Okay, thank you.

All right.

We are going to call the February 17th boards and commission subcommittee to order.

My name is Dee Durham.

Just in time.

In the nick of time.

Chairing the meeting.

And here in chambers, I have Council Councilman Kineco, Councilman Smiley, Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilwoman Tool, Councilman Toole, Councilman Carter, Councilwoman Monique Johns, and Councilman Hollins on screen virtually have Councilwoman George.

I know that uh Councilman Sheldon and Hackett told us they wouldn't be here today.

And Councilman Street is also online.

So I think that takes care of most everyone.

For today, my aide Ken Hempel will be taking the minutes remotely today.

And first we have a motion for approval of the minutes from January 20th.

Motion to approve is posted.

All in favor?

Okay.

The minutes are approved as passed out.

So the first tranche of um appointments we have for our new appointments.

The first one is David Perino to the Newcastle County Board of Assessment Review in District 2.

Dave, I'm going to call you up to the podium and say a few words.

So I know Dave and I have been working together for a few years now on community issues.

So we know him well and really appreciate his uh his willingness to serve and fully support his nomination.

So if you'd like to just describe your interest in the board or your background and how it fits, that would be great.

Um I found interest in the board, especially with the recent situation that's been going on with Tyler and all the assessments of not only Newcastle County, but you know, also some of that which is happening at the beach um areas.

So uh an opportunity presented itself for me to get involved.

And you know, having been in Delaware since the mid-70s, moving away all of about a mile uh within a mile, I should say, more like a quarter mile.

Um and now back in Delaware for the last few years.

I'm just looking to become more involved.

This looked like a good position for me with my interests.

Um to get started and go from there.

Thank you.

Are there any questions, comments from council?

Yes, Mr.

Ark.

David, I want to thank you for stepping up for this.

It's uh gonna be quite a bit of work for a while.

Um but we desp desperately uh more than ever um need people serving on this board.

So I really appreciate it.

And um you will be very busy, I think, but uh it'll be for good reason and help us finally get our all the rest of our outstanding um assessments in line and fixed and get us on track, hopefully to stay on track for long term.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Any more questions, comments?

All right, well, thank you so much for coming in.

Um as we always say, these won't be voted on until next week.

Uh and you don't have to make an appearance.

You're welcome to watch online if you'd like, or someone will be in touch with you after the meeting.

Very good.

Okay, all right.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um just want to let you know I'm not sure.

Mr.

Cartier is present.

Okay, thank you.

Uh the next appointment is for Matthew Kelly to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board in Ms.

Kilpatrick's district.

Thank you.

Um I don't know if Mr.

Kelly is here or online.

Um I don't know him, but we did contact each other through email.

So we have had some conversation and I'm happy to support his nomination.

No Mr.

Kelly in the chamber or online.

Mr.

Kelly is the panelist.

He's named over.

Okay, thank you.

Mr.

or Mr.

Kelly is online.

I don't know if you can see him or not, but he is there.

Yep, thank you.

We can now see him.

Uh good afternoon, Mr.

Kelly.

Thank you for joining us, and thank you for your interest in serving on this this board.

Um happy to give you uh the floor for a few minutes if uh you'd like to say anything.

Uh certainly I'd be more than happy to uh introduce myself.

I am currently a social worker for the division of aging.

I'm a merit employee with the state.

And um, I am more than happy to bring a uh my perspective and uh with the experience with the uh justice system and uh the uh perspective of you know social work and working with their uh vulnerable populations uh to the board.

Thank you so much.

Certainly.

Um comments or uh Mr.

Kaneko Thank you, Mr.

Kelly.

Uh Councilman Kineco here, uh co-chair of public safety.

Um just a question I'm gonna ask for everybody seeking appointment to the police accountability board at this time.

Just what is your what is your um interest in criminal justice reform and background and and why do you want to serve on the police accountability board in specifically?

I believe it's uh an important uh topic, especially in the uh from the social perspective of uh today's climate to kind of um bridge the gap between uh the citizens of our state and the uh difficult uh position the uh the police have.

I think it's uh an important uh an important piece of uh you know social criteria for that for us to uh you know kind of bridge the gap between civilian and uh the police force.

That's what I would like to uh like to bring.

Thank you, Mr.

Kelly.

Certainly.

Thank you.

Any other comments, questions?

Council?

Madam Chair.

Yes, Mr.

Street.

Nothing against any specific person here, but I just want to make my position clear.

I look at this, and I'm wondering how in the head we have all these vacancies on the police accountability board.

Something's wrong there.

It's been in operation for a little over a year, and we got all these vacancies.

Second, you know, the co-chair of the uh somebody that they're recommending for appointment.

Councilman Howell had two people he's recommending for reporting for uh uh uh appointment.

Yet the person in the county part of my district that attends most of the meeting, apply for it and no response.

In my opinion, this whole process, wherever you are, wreaks of mischief, and will a council be the will of council.

Uh I'm not gonna fight about it, but I don't think it's right, I don't think it's fair.

And when you have somebody that regularly attends accountability meetings, regularly comes to council and participates and talks about police, and then that application is ignored, is something fundamentally wrong.

I have a problem with it.

Will the council be the will of counsel?

Um I'm not gonna fight about it, scream about it, but um I don't think it's right, and I don't like it.

You all do what you want to do.

Thank you, Mr.

Street.

Any other comments from counsel?

Can I just um thank Mr.

Kelly for come being willing to serve on this board as Mr.

Street said?

It has gone through several iterations over the time since it's been organized.

Um I'm hoping that the board at this point is moving along.

That's my understanding that things are are beginning to uh become a little more smooth within that board.

In the very beginning, um Mr.

Smiley and I put in 40,000, right?

40,000 so that this board could go to training.

It is my understanding that in that year, in that first year of initiation, they did not use that money and they did not go to training.

And I think that's part of what the issue is with the vacancies is that they had to know what they were there to do.

And we'll see how it proceeds.

But you know, we the county executive had uh great concern and wanted this board to be instituted.

We through council did that, and I think we need to just give it a chance to see if it gets its legs this year.

Thank you.

Mr.

Street, the only thing I might add is that uh I I have had conversations over the years with with various council members about maybe trying to um change some of the boards to give more um slots to the county council to appoint.

And so that's something we might look at across the board and just if you know if you're interested in talking about that, we could do that.

And it's not going to fix the current nominees but in the future moving forward maybe we can um bring about more count county council nominees.

So Madam Chair.

Yes.

Yes, Mr.

Cardi Cardian Point of fact in this matter 70 percent of the appointees to the boards and commissions of Newcastle County is through the County Executive's office.

And then we consent to that.

That's what she's saying.

Right.

And I know we've talked about that in the past.

So if if you all are interested it's something we can look at changing.

Yes, Ms.

Patrick I just say to Mr.

Kelly this is not about you.

This is about you are the first one I'm I want to I want to make sure he knows that too it has nothing to do with anybody personally and I'm I'm sorry to did I weighed in on this during your your nomination discussion but um the way I feel the way I feel has nothing to do with you personally sir.

Right.

And thank you Mr Street but I just wanted you to know that you are the first one on our list for this board and we have fairly extensive list for new board members for this particular board.

So I think the discussion came up because of where you happen to be in line not because of you.

And what I was talking about would be obviously for the future not current but Mr Smiley I would just say you're welcome Mr.

Kelly you now have a topic to take to your first meeting I think Mr Kelly please don't change your mind.

And for that it it is appreciated.

Okay.

But thank you for being here today and as you may have heard uh the votes on all of these nominees will be next Tuesday night and uh you're welcome to tune in if you're interested and if not someone will be in touch afterwards I'm sure it's appreciated.

Thank you guys for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next nominee is Kerwin Gaines uh to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board in Mr.

Kaneko's district thank you Madam Chair I'm uh very excited to have Kerwin here who is a good friend of mine as many of you know he uh has a has a show very popular show I'm plugging your show right now Mr.

Gaines uh the agenda which he airs um which I've been a guest on uh but more importantly Mr.

Gaines has also been really involved in our MOT community is uh everywhere he lives right about five minutes from me um just a really solid guy actually we work together well we don't work together but we found out we worked at Aberdeen Proving grounds right at the same time and we didn't even know it.

So uh me and Mr.

Gaines have a lot in common.

He is superbly qualified for this and Mr.

Gaines the floor is yours.

Thank you everyone I appreciate the opportunity to even be thought of uh in regards to this this board I am um through and through Delaware and other than maybe six or seven years in the DC area I've lived in Newcastle uh my whole life I know several members of of the board um I have always been a proponent of of law enforcement here in the State of Delaware and early on and through college I was a state police cadet for over three years.

I um was a seasonal officer for the Delaware City Police as well and uh working in the intelligence field for the past 23 years uh more on a federal level um but it is um I have attended uh one or two meetings for the police advisory board um the one especially sparked my interest was uh two years ago or a year and a half ago I'm sorry uh when there was an incident on Route 40 when a woman was pulled from her vehicle and the attention that it got and I realized at that point that this is something that I would really like to be a part of I appreciate research and I believe that a lot of this goes through research and training and so we know why law enforcement is doing what they're doing and when the public needs to speak up and when the public needs to make things aware or make people aware that's an injustice may have occurred or the police officer although unpopular was within their rights I think that uh I would love to be a proponent for the community in regards to that.

Secondly I know Roberts rules right so uh I know that it has been difficult uh with this board and getting things done I serve on two other state committees um SLCGP as well as the AI governance uh committee so I I deal with them quite often and um I know that that organization uh the organization and getting the information across the people is important for board to be successful.

And I will not not show.

Any questions from uh hi Carmen, how are you?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh thank you so much for your willing to serve on the police account accountability board.

I know we know I've known your family for over 25 years.

Um beautiful family, and um I deeply value your compassion and your integrity and commitment to fair government.

So this is I write up your alley.

Um your readiness to step up into the role and embrace the responsibility reflects your dedication to justice.

I appreciate that and the well-being of um our community.

You know, we're neighbors, so you know I see you all the time.

But I certainly appreciate you um taking on this role in this time in your life, and we do appreciate you.

Thank you very much, ma'am.

I appreciate those kind of words.

I do.

Thank you.

Any other comments, questions, counsel.

Okay.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, and I'm sure you've heard about the vote next week, and we appreciate you coming in and your willingness to serve on this board.

Thank you very much, everyone.

I would uh excuse me.

Yes, Ms.

Chair.

I would like to be a co-sponsor if that's possible.

Yep.

We will let Nellie know.

Okay.

The next nominee on uh the agenda is um someone that no one here knows very well at all, is uh Mr.

Kenneth Woods to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board.

Currently living in Mr.

Holland's district.

So thank you, Madam President.

Uh Kenny Woods is in the audience tonight.

Uh he's in my district, as you mentioned, uh, but he's also my neighbor.

Uh we all know him very well, I believe, uh, from his service here on Newcastle County.

Uh but I also had to previously serving with his dad when his dad was on Newcastle County, made a name of himself here.

Kenny, I want to welcome you and my support for you comes unconditional.

Thank you.

The floor is yours.

So uh it's been a while since I've been in this chamber.

And I realize it's just a good idea.

And it's still cold in here.

They still can't control the air, can they?

Um now that I lost all this weight, and man, wow, it's unbelievable how cold it can be.

Anyway, um I'm just I was pleased that uh Marcus reached out to me uh for this committee.

Um I told him I'd like to do something to help uh with this administration.

Um I think the police accountability board uh it's been something near and dear to me uh from day one as I've supported the the division of police for a long time.

Um now that I live uh just inside the city limits, I also have to deal with the city, so I I realize the differences.

I know that when we sat here uh over the years as a council person that a lot of the issues that would be brought up about police had to do with the city, not really the county.

I think uh our police uh uh uh forces uh definitely uh superior to I believed in the state and the uh and the city and any other department in the state of Delaware.

I think we're uh we've been far uh above what the rest of them have done uh on just different things throughout the years.

And uh I'm just hoping that I can uh help in this area being a former elected official sitting on this committee.

I think it'd be better.

Uh gives a perspective of what you all want too, hopefully.

Um, I've never been that type of person that votes uh uh you know a w a specific way because people just want you to vote that way.

I vote by research and figuring out what's the best way to do things.

And uh I do think we need some reform and and policing.

I don't know what that reform is.

You know, it's all uh things that we'll have to look at, especially from the uh uh former accountability report that came out.

And uh that's really about it.

You know, just hoping that I can serve and do the best for for all of you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Connecticut.

Thank you, Mr.

Woods.

I know we hadn't had the opportunity to serve together, but I thank you for your service on county council.

Um just same question I'm gonna ask every member, uh Mr.

Gaines answered it, but just your background in criminal justice reform and what really uh makes you passionate about this topic.

Um I really have no uh background in criminal justice reform other than I see what goes on in the world and an everyday policing.

Um, you know, uh I see what what is going on around the country and uh want to make sure that most of that doesn't happen here in in Delaware and in Newcastle County.

Thank you.

Mr.

Toole.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Toole Thank you Madam Chair um sitting in this seat now um I I'm glad to see that you do want to come back and serve the community I often attend the police accountability board meetings and um I think you're gonna really enjoy it.

My favorite is the research subcommittee we had Dr.

Nolan from uh Virginia uh university come and give us a presentation last month and I think with your background you're gonna be able to dissect a few of those things maybe and ask some deeper questions so I think your your presence on this council or on the PAB is going to be very useful.

Then thank you for your service I appreciate that and someone that's sitting in that chair that I used to sit in you've been doing a great job and I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Any more comments questions from members of council.

We're good anyone on the way we're good okay thank you for you thank you for coming in and thank you for being willing to serve on this board.

Thank you.

Good to see you Ken.

Next uh next up uh nominee is New Aldean Story to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board also from Mr.

Holland's district Madam Chair I don't know personally Mr.

Storey is here I'm sorry come forward Mr.

Shory just a couple couple of comments as Mr.

Story is coming forward uh he has a background with internal revenue service uh and again uh research as well it seems to me that a lot of people tonight has a lot of background and appreciation for research so welcome to uh the county council good afternoon it's good to meet all you folks um first I'll start with um I guess my advantage and disadvantage is I'm very new to the community so I have no horse in the race so first of all we'll start with that um I'm just uh recent retiree after about 39 years with the Internal Revenue Service um half that time was spent as an agent the other half was spent as an analyst and um recruiter actually so I have a lot of experience and I do have some experience working part time with um the first judicial district in Philadelphia so I work with a lot of um police officers and judges over there so I do have a lot of um experience with law enforcement and what I kind of want to why I'm interested in this particular position is because usually there's a disconnect between the community and law enforcement and it's just usually a need for more communication and more understanding from both sides because I'll be the first to say being uh police officer is a definite very difficult job and at the same time you're looking at the community whether it's Wilmington, Chester, Philadelphia, 95% of the folks that live in those communities are fine.

It's just the five percent you got to worry about.

So 95% of the folks in the community are law abiding trying to just go through their day, do their jobs, live their life basically.

So it's important that there's some kind of connection made between what the job of law enforcement is and what the needs of the community are and that there has to be a certain relationship that's built between those particular factions.

So it can't be a adversarial relationship it has to be as far as I'm concerned law enforcement has to be part of the community in all the different from my travels and all the different areas I've been to law enforcement is part of the community things work a whole lot better as far as um law enforcement and moving around and just going back and forth.

So the main thing I was worried about with this committee because I looked at some of the stuff that you guys did for last year.

I know you guys are still in the development stage with this committee so a lot of things have to be done.

I don't know what kind of relationship as far as how whatever I'm looking at suggestions that are made from this committee how they're going to be taken by the police department in Newcastle County and um my concern is whether or not this is going to be a check the box type of uh exercise.

So everybody can say okay we met we did this we we talked and we checked the box.

If it's gonna be a check the box thing I have no desire to be part of this organization or part of this committee.

But if it's something that people want to work on to really try to make some differences and try to make things better for Newcastle County and folks in the community I'm here.

I think that's it.

I think it's pretty awesome of you to want to be involved with the government.

We are a new resident here.

You live in my district.

We're the best district in the county.

I'm glad to meet you.

Nice to meet you too.

You might have a level people argue with you about that, though.

Right.

We'll do that for who has the best district.

Did I see another hand up in here?

Mr.

Carter.

I want to thank you, Mr.

Sturry, for stepping up.

And I can only speak for me, but it probably is reflective of most of this council.

We do want to hear the recommendations.

We recognize sometimes they'll be in sync with the police, sometimes they won't.

But that's our job to work them out.

And you know, from my perspective, it's all about making communities feel safe.

You know, policing is more than enforcement, although that is part of it.

So if you ever feel that your comments are not being listened to or heard, pick up the phone and call me and we'll have a discussion and I'll see where we go from there.

But I appreciate you stepping up to serve.

Mr.

Knecho, and then Ms.

Gilpatrick.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair.

I think Mr.

Story uh answered my standard question I'm asking everybody in his opening remarks.

So I thank you for that.

Um I really do thank you for for making that comment about not checking the box.

I I I I just found that very profound, and I thank you for that.

And I hope you uh and to the members of the who are being appointed today or next week to realize that you know this is uh this is an equal opportunity offend offender type of job, whether it's the police department or whether it's citizens coming forward.

It's not working for the police department.

It's not uh, you know, it's it's it's a balance of looking at both perspectives, and I really appreciate your comments on that.

So I do thank you uh for for stepping up, Mr.

Story.

And by the way, I think you have some people in this chamber nervous that you're an IRS agent.

So uh used to be the IRS.

Well, you said the guy behind me, I don't know.

He said retire, but I'm forgetting you've still got friends.

I'm not saying that.

Trust me, I'm not here for you.

Yes, folks, don't forget.

If I was here for you, you would know that already, trust me.

Ms.

Kilpatrick.

Thank you.

Um I'm kind of going to echo what Councilman Kineco said that when you talked about checking the box, I think that is a very positive um response that you do not just want to check the box because I have felt from the beginning that this is a a board that needs to have some very hard discussions on both sides.

And I think if anybody goes in thinking that they're just going to agree or disagree, that you've already picked your side.

So I'm happy that you are thinking that you don't want to pick a side, don't want to check a box, and that you would be one that will be able to ask those hard questions and try to resolve them.

So thank you.

Thanks.

And my also my concern, I guess, is uh for the suggestions that we do make and how do you measure success or non-success of these suggestions, develop a patent, develop a system for measurement.

So if you know that if this is working, if this isn't working, we need to go reinvent the wheel, go back to the drawing board again sometimes.

So I mean how that's gonna be done.

So that's it.

Most of the interaction would be between the board and the police department.

People sitting here do everything.

There's no real we have co-chairs of every committee, but no experts.

We report back and we get to meet we try to make certain happen from a legislative section.

I think what you've heard from my colleagues here about not checking the box is very critical.

But the group that you will be meeting with will be with none of your peers, all of your peers who live in Newcastle County from different locations.

But we will get the reports.

The reports come back to us.

I don't know how frequently maybe annual or something like that.

Every committee reports back to council.

Through the general managers.

Ms.

John.

Um Mr.

Story, thank you.

I heard that you are retired.

So I thank you for coming back in to help in the police academy committee.

And I thank you also for wanting, because I heard bridging the gap, you know, between the police and the community, and that's important.

That needs to happen.

It always should be there that that diversity and awareness.

Um I thank you again for taking a chance because it's police academy committee, you know, committee.

So you know.

I wish you luck.

And like you said, don't check the box.

Just remember what you've learned throughout your entire life.

And I'm sure you'll do an awesome job for us for the county.

Thank you so much.

Mr.

Carter.

Yeah, I just wanted to respond to your questions about measurement.

My colleague, um, Councilman Toole mentioned that we had a workshop a week ago.

There were some people there from the research group with uh Jim Nolan.

He's a former city police officer and FBI agent, now a uh criminal justice researcher.

We had just this conversation.

It's tough.

Um we tend to use the numbers that are quantifiable, like crime rate stuff, but you know, the question we're gonna have to answer is how do we measure if a community feels safe?

And do we need to do some type of community survey work and other stuff?

Um I look forward to hearing your recommendations and a recommendation for the research team, because that one particularly is near and dear to my heart, you know, because it'll be different in different communities.

And we just need to figure out how to do it and then how to do it over time.

And so it's a great question.

Um but you gotta help us figure that out.

Thanks.

I'll do my best.

Any further questions, comments from council?

All right.

Well, thank you so much.

Okay we appreciate and uh we will uh someone will be in touch from the administration.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for coming in.

Um the last new appointment on the list is Kay Fitzgerald to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board in Ms.

George's district.

I know.

Valerie, we can't hear you really well.

I don't know if there's anything you can do about it or we can do about it.

Who's working?

Is it Tara?

Uh now's muted mood muted, rooted.

Yeah.

Uh she seems to be unmuted, but just not.

Is Kay Fitzgerald there in the participants?

Yes.

I promote her.

Okay, thanks.

Sorry, Valerie, we can't really hear you.

That's okay.

Okay.

There you that's that was better.

Try again.

Thank you.

Well, I'm very encouraged by the folks that we've heard from today, the appointments that are on the on the schedule.

And also after talking with Ms.

Fitzgerald last week, I think that she will bring uh a skill set to this board that we haven't seen before, and I'm really excited about that.

She's also a member, a alumni of the Citizens Police Academy.

So that's very exciting as well.

She understands a little bit about the police uh accountability board just from that uh experience.

But she's uh she is online, so I'll let her share her experience.

Uh good afternoon, uh council people.

Uh can you hear me okay?

Yes.

Absolutely.

Yep.

Great, thank you.

Um so my name's Kay Fitzgerald.

Um I am a gr last year graduate of the Citizens Police Academy.

And uh once I went through that, um I was looking for the right opportunity to continue to serve the county, and this opportunity came up, and I thought it it would be a really good fit.

Um I am uh a project manager by day, so um, you know, my day looks like continuous uh relationship building, uh compromise, managing personalities, uh you know, trust and transparency in our county and our police department.

And um I feel very strongly about having a voice for uh that is fair to both the community and the police department.

Um so I think that's one of the the strengths I think bring to it.

Um I've as a P project manager, you're continuously mediating and dealing with different personalities, and I think that's uh that's one of the strengths I bring to the board.

I do have degrees in political science and criminal justice, so I kind of have the book smarts uh for you know public policy and legislative type things.

Uh I just have uh up until this point in my life not had an opportunity to uh to be able to serve.

So I thought this would be a a great way to uh to get that going on.

Terrific.

Thank you so much for that and for being with us today.

Um Ms.

George, any other comments?

Okay.

Sorry, we can't hear you again.

You won't be able to lip you only to lip reading the other.

Any other comments from counsel?

I wanted the lip read to speak for her.

Ms.

Mr.

Kenecker.

Just to be consistent, let me ask my standard question.

Uh Mr.

Sterle, do you have any background in criminal justice reform and and what and what brings you what's what's what brings you passionate about this issue with serving the police accountability board.

Um well criminal justice reform I you know I studied it in school.

I I feel very strongly about uh you know proper reforms being entered into uh the police and the county.

Um I I just have always had that interest, even though I have a criminal justice degree, I I did not at that time want to be a police officer.

I figured I would go into law somewhere.

Um and I ended up in construction, so I've you know not not even what I originally had intended.

So uh that passion has always been within me, even though it's not my my chosen profession.

Thank you.

Any further comments?

Ms.

Jones.

Uh Ms.

Ms.

Fitzgerald, I'm so excited to see that you're a woman.

Uh I'm excited about that.

Thank you, ma'am.

And you mentioned about being transparent, um, about trust and you know having a voice in booksmarts and your degrees.

And you know, I I'm excited.

I would like to be a co-sponsor because we need more women to do what we're we're great at doing, right?

So, you know, thank you for uh wanting I can hear the passion in your your your voice that you're excited to accept this responsibly in this new role.

So thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Yes, I'm very excited.

Thank you so much.

Any any further questions, comments?

All right.

Uh I'm sure you've heard the vote on these nominations will be next Tuesday night, and you're welcome to watch, but uh no need to um appear live or anything.

So thank you so much for your willingness to serve in this on this board.

Thank you, ma'am.

Okay.

Okay.

Um that uh takes us to the reappointments, and the first one is Kevin Evans to the Newcastle County Police Accountability Board in Mr.

Smiley's district.

Mr.

Street?

Madam Chair.

We can't hear you for some reason.

Uh go ahead.

Oh, now I can hear you.

Well, I'll I'll get in and get out.

Um again, I don't have anything against anybody, but I have major problems, and I'm gonna be repetitive, you know.

Names I've heard throughout the course of the meeting or the county exec, the co-chairs of public safety.

And on top of that, you you know, by rule, the police chief and to a certain extent, the uh director of public safety are all a part of it.

Well I don't think that's fair.

You know, you've got the new folks and you know uh uh uh appoint people that they think that they can deal with and control and like what they say.

And in this case, I don't think it's right and I don't think it's fair, and y'all do what you want to do.

I'm not not against anybody, but I'm not gonna support anybody.

And unfortunately, it looks like I've got to continue to do what I've been doing over the last 50 years, really, because I served 25 years on the Wilmington Police Advisory Council before I got elected.

Um for the predominant time, I was I was uh co-chair of public safety, but more importantly, you look over you look through the press over the last more than twenty years, and you you find a a controversy having to do with uh excessive force or deadly fours.

You're gonna see something that I've done or said uh in in in the thick of that and and what's in the public press.

And so, you know, I'm gonna have to continue to to to fight the folks that I've been fighting for uh basically my entire career.

So uh I'm not I'm not against anybody.

I'm just not supporting this the way it's presented, and and I'm not gonna vote for anybody next week.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Mr.

Kaneko?

Um I I would just like to raise you know the question of how Mr.

Street would you like the appointment process to move forward then?

I mean, because it has to either come from the council person right now or from the county executive.

I told you what I had to say.

If you here again, you your words, you'll like what I say, then so be it.

That's the way I feel.

And I'm not sitting here.

I I don't know who you think you are to be asking me questions.

Okay, thank you.

Mr.

Smiley, it's your nomination.

Just asking a question.

Yeah.

I'm glad to see we have a reappointment to the board and shows how time flies because I can't believe we're reappointing already.

But hey, at least somebody's coming back.

There we are, Ben.

Okay.

Any comments or questions?

And he knows me, so that's really scary.

On Kevin Evans' appointment, reappointment, Mr.

Toole.

Uh yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Kevin has been the uh vice chair or co-chair of the PAB.

He was integral in creating their um their online repository that they were building out.

So I'm glad to see that he has decided to stay on um another term.

Thank you.

Any other comments, questions?

Okay.

Next is the reappointment of Dr.

Jenna DiLeturio to the police accountability board in my district.

Um and to my knowledge, um uh you know pleased to have her be renominated and appreciate her willingness to continue serving.

Any other comments?

Mr.

Toole.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh Jenna is a true gem in uh Councilman Cartier's area.

She does the Knowwood peace walks.

Uh we've recognized her in Chambers um just recently.

And um I am glad also too that she has uh decided to stay on for another term.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Carter.

Yeah, I first met Jenna only a couple weeks ago at the workshop, and uh we had detailed conversations about police reform ideas, how we would have performance measures.

Um I'm glad she's coming back.

I was very impressed, and um I hope to have a chance to work with her on it.

Thank you.

And uh Ms.

Johns.

Um Yes, thank you.

Uh Jenna is fantastic.

I would like to be a co-sponsor um if possible.

Jenna works very hard.

She is knows what she's doing, she's very personable, and she has integrity.

So I thank her for continuing to serve.

Okay, thank you.

Any further comments?

Madam Chair.

Yes, Mr.

Cartier.

Thank you.

Uh first of all, I'd like to be co-sponsor on uh Dr.

Delaterio's renomination to the police advisory board.

And for me, she embodies the development of connection between police, public safety, and our communities.

And her Nollwood uh peacewalks are a model for that.

And we have a tremendous turnout of the local community, lots of young people, along with our police and other nonprofit entities, and uh she really as I said, you know, embodies that development of connection and trust.

And uh I I'm really pleased that she wants to continue to serve.

Thank you.

Any any other comments.

Okay, moving on.

The next reappointment is John Greet Gryschaber to the uh Board of License Inspection and Review in District 2.

Also uh a reappointment and continuing his term in service, which uh I fully support.

Um the next reappointment is James Rhodes to the public arts commission in Mr.

Toole's district thank you.

Uh Madam Chair, this is just a reappointment.

Mr.

Rhodes is the um executive director of the Christiana Cultural Arts Center, and I'm glad to see that he would like to stick around for another term.

Yes, I agree with um Councilman Toole, and I also would like to be a co-sponsor for that.

J Mr.

J.

Ray Rhodes, please.

I'm assuming that all these co-sponsor requests are okay with the sponsors, unless you tell me otherwise.

I'll I'll get back to Nelly, make sure.

Mr.

Hollins.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh I just want to uh mention that I know James Ray Rhode very personally, uh especially from his times at uh being director of Christian Culture Arts Center, uh, which is the premier center on in the City of Wilmington.

Uh but I've known him uh through other means as well.

Uh he also I attend his church periodically.

Uh he's a great guy, has a long record of of our in the City of Wilmington, so I want to support him very well.

Thank you, Mr.

Hollins.

I have an uh another question.

You just mentioned that um that you would speak to Nelly and having get back to us.

Shouldn't we do that right now?

So if some if you are asking to be a co-sponsor.

Well, it's really up to the sponsor the prime sponsor of each resolution.

Yes, but they are here and they're that's why I am asking.

Is it a problem?

They can be a co-sponsor, they can say yes or no.

Isn't that how we have been doing it?

Yeah, I just didn't specifically ask the question of each prime sponsor, so I realized that maybe I was uh remiss in that regard.

So Parliamentary inquiry.

Just just for district count District Board Commission appointments.

We usually just do the district council person.

But uh if people want to join in, that's you know, I'm not whatever.

It extends.

We should be able to.

Okay, fine.

Whatever.

Okay.

The next uh any further comment on Mr.

Rhodes' nomination.

Uh uh.

Uh next reappointment is of Jarrett Harris to the Newcastle County Public Arts Commission under Mr.

Sheldon's district, uh, who obviously he is not here today.

Are there any comments on that?

Mr.

Smiley.

Can you just clarify and make sure this is an appointment, not a reappointment, right?

It's under the reappointment, so that's why I was just looking for clarification.

I honestly am not sure about that.

We will have to check on that.

Just so we know by next Tuesday, we are good.

Um do you want to do a point of order just in case for next week?

Well, I don't want to do a point of order, but I'll make a motion that if this is an appointment is an appointment and not a reappointment, and the individual is is here that is subject to the okay of the council person next Tuesday that we allow it to move forward for vote.

Thank you.

That was a motion.

Okay.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

I am opposed.

Okay.

Um I think the ayes have it.

Yes, we do.

Um Mr.

Harris isn't here online, Tara, is he?

Just don't want to double check he's not there.

Okay.

Uh no.

I do not see him online.

Okay, thank you.

Um so we will proceed accordingly for next week.

Is there any other business under this committee?

Any public comment?

Um can you go we can do other?

Can excuse me.

Can I stay on this topic for one minute?

No, because I'm asked to chair.

Can I speak?

Okay.

I'm asked to go back.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um I want to get clarification um about for next week.

Are we saying that um if it's reappointment that you can't have a co-sponsor or it has to be agreed upon?

Is that correct?

Or just clarification.

We should just talk about sponsor.

Well, the motion that was just made has nothing to do with that question.

But your question is about signing on as a co-sponsor.

Yes.

Um I think it's just been tradition that we've made it just, you know.

I mean, I but I don't think there's a rule against it happening.

So um what's the pleasure of counsel?

Mr.

Hollins.

Uh the fact of the matter is the prime sponsor needs to approve.

In order to be a co-sponsor, you want to get the permission of the okay from the primary sponsor.

You could do it on the floor, but it's here has to be an okay of the primary sponsor.

In this particular case, you are the chair of the committee.

You're not sponsoring all these pieces of legislation.

Each piece that comes along has a specific sponsor.

So you want to go with co-sponsor, have good specific council person that's sponsoring the legislation, not to the chair at all.

Exactly.

So that's I'm sorry.

Um, she's trying to say that.

I was just going to send an email to Nelly noting the ones that were requested and ceasing whoever the prime was and leaving it to up to the prime.

But I can also leave it in your shoes to follow through.

Right.

No, the reason I I don't think maybe you you I'm not making it clear what my question is.

Um when we're doing sponsors, co-sponsors, we're asking them right here on the floor.

My question is, we've been doing it in the past.

Oh, no problem, or not interested.

That's what I'm asking.

Are we doing it on the floor?

So if I am asking to be a co-sponsor, you say yes or no.

Yes, I just didn't ask that question as we were moving along.

So I wanted to make sure that we verify that the prime sponsors of the different ones were okay with it.

So if you want, we could run through it right now.

We I thought they all said yes until that last one.

I didn't really ask the question.

So that's all.

Point of order.

I I think if there is some confusion, my recommendation is the council president send a quick email to the sponsor of any legislation that she wants to be the co-sponsor on.

That way it will be documented in writing, and you can get a response back and it will be very clear.

I don't think you as a chair of this committee should be in the middle of this.

This is between each co-sponsor and the person with each prime sponsor and the person wishing to be a co-sponsor.

I think that's the easiest and cleanest way to do it.

And it can also be done on the floor next week.

So and Mr Cartier had asked for one as well.

So we will leave it at that Mr Smiley.

Yes.

Revisiting uh Garrett Posey Harris at the very end on the now therefore be it resolved it says buying for County Council of Newcastle County that County Council hereby consents to the reappointment.

So no issue.

So we should be fine.

We just need to make sure that the title corrected in the notice in the titling that's all okay thank you for your consideration.

Thank you for looking into that is there any public comment chair I do I have Rob Bullock.

Rob I just unmute your microphone please state your name for the record and make your comments president of the Community Alliance Coalition.

I have one question for the in regards to the police accountability board and the question is to the council did they ever receive the recommendations from the last body of that committee.

Secondly does it mean that does this mean that you have to start over again with the new five members to make recommendations and from the community and to be processed through the the uh channels which uh leads to the council body that that would be my question and um something to think about thank you.

Okay thank you so much for your comment motion or journal adjourned second we have a second all in favor?

I boards and commissions adjourned uh the longest one ever