Thank you.

Okay.

Welcome to the June 16th Boards and Commission subcommittee of Newcastle County Council.

Call the meeting to order, take roll car roll call.

Here in the chambers, I have uh Councilman Smiley, Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilman Cartier, Councilman Hollins online virtually.

We have Councilman Cartier, Councilwoman George, Councilman Tackett, Councilman Connecko, and Councilman Toole.

My name is Dee Durham, Chair of this committee, and my aide Ken Hempel will be taking minutes for us today to have a motion of approval for the minutes of April 21st.

So approve is posted.

Second.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay, thank you.

They are uh approved.

Today we have two um new appointments uh to consider.

The first being Ryan Wilson to the Newcastle County Ethics Commission in Valerie George's district.

And if I'm not mistaken, oh, and welcome to uh Council President Monique Johns, who has also joined us online.

Um I think Mr.

Wilson might be online if he can.

I had to rejoin with the new presenter role.

Okay, there you go.

Um Councilwoman George, do you uh turn the floor over to you?

Yep.

Thank you, Ms.

Jerem.

Uh I was very excited uh to have a conversation with Ryan uh about three six months ago.

Um I've been working with Mr.

Wilson in his community for several years now and have always been impressed with how he handles issues that arise uh and they are very challenging.

And so uh he he certainly has a a character that uh I admire.

And when he approached me and let me know that he was looking to get more involved in public service and he was looking to join a board and commission, and we talked about the places that would be appropriate, and I think we both kind of landed on the ethics commission.

So uh I was very thrilled actually to sponsor him for this appointment.

So if he would like to talk a little bit about what he wants to accomplish or the reasons for uh him personally wanting to be on this board uh and commission, happy to allow him to do that.

Okay, if you'd like me to go ahead, I'll take a couple minutes.

Yes, Mr.

Wilson.

Okay, thank you.

Uh first, thank you for the time today.

Um I guess somewhat recently, a few months ago, I talked to Ms.

George.

Um I'd just been paying attention to what's going on in the world and thought that we can't outsource all of government to everyone above us.

And I started asking myself how can I get involved more on a local level.

I don't have the background and how the government works, and so I asked her, I said, Hey, um, you know, we've worked together a little bit and I enjoy it.

And I asked for some recommendations about how I can get more involved.

Uh she pitched me the boards and committees list, and I immediately was drawn to the ethics committee.

Um it would be an excellent opportunity for me to meet more of you, um, understand how the local government works, um, meet more people in the area, understand what's going on, uh, help keep an eye on what's happening and make sure that the standards that we need to uphold are being upheld.

Uh so that's really it and short of why I'm here.

Uh if you have any questions about my background uh or anything else, I'm happy to entertain those.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you so much uh for being here today and for your willingness to serve on this committee.

Um your uh bio has been shared with everyone here.

Are there any questions from council or seeing seeing none?

Um we you may know this will not be voted on until next Tuesday.

Uh no need for you to necessarily attend next week next week.

You're welcome to um, but uh hopefully it will become official next week and then uh someone will be back in touch with you about the commission.

So thank you very much again, um Ryan, for your willingness to serve.

All right, thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you.

Um second new appointment on the agenda is for Beatrice Ariola to the Newcastle Newcastle County Claymont Design Review Advisory Committee in Councilman Cartier's district.

Um I'll turn things over to you.

I don't sh um Stephanie told me she may not be able to be here, so I don't know if she is over there in the participants list.

While we're waiting for that, if I could, Madam Chair, I would like to uh offer a few comments.

Claymont Design Review Advisory Committee exists as a advisory committee that is a companion to the hometown overlay district in Claymont.

The county government uh some years ago established a program with the uh hometown overlay districts throughout the county.

I think there were something like three or four uh created.

Claymont has benefited from one.

But this uh design review advisory committee, they issue advisory opinions to our land use department on all uh of land use proposals that that are originating from the hometown overlay district.

And over the years, the uh Claymont uh design review advisory committee has been highly sought after by community members.

It's been a highly successful uh advisory committee related to this hometown overlay district program.

And it's and it's been incredibly successful.

The Claymont Hometown Overlaid has recorded millions of dollars in new investment through redevelopment, and we are continuing to revitalize the uh Claymont community with this uh program and and uh special planning initiative.

And today I have a great uh new candidate for the hometown overlay district uh or design review advisory committee community in in Claymont.

Uh Ms.

Ariola has an incredible resume.

I'm I am I have never met her.

I was hoping she would be here today, but reviewing the resume should make an outstanding candidate and uh nominee.

She is a great nominee for this uh uh appointment.

Uh and uh you know I'm gonna wholeheartedly you know sponsor her her nomination.

Uh she has a uh military uh record, she has engineering uh and project planning expertise.

Uh she lives within the uh you know within the hometown overlay area itself, so it's a very exciting appointment, and uh I look forward.

Oh, uh there she is.

So with all that being said, I would like to uh allow Ms.

Ariola to present some background information about herself.

Thank you, Councilman.

I didn't want to interrupt you while you were speaking.

But thank you, everyone, for uh your time for today.

My name is Beatrice Ariola.

I go by Betty.

I work with the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers as a project manager, been working with them for 17 years.

I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering.

I have done structural engineering inspection of our uh five major bridges in the Delaware area, um, like Route One, the Breedy Point, uh the Chesapeake, the Delaware, um it's a small one in Delaware City, and St.

George's.

I think I missing one.

But um I did structural engineering for that.

I would like to be part of this committee, for I have been uh I have had my property, my resident, my primary residence since 2018.

So I'm going on eight years.

Um went a little bit away to assist the military in the Japan district, Nokinawa for four and a half years.

But I am back, gonna stay here for a bit.

Just want to see if my skills would be able to help our community.

Well, uh Ms.

Ariola, we really appreciate uh you nominating, uh placing your name into nomination for this appointment.

And I think you'll make an outstanding uh new addition to the Claymont Design Review Advisory Committee.

And uh you know I'm thrilled that you're you're willing to volunteer your time to help in this endeavor to re revitalize the Claymont community.

Thank you for your confidence.

Thank you very much for being with us today.

And uh indeed your background I think is well suited for this uh DRAC, the Claymont DRAC.

So thank you again for your willingness to serve and your interest in being part of it.

Are there any other comments from members of council?

Comments or questions.

Seeing none, again, uh we thank you and uh I'm sure you understand or heard that the we won't be voting on this today.

It will be next Tuesday.

And uh we will keep in touch with you after that.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

All right, thank you.

Thank you very much for being here today.

Moving on to the agenda for the reappointments.

Uh the first is Robert Hook Hicks to the Newcastle County Ethics Commission in Mr.

Tackett's district.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Um as you shared, this is a reappointment.

Mr.

Hicks has done a outstanding job as his representation and uh um his appointment to this board, and I am honored to be able to sponsor his reappointment this evening.

Okay, thank you.

Any indeed I'm happy that he's willing to stay on and do another term.

Um other comments from members of council?

Mr.

Hollands?

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I would feel remiss if I didn't make some comment about Bob and his diligence uh in serving the county.

He's done it for a number of years, uh started on his auditor.

And now he's moved into this position where I think he's still doing a great job.

I would appreciate his support.

Thank you.

Any additional comments.

Okay.

The next reappointment on the agenda is Dolores McLamb to the Newcastle County Diversity Commission in Mr.

Smiley's district.

Yes, I'm just glad she's uh willing to serve another term.

Okay, any comments or questions?

Members of council?

Okay.

Um next is uh Mr.

William Smith to the Newcastle County Financial Advisory Council in Mr.

Cartier's district.

Yes, thank you, Madam Uh Chair.

Uh William Smith wants to serve another term and uh this all important uh financial forecasting uh committee for the county, the Newcastle County Financial Advisory Council.

So we're glad to continue to avail that committee of his commitment and expertise.

Thank you.

Any comments or questions from council?

Okay.

Moving on.

The next is uh in my district two, the reappointment of Rose Passerella to the Newcastle County Library Advisory Board, um, which is a subcommittee of the Department of Community Services Board, and I um definitely wholeheartedly um appreciate her willingness to serve again and endorse her uh renomination.

Are there any comments or questions about Ms.

Passerella?

Okay.

Um next is the reappointment of Eric Cesar Haley to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board in Mr.

Sheldon's district.

Um Mr.

Sheldon's not with us today, but um are there any comments or questions or we can move forward with that next week, Mr.

Smiley?

Yeah, the reappointment, no problem.

Okay.

Um last on the agenda is uh the reappointment of Sally Jensen to the Newcastle County Ethics Commission from Mr.

Tool's district.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um Sally, who is a retired county employee.

She is a member of Ellsmere's town council and a member of the ethics commission.

I'm glad that she's also staying on for another appointment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any comments, questions from council?

Madam Chair.

Yes, sir.

Um I also would uh um be remiss here if I didn't uh also because of sediments of councilman tull on this one, you know, as Sally is a you know retired employee from the county, and she has become very active working over there and uh with her town council and and working there on the seat and then plus um helping us serve as you know an appointment on this board.

And she's been very active and engaged and has been uh also a great asset to this service, you know, she's doing for our residents.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any additional comments, questions, council?

All right, moving into other one thing I did want to just mention is uh we worked with the administration and I'm grateful um that uh it was an amazing process and smooth and quick to get all of the annual reports from the last few years posted on in the agenda center.

There's now a link at the top of the agenda center, and if I'm not mistaken, actually in the commit on the committee and boards and commissions um pages as well.

But um I don't think these were ever like publicly available before, certainly not readily available.

So I'm I'm pleased that we made that happen, and so you can check them out at any time if you need to now and and as for the public as well.

Um so any other comments?

Any other business for the committee?

Any public comment online?

Councilwoman, there's no public comment online.

Okay.

Motion to adjourn?

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

All right.

Motion to adjourn approved.