OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kent County Levy Court Business Meeting - August 11, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, August 11, 2026
BodyKent County, Delaware
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, August 11, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 17:44
Transcript — Verbatim
1:02

Good evening.

1:03

I'd like to welcome everyone to the Kent County Levy Court business meeting.

1:06

Five five five Bay Road Dover Delaware, Levy Court Chamber room two oh three.

1:11

Today is Tuesday, August the 11th at 7 PM.

1:16

County Administrator.

1:19

Thank you, uh Mr.

1:20

Vice President.

1:21

This meeting is being held in person at 555 Bay Road, Derber Delaware, and the Levy Court Chambers.

1:25

We're also making it available via the internet through WebEx.

1:28

Participants can join us by phone or by computer during the meeting.

1:31

There will be opportunities for public comment for those attending in person or online.

1:35

When the president opens a public comment period, those attending in person may step forward to one of the two podiums and be recognized.

1:42

If you're joining us by phone and wish to comment, please press star three, which will raise your electronic hand.

1:49

Pressing star six will mute and unmute your line.

1:52

If you're online, you'll see a hand and microphone icon at the bottom of your screen.

1:56

Please do those at the appropriate times.

1:58

We ask guests to begin public comments by stating their name and address for the record.

2:02

The county attorney will administer an oath of affirmation to anyone giving testimony during the public hearing.

2:08

We ask that the public comments relate to the subjects announced by the president.

2:12

In addition to public hearings, there are two public comment periods, one at the beginning of the meeting for agenda items, and one at the near at the end of the meeting for general comments.

2:21

This meeting has been recorded and will follow the rules and procedures adopted by the court as well as a Mason rules of order.

2:27

Back to you, Mr.

2:28

Vice President.

2:29

Thank you, County Administrator.

2:31

This time we're going to call the meeting to order.

2:33

I've asked Commissioner Pepper to do the invocation.

2:38

And Commissioner Sweeney for the moment of silence for troops and first responders.

5:02

Please keep these first responders in your thoughts and prayers tonight as their families deal with the loss of their loved ones.

5:15

Thank you.

5:16

Thank you, Commissioner Sweeney.

5:18

Roll call.

5:29

Mr.

5:29

Angel?

5:30

President.

5:31

Mr.

5:31

Hall?

5:32

Absent?

5:33

Mr.

5:34

Hertz?

5:34

Here.

5:35

Mrs.

5:36

Maston?

5:37

Absent.

5:38

Mr.

5:39

Pepper?

5:40

Here.

5:40

Mr.

5:41

Sweeney?

5:43

Online.

5:45

Mr.

5:45

Scott.

5:47

Here.

5:49

This time, is there anyone here that would like to speak in favor of LC 26-12 personnel policy sick leave?

6:03

Mr.

6:03

Kennedy.

6:04

There's anyone joining us online that would like to speak in favor of ordinance LC2612, please indicate by raising electronic handle, pressing star three if you join us by phone.

6:16

I see no hands raised online at this time.

6:20

Thank you, Mr.

6:20

Kennedy.

6:21

At this time, is there anyone in opposition of LC26-12?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████75%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████15%
Personnel Matters██████10%
Summary of Proceedings

Kent County Levy Court Business Meeting – August 11, 2026

The Kent County Levy Court met in person and via WebEx on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Levy Court Chamber at 555 Bay Road, Dover, DE. The Court approved a sick leave ordinance, awarded a quicklime chemical contract, introduced a drug screening policy update, and tabled a subdivision appeal.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda listed approval of the July 21, 2026 business meeting minutes as a consent item; however, the transcript does not record any action on this item during the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public provided comments on agenda items. There were no speakers in favor of or in opposition to Ordinance LC26-12 during the public hearing.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance LC26-12 (Public Hearing): Amends Kent County Code Chapter 68, §68-21 (Sick Leave) to establish a new effective date of January 1, 2027. The Court closed the public hearing after receiving no testimony and voted unanimously (5 yes, 2 absent) to approve.
  • Chemical Contract – Quicklime Bid Award: A department representative reported that bids opened July 16 for quicklime used in the biosolids Class A process. Two bids were received from Greer Industries and Carmoose North America; the lowest bid was approximately $300,000 less than the highest. Commissioner Pepper noted chemical prices are rising and the low bid aligned with forecasts. The Court awarded the one-year contract to Greer Industries at $397.84 per ton, for September 1, 2026 through August 30, 2027, with two one-year extension options, funded from the FY27 sewer fund operating budget. Motion carried 5 yes, 2 absent.
  • Introduction of Ordinance LC26-14: To amend Chapter 68, §68-7 (Vacancies, Recruitments and Appointments), Section D5, updating pre-employment drug screening. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
  • SL-26-06 Harmony Hills II: Appeal of a decision to deny a 93-lot major subdivision (53 single-family homes and 40 duplexes) in the Growth Zone overlay district. Based on an email from the developer’s counsel and with approval of the County Attorney, Commissioner Sweeney moved to table the appeal to the September 1 new business agenda. Motion carried 5 yes, 2 absent.

Key Outcomes

  • LC26-12 approved by roll call vote of 5-0 (Commissioners Hall and Maston absent).
  • Quicklime contract awarded to Greer Industries at $397.84/ton for one year with extension options; roll call 5-0.
  • LC26-14 introduced; public hearing set for September 1, 2026.
  • Harmony Hills II appeal tabled to September 1, 2026 new business; roll call 5-0.

Commissioner Comments

  • Commissioner Sweeney noted that during the Pledge of Allegiance, remote participants could not hear anything because microphones were not activated. He suggested holding the microphone during the pledge in the future.

Adjournment

  • The meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'd like to welcome everyone to the Kent County Levy Court business meeting. Five five five Bay Road Dover Delaware, Levy Court Chamber room two oh three. Today is Tuesday, August the 11th at 7 PM. County Administrator. Thank you, uh Mr. Vice President. This meeting is being held in person at 555 Bay Road, Derber Delaware, and the Levy Court Chambers. We're also making it available via the internet through WebEx. Participants can join us by phone or by computer during the meeting. There will be opportunities for public comment for those attending in person or online. When the president opens a public comment period, those attending in person may step forward to one of the two podiums and be recognized. If you're joining us by phone and wish to comment, please press star three, which will raise your electronic hand. Pressing star six will mute and unmute your line. If you're online, you'll see a hand and microphone icon at the bottom of your screen. Please do those at the appropriate times. We ask guests to begin public comments by stating their name and address for the record. The county attorney will administer an oath of affirmation to anyone giving testimony during the public hearing. We ask that the public comments relate to the subjects announced by the president. In addition to public hearings, there are two public comment periods, one at the beginning of the meeting for agenda items, and one at the near at the end of the meeting for general comments. This meeting has been recorded and will follow the rules and procedures adopted by the court as well as a Mason rules of order. Back to you, Mr. Vice President. Thank you, County Administrator. This time we're going to call the meeting to order. I've asked Commissioner Pepper to do the invocation. And Commissioner Sweeney for the moment of silence for troops and first responders. Please keep these first responders in your thoughts and prayers tonight as their families deal with the loss of their loved ones. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Sweeney. Roll call. Mr. Angel? President. Mr. Hall? Absent? Mr. Hertz? Here. Mrs. Maston? Absent. Mr. Pepper? Here. Mr. Sweeney? Online. Mr.

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