The meeting will please come to order.

Good evening, everyone.

Today is Thursday, December eleventh.

My name is Trippi Congo, President of Wilmington City Council, and on behalf of all of my colleagues, we just want to thank everyone who is in Council Chambers and for everyone who is also virtually.

We are going to begin with an opening prayer by Mary Alina Rivera.

Heavenly Father, we have assembled to handle the affairs of our city.

As we do so, we ask for your guidance and understanding.

We pray that our city reaches a place of peace and safety.

Keep us out of harm's way and bless those who are in authority.

Let respect be key in all our endeavors.

Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Councilwoman Darby.

Present.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Councilwoman Harley.

Councilwoman Willower.

Present.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Councilman Johnson.

We are Councilman Field.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Present.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Present.

Councilman Hackett.

Councilman Spadola.

Present.

President Congo.

Here.

Eight present and five absent.

Thank you, Council Members Harley, McCoy, Hackett, and Field.

Did it ask to be excused?

Before we get started, I'd like to recognize former Mayor James Baker and former Council President Hanifa Shabazz for in Council Chambers with us.

Thank you both for joining us.

This time we have the reading of the minutes from our previous meeting.

December 4th, 2025, City Council met in regular session with remote participation on the above date at 6 32 p.m.

President Pro Temp Yolanda and McCoy presiding.

The opening prayer was done by Mary Alina Rivera, Deputy City Clerk.

I move that we accept the minutes.

Second.

It's been properly moved and seconded.

The minutes be accepted as written on the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

This time we will have our committee report.

December 8th, 2025, President and members of council, ladies and gentlemen, we are finance and economic development committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who was referred ordinance number 25-073 entitled an ordinance to amend chapter 40 of the city code regarding parental leave and combined leave.

Have given this ordinance careful review and recommend council vote on it at an upcoming council meeting.

Respectfully submitted those members of the Finance and Economic Development Committee.

Those members present, Councilwoman Bracie, Councilwoman Darby, Councilman Hackett, Council Woman Oliver, Councilman Spadola, absent with leave, Councilwoman Harley, President Congo.

Um this report be accepted and filed as written.

Second.

It's been properly moved and seconded.

The report we received, recorded.

And filed.

Thank you, Councilmember Bracie.

Can you turn your mic on, please?

I move the report we receive, recorded, and filed on the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

Also, anyone who would like to give public comment this evening.

For those of you who are virtual, there is a Google form sign-up link in our chat.

Public comment would take place after non-legislative business.

If there is anyone in council chambers who would like to give public comment, you do you still do have a few minutes to sign up.

So please do so.

The sign up sheet is uh just before me.

If you'd like to sign, sign up.

This time we'll have our city treasures report.

December 11, 2025.

Total investments 534 million eight hundred thousand six hundred and sixty-five dollars and forty-eight cents.

Total cash on hand, 14,405,144.86 cents.

Grand total 549,000 49 million, sorry, 205,810.34 cents.

Uh submitted city treasurer Dwayne Sims.

I move the report be received, recorded, and filed.

Second.

It's been properly moved and second the report be received, recorded, and filed on the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

I'll accept the motion to move to accept all non-legislative business.

So motion.

Second, second.

It's been properly moved and second to accept all non-legislative business on the question.

Everyone in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Motion carry.

I'd like to recognize council member Oliver.

Thank you.

This time we will go to our recognition resolutions.

Okay.

Councilmember Bracey.

Would all of our interns come up to the front, please.

So we're going to recognize all of our amazing interns that have been with us throughout the semester.

And this is sponsored by all of council.

Whereas it is a sense of city council to honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and deserve recognition and acknowledgement.

Wilmington City Council interns consists of such individuals.

And whereas today we priorly recognize and celebrate the exceptional group of interns who supported the work of the 109th session of the Wilmington City Council during fall 2025 academic semester.

These individuals include Corey Gordon, Nadia Komotho, Olivia Moncrieve, and Ashley Woods.

And whereas throughout your time here, you brought fresh energy, sharp insights, and a sincere commitment to public service.

Whether it was diving into policy research, attending council meetings, engaging with the community, or handling the day-to-day tasks that keep local government moving.

Each of you made it a real impact.

You weren't just interns, you were active participants in the work that shapes our city.

And whereas you take your next steps, know that Wilmington is better because of your contributions.

And wherever your past leads, we hope you carry with you the lessons, the memories, and the confidence that you have helped make a difference.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Wilmington that this council is pleased to recognize Wilmington City Council's fall 2025 interms for their time, talent, and passion for service to the city of Wilmington.

Job well done.

Any of you guys want to speak?

Um this internship gave me the opportunity to see the inner workings of city government.

Um be involved in my community directly and put my political science studies into practice.

I can confidently say that this was the best internship I've ever had, and I will con I have and will continue to recommend this internship to my peers.

Thank you.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Olivia Muncrieve.

I graduated from Delaware State University in 2019.

Um coming in as a marketing professional and just really having the hands-on experience in government and meeting all the council members.

Um this city is a city that I have grown to love more and more each and every day, and just being able to see the council members' boots on the ground, my favorite thing to say, really caring about the community and the city that they work and live in.

And this place has become a second home to me.

I'm so grateful for the experience, and I definitely highly recommend anyone that would like to continue doing internships.

Definitely, this is the place to be, and I'm just so grateful.

So thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

It's so nice to see everyone here tonight.

My name is Ashley Woods, and I am a master's student at the University of Delaware, pursuing my master's degree in public administration with a concentration and nonprofit leadership.

It has been an honor to serve for the in this role with the Office of Educational Advocacy, helping people be uh gain a better opportunity for education in the city of Wilmington.

I have always been a public service-minded individual.

So this role has been a uh helpful for me to kind of fuel that passion.

So I I thank Elijah and Dr.

Oh for trusting trusting me for this role, and I look forward to any other opportunities to work with Wilmington City Council.

Thank you.

Um, hello, my name is Nadi Komoto.

I'm a senior at the University of Delaware studying criminal justice.

I had the honor of serving as finance intern under Miss Bass Knight for this past semester.

Um, it was honestly an incredible experience where I was able to learn so much about all the work that goes on behind the scenes, how important it is to be detail-oriented, um, of course, for the community and for the council members as well to be able to make the huge difference that they do.

Um, it was amazing to take on day-to-day tasks such as learning more about the grants, the amazing resources that Wilmington has to offer for their residents, um, scholarships, and even learning more about the fiscal budget has been amazing.

And I'm incredibly honored by this opportunity and am grateful for this internship and definitely would recommend it to all upcoming students.

And I also want to give a huge shout out to Mr.

Simmons as well for this amazing opportunity.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yeah, I'd just like to congratulate all the interns for the outstanding job they've been doing.

Congratulations.

Councilmember Willower.

Thank you, Council President.

Yes, I just wanted to congratulate you and thank you for your service to the City Council, Wilmington City Council.

It's great to hear um, you know, your enthusiasm for the role to hear that Wilmington City Council is the place to be.

I definitely feel the same way.

And um, we are really lucky to have such a talented group of students working with us.

So thank you very much for um all your contributions.

Councilmember Owens.

Yeah, just to piggyback off my two council colleagues.

Thank you so much for all the work that you've done for City Council in helping make our office run smoothly um and help us over um this last few months with our policy as well, too, and working with our educational uh Office of Educational Advocacy as well, too.

So thank you all for you and good luck on your career journeys.

Councilmember Owens.

Can I have uh T Warren and everyone here with him?

Please come to the podium, please.

Who helped us what three days before Thanksgiving um to give out 2500 turkeys?

Um and T Warren, thank you for continuing your dedication to the city of Wilmington.

Um, this resolution reads whereas it's the sense of city council to honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and deserving of recognition and acknowledgement.

To roan to Ron Warren, owner of BVD, Black Visionary Designers, Barbara Salon is one such individual.

Whereas the city of Wilmington is strengthened by residents that demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving their community, uplifting others, and building bridges across neighborhoods.

T Warren, owner of B V D Barbers Salon, and lifelong Womanton resident has constantly exemplified service, collaboration, and dedication through the wide range of community-focused initiatives.

And whereas Mr.

Warren played a key role in mobilizing the youth to support the one city, one council, Turkey Drive, he along with his team helped ensure Wilmington families received holiday meals and that the event operated efficiently, uh capacion and community and bought the community spirit.

Mr.

Warren and the numerous volunteers and partners who assisted in this effort, demonstrated the power of community in addressing food insecurity and strengthening neighborhood connections.

And whereas, beyond this effort, Mr.

Warren has maintained a steadfast commitment to the community by supporting access to books for young readers, hosting chess tournaments, teaching math skills, learn uh lending shoes, uh, and leading coat drives and collaborating with grassroots organizations to provide resources, positive program, and creative opportunities for Wilmington residents.

His ongoing effort reflects a deep investment in the well-being of Wilmington's youth, families, and underserved community.

He continues to be a model of civic responsibility, leadership, and unity.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Wilmington that the Wilmington City Council expresses a sincere appreciation for Mr.

Warren for his continued dedicated dedication to service and for his ongoing community impact.

Job well done.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Hello, everyone.

I would like to thank you all for coming out for this uh weekly, monthly event, monthly City County event, and my partner to my right, um, President Councilman Trippie Congo for having us and Mr.

Councilman Hackett.

Uh I want to before I even begin.

I gotta say this.

I'm gonna ask that the parents of these gentlemen, please stand up, the parents.

Please stand up, Miss Kelly, Miss Stokes, my girl, Miss Biaz, and Miss Williams.

We actually had a girl with us, a female student with us.

She hasn't not arrived yet.

She was late for that day.

She's late again, I hope.

But thank you, parents, for entrusting me with your children.

I talked to a lot of y'all a lot.

Um, been working with y'all for years, as y'all know, but thank you for entrusting me because um, you know, we get out there, we're in the streets, we're running around, we're doing a lot.

You know, I gotta make sure they don't run in the streets watching kids, watching, getting them out of issues with maybe some other kids from the neighborhood.

So thank you for entrusting me.

And thank you for raising some good young men in back of me, man.

I mean, shouts out to y'all because no.

Come, you know, it's some kids that don't come.

That's right.

No, T Warren, I need like 3,000.

I mean 300 to go with you.

You know, what you got us doing, so thank you, man.

And of course, it's always better to give more blessed.

Let me get that right by grandma.

More blessed to give than to receive.

I just have a couple words.

I'm not gonna take too much of your time, but I do have some other things I need to say.

The parents, thank you.

The kids, thank you.

What about me?

Just a small point of my background.

I'm from the east side of Wilmington, born and raised on uh 846 Kirkwick Street, moved to Betford Villa.

And of course, we named our barber shop after Beth Villa, if you didn't know.

Black Visionary Designers is Bethlehem Development, so that's where it all came from.

I'm a kid from Eastside.

We used to run these buildings, run across that bridge, throw snowballs at cars, don't tell nobody.

We did a lot.

All right, so I'm not perfect, never was.

Another reason why we're here is because um my man, your bro, big bro, Storm and Norman.

I believe he started this about 40, 50 years ago, 39, something like that.

And of course, uh, that's when I got on this game plan of giving out turkeys.

Uh Kevin Carr called me one day and said, uh, T Warren, you need to come on out.

And I actually came by myself my first time.

And I helped Storm and Norman deliver turkeys to all the villages that we've been through the last week or so.

It passed off, of course, to Ivan, and I continue to work the mission every Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

I would come with a group of kids.

It didn't start with these guys in back of me.

It started with uh Delaware Academy of Public Safety Charter School.

I had about 12 or 14 students come two, three years in a row.

And moved on to Prestige Academy, the all boys school.

We bung some boys out a couple years when I worked there, and of course, Kumba Academy.

And now I got a precious academy, young man in back of me.

So, yes, we've been we've been on the road with the coat with the turkey drive for years now, decades now now to look at it.

So I just want to say that um listen, we were in the struggle with, of course, in the city in the world, and I gotta instill in these guys in back of me and more guys, more young ladies, more female students, that we have to give.

We have to.

We have to, as y'all know, do the right thing.

And I, you know, I'm a school teacher now at Pritchard Academy.

It's serious over there.

It's a serious situation.

We gotta do the right thing.

We gotta respect each other.

Please gonna be kids.

They're gonna do things.

They're gonna do mischief things, crazy things that we don't understand.

But if you remember who you are, probably did the same thing.

So, with that said, I want to pass off the mic to some of my young men because they want them, a couple of them wanted to speak and discuss this event, and of course, discuss why they're here.

My little cousin.

Gian, come on up to the mic, my man.

Hello, everybody.

Hello.

Thank you for coming.

I wanna thank my friends here for coming out today for helping with this turkey drive.

I couldn't do it without them, even though I tried.

So I'm actually thankful that they're here with me.

Thank you.

Okay.

Yeah, everybody doing the day.

Um I'm just thankful I was able to feed a lot of families and um give a lot of turkeys to a lot of happy homes.

And if it wasn't happy, I could turn it happy by giving them a turkey when they can't afford it.

But I'm just glad everybody get to eat and with their family and enjoy the Thanksgiving.

Yeah.

I really got a lot of disabled.

I'm just saying I'm real thankful.

My name is Diaz, by the way.

Well I that's the guys.

That's the team, Coomba Academy.

Pritchard Academy.

Okay.

And um I think that's about it up here.

Yes.

I didn't mention earlier.

I got my cousin.

He was the first one on the mic.

Uh, Courtney Chris, where you at Courtney Chris?

I don't think I acknowledge you.

Thank you.

Courtney Chris for bringing my man, little cuz.

He came a long way very proud of you.

Let's keep up the good work, gentlemen, and thank you for having us.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, I'd like to thank you.

Hold on one second, please, gentlemen.

I'd like to thank T Warren.

Um, I called him night before, texting, and he said, Don't worry, I'll be there.

And I did see you early in the morning, and kudos to you for keeping another generation, because you always had a different group.

And thanks to you, and thanks to the young men for coming out, continuing the turkey drive that twin bee brown started.

My brother picked it up from there, and it's been on and on in city council.

So it is a history with the turkey drive.

And it didn't just start with Norman, it started with Twin B.

So thanks a lot.

Council member Willower.

I I want to thank um all the young people who came out.

You just show a lot of leadership.

That was a tough day.

I wasn't there for all of it.

I just um was there for part of it, but you were there for all of it, and it was a lot of work, and I just want to say um thank you for making it happen for so many families.

Also wanna thank you um T Warren just for always understanding the importance of uh instilling instilling in our young men.

Um, you know, giving back to their community.

You know, we say that we gave away that we um distributed 2500 turkeys, but you know, if we're honest with ourselves, um these young men right here probably distributed like 2400 of them all by themselves.

I mean it was an incredible scene if you were there to see them in the back of that pickup truck, just jumping off and handing those turkeys out.

Uh I mean there were so many volunteers, so we hate to single any group out, but they were doing such a fantastic job.

Some of the volunteers they left because they were like me.

The kids, the kids got it, and it was it was a really good feeling knowing that like our younger generation, you know, they that you guys have it.

So and you guys could have stayed home.

I think you had the day off of school, but you decided to come and help.

So that says a lot about who you are.

So so thank you so much, young man.

Keep up the great work.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I'd like to um call up um indigenous visuals for the Jet magazine.

Um former president Hanifa Shabazz, um guys in the back.

Uh this is a resolution um to honor 74 years of the ebony in the jet magazine.

If you um remember the jet uh ebony magazine, a lot of people were afro's then.

Would you like to come up with your afro?

Miss Um, and I know her name of mine.

Miss Um, and I know her name I'm I can't sure come up.

This is a milestone.

This is sponsored, Councilwoman Xanthalliver and Councilmember Bracey.

Um it's the Census City Council to honor individuals and organizations and for a significant milestone.

It demonstrates the outstanding achievement and deserving of recognition, acknowledgement from Xanthea Oliver and Councilman Bracie wishes to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Ebony and the 74th Ebony Magazine and the 74th anniversary of Jet Magazine as such occasion.

Whereas the Ebony Magazine was launched on November 1945, two months after the end of World War II, the magazine gained normality, nority as a monthly publication for black lives and contributing across the regions and generations.

Ebony magazine published 2500 copies of the magazine's first issue, but by 2005, the magazine had the audience for more than over 10 million readers.

And whereas the Jet magazine released its first issue in 1951, over time, the weekly news could not be the weekly news was astonishing, and you could find the magazine and salons, barbershops, coffee shops around the country.

Including 1969 article that offered a deep look into the National Guards patrolling and Wilmington, Delaware, with the significance and the signature of beauty of the black future, as it is consistent showcasing accomplishments of African Americans when women define confidence and standards of beauty.

And whereas John Johnson, publisher of both Ebony and Jet maintained a steadfast commitment to providing positive images for blacks in the world of negative images.

Bless you.

And non-presence today, a consortium that includes the Smithsonian Institution is responsible for preserving more than 3.535.

Me and archived negatives and slides from the Johnson Publishing Company archive for current and future generations.

And whereas the legacies of Ebony and Jet remain deeply influential today, continuing to inspire conversations on equity, identity, community empowerment, and the ongoing fight for social progress.

Both magazines' iconic features and thought-provoking stories not only highlighted the accomplishments of African American artists, entrepreneurs, educators, political leaders, trailblazers across generations, but also created opportunities for African American journalists, photographers, and creatives whose work has shaped American media and our city as noted behind.

The City of Wilmington recognizes the enduring importance of preserving the legacy of media platforms that have advanced representation and empowered generations.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Wilmington that this council recognizes the Ebony and Jet magazine's leadership in media diversity and celebrates Wilmingtonians who have worked diligently to uplift African American voices and perspectives locally.

Job well done.

Because in it there were pictures about what was happening in the black community across the diaspora.

So it was a history book for us.

And if you do Google it and go and find, maybe go into a library to look for the jet, you'll be amazed at the pictures you would see of what was happening in the African American community across the country.

And knowing that helps us help me to shape as to who I was because I, you know, we I was from the east side.

I didn't get a chance to see what was going on out in the whole world, but reading the ebony and the jet, that was one subscription that we found money to pay for it.

In fact, it wasn't that expensive.

Um, and if you didn't have it in your household, some some family shared it so that we all could see what the what was going on in our community.

Um, so keeping your history and knowing your history is so so important because if you don't know where you came from, you don't know where you're going.

And I really emphasize to our young people to know that you have an amazing, outstanding cultural history.

You are the greatest there is.

I know you're council member Johnson, I apologize.

I just wanted to say I appreciate uh President uh Shabbas and uh the living legends who are up there.

This is a really uh again instructive for the youth, uh especially when we have independent and uh legacy media fading.

It's important to uh you know talk to those who who are used to looking at the news because I I grew up in the same household, uh, grew up in the 80s and 90s and seeing the Jet magazine, it was that ebony, and it was the Daily News, Philadelphia Daily News for me growing up.

So uh this is uh something that we should focus on, and we do support independent media um with city council, and something that we continue to stress because if our stories aren't told, they're gonna be hidden.

Um, so so job well done and look forward to 75 more years of the magazine.

Thank you.

Okay, next um we have um the Civil Rights Voting Act, um, which this is the 60th um anniversary of that.

I would like for um Mr.

Hornman Carey to come up, um, former Jim Mayor Baker, please come up and Joey uh in the back, Josie Miss Rory, and could you please come up?

You and he was here for come right on back up.

That's right.

Please feel free to come over here.

These were individuals who lived through the civil rights back in the day.

Had not been for them fighting for us, we wouldn't be here today.

Come on up.

I appreciate y'all coming out this time of night in this cold weather.

Uh it goes to show you how important it is.

And see, these these are soldiers.

These are our people's shoulders we stand on.

And look how they came out tonight, and they're not even complaining about the cold weather.

And I'm like, it's so cold out here, I can't believe people came out.

But um, this is the weather they're used to for fighting for our rights.

Um, they've been through a lot, but I just appreciate them coming out.

Um, this is the Civil Rights Voting Act Um 60th um year.

So I'm the sponsor as well as Councilman Brace, and whereas it's the Census City Council to honor individuals and organizations and milestones that have demonstrated outstanding achievement and are deserving of recognition and acknowledgement.

Councilmember Xanthia Oliver and the Tris Bracey wishes to acknowledge the 60th year since the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965, as such an occasion.

Whereas the Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed into law on July the 2nd, 1964, stands as one of the most transforming pieces of legislation in American history.

It also affirmed the nation's promise for equal protection under the law, legalizing this dismantling legalizing discrimination and expanding civil rights protection for millions, including the rights and residents of the city of Wilmington, which was once uh Jim Crow state.

And whereas the Civil Rights Act of 1965 signed on August 6, 1965 broke down generations, bears and restricted African Americans from existing exercising their constitutional rights to vote about outlaw and discriminations.

The Act established federal oversight and enforcement mechanisms designed to guarantee fair access to the ballot box, thereby strengthening American democracy and advancing political empowerment throughout the nation, including Wilmington's historically black neighborhoods, and whereas the passage of these laws reflect the tireless efforts of civil rights leaders, advocates, and citizens who fought to secure equal rights, fair treatment under the law, and meaningful participation in local and national civic life, these watershed moments in American history continue to shape the nation's pursuit of equality and opportunity.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Wilmington that this council is pleased to commemorate the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, more than six decades ago, and to commend the leaders in our city who have demonstrated courage, determination, and dedication to ensuring that the principles of equality and democracy established by these two acts took hold in the city of Wilmington and the state of Delaware.

Job well done.

And before I turn the mic back over to Councilwoman Oliver, I would just like to say thank you, Councilwoman Oliver, for this reminder of what we are facing today, and we are in jeopardy of losing because currently there are folks, and we all know who they are that are trying to take us back before this.

So it's a good reminder of where we came from and where we need to fight to stay.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Good evening.

First, uh president of City Council and the uh members.

Um it's the honor, and I feel humbled tonight to come to be invited to come to receive this this evening.

I just want to say that it's important that we recognize and understand our civil rights.

It's a protection of our freedom against discrimination, unequal treatment, and a lot of the issues that we are facing today.

So we must continue our fight, and our fight is not over.

It seems like it's just starting again.

So we must continue our fight and make sure that we do protect our civil rights because that is our freedoms, and that is something that we must protect.

Thank you so much.

Next, we're gonna have the honorable Harman Carey.

President Trippy Congo, members of council, and ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls in the audience.

Very pleased to uh receive this honor, and I want to especially thank Mary, Samphia.

Canthia Oliver.

Worried me to death, wouldn't tell me why.

I want to talk to you.

Well, thank you.

I like surprises.

But I do want to take just a couple of minutes to underline some of the things that have already been said, but not to repeat them.

I told uh former council president Shabazz that she took the words out of my mouth.

Not exactly.

That we are doing some things in terms of black history, preserving it, but we're not doing enough.

Wilmington is the east side is Wilmington's most historic neighborhood.

Why do I say that?

Because in 1639, 38, the Swedes landed on the 7th Street Peninsula.

Where is it located?

On the east side of Wilmington.

The next month, a black slave from Angola was brought over here on the Vogel Grip.

The Swedes that brought him here went back to Sweden.

He stayed.

So that means he was Wilmington's first black citizen, a black man, black Anthony.

The first black church was in on established on the east side, easy in.

Peter Spencer established the first independent black church, Mother AUF C M P church.

They were located on French Street.

The Easy In at 9th and French and the AUMP Church between 8th and 9th on French.

It's also noteworthy that this church established the oldest black festival in America, August quarterly in 1813, I do believe.

These are significant firsts.

And part of the reasons why I consider Wilmington's East Side the most historic neighborhood in the city of Wilmington.

But does too often it has been overlooked.

I remember Calvin Hamilton.

He designed the extension to Bethel AME Church, which was the first AME church in the state of Delaware.

Listen to me, y'all.

Listen to me.

James Postels, Thomas Postal, first black city councilman.

Hattie Fellon, first black female city councilman, off on the east side.

Now the city found a way when an historic building on the west side fell into disrepair.

And they paid thousands of dollars to save Gibraltar.

You all know what I'm talking about.

But the LIKE building has sat there empty for years for years, since I raised the $300,000 and gave it to the city through MBA to buy that building to establish an African American heritage center.

If they could find almost an over a million dollars for Gibraltar, why couldn't the city find some money for the LIKE building?

You all understand what I'm saying.

Okay.

But I would like you to consider establishing an African American commission on history and our heritage to consider establishing that.

Thank you.

Okay.

Next we have Mayor Baker.

Uh, and I have to um give respect to Mayor Baker.

I meet with him at least once or twice a week.

And he was the one who reminded me of all these milestones.

So it's always good to talk to people who know history.

Thank you again, Mayor Baker.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, members of council.

It's very interesting because this evening you have three former, you have the current president, but you have two former presidents of city council present.

So I think that's pretty good.

I think the most important thing that people have to realize about these two civil rights acts is that they actually implemented the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution because after they were passed in the 1800s, and the country did nothing about implementing them.

They allowed violence, they allowed discrimination, they allowed all kinds of hatred to take place.

And it spread not just in the former Confederacy, it spread across every part of the United States from east, west, north, south.

It didn't matter.

These two bills implemented equal protection and also the citizenship of African Americans.

You have not been a citizen of this country until 1964.

You can talk about the passages, but they don't mean anything.

And the 65 and the original, remember only African American men could vote because it wasn't for women.

So I like to appreciate uh Xanthia for following through on this.

And uh I think if you want to remember African American history, we had two million dollars appropriated, never got spent.

Went out of business.

So I think that if you're going to do it, be serious about it.

And it does cost money.

City can do it.

The building's been there for God knows how long.

Since uh oh god, I know the turn of the century.

Because he was uh president of the city since 1996.

Yeah, he was the president of the African-American uh history society.

But anyway, I just think that if you really are serious about all these things, they're possible.

You just have to work together and figure out ways to do this.

So thank you very much for recognizing this, and I could go on about what we do and what we don't do and why we don't do it and why it is that we need to teach young people their history and why it's so difficult to get things done.

It isn't easy.

So thank you very much, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilmembers for where she disappeared.

But oh, there you okay.

Thank you.

Oh, by the way, you ought to thank uh Harmon for the naming of the Jazz Festival.

See, I proposed it to the former the former mayor, and he didn't want it.

So this guy came to me one day and he says, Why isn't this named after uh Clifford Brown?

I said, Uh the mayor doesn't want.

So he wrote me a letter, and I went in to meet with the mayor, and I said, Look, and he looked at me and he said, All right, all right, I'll do it, but not till after the election.

But it got done.

Well, for coming in, and everybody here got a little bit of history tonight.

I appreciate y'all.

I call Herman gets on his nerves.

I call Joe, but I appreciate y'all answering my call, and I try to stress everybody.

If you want to know some history, you have to call people who lived it.

Thanks a lot.

Of course.

Thank you.

In the way of sympathy resolutions from Councilmember Bracey.

A sympathy resolution for Cornelia Madri from Councilwoman Kerbera.

A sympathy resolution for Reverend James Thomas Kirk Jr.

From Councilmember Oliver.

Sympathy resolutions for Theola Smith Moore and Catherine Butler.

And from Councilman Spadola, a sympathy resolution for Patrick Francis Little.

Before we do begin public comment, I would just like to make a motion to extend public comment past 730.

So motion.

Second.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

So at this time we are going to begin our public comment.

Please remember that you do have a time, a three-minute time frame when you have around 30 seconds left.

I will give you a friendly reminder.

Please also remember to introduce yourself for those of you who are virtual and want to get public comment.

First, we have Deacon Earl Tate.

Greetings, folks.

And I'm gonna say, I want to say just what I was talking to you about the last week, it happened this week.

A child was on its way to school, walking to school, and the school, and the school was about two blocks, two blocks and a half away from his house.

Not to pull off, but she pulled off anyway.

She pulled off anyway and hit and hit this young hit this young child.

She hit him, stood there a little bit, and then went on, then went on her way.

But you see, like you see what you see, like this is the this is what I was talking about.

The people don't take their time at driving.

They're in such a rush to get nowhere.

They're in such a rush to get to the grave, get to their grave.

Why you in a hurry to get to your grave?

You got plenty enough time to do that.

Take time take time out and slow down.

Slow down your driving.

Slow down because this is this is the reason why I say we need speed bumps in certain places in Wilmington and we need we need more crossing guards and so forth out there.

Uh uh out there out there to make sure to make sure that our kids grow up, grow grow up to see to see the future because without them, there will be no future.

So, like, so like we need um, we need them and and most of all, most of all teaching up teaching them respect at home so that so that they could carry it out.

Like, like these kids right here, these kids right here, show show show showed that they had that they had the proper teaching of respect.

But 30 seconds, but we got to we got we got to slow down because don't be in a hurry to get to your grave.

You got plenty enough time to do that.

Slow down and have and have a beautiful holiday, everybody, and see y'all next year.

Thank you.

Next, virtually, WITN.

We have uh Roberta.

Happy Holmes, happy holidays, Mr.

Thank you.

Okay, I'm sorry.

All right.

Thank you for joining us, Roberta.

Please introduce yourself.

Um, good evening, everyone.

Um, good evening, President Congo and City Council.

Um, my name is Roberta.

Um, are you all able to hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

Thank you.

Um, I want to thank the ones who are working with the young people first.

That's taking some of my time.

And one of the things he said about children will do things, and my mind thought of a scripture says foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but guidance will draw it away.

So I want to thank you all for working with the young people.

Um, I live 715 North Monroe.

I don't know if I'm gonna be able to get it out.

Um, right next to 7th and a half street, which I'm sure most of you are very familiar with.

There's two things I want to um talk about the homeless and the drugs.

Um 4th of July.

If I was literally traumatized, some of us literally traumatized, but what happened?

You know those who hang out um here on our property, and many hang out on the church property to come get high used drugs, some are not homeless.

Um, it's considered the meetup spot where you can come get high, hang out, whatever.

I love them dearly, I do.

And many of them know I love them, yet they also know my take on the behavior.

Um, if I sit back and just watch all of it and just do nothing, just keep my mouth shut and say nothing.

Ain't no love in that.

And watching people destroy themselves and me remain silent.

That's not love.

Part of love requires discipline, correction, and sacrifice.

It's like watching a child run down the street after a ball, cards come in, and I don't try to save that child.

I don't try to do something, but I say I love them.

There's no love in that.

It's no love in that.

Three people literally overdose on our lawn this past summer.

Also laying in the driveway, 7th minute Hair Street.

Also on the church property steps.

I can't count how many times I've had to call 911 to come and revive these people.

I've sent certified letters to the former mayor's office too.

I've walked in handed to condom unkind some of them.

I've came into the city council.

I spoke with Tracy Owens, I think she passed the information on, and it just gets worse and worse and worse and worse.

Yeah, 30 seconds.

A lot.

They'll come talk to them once in a blue, don't make a move, literally in the opening shooting drugs.

I had to God, they pooped on our wall, excuse me.

You have 10 seconds.

Um a guy laying in the driveway with a needle sticking out of his stomach, and children have to see this.

We have to see this.

We shouldn't have to live in this.

It's unsafe.

I almost got attacked, literally, a couple years ago, taking my recycle bin out.

Had it not been for people coming down the street, I don't know where I would be at today.

Miss Roberta.

Yes.

Thank you.

I know you're very passionate and concerned about uh the neighborhood's well-being, but you have gone past your your time frame, so I'm gonna ask you just to wrap up your public comment.

Oh, okay.

So I'm just hoping that they will really take this serious and do something about it.

Not just ride through and not do anything, but literally clean it up because it's not safe.

And and it and it's not good for them.

They need help, and we just turn a blind eye to it.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Next in Council Chambers.

Um we have Ray Siegfried.

Thank you for joining us.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and members of city council.

Um, good afternoon.

My name is Ray Siegfried, and I'm a state senator.

And I am here today to support council member Shane Derby's resolution on the plumber community correction center.

Now, I do not live in Wilmington.

I I live in Arden, just a few miles north of the city.

But let me be clear.

One need not live in the city to recognize the importance of this community center and that it remains in the city of Wilmington.

That is why it's called the Plumber Community Correction Center and not just a correction center.

Some uh some people in our state argue that the building is too old, that we need to consolidate the service, maybe in Smyrna, Dover, and perhaps even in Sussex County.

And if we close the building, we can reduce the budget by over a million dollars, and possibly over time uh for the department to save even more money.

The department has over seven million uh approved capital renovation for this building, but if it's closed, that money will be moved to other facilities.

Now, these facts accurately reflect the department's budget.

They contribute to a more efficient state government by doing things right, but at the same time, miss the opportunity of doing the right thing of being effective.

There is more to this than a building, more to this than a department budget, and certainly more than following a simple national trend.

Those of us that that uh support the plumber uh center being in Wilmington, uh we we see the building, but we also see people and the services provided right here in the city in their neighborhood, and yes, in their community.

To be part of a community, one must live in the same place, share a fellow fellowship attitude and interest.

Now, I am sure that Smyrna, Dover, and Sussex County all have communities that are distinctly different than the community here in Wilmington.

The Plumber Community Correction Center provides essential services and programs for um people getting out and being acclimated as good citizens.

I encourage members of city council to vote yes on this resolution.

Please join us, join us, and I I guarantee you that I you have my commitment to fight to keep plumber open.

And if that means introducing legislation in Dover, you better believe it.

That's what I'm gonna do.

So I appreciate your support, and thank you very much for this opportunity.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Next, uh virtually we have Dutch Hopkins, Dutch Hopkins.

WITN DC Dutch Hopkins.

We do not raise his hand.

Dutch Hopkins, if you are still with us virtually, please raise your hand.

Dutch Hopkins, thank you for joining us.

Hello.

Yes, Dutch Hopkins.

We we can hear you.

My name is uh last name is Knox.

I actually work for the Delaware Department of Corrections, and I just wanted to say, first of all, thank you for the opportunity um to speak.

Uh second, I want to say this, and I said it before.

Um Plumber Center is more than just uh institution, it's um a re-entry for people who don't have proper skills to function in the community.

I've been there for 18 years.

Um, and so I know firsthand.

I work with them, I talk with them, I've seen them cry.

I've talked to their parents.

Um, we need this in Wilmington.

Taking this out of Wilmington would be a travesty.

Um, second, I want to say we keep saying Plumber Center is an old building.

Plumber center is comprised of several buildings.

Um, the oldest one being the Rhodes Building, which is not even in use.

People don't know that.

The buildings that are at Plumber Center were built in 1986 and 1987.

These are facts.

The roads building is the oldest building that's on the plumber center ground, not being utilized.

We need to know that.

So we can stop calling Plumber Center a century-year-old building because that's not the case.

It's about six different buildings on the campus of Plumber Center.

With that being said, having those guys go to Smyrna to work, I mean to uh jail or whatever, and then come to Wilmington to work is not gonna work.

That's not gonna work.

Um they're saying they're gonna provide transportation.

The transportation's not gonna work because these guys have jobs that call and say, hey, can we keep them for a couple of more hours?

If you have transportation already halfway on the road, and then the job calls and say, oh, we need them to stay for some more hours.

Nobody's gonna turn back around, go to the institution, and then come back and pick these guys up.

They're gonna be in Smyrna or at CCTC out there waiting for a bus in an area they're not familiar with, which makes them sitting sitting ducks for people to mess with them, for people to harass them.

They don't know where they are.

You know, and I just want everybody to consider to uh follow Ms.

Darby to follow the senator, and let's keep Plumber Center open.

I stand behind it, I work there, I love it.

I love what I do, and thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you.

Next in Council Chambers, we have H.

Ralston.

How are you doing?

Good, good, how are you?

Thank you for joining us.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

Yes, good evening.

My name's Holland Ralston Jr.

And I'm speaking in reference to the plumber house.

Um the plumber house is a work release facility.

When I was there in 88 or 81, it gave me some stability as far as uh place to stay.

Uh they also helped me secure employment at that particular time.

They had DuPont coming there and picking people out for day work, and I work with I guess Henry DuPont on his horse farm a while.

But that's just to say that it's an opportunity to re-engage in the community.

But really, where it takes my mind and my heart is here.

It sounds so strange to be wanting to close down a plumber center, work release center in the city of Wilmington.

It just sounds so strange.

So to me, it it kind of signals that maybe they have too many empty beds down in Smyrna or the Vaughan Correctional Institution, and they're trying to refill those build those beds or something along those lines.

That's how it kind of sounds to me.

But my real heartfelt suggestion would be why don't you tear down some of those buildings in Smyrna?

If you don't have enough inmates to fill the beds, that means you need to get rid of some of those W buildings and C buildings down there in the Vaughan Correctional Institution and keep the plumber center here in Wilmington because it's very helpful for the community.

It's like something that's been there, it's it's a cornerstone in the community, really.

And without that, uh guys are gonna have more problems trying to fit back into society.

You're making it too difficult for no reason.

You're talking about living in Sussex County, you work and live in Wilmington back and forth four hours a day and just traveling time.

The whole idea just sounds ridiculous to me.

So I'm looking for the heading, hitting secrets in this plan that the state has sprung on us.

And to me, again, it's just that they don't have enough inmates in their uh correctional centers, and they're trying to fill them up.

So let's not let them close the plumber center.

Let's fight for it as hard as we can because we know we need it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Next virtually, I think she might be in the building.

Deborah Mason.

She's in Council Chambers.

Deborah Mason, thank you for joining us.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Dr.

Deborah Mason.

Um, and I currently oversee the community public safety initiative for the city of Wilmington.

Um, I just wanted to uh speak briefly about the importance of the plumber center remaining in the city of Wilmington and what has what it has done for what it has done for the city of Wilmington.

Um I work for the Department of Correction for over 10 years, um, and I know the importance of the plumber staying where it's at.

Um, I have spent years working directly in Wilmington's most impacted neighborhoods, coordinated violence and eruption, managing data-driven public safety initiatives, and building trust with resortifs who have long felt forgotten from that vantage point.

Closing the plumber center is not just a logistical decision, it is a public safety mistake.

Often men will abscond from level four facilities.

If we move them to Smyrna or even further down Delaware, they are gonna abscond on a regular basis.

Because the officers are required to go out and find these individuals, not just level five correctional officers, but also probation officers are often tasked to go find these individuals in the community, as well as police officers who may also be at risk because these individuals are now back in the community.

They don't want to be re-arrested, so there is no telling what they're going to do to stay free.

The plumber center is not simply a building, it is stabilizing president present presence.

It is a safe, predictable space in a community where instability is often a norm.

And my work overseeing community-based interventions.

I have seen again and again that when we remove safe spaces, we increase risk, risk of violence, risk of disengagement, and risk of future trauma.

My doctorate research is on trauma-induced recidivism.

One of the things that I have proven is that an individual who has high levels of trauma is more likely to return to prison, regardless of how many re-entry programs they engage in.

If they have high levels of trauma, they're going to go back to jail.

I know many of you do not want to recognize this, but the plumber center is a protective factor in the city of Wilmington.

A lot of times, individuals will go to their counselors, to the correctional officers, to probation officers, and say, what's next?

What do I need to do?

Where do I go?

I've never experienced this level of direction, this level of support, and the boundaries that plumber center places on a lot of these individuals' lives, they have never experienced ever.

So a lot of times we take this for granted, and we do not understand that the plumber center is just not serving as a safety space, it's also serving as a space that is giving these individuals an opportunity to rebuild, to regrow, and to establish themselves once they are released from prison.

If we send them to Smyrna, this is a big mistake for DOC, for the city of Wilmington, and for the state of Delaware.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, uh virtually we have Devin Woods.

Devin Woods.

Okay.

HR.

Oh, Harmon Kerry.

Oh, okay.

Um Brown.

I'm gonna decline to speak this evening.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Tony Dunn.

Thank you for joining us.

And please remember to introduce yourself.

Tony Dunn, 2500 Civic Association, Second District.

Also a former uh inmate of the level four settings from Georgetown all the way to Wilmington.

I don't know why they didn't, the state did not let City Council know what their goals was and what their objectives was the closing down the plumber center, the only level four recidivan rate rate community center for corrections in Delaware.

It's not making sense other than money.

Every meeting that I've been to, they're talking about money.

Maybe $4,000.

We can scrape that up from anywhere, selling drugs, selling people's homes.

When it comes to the people, the governor is always said that he trusts and he believes in making poor people better.

So I hope that City Council gets behind Representer Shine Darby and the Senator and let the governor know we're not asking for the plumber center to remain open.

We're demanding for it to stay open.

It is a beacon of the city of Wilmington.

Poor people, not just the city, poor people.

You've been taking things from the poor people too long.

You have taken communities from us.

It's not fair to us as people that still pay taxes like everybody else.

Our children that get in trouble may need that plumber center.

It helps.

It helps us mentally, physically, financially.

Why are you trying to take it?

Everything that we get in our community that works, it seems like the state wants to take it away.

We need this for our own selves to get better.

Don't we want to be and have the opportunity to be great like people that are in office?

We put you here in office to do for us.

We're not, nobody in Wilmington is gonna make it going to Georgetown in Dover and having to come back this way.

That's two and a half hours one way.

I tour cars coming back and forth to up that highway.

I got tickets coming back and forth up that highway, trying to get back before I get sent back over the fence to Georgetown prison.

It's just not gonna work for the people of Wilmington.

And I hope that everybody that hears me today, write your congressman, write your state representative, and demand them to keep the plumber center open.

Thank you.

Next we have Carmen Silva.

Before I make a comment, I would like to comment on both um resolutions tonight.

Is that okay?

Sure.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Carmen Silva.

I am a long-term homeowner of in the 5th district, West Side Hilltop.

I had lived in my home for over 45 years.

I am here tonight because I am mentally and emotionally exhausted from dealing with the overwhelming property tax issues created by the recent reassessment.

And like so many of my neighbors, I'm still trying to figure out how I will find the money to keep up.

The dream of aging in place and retiring without financial fear is slipping away.

Yet here we are facing bills we cannot afford, and the program still has not been implemented.

I'm urging you to support this resolution fully and to press the city to implement the homeowners' tax abatement programs immediately and without changes.

This relief is not optional, it's necessary and it's overdue.

I want to know when will residents' voices be heard.

When will the needs of our community be respected and put first?

Why does it seem that our council continues to protect the wealthy while Burton falls on those of us who have built this city, paid into it for decades, and simply want to stay in our homes.

This affects me, my family, my neighbors, and the entire community.

We're not asking for special treatment.

We're asking for fairness for stability and for the city to keep its promise.

Please implement this program now, exactly as it was passed, so that long-time homeowners like myself.

Are not pushed out of the neighborhood, but they help build.

And quickly, with the plump for the plumber center, um I'm here in support of Darby.

Yeah, okay.

Um resolution.

Um, my nephew will be deeply affected by this.

He is currently incarcerated.

Um, I know that this plumber center is a critical resource for rehabilitation and re-entry for Wilmington residents.

Closing it without transparency and without reimbursement investment plan is unacceptable.

Closing the plumber center will tear families away from their support systems, worsen their re-entry outcomes, and ultimately harm our community.

My nephew, like so many others, needs proximity programs and family support, not distance and disruption.

We need decisions that help people rebuild their lives, not policy that makes rehabilitation harder.

I'm asking you to stand with the community and urge the governor to pause the closure, listen to the residents, and follow through on this request.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, everyone, even citizens of Wilmington.

Thank you so much, all of you, for this opportunity.

Um, I just have a short prayer, and um I got here a little late, but I appreciate this opportunity.

And this is what the prayer says, and I would like to add that to the prayer because I know city council opens with the prayer.

I can't think of anything better to do, especially this time of the year.

So it says, Dear God, thank you for the good leaders in our lives.

We pray for those who need your help to lead well.

I'd like to thank those and also pray.

I hope we pray for those who need his help to lead well.

Um, City Council has a lot of issues before them.

Um, and I'm hoping that the resolutions this evening and all the great things, resolutions that city council has given out to people who have tried to make this a better place to live.

I think I'm hoping that's a prognosis for next year, so that you will those who did not lead well, that we pray that you do, and that things will be a lot better for the people, we the people.

The last thing I want to say is is that I do listen to a song, Oh Holy Night, and it's by the temptations.

And one of the verses in the song that I really like, it says, Change shall he bring.

He said, for the slave is our brother.

So if we look at a lot of things that have been happening, the people that we have set aside and named them and identified them and did whatever.

Are they not our brothers?

So thank you so much.

And I'm hoping that city council will bring the change that the temptations are talking about that he brings.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment for this evening.

We want to thank everyone who came up and gave public comment.

Please remember that you're always welcome to do so every first and third Thursday.

And you can be in council chambers with us, or you can be virtual.

This time we're going to move on to legislative business.

Councilmember Darby.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 25-069, agenda number 0153, whereas the Plumber Center Community Correction.

I move this resolution B receive, recorded, and filed and adopted by a Yay and A vote.

Second.

The resolution be received, recorded, filed, and adopted by Yay and A vote on the question.

Yeah.

So this piece of resolution, um, in short, is urging um Governor Mayor, uh, Matt Myers, um, to pause the closure of the plumber center.

Um, so literally maybe a month ago, a few weeks ago, um, through the community, I, as a city council person found out that the plumber center was set to be closed March of 2026.

Um, and in that, one, a decision was made about something in the city of Wilmington without engaging Wilmington City Council at all in that decision making.

The community was not involved in that decision making, which is very disturbing.

It is heartbreaking.

Um, and it's actually quite disrespectful.

Um, and since finding out, I have made it my duty to make as many people aware that this is happening.

Um, I have completed a FOIA request because I want to understand who was a part of these decision making.

They said this has been in conversation um over a year, so this would have um been under started under Governor Carney, who is now our mayor.

Um, I think people should be held accountable for the decisions that they make.

Um, so I'm I'm looking to FOIA.

We have an organizational letter going around um the community.

We have people signing on petitions happening to stop it.

Why?

Why does this matter, right?

Wilmington is the heart of Delaware, and we keep getting extracted all of our resources.

We have gentrification happening, and not even just racial, but economically.

We have high high water, high rent, high electricity, high concentration of poverty, education.

That conversation is happening now.

Our children cannot, most of our children cannot read, can't do two plus two.

They're struggling.

We have high issues of um homelessness, a lot of our shelters shut down over the last few years.

We're just experiencing a whole bunch of social ills, and it has not improved over the last few years of me sitting here on city council.

This is so frustrating for me that I'm even sitting here tonight, um, having this conversation.

But in and in all be all, as I've been talking about for the last few weeks, we do not need to close it.

It is going to hurt the city of Wilmington.

It is gonna hurt the people, and more more than anything, it is gonna hurt the men who are coming home who did their time.

They did their time, they're coming home to a work release program trying to reintegrate back into society, and then we're going to shift them down to Sussex County, disconnected away from their family and a culture, and we're gonna be frank here, Sussex County.

We all know Sussex County is super racist.

We know Super Count Um Sussex County has a different culture.

We know that they treat Womatonians different, and to ship our men, majority Womitonians, majority black and brown men down to Sussex County away from their support system in a very unwelcoming racist culture.

I can't support it.

And I know as a city council person, I don't have the power to pass legislation or or authoritative power like the governor, but I'm gonna use my voice in every way I can to highlight this because when if it does close, because today our governor announced at a graduation that the closure is continuing after the community is saying we do not want it.

And I also want people to remember during election time when people pander to us in the black vote.

I want y'all to remember how and what they think of you as they are elected.

I really want you guys to remember this because as we continue to fight, our voices aren't being heard right now.

We do we deserve a level four facility within the city of Wilmington.

We we can go to a different building.

We can stay in the building we are in, but we need a level four facility within the city of Wilmington boundary lines.

We need to make sure we also have a conversation about what work release looks like in the city of Wilmington.

I do think we can improve on what that looks like because I'm not saying it's perfect.

I am not saying that all of the men in there are, you know, have jobs and it's a perfect program.

It's it's not, right?

But how can we improve it?

How do we keep it here in Wilmington?

How do we keep families close?

There's no data to support what they're doing is going to improve their lives at all.

All data points that do not take people from their home.

Keep them close to home, close to their support system, and do not put them in unwelcoming cultures and environments.

So I want to open it up to my council colleagues for their.

I know over the last few weeks, I know y'all probably tired of me talking about the plumber center.

Um, but definitely want to hear from my council colleagues and hopefully I have their support tonight to urge Governor Matt Meyer to pause the closure.

I'm also talking to state representatives.

I put the Congresswoman on alert, our senators on alert, our um Newcastle County executive, the Newcastle County um council people.

I have reached out to everyone, the D9, every organization you can think of to let them know that they need to be a part of this conversation to get this closure to be paused and for us to talk about keeping it in Wilmington and looking at work release and improving that.

Thank you.

Councilmember Johnson.

Uh I would like to co-sponsor this.

Um I think this is a uh it's a smart move to make the state be creative.

Um, I don't think I need to talk about how um bad uh um re-entry is still in this state.

Um, you know, people typically prefer to be in prisons in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, other entities because you can get college degrees, master's degrees in other states.

You can't do that in Delaware because they don't want to give opportunity to those who are incarcerated.

And uh it's sad, and me personally, right now, one of my wife's cousins is in Gander Hill, and we're trying to plan and figure out uh what transition looks like, and it's tough because Delaware does not have the resources.

So we we solely cannot strip more resources away.

I agree that we have plenty of other vacant commercial buildings.

I have some on the west side if you want to take a look at them.

Yeah, plenty of places where we can have a new house.

You shut that building down if you want.

But there's another place in the community where you can be.

So I just really uh urge our state representatives to be creative.

Your job is to be creative, solve problems.

That's why we're in the seats, solve problems, and we have to solve difficult problems.

And we've worked our butts off the past few years to make violent crime go down.

You know, we've gone up to New Jersey, going to other entities, going to other cities.

All of us have been working.

And you're making our job harder now.

So that's the disrespect we get from the state.

So uh, whatever we gotta do, uh follow up on this, we gotta make sure this happens.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens.

Yes, the Plumber Center is in the first district.

Um, and over the last few weeks, I've had conversations with individuals who work at the Plumber Center, individuals who have been residents at the Plumber Center, and individuals who live in the neighborhood surrounding the Plumber Center.

And all of them have made it very clear that they want to see the Plumber Center stay open, and that the level four work release program that's being done there has been beneficial to turning individuals' lives around.

I heard one story of a young man who's now a supervisor working with the local 199 about the benefits of having a structured program like they do at Plumber that has allowed him not only to be to stay out of jail, but to become very successful and move up in the union.

The stories we've heard, the the workers who pour into the inmates there, you can't recreate that somewhere.

The work that they're saying is going to be mimicked at in Smyrna or in Sussex, that is not the same.

And at the end of the day, what's going to happen after a few years, they're gonna say, all right, we're spending too much money on gas, so now you gotta try to find a job down here, and they're gonna try to pit people on the chicken farms.

That's what's going to happen.

Um, and that is not what we want to see.

We don't want to see our minorities from the city of Wilmington getting pit on chicken farms down there.

This is about creating a better opportunity for individuals not to reoffend, right?

We want to set them up to re enter into society and be active citizens.

And if we take away programs that are actually doing that, we're setting them up for failure.

And the last point the the civic association in which the building is currently in right now is has a petition going around the community in which dozens of people have signed already saying keep the plumber center open.

And this comes after a community meeting that was had in which it was proposed of what could go there next.

And they all heard that and said, No, we want to keep the plumber center open.

I represent that area.

There, I'm on in tune with the residents there, not the developers.

They want to keep it open.

So that's where we have to keep fighting.

Thank you.

Councilmember Oliver, then Councilmember Bursey.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

Um first um I would like to um thank Councilman Darby for her tenacity and you know, not giving up because of uh different people's titles who have told you no when it comes to this plumber center.

Um I was at the um PAL Center when they came out and spoke, and I I I thought it was um disheartening to hear that one gentleman had did 30 years and he was supposed to go to the plumber center the next day, but he had no idea he was going to be shipped to Sussex.

And I'm not gonna repeat uh what Councilman Darby said about success because everybody already knows what it is down there.

But um it makes you um and I used to work with the re-entry program for years with Ronald Beer and Wendell Howe, but it makes you look at um your representatives in Dover differently.

I know I have.

Um we had a lot of COVID money, ARPA money that we will never have again.

And um if it took three million dollars to repair that building, and whoever is on the bond bill or whatever um committee they're on down there, and for them, whoever represents that area not to have heard that it was dwindling down, the numbers was getting lower.

Um, to me, my opinion, it makes me look at them differently.

Um, as if basically to me, not paying attention to your district, um, because if it was Garrett Hill and the third district, I would have heard about it, I would have been on it.

I just think it's sad that you have these gentlemen who a lot of people, people say, Oh, they have somewhere to go.

A lot of people get out of incarceration and they don't have nowhere to go because they have burned so many bridges.

And that level four right there give give gives most of them, uh, if not all of them, time to get on an ankle bracelet, time to, you know, um some of their loved ones or friends meet people and time to reiterate with the um community and get some other services.

But when you just set them out, and I work with a lot of them, I know a lot of them, my district has a lot of them.

They don't have transportation to even go to the supermarket.

How the heck are they gonna have transportation to go to Sussex?

So I know a lot of people in Dover saying it's over, it's over, but one thing I really appreciate about the council in general and um Kobe, it is in your district, um, Councilman Kobe and other members of council who have taken a stand attending meetings and signing off on things.

Um it makes you look at whoever represents that area differently.

Um I just think that it's sad.

Um I sat in there and I heard the guys talk about the ankle braces.

I heard them talk about how shot right has hired so many.

You had employees who even employers who came out and said, Look, these are people we look that work for us.

And to me, I just think it's unfortunate that um the money evidently has gone down to Sussex County when you have majority of um new members that look like the individuals who um are being displaced and no one has really taken a stand beside saying um, well, it's no money for this, no money, but they can find money to, you know, um, you know, fix up Jibalter.

Um, and I don't like to bring that up, you know, mixing apples with oranges, but it is a conversation that's out there.

If you put 3.9 million into debaucher, um, which is a historical building, which I think if somebody can fix it up fine, but you're talking about a building, and now you're talking about lives.

So for that reason, um, it's a no-brainer to me, even if it doesn't go anywhere.

I'm just gonna add that council is having a voice for such a major um topic.

And this is why we're here.

We should be standing strong and together for issues that affect residents at the city of Wilmington.

For that reason, I will be supporting this legislation.

Thank you.

Um I would like to thank uh community activist Tony Dunn, who was with us this evening for uh he he's the first one that brought it to my attention.

Uh he heard about it and he was immediately on it.

He wanted to make sure that that we knew.

He wanted to make sure that the entire city knew.

So I want to thank you, Mr.

Dunn, just for bringing this to light.

And like you said, Councilmember Darby is very disappointing that we had to hear from the community first, and they didn't hear from us that we weren't even we we weren't even included in in the conversation uh around the closing of the plumber center.

I also want to thank um Senator uh Siegfried who was here.

Yes.

Um for you to come and talk and some say some of the things that you did was was brave and I appreciate it.

And you also let us know that there's money in the Capitol um funding for it for the Plumber Center and for the the reasons to be financial, but you're saying that there's money already set aside for the plumber center.

Um that's very alarming, and it should make us all wonder why.

I haven't heard too many people tell us the why, except for the money, and you just kind of debunked that.

So, like what's the real why?

That's that's my question.

And I can share a story.

When I it was in like the mid-80s, I was a young guy, and we had a lot of contracts with with DuPont, and my dad would intentionally go over to the plumber center to get to give those guys some work.

And and so many of those guys, and they came and ended up working with us, and that goes away if that program, if they if they have to move to Sussex.

That opportunity is gone.

There's no there's no way they can be locally hired while they're in the plumber center and then permanently hired when they get out if it's a hundred miles away.

So I don't know, it's just it's very disappointing that we are even having this conversation without being a part of the conversation.

But again, I want to thank the community who showed up.

And and it'll be interesting to see what happens to see what happens the people who can make that decision if they just move forward without regard for their community's needs.

And and I guess if if I keep hearing there's a new, there's a new way of re-entry.

We don't have they don't like the plumber center is outdated.

The theory, like the the I guess the the theory of the plumbing center is is outdated, but that's the case.

Like get rid of all of them.

Why, why have any?

If the plumber center is outdated, if what they do is outdated, why why keep the ones open in Sussex?

So I mean, there's there's so much to to talk about around this, around this topic, and this issue is very um depressing, Mr.

Dunn.

Again, you just put it perfectly, like it Wilmington is always the scapegoat.

Like we're always the ones that that you know, everything is taken from us.

We're always the one who has to settle.

And it's just uh it's it's it's frustrating.

I do want to be a co-sponsor.

I don't know.

I I think at some point, and and one more thing.

It was it was so upsetting to know that council member Darby, when you called your press conference, the way that you were treated, the way that we were treated by the city, by the plumber center.

We uh the way they they the way that they had the police there, the way that they had that they barricaded the the interest way with their vehicles, like we were like we were going to do something violently.

And that was just it's like all we wanted to do was bring attention to it and the way that we were greeted.

I think it spoke volumes of how what they think about us as a city, what they think about city council.

To have a police officer there at a press conference was extremely frustrating.

And people noticed it.

The reporters noticed it.

We noticed it, the community noticed it.

It just says a lot about about how people view the city of Wilmington and how they view us on city council.

And I don't know how in the world there aren't more state elected officials and county elected officials here.

Facts.

I don't know.

I mean, it says a lot, but I'm not gonna keep on rambling.

Councilmember Bracey, I know you want.

Um, I just want to ask to be added as a co-sponsor.

You know, thank you, Councilwoman Darby, for um putting this together.

And and also I want to thank all the other council members and uh, you know, Mr.

Seag representative Senator Siegfried who's here.

But I really want to thank the council members who've said pretty much everything that needs to be said.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Owens.

Yes, I would like to be added as a co-sponsor, and again, um you touched on it a little bit about that press conference.

That shows how they they view people for in Wilmington, and that was a DOC decision to have all those vans out there.

The press conference was on a public sidewalk next to our laundromat that is next door to the facility.

It was not in front of the facility, and that's how they responded to three black elected officials coming to speak out about the closure there.

So that's what DOC thinks of the city of Woman to Thank you.

I'll return back to the sponsor for any closing comments.

Councilmember Bracey, no?

No.

Yeah, me as a co-sponsor.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

I just I'm sorry.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yeah, um, I just wanted to be added as a co-sponsor.

All right, thank you.

Sorry about that.

Councilmember Darby.

Yes, no, thank you.

Um for all the comments and support tonight.

I just think it's time that we as a city council stand up to the state, stand up to the decisions they're making without us.

And it's like someone making decisions about your household and they don't live in your household.

So, you know, this we could do the vote.

Thank you.

Uh Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver?

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson?

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

Nine EAs and four absent.

Declared adopted.

Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I have an ordinance to present and call for the first and second reading.

Ordinance number 25-074, agenda number 0154.

An ordinance to amend Chapter 35 of the City Code to include gender identity as a protected class.

First, second of first reading of the ordinance.

An ordinance to amend Chapter 35 of the City Code to include gender identity as a protected class.

Second reading of the ordinance.

Second.

Second.

It's been properly moved and second that be known as the first and second reading of the ordinance and referred to the finance and economic development committee.

Councilmember Willower.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 25-070, agenda number 0155.

Whereas the City of Wilmington seeks to resolution be received, recorded and filed and accepted by a year or nay vote.

Second.

It's been properly moved and seconded the resolution be received, recorded, filed, and adopted by Gary Nay vote on the question.

So this resolution urges the City of Wilmington to implement a tax relief program for long-term homeowners that council passed over a year ago.

Ordinance 23015 created a property tax abatement program freezing taxes at last year's amount for low and moderate income long-term homeowners who received a 50% or more property tax increase after reassessment.

The homeowner property tax abatement program was meant to go into effect this year, but the city has not yet implemented it.

Now with many homeowners facing tax bills they can't afford, we need to send a message to the city that they should start the program right away.

Launching this homeowner tax relief program is important, is an important part of a larger picture.

First, the assessment was supposed to restore equity, but instead, major corporations like JP Morgan Chase and Delmarva are together paying millions of dollars less that this year while thousands of homeowners are paying more.

This isn't fair.

This fall, Wilmington's mayor announced that many residential assessments, particularly in neighborhoods with more modest homes, are wrong.

And the city is hiring a third party to double check the numbers and recommend corrections to any errors they find.

The homeowner property tax abatement program outlined in ordinance 23015 is targeted to low and moderate income homeowners whose taxes have spiked.

Many of the homeowners who will benefit from this program have gotten tax bills that are hundreds of dollars more than last year on assessed values that the mayor has pointed out are in many cases wrong.

It's the government's job to get the assessments right, and we owe it to these homeowners to keep their taxes stable while the government does its job of fixing the errors.

I'm hoping council members will support this resolution.

Thank you.

Councilmember Johnson.

Um I appreciate um Councilwoman Willa for bringing this to our attention.

Um this does seem to be an executive versus legislative issue.

I was finance chair uh last session when we passed this, and it was passed for this very reason because we actually did see this was a bad process.

Um yeah, it's gonna cost the city some money, but um we have homeowners who already have the impact of tariffs, um job layoffs.

It's a whole just bad timing for everyone.

Um so I certainly I'm supportive of this.

Um long term, I don't know if we can continue to do it into next fiscal year.

We already did budget the money this fiscal year, I believe it's might be the uh economic effect of like 2.1 million dollars.

Um, but uh is what's necessary right now to get relief long term.

I think we still got a lot to talk about.

I know me and you uh councilwoman will hour have talked about that.

There's a lot of work we got to do to figure out after this fiscal year what to do, but we're in this mess, uh, not because the city created because of state and county, but we gotta do what we can.

And we did pass this last year, so um is working with the executive uh to figure out if we're not gonna do the full program, let's do some portion of it to at least get the the most homeowners, the most in need homeowners instant relief.

Thank you, Councilmember Spadola.

Thank you, Council President Congo.

I think just as a matter of principle, if we zoom out from the specific legislation, I I do think we need I I know you asked for an explanation, Councilmember Willhoer, but why do we need a resolution telling them to enforce an ordinance that we already passed in the first place?

So I think that would be a good thing.

Um, you know, whether Council President Congro needs to get involved, but um especially for something like this.

So if we you know if we pass a law, we expect it to be followed.

So I think we are we're owed some sort of an explanation.

Thank you.

Agreed, thank you.

Councilmember Oliver.

Um thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, that's my sentiments also.

We already we passed the ordinance.

Um I don't understand how we're doing um you know resolution.

I mean, I'm not against it, but we passed it last year.

So I was wondering, but I'm not gonna get into it.

I just basically wanted to say, and that was what I was going to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Darby.

Yeah, I can speak to that a little bit.

I don't know if you want to speak to it, Councilmember Willower, but I know there has been a first and second reading at least of another piece of ordinance to uh modify it and change it to a hundred percent um by councilmember um um Harley.

Um so she's seeking to introduce where she changed the eligibility eligible uh the threshold for relief from 50 percent to 100 percent.

So that means families will need to experience double the hardship before qualifying for help.

So I think what council member willower, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think she's trying to beat that legislation to the punch and say we passed something already, administration, and you have to follow what we passed.

And I think that's what's happening here to why there's a resolution is that I don't know if it who's behind it.

I don't know if it's just a council member Harley thing or if it's the administration pushing her to do.

I don't know what it is.

I haven't had a conversation with her, but it has been introduced that they want to change the threshold so now less families now qualify for relief.

Thank you.

Is it no hands raised back to the sponsor?

So again, this resolution supports legislation that was passed by council over a year ago.

Last session, council passed ordinance 23-015 to make sure that low income and working families don't get a spike in their taxes as a result of the reassessment so they can stay in their homes.

These are our teachers, sanitation workers, ambulance drivers, seniors on fixed income, people with disabilities, and so many more.

The homeowner tax abatement is a law that's on the books.

The city needs to implement it.

Great, thank you.

Claire, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby?

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

Nine years and four absent.

Declared adopted.

Councilmember Bracie.

Mr.

President, I have an ordinance to present and call for the third and final reading.

Ordinance 25-073, agenda number 0149, an ordinance to amend chapter 40 of the city code regarding parental leave and combined leave.

Mr.

President, I move that be known as the enacting clause of the ordinance and call for the yay and a vote.

Second.

It's been probably moved and seconded that be known as the enacting clause of the ordinance and called for a yay and a vote on the question.

Yes.

Councilmember.

All right.

Okay, Councilmember Oliver.

Okay.

The floor amendment.

Um for ordinance 25-um seven three by removing all the changes to current um combined leave laws.

Um Mr.

President, I would like to make a motion for a floor amendment at this time as such.

Second.

And the title delete uh in combined leave.

That's the title.

On page two, uh the six whereas clause, delete whereas clause in its entirety on page eight that on page four-eight delete section two and three of the ordinance in their entirety.

On page eight, we name section four of the ordinance as section two, rename section five of the ordinance as section three on page nine synopsis.

Delete the first sentence of synopsis as its entirety and replace it with the following.

Synopsis, the ordinance amends chapter 40 of the city code regarding paid parent leave.

Delete sentence in the synopsis that starts with fifth and six.

Delete the words seventh and replace it with fifth.

Delete the words 40-301 and 40-34 from the synopsis sentence and start with finally.

Final, yeah, final.

On page 10 fiscal impact statement, delete the third delete the third paragraph in its entirety.

And that's it.

All right, so we are going to take a vote on the amendments.

Second, do we have to second?

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Amendment passed.

Councilmember Bracey.

Thank you.

Okay, so uh to give a brief synopsis of what this ordinance is.

It amends various sections of chapter 40 of the city code regarding paid parental leave.

Um first, in order to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Delaware Families Act that was passed in general general assembly.

It's amending section 440-341 to increase the city's paid parental leave for employees who have worked for the city for at least one year within the last seven years and have performed at least 1250 hours of work in the 12-month period preceding.

Um, so it's going to increase their parental leave from 20 days within the first four calendar weeks immediately following the birth of a child to 12 weeks.

And so it's the birth of a child adoption of a child who is six years of age or younger to 12 weeks.

Uh so 20 days to 12 weeks.

That's the first thing that it's going to do.

Um, and that also uh covers birth adoption or placement through foster chair.

Foster care.

Uh second, it's amending the sec, it's amending the code to provide regular employees who have uh physically given birth, six to eight weeks of additional paid uh leave uh for healing and recovery time.

Third, it amends uh section 40 uh-341 to have holidays with pay and days uh when the city is closed by executive order.

Um extend the duration of paid parental leave and paid birthing parent medical leave.

So it wouldn't uh come out of their medical leave.

Fourth, in light of the six weeks of paid medical leave, um it deletes section 40-334 that allows the director of human resources to grant employees who have exhausted their accrued time but remain absent for work due to illness, additional extensions of combined leave up to two weeks at half pay, and that's because now we're we're codifying um uh leave.

Um next, it's going to amend Section 40-321 because certain limited service employees may be entitled to benefits pursuant to this new state bill, state state law.

And then finally, it for consistency and clarity, it cleans up some of the language that was in the the previous code.

So essentially um this is um to get us in line with uh what was passed by the general assembly and signed into law by the governor, and it goes into effect in January.

So we needed to get this uh done um now so that we're in compliance.

And for those for the record, what was removed in the uh amendment was the provision that changed the amount of uh the maximum amount of time off for six days for six days from 60 what was going from 240 to 60, so we removed that um that part that portion.

So that was what was removed out of um the previous the uh a version of this.

I'm going to allow our parliamentarian.

I wanted to make sure I understood correctly with the floor amendment having passed, I believe your synopsis discussed changes to sections 40-301 and sections 40-3034.

So with the passage of the floor amendment as adopt as adopted those two sections have been stricken from the ordinance that's being considered at this time.

Oh, sorry about that.

You're not gonna be able to do that.

That's fine.

I'm sure your remarks were pre-prepared.

Thank you.

Yes, I was reading the old the old synopsis.

All right, thank you.

Councilman Johnson.

Uh I appreciate your effort, uh, Councilwoman Bracey for working with the administration on this.

This is very complicated, and honestly, as a small business owner, I know both me and probably President Congo are dealing with it.

Because it's different levels depending on the amount of employees you have, and then they threaten fines to small business owners.

So um not only is the government struggling, but our small businesses in the city will struggle.

So hopefully uh our our I would say Sean Park and his team can hopefully help small businesses because they implement something and they don't tell people how to do it.

Um certainly um we're behind this, but we want to make sure it's done the right way and fair to our employees who already have sick time and other benefits.

So uh this is a welcome change.

And this is a theme of many things.

We need more guidance from the state in clarity sometimes.

Thank you.

Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I too would like um the sponsor, appreciate working with you in administration today, and you know, listening to the employees in the city of Wilmington.

And um I really appreciate that um working with the administration and you know them working with us, so um, for this to be a win-win for um, you know, the employees in the city of Wilmington.

So uh I too would like to thank Councilmember Bracey for listening and working with the administration to make these floor amendment um amendments um because um some employees in the city of Wilmington, they've been you know talking about you know, with the government, it just seemed like every day everybody's being hit either with high prices from the food to the electorate, and it seems like it was brought up tonight, even by the plumber center.

Like it just seemed like everybody's taken, taken, taking from the small people.

And I'm glad the administration really listened and I mean councilman Bracie listened and went and talked to the administration and made some adjustments with this.

So for that, I really appreciate you.

Thanks again.

All right, good councilmember Owens.

Yes, thank you, uh, Councilwoman Braceley for bringing this forward again.

This is um important legislation for the city, and I think our HR team did a really good job at working on this to make sure that we're in compliance with state um regulations, but then also adding some additional on here, especially under um the birthing parent medical leave.

So again, um I would like to be added as a co-sponsor to this, um, and I look forward to voting for this.

Thank you.

We turn back to the sponsor.

I'd like to be added.

I'm sorry, as a co-sponsor, I'm sorry.

All right, thank you.

Um, I just want to say thank you to all of my colleagues for uh providing feedback.

And I also wanted to make sure that uh we thank um the the HR department, Taylor West and her team for working so hard um on making sure that we have this, and also um the administration for being flexible enough and to listen to our employees and to uh agree um and be willing to agree to revisit the section that seemed to give people the most pause.

So I I appreciate the administration um and their team, the entire team there and the entire team in the HR for quickly um being willing to pivot and maneuver to make sure that we have we have listened um and continue to listen to the voices of our employees.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I want to be added as a co-sponsor.

Okay.

Clerk, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver?

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

Nine years and four absent.

Councilmember Spadola.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 25-071, agenda number 0156.

Whereas Wilmington residents rely on the city's 311 system.

I move this resolution be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by a Yay and Nay vote.

Is there a second?

Second.

It's been properly moved and second.

The resolution be received, recorded, filed, and adopted by Yay or NA vote on the question.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh this resolution is focused on improving our 311 system.

It was rolled out within the past five years.

And I think it's it's had a a good rollout.

I don't think the technology has changed much.

And there's plenty of opportunities to make it better, as I think we've all heard uh from various people throughout the city.

And so I was fairly specific with the complaints that I um that I've received, and also for my own personal use and also from some of the feedback I solicited uh from council, which I appreciated.

Uh specifically right now, if you put in a 311 complaint, um you'll get an auto receipt, but you'll only get the ticket number.

There's no information about the receipt, no address.

So if you're submitting multiple tickets and you try to follow up on them or see the status, you're not gonna know what you're looking up because your auto receipt doesn't have any information on it.

So that is something in here that I'm asking the city to ask the vendor to fix.

Uh additionally, uh people who submit a ticket, they'll get uh when it's they'll get an email saying it's resolved or closed and with with no detail of the work that was done.

And um there's it would be helpful for the public to see what's actually going on in the back end or what work was done or when it's scheduled to be done, because I think um whoever's working behind the end behind the scenes closed and resolved can mean different things to different people.

Um and additionally, one of the suggestions that I heard from council was to have a callback option where if you had to call in um and there was a wait, you could leave your number and somebody would call you back.

But all in all, I think you know, this is a from speaking with people working on 311 intimately, uh 90% of the stuff in here was on their list.

I think it's just a matter of priorities, and by us uh voting on this resolution.

I think it gives the administration even more uh power to go to the vendor and say, hey, look, you gotta get your act in order here.

Um this is what this is what council wants, and this is what the administration wants, so let's get it done.

And additionally, it does ask for a report back within 60 days uh to check in on what's been done.

Happy to take any questions.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Darby.

Yeah, I just have one question.

What's the administration?

Uh I think they will be in support of this, right?

From my conversations with, I wouldn't, I'm not speaking for the administration, but from speaking with people that work on 311, 90% of the stuff they are in agreement with that needs to be fixed.

Okay, yeah.

Um you can add me as well.

I think I'm already a co-sponsor, but yeah, never mind.

Thank you, Councilmember Johnson.

I appreciate you for putting this on on the radar.

Um, it's something that I know I've consistently brought up.

Um, something we've brought up during budget hearings with IT.

I know in the past.

Um, I I think um we've had conversations even about an app, so I would like that to be as included as part of the conversation.

Why don't we have a city app, other cities do, other small towns do, Wilmington doesn't.

Um that's something that should be probably part of the conversation, and hopefully we can get some movement.

So I appreciate you taking the lead on this.

I know um uh this has been a long time coming, so thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Willower.

Yeah, thank you, Councilmember Spadola, for putting this together.

Um, you know, I do hear really consistently from residents that 311 is broken.

I think that's what I hear a lot.

Um, and they just they want there are some ways that 311 uh works.

Like it's great that uh sometimes you can report things and they get done, and I love seeing that happen.

And there's um just a lot of benefits to a system like that.

And I think that the this resolution that you've put forward is not um these are kind of reasonable improvements for something that that could be get better.

So I love to see that kind of engagement on the part of city council members.

Um residents have brought these issues up.

Council members, you know, you've councilman Sparola, you put them down on paper.

I'm hoping we can all work together to um get some of these improvements, which seem really reasonable.

Um, and I also have used 311 quite a bit, and I would love to get, you know, be able to organize all my 311 receipts by what the topic is instead of trying to keep it in a spreadsheet.

It just would make it all a lot easier for people to track um what they've reported and the status of those things.

So I just think these are really terrific suggestions.

I know you're working with uh the administration on getting them done, and I hope this resolution just sends a message.

This is a priority.

I know it's a priority for residents.

I I hope it can be more of a um priority for the administration.

So thanks again.

Thank you.

See no other hands raised.

Sponsor.

Nothing further.

Thank you.

Clerk, please call for the vote.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

Nine years and four absent.

Good adopted.

Councilmember Gabrera has asked to be excused.

Now we're gonna move on to petitions and communication.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Um, I have quite a few.

Um, since this is our last meeting of the year, I do want to let everyone know of some upcoming events happening for the holidays.

We are just a few weeks away from Christmas, but also a ton of other holidays.

Um, the Jolly Workforce Wonderland, the fourth annual Jolly Workforce Wonderland will be taking place at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington on December the 20th at noon uh to 4 p.m.

That's being hosted by Leap Launa Local 1029 and Delaware uh DHSS.

Um also on the same day um from noon to two, upstairs.

Um, the Sigmas and the Zetas, the Wilmington chapter will be hosting cookies with Santa Um at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington, and then right down the street later that day, um the best beauty salon shop in the city of Wilmington, Rashes will be hosting a toy giveaway, 3 p.m.

to 5 p.m.

Come out um and stop by any of those, make sure you get a gift for your young ones on the very next day at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington.

Community cares will be hosting their fourth annual Dream Come True Christmas toy giveaway.

Um that always brings in thousands of individuals throughout um the city of Wilmington and surrounding areas.

So again, um those are all being hosted in the first district.

I also just want to say a happy holidays to everyone.

Um have a great time with your friends and family, have a safe new year's.

Um, and I do know there is usually a lot of drinking on New Year's.

So if you are going to be out there partying, please be safe.

Do not drive.

Um, and Lyff is offering um codes for safe rides back home for this new year's.

Um that lift code is 500 FF2.

Again, if you are going to be out, um, please do not drink and drive, do not get behind the wheel.

Um make plans to get home safe after um by using Lyft or any other ride share app that you are not driving yourself.

Thank you, and uh see y'all in a new year.

Thank you, Councilmember Darby, Councilwoman Darby.

Nothing for tonight.

Thank you, Councilwoman Oliver.

Uh yes, Mr.

President.

Um first I'd like to thank um the director from the YMCA, um, the T-Shirt Miss Laws for Um for inviting me um to um partner with her to take the kids over to Delaware Center Horticulture to take pictures with Santa Claus and to listen um to read and out loud.

It was really nice.

We took 17 kids over there, little ones, and they had a ball.

We fed them pizza and soda.

So I'd like to thank the YMCA for doing their annual Santa Claus trip every year with this year.

Thanks to NAF and helping us support that event.

December the 15th, the YMCA, this is on Walnut Street.

They are having a holiday arc showcase for the Wilmington Children's Choir, be there bringing hat scarves and performing their regular presentation, various zones for the holidays.

That's the wall in the street wide on the 15th from 5 until 6 p.m.

Again, these are the little ones.

Next December the 23rd from 4 to 6 winter festival at the YMCA.

Again, toy giveaway, coat giveaway, arts and craft ornaments, cookies, all the nice things for the holiday.

That would be from 4 to 6 p.m.

Also, I'd like to thank Avall Bass, Davis, her and her crew.

They will be giving out a lot of coats and also feeding the seniors again this um summer.

I mean this winter, and that would be all.

And also I'd like to say happy holidays to everybody and be safe out there.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Willower.

Thank you, Council President.

I just wanted to um remind everybody that Parks and Rec join Parks and Rec for a free skating event on Thursday, December 18th, leaving from the William Hicks Anderson Community Center at 6.15 p.m.

and heading to the Christiana Skating Center.

Bring your friends, family, and holiday spirit.

Contact uh Omar Douglas for more info.

302-803-7243.

And um after that, I just wanted to wish everybody a happy and safe holidays.

Thank you.

Councilman Johnson.

Uh wanted to announce another holiday event um on Friday, December 19th, uh at Fourth and Rodney.

We're doing a uh West Side uh light up uh 4th Street.

It's gonna be uh soup, it's gonna be resource uh um resource workshop, gonna have pop-up art.

Um there's a lot of things.

Um this is sponsored by West Side Grows and also um La Esperanza and other community partners.

So this is a great time for those who are in need to get some warmth and food and also uh to come out and and get uh ready, ready for the season.

So um it's next Friday, it starts at 5 p.m.

And uh also I want to give shout out to something we don't do a lot of times, but a shout out to Wilmington Police Department, uh Chief Campos and Captain Uh Gleam.

Uh we were dealing with the nuisance property on Lancaster, uh specifically a smoke shop um that as of yesterday was shut down.

So it's a huge huge accomplishment.

Um we've been working on this for a lot of weeks.

Um we have this issue not only in the west side but throughout the city, and it's something we are as a council taking seriously, and we'll be addressing this, the other nuisance uh smoke shops throughout the city.

So thank you, WPD, for taking action and um for making the community safe.

Thank you, Councilwoman Bracey.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

Um, so I wanted to uh share um with the community uh that the Reading Consortium on uh for educational equity will be taking their final vote on the redistricting plan on December 16th, 2025.

So there are three plans um that are under consideration.

There's uh removing one school district and making it uh two school districts here.

One would be a Metropolitan Wilmington School District, one would be a northern Newcastle County consolidated school district.

And the reason this is extremely important is that uh for well over 25 years, we have been talking about the lack of equity in education in the city of Wilmington, and for far too long, the city stood silent and said, Well, this is a state issue, we can't control our schools.

And consortium after consortium after committee after committee and report after report all said the same thing that education in the city is not equitable, and that the school districts aren't serving the city kids the same way they served the kids in the suburbs.

And so now we have an opportunity to come together and make sure that we get this right to redistrict the schools, the school district here in the city of Wilmington and make it a model for what can happen throughout the rest of the state.

There's 19 school districts in a state with less than a million people, and that's problematic.

And we're not do we're not serving our kids well.

And so for all of those that have parents that are advocates that are nonprofits that service uh families please make it uh out to the meeting make sure your voice is heard make sure that we get this right and the fight doesn't stop on the 16th this is just the first step in going to Dover and demanding better for our kids.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Spadola council further thank you I would just like to wish everyone a happy holiday.

I want to thank our staff for this uh for all of their help for this first year of our session um really appreciate all of you only have three more years to go one under our belt um with that I just want to again thank everyone who joined us in council chambers thank everyone who joined us virtually if you if we can help you in any way here at City Council please call us at 3025762140.

Again our number is 3025762140 and you're always welcome to join us at any of our official council meetings and also our committee meetings and you can always give public comment.

With that I will accept the motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Second all in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed motion carried take care everyone