WHEREAS, the Council of The City of Dover has held a meeting on Monday, August 8, 1960, at 8:00 P. M. Eastern Daylight Saving Time at the City Hall, in accordance with a resolution adopted July 25, 1960, and duly published in accordance with the Charter; and
WHEREAS, all interested property owners and other residents of the City have been heard, and a written objection signed by a majority of the property owners affected has not been presented;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY The Council of The City of Dover in Council Met:
Section 1. Concrete curbs and gutters shall be installed along both sides of South Street between State Street and New Street.
Section 2. The full cost of the said concrete curbs and gutters shall be borne by the owner of real property in front of which the same shall be installed in proportion to the lineal frontage of their properties, and the said cost shall be ascertained and collected in accordance with the provisions of Section 28 (b) of the Charter of The City of Dover.
Adopted August 8, 1960.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
Mr. Holpp reported that the Utility Committee recommended acceptance of the following low bids for various items of equipment for the new power plant:
WATER TREATMENT: Four bids received, low bid The Cochrane Corporation, $45,900.00. On motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council approved award of the contract tot he Cochrane Corporation on its low bid of $45,900.
BOILER FEED PUMP: Four bids received, low bid Ingersoll-Rand, $126,870. On motion of Mr. Carroll, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council approved award of the contract to Ingersoll-Rand on its low bid of $126,870.
COAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT: Six bids received, low bid Beaumont-Birch, $250,577. On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council approved award of the contract to Beaumont-Birch on its low bid of $250,577.
PARKING COMMITTEE
Mr. Zartman reported for the committee appointed by Council to consider parking problems in Dover. The following report had been received from the Dover Parking Authority.
“The Parking Authority believes that a healthy Loockerman Street community provides a valuable asset to the City in taxes, electric income, beauty and stores centrally located to city residents. Adequate well-located parking is one essential requirement to protect and develop this asset.
Without trying to explain in great detail the various problems facing the Loockerman Street area, we make the following observations which constitute the most important factors contributing to the critical parking situation in Dover and the health of the Loockerman Street community:
(a) There is a lack of organized parking behind and around the various stores along Loockerman Street and Governors Avenue;
(b) By historical accident, many of the stores in the vicinity are inefficient in lay-out, size and frontage;
(c) A critical traffic movement problem continues to exist in the area.
The above problems have caused the Loockerman Street area to lose some of its ability to attract the increase in trade now evident in this area.
The Authority submits herewith the following proposals tot he special committee and the City Council relative to the parking lots and the Parking Authority’s problem. The Authority does not recommend proposal No. 1. It neither recommends nor opposes proposals Nos. 2 and 3. It highly recommends proposals Nos. 4 and 5 or a combination of the two.
Proposal No. 1: That the City of Dover assume all of the obligations of the Parking Authority in return for which the Parking Authority will convey lots and other assets to the City.
Proposal No. 2: That the City refinance the indebtedness of the Parking Authority to the City to extend the payment thereof from a fifteen-year payment period to a forty-year payment period. The Parking Authority would then be in a position to continue operating the lots on a paid parking basis.
Proposal No. 3: That the City Council refinance the present indebtedness as proposed in proposal No. 2 and that the Council further appropriate the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) Dollars per year tot he Authority. The Authority would then operate the lots free and would have a token sum left over with which to provide additional parking facilities.
Proposal No. 4: That the City appropriate Ten Thousand (10,000.00) Dollars per year to the Authority with which to operate the two lots as free parking and that the Parking Authority continue to make its annual payments therefrom in accordance with the original loan agreement. That the Parking Authority create a benefit district for parking and propose the erection of a parking facility with an estimate cost of between Three Hundred Thousand ($300,000.00) Dollars and Four Hundred Thousand ($400,000.00) Dollars. In the event that the property owners within the benefit district petition the Authority for the creation of the parking facility that the City agree to loan the Authority 25% of the cost of the facility. The Authority would then undertake to establish the facility and establish a tax for the payment of 80% of the cost as provided by law. The remainder of the cost, to-wit, the loan from the City, would be paid from income to be received on the facility from paid parking.
Proposal No. 5: That the City of Dover make available to the Parking Authority the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) Dollars annually. This sum to be used first to provide free parking; secondly, to finance a survey to determine the feasibility of the following plan: To explore the possibility of establishing commercial units on the rear of the City Hall parking lot and thus create an extension of the Loockerman Street shopping community. If the plan proves feasible, it will provide the Parking Authority with income with which to pay off its indebtedness and operate the lots free in addition to providing capital for creating further parking facilities in the Loockerman Street area.”
Mr. Zartman reported that the committee had met with members of the Parking Authority and various merchants and had studied the various proposals which were advanced. The committee made the following recommendations:
That the Parking Authority deed back tot he City the parking lot east of City Hall, including an adjoining lot purchased by the Authority. In return the City will pay the Authority two-thirds of the original cost of the parking meters installed thereon, unless the Authority should wish to retain and remove them, plus $1000 for the adjoining lot purchased by the Authority. The Authority will pay the City $1000 now due on its loan, and the City will assume full liability for the outstanding indebtedness of $43,000, which debt will be retired from on-street parking meter receipts.
It is recommended that the City operate the lot for parking and make no charge. Approximately 275 spaces would be designated for all day parking, and approximately 110 spaces, nearest to City Hall, designated as four hour parking. Local merchants and businessmen would be asked to request their employees to use this lot for all day parking thus releasing more on-street parking to shoppers.
The committee believes that in thus relieving the Parking Authority of debt, that body would have new freedom to lease and develop new downtown parking sites which they could finance as they saw fit.
Mr. Zartman pointed out that the proposals of the committee has not yet been submitted to the Parking Authority and requested Council to withhold action until its next meeting.
On motion of Mr. Davis, seconded Mr. Turner, Council accepted the report of the committee and directed that copies be made available to Councilmen for study prior to its next meeting, to which members of the Parking Authority will be invited.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
Report of the City Manager was accepted as read.
PROJECT 11
The following bids have been received for Project 11, curbs and gutter installation and paving on New Street between Mary and William, on Clara Street between Governors Avenue and Queen street, and an alternate, South Street, between State Street and New Street:
Edgell Construction $19,149.65 $11,303.80 $30,453.45
George & Lynch 25,876.50 13,555.00 39,431.50
Delaware Roads 23,997.00 12,074.00 36,071.00
Mr. Davis pointed out heavy equipment of the State Highway Department made daily use of South Street and that that Department should be asked to pay for a heavier street surface than the City would ordinarily construct on that street.
On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council authorized award of the contract for Project 11 to the low bidder, Edgell Construction Company, on its low bid of $30,453.45, with the provision that the City Engineer contact the State Highway Department with a proposal that a heavier road be installed on South Street and that the Highway Department pay the extra cost occasioned thereby.
RESURFACE STREET
On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Turner, Council approved resurfacing Queen Street between Division and Loockerman Streets with the same type of surfacing applied to Pennsylvania Avenue above Division Street.
KULJIAN ON POWER PLANT
Edward J. Healy, James L. Cherry, Harvey Colgin, and E. Rowell of The Kuljian Corporation appeared before City Council to report on bids received for site preparation and labor problems on the project. Low bidder on sire preparation was Edgell Construction Co., a non-union firm. Kuljian was informed of this fact by representatives of the Building and Construction Trades Council in Wilmington. Skilled craftsmen required on various parts of the project would necessarily be union members and employment of any non-union workers on the job would jeopardize its completion within the time required. Dover was not aware that the project would require a closed shop. Kuljian Corporation knew this fact and stated that Edgell had verbally said he could work union or non-union. When they found this not to be the case new bids for site preparation were requested from six union firms to be received August 11. They recommended that the bid of Edgell Construction Company be rejected to eliminate possible delay from labor trouble. The Mayor and Council were distributed by the news that construction of the power plant would require all union labor. The labor force in the Dover area is generally non-union and the sentiment of the community is opposed to unions. Of particular concern was the fact that the union requirement would eliminate the participation of local contractors in the project. Council is also aware that the plant must be built and in operation by February, 1962 and any delay in the construction schedule would be costly to the City.
On motion of Mr. Turner, seconded by Mr. Thompson, Council authorized the Kuljian Corporation to take such action as they saw fit on the two bids already received for site preparation. Mr. Carroll voted ‘No’.
On motion of Mr. Fromm, seconded by Mr. Thompson, City Manager Ward was named as the authorized representative of the City to approve bids and the award of contracts for equipment and construction of the new power plant.
Council adjourned at 10:45 P.M.
F. Neylan
City Clerk
All ordinances, resolutions and orders adopted by City Council at its meeting of August 8, 1960 are hereby approved.
August 10, 1960 W. Edward Haman
Mayor