Milford City Council Meeting Summary – April 13, 2026

The Milford City Council held its regular meeting on April 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included public comments, staff reports, a presentation from IQ Fiber on broadband construction, multiple proclamations, the acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2024 audit, and several administrative actions. Three council members were absent.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was amended by motion to allow IQ Fiber to present earlier in the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
• The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by motion.
• City clerk, police, city manager, public works, electric, planning & zoning, parks & recreation, human resources, economic development & community engagement, information technology, and finance staff reports were accepted by separate motions, all passed unanimously.
• The monthly finance report was accepted by motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• James Grant – Addressed traffic safety concerns along the 10th Street corridor near Wawa and Airport Plaza. He reported an increase in accidents, sometimes requiring highway closures, and said that at the traffic light, 80% of westbound traffic from the school wants to turn left, often requiring three or four cycles. He proposed short-term fixes such as adjusting signal timing, deploying a police officer during peak hours, adding a turning lane, or marking a “do not block” area near the Wawa entrance. He noted that the roundabout opening and the new business park will further increase traffic.
• Eric Johnson – Expressed frustration with litter in Milford, stating that there are no “no littering” signs and few public trash receptacles except downtown. He noted that the trash containers near the cemetery have not had bags for about a year. He called for signs, more trash cans, and accountability for homeowners and businesses. He also criticized the city’s neglect of trees, stating that no arborist has been hired and that tree planting and care have stopped. He urged the city to fulfill its responsibilities as a “Tree City USA.”
• Tom Chilton – As coordinator of Code Purple (winter shelter for unhoused men from December 1 to March 15), he described a dangerous area near Brandywine with no crosswalks or pedestrian signals. He requested attention to pedestrian safety. He also highlighted the lack of a daytime warming center during extreme cold when senior centers, libraries, and stores are closed. He noted that some churches opened during the second snowstorm but that nothing was available during the first. He echoed concerns about tree maintenance, reporting that three of eight trees planted at the dog park three years ago are dead, and that a report about them a year ago was not acted upon.

Discussion Items

• IQ Fiber Presentation – Deanna Subzak and Mark (representatives) presented the construction plan for a fiber-optic broadband network in Milford. The project includes two hub cabinets (one in Kent County near DuPont and Front Street, the other at an SBA tower site in Sussex County) and seven smaller passive cabinets. Construction will be a mix of underground directional boring (red on maps) and aerial (blue). The preferred starting polygon is at the SBA site (MSO7). Construction timeline is “months” once permits and locates are cleared. The company described its communication plan: postcards with QR codes to residents, door tags 1–2 days before work, and a planned town hall (likely at the police station community room). The city manager noted that a kickoff event in Dover included the governor. Council members asked about construction methods and potential impact on existing internet service; the company stated they will avoid Comcast infrastructure and resolve any issues quickly. The presentation was informational; no vote was taken.
• FY24 Audit Presentation – Finance Director Lou Vitola and auditors from Zelenkowski Axelrod, LLC presented the audited financial statements for fiscal year 2024. The audit received an unmodified (clean) opinion. Key highlights: net position increased again (government, utility, and internal service funds all grew); operating cash flow for utilities was $6.3 million; the city’s pension net position flipped from an asset to a liability (normal, due to a prior unusual surplus); and the unassigned net position in governmental funds remains a deficit (attributed to reporting treatments of interfund loans for the police facility). The auditors noted that the audit was late, that bank reconciliations need improvement, and that the investment program leaves very little cash on the fund financial statements (though operationally the city holds $4–13 million in checking). The audit was accepted by motion.
• Milford Corporate Center Budget Adjustment – Staff requested a $823,000 budget adjustment to the FY26–30 Capital Improvement Plan for the Milford Corporate Center project, adding impact fees (electric) to cover phase one electric infrastructure costs not already in the budget. Total phase one electric cost is $1,635,599.51. The adjustment was approved by motion, with a provision that all project costs net of grants be recovered through lot sales and returned pro rata to internal funding sources.
• Other Reports – Police chief reported 1,054 calls for service in March, five officers recognized for life-saving, and behavioral health unit diversions (227 from arrest, 317 from ER since program start). Public works reported 100 water valve exercisings completed (of 7,000 total) and 60,000 linear feet of wastewater mains flushed. Electric department announced receiving Platinum RP3 designation from APPA (up from Gold). Planning reported 95 residential permits year-to-date. Fire company reported 76 fire emergencies and 440 EMS calls in March; substation received certificate of occupancy. IT announced centralized surveillance system fully operational.

Key Outcomes

• FY24 Audit Accepted – Motion passed unanimously to accept the audited financial statements.
• Appointment of Board of Election – Doreen Reitzman was appointed to replace Karen Boone. The board now consists of Carlene Wilson, Donna March, and Doreen Reitzman. Motion passed.
• JAG Grant Notification – The council acknowledged the FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant notification, which requires a public notice. (Action: information only, no vote required.)
• Budget Adjustment Approved – $823,000 added to the CIP for phase one electric infrastructure at the Milford Corporate Center, with cost recovery from lot sales.
• Ordinances Introduced – Ordinance 2026-04 (comprehensive plan map amendment for 908 North Church Street, from low density residential to commercial) and Ordinance 2026-05 (change of zone from R2 to C3 for the same property) were introduced. Both will be reviewed by the Planning Commission on April 21, 2026, with a public hearing at the next council meeting.
• Proclamations – The mayor read proclamations designating April 24, 2026 as Arbor Day, April 12–18, 2026 as National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week, and April 18, 2026 as Lineworkers Appreciation Day.
• Employee Recognition – Two new equipment operators were welcomed: Zaire Brown (hired January 12, 2026; collected 95 tons of leaves during leaf collection) and Cassidy Woolford (hired March 30, 2026).
• Executive Session – Council voted to enter executive session; later adjourned without further action.