Agenda for Regular Meeting

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance issues a temporary moratorium on the establishment of new  convenience  stores in the city.  The moratorium will be in effect until such time an equity impact assessment has been completed by the Department of Land Use and Planning, unless repealed by City Council.  During the period in which the moratorium is in effect, the zoning board of adjustment shall not consider any application for permission, variance, or special exception for the establishment of a new corner property.  The zoning board of adjustment may consider applications for a hardship exception to the moratorium.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance amends Chapter 2 of the City Code by deleting a defunct African American History Museum Foundation Committee and establishing in its place a permanent African American History and Cultural Preservation Commission.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution recommends that the City of Wilmington include $60,000 of budget appropriations in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to commission a professional grant writer. A qualified professional grant writer, acting either as a part-time employee or contracted consultant, would proactively bolster Wilmington’s capacity to pursue viable external funding opportunities that strengthen municipal services, enhance fiscal sustainability, and advance the long-term interests of the residents of Wilmington. 

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution recommends the appropriation of $80,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to commission a qualified Social Service Navigator on a part-time or consultant basis to lead the City of Wilmington’s efforts to connect constituents with support and resources that fit their needs.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the City to enter into one or more contracts for the purchase of electricity with one or more of three electricity providers starting in fiscal year 2027 for a term not to exceed five (5) years.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution encourages the Administration to collaborate with the Law Department to adopt policies and practices that facilitate recruitment and retention of a legal workforce that more closely reflects the demographic composition of the residents of the City of Wilmington. 

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution encourages school districts and school boards to enforce school dress codes and prohibit sleepwear or pajamas during school hours to address concerns related to student comfort and conduct.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution reaffirms the importance of cursive handwriting instruction in public elementary schools’ curricula and encourages the Delaware General Assembly, Department of Education, and school administrators to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with the requirements set forth in Title 14 § 4138 of the Delaware Code.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance approves the annexation of approximately 4.1 acres consisting of seven (7) parcels of land located in the South Wilmington area of unincorporated New Castle County (being Tax Parcel Nos. 10-001.00-017, 10-001.00-018, 10-001.00-078, 10-001.00-021, 10-001.00-080, 10-001.00-081, and 10-001.00-082) (collectively, the “Parcels”) and the rezoning of the Parcels from a zoning classification of New Castle County HI (Heavy Industrial) to a zoning classification of City of Wilmington M-1 (Light Manufacturing).  In addition, this Ordinance amends the boundaries of the Fourth Councilmanic District set forth in City Code Section 2-31 and the applicable City maps to add the Parcels into the City’s corporate boundaries.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution affirms the Wilmington City Council’s commitment to civility, mutual respect, and professionalism in all official duties, meetings, communications, and interactions with fellow council members, city employees, constituents, and the public.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the issuance of a General Obligation Bond (Supplemental Adams Street Green Infrastructure Project), Series A of 2026-WPCRF, in an amount not to exceed $808,242 (the “2026A Bond”), which will be sold to the Delaware Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund in order to (i) finance the increased construction costs associated with the installation of three (3) bioretention gardens, 1900 linear feet of stormwater pipe, sixteen (16) manholes, and five (5) trench drains located in and around the Adams Street Courts at 210 North Jackson Street, as set forth in the City’s capital budget for its Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2024, (ii) pay administrative costs relating to such capital projects, and (iii) pay the costs of issuing the 2026A Bond.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the issuance of a General Obligation Bond (Lead Removal Phase IV Project), Series A of 2026-DWSRF (the “2026A Bond”), in an amount not to exceed $13,000,000, which will be sold to the Delaware Drinking Water State Revolving Fund in order to (A) finance the replacement of approximately three (3) to four (4) miles of old cast iron watermain in the City’s water distribution system, as set forth in the City’s capital budget for its Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2026, (B) pay administrative costs relating to such capital project, and (C) pay the costs of issuing the 2026A Bond.

Synopsis:         This Ordinance is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Ordinance authorizes the City to enter into a multi-year contract with Belfint, Lyons, & Shuman, P.A. for the purposes of retaining an External Auditor, at an estimated price of One Hundred Ninety-Eight Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents per annum ($198,000.00). The primary purpose of the Contract is to retain the services of an External Auditor to provide full assurance that the City’s accounting records surrounding its Financial Audit, Single Audit, Firefighters’ Pension Fund Audit, and Police Pension Fund Audi are fair, complete and in adherence with generally accepted accounting principles, industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution joins Governor Matt Meyer, our counterparts in the Delaware General Assembly and New Castle County Council, and the Division of the Public Advocate of the State of Delaware in expressing profound concerns about the impact of Docket No. 251555, Delmarva Power and Light Company’s proposed electric base rate increase application, on ratepayers in our City and State. It respectfully urges the Delaware Public Service Commission to reject the proposal in its current form.  

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by the Administration for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution authorizes the Wilmington Police Department’s grant application to the State of Delaware Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (SLEAF) in the amount of $36,900, or such other amount that the SLEAF awards.  The proposed grant funds would be used to purchase (i) a forklift that can be utilized to help safely manage supplies at the Police Department’s training facility and (ii) saws that can be utilized to gain entry into structures during high-risk operations.  No local matching funds are required.

Synopsis:         This Resolution is being presented by City Council for Council’s review and approval. This Resolution initiates a proposed amendment to Wilmington City Charter Sections 2-101 and 2-103 to prohibit a councilmember-at-large in a minority political party in which there are three councilmembers-at-large of the same party affiliation and one councilmember of a different party affiliation from changing their voter registration political party affiliation during an active term for which they were elected to City Council.  Under the proposed amendments, if such a councilmember-at-large changes their political party affiliation to a majority party affiliation in which there are three councilmembers-at-large of the same party affiliation during an active term, such an act would result in the automatic forfeiture and vacancy of their seat.  The proposed amendments are intended to ensure representation of minority political parties on City Council.