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Record of Proceedings

Downtown Millsboro Committee Meeting - May 18, 2026

Town Council — Monday, May 18, 2026
BodyMillsboro, Delaware
SessionTown Council
DateMonday, May 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:04:18

Original source
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1:58

All right.

2:02

One PM on May eighteenth, Monday, May 18th, I'd like to convene the downtown Millsboro committee meeting.

2:09

Uh if you don't mind, and if you would could please stand and uh read the pledge of leeches.

2:16

Pledge leads to that.

2:30

Thank you.

2:34

All right.

2:35

If we can go around the table, please and uh committee member who's here.

2:40

Mary DeSilva.

2:42

Bob McKee.

2:44

Ron O'Neill.

2:49

Okay, very good.

2:50

Thank you.

2:51

Jamie should be returning soon.

2:53

Uh first of all, we have to have a motion to adopt the agenda for today's meeting.

2:58

So moved.

2:59

I'll second that.

3:01

All in favor?

3:03

Aye.

3:03

All of it.

3:05

So carried.

3:06

Uh I've assumed also we need a motion to adopt the minutes from the last meeting, which would have been March twenty-second.

3:14

Or twenty-third, I'm sorry.

3:16

I'll make the motion.

3:17

Second.

3:18

Motion to made second to accept the meeting minutes from March twenty-third.

3:23

All in favor?

3:24

All opposed.

3:26

Motion so carry.

3:27

Thank you.

3:28

Matt, do we have anybody online?

3:31

Nobody online.

3:32

Okay.

3:33

So the uh agenda today would be to discuss the downtown Millsboro, the next steps of the committee and or staff related to downtown revitalization.

3:45

Um I did have one thing here that I saw from the March meeting about the uh the downtown development district.

3:55

Uh who the thirteen towns who have applied for the development district uh designation.

4:01

Um that application is due in June due by June.

4:04

We have that application already.

4:06

So that um AE com Amy from AECOM, she's been digging into getting us um submitted.

4:13

So it's in the process, but he is working on that.

4:17

Okay.

4:32

We have three market managers and there are approximately sixteen um individuals who are gonna rotate out throughout the summer to assist the market managers.

4:39

We did have a a great produce vendor lined up, but they have unfortunately now um had to back out as the main produce vendor.

4:47

So we are still searching for a produce vendor if we know of anybody.

4:51

Okay.

4:51

Um who have you tried like just so I don't uh gosh, uh Parsons Hopkins for um Evans.

5:02

Um Burton Heritage would be very interested in doing it, but he doesn't have the staff.

5:08

So he said if the staff can if he can get the staff, he's he wants to do it, he just doesn't have for both locations.

5:15

Um what about that one that I sent you from Frankfurt?

5:20

I don't know.

5:21

McKee, maybe McKee, L and McKee.

5:24

No, that's not the Laura Beth reached out to them, I believe.

5:27

Yeah.

5:27

Okay, um I'll double check with that.

5:30

Yeah, I'm not quite sure.

5:31

I don't know how much of produce, you know.

5:34

I know that they have a quite a nice store and a good arrangement.

5:37

Yeah, you know, when I went in there.

5:39

So and then I told you they do Lewis also.

5:42

Right.

5:42

Yeah, and that was what the one problem that we ran into with the one that was going to come here.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Downtown Revitalization██████████████████████████████████████38%
Public Safety███████████████15%
Public Engagement█████████████13%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████10%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Procedural████4%
Environmental Protection████4%
Arts And Culture███3%
Transportation Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Downtown Millsboro Committee Meeting - May 18, 2026

The Downtown Millsboro Committee convened on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 1:00 PM to discuss next steps for downtown revitalization. Members present included Mary DeSilva, Bob McKee, and Ron O'Neill, with staff members Ashley (code enforcement) and Matt present. The meeting covered updates on the farmers market, a planned code enforcement walkthrough, signage improvements, littering enforcement, facade and code changes, and preparations for the June 27th community event. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Motion to adopt the agenda for the May 18th meeting: Passed unanimously.
  • Motion to adopt the minutes from the March 23rd meeting: Passed unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • Farmers Market Update: The market will run Saturdays from 8:00 AM to noon, June 6th through September 26th, 2026. Three market managers and approximately 16 rotating summer assistants are in place. A previously lined-up produce vendor backed out (due to truck accident and prior commitment to Lewis market), so the committee is still seeking a produce vendor. Suggestions included contacting Burton Heritage (needs staff) and checking with McKee's (L&McKee) in Frankford.
  • Downtown Code Enforcement Walkthrough: Mayor McKee will lead a walkthrough on Tuesday, May 19th at 9:00 AM, meeting at the chamber, with code enforcement representatives (Mark and John) and chamber staff (Nadine and Lou). The goal is to identify cleanup and sprucing needs before the June 27th event. The committee will take pictures and notes. Ashley (code enforcement) will also attend to help identify code changes needed.
  • Charter and Code Revisions: The committee discussed updating the town code regarding facade standards, window air conditioning units, signage, and other aesthetic issues. Bob McKee will pull codes from Berlin, MD, and Milford, DE, for comparison. Ashley noted that any changes would likely apply town-wide, not just downtown. The committee discussed the possibility of an architectural review board, but concerns were raised about overreach and slowing permitting. Ashley recommended focusing on property maintenance code first.
  • Littering and Signage: The committee discussed adding “No Littering” signs with a fine amount (e.g., $200) and evaluating speed limit sign heights. Matt noted the town has a full sign catalog from asset management software (last refreshed September 2025). The committee also discussed improving the appearance of signposts and creating a “Welcome to Millsboro, Friendliest Town in Delaware” sign. Cost estimates were presented: double-sided sign $6,429, single-sided $2,952. The downtown organization offered $500 towards a sign.
  • Parking Improvements: The committee discussed using Del Tech’s parking lot (currently grass) for overflow parking during the June 27th event. Ashley will reach out to Bobby Barrett (Del Tech location manager) about a formal agreement for municipal parking use. The town is also moving forward with standard “P” parking signs for municipal lots.
  • June 27th Event Preparations: The theater owner will open the theater to the public on June 27th and will paint the front and prepare for a mural. The bridge mural plan was changed to softwashing, priming, and installing patriotic bunting instead, with future consideration of removable panels. A volunteer cleanup day before the event was discussed, with potential help from Habitat for Humanity’s Kevin.
  • Other Ideas: Tree planting for the 250th anniversary, a veterans memorial park near the flagpole at the police station, and a riverfront restaurant were mentioned. The committee also discussed the success of Milford’s downtown revitalization driven by volunteer organizations.

Key Outcomes

  • Farmers Market: Scheduled for Saturdays 8 AM–noon, June 6–September 26, 2026. Continue search for a produce vendor.
  • Code Enforcement Walkthrough: To occur May 19th at 9 AM; Ashley will attend. Pictures and notes will be shared with the committee.
  • Code Revisions: Bob McKee to obtain and share codes from Berlin and Milford. Ashley to research existing ordinances on window air conditioners and signage. A joint working session with the Charter and Code Committee is planned for a future meeting (likely daytime, noticed as a special council meeting).
  • Littering Signs: Jamie (staff) to check existing signs and coordinate with police chief on enforcement. The committee will consider adding “No Littering” signs with a fine amount.
  • Signage: Ashley will check pending grant (CDF/CRF) for downtown revitalization to fund signage. The committee will also pursue a “Friendliest Town” sign with donations or next year’s budget.
  • Parking: Ashley to contact Bobby Barrett at Del Tech about a formal parking agreement. The town is already ordering standard municipal parking signs.
  • Volunteer Cleanup: Once the walkthrough list is developed, the committee will recruit volunteers for a downtown cleanup before June 27th.
  • Next Meeting: The committee will plan a joint meeting with the Charter and Code Committee to discuss code changes and aesthetics.

Meeting Transcript

All right. One PM on May eighteenth, Monday, May 18th, I'd like to convene the downtown Millsboro committee meeting. Uh if you don't mind, and if you would could please stand and uh read the pledge of leeches. Pledge leads to that. Thank you. All right. If we can go around the table, please and uh committee member who's here. Mary DeSilva. Bob McKee. Ron O'Neill. Okay, very good. Thank you. Jamie should be returning soon. Uh first of all, we have to have a motion to adopt the agenda for today's meeting. So moved. I'll second that. All in favor? Aye. All of it. So carried. Uh I've assumed also we need a motion to adopt the minutes from the last meeting, which would have been March twenty-second. Or twenty-third, I'm sorry. I'll make the motion. Second. Motion to made second to accept the meeting minutes from March twenty-third. All in favor? All opposed. Motion so carry. Thank you. Matt, do we have anybody online? Nobody online. Okay. So the uh agenda today would be to discuss the downtown Millsboro, the next steps of the committee and or staff related to downtown revitalization. Um I did have one thing here that I saw from the March meeting about the uh the downtown development district. Uh who the thirteen towns who have applied for the development district uh designation. Um that application is due in June due by June. We have that application already. So that um AE com Amy from AECOM, she's been digging into getting us um submitted. So it's in the process, but he is working on that. Okay. We have three market managers and there are approximately sixteen um individuals who are gonna rotate out throughout the summer to assist the market managers. We did have a a great produce vendor lined up, but they have unfortunately now um had to back out as the main produce vendor. So we are still searching for a produce vendor if we know of anybody. Okay. Um who have you tried like just so I don't uh gosh, uh Parsons Hopkins for um Evans. Um Burton Heritage would be very interested in doing it, but he doesn't have the staff. So he said if the staff can if he can get the staff, he's he wants to do it, he just doesn't have for both locations. Um what about that one that I sent you from Frankfurt? I don't know. McKee, maybe McKee, L and McKee.

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