All right.

Welcome everyone to the April 21st boards and commission subcommittee meeting.

My name is Dee Durham, Chair of the Committee calling the meeting to order.

My assistant Ken Hempel will be taking the minutes for roll call in in chambers.

I have Councilman Smiley, Councilman Cartier, Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilman Carter, Councilwoman George, Council, President Monique Williams Johns.

And online have Councilman Keneco, Councilman Teckett, and Councilman Toole.

Anyone else?

And Councilman Hollins is coming in the door.

Anyone else online?

Okay.

You're just in time, Councilman Hollins, for uh the first item.

Or sorry, first uh approval of the minutes from March 17th.

Motion to approve is posted.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay.

The minutes are approved.

Uh the first uh new appointment on the agenda is consenting to the appointment of Herb Indon as chair of the Newcastle County Board of Adjustment.

And Mr.

Endon is from Mr.

Holland's district.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh I've known Herb for quite a few years.

Uh as a director of Fanny for the City of Wilmington.

I think he's done an excellent job there, and it would be a plus to Newcastle County as well.

Uh Herb has done an outstanding job.

I've been invited to most of their meetings as Wilmington being part of my district.

So welcome him to Newcastle County with his expertise.

I think uh many of us probably know her as well.

But would you like to come up to the podium and say a few words about the not your nomination?

Footman's version of my life.

Thank you for being here today.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Um actually I've I've lived in Newcastle County all my life, basically.

I grew up in the Newark area where my folks actually had a retail clothing business for almost 30 years.

I now live in the city of Wilmington.

I have lived there for a long time.

My wife and I have raised three children there, and we love it.

Uh my land use experience, as I said, of uh probably may more years than I care to admit to that that I've been involved in in uh land use both at the state and the local level.

At the state, I worked at the Office of State Planning and Coordination, where my principal role was actually to be the liaison to Newcastle County and the uh municipalities within.

Um the idea there was to coordinate land use policies between the state and the uh and uh and the local governments uh to make sure we are all on the same page since as we used to put it, the state spends a lot of money on local governments, but the local governments make land use decisions and that affects the budget, needless to say.

And that was kind of a rewarding experience, again, being able to stay in touch with uh the folks in Newcastle County.

Um at the local level, I worked many years with the City of Wilmington in the planning department to under two separate mayors.

I was uh planning director uh most recently, and I've been retired now for uh several years.

Um but I still pay attention to land use issues.

It's really kind of a passion um needless to say, because I've been you know involved in uh for a long time.

So I kind of missed it, and when I saw you know the Henry administration was advertising for people for volunteer organizations such as this one, I put my hat in the ring and uh got the call and uh was pretty excited to get the call.

Um maybe as excited as my wife, who is probably as anxious to get me to go get out of the house every once in a while.

Um but in any event that's like I said, that's kind of the Cliff Note version.

I can answer any questions if you'd like.

Thank you so much.

Are there any questions or comments?

Mr.

Harvard.

Yeah, I want to thank Herb for stepping up.

I've had the opportunity to work with him for many, many years, both in Wilmington and in the state.

Um not so much on council yet, but um I think he's incredibly highly qualified for this and uh will do a great job for us.

Thank you.

Let the record show Councilman uh Sheldon has joined the meeting.

Uh any other uh Mr.

Cartier.

Thank you.

Uh Madam Chair.

I uh I too am incredibly pleased to see Mr.

Endon show up and volunteer for this really difficult job.

Very difficult job.

He didn't say it was gonna be difficult.

Board of Adjustment is our quasi judicial, you know, court of Newcastle County granting variances and relief from a dimensional uh requirements of the code.

We have a very busy agenda in this county with the Board of Adjustment.

I'm really pleased a person of your caliber and depth of knowledge has stepped up to volunteer.

We really appreciate it.

Um I first ran into Mr.

Endon when he was working with the town of Belfont overseeing their comprehensive plan that they submitted to the state.

So uh we're really uh you know privileged to have him serve with us and I wish you the best and uh you know thank you for volunteering to uh help us.

My pri my privilege.

I do remember that Belfont.

That was a good good group of people there.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah.

Any further comment or questions?

It's hard to imagine a more qualified person to be in line for this position.

So thank you very much for um putting yourself up there and uh we're excited about your nomination and um uh you may know they aren't voted on until a week from now, so um I'm sure someone will be in touch with you after next Tuesday.

All right, you don't have to be here, but uh you're welcome to listen in or attend if you want.

But otherwise uh staff you'll probably be in touch afterwards.

All right.

Okay.

Sounds good.

All right.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Thank you for coming in today.

Oops.

Next on the agenda is the appointment of Christopher DeMarco, and the agenda actually uh is incorrect.

The nomination is for the Newcastle County Board of Assessment Review.

Um so I think it is being corrected in Civic Plus, it's correct in next week's agenda.

But um if at least if you're looking at the version I'm looking at for today, um his appointment is for the Board of Assessment Review in Mr.

Cartier's district.

Thank you, uh Madam Chair.

Is Mr.

DeMarco here online?

I think I zoom.

Okay.

I'll just you know, by way of introduction, uh Mr.

DeMarco contacted me expressing interest in the Board of Assessment Review.

And as you all know, we are in the midst of hearing a tremendous volume of appeals from the recent property assessment.

Uh and Mr.

DeMarco has extensive experience uh in uh property management and real estate, and I I think he would be a really great fit for this board.

And again, a very you know really a tough assignment.

And I'm very glad that he wants to uh volunteer to help us uh and step up in this board at this critical time when we need experienced people to hear these property appeals.

So with that, I'll close my remarks.

Oh sorry, let me just see if he's here.

Is Mr.

DeMarco in the Zoom participants?

Um Councilwoman, I do not see him online.

Okay, all right, thanks.

Let us know.

Um I just wanted to say that I've worked with Chris DeMarco for for years.

Uh he represents several of the communities in my district, and I've always found him to be very knowledgeable uh and fair when dealing with very challenging issues.

Thank you.

Any other comments, questions?

We will um seek to move him forward next week.

Um if you desire.

Why don't we wait till the end to see if he comes in?

See if he and then because you might have a couple more or something to do.

Okay.

Um next on the list is the appointment of Sean Michael Kelly to the Newcastle County Ethics Commission.

Um he lives in my district, District 2.

And my understanding is he is supposed to be on the Zoom.

Uh Councilwoman he is.

I just promoted him.

Thank you, Tara.

Mr.

Kelly, welcome.

Thanks for being here.

Glad to see you.

Glad to see another Swarthmore alum here.

Hard to go wrong with that.

And um really appreciate your nomination and willingness to serve for this position.

Uh I know the Ethics Commission is looking for several to fill several positions.

So thank you for um being willing to step up.

Would you like to say a few words uh about your okay?

I'd be delighted.

Thank you very much uh for having me.

Um my career to date has been uh primarily in the legal field.

Um I'm a lifelong Delaware, graduate of the uh Charter School of Wilmington class of 2006, uh Notre Dame Law School.

Uh and then I've been back in Delaware since uh passing the bar in 2013.

Uh again.

Uh, spent time in private practice at a number of uh law firms, uh mostly in corporate litigation, but then also um as a uh uh uh uh fraud enforcer for the Delaware Department of Justice on two occasions.

So um it would be my honor to serve the county uh and to um to to serve on the ethics commission.

Thank you so much.

It I I think they can definitely use your experience and skills, and um I think they were specifically looking for an attorney as well, so that's awesome.

Are there any other comments or questions from council?

No.

Seeing none, uh we will let you go.

And uh as you may have heard, uh the the vote is not until next week.

Um, but we will keep in touch with you through the process.

And thank you very much.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

Okay.

Next on the list is the appointment of Monica Gonzalez Gillespie to the Newcastle County Human Resources Advisory Board, also from District 2, and my understanding is that she would be participating via Zoom.

Also a very impressive resume that fits um this the human resources advisory board amazingly well.

And I I think Monica would serve it very well.

County executives hitting it out of the park today with all these nominations.

Monica, are you there?

Might need to unmute.

There you are.

Can you hear us?

I can hear you guys.

Okay, great.

I just can't see myself, but that's okay.

We can't see you either, but that's okay.

At least we can hear you.

Um so thank you for your willingness to uh be nominated to this position.

Would you like there you go?

Would you like to say a few words about your uh your willingness to serve or uh knowledge of it?

Okay, uh I retired last year from the state.

Um, and I was the director of talent management and the director of labor relations during my tenure there.

I was also the director of human resources for the city of Wilmington.

So I do have a um I love the city of Wilmington.

And so county would be the first time for me, but that's where I live, and that's where I enjoy um being.

So I would be um honored to put my hat in the ring for this.

Thank you so much.

Are there any other comments, questions from council?

Seeing none, um we thank you for being nominated.

And again, the vote is not until next week, but we really appreciate your willingness to bring your skills to this board and uh your willingness to serve as a volunteer there.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh last on the agenda for today is the appointment of Raina Harper Allen to the Newcastle County Diversity Commission, also from Mr.

Holland's district.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh I would have to agree with you that uh thank the county executive's knocking out of the park today.

But Raina uh come forth, uh, I've known her for several years.

She's been very involved with a lot of key initiative that would fit directly into the diversity commission.

Unfortunately, I don't think the diversity commission is act active at this time.

But I think that when it gets up and going, that Rainer would bring forth a lot of experts experience and expertise to this board.

I noticed that she served as on the director of the race adjusted collaborative of the United Way of Delaware, which I served in one of those committees as well.

And she was also uh played a part of leadership role in the Wilmington Urban League, uh, which was a very turning point for diversity here in Delaware.

Uh it was created by Jim Gilliam Sr.

Uh whose name is born by the building, the Gillian building.

So Rayner has a lot of expertise, and I welcome her to be on this board.

I think it would be a heck of a difference in diversity.

Thank you, Mr.

Hollins.

Raina, can you hear us?

And you might need to unmute to join us and say a few words.

Hi, I'm here.

I'm in the car driving my daughter to a college visit at the University of Pennsylvania at the University of Pittsburgh.

So forgive me that I'm not in person.

It's an honor for me to have been nominated.

I believe in civic engagement.

I am incredibly uh pleased and honored.

I know I've said that before, to have been nominated.

And to serve in this capacity to discuss inclusion and equity in the different uh capacities of our Newcastle County is so important to moving forward.

I again I'm honored.

Thank you.

Thank you, Raina.

Thank you for being with us today, even from the car on your way to Pittsburgh.

I wonder if she knows how far Pittsburgh is.

I didn't.

Close enough, but not too far.

Um any uh any comments, questions from council?

Yeah.

Okay, great.

Well, we'll let you go on your way and wish your daughter the best of luck and uh wherever she chooses to go, and uh we will be in touch after the vote next week.

Raina, thank you so much.

Okay, we have no um reappointments today.

Is are is there anything under other I would ask as the chair you make one last call to see if Mr.

DeMarco's out there Tara or whoever is there manning the Zoom is there um I do not see Mr.

DeMarco, but I do have public comment.

Okay.

Just we'll get to that in one second, then I would move to we were we suspend the rule requiring new appointees to be present to speak and uh move the second opposed forward all in favor?

Aye any opposed okay motion councilman smiley repeat what he just said, please.

Yes, I'm moving to suspend a rule that we requires no appointees to speak before council before moving forward so that we can move this, move Mr.

DeMarco's uh appointment forward for a vote next week.

So not in person, but because he was not here today.

So that's um okay.

Do we have to do that next week, or this takes care of it for next week?

All right, thank you.

Um motion passes, and any other anything else under other okay.

Um public comment then.

Um I have Robert Hicks.

Mr.

Hicks, I just unmuted your microphone.

Please state your name for the record and make your comments.

Uh hello, this is Robert Hicks.

I'm speaking on behalf of the Newcastle County Ethics Commission, and I am just wanted to express my gratitude to all of you and to the county executive for the excellent nomination of uh Sean Michael Kelly, and I welcome him when he's appointed to the ethics commission.

And that's all I have to say.

Thanks so much, Bob.

And uh we're working on the rest of your uh I know you have a couple other vacancies coming up, and we'll we'll try to stay on top of them as the in the next few months.

Great, thank you.

Yep.

Any other public comment?

Sir, would you like to come up to the podium?

Thank you.

We'll get you to sign in over there afterwards, but you can come right up.

And just state your name for the record one up to the mic here, up to the mic.

Yep.

Uh good.

Uh my name is William Simpson.

Uh I'm just here just I'm glad to be here.

I'm just here because I'm a part of a club.

Actually, I'm from William, Delaware.

I started 1960 in the wheel of Hicks Anderson uh for a long time ago in the Kingsville Community Center.

And the club that I'm in, actually, we're just getting back involved.

We're working in our community uh from the city standpoint and from the county standpoint, and we're just here to do I'm just here to introduce us.

Uh again, uh with Wilmington Hawks, and if there's anything that we can do, we will do in helping our city grow.

And I'm just glad to be here, so thank you very much.

Thank you so much for being with us today and making those comments.

Any other further public comment?

Okay.

Motion to adjourn.

Second all in favor?

Aye.

Okay.

Meeting is adjourned.

Personal at four.