Millsboro Parks Committee Meeting Summary – October 15, 2026

The Millsboro Parks Committee met at 12:00 p.m. on October 15, 2026, and unanimously approved the agenda and the August 13, 2026 meeting minutes. No public comments were offered. The main discussions focused on the failing bulkhead and dredging needs at Cubalo Park, a FEMA/state grant for the proposed Seven Oaks Road Park, security cameras at parks, monthly meeting scheduling, and a potential Starlink internet service evaluation.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to adopt the meeting agenda passed by voice vote.
• Motion to approve the minutes of the August 13, 2026 meeting passed by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• None.

Bulkhead and Dredging at Cubalo Park

• The committee described the bulkhead at Cubalo Park as at a failing point and discussed seeking federal sources to help fund repairs.
• They reviewed the Verdantas 2023 bulkhead assessment; one member estimated the project at roughly $2 million with inflation, while another said it could be more than double that.
• Staff had met with federal delegation and governor's office staff the prior week about dredging and related issues. The committee planned to raise shoreline resilience funding options at the Center for Inland Bays board meeting on Friday; an EPA representative and DNREC secretary are typically at that meeting.
• The desired bulkhead height is at least 2 feet 7 inches, matching Hunter's Point's existing bulkheads. Raising to 4 feet was discussed but could push water around and backfill the park. Hunter's Point has roughly 35 units with individual docking and four street addresses, and its residents would also benefit from the town raising the bulkhead and dredging.
• Members agreed no new assessment is needed; the next steps are engineering drawings, permits, construction funding, and updated cost estimates.
• A BRIC grant through FEMA for bulkhead engineering is reportedly around $124,000 with no local match; DEMA expects to confirm by the end of October whether full funding will be restored.
• The Delaware.gov DNREC page shows $14 million allocated to the dredging project already, but members said that may not reach their end of the waterway and that they need to advocate for the work to be directed their way.
• A follow-up request was sent to federal delegation staff asking the Army Corps of Engineers to consider funding the bulkhead as shoreline protection, similar to beach nourishment. Staff planned to call Monica Chaston at the Army Corps Philadelphia district if she did not respond by the end of the day.
• A grant was already awarded for restroom ventilation, a water bottle filling station, and associated work, with no local match and a one-year timeframe. One member asked to inspect the restroom before proceeding to see whether additional work is needed.

Security Cameras and Dog Park Improvements

• Discussion followed up on an August 13, 2026 minutes item: fix the dog park gate and consider installing security cameras.
• Staff support cameras; Matt is testing remote cameras, but existing camera relay and line-of-sight systems are expensive and may not work at the dog park because of buildings, topography, and lack of WiFi at the site.
• Members supported cameras but differed on priority: one member thought the Little League field should be prioritized over the dog park because of graffiti, vandalism, and prior investment, while another said to do both simultaneously.
• The committee directed staff to obtain quotes and bring camera costs to the budget hearings.

Seven Oaks Road Park Grant Application

• The town submitted final documents and a detailed concept plan to the State of Delaware for the Route 24 West / Seven Oaks Road Park.
• The grant decision is expected by the end of May 2027; if awarded, agreement paperwork would take about 10–12 months, with the earliest construction activity around May 2028.
• The name Seven Oaks Road Park is based on the entrance street and can be changed later.
• Members praised Ashley for assembling a thorough package with letters of support, though they acknowledged approval rates are low.

Next Meetings and Other Business

• The committee agreed to hold monthly one-hour meetings on the second Thursday, with the next meeting on November 12, 2026, at noon; they may cancel if there is no agenda.
• The committee's mission statement will be formally accepted at the next meeting after correcting a clerical/transposing error; members will also propose goals and objectives for all town parks.
• A member proposed evaluating Starlink service as a lower-cost or backup internet option for parks and other town properties. Current service uses Crown Castle as the primary fiber provider, MediaCom as backup, and cell phones at pump stations. Staff will prepare quotes and a cost/service comparison for the next parks meeting without disturbing the existing Crown Castle redundancy.
• A member suggested considering impact fees to help fund park needs; another cautioned against excessive fees that could invite legal action and noted asset management would discuss related budget topics later that day.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda and August 13, 2026 minutes approved unanimously.
• Consensus to proceed with Cubalo Park bulkhead engineering and construction planning using the Verdantas assessment, pursue the restored BRIC engineering grant, and continue federal and state advocacy for dredging and bulkhead funding.
• Staff to obtain camera quotes for the dog park and Little League and bring them to budget hearings.
• Seven Oaks Road Park grant application remains under review; no further town action until a decision expected in May 2027.
• Committee will meet monthly on the second Thursday; the next meeting is November 12, 2026, with agenda items including formal mission statement acceptance, goals and objectives, and a Starlink quote comparison.
• Meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.