Kent County Levy Court Business Meeting — October 27, 2026

The Kent County Levy Court met in regular business session at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in the Levy Court Chamber, 555 Bay Road, Dover, Delaware. Six of seven commissioners were present; Commissioner Hall was absent. The meeting included a moment of silence for troops and first responders lost in the preceding month, approval of the consent agenda, a retirement resolution and the November 2026 Employee of the Month recognition, a Narcan administration demonstration, a public hearing with 6–0 approval of the Faith Life Church conditional-use site plan, and several funding, bid, and ordinance-introduction actions. All votes taken were 6–0 with one absence. The posted agenda had been revised before the meeting to correct the LC26-17 public hearing date to December 15, update the LC26-18 title, remove a tentatively scheduled Native American Month Proclamation, and remove a public hearing for an item not yet introduced.

Consent Calendar

• Adoption of the agenda — approved by roll call, 6–0.
• Consent Agenda 26-16 — approval of the Levy Court Business Meeting Minutes of October 13, 2026, by a single roll call vote, 6–0.
• Resolution 4184 (for the record only) — retirement of Elaine Cinque, Property Specialist II, Department of Finance Assessment Division, expressing the county’s appreciation and confirming pension eligibility; accepted 6–0. (Note: the agenda lists the honoree as “Elaine Cinque”; the transcript reads “Elaine Sink.”)

Presentations & Recognitions

• November 2026 Employee of the Month — Michael Helmer: dispatcher/training officer in the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Communications Division; joined Kent County in January 2017 and was promoted to Dispatcher II in January 2019. He serves on the Public Safety Drone Team, is training to become a standalone drone pilot and on the new field communications unit, and is completing a full rewrite of the department’s training manual. He resides in Commissioner Hall’s and Commissioner Pepper’s districts.
• Narcan kit demonstration: Lieutenant Kenny Kelly (C Platoon paramedic supervisor and SORT team commander) demonstrated the state-supplied 4 mg nasal-spray naloxone (Narcan) kits distributed since about 2018. He explained that street drugs now include fentanyl (10 times stronger than heroin), carfentanyl (10 times stronger than fentanyl), and “Tranq” (fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers such as xylazine or medetomidine); Narcan reverses opioid-induced respiratory depression but not the tranquilizer, and it does not work in cardiac arrest, where CPR is required. He stated that roughly 90% of overdose patients refuse hospital transport, that Good Samaritan provisions protect those who call 911 in good faith, and that free naloxone kits and resources are available through a state QR code.
• September new hire introductions: Alexis Hicks (Wills Clerk II, Register of Wills; began September 21, 2026; resides in Commissioner Hertz’s and Pepper’s districts) and Andrea Torellis (Wills Clerk II, Register of Wills; began September 28, 2026; resides in Commissioner Hall’s and Pepper’s districts).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public comment periods opened at the start and end of the meeting drew no speakers, in person or online.

Public Hearing: CS-26-06 — Faith Life Church

• Application: conditional-use/site-plan approval to add 3,500 sq. ft. to an existing detached building for a place of worship, on approximately 1.74 acres on the east side of Ends Road, southwest of Hartley. The site is zoned AR (agricultural residential), is currently residential, and lies outside the Growth Zone Overlay District (Parcel # WD-00-090.00-01-25.02-000). Public notice appeared in the October 7, 2026 edition of the Delaware State News.
• Staff position: Sarah Kiefer stated that the plan complies with all required conditions of approval and that the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) recommended approval with conditions: add a bike rack, provide three handicapped spaces, and use native plant species in the landscape plan.
• Applicant position: Kevin Minick (Minic Engineering, Greenwood, DE), representing Bishop Fisher and Faith Life Church, spoke in favor, agreed with the staff report, and requested approval.
• Opposition: none offered, in person or online.
• Decision: motion by Commissioner Hertz, seconded by Vice President Scott, to grant conditional approval based on the RPC recommendation report dated October 27, 2026, the October 1, 2026 public hearing testimony, and testimony given that evening. Approved 6–0.

New Business

• Ordinance LC26-17 introduced (CZ-26-04, Five Star Builders, Inc.): an ordinance to amend the Comprehensive Plan Map designation and the Official Zoning Map of Kent County; public hearing set for Tuesday, December 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Vice President Scott initially read the date as December 17 and corrected it to December 15, matching the agenda revision.
• CDBG FY26 funding resolutions (action items from the October 20, 2026 workshop): Resolution 4178 (Authorization to Submit Applications), Resolution 4179 (Administrative Match), and Resolution 4180 (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing) were approved together by roll call, 6–0.
• Change order over 40% — case #23-09 (Harris): Change Order No. 2 in the amount of $13,993 for a housing rehabilitation contract increases the total to $35,591, which is 65.67% above the original base contract amount. Approved 6–0.
• Recreation storage building bid award (action item from the October 20, 2026 workshop): Director Shepherd requested award of a storage building with a lean-to add alternate for shelter and shade at the park (identified in the transcript as “Kessel Ring”). The combined bid total was $144,353 from Eastern Shore Pole Building (Harrington, DE), funded through the FY25 General Fund Capital Budget and Parks Contingency. Awarded 6–0.
• 2027 EMS vehicle procurement: Chief Tinger requested approval to purchase two 2027 Chevy SSV package Tahoes for conversion into emergency response vehicles, using the State of Delaware contract and funds in the approved FY27 EMS Capital Budget. Commissioner Sweeney stated that re-approving an item already in the approved budget, with no major cost change, was a “waste of time,” and asked that such items not be brought back unless costs change. The motion to approve the purchase and issuance of a purchase order passed 6–0; the quoted amount was read as “10,009 sixty-six dollars.”
• Resolution 4183 introduced: extending the Kent County Stormwater Maintenance District for Fork Landing West pursuant to Chapter 52, Title 9 of the Delaware Code and Section 90.4E(10), Chapter 187 of the Kent County Code; public hearing set for November 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM.
• Ordinance LC26-18 introduced: Recorder of Deeds fee schedule update, amending Kent County Code Vol. I, §128-44, Chapter 128 Fees, Part 2 Fee Schedule, Article XI, to add a fixed fee to revoke a Transfer on Death Deed; public hearing set for November 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

Key Outcomes

• All roll call votes passed 6–0, with Commissioner Hall absent.
• Conditional-use/site-plan approval granted for Faith Life Church (CS-26-06).
• Approved: Consent Agenda 26-16; Resolution 4184; CDBG Resolutions 4178, 4179, and 4180; Change Order No. 2 for case #23-09 Harris; the recreation storage building bid award ($144,353); and the purchase of two 2027 EMS Tahoes.
• Public hearings scheduled: Ordinance LC26-17 on December 15, 2026; Resolution 4183 and Ordinance LC26-18 on November 17, 2026.
• No executive session was held; the meeting was adjourned by motion and second.
• Commissioner Angel suggested that future agenda introductions be placed on commissioners’ desks to save staff time and printing costs (noting that the first introduction had the wrong date).
• Commissioners noted attending the Farmington Volunteer Fire Company’s 75th anniversary banquet the previous Sunday (the company name is transcribed as “Farm Can”).