Meeting will please come to order.

Good evening, everyone.

Today is Thursday, April the second.

My name is Trippy Congo, president of Wilmington City Council.

And on behalf of all of my colleagues here on Council, we want to thank everyone who has joined us today in Council Chambers.

And also thank you to those who are with us virtually.

Padre Celestial.

Amen.

Indivisible Liberty and Justice Roll.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Here.

Councilwoman Darby.

Present.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Present.

Councilwoman Harley.

Present.

Councilwoman Willower.

Present.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Councilman Johnson.

Here.

Councilman Field.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Councilman Hackett.

Here.

Councilman Spadola.

Present.

President Congo.

Here.

Nine present and four absent.

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

March 19th, 2026.

City Council met in regular session with remote participation.

To who was referred.

I move that the minutes be uh received, recorded, and filed and adopted by Gay Nabo.

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'll have our committee reports.

March 4th, 2026.

Ladies and gentlemen, we, your intergovernmental committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who was referred ordinance number 26-007 entitled An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 2 of the City Code to Create an African American History and Cultural Preservation Commission.

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

Respectfully submitted those members of the intergovernmental committee.

Those members present, Councilwoman Darby, Councilwoman Willower, Councilwoman Oliver, President Congo, absent with leave, Councilman Johnson.

That the committee report be recorded, filed, and adopted by Yay Nabel.

Second.

It's been probably moved and second the report received, recorded, filed.

On the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

March 17, 2026.

Ladies and gentlemen, we your committee community development and urban planning committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who was referred substitute number one to ordinance number 25-045 entitled an ordinance to enact a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new business licenses for new corner properties within the city pending completion of an equity impact assessment.

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

Respectfully submitted those members of the committee, community development and urban planning committee.

Those members present, Councilwoman Darby, Councilman Hackett, Councilman Owens, Councilwoman Willower, President Congo, absent with leave, Councilmember Cabrera.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Move the committee 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.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

March 2nd, 2026.

Supplemental Adam Street Green Infrastructure Project Series A of 2026 WPCRF in order to provide the funds necessary for the increased construction costs associated with the installation of three bioretention gardens, 1900 linear feet of stormwater pipes, 16 manholes, and five trench drains located in and around the Adam Street courts at 210 North Jackson Street, providing for the sale of the 2026 A bond to the Delaware Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and authorizing other necessary action.

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 Harley, Councilwoman Bracie, Councilwoman Darby, Councilman Hackett, Councilwoman Oliver, Councilman Spidola, and President Congo.

I moved that the committee report be received recorded and filed.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

March 2nd, 2026, ladies and gentlemen, we are finance and economic development committee met by anchor location and remote participation.

So who was referred ordinance number 26-011 entitled An Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of the City's General Obligation Bond LED Removal Phase 4 Project Series A of 2026 DWSRF in order to provide the funds necessary for the replacement of approximately three to four miles of old cast iron water main in the city's water distribution system providing for the sale of the 2026 A bond to the Delaware Drinking Water State revolving fund and authorizing other necessary action.

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

Those members present, Councilwoman Harley, Councilwoman Bracey, Councilwoman Darby, Councilman Hackett, Councilwoman Oliver, Councilman Spadola, and President Congo.

I move that the committee 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.

March 2nd, 2026.

We are finance and economic development committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who was referred ordinance number 26-012 entitled an ordinance to authorize and approve a multi-year contract retaining Belfant Lyons and Schumann PA as the external auditor for the city of Wilmington.

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, Councilman Councilwoman Harley, Councilwoman Bracey, Councilwoman Darby, Councilman Hackett, Councilwoman Oliver, Councilman Spadola, President Congo.

I move that the committee 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.

Before we go to our city treasure's report, uh if there is anyone here who would like to give public comment, if you have not signed up yet, you still have a few minutes to do so, either in council chambers or virtually.

If you are virtual, there is a Google form sign-up link in the chat.

Again, public comment will take place after non-legislative business.

If you are here with us in the chambers, the sign-up sheet for public comment is just right before me by the double doors.

This time we will have our city treasures report.

Grant total 555 million four hundred and ninety-three thousand six hundred and forty-seven dollars and sixty-four cents.

Submitted city treasurer Dwayne Sims.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Any opposed motion carried.

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

So move.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Any opposed motion carried at this time.

We will move to our recognition resolutions.

Councilmember Hackett.

I'm gonna wait till the coach get up here because I can't start without him.

But mainly our president, you know, when he's seen that we had a champion in the city of Wilmington, he wanted to make sure that you guys came in and got recognized.

So, you know, I want if anything, I want to make sure y'all think our president trippy kind of.

So if you can't give him a round of applause, real quick.

Also, to my right, have councilwoman uh Oliver who serves in that third district, which is also uh where uh Howard Technology High School sits.

So also want to give her a round of applause as well for all the hard work she does.

Where is the sense of city council to honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and deserve a recognition?

The Howard High School School of Technology Boys Basketball Team, winner of the DIAA, state championship, and the Blue Hen Conference Flight B title.

Let's give them a round of applause there.

Whereas the Howard High School, Howard High Wildcats have demonstrated exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the 2025, 2026 basketball season.

The team executed a high power offense and scrappy defense.

I seen it for myself.

But the offense was able to average more than 75 points per game.

That's like an NBA team.

Whereas the Wildcats advance to claim the Blue Hank Conference Flight B championship with a perfect record, eight wins and no losses.

Wow.

The team continued their postseason success.

Winning the 2026 DIAA boys basketball state championship with a victory, 60 to 46 over the St.

George's Hawks on March 14th, 2026 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by this council of the city of Wilmington that this council is pleased to recognize the athletes, their coaches, and the cheerleaders, and the Howard High School community for their dedication, discipline, and unwavering commitment to excellent job well done.

All right.

Now, Coach Matthews, you know, before I leave, you know, I'm I'm I'm a Hornet.

You know, I'm a Dell State guy, and uh we know you legendary down there.

Um so I just want to say from another horning to another horning, I'm proud of you for continuing to do the work that you do for the boys and the cheerleaders as well.

Continue to hold them at a higher standard, not just about basketball, but teaching them life, teaching them how to be men.

So I'm just so proud.

I see some of the guys, you know.

I had to, you know, face some losses against some of the guys in Czech Rock.

I see Nick back there.

Look, he wanna be making noises.

Um, but Nick, I just want to say one thing.

You know, I've been watching you for the last three to four years, and one thing I say about you when everybody said you was too small.

When everybody said you wasn't quick enough, you continue to come back stronger.

You continue to be better.

But more than anything, when I watch the games, you become a great leader.

That team behind you every step of the way.

They say, you know what?

Nick got us, and you stay you showed up for him every step of the way.

So, you know, I'm just happy to continue to be a part of you know, see you guys' journey.

Uh, but once again, let's give him a round of applause because this is ongoing.

All right, so uh first I want to give honor to God who's the head of my life.

Um, I thank him for this opportunity in itself.

Um, as said by uh Councilman Hackett, uh we definitely want to thank uh President Congo as well as all the city council for having us here today uh to be honored uh for being the 2025-2026 state champions.

Um be sure it's sweet.

We we had a a motto all season as a team or slogan, one of one of my coaches, not a big fan of it, but it resonated throughout our whole season.

We had a head-through-feet mindset.

So I posted it on the board.

Uh every day we was every game in the locker room, and what that stood for was the head stood for Howard Eliminating All Doubt, right?

And it was through faith, effort, energy, and together.

And that's what these uh 11 young men, six managers, five coaches, and our our 20, 20, uh 20 plus cheerleaders did.

We really eliminated all doubt.

Um, you know, that Howard was the number one team in the state.

So we we take a lot of a lot of pride and a lot of uh honor in being able to represent you know the city as the only public high school in the city.

So for us to be able to, you know, bring a state championship back to Howard the first since 2013 is is a huge honor.

Um the other main statement, the main thing that we wanted to do as a school and as a team here is to leave a legacy that you know would ring for generations, and and we are able to stamp ourselves as uh the only team to my knowledge to have two 1,000 point scorers who came into high school together, finished together, and win a state championship.

So they're going to be able to cement themselves in in Howard High School history as an athletes as well as great young men and great students.

And like Mr.

Hackett said, I our main focus or my main focus in the coaches is to build young men of high character, uh make sure that they are entering society as good fathers, good husbands, uh, good good citizens.

So above anything we do athletically, we really focused on building the total total young man, and this is just a uh culmination of the hard work that they put in for four years, and for them to be able to get this opportunity and honor is uh deeply humbling for us.

So we thank the city for their support um financially and otherwise.

We see we got 55 million, we need a new gym floor.

If you guys want to put a couple hundred thousand to that floor, you know.

I'm paying attention to the numbers.

I was listening to stuff going on.

But uh no, seriously, thank you guys for your support.

Um you you want to hear from one player?

Thank you guys again.

Uh my name is Bryson Lee, a senior captain on the Howard basketball team, and I just want to say thank you to everybody that came out today.

Um I'm very proud of my group and the people that supported us on this side.

There's a lot of hard work.

A lot of people don't really see that.

So we have a lot of young men and senior-led team, and I think that you know it's just great that we can bring it back to the city.

It's kind of been a plan since I got to Howard, and I thank Coach Matt for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity.

And just these great group of guys right here that I battled with since I was a freshman.

I think we just did a great job, and I'm happy that we were able to uh finish the job for my last year.

So thank you.

All right, so Coach Matthews, the you know, we we heard something he said about you know, us supporting you financial.

And uh, you know, the biggest thing is you sent us an email and you know you sent over saying that you needed us to step up to be able to participate and helping our young, you know, athletes and cheerleaders be able to get the recognition and the supplies that they need, the jackets, the rings, and all the other good stuff.

So I'm here to welcome you with a big check today from uh not only just city council, but also the mayor's administration as well.

So here you go.

We're gonna all go to the front, we're gonna take a picture here.

I'm gonna stand up.

Thanks.

Where y'all want to go down here?

Other council members, if y'all want to get in.

Y'all have to move in a little bit.

Yes, good.

That's good.

Coach, we're good right there.

Everybody close, everybody get ready.

Wait, two, one, cheese.

Three, two, one, wildcats.

There we go.

Congratulations, y'all.

Coach, please, um try to say coach if you can stay, make sure you stay at the podium in case anybody wants to give any remarks.

And before Coach Matthews leaves, I wanted to see if any council members have any comments.

I'll go first.

I just wanted to go.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, I did want to say, but it was so many, I didn't want to interrupt the ceremony.

Um I was able to bring Howard here, and he was a coach uh in 2020, but it was the football team.

So just to let you know the legacy that y'all keeping on, kudos to y'all and keep up the good work.

When Coach Matthews was when he was giving his uh his comments, he may have seemed a little humble, but I know him a little bit better than that.

He was anything but humble.

And matter of fact, I saw a Facebook post where he had on, I think 10 rings.

And he was talking about he's there is no discussion about who's the goat of coaches.

So, coach, how many how many championship rings do you have?

Uh I have eight championship rings.

I have some other rings for Dell State Hall of Fame.

Step up to the mic, please.

So I have this would be my eighth coaching championship ring.

Wow.

I also have three as a player, but we didn't get rings back back in the day.

So it's about 11.

Then I have a ring for Delaware State Hall of Fame, assistant coach of the year and coach of the year as well.

So yeah, just I just about 14 if you want to get to it.

Never mind.

See what I'm saying?

But no, congratulations, man.

I know that you put a lot into your your uh you know, and to your coaching efforts and to the young men that you that you mentor, not only coach, but that that you mentor and love as your own.

So I just wanted to say congratulations to you and to your entire staff and and to the young men on your chairmanship.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Member, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

I too want to first of all say thank you to the coach for doing a stellar outstanding job, and thank you for um sharing that that awesome track record that you have of excellence.

And I want to say congratulations um to the team on um being the uh DIAA State and Blue Hen Conference Flight B champions.

Congratulations to you.

And I just want to say thank you for your perseverance because I knew it took perseverance, I knew it took humility, it takes teamwork, and I really appreciate what the coach had to say in terms of what he's trying to instill in each and every one of you.

And I just want to say hold on to those words because they will serve you for a lifetime.

And again, congratulations to the team and congratulations to the coach.

Thank you.

That's all I have, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you.

Congratulations again.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes.

Um, I would like anyone here from to the National Guards or the um yeah, from the National Guards, please come.

Is anyone here from the National Guards?

Or anyone here to support the National Guards, please come up.

Come straight up.

Councilman Darby, would you like to come up?

Yeah.

Um, I was I read an article in the paper about the 390th uh birthday of the National Guards, and I think we asked some councilman Darby did by her being uh no, come over here.

When I finish you can read the names as you know.

Okay.

So I know I've been on the telephone with Miss Donna Fields for a while.

This has been postponed about three times the weather, and it's been ongoing situations, but I'm just glad to acknowledge um this organization for their 390th birthday, especially around the 250th.

So that well done.

Uh sponsored by all council members.

Um, whereas the Census City Council to honor individuals, organizations, and significant milestones that demonstrated outstanding achievements, deserving of recognition and acknowledgments.

The anniversary and establishment of the National Guard of the United States is one of such.

December 13 is recognized as the birthday of the National Guards in the United States and 1936 3 permanent um is it was established in Massachusetts to protect the colonials, the units of those that have come after have shown themselves to be always ready, always here, always there, and even most times trying to chimes trying to do their best.

Whereas this year, the National Guards will mark three nine 390 years of service throughout their extinguished history of men and women in the National Guards who have answered the calls to serve with honor, courage, dedication, both at home and around and abroad, supporting national security, providing vital resources to the communities in need and whereas the Delaware National Guard was created in 1655 as the defense militant for the Swedish colonial government, and it now includes both Army and our um Air National Guard components with active and reserve members.

The Delaware Army National Guard has played a vital role in supporting civilian civil authorities during times of emergency, including natural disasters, public health crisis, and other moments of need, providing critical assistance to communities across Wilmington and throughout the state of Delaware.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Wilmington that this council is pleased to recognize all current members, veterans, and families who have supported the mission of National Guard units throughout our state and nation across generations.

Job well done.

I did not know I would be up here speaking tonight about this.

But I do serve in the Army National Guard.

But tonight we are gonna focus on our attendees here.

We have Major General James Benson, the Attorney General of Delaware.

If you want to come up and speak, and if you want to air other people who are here, Major General James Benson.

And on behalf of the men and women of the Delaware National Guard, I want to say thank you to President of Congo, the council members, guests, and all.

Thank you for the recognition.

First of all, um, she briefly mentioned it, but uh council member Shine Darby is Staff Sergeant Darby, and then with me or with us tonight, also uh taking pictures is Major Val Harwood.

But behind me, if you guys just throw up your hand, yeah, Brigadier General Michael Kawaka, Command Sergeant Major, Michael Fields, the state command sergeant major, and the state command chief Air National Guard is uh State Command Chief Keefe, Colonel Tim Hole, also with us tonight, senior Master Sergeant Angel Girl for Figuerera, first lieutenant James Baldball Balball.

Okay, but I want to say again, thank you for the recognition.

390 years of serving not only the city, the county, but also the state of Delaware as the National Guard.

And yes, as you heard, one of our things is always ready, always there.

As you may have saw by the example of the past couple years between COVID, and then also we were in the city of Wilmington for flooding a couple years ago as well.

One of the things that I want to point out to you is that we prepare for two missions from a home standpoint where we assist the citizens of the state of Delaware, but also our way mission.

Want to recognize that the 100 First Public Affairs Detachment recently returned from Kosovo.

They were attached to the Louisiana uh 256 Brigade Combat Team.

Then also we have some upcoming deployments for our Army and the Air National Guard, two on the Army side and then one on the Air National Guard.

So I ask you to uh keep them in your prayers and support them as they go out to do their particular military duties and service to the state and the nations as well.

Thank you very much.

Council can open up the council.

Councilmember McCoy.

Yes, um, I just would like to say congratulations, happy birthday to the National Guard.

I had to look it up because I was so amazed that you're actually older than the nation.

So that was you know, something to learn and that it originated in uh Massachusetts.

So I just want to say thank you so much for bringing this to our attention.

You know, you uh the National Guard serves our state in so many different ways, and it's just good to be reminded of who you are and the people that we have uh backing us.

Councilmember Owens.

I just want to say thank you for each and every one of y'all for your service to this country, to this state.

Um, the um Major General brought up uh back in 2021 when we had the Ida Hurricane flooding.

Um, y'all were a strategic partner of ours.

Y'all helped so many people, including some of my relatives as well, too.

So again, I just want to thank thank you for everything y'all do for us.

Council member, Councilmember Harley.

We have to do that.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Harley.

Yes, can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

Okay, I just wanted to say congratulations and happy birthday um to the National Guard.

Um, as Councilmember McCoy said thank you so much.

And um, a lot of times they can be overlooked, but um, thank you, Councilmember Oliver, for bringing them to the chambers and allow us to just give them their flowers um from city council as relates to all that they do and all the different services, domestic emergency responses, um, how they support um civil authorities, overseas deployments.

I mean, the list goes on and on.

So I just wanted to say thank you for your service.

That's all I have.

Councilmember Owens.

Oh, y'all come to speak.

Hello, everyone.

Um, before I get started with reading the resolution, I have members of the Delaware Century Museum uh team up here with me, including their founder and uh CEO as well, too.

Um April is autism acceptance month.

Um, and I think it's important that we all come together to do more to raise awareness.

Um, but also make sure that we raise the higher standard of love, inclusion, and action here in the city of Wilmington.

Autism is not a uh a defect.

Um, it's not something that can be fit, it's something that's beautiful and a powerful expression of human diversity that deserves to be understood, respected, and fully embraced here in the city of Wilmington.

Um, and when we talk about acceptance, we're talking about we're not talking about tolerance.

Um, we're talking about creating a world where every individual is seen and then valued.

I mean, given the space to thrive exactly how they are.

That's why the work of the organizations like our friends behind us, the Delaware Censory Museum is so important because they're not just opening updoors, they're breaking down barriers.

So, on behalf of Wilmington City Council, um, whereas it is the sense of city council to honor individuals, occasions and milestones that demonstrate outstanding achievement and deserving of recognition and acknowledgement.

Councilmember Owens recognizes the month of April as Autism Acceptance Month.

And whereas in 1970, the Autism Association created the first National Autistic Children's Week to bring attention to the autistic autism spectrum disorder and those conditions impacts.

This week inspired the creation of what was previously known as Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Day, which is actually today, April the 2nd.

In 2021, Autism Society transitioned from observance of autism as autism awareness month to autism acceptance month to emphasize the importance of inclusion, acceptance within the ASD in society.

ASD is a developmental condition that affects communication, behavior, and social interaction and the impacts individuals all across racial, ethnic, and social economic groups.

ASD includes individuals diagnosed with autism, Asberger's syndrome, and other developmental challenges.

Common symptoms include difficulty with social interactions, communication, repetitive behaviors, interests, sensory uh sensitivities are often detected early in childhood.

Whereas, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, ASD impacts as many as one in 31 children in the United States of America.

There is currently no known single calls of ASD.

Experts recommend early screening for all children at 18 months and 24 months to support intervention and treatment.

Whereas the Delaware Sensory Museum offers inclusion, community-driven resources, play environments that support development of people with sensory and learning differences, including ASD through community programs like community speak gatherings, sensory family exploration days, healthcare and education partnerships, and empowerment play adaptive athletic programs, the museum's dedication team dedication team has helped children and families connect with their community in innovative ways.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Wilmington that this council is pleased to recognize April as Autism Acceptance Month and encourage all residents to seek opportunities to raise awareness of the challenges of those who are living with ASD and also continue to encourage the uh the countless contributions that individuals have made to the city of Wilmington and beyond job well done.

And before I bring up the CEO, I do want to say all members of City Council and our staff today are wearing um World Autism Acceptance Day pins as well too.

So I will bring up India.

You want to go first and then any more.

The moments where families are told where limitations are spoken over them before possibility is even considered.

I think about parents like our board vice chair Christian, who keeps showing up anyways.

And I think about children like my son Lotus, who's here today, who keeps trying anyways.

The families who choose hope, even when the systems around them were not built for them, to me, that is resilience.

And for me, that journey is extremely personal.

As a mom to my son Lotus, who is on the autism spectrum, I've experienced what it feels like to navigate spaces that weren't designed with your child in mind.

And I brought a few items with me tonight, tools that many families use every single day.

This is an AAC device.

This is sometimes how Lotus communicates because he's nonverbal.

Um, as well as a busy board.

Um, this is how he chooses to engage with the world because sometimes it could be overstimulating or destimulating.

Lotus is four years old, but he still wears diapers because of his inability to communicate when he needs to, and so we still have to help him, even in those areas.

He has chewies and fidges because regulation is real.

And I felt that should that the support around us should be just as real.

See, these are not just items, these are lifelines.

These items are access.

And to me, that's what inclusion really looks like.

And that's why I decided to create the Delaware sensory museum.

Not just as a concept or a buzzword, but a commitment to move beyond awareness into acceptance to build real sensory informed inclusive spaces where children and families are not just accommodated, but they're truly understood.

Spaces where healthcare, education, and community come together, and where families no longer have to question if they belong.

And what we have coming is more than just the beginning here in the state of Delaware.

Through our upcoming heart of the spectrum weekend in April, sponsored by Seeds of Greatness Church, Christiana Care, Tyson Associates, and so many more.

We are bringing together families, educators, healthcare providers, community leaders, not just to talk about change, but to actively build it.

So tonight I want to say thank you to my chosen family, my dear friends, our supporters, community and corporate sponsors.

A special thank you to our director of education, Evica Dupras.

A special thank you to our board chair, Walter Sellers, our vice chair Christian Guy, our board member Frankie Hill, our board member Tara Pack Crew, and our entire advisory and program and education team with us, Melissa Andrade.

This work is carried by people who believe deeply in what is possible.

And tonight, this resolution is more than a recognition.

It is a statement that Wilmington sees our families, that acceptance lives here, that we are moving forward together, because resilience is not just about enduring what is, it's about building what should be until every voice is heard.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

We'll go with a councilmember Bracey.

Thank you.

Um I just wanted to say to India and the entire team.

Um that I am proud of the work that you guys are doing.

Um we are all familiar with India from her times.

Well spent here with us, uh, City Council, WITN, and to see uh your growth and your resilience and how you uh have transformed something that some would call a negative into a positive.

And not only are you seeking to impact your family, but those in our community and beyond.

And so for that, I say thank you.

Very proud of you and appreciate all that you're doing.

Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you.

I too would like to echo what Councilman Bracey said about India.

Uh, congratulations to you on all the hard work you're doing.

Um, I remember you mentioned to me over a year ago that you were possibly moving in a third district in a building across from Chantry, and it was working on some things, and things was looking good, and I'm just proud of you that you have um successfully um lived out to dream.

And this is not just for you, like to say it's a lot of people that can use this help.

I have some referrals for you.

Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, I'm I'm more of a family friend.

You know, I've known India for a long time.

And uh the one thing I can say, this organization is in great hands.

Um, you know, when she makes her mind up to do something, it's gonna happen.

So, you know, I'm just so proud of you.

I'm happy that you got a nice, uh great team around you.

Uh, you know, I know everybody stands around you in the work that they do, so you know I know that the people and the kids are gonna get the service that they need.

So thank you, Councilmember Willower.

Yes, I just wanted to say thank you for uh your work and uh elevating recognition, elevating uh inclusive communities.

Um and you know, we do I just appreciate how you're talking about resilience, it's about building something new, it's not just adjusting to what's here.

So thank you so much for your work, and I'm really looking forward to the um the museum and all the other things you're gonna do.

I also want to say congratulations to you and your team, India.

Yeah, but you and you were here driving everybody crazy, driving WITN crazy.

I just uh it's it's just everybody knew that you were just too big for the space.

And to see you now in your space now, which is like like we knew it, like you just had to.

I think Councilman Hackett put it best like you if you put if you put your mind to something, it's gonna happen.

Like you just had uh I think Councilman Hackett put it best like you if you pay if you put your mind to something that's gonna happen, and I can see that you are entrenched in this right now, so I know that nothing but the best is gonna come from it.

So congratulations.

And if we can help in any way, just please get our attention, just reach out to us.

You know, we are all family still with you, so let us know how we can help.

I sure will.

All right, I know you will.

I know you will.

Thank you, everyone.

You're welcome.

There's for a big check.

Kobe has it for you.

And I believe that does include all of our uh recognition resolutions that are in person.

This time we're gonna I'm gonna announce all the sympathy resolutions from Councilmember Kabara.

Uh, she has sympathy resolutions for Tony L.

Tucker and Mary Elizabeth Smith and our niece Renee Malcolm from Councilmember Harley, a sympathy resolution for Rachel Grimes from Councilmember Oliver, sympathy resolutions for Paula Webb Medford, Elder Tracy Payne, Donald Bernard Brown, from Councilmember Owens, a sympathy resolution for Julia and Thomas from Councilmember Spadola, a sympathy resolution for John Cameron Yarston, and I have a sympathy resolution for Charlotte Denise Marks Roundtree.

And this time we are going to uh vote to extend public comment because we do have uh several people who signed up for comment.

So at this time I'm gonna take a uh a vote to extend public comment past 7:30.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed motion carried.

So first we have in council chambers, we have Joseph Connor.

Thank you for joining us, Mr.

Connor.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

If you do live in a district in the city, you're welcome to mention that district, but you don't have to.

Yeah, three minutes when you have around 30 seconds left.

I'll give you a friendly reminder to wrap up your comments.

Thank you, President Congo.

You're welcome.

Good evening.

My name is Joe Connor.

And in the faith that I was raised in, today is Holy Thursday.

Holy Thursday is one of the most solemn days in the in the Catholic religion, which is one I share and is shared by many in the city and in many communities in the city and lots of past and present leadership in the city.

I'm not the best practitioner, but we're gonna set that aside.

Anyway, on this particular Holy Thursday, I went down to Christina Park, which I have spent a lot of time earlier in the winter at in a while because I thought it was in good hands.

And uh today I went down and I walked around and I met with some neighbors.

And if any of you haven't have been there, I want to thank you.

And there are a number of members of council that have been there, and I very much I'm grateful that council has taken a uh I think a compassionate look at this.

And uh I'm not gonna get into the details this evening.

And if you haven't been, I invite you to go.

But what it's brought to my mind is the contrast between how we are and how we say we are, and you know, I'm just gonna kind of leave it at that.

And you know, I had 12 years of Catholic education, you know.

My sister taught in the same school I was in, you know.

I'm steeped in this stuff, and I remember there's there's not that many things that I remember, and I don't even remember this all that well, but I remember the Beatitudes, and I think Sister Gerard, maybe fifth or sixth grade.

And I'm gonna go go with three of them here.

Uh blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

And the last one, blessed are the merciful.

Shall they shall they shall obtain mercy?

Are we in the third one?

Or are we maybe part of both?

But in any event, tomorrow is Good Friday, which is even a holier day in the faith that I was raised in.

And there's a guy from Chicago that's living in Rome now.

His name's Leo.

And Leo's taking a particular interest in the poor recently.

Yeah, 30 seconds.

And Leo is going to be tomorrow washing the feet of four people in Rome.

I would suggest that the leadership of this city, not the leadership in this room, but the leadership of this city consider taking a group of them down there and taking care of the folks in Christina Park.

Thank you all very much.

Thank you.

Next, virtually our first virtual public comment will come from Dr.

Jennifer Hummer.

I'm actually here too.

Okay, you can come forward.

Thank you for joining us.

I'll sign in on soon.

Thanks for joining us.

Please watch a step once you reach the podium.

And uh please remember to introduce yourself.

And if you are representing a district, if you live in a district in the city, you can say that, but you don't have to.

You have three minutes, and we have 30 seconds left.

I'll give you a family reminder.

Yes.

Hi, I'm Jennifer Hummer.

I live live in the third district, and I'm going to talk to a resolution on the agenda tonight.

So I'm a proud Democrat.

Some of my views are pretty left-leaning, even, but that doesn't mean that I just vote party line.

When I'm choosing who to elect, I want public servants who lead with integrity, dedication, and compassion.

And this is part of why I have voted for James Spadola even before he ran for city council, even when he was running as a Republican.

And in the past eight years, since we bought our home at 23rd and North Market Street, I've become more even more aware of how important city council is to our city.

I'm a leader on our civic association.

And I work 60 hours a week, and I still make the time to volunteer.

And when I go to community and city events, I often see council member Spadola.

And he's one of the people that I reach out to when I'm working on behalf of our civic association to get things done.

He shows up when it's important.

And what I see is that we have a beautiful city, and there's plenty of room to grow.

But we have important issues like gun violence, addiction, and affordable housing.

And this is what city council needs to stay focused on.

I taught middle school for a little while, and some of this bullying of council member Spadola seems a lot like middle school drama to me.

So I just want to urge you all to keep that in mind and stay focused on the work that this city needs to have done.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, virtually we have Dwayne Randolph.

Oh, I can come forward.

Hold on, one second for me, please, Mr.

Mr.

Rangel.

Mr.

Randolph, hold on one second, please.

I just want to see if anybody is still virtual, so we can give them an equal opportunity.

Say WITN is Susan Sayek's deal with us.

Jane Vincent.

Okay.

Dutch Hopkins.

Yes, Dutch Hopkins.

Thank you for joining us.

And please remember to introduce yourself.

My name's Todd Hopkins.

I live in the 7th district.

And I'm calling tonight about the resolution on the floor having to do with Councilman Spadola.

I just want to say that I was a little shocked that this has gone as far as it has.

I don't understand why this has become such an issue when it doesn't seem to be an issue for the city solicitor.

It seems personal to me.

Also I know is that James is everywhere.

I don't see a lot of council people out and around.

But he is always there.

He always answers the phone.

I don't care if he's a Republican or a Democrat, although we're always happy to have more Democrats in the city.

So I wish somebody could explain to me why this is happening.

He is the first one to answer our calls.

He is dedicated.

He is the only Republican I've ever voted for.

And there are people that have been in city politics that have changed their party just so they could get elected.

So that may be a loophole too, because I've been hearing that this was called a loophole what he did.

But the attorneys don't seem to agree with you.

So I hope everybody looks within themselves and see what an asset he is to this city.

The fact that he was threatened to have his seat vacated is appalling.

And until city council comes up with a way to fill empty seats that don't include you all disappearing behind closed doors and then telling us who will represent us.

There needs to be special elections.

The residents of the city are tired of having that decision made for them.

So and in this case, I think it's absolutely unnecessary.

And I need you all to think about that.

Because there is too much wrong in this city that isn't being addressed.

And this is just a big waste of time.

So thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next in Council Chambers, we have Janet Wortzel.

Please forgive me if I mispronounce your last name.

All right, thank you.

Thank you for joining us.

And please remember to introduce yourself once you get to the um to the podium.

Good evening, Council President Congo, members of the council, their staff, and my fellow Wilmingtonians.

My name is Janet Wurzel and I live in Trolley Square.

Besides the representation of the Eighth Ward Councilman Field, I am represented by four council members that were elected at large.

Like all Wilmington voters, I only had the opportunity to elect three of those candidates to fill those four at-large seats due to the current city charter rules.

We the people of Wilmington are disenfranchised.

The proposed change is to require that the at-large council member that is from a different political party than the other three not change parties during their term.

The argument for this proposed change is protection of the one seat held by a so-called minority party, although that concept is nowhere in the city charter.

Let's think about that.

How much influence does one representative of a different party really have?

How much does it really matter?

Remember that while this representative is elected as one of four at-large representatives, they function in this body as one of 13 voices.

As you all know well, it is now overwhelmingly Democrat.

The minor minority became the majority.

Not because of charter rules.

This new restriction only applies to one of the 13 elected to the city council.

Everyone else can change parties at will.

While committees and commissions frequently have requirements for specific representation, those are appointed positions.

I'm not aware of any other elected government position at any level in the state of Delaware being restricted by political party.

The final paragraph summarizes their position.

Wilmington Democrats strongly urge council to craft a resolution that puts the decision of who is in each of the at-large seats in the hands of the voters where that decision properly belongs, rather than let the charter choose one of those seats.

While I support having a broad variety of perspectives on every governing body, restricting who I can vote for and restricting any serving council members' right to membership to the political party of their choice is not how we should get there.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you.

Next venture we have Robert Goff.

I'm actually here right now.

Okay, come forward.

I didn't I didn't know whether I was supposed to do water posts.

All right.

Good.

And we don't want to do this one.

I see everyone.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

I will.

When you get to the podium, thank you.

You can't start the clock until I start talking.

Um my name is Bob Goff.

I am with District 4.

I've been a Delaware lawyer and lived in the city for 37 years.

Uh, and my comment to City Council is about what you've just been hearing about, about Councilman Spadola's decision, which I believe is of conscious uh conscience to change his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and the merits of today's proposed resolution that would amend the city charter to prohibit a minority political party council member from changing party and expel a member who did so anyway.

Attorney Bill Larson's letter sent to council regarding Councilmember Spadola's party affiliation was correct.

I have read his analysis and done my own research.

In Adams versus Kearney, citing some of Mr.

Larson's cases, the Third Circuit Federal Court of Appeals found Delaware's constitutional requirement of party balance for judges in Delaware courts violated the United States Constitution.

While the U.S.

Supreme Court reversed because the plaintiff had not actually applied for a judgeship and had no standing, there's no reason to believe the Third Circuit has changed the opinion if it had a different plaintiff.

The U.S.

Constitution recognized that a council member's job once elected is to represent and serve all citizens in his or her district, not his or her party, political party.

Neither the state's constitution nor a city charter can force an elected official who has not so much left his party as had his party leave him to remain shackled to it no matter that its central tenets have diverged as drastically as the current GOP has from Councilmember Spadolas.

City Charter Section 2-30103 lists the exclusive grounds for forfeiture.

They are citizenship, age, residency, holding other city office, and conviction of moral turpitude.

Because continued party affiliation is not listed, it is not required.

So the charter does not require an elected council member to stay in a party they no longer recognize.

And the United States Constitution would not permit it if it did, as being proposed by today's resolution.

How many of us would not cheer and loudly if certain members of Congress had the courage to do the same because they recognize that their party had betrayed its principles and this country.

Looking at this elected officer, a colleague in your midst, uh any looking at this elected officer any different, any differently is hypocrisy.

The right to exercise our voting franchise and free elections, diversity and racial equity initiatives, and an independent federal department of justice.

The bottom line this council should not approve the resolution.

What it should do is move on to doing the work of the residents of Wilmington, which is something I know Councilmember Spadola has done for its entire time in council and will continue to do in the future.

Thank you for discovering.

Thank you.

Thank you for joining us, and please remember to introduce yourself once you get to the podium.

Um I'm from Council Three.

Um, sorry about my little nervousness here.

Um I'm the grandson of the Trotters, the plaintiffs in the Belton versus Gaphart landmark case for the Brown versus Board of Education, and the son of Mertha Randolph, one of the first black students to attend a white high school in the United States.

This context matters because as a child growing up attending Union Baptist Church on 22th Street, where my grandfather was a deacon.

My grandparents are buried in Riverview Cemetery.

This family legacy in Wilmington is part of the reason why my wife and I decided to buy a home in the area.

Also knowing the consequences of elections and political decisions from hearing my mother's first hand accounts has influenced my voting decisions since I became of age.

Thus, I do not choose who I vote for based only on party lines.

I vote for the people that I know will look out for humanity and champion civil rights.

This is why even James Pidola was quite unquote, quote unquote, a Republican.

I still voted for him even before he ran for civil civil city council as an elected official.

Councilmember Spadola has never disappointed me in my fond memories of spending time in the Northeast when I was a child, coming down to downtown Wilmington to go shopping on North Market Street with my mother.

I want to see Wilmington reach the potential that it has.

I have seen council member Spadola show up when it matters.

He has supported our community efforts, and I trust him to continue to do so.

There are areas in our amazing city that need your attention, focusing on one person's political affiliation, especially when they decided to align themselves with good people.

Thank you.

Next we have Baba Heyman Haman.

Okay.

Thank you for having me.

My name is Baba Hamen.

Um I'm here to speak on the issue uh crisis that's happening in Wilmington.

Uh gun balance.

Um that's what I like to address.

Um I want to acknowledge the legislators here, the council members, for the work that they've been doing.

They do a fantastic job.

And of course, Chairman Tippy Trippy is doing his thing too.

Now I'm gonna speak.

I it's impossible for me to speak on the all the issues that are going on, but I'm gonna cut it short and say there's a misunderstanding about how to cure solve the uh the shootings.

Um I like, I appreciate the mayor's attempt at this scholastic way of addressing the problem.

I'm gonna say what works and what doesn't work.

Incarceration does not work.

Matter of fact, Ferris School should be sued for false for impersonation as a school.

It is not that is where most of our youth learn thuggism.

Number two, I'm not gonna go into items, but the other issues is that to solve the problem is to have a mentor.

You know, children need these people are shooting.

No, that's not the issue.

Mentors, I'll pose it to you this way.

It's a problem of fatherless homes.

They've there, you can look it up online.

The majority of those who are committing crimes are coming from fatherless homes.

That's an issue.

That's an issue that the community has to solve.

It's a hard nut to crack, but it has to be dealt with.

These children, and uh the next issue is dealing with the schools, the school to prison pipeline.

As a teacher, I watched it, I observed it.

It starts in kindergarten.

A child who is not as quick to beat into the higher reading group.

They're pushed aside.

I watch it.

I watched it.

It's just it's just horrible.

Um policing has nothing to do with what's going on with the violence.

It has nothing.

You know, you can put a police on every corner, it's not gonna stop it.

The key component and the violence are the gangs.

You have 30 seconds, and the gangs are formulated from fatherless households.

They eagerly smartly and intelligently quit school because it does not serve them.

It dehumanizes them, they hit the streets and they learn on their own.

Unfortunately, the mother can't keep up with them and doesn't have parany skills herself.

So these children, these youth are taught how to survive on the street.

Please wrap up your comments.

And there, and there are certain and I figured that would happen.

So what I'm I did was I compiled some information that my son Obi Obalogy to Ali Methali.

Um he can give to the city council.

Yes, I'll have um our city clerk receive everything, please.

Thank you.

This is for Tricky.

Thank you so much.

Um, give it to her, and she'll she'll give it to those.

I appreciate it.

Thank you for the time.

Thank you.

And get on the right course.

Next we have uh Claire Van.

Thank you for joining us, and please please remember to introduce yourself.

When you have 30 seconds left, I will give you a friendly reminder.

Hi, Dr.

Claire Vandenbrook, uh local entrepreneur and uh property developer.

I live right here on Market Street.

Uh I've been named businesswoman of the year by uh Delaware Today, most influential by the news journal.

I have worked with numerous nonprofits downtown and numerous small businesses, which is to say I know which council people are out there so showing up, uh showing up for their community, like Tish Bracey, James Spadola, and I'm here to talk about that.

So on November 5th, 2024, I walked into an election booth and I was met with an unexpected surprise.

The councilman I wanted to vote for, James Spadola was listed as a Republican.

Despite having known James for some time, having talked to him at numerous events and meetings, it never occurred to me that he might be a Republican.

I'd certainly certainly never voted for one before.

Um, but I cast my vote for James because over the past years I'd come to know him as an immensely dedicated politician who truly understands what it means to serve his community.

This is a man who shows up for his constituents, who supports small businesses and nonprofits every single day, and who genuinely listens to people's needs.

I've by the way, I've never seen most of the city council people here in my local business or my friends' local businesses.

James Spadola is a U.S.

veteran, an advocate for literacy, and someone with a nuanced understanding of the social and economic needs of our diverse community.

I found him to be everything I could ask for of a politician, and I couldn't care less what his party is because he's a man with integrity who loves Wilmington and works harder than any politician I know.

So I ask, why is a member of the Congo family, which has been mired in controversy for decades now over failure to pay taxes, missing grand money and lawsuits, attempting to undermine the democratic order trying to remove a order.

She has a first amendment right to speak, do not silence her.

These are rules regarded, there are rules regarding the election, but there's no rule that prevents James Spadola from serving his term after he switches parties, and who cares that he switched.

Alexander Hackett switched party allegiance in 2020, which was fine.

Okay.

So uh why is the the council?

Please don't address any council members directly.

Okay.

All right.

So I'm asking, why is the council pursuing this charade instead of focusing on Wilmington's problems with crime housing and education?

And why did the council start focusing on this just hours after the Delaware GOP meeting about this issue?

Is someone taking money for this?

I'm not sure what's happening here.

Um sure sounds like some members of the city council are acting in blatant coordination with the party of Trump to overturn a local election.

Wilmington deserves better, and the city council should be looking to James Spadola as an outstanding example of what they ought to be doing with their time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Peter Anto.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for joining us, and please remember to introduce yourself.

When you have 30 seconds left, I will give you a friendly reminder.

Hi, my name is Peter Anto, District 2.

Thank you, President Congo.

I don't want to step out of bounds.

I heard don't say something someone by name.

I just wanted to appreciate Kobe Owens for No Kings.

Thank you.

Letisha Bracie for supporting and volunteering wonderful things.

My uh district uh representative, Shine Darby, for representing wonderful things.

But I'd like to speak about James Spadola.

And the reason why is I've been a member of this city now for 40 years.

I've lived in many cities.

I'm I'm old.

And I've experienced all kinds of and and met all kinds of uh representatives.

I have never met a representative like James Spadola.

He's amazing.

He is everywhere.

He he is open to hearing and talking to everybody about everything.

He represents us, he follows up.

We're uh we we get mailings ahead of time.

He shows up at our neighborhood association meetings.

Every meeting I show up at, I I'm pretty sure James Spadola is gonna be there.

I don't know if he has doppelgangers, if there's multiple of him.

I don't know how he does it.

But he's exactly what you want from a representative.

You want representatives to show up.

You want to see your representatives.

You want to know that what is important to you is important to them.

You want to know that they know what you're going through, what you're experiencing, what's important to you.

And then when you not only speak to them, but then popping up in your email afterwards is a connection to the person you need to talk to to help remedy the situation or the issue that you have.

It's it's sad that it's mind blowing to me because isn't that how it should operate?

Shouldn't your your public servants shouldn't the people you elect then turn around and help you?

This one does.

Sorry about pointing.

I know that's a bad habit on my part.

James Spadola does.

My mother would be shocked that I voted for a Republican, but I didn't vote for a Republican.

I voted for the man.

I voted for somebody who I knew wasn't just there for the vote.

I voted for someone that I knew was there and he cared and he was going to follow through.

And he was gonna tell me things.

I didn't even know I needed to know.

We have an excellent public servant.

We have an excellent representative.

He has come to the good side.

We should be we should be going, hallelujah.

This man sees he can't, he can no longer say, I'm with this group, because this group is crazy.

They do not represent.

Please begin to wrap up your comments.

Thank you.

This man deserves his position, and the people that voted for him, they voted for him.

Republican, Democrat, Independent, they voted for him.

Thank you very much from the time.

Next we have Leo.

I believe.

Thank you for joining us.

Please remember to introduce yourself.

Thank you, President Congo.

Thank you, uh, members of the city.

Thank you, President Congo.

Thank you, members of City Council and our public.

Uh I am vehemently opposed to the uh amendment.

I guess it's 217.

That resolution.

Uh I know James Padola is a neighbor as a friend.

I've been a part of the uh Hanover Presbyterian uh church.

I'm a part of the Interfaith Veterans Work Group.

Um also was uh president of the uh uh Baynert Village neighborhood association back when we had another name, it was Southwest Ninth Ward some time ago.

But what I'd like to see in the city is for us to be unified, for us to move forward, and I see that in James as both a neighbor and a friend, and as a fellow dog walker.

We've uh run to each other quite a few times.

I've been here in the chamber a couple times too, and then I worked for state uh chamber of commerce some time ago.

Uh I don't want to drag it on too long, but I'd just like to see Wilmington move forward, and I welcome the fact that he has joined the Democratic Party.

I was always voting independent because I always wanted to make sure I voted for who was going to do things for the people, whether it be Republican, whether it be independent, whether it be Democratic.

And with the recent administration, I found that I could never ever vote for Republican again.

Unless it might have been James, and I'm glad James is no longer a Republican.

So thank you very much, short and sweet.

Have a good evening, everyone.

And this is happy holy week.

And our final person uh for public comment.

Just want to make sure I didn't miss anyone in attendance.

Anyone who signed up, did you you signed up?

You were to sign up, man.

May I have your name?

I'm sorry.

Gene Vincent.

James, okay, yes.

Please come forward.

Thank you for joining us, and please remember to introduce yourself.

Good evening.

My name is Jane Vincent, President Congo, members of council.

Thank you very much for allowing me to join you.

Happy to see some friends among you.

I am uh Jane Vincent.

I am a resident of Brandy 100.

Lived in the city of Wilmington for many years, served the city of Wilmington as a director of real estate and housing under the SILS administration.

But I'm coming to speak to you today as the immediate past chair of the Wilmington Housing Authority.

It was really my honor to serve in that capacity for uh many years.

Uh and one of the things that we try to do under my leadership as chair was really to strengthen the board of commissioners.

Many of you may know how the board has been uh constitute constituted.

Uh it is uh uh board of nine members, and when I came on board at the Wilmington Housing Authority, a bare majority could be of one party and the other four of any other party.

As time has gone by, and and someone here uh said it this evening, and the demographics in Wilmington have changed, it became more and more difficult to constitute a board of nine members, and I found it very difficult to often have quorum.

We had trouble getting members to come.

We had trouble getting quorum, and we had trouble of doing the business, the good work of the Wilmington Housing Authority caring for many of our residents.

So a couple of years ago, we found out that it was time, and the Wilmington Housing Authority was the last housing authority in the state of Delaware to ask its charter be changed, ask the enabling legislation be changed to eliminate political affiliation.

Voila, with a lot of good work, a lot of effort, that happened, and the commissioners met, met quorum, got their business done, and it was a better housing authority board serving the Wilmington residents.

Happily, I can tell you that when I left about a year ago, I didn't know the political affiliation of the other members sitting around me.

I knew that we were doing good work.

I would ask that you consider that with your legislation this evening.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And next we have Deacon Earl Tate.

Don't be me.

That's it.

Thank you for joining us, Deacon Tate.

Greetings.

Now this is the year of election.

This is the year when we stand up and let our voices be heard.

You're not gonna you're not gonna let your voice be heard by you just sitting down doing nothing.

You got to stand up and take action.

Take action and get out and vote.

Because unless you get out and vote, you have nothing to say.

Nothing to say about what goes on.

So it's time for us to get off our seat of do nothing and do something for America.

We got we got we gotta let America know that no that we are the we are the people of America, and we gotta let them know our voice is will be heard.

Next, next of all we we uh I'm not representing myself, I'm representing a lot of people.

And the people and the people say that say that they would like to see at least three speed bumps go up, go up, go up, like like on like on second, second, second, and uh in union twenty six, twenty-six and jump, twenty-fifth, twenty-fifth and carter.

They uh uh uh they would like they would like they would like to see those speed bumps go up over there that slow down the traffic and and and you will see and you will see that that that is gonna make a big difference in in the traffic of Wilmington because if we want our kids as well as well as us to be here for for tomorrow, we got to do it now.

Third thing, third thing, third and final thing is that it's that uh we have we we we have plenty of people sleeping in the parks now what we got to do, we got we got we got we got to take take these uh take these trailers, take these trailers that that uh they come over here, they come over here that they bring things over here and take them and put them, put them in a area in an area and fix them up, fix them up so that the people so that the homeless people can have a place where they could go and be at and they won't have to worry, they won't have to worry about the water 30 seconds.

They won't have to worry about the house being blown down, and they won't and they won't have to worry, won't have to worry about about getting cold, but that's what we must do.

And and finally, finally, I'd say this have a beautiful holiday to all.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

That does conclude public comment for this evening.

As always, everyone is to any of our council and our committee meetings to give public comment.

If you cannot make it to the meeting, you can always sign up to give public comment virtually.

So now we will move to legislative business council member Darby.

Mr.

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

Ordinance number 25-045, agenda number 0098, an ordinance to enact a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new business licenses for new corner properties within the city pending completion of an equity impact assessment.

Mr.

President, I have a substitute to present in lieu of that ordinance.

Ordinance substitute number one to ordinance number 25-045, agenda number zero zero nine eight, revision one, an ordinance to enact a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new business licenses for new Mr.

President.

Second, second it's been properly moved and second that be known as the enacting clause of the substitute ordinance and call for a yay when they vote on the question.

Um yes, thank you.

The first thing um before I talk to this ordinance in full, um there are um it's supposed to say convenience stores, and on my legislation it says convenience stores, but then it looks like on the screen, and then other places, corner properties are being used, and then um throughout this piece of legislation I'm reading, it doesn't look like it's the updated one that's supposed to have convenience stores throughout it.

Um so I do want to um let that be known.

So I don't know where Marchelle is, but it's updated online.

Okay.

All right, perfect.

Thank you.

Um, so this ordinance is to enact a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new business license for new convenience stores within the city pending completion of an equity impact assessment.

Um so when we look at um what is a convenience stores and in the whereas clause, it divide defines what it is.

Um so um they're basically in the city.

Um we say corner stores.

So basically they are corner stores, but they are businesses that are retailer edible where businesses is probably composed of consumption of goods, take out services at delivery services.

Um, and we're mainly this legislation.

Um we worked out talking about those pieces of properties.

Um so we know that um we need a clear enforcement on these um stores.

We are oversaturated um with these type of stores in our community.

Um we also know that residents complain a lot about groups of gatherings that happen outside of a lot of our corner stores in regards to um illegal activities and violence that happen.

A lot of women, elders, and young people um don't feel comfortable entering a lot of the corner stores that we have.

And we also know that a lot of the corner stores in our neighborhoods sell predominantly primarily processed food, alcohol, tobacco, and lottery products, which provides little access to healthy options for our community.

Um, so this is about safety concerns, this is about the options that are in certain communities.

I don't need three, four convenience stores in a two, three block radiance that all sells unhealthy food, lottery tickets, alcohol, tobacco, um, and it has no benefit to the community other than it does provide a need of um if people need food suddenly and can't get to a grocery store for some reason, whatever barrier that may be.

But I think that our focus as a council should be looking at these um corner convenience stores, um these corner stores, looking at these properties and saying, how do we um create healthy food options, grocery stores, cafes, and I want to be able to go throughout my district and have a cafe.

The people who live in the on 23rd and Jessup deserve a cafe, just like the people at the riverfront in downtown do.

We deserve cafes, we deserve healthy food.

I I'm tired of smoke shops, I'm tired of corner stores, I'm tired of liquor stores in a two, three block radius on Market Street.

There are about eight or nine.

It's unacceptable.

In this piece of legislation, I'm hoping the same way that we're doing with the smoke shops, it's the same thing that we would do with our corner stores.

A lot of people don't feel safe going into the corner stores.

I have a corner store on um 29th in Washington.

I get complaints of um the corner store owners not enforcing the um laudering.

Um the loadering um let um law um in front of their store, and kids can't walk into the stores without fear of um having to walk through gangs of illegal activity.

Um so this legislation is really looking at those things and creating an equity impact.

And then once um the once we're finished with the temporary not issuing any more um license, we can take that equity impact assessment, and I'm hoping we could look at zoning.

I'm hoping that we can look at how we issue these business licenses.

I hope that we can have community input when a new corner store is coming in into our neighborhood or convenience store and what that looks like so that we can hold people accountable to what they're bringing in our neighborhoods.

So thank you.

All right, thank you.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor, Councilmember Hackett, can't follow by Councilmember Johnson and Councilmember McCor.

Thank you, President.

Uh, I just want to say the same thing.

I won't be added as a co-sponsor.

Uh Councilwoman Darby, I just want to say thank you for bringing us to light.

You know, I grew up in this area right around the corner from me.

There's a liquor store right around the corner, there's another corner store.

I mean, right in West Intercity, there's probably between Way McAnderson and where my mom lives on Eighth and Marl Road, it's probably four to five different corner stores.

And uh, you see a lot of kids today that are walking into these corner stores and are seeing drug dealers basically partner with some of these corner stores.

Go inside, you see them sitting right inside of there and doing what they're not supposed to be doing, kids walking in there, families.

You know, we we at a long time ago we talked about how there was a food desert, and uh, I think the corner stores they served a purpose.

Um, but today we have to look at our community different, more innovative.

I think there are cafes that are coming around, but today a lot of a lot of people are using Uber Eats and and different methodisms to be able to eat.

And not saying that we shouldn't have corner stores, but I think our departments need to be able to understand what these corn stores are doing on a daily basis.

So I think this is important.

So that means co-sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Johnson, followed by Councilmember McCoy, then council member Harley.

Uh I want to be added as a co-sponsor first and foremost.

And I would like to thank Councilwoman Darby.

Uh we we've worked in tandem, talked about this offline.

This is a critical issue for the city, and this is pushing our council initiative, healthy Wilmington, pushing it to the max.

So people may say, well, why is council being so aggressive?

We're being so aggressive because we can't waste time, you know.

You have to run like there's no tomorrow.

You have to continue pushing a for the city forward, and we're being aggressive, um, taking action against these shops, closing them down, and really getting our community um first back as a priority, a healthy community, having co-ops, um, black and brown owned businesses.

That's important because these business owners aren't even from the community and they're robbing our community.

So this is something where we're standing up as council.

So I thank councilwoman Darby.

Only question I had is I'm not sure why there's a fiscal note.

Maybe the sponsor can ask.

Um, I had the similar ordinance, and there was no fiscal note.

So I don't see again.

This is um planning department's job to do this, and this can be done at the same time as the smoke shop one.

So I mean, I just have that question, but I don't think there should be a fiscal note on it.

I think it should roll out with the other one.

We can do both at the same time.

So thank you, Councilmember Foy.

Uh and Councilmember Harley.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

I too would like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Uh, I'm so glad that this actually this ordinance came about.

One of the things that I've actually had to do, I don't know whether or not this is happening at the other people's um districts, but I've had multitudes of people trying to open up stores, and I've been at lots of zoning board meetings fighting to keep uh convenience stores closed or stores turning into convenience stores because once they open, then you really cannot control what type of retail that they're doing.

So this will give us one full year of trying to figure out what's best for the city.

So I do uh this is a great piece of legislation.

Councilmember Harley, followed by Councilmember Bracey.

Yes, thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

I too would like to be added as a co-sponsor, and I too like council member McCoy have been uh working especially with the east side regarding um individuals wanting to open up corner stores, and because I have been successful in making them aware, number one, making sure that the business owners come to the civic association.

We have been successful in letting them know that we do not um want another convenience store, and we have even given them options and letting them know that we prefer affordable housing, and a lot of times they may come to the meeting and agree with the community and then get to the zoning board and say something differently.

But I just want to say that we have been successful and and I don't like to use the word shutting them down, but they were not able to get those doors open and approved on the east side here lately.

So I am definitely in agreement with this.

And I also have one question for councilmember Darby in terms of uh the equity impact assessment.

Um she communicated this with land use and planning and what is the fiscal impact of this assessment.

Uh Councilmember Darby's questions.

You want to address council member Harley and Councilmember Johnson's questions.

Yeah, so this um leg this um piece of ordinance did go to um the departments and to um OMB to be reviewed and analyzed um on what the fiscal note is.

So they did put, I don't know if it's updated online or what version everyone has.

Um, because I know the one I have and online is different, but there is a fiscal impact.

So they did say that they would need a professional consultant service at an estimate cost of 250 K.

Um, so they did add a fiscal impact to this.

Um, and they wrote it out on the on the back and explained why, but kind of like councilmember um Johnson is saying his um ordinance, which is probably the written out the same way as mine.

Um they didn't put a fiscal impact on his and it went through the same process.

So I think we would I don't know if the administration is here.

I have my thoughts on why they put a fiscal impact on my stuff.

But um I definitely don't know if the administration is here to speak to it.

Okay, all right.

I'm so sorry.

Al can I add one more thing.

But I think for the administration and for council members that they're not too fond of, they use this as a weapon.

And I want y'all to, I'm telling this to the public, they'll use fiscal impact notes as a weapon so that that you can't get things passed through or that you'll get lease support from your council colleagues.

So they'll go to someone else like Councilmember Chris Johnson who had the similar legislation as mine, put nothing on his, but then go ahead and turn around and put some made up fiscal impact for me.

So I just want the community to know that that's my experience on council.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Councilmember Bracey, followed by Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you.

Um first I want to be at it as a co-sponsor.

Um and second, um, as pretty much all my colleagues know, economic development and um commercial corridor revitalization is one of my top priorities.

And um, one of the things that, you know, one of the field trips that council member Darby, myself, McCoy, some others when we went to Baltimore, one of the shopping areas that we went to to visit, there was in the same shopping center, a family dollar, Dollar Tree, um, and a Dollar General, a check cash in place that was never open, and a laundromat that was never open.

And when we started looking, started talking about what's happening here on Market Street, on uh Maryland Avenue, on some of our other, you know, the corridors, it's a lot of the same.

You go one block, you can go to one store, you can buy a hair weave, get a sandwich, uh buy some weed and all these other things, illegal activity happening in front of that store, go a half a block down, there's a liquor store, go to the next corner, you can go in that store and buy some hair weave, you can buy uh cleaning supplies and all these, like it's just a lot going on.

And if we're trying to do revitalization, we can't do it if we have a proliferation of all of these stores that don't really care about the community, aren't investing in the community.

They're just there to make money and to turn a profit.

So I do think that if we're doing this and we do it well, this could really be a benefit to our communities with the combination of the smoke shop uh moratorium.

So now we're able to do both.

And so even if there's a fiscal note here, we can take advantage of okay.

So if we're gonna do a one-time allotment of 250, then that's gonna be to evaluate both so that we can make sure that we're doing this as a collective because I think that as we start to really look at revitalizing our corridors, looking at revitalizing our neighborhoods, we have to address some of the problematic areas.

And these, and even when we're saying we support small business, we started going around to some of the CDCs and councilman owens knows this well because of his district.

We started going around and talking to those business owners.

They don't care about, they don't care about North Market Street.

They're not from they they're there until they leave and go home.

And so they're not interested in being part of a business round table because they don't care.

So we have to be able to address that and make sure that there's some community community benefit as we're we're doing things like this.

So I totally support this.

Hopefully, this really goes somewhere and that we can really start to address some of the needs of our communities.

Thanks.

Councilmember Oler, followed by Councilmember Owens.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, you know, I've mentioned this before.

Um, I would like to be added as co-sponsor, but we can put in all the ordinance, all the resolutions as we want.

But if the administration doesn't enforce it, it means nothing.

Um I still haven't gotten over reading in the paper, the guy on Maryland Avenue with 10 pounds a week and a gun, and the store was open the next door.

It's rules on um on the book, um, enforcement on the book that uh um land use um director could have closed them down, even if it was 30s days, also the chief of police met with Jeff Starkey, talked to the chief, everybody.

Uh Jeff was like he would have shut them down.

I mean, I know he's not here, but to say um, well, it should have been more points on the store.

How many more points do you need on a store when you go in there and find all that it was evident it was in the paper, the man's face was on there.

So, you know, I've even tried to get some stores closed down in the third district and brought evidence to the AG's office, supposed to connect with this person.

But if our laws are, if individuals aren't enforcing any of this, what good is it doing?

So I would like to be added, and hopefully, you know, we get some department heads that enforce um things that's already on the book because that was just blatant obvious that he should have been shut down and he wasn't.

Thank you.

Councilmember Owens.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, one first I would like to be added as a co-sponsor onto this legislation.

Um, very similar to the smoke shop.

This is key and critical legislation that is needed for the city as we're focusing on some of the key impacts that's happening in our communities.

Look, I'll won't reiterate everything that's been said, but I think to go with this and go with the smoke shop um legislation.

Council needs to have a true conversation about um putting additional funds up for site acquisition as well, too.

Um, so we can get some of these locations back under control as well, too, um, and allow the community to have input on what they want to see go into these um properties as well.

To I know that could pair with Councilwoman Bracie's buyback the block as well, too.

Um this moratorium just a start.

Again, Councilwoman Oliver hit the nail on the head is we gotta make sure that they follow through with this um and that we get it all done at one time so that we don't have to keep asking time and time and time again.

I would hope that we would have more collaboration so we can all do this together, but um, we have to do this through a resolution.

So again, I want to be added um as a co-sponsor um and I look forward um to hopefully seeing this get done in a timely manner.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I just want to make a quick note that you know, as it says, the overall fiscal impact of this ordinance is expected to be primarily one time with the potential cost of 250,000 associated with the required equity impact assessment.

And we all know the equity right now.

We got families that are dying right in front of these doors, drugs being used, babies being around.

I mean, we can see it right in our community, what's going on in front of all these stores.

So I don't know what reporting that we need to give them, but at the end of the day, our community, our council, the leaders can see exactly what's happening in front of these stores.

So to be able to send 250,000 for a report that we already know.

I can't, I don't understand.

But I know for the smoke shops, they know that that needed to end.

So it wasn't no report that needed to be done with that.

So I think that's the same here.

So thank you.

See my no more hands raised.

I will return to the sponsor.

Any final comment?

Um, no, no comments.

Thank you, Clerk.

Please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson?

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

11 YA's and two absent.

Declared adopted.

Um, Mr.

Um, Mr.

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

Ordinance number 2607, agenda number 0172, an ordinance to amend chapter two of the city code to create an African American history and cultural preservation commission.

Mr.

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

Second.

It's been properly moved in second, that be known as the enacting clause of the ordinance and called for a yay or nay vote on the question.

Yeah, so this piece of ordinance is establishing an African American History and Cultural Preservation Commission in place of a defunct committee that no longer serves its intended purpose.

So this is not just about reconstructing the board, but it's like correcting a long standing gap in how the city honors protects and invests in black history.

For two for far too long for me, I feel like African American history in our city has been treated as something that we acknowledge during moments rather than something to preserve, protect, and build into our future.

Meanwhile, in our city, we continue to see displacement, a racial or a racial eration, erasing of cultural landmarks and a lack of coordinated strategy to uplift story spaces and contribution of black Womitonians.

I hope that this commission creates a permanent structure, one that ensures accountability, consistency, and attention, where it allows us to move from symbolic recognition to real preservation, from reactive conversations to proactive planning.

And I think in our city right now, we have momentum going on with like an African American historical center being created.

So we have these communities coming up, and I really think that want to preserve black history and cultural preservation.

And I think it's time that we coordinate those efforts and be able to support it on a from a government standpoint.

Um all these things that are happening.

Another thing that I think is really connected to is, and I'm happy that Councilmember Oliver did this, as she put um past the ordinance.

Um and we've been waiting, I guess, for the funding to be available, but for us to get more historical markers throughout the city of Wilmington that marks black history.

Wilmington has rich black history, and something that I wish I would have taught been taught as a child.

I didn't learn until adult how rich Eastside was of black history, how we just had Howard High School students in here.

Standing right here and is still alive and moving and still predominantly black and they're successful.

It's a it's like a pride to say that you you're from Howard High School and the history that we have been able to impact on a national scale.

I really believe in this commission and being able to reinitiate it from one of a defunct committee to make sure that this come back in place for us to honor the black history of Wilmington.

So that's all I have for tonight.

Councilmember McCoy.

Yes, thank you.

Um I just had a question for uh Councilman Darby.

Uh she states that the other committees actually defunct.

Do you know when the last time they actually met?

Uh was there like some information about when they stopped meeting?

Like how long they've been defunct.

That was it.

Yeah, I don't know.

It was a long time ago, I think.

Um I don't know.

Um Marshell, no or councilmember Oliver.

Yeah, um, I remember Harman Carey said it was like um I think early 70s or something.

Yeah, it was way before.

It was way, yeah, because he used to he used to be ahead of that commission and then somehow that default.

Okay.

Okay.

That's all I see no hands raised.

Clerk, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby?

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes, and I'd like to be added as a co-sponse.

I'm sorry.

Councilwoman Harley?

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower?

Yes.

Councilwoman McCoy?

Yes.

Councilman Johnson?

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey?

Yes.

Councilman Hackett?

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

11 years and two absent.

Declared adopted.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-025.

Agenda number of case.

I moved this resolution be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by Yay and they vote.

Second.

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

Yeah, so this resolution is recommending that Wilmington, City Council in our budget, that we get a grant writer, um, a professional grant writer.

Um they can either act as a part-time employee or contract it, um, where they'll be able to look at some of the projects that we want in our community to be able to apply to these grants for us.

Um, so I, as a council person, have um been seeking grants and access for some of our staff to apply to these grants.

And I know firsthand that grant writing is a profession in itself.

Um, it takes time, um, it takes dedication to do this.

It's like an expertise, and I really think that this will really put city council in another level of being able to access funding and money for a lot of our projects.

So that can be things like I had one grant that was for a garden in my in my community, um, and it was a grant through like I think Home Depot or something that I wanted to apply to.

Um, and if we would if I would have been awarded that money, I would have been able to have money that I didn't have to use for my discretionary funds to help with this garden in my district.

So I believe that a grant writer will really strengthen us, really put us in a different realm of just being able to access funding and being able to support our community.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um I do uh appreciate the council members' intent, but um looking at it, it kind of circumvents what um is going on right now for us to discuss what we would like to put in a budget.

So I'm looking at this as a another way of you know, I have a lot that I would like to put in a budget, and if we start just putting resolutions, and I know I have heard her um mention this before and other council members, but I just think this is something that we should talk about or you know, um put in a suggestion box as um and call each other as a group opposed to bringing it to the floor and circumventing with the intent of discussing what and council members may want in the budget hands raised.

Councilmember Owens.

Yes, I just have a quick question.

So um with this grant writer, I know with some actually most corporate grants, like a Home Depot grant or anything like that, um, us as a government entity would not be able to receive those types of funds.

Um I know the mayor's side has a nonprofit setup, so would the grants that we're applying through be through that that nonprofit that they set up, or would there be some other how would how my question is how would we be able to apply for these grants?

It's good to have a grant writer, I agree with that portion of it, but do we have a structure that we can apply for these grants for already?

Councilmember Dorby.

Yeah, we could use those entities.

Um, but the one grant like I was gonna apply to for Home Depot accepted government.

Um, so there are grants that do accept from government agencies um to apply.

So there are grants that do exist out there that does allow that, but we are and could um tap into other nonprofits and partner with them to apply for funding.

I can see no other hands raised.

Uh councilmember Harley.

Uh yes, Mr.

President.

So one, this was an item that was submitted um in the proposal for council um in the survey, and the majority of council members basically, for whatever reason, did not support it.

And so now it's coming back on the floor.

I I'm more interested in understanding how this is going to work.

Um, because it says that there's $60,000 um budgeted for it.

So is this person going to report who the person's gonna report to how that's going to basically pan out?

I think I will be more interested in supporting this, you know, getting some questions answered on how this is going to work.

And my main reason is because integrity is important.

If we are gonna stick to a process, we should stick to a process because once you override the process for one, then it opens the doors for others and we should be consistent.

So I'm in support.

I like the ideal, but um, as it stands, I can't support this because of what I just shared, but I would be interested in having a broader discussion to discuss how this is going to work and making sure that we will be able to get the value out of it that we are looking for.

So again, I like the spirit behind it, but as it stands, I can't vote.

But if we can have a discussion or further discussion, I will be more in support of it.

Thanks.

All right, thank you.

See no other hands raised, we turn back to the sponsor.

No other comments.

Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby?

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver?

No.

Councilwoman Harley.

No.

Councilwoman Willower?

Yes.

Councilwoman McCoy?

No.

Councilman Johnson?

No.

Councilwoman Bracey?

No.

Councilman Hackett?

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

No.

President Congo.

Yes.

Five years, six nays, and two absent.

Declare defeated.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present resolution 26-026, agenda number 0209, whereas residents of the city face challenges related to housing stability, food.

I move this resolution be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by Yeah and NAVO.

Second.

It's been probably moved and second the resolution be received, recorded, filed, and adopted by Year and they vote on the question.

Yeah, so this piece of um resolution is encouraging for um social workers slash community navigator position in the city council budget.

Um and I think this is where we really connect with our constituents, understand their needs, and help address them.

So I get plenty of calls of people like I need my roof fixed, I need food, um, my utilities are shut off.

Um and I get a lot of them.

And as a council person, um, and I think of other council people that I know, especially from other cities and other places, they have people in their office staff that deals with um being able to connect people to services and to be able to do the follow-through and follow-up.

Um, so this world role would provide direct hands-on support to residents, connecting them to resources, public benefits, health care services, and community-based support.

Um, so if a person calls me and says they need a roof fix, I would then connect them to our navigator.

The navigator would then make sure and do the follow-through to make sure that they get connected in the services that they need.

And then this position will allow us to track patterns and trends in real life.

It'll help us help us collect data to really understand um and guide the legislation that we're passing based on the needs of what who people are reaching out.

Currently, right now, um, people will say call 311.

That doesn't work at all.

311 does not provide the level of service that I am talking about for constituents at all.

Um, it is a place for you to call, report something, they give you a number, and that's it.

Um, and it's not um it is not the same as um being able to work directly to support residents, um, connecting them to services and helping them resolve it and really working with them almost like case management.

Um, so this is really about like service, this is about assets, and like how do we make government work for the people that is supposed to serve?

And I know myself as a council, I need a lot of support in that area.

Um, as I try to make sure everyone who connects to me that I'm able to provide them with those resources.

And I have a nonprofit where I have a list of all those resources.

I'm able to get them connected to someone, but I also know that's not the case for everybody.

Um, so yes, thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, again, I think um this is what constituent services does.

Um, I'm not gonna take it up and away from Tanya and Vegeta uh and uh the young lady, it's about four of them up there now and they even add a position for someone to speak um Hispanic, um Spanish, I'm sorry.

Um again, I think this kind of circumvents um the whole process of us discussing amongst ourselves.

I mean, the process may seem strange, but um I've been around where we have had um two people meet at a time or leadership talks and the finance chair uh askes various questions.

Um and sometime I right now, and I think it just depends on the amendment, the different administrations.

I see a difference in around the budget time.

But um again, I see the numbers on the um on the elevators of all the calls of constituent service.

Has there been issues with 311?

Of course, but constituent services, I'm not gonna say that.

I mean, because I tell people to call and they have been reached out the resources.

I hear it's not Tracy's job, but I hear her constantly, she has the photo in front of her desk, constantly telling people.

Um I work in that field also, so I'm able, as councilman Darby said, able to refer people to various resources.

But um, for somebody, um I'm not going to get in that, but I just, you know, it's other ways that we can do this for $80,000.

And maybe what I do tomorrow is bring in my list and give it to everybody so they can give it to their civic association, like our civic association has it.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Bracie.

Thank you.

Um just a really quick comment on this.

Um, as someone who started as a constituent services officer for Senator Carper, I understand the importance of having in a governmental office, having someone on staff that can track and monitor all of the the concerns that come in and then refer them out to the different departments.

So in theory, I I support the idea of us having someone on our side that is uh doing constituent services and tracking because uh all of us, all 13 of us get calls, and it's hard to keep track of everything that's coming in your inbox between the the emails and you know all of the things.

However, I think this is an internal conversation that we should be having it as we're doing our budget conversation.

So I'm not gonna support this resolution, but I do want to keep the conversation going internally for us to figure out what's the best way because I think there's this goes back to looking at our office operations, and that's all stuff that um we should be really having those conversations internally to figure out you know what the best solution looks like for us.

So that's all I have to say.

Thanks.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett, followed by Councilmember Spadola.

Yeah, thank you, President.

Um, you know, I think I want to echo what what Bracie said here.

Um, you know, I come from Senator Carper's office as well, and it is important for somebody to be able to call our office and get pointed in the right direction at all times.

Uh I think we flat um baseline our process for scholarships today as well.

Like, you know, it's one centralized location where people can go on and do scholarships.

It goes in one funnel pot that you can be able to look at and be able to administrate.

So I think that helps us out a lot to be able to determine and see our students.

Uh, this is once again another thing for us to collect data and also help our residents at a faster pace.

I know consistent with service is doing a great job, but ain't no reason why we can't continue to help them as well.

So you know, I'll be supporting the resolution tonight.

But as anybody would say, we are in budget discussions right now, you know.

So I hope we continue to keep these conversations.

I also think we have our process of budget stuff, and I think maybe we also need to look at that.

Um, if we are bringing stuff to the floor tonight to discuss buzzing that maybe that our process might need to be changed a little bit as well.

So councilmember Spadola, followed by Councilmember Harley.

Thank you, Council President.

And good news about 311.

Not that this not that this will fix everything, but for my conversations with the mayor's office about the budget, they are allocating 125,000 to upgrade 311 in accordance with the resolution we passed, as well as some other bells and whistles.

So we're probably six months out from that, but hopefully that will help alleviate um some of the issues with 311 dramatically.

But also just in terms of uh the functions of staff and also relative to the the previous resolution.

I think that as we're talking about what we need on staff, I think it's worth us looking at how the county council and the state legislative bodies have their staff, and essentially they have one or two assigned full time for each elected official.

We certainly have the budget for that, but that is that is not how we run things.

And I think if we moved more towards a model of that, we could, you know, the things that council member Darby's is interested in grant training.

Um, you know, we're getting to really know the the resources better.

Um she could encourage her individual legislative assistant to to go for training in that regard.

So I I would encourage us to look into the county model as well as the state model in terms of how they utilize staff because I also think there's a savings component to it as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Followed by Council.

Yes, thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I want to piggyback a little off of council member Spadola.

Um, I was just gonna bring um what he said into the conversation regarding um our budget hearings that we just had last night um under the mayor's budget, uh, if you recall, um, where they had mentioned this new project cornerstone, um, is uh the city's new employee training, um evaluation and professional development platform.

So within that, it definitely has um there's a plan uh for the technology to be improved operationally, and so overall, like I'm I'm not a fan of duplicating processes.

So there the total amount, I think, for as the license, the call center, and the development of it is about $884,000.

So what I'm saying is that I think that there is an opportunity for us to collaborate with the administration to share with them how they can possibly upgrade um whatever they are going to be sharing with our constituency because 211, if you call 211, I direct constituents to 211 all the time because they have a list of if you want a roof, if you want a refrigerator, if you want a window, whatever is out there, they typically have the most current information in terms of helping the constituents.

So, do I support um us supporting our constituency and them being able to call one place to get all the information?

Yes, I do, but I think there's an opportunity since there's being since there's money being put in the budget to upgrade 311.

Let's have a conversation with them if there's something missing that we think should be added.

I'm more in support of that.

So that I won't be able to support this legislation for that reason.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Owens.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um I think this is a good resolution and a good ask as well, too.

Um, I'm sure we all get phone calls, emails from constituents who need help, who've already reached out to other electeds, whether it's their state, county, federal, um, and and haven't been able to get those resources, right?

So all this is saying is we would have someone in-house who would work um to make sure that our constituent needs are getting answered.

We've heard time and time again, meeting after meeting, people come and give public comment and saying, hey, we still need help.

We we we are a very resourceful 13 people, but it's this isn't our full-time job.

We're not in the office 24-7.

We're not in the office nine to five.

Most of us are not in that office.

So why not have someone whose sole purpose is to help our constituents?

I think that's a good thing.

That's a beneficial thing, right?

Who's gonna help the senior who calls in?

I mean, come on now.

We don't even have someone at our front desk.

We supposed to be helping the residents.

That's what we're here for.

We're here to be servants.

So I think this is a good idea.

I'll be voting for this.

You can add me as a co-sponsor.

That's all I got.

Thank you, Councilmember Willower.

I think that I agree with everybody here who's talked about how we need to be meeting the needs of residents, which are coming more as you know, the price of everything is going up.

And we don't have enough, we don't have enough resources, and it does come down to the council member to you know connect people to these resources.

But I I'm not sure that adding a person to be responsible for that is the right thing to do.

I think that you know, I do support this idea of looking at in a more um comprehensive way.

What what is our how is our council staff organized and what are their responsibilities so that we can orient like our resources more towards this goal in a broader way instead of uh simply adding a staff person whose responsibility this is.

I agree with what's been said here that we need to look at what uh council staff, you know.

Are we doing enough to um answer these calls and and and have the resources on hand?

Um but I think it needs to be more than just one person.

I think it needs to be our council staff.

Thank you, councilmember McCoy.

Uh thank you.

I just wanted to address that uh yes, the budget hearing was last night.

We did talk about having a person at the front desk.

That is something I was very adamant about having.

And I've actually um I've had people reach out to me, residents, you know, the constituents, council members.

If I have the knowledge, I give it.

I want to make certain that, you know, um, if there's a number that I have or whatever, I want to make certain I share.

Because between the 13 of us, I you know, I think we're actually doing pretty good with the 73,000, but of course we can do better.

But if we actually had staff and uh a little bit more organized to take this information, I think for us, I definitely can agree that we things would be a little bit uh easier to follow up.

Follow up is always so important.

So um, yeah, I think that this is a great idea, but I don't want to have to spend 80,000 on it when we're actually already putting monies into other pieces of the budget to try to um to fix 311.

And of course, thank you, Councilman Harley, for uh talking about 211, because that was the piece that they were actually missing when they were talking about uh, you know, where to get the information from.

It's not just the city's departments, but it's also what's happening within uh the county and the state.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, my last comment is that um my admin is doing a pretty good job with um redirecting uh a number of calls.

So I do think that there's an opportunity for us to um get our staff involved until we get our receptionists, which I think could be that person that could handle some of those additional calls.

But I do think we should at least get our money's worth out of this $884,000 with um improving 311, 311.

I'm sorry.

And and really seriously um give them some suggestions in terms of what we would like to see and what kind of information, because I do believe we all are here to serve our constituents.

We all are here to want to make life easier for them when they call.

We we definitely I believe we all are here for that, but there's other ways for that to take place versus us adding another 60 or 70,000 in the budget.

Let's put the pressure on 311 to do their job.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens, followed by Councilmember Hackett.

Yes.

Um I'm glad the staff aspect of this was brought up as well, too.

Um I know councilman Spadola have mentioned it as well, too, about how they do it on the county and how they do it on the state.

Um, but the breakdown, most of our staff has three, maybe four council members.

I know my person has four council members.

We probably all get on her nerves.

She's not saying that.

That's councilman Owen saying that.

Um, with between me, councilwoman Bracy, Councilman Hackett, and Councilwoman McCoy.

We're all very active council members.

Um we send a lot of stuff to Mary Elena as well, too, on top of the stuff that we do.

Like this would bring in and relieve some of the pressure and additional workload that we put on our current council staff already.

Um and then also again, just taking a step back.

It's about adding additional resources for our residents, right?

If we're going to spend money, let's do it in the right way.

Um, I know my colleague to my left here um was very adamant about getting a $60,000 position and mapping a graphics, um, 40,000, sorry, um, for mapping of graphics to help with making flyers, right?

I think this position, yes, it does cost more, but it would also be a a broader help to the community of getting the resources that they need to get things done um so that they can still have a high quality of life living here in the city of Wilmington.

So I think um we can do it all.

We can all work together um and we can get this done.

Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, I just want to uh state thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh yesterday in our budget here, and when we looked at the improvement that they're gonna do with 311, especially involving the training, there was also a chat box with some of that money's gonna go to.

So I don't know about anybody in here, but if I have an issue and I gotta go into a chat box and I gotta talk to somebody that's really not there, and I gotta continue to keep going, keep going, keep going to the point where I don't get anywhere.

I'm gonna get more frustrated with the city.

So at the end of the day, I think us having a body there, not saying it's gonna prevent everything, but it's gonna help some residents, you know.

So that's just my thing here.

We're not trying to say we're gonna fix the problem, but we're just helping the problem.

So thank you, Councilmember Bracie.

Mr.

President, um, considering the uh the request you made via email uh for council members to uh discuss some of this, you know, these office uh changes internally.

Can we table this and move to vote on this resolution, please?

That's up to this sponsor and other council members.

Other I think no one else has any comments, all right.

Councilmember Darby.

I don't have any other comments.

All right, clerk please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Yes, Councilwoman Darby?

Yes, Councilwoman Oliver, no.

Councilwoman Harley?

No.

Councilwoman Willower?

No.

Councilwoman McCoy?

No.

Councilman Johnson?

No.

Councilwoman Bracey?

No.

Councilman Hackett?

Yes.

Sorry.

Councilman Spadola.

No.

President Congo.

Yes.

Kabera just came on.

I'd like to recognize Councilmember Gabera who has joined us.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Um, I'm gonna say no for now.

Four years, eight nays and one absent.

Declare defeated.

Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I have um I have an ordinance to present and call for the final reading.

One second.

Ordinance number 26-020, agenda number 020, and that ordinance to authorize and approve an electricity procurement contract starting in fiscal year 2027.

Mr.

President, um, I move this be known as the enacting clause, uh, the ordinance and call for yay and they vote.

Second, second.

It's been properly moved and second that be known as the enacting clause of the ordinance and call it for a yay or nay vote on the question.

Yes, Mr.

President.

I'd like to call Deputy Director Uh Vincent up to speak to this ordinance, please.

Good evening, uh Council uh Council President Congo, members of council.

Uh, this uh is an electric electricity procurement ordinance.

Uh we've been doing these type of ordinance since uh approximately 2011.

Uh this allows us to go out for three different energy contracts.

We'll uh this is for all the electricity that's purchased by the city.

Uh we use our consultants and go out into the market.

Uh there's three types of contracts.

One's a general uh general uh electric uh small business type service for uh most of our uh municipal buildings.

There's also a off-peak electricity contract that is utilized for our street lights as well as a third contract, which is a block and index uh type contract that is used for the purchase and procurement of electricity for our larger plants uh where we can control uh the uh on and off of our pumps and so forth.

One's a general uh general uh electric uh small business type service for uh most of our uh municipal buildings there's also a off-peak electricity contract that is utilized for our street lights as well as a third contract which is a block and index uh type contract that is used for the purchase and procurement of electricity for our larger plants uh where we can control uh the uh on off of our pumps and so forth um this allows us to go uh out and uh get better pricing than a uh Dalmarvist standard offer all right thank you any questions or comments from any council members council member willauer yeah I just wanted to thank um the deputy director um mr crochet because I have I went on the tour and you talked to me about you talked to um everybody was on the tour you invited the city council on a tour about how you had um I don't I don't know if this is quite the right term but found bargain basement prices for electricity by uh locking in on electric prices early so I don't know electric prices are going up I don't know how Delmarva uh does their pricing but it's it seems to be skyrocketing so anything you can do to um keep the costs down for the city of Wilmington um is really much appreciated.

Thank you.

Thank you council member Harley yes um I want to thank the gentleman um for sharing and giving a little more clarity around um what this is intended to do and I feel like council member will our anything that we can do to help curve and um uh try to intervene with these increases with this electricity I am all for it so I would like to be added as a co-sponsor and um thank you council member Oliver for presenting this thank you see no other hands raised I return back to the sponsor thank you Mr.

President I I too would like to thank um Vince for um you know taking the time to um explain a lot to council member willer and myself and speaking in the committee room and bringing all the parties there so they can explain everything so um I'm in agreement with everybody else anything that it takes um to lower uh this electric bill the energy um problem we have that's going on in the nation right now and I just appreciate anything we could do and with that call for the vote clerk please call for the roll councilman owens yes councilwoman Darby yes councilwoman oliver yes councilwoman harley yes councilwoman willower yes councilwoman mcoy yes councilman johnson yes councilwoman bracey councilwoman cabrera yes councilman hackett yes councilman spidola yes president congo yes eleven years and two absent declared adopted thank you mr president um i have a resolution to present resolution 26 027 agenda number zero two one zero whereas the city of Wilmington deserve serves a diverse community of constituents and is committed to maintaining a workplace where all residents are represented and served fairly I moved this resolution BBC recording filed by and adopted by yeah and they vote second it's been properly moved and second the resolution be received recorded filed and adopted by yeah and they vote on the question yes Mr.

President um after doing some research and I would like to um put this on the record that um Mr.

Brenda Roberts um who a lot of us may know her son Lynn Roberts who I didn't realize that was her son that's afterwards who is a very nice guy she worked at the law department here in the city of Wilmington for 30 years.

She was an assistant city solicitor uh and I don't think we had another minority assistant city solicitor um as um since she had was here um so I like to dedicate this to her um this resolution um the state already has passed um this senator Darius Brown was on it Sherry Dorsey and representative Riffitt um what it is uh long story short it's a shortage um of minority attorneys throughout the country um we were right now there's three vacancies in the city of Wilmington um I was able to reach out to Winer uh University Leboy Tice Bill Allen had a conversation um with the administration um right now even um former so city solicitor mr golf raised concerns about the law department recruit and retending retention rates during his um tenure um during that time um 13 attorneys have resigned from the city of Wilmington law department um since 2016 and accepted positions um at the state of Delaware um so under Mayor Mike Pazicki went to Dover and they changed the charter to say if a law an attorney um uh works for the law department here they are tendered in um without even that and count

During that time, 13 attorneys have resigned from the City of Wilmington Law Department since 2016 accepted positions at the state of Delaware.

So under Mayor Mike Pizicki, he went to Dover and they changed the charter to say if a law an attorney works for the law department here, they are tendered in without even letting council know it, you know.

I thought it was a good thing to try to do recruitment, but I also thought that we should have known if it was a charter change, we should have we should at least know what was going on.

Um because you talk about after three years you're tendered in and we go knock on all these doors, and it takes us five years to get tendered in.

But nevertheless, I guess that was for recruitment purposes.

Um but the resolution um encourages the administration to collaborate with law department to adopt policies and practices that facilitate recruitments and retentions of legal um workforce um to more closely reflect um the demographic um demographics of the residents of the city of Wilmington.

So if any council members or anybody listening, know um any individuals that's interested, um, especially minorities, please feel free to reach out.

I think it is posted.

Um so this is what this um resolution is about.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember Johnson.

Uh I I want to be added as a co-sponsor, um, and and I appreciate the sentiment this being in um Brenda James Roberts' name as I worked with her for many years.

When I was in the uh city law department, um she was an excellent woman, excellent family person.

Um and she taught me a lot.

And um I certainly support this.

Um I think Delaware moves very slow.

Um, there's some changes that were made to the even the bar exam itself um to offer it twice a year that's supposed to help um, you know, with this crisis or shortage of minority attorneys.

There's still some other um things we need to change uh to make it easier, namely the clerkship requirement.

Um because if you're a practicing attorney in Philadelphia, um Delaware requires you to work in the state um in order to qualify for the bar.

So I have many colleagues who I want here to practice here, but they can't because of that requirement.

So it's a long slog.

I think we should continue using our voice on council to make this known that it is a problem, it affects our community, and you know, it's so um so few um diverse attorneys here, it really is a struggle, and it affects our court system, especially.

We have uh public defender's office, a prosecutor's office.

We don't have a lot of people that look like us, and that's a problem.

Um, so you know, we just gotta keep pushing the um Bar Association, um, state Supreme Court and state officials to fix this.

Thank you.

See no hands raised, returning to the sponsor.

Any final comment?

Yes, I forgot to mention um I don't know if Chris was alluding to it, that um it was someone's um the General Assembly passed the bill, uh, House Bill 380 um to amend the code.

Um I spoke to Brock about it, and um, he said it's still there for public attorney students.

Uh, they were even paying, uh giving them re uh repayment of program uh loan so they can try to encourage them to go to law school, and it was paying for um this um the school loans.

So I mean it was just so much they're doing right now to try to recruit.

I mean, they have been doing.

I mean, with that you can call for the vote.

Um, my hand was up, Mr.

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, didn't you?

I'm sorry, Michelle didn't see it.

Councilmember Harley, followed by Councilmember Willower.

I'm sorry.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you very much.

So, first of all, I would like to be added as a co-sponsor um on this legislation.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver, for presenting it, because I I do believe that we we do need uh uh more diversity um within our law department to reflect the demographic of our city.

And as council member Johnson um shared already, who is in the different rooms and also in different um conversations regarding um how we can uh move the needle and how we can um give more uh people of color access.

I think this is a good start and started the conversation.

And so thank you for um presenting this, and I'm looking forward to having more conversation around this topic.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Willower.

Yes, thank you, Council President.

Um it I think this is a really uh great piece of legislation.

I want to thank Councilwoman Oliver for you know putting it together and you know the diversity in the department is good for the city, and also um these roles in the city of Wilmington Law Department are a real opportunity for students, you know, graduating from law school.

Um, and we need to um you know to join a dynamic um legal department with all the kind of interesting law that happens in the context of the city of Wilmington.

I just think it's a really important opportunity, and we have to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of that opportunity so that they can um have the chance to to join uh that team.

So um I'm uh co-sponsor.

Thank you for adding me.

All right, clerk, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes, Councilwoman Darby, yes, Councilwoman Oliver, yes, Councilwoman Harley.

Yes, Councilwoman Willower, yes, Councilwoman McCoy, yes, Councilman Johnson?

Yes, Councilwoman Bracey, yes, Councilwoman Cabrera.

Councilwoman.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett?

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

12 years and one absent.

Declared adopted.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-028, agenda number 0211, whereas the city Wilmington City Council recognizes that public education plays a vital role in preparing students for academic resolution, be we see, recorded and file adopted by year and they vote.

Yes, Mr.

President, this resolution encourages the school districts and the school boards to enforce the school um schools uh dress code and prohibit uh sleepwear or pajamas during school hours to address concerns related to students' comfort and conduct.

Um this was brought to our attention to my attention um by going to one of the schools and um just seeing kids uh walking around in their pajamas, and this is recognized.

Um we recognize that the school has to manage this.

This is um every individual school board um decision.

Um but it's about it's not punitive at all.

It's about um students um to enforce dress codes prohibiting wearing it, uh specifically permitted by school sanctions, events and activities.

You know, it's something that when they do like pajama day, you get it, pajama, um, different various activities.

But this is a safety, this has become a safety hazard in schools.

Brandy wine school is the only one who really um who is the only one who really um enforces it students um should not face unnecessary bearers to attend school.

Um with detorrency, um they allow them to do a lot, so you don't want to um discourage kids from coming to school, but it's also becoming a safety um hazard.

Um, and I won't get into what happened at one of the schools with the kids, but schools are responsible for ensuring that student dress code does not interfere with the health or safety of any um child.

Um you have some kids a little larger than others, and it's becoming a habit.

Um, and I think it's because we have mixed um eighth graders, I mean, middle school with high school um kids, and some people look more adultish than others.

So I just think it needs to be brought to their attention that we need to bring attention before um something really happens to somebody's child.

Various school districts are in charge of this.

So if you read all these resolutions, it explains everything in them.

Um like I said, this is based on per school district.

Um so the state doesn't get into this.

This is Brandywine School District, Christianity School District, or red clay.

But it's just something that I think um that I don't think the I think that individuals in charge of these schools should just you know have a conversation with some if they wear them, it's no problem, but no one should be you know being picked on or attacked because they have my pajamas.

I think it's a conversation that they should be discussing with the students.

All right, see no hands raised.

Clerk, please council member core.

I'm sorry, I think I may have misconstrued initially what the concept was to how you ended the portion about the resolution.

So are we enforcing no this uh well?

I mean, I'm just encouraging the school districts and the school boards to enforce school dress codes and prohibit sleepwear and pajamas during school hours to address concerns related to student um conduct.

So I can't, this is all decided with the school boards.

I'm just encouraging them to take a look at it.

So we can't, that's why it's a resolution, it's not an ordinance, it's nothing we can really do.

But when you get a call, somebody's child's been attacked because they have one of pajamas and nobody at school is doing nothing, they need to talk to the kids or do have some kind of conversation.

Thank you for bringing Claudi.

Councilmember Harley.

Okay, yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I have a question for the sponsor.

Um do you plan to go to the school boards to uh make public comment or their individuals on school boards?

Like, how do you plan to get this move forward or heard?

Well, I've already made contact with one of the schools, and I do plan on going to their school board uh addressing the issue.

Oh, okay.

That's what I was thinking.

Okay, thank you.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Darby.

Yeah, um, yeah, I've been thinking about like my position on this, but um and the reasoning behind it, just trying to understand this.

I understand the student was being attacked because their clothing, because of what they had on, but I don't think that is the cause.

Like because she had on pajamas, like I don't know.

For me, it just sounds like violence is the behavior where it should be focused on and not outfits or uniforms.

I don't know of any research or data that shows that kids by policing what kids wear improves learning outcomes.

I don't care if a kid comes in my class and they have sweatpants.

Like I teach as a in a university of Delaware as an adjunct teacher, and sometimes kids come in comfortable.

That doesn't impact their learning.

Um, so I don't know of any data or research that would support that um dress codes will stop violence or that safety comes from like supervision um of clothing, right?

And I like I really want to address like the root cause of like harm, which is like not because of it's not because of dress code, it's because of other things that need to be fixed in the school system.

So I'm just not seeing the correlation.

Okay.

Um for me, and then a kid coming in my classroom wearing pajamas versus a kid who comes in a suit.

I don't care.

Are you learning?

Are you paying attention?

Like, I don't know, like about this resolution.

So yeah.

Okay.

Councilmember Oliver.

This is um just um not this is not um, like I said, that this is not about anybody.

Um, this is about conduct and conduct and not encouraging um I work with youth also, and I'm not encouraging my youth unless it's pajama day or if it's something special type of day or sleepover to uh this is not about them learning anything.

This is just about encouraging them to come to school dressed appropriately on school days.

Um, so you can come however you want, you're gonna learn what you want to learn.

But it's about also encouraging them how to come and dress appropriately as a young lady or young gentleman, and this is how like that how a school kings are like to encourage them to grow up and some people don't get certain things at home, and you want to encourage them to come to school and wear a shirt and wear a pair of khakis or a pair of jeans or a pair of sweats or a t-shirt, but you don't want them, I don't want to encourage them to come to school and not have on uh come to school halfway naked, and some of the pajamas they showed that they're showing that they're wearing in school, it's just inappropriate stuff that you will wear at home going to bed.

Councilmember Johnson.

Um I do see the point of this.

Uh, it is um if you do obviously, I think a lot has to do with economics.

Um, certainly there's uh folks who can't afford the the proper dress.

I think that's something we can work on in city council.

I do believe that school uh dress codes do serve a purpose to appoint and our colleges have gotten away from it, but it should be a place of business, just like uh the courthouse has a dress code businesses.

Um there's certain you know, you don't have to be in a suit, but um the pajamas, uh some of the youth do have.

I mean, the the the crocs and pajamas, that's bed wear.

Um, and certainly I know society's changed, but I think we do have to get to a uh traditional approach.

I think that's why that when we have the suit up event, you know, in the beginning of school year, it shows that uh a source of pride.

But again, um uh it a lot has to do with economics.

I think if a child can't provide it, we should provide some clothing for them.

But I don't see a problem with supporting this, if we should hold up a higher standard.

Councilman Owens.

Um, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um I've worked with a lot of the school districts already and know that they already have these policies already in place.

Um, I think from my understanding of the debate that Church just had on this, this is to encourage them to do more on that, and I don't know how you do more without it being punitive to the students and just me personally, I cannot support something that's gonna lead to one of our students getting a detention out of school suspension, being back out on our streets when they're supposed to be in a school for the simple fact how they're dressed.

I think there should be other options for them.

Um if they're in need of clothes and stuff like that, then maybe that's a resource that the school districts need to put up, but I think this resolution would only lead to more like punitive actions for them to take.

Christina, Red Clay, Braden One, um, Colonial, they all have uh policies in their student handbooks currently, right now, that address student attire.

Um, so I don't I I don't know what else this would do other than for them to start thinking about punitive action, and I don't think that's the direction we should be advocating for as a council.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you.

Um as it relates to what could possibly be encouraged, is that if a student comes with pajamas to offer, um, if they have to be addressed regarding pajamas or sleepwear to offer to get them um clothing, but I do believe there is something to be said for modeling, mentoring, and mirroring what they can expect when they go out in society and write, wrong, or indifference, you will be addressed the way you are dressed.

And I don't think it's anything with raising the bar.

Um, as long as there is nothing um being punitive about showing up that way.

I think the ideal is to strongly encourage them to dress um like they're coming prepared to learn, and um definitely not make it punitive, they're gonna get expelled or something of that nature.

I think I thought the spirit behind it was to just raise the bar and encourage them to come more appropriately and prepare to learn.

That's all I have.

Councilmember McCorre, did you still have a comment?

Um yes, um just quickly, I do understand if we are still using the um the dress code where they're actually in uniform.

I've actually seen it work in uniform.

If the child are all the children are supposed to come dressed the same, they're almost identical.

I do see where this works.

Um, like I uh it I guess it depends on the age and whether or not they're they're still doing uniforms at a certain um at a certain like stage uh uh schooling.

It's high school or something like that.

If this is a high school setting, I could probably we'll see more people doing this.

But it does work and when you're coming at elementary middle school when they have children in uniform, because I've seen where they've actually had clothing closets and they've actually had washing machines and dryers to make certain that the children do feel that they belong and that they are not, you know, um be standing out.

They want to make certain that they feel welcome when they're actually in school.

But it to me it does it does get weird after a certain age.

But I I do understand what you're trying to get at seeing no other hands raised.

Call for the vote.

Call for the vote.

Councilman Owens.

Not voting.

Okay, president.

Councilwoman Darby, no.

Councilwoman Oliver, yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower, no.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson?

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey, no.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola?

No.

President Congo.

Yes.

Four nays, one present and one absent.

Declare adopted.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-029, agenda number 0212.

Whereas this Wilmington City Council encourages educational practices that foster student learning and long-term success, including cursive handwriting as resolution.

BBC recorded and filed and adopted by Yay and A vote.

Second.

It's been popular move and second the resolution BBC recorded, filed, and adopted by Yay or NA vote on the question.

Yes, Mr.

President.

This passed in 2017 with Senator Henry, who I spoke to today.

She's been walking me through this.

And Representative Bennett when he was there.

I'm sorry.

Z, they call it.

They are not aware of how to cursive writing, which you need to sign a check.

It's been cases that they had to summer use some checks had to be had been sent back because they don't people don't know how, not here in Wilmington, just period, different places, different states, they are not able to cursive write.

And you need to sign your signature when you vote.

You need to get safety posit boxes.

They just want you to, it seems like you're just stagnated.

But when we grew up, you did have a cursive book.

You did know how to write in cursive, um, even if you don't use it all the time.

You knew how to trace your name.

Um, and nowadays, um, due to new technology, a lot of kids just don't know how to curse up.

And Senator Henry stated that that was one of the reasons that um they campaigned for this is because a lot of kids just don't know how to um write their signature, and she found it with the study they had, she found it um um disturbing that uh that a lot of peers, uh, youth and not her pimps at kids in school didn't know how to curse up.

And if you read these resolutions ahead of time, you will see the studies that was done, requirements of public elementary school, um, include teachers of cursive writing by the age of four, uh, but English and a lot of kids, and by the age of in the eighth grade, they still don't even know how to curse up.

Um we have somebody in the office who said um she was under generation Z, she had to learn how to curse a writing herself because it wasn't even practiced in her school.

She used to always ask her teacher, she would see it on the wall, but they didn't even teach her how to cursive write, and she had to learn it on her own and at home.

So um he passed in 2017, these are resolutions just encouraging um the Delaware Department of Education to study and look at um cursive writing um to be um upgraded, and we did um send something today to Matt Meyer to look at this um study.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens, followed by Councilmember Gabera.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, two things here.

If we already sent a letter to the governor, do we need to do this resolution?

And if it already passed in uh 2017, which it looks like it's already been incorporated into uh chapter 41's title 14 of Delaware Code, subsection 4138, um, that requires all public schools, um public elementary schools to teach cursive handwriting by the end of grade four as a component of English language arts.

Um do we do we need to do this?

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, and the reason why this is being done is because if you look at um our school system with Dr.

L, I even talked to her, the kids don't even know how to cursive right now.

So, yes, it needs to be encouraged again.

I mean, so just because it passed and it was 2017 when it passed, there wasn't cursive writing then, they're still not cursive writing, so it doesn't hurt to constantly encourage this as a resolution again, just uh affirming the importance of cursive writing.

Thank you, Councilmember Kaber.

Yeah, I just wanted to say that uh I don't know with technology and everything that's going on.

It's just so hard because you really don't see a lot of the handwriting, and I heard all the points that my council colleague made.

And having come from a Catholic school, handwriting by second grade, we all had to write in person and had to write with a pen.

There was no pencils only for math.

It was very strict.

Now, when my son went to private school where everything was electronics, electronics, I have to admit I have a child who doesn't know how to write their name in cursive, and I try to teach him and he says, No, they said I can write it like this.

I don't really have to learn it.

I mean, I would give him a penis and book from a kindergarten.

I said, here, you need to learn how to write in person because they didn't teach him in school, because it was private school.

They were handed computers and laptops, and that was it.

There was never any handwriting.

So I just don't know how we are going to be able or they're gonna enforce this.

They should teach it because we are dealing with a lot of technology in the future where now everything is electronic, everything is electronic signatures.

But I understand the spirit of wanting to push our legislators or the schools to implement this.

Don't know how successful it's gonna be, but I understand the spirit of the legislation.

I'm gonna support it, um, even if we are being redundant with it.

Um, I value the importance of it, but I also accept the reality of the times that we're living.

And I just don't think we're gonna be heading towards cursive.

With many things, we're gonna be heading backwards and doing more electronics than we are hand-free.

That's right, thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harley, followed by Councilmember Spadola.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

So um when I read this, and when I look at what is doing, my question is is there really a state representative or someone that's gonna take this serious because it has already been voted on, and I definitely see the value in reaffirming, but is it necessary to sponsor a resolution to do that?

Or would that be would this encouragement be of more value and benefit on a different platform?

So that's what I'm thinking about.

Like I'm also thinking about the fact that the General Assembly has been um eluding to council sending down resolutions that they feel, and these are not their words, these are my this is my interpretation that that may not really, you know, they have bigger fish to fry, right?

So when you think about this is already passed the general assembly, and we just reaffirming, I'm just trying to understand who is looking at this, who's gonna take it and run with it.

That's what I'm trying to understand.

So maybe I should direct that question to the sponsor.

Who's gonna run with this?

Councilmember Oliver.

Um, well, I did leave a message, uh, didn't send and did send an email to two state reps.

Uh and I did send something to a uh uh um senator, and um I'm just hoping they take a look at it.

And again, it's a resolution.

Um, and hopefully um hasn't been touched since 2017.

And again, we talk about office of education and Dr.

O.

These kids, I mean, only thing I had to do is look at um the test results at all of this, most of our schools and talking to Miss English, it's already on the books, we already see it.

But talking to her, it is a problem.

She works in the district, and not just her.

I just think um going in and out of various schools, the kids, it doesn't hurt to encourage the kids to do better.

Thank you.

I agree with you.

One point of council member, councilmember Harley.

One second, please.

Councilmember Spadola.

My comments are this is a very silly conversation, maybe even more silly than the previous one.

Let's just let's just vote on it.

Councilmember Harley.

I didn't even make it.

Oh, yes, I just basically wanted to get a response from the sponsor in terms of how this was going to move forward.

That that was my question, and she answered it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Clerk, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

No.

Councilwoman Darby.

No.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilman Harley.

Present.

Councilwoman Willower.

No.

Councilwoman McCoy?

Present.

Councilman Johnson.

Present.

Councilwoman Bracie.

No.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett?

No.

Councilman Spadola?

No.

President Congo.

No.

Two yes.

Seven knees.

Three present and one absent.

Declare defeated.

That will be all Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harley.

Oh, yes, Mr.

President.

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

Sorry, one second.

Hello.

Sorry, just one moment, please.

Ordinance number 26-027, agenda number 0213, an ordinance to one annex approximately 4.1 acres, consisting of seven parcels of land being tax parcel numbers 10-001.00-017, 10-001.

10-001.00 078, 10-001.001, 10-001.00-080, 10-001.00-081, and 10-001.00-082 into the city's corporate boundaries.

Two rezone the parcels from a zoning classification of Newcastle County H1, Heavy Industrial, to a zoning classification of City of Wilmington M1 Light Manufacturing.

Three, amend chapter two of the city code regarding the boundaries of the fourth councilmanic district.

And five and four, I'm sorry, amend applicable city maps to add the annexed parcels into the city's corporate boundaries.

First reading of the ordinance.

And 10-001.00-082 into the city's corporate boundaries.

Two rezone the parcels of a zoning classification of Newcastle County H1 Heavy Industrial to a zoning classification of City of Wilmington M1 Light Manufacturing.

Three, amend chapter two of the city code regarding the boundaries of the fourth council medicine and four amend applicable city maps to add the annexed parcels into the city's corporate boundaries.

Second reading of the ordinance.

Mr.

President, I move that it be known as the first and second reading of the ordinance and refer to the community development and urban planning committee.

Second it's been properly moved in.

Second that be known as the first and second reading of the ordinance and refer it to the community development and urban planning committee.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-030, agenda number 0214.

Whereas the Wilmington City Council is entrusted with serving the residents of the city of Wilmington and advancing the public good through thoughtful deliberation, collaboration, and transparent governance, elected officials and public servants have a responsibility to model respectful behavior, ethical conduct, and accountability in both official proceedings and public interactions.

And whereas civil discourse, mutual respect, and professionalism are essential to maintaining public trust in local government and to ensuring that diverse viewpoints may be heard, expressed, and considered constructively.

A shared commitment to civility supports a workplace and public forum free from harassment, intimidation, and personal attacks, and promotes effective decision making on behalf of Wilmington residents.

And whereas the members of the council of the city of Wilmington took a solemn oath to always to place the public interest above any special or personal interests and to respect the right of future generations to share the rich historic and natural heritage of Delaware.

Disagreement and debate are inherent and necessary elements of democratic governance, but such divergence should be conducted in a manner that is courteous, inclusive, and focused on the well-being of the residents of the city of Wilmington rather than sentiments towards individuals.

And whereas in a climate of divisive political rhetoric, maintaining decorum and the conduct of city affairs, safeguards the democratic process, ensuring that supporting and opposing views are heard and considered in a manner conducive to improving the quality of life for both residents and visitors of the city of Wilmington.

Now therefore go ahead.

Sorry, go ahead.

You can go, Councilwoman.

Yes.

Now yes.

I moved the resolution BBC recorded and filed and adopted by vote.

Second.

Second.

Oh, yes, uh, Mr.

President.

I just want to say for the record that it was intentional to allow the clerk um to read the uh resolution in its entirety because within the body is the purpose and the intent of this resolution.

As we know, we are living in a climate starting from the federal level on down to our local um city level in terms of uh a lack of civility.

Um my motivation for wanting to sponsor this was at a national conference that we attended back in November.

And although, of course, we all can see it and feel it from every level at that conference.

Um, the way it was brought out made me want to come back to our legislative body in our city to hopefully establish better uh relationships with one another, with our constituency, and be more intentional with learning how to agree to disagree, and that when we disagree, it doesn't mean that I don't like you or you don't like me.

It just means that we disagree on a topic, but we can still be colleagues and be respectful and understand that it's about uh uh the business that we are handling, and it's nothing personal, and that we can be professional and show the city of Wilmington that we can handle differences and disagreements and the things we don't agree on in a professional way, because my constituents, a number of my constituents are always talking about how we handle our business, and they want to see us be more respectful to each other.

So I brought the legislation back and hoping that we can all work more civil um with with each other.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Councilmember Garbera.

Yes, Mr.

President, I do want to add on to what council member currently said.

We were at the National Foundation for Women, um National Foundation for Women Legislators, and this was a topic.

Also at the National League of Cities Conference, this also came up.

So obviously it's something that is an issue because our colleagues from across the nation are having these discussions, and at both conferences back in November, they did come up with civility resolutions.

It was a discussion.

On top of that, at the National League of Cities, they had a whole presentation by the president of Salt Lake City, Utah University on the dignity project, which is something that I will be sharing with my council colleagues, and I brought back information on that.

And we'll share that when we do the presentation.

So, first I do want to be added as a co-sponsor because this is something that council member Harley and I had discussed about.

We definitely want to introduce this.

And it's not even just us, the colleagues, and our conversations with each other, and you know, reading some information from the budget hearing last night that there's things that we should be taking care of internally, professionally, not out in the public, not voicing our you know, our differences publicly.

Our constituents do expect better, but it's not even that.

I think too, that is we've allowed a level of disrespect in our chambers where the public, whether they have uh, you know, public comment and free speech.

I think there's a limit as to how disrespectful they can be when they come in to talk with us.

So I think all of it is surrounding civility on people, how we treat each other, not just as elected leaders, how we treat each other, but just in general, this this toxic energy that we have going on in our country.

It's not just us, it's not just Wilmington.

So definitely support this.

And I hope that this is something we can have further discussions versus just voting for a resolution, but let's put to action the words that are in this resolution.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Johnson.

Uh, I want to be added as a co-sponsor, those who know me.

Um, even 109.

I I think we've come a long way, actually, and thanks to our council president in terms of being civil, um, starting at 107.

Uh, it was a lot different.

Um, and so you know, yeah, I think we all have to remember this is a place of business.

It's like a corporate boardroom or as classroom or somewhere uh or courtroom.

This is a place of business, so only business should be handled.

And even, you know, some people get caught up in council members of their personal stuff.

That's gotta stop.

We really are here to uh vote on things.

We can disagree, but always have a sense of being um, you know, we have youth out there watching, we have uh our community watch, and we got to set the higher standards.

So thank you for council president always reminding us of this, and and we continue to hold everyone accountable, even when the public comes here.

You know, this is a place of business.

And those who know me, I don't I don't I don't take I don't take it lightly, you know.

You can't act a fool up here.

You're in here, you give your public comment, you can't act a fool.

And um, that's what we have to treat this as a sanctified you know, chamber.

Council President Councilmember Oliver, followed by Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, I just like to be added as a co-sponsor and echo what everybody else said.

Um just administer co-sponsor, councilmember hackett.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This might be a question for the sponsor.

I just want to know if we were to pass this resolution.

Uh, you know, what what is it really gonna do?

You know, council member.

What is it gonna do?

Councilmember Harley.

Oh, uh yes.

So what it the intent of it is that we as a council body um will affirm to be committed to civility, mutual respect, be more professional in our official duties and meetings and communications, and hopefully that we will see ourselves as leaders, and that we took an oath to do what's in the best interests of the the citizens of Wilmington on all levels, and that's what you know.

For those that feel that this is something that they um can align with, then the intent, yes, is to reaffirm our commitment to civility and basically seeing being being more respectful and being able to agree to disagree because we are professionals and we are leaders.

Thank you, Councilmember Spadola.

Okay, council.

I don't see any other hands raised.

Councilmember Harley, any other final comments.

Yes, I will say, and to set um some clear expectations in terms of how some people uh choose to behave and standards of communication.

Um, it prevents escalating uh harassment and conflicts, and it can definitely improve productivity and morale for us as a legislative body.

That's all I have, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Clerk.

Please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes, Councilwoman Darby.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes, Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower, yes, councilwoman McCoy.

Yes, Councilman Johnson, yes, councilwoman Bracey.

Yes, Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes, Councilman Hackett.

Yes, Councilman Spadola.

Yes, President Congo.

Yes, 11 y's and two absent.

Declared adopted.

Mr.

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

Supplemental Adam Street Green Infrastructure Project Series A of 2026 WPCRF in order to provide the funds necessary for the increased construction costs associated with the installation of three bioretention gardens, 1900 linear feet of stormwater pipe, 16 manholes, and five drench trench drains located in and around the Adam Street courts at 210 North Jackson Street, providing for the sale of the 2026 A bond to the Delaware Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and authorizing other necessary action.

Mr.

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

Okay.

It's been properly moved and second that being known as the enacting clause of the ordinance and call for a yay or nay vote on the question.

Mr.

President, this ordinance basically authorizes the issuance of a generation general obligation bond.

Um a supplemental Adam Street Green Infrastructure Project for the Series A of the 2026 uh WPCRF in an amount not to exceed of 808,242 dollars uh for the 2026 A bond, which will be sold to the Delaware Water Pollution Control revive revolving fund in order to finance the increased construction costs associated with the installation of three um bio retention gardens, nineteen hundred linear feet of storm water pipes, um 16 manholes, five trench drains located in and around the Adams Street courts at 210 North Jackson Street as set forth in the city's capital budget for is fiscal year ending June 30th, 2024, and also to pay administrative costs relating to such capital projects and pay the cost of issuing the 2026 A bond seeing no hands raised clerk please call for the role.

Councilman Owens, yes, Councilwoman Darby, Councilwoman Oliver, yes, Councilwoman Harley, yes, Councilwoman Willower, yes, Councilwoman McCoy, yes, Councilman Johnson, yes, Councilwoman Bracey, yes, Councilwoman Cabrera Yes, Councilman Hackett, yes, Councilman Spadola, yes, President Congo, yes, 11 yes and two absent.

Declared adopted.

Mr.

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

Ordinance 26-011, agenda number 0176, an ordinance authorizing the issuance of the city's general obligation bond, lead removal phase four project series A of the 2026 DWSRF in order to provide the funds necessary for the replacement of approximately three to four miles of old cast iron water main in the city's water distribution system, providing for the sale of the 2026 A bond to the Delaware Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and authorizing other necessary action.

Mr.

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

Second.

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

Yes, the ordinance authorizes the issuance of a general obligation bond um for lead removal for project uh the series A of the 2026 DWSRF 26 2026 a bond in the amount not to exceed 13 million, which will be sold to the Delaware drinking water state revolving fund in order to finance the replacement of approximately three to four miles of old cast iron water main in the city's water distribution system as set forth in the city's capital two budget for its fiscal year end of June 30th, 2026, and also to pay administrative costs relating to such capital project and to pay the cost of issuing the 2026 A bond.

All right, seeing no hands raised, clerk please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens, yes, Councilwoman Darby, yes, Councilwoman Oliver, yes, Councilwoman Harley.

Yes, Councilwoman Willower, yes, Councilwoman McCoy, yes, Councilman Johnson, yes, Councilwoman Bracey, yes, Councilwoman Cabrera, yes, Councilman Hackett, yes, Councilman Spadola, yes, President Congo, yes, 12 yes and one absent.

Declared adopted.

Yes, I'll have one last ordinance to present.

Mr.

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

Ordinance number 26-012, agenda number 0177, an ordinance to authorize and approve a multi-year contract retaining Belfant Lyons and Schumann PA as the external auditor for the city of Wilmington.

Mr.

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

Second.

It's been probably moved in the second that be known as the enacting clause of the ordinance to call for a yay or nay vote on the question.

Yes, Mr.

President.

Give me a minute.

Let's see.

Got a lot of papers here associated with this here.

Okay.

So this ordinance authorizes the city to enter into a multi-year contract with Belfont Lions and Schumann, PA for the purposes of retaining an external auditor at an estimated price of 198,000 and zero cents per annum.

The primary purpose of the contract is to retain the services of an external auditor to provide full assurance that the city's accounting records surrounding its financial audit, single audit, firefighters pension fund audit, and police pension fund audit are fair, complete, and in adherence with generally accepted accounting principles, industry standards, and regulatory requirements.

Councilmember Johnson.

And I know I've questioned them on this, and it seems to be the same thing.

So I think we should put our dollar where our mouths are and is simply say no.

They need to come back with a better diversity plan.

But if the sponsor can enlighten me if there's some diversity plan that I'm not seeing, then certainly you can let me know.

Councilmember Oliver.

And I think he even sent a letter or talked to him before.

So I understand.

I mean, this has been going on for years and years, and Councilman Johnson has been saying the same thing over and over.

And I'd like to know the same question.

Yes, Councilmember Harley.

So I fully um understand what both of my colleagues are are sharing, but I wish they had brought this forth before tonight because I would have been able to get some solid answers and have the discussion.

Um this has been um on the agenda.

Um we had a committee meeting about it, and this was never presented.

So what I can say, one, is that had I known that this was a concern, it could have been addressed.

And since this is multi-year, um, when this comes around again from from from now on until the next time it's it's renewed, we can have the conversation, but we have to have these conversations before the night of the vote for me to give you an accurate answer.

Follow it.

Councilmember Johnson.

Um, just as a brief response.

I mean, this is something we're we are we all are aware of.

This has been a problem with Belfent.

Yeah.

Question years ago in the record.

So it's not a new problem.

They should have presented the diversity um data when they came for the contract.

So again, I'm not asking, I won't ever vote on it.

I just believe it should be held until we have that diversity data.

They can provide that, their initiatives, investment in Dell State, and UD diversity programs, like that stuff matters.

And so I think we should um requesting the sponsor if she's inclined to hold it.

We can have those conversations with Bellfent and see if there's been progress over the past four years.

Um Councilmember Councilmember Harley, one moment, please.

Sure.

Okay.

Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, I would like to echo uh councilman Johnson and ask for the sponsor to hold as well.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Did you have another comment?

I was gonna echo the same thing.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Um, I want to do my due diligence again because I do know that this uh uh business is waiting on us to uh vote on this legislation to be able to conduct the business.

I believe that they have already that they have already done for the city, so I'm going to move forward with the vote.

I fully 100% accept what my colleagues are stating again because it's tonight, and this is a bit uh a business or service um that has already been in motion.

I am obliged to go with the vote, and I will let it you know we can address it then, but again, it has already been in the pipeline.

No one has shared this with me that there was some concerns, and all I'm saying is that had it been shared with me.

I'm always open to share to listen and to meet, but I'm gonna move forward with the vote because of that reason on tonight.

All right, councilmember Oliver.

Thank you.

May I ask the um city solicitor a question?

Uh I mean, can I ask you to ask my question?

Um, when she when councilman Harley said this is work is already done.

I'm looking at fiscal impact from 2025 to 2027, 27 is not here yet.

Um my question to the city solicitor is what work has been done um effective based on this resolution.

I mean, based on this ordinance as of today.

I mean, I mean, because it has all these dates in there.

I mean, I know somebody read it.

That's that's not a question for the parliamentarian.

He's not here.

I say it wrong.

Am I saying that?

No, he's he's not here in that capacity.

Mr.

President, may I that's a question that council member Harley can take?

Oh, council.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Yes, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, and thanks again um for my colleagues for bringing that up.

What I am committed to do this is only through 2027 for a year, and what I'm saying is that I am more than willing to have these conversations and to make sure that these conversations are being had by the right individual.

But this is just through 2027, so we are we're only talking about about a year and a half.

So that's what I why I wanted to move forward with this.

All right, thank you.

See no more hands raised.

Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

No, councilwoman Darby.

No, councilwoman Oliver present, councilwoman Harley.

Yes, Councilwoman Willower, uh present councilwoman McCoy.

Yes, Councilman Johnson.

No, councilwoman Bracey.

Present Councilwoman Cabrera.

That's what I've story councilman Hackett.

No, Councilman.

Yes, and President Congo.

I believe nobody can't answer.

Uh Councilman.

She can do what you did.

One moment.

I got a question.

I mean, all right, one second, please.

We have a point of order.

Parliamentarian is doing some research for us.

Thank you.

I can bring it up.

I'll bring it back.

It's been it's been uh shared that the legislation legislation should be held because it most likely it won't pass.

And if it's if it fails, it's gonna impact the administration.

That was my question.

Right.

Point of order.

We're trying to, yes, council member Owens.

So uh just for a point of clarity, I guess.

Um, because we're already in the roll call, don't we have to finish a roll call?

But if one of the no votes wants to bring this back at a following meeting, that can be done, correct?

Yes, parliamentarians looking to see if we have to finish the roll for roll call first.

Yes, point of order question finish council member Oliver.

Yeah, so individuals who voted present can also change their votes because we're still in the middle of the vote on under council's rules.

A council member may change their vote up until the time the clerk announces the final tally.

Thank you for ordinances to be held, it must be done before final action is taken on it.

Okay, thank you.

No, we're not Michelle.

Council Core, we're not one second, please.

One second.

For that reason, I I will vote yes.

We got to do better.

Councilmember Bracey.

I'll I will vote yes as well.

I don't want to hold up the COVID.

President Congo.

No.

Six YAs.

Five nays, one present and one absent.

Declare defeated.

Oh Jesus.

Six A's.

And the clerk repeat that.

There were six yes, five nays, one present, and one absent.

Um who is it?

Oh right, thank you.

Councilmember Woolhour.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

One second.

Resolution 26-031, agenda number 0215.

Whereas Delmarva Power and Light Company, Del Marva Power, a subsidiary of Excelon Corporation provides electron electric and gas utility services to more than 300.

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

Second.

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

So if there's anything that people agree on in Wilmington, it's that Delmarva's bills are too high.

But Delmarva has requested, submitted a request to raise their rates again this summer.

This resolution asks the public service commission to reject that request.

It also asks Delaware State Legislature, legislators, and the governor to consider all options to bring utility bills back under control.

Thank you.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Councilmember McCoy.

Yes, I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor as well.

Councilmember Hackett.

Same I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Councilmember Johnson.

Councilmember Oliver.

Councilmember Harley.

Yes, I would like to be um added as a co-sponsor as well.

Councilmember Bracie.

Co-sponsor.

All right, you see no other hands raised.

Councilmember Willower, any final comment?

Uh no final comment, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you.

Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Um Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

I'm sorry.

Yes.

My signal's going out.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

Twelve years and one absent.

Declared adopted.

Councilmember McCor.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-032, agenda number 0216.

Whereas pursuant to section 2-363 of the city code of city council deemed it necessary and proper to specify the requirements for review and approval of city sponsored grant application to the proposals.

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

Second.

Yes, Mr.

President.

This is a resolution from the police department.

This is the uh special law enforcement assistance fund known as sleeve.

This is something that they've actually put through a fairly regularly.

What they propose, what they're asking for funding for uh is for a total of I think 36,000.

It is two different types of equipment.

36,900, two different types of equipment that they've uh that they wish to purchase 29,900 for a forklift and 7,000 for the purchase of saws to utilize and gain entry of structures and high risk operations.

I did ask the question about the forklift.

They uh I believe that they actually have been renting one, and I believe that this would actually would give them um the option and not have to keep uh spending that money for a runoff.

There are no uh matching funds required councilmember Harley.

Do you have your hand raised for this piece of legislation?

No, that was before, thank you.

Okay.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Present.

Count so woman Oliver.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Council Woman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

10 years, one present and two absent.

Declared adopted.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-033.

Agenda number 0217, revision one.

Whereas the city of Wilmington is.

I move the resolution be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by Yay and they vote.

Second.

It's been probably moved and seconded the resolution BBC recorded, filed, and adopted by Ye or Nate vote on the question.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This resolution is a proposed amendment to the Wilmington City Charter to prohibit a council member at large in the minority political party, in which there are three council members at large at the same affiliation and one council member in a different party affiliation from changing their voter registration, political party affiliation during an active term for which they were elected to city council.

Under proposed amendment, if if such council member at large changes their political party affiliation to majority party affiliation in which there are three council members at large at the same party affiliation during an active term, such an act will result in an automatic forfeit and vacancy of their seat.

This proposed uh proposed amendment are intended to ensure representation of minority political parties on city council.

Um I'm just gonna start here by saying, you know, our council colleague, you know, I've seen him in the community doing great work.

I think a lot of people showed up here tonight and spoke about how great of a man he is today.

Um but this is not about the man, this is about the action.

Uh we talk about our charter and we speak about it about the spirit and the intent it was set to have.

It does not speak about the term because of how our elections for at large is written.

The city of Wilmington at large embodies of four council members at large.

Beginning in our 109 session term, there were three Democratic and one Republican.

We do oversee the whole city of Wilmington.

But let me go into the process.

When you first start, you select the party that you're going to run with.

Then you file for office, and when you file for office, that determines the pathway that you're going to take.

For our democratic candidates, you are to participate in the primary election.

For all our minority candidates, you move all automatically to the general election.

Incorrect.

In primary election in 2024, there were five candidates, but you were only able to vote for three candidates.

We have a three voting system for at large, meaning that there can only be three majority seats because the Democratic Party is currently the majority for a four-seat council.

The three moved to the general election where they face all the minority candidates.

In 2024, there were three Democratic candidates and two Republicans.

But you could still only vote for three candidates.

Some will say that they represent the whole constituents in the whole city, which they are right until you look at the election results.

Records show all three Democratic candidates in the general election average from 19,000 votes to 21,000 votes.

When we look at this proposed uh purpose intent for our charter, it is also hard for heartfelt and disappointing to the Democratic candidate that came in the fourth place to the primary.

They did not get the chance to move forward or the opportunity to serve their community.

There was only three seats that was available for a Democratic or majority seat.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Johnson.

Um, this is uh this is very difficult, I know phase for council, but uh I think it was important that we have this conversation.

Um I think as the uh the city democratic party uh espousing her letter.

I think us getting rid of the minority seat may be a path forward.

Um it doesn't, it's kind of uh as the um you know, Wilmington Housing Authority said they had to change their rules.

I think we do need to revisit changing the rules.

Um I think whatever happened, happened.

Uh it's unfortunate um that it did happen, frankly, and someone has worked in democratic politics for a long time.

Um, you know, I don't look at party labels.

Uh James is a great father, great legislator, one of the best I've ever served with.

But I think we do have to look at fairness of the process, and it does um unfortunately look unfair, I think, to individuals.

If you were that person that came in in fourth place, how does it feel to them?

And um, you know, anybody can switch any party at any time, but we do have to um look at what qualified you to get in office.

And our council president is a perfect example.

I served on 107 with him, he actually got a seat vacated.

Um, and folks forget about that.

He got us, he moved, he was no longer eligible in his district, he was vacated.

So there is uh examples of that happening.

Um, same thing if if you live in eighth, could you just move to the sixth, or could you move to the fourth?

So we have to look at that.

I think there is uh gray area in the law.

Um, but again, it's nothing about the person, um, but it's about the process.

So I think we definitely need to clean up the process.

I don't know if it's this, but I think it may be something else changing it to this no minority party, and I think that will give everybody some solace going forward, and we can move forward as a city and party.

Thank you, Councilmember Spadola.

Thank you, Council President.

In October, I made the loudest, boldest protest I could against Trump 2.0.

I became a Democrat, and along with me was Congresswoman Sarah McBride and the City Democratic Chair, Cassandra Marshall, and it was an honor to join the Democratic Party, because I do believe that the Democratic Party is the inclusive big tent party that this country needs at this moment.

And I think the way we beat MAGA in 2028 and 2026 is by having that greeting new Democrats with open arms, as you heard many people say tonight.

And I'm sure the vice chair of the Democratic Party wants more Democrats in the fold, not less.

I've had to explain this, the race to both mayors.

I think probably 10 people up until this point understood the race fully.

Hopefully, after tonight, um more people do.

But I think what um what former city solicitor Bob Goff, he the the intent argument is no longer.

We you cannot rely on that, and and this is the fruit of the poisonous tree in the sense it's from a misreading of the charter.

All due respect to my colleague.

Um, you know, he was incorrect thinking that Republicans fast forward to the general automatically in 2016 there was a five-way primary.

Um but furthermore, when the as you heard, when legislators wanted ongoing balance, such as housing authority boards for our own ethics commission and planning commission, they specifically state that.

They specifically state that no more than four members of a political party can be on that commission.

Of course, people can change parties.

It happens all the time.

Councilmember Oliver brought up Senator Margaret Rose Henry, former Republican, proud Democrat.

The gentleman who's we name this wall after Republican.

So to think that we would want to limit somebody from following their conscience and be dishonest and not transparent with their public with the public about where their heart and their values lie is concerning to me.

And again, all again, all due respect to my friend.

I will have to echo what was said earlier.

The gentleman himself ran as an independent, lost a month later, switched to Democrat.

For a job no less.

So I switched in October.

You had the city solicitor's opinion.

We heard from the former city solicitor.

You had our council chief of staff say publicly to spotlight Delaware that of course you can change parties, not in those exact words.

October goes by, November, December, January, February 5th.

The Delaware GOP, Chair and Secretary speak at this meeting, whining about a Republican no longer being on council.

Whining about a Republican no longer being on council.

I get what I get why they would be upset.

The very next day, I get a letter from the council president threatening to vacate this seat to overturn the will of the Wilmington voters unless I switch back to Republicans.

Excuse me.

Council President, one, again respectfully, shame on you for having such contempt for the Wilmington voters.

Okay.

You do not get to choose, you do not get to vacate seats based off the vibes or what somebody got in your ear.

I say firmly, no kings in DC, but no kings in Wilmington either.

Okay.

Now why was there blatant coordination with the Delaware GOP?

I mean, in plain sight.

I'll come back.

Thank you.

Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you.

Um I hear my colleague.

Um, I mean, um, I hear everybody's side.

Um, as as um Councilman Hackett stated.

Um, um, and I don't think he's he said everything, you know, we had the Republican Party, the head of Republican Party come in.

We received all kind of phone calls, and I think, you know, it's unfortunate we're trying to make this personal.

I don't think it's personal.

I think that the charter just needs to be updated.

Um, and wherever the chips fall, they may.

But to say someone is attacking our colleague, I don't believe that.

Not when the head of the Democratic Party, I mean the head of the Republican Party, I don't know how many Republicans call uh the other gentleman who uh what's his name?

Sean, he called in, he felt some kind of way.

You have a lady, you have a lady who came in fourth place who uh says she got all she spent all kind of money.

So everybody's feelings is up in the air.

So what makes you right and what makes Bob Goff right when we have opinions from other attorneys also?

So you're looking at it like Bob Goff came in here and said this.

Well, we have four other opinions from four other, I mean, several other opinions from other attorneys saying the opposite.

So I think it's only fair.

We all get along.

I mean, besides this, um, besides our political um parties, nobody here really hates anybody.

Nobody is trying to not just punish somebody, but there's mixed feelings, there's mixed um opinions on both sides.

So I think it's only fair to send it to Dover to send it to Chancery, to send it to law firm, and not just one law firm.

Your law firm said this one, this one said that one.

This, so it's been you don't know it's other law firms, and that's been that you know, just sending over their opinions and they've not been paid.

There's people hearing this from the public.

So we've been getting phone calls.

I know I've received several calls I heard other council members, but oh, I'm attorney too.

This is what I think, this is what I think.

So everybody's, you know, you know, saying different opinions.

So I think it's only fair to get you know, send it to Dover, make a charter change or send it to Chancery.

But at some point, we can't just keep saying you're right and you're right, and you know, I just think it needs to be some clarity, and you know, we're just here trying to do our job based on um the charter and the charter, you've even stated it, Bob even stayed.

Everybody's saying the chart is unclear.

So, which what makes your opinion correct?

And nobody's here trying to throw anybody under the bus.

Everybody just read the charter the way they read it, and it is what it is.

Thank you, Councilmember Kibera.

Council.

I'm sorry, trying to trying to get on.

Um, so I'm hearing everything that is being said, and I do agree that if there is this line that that there's not exact clarity on it, obviously there is some clarity because it's able to happen, no one can you know can do anything about it now, but I do agree that let the state decide what they need to do on this, let them take this matter into their hands.

I also understand my colleagues' point of view that we're living in in times where you know we were able to respect both parties, and here in Wilmington, especially in Delaware, you know, we work hand in hand with people like Senator Roth and Mike Castle, these were gentlemen in the day where Republicans and Democrats come together.

I understand my colleagues' reasoning for wanting to change.

I also understand that there are people who ran that if we go by the majority and you're not running for just one particular party, that they would have gotten maybe would have gotten more of the votes.

However, that would have happened.

So yeah, it is.

Yeah, the state should definitely do something about it.

Um but I can understand council member Spadola's reason reasoning for wanting to change.

I mean, very few people nowadays want to be a Republican anymore, and a lot of people are changing parties.

They're changing citizenship and moving to Canada at this point.

It's hard to be an American.

Um, so I see both sides of it, and um, I just think that again, internally how we handle things should be a little differently.

And not to say that I don't didn't get phone calls either.

I did get phone calls about people who were very, very upset about the move.

You know, but again, you know, you try to calm him down and and have civil conversation around it.

So, you know, those are the two sets that I wanted to put in.

Um, I think we could have handled this a little differently.

Um, and certainly we can pick up the phone and talk to the legislature, and I'm sure they're quite aware of the conversation.

Um, you know, we do a lot of resolutions, but we need to do more driving to Dover and actually talking to people one-on-one and talk to the people that live here that are part of our representatives, state representatives and state centers, and maybe handle things not so much in the public eye and and try to deal with these things, you know, professionally without all this calling out.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, council member McCord.

Okay.

Uh thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

I just wanted to state that um we had to just recently take the um ethics commission little quiz test training or whatever that we had to do pretty much annually.

And so words like, you know, morality, public trust, unethical were kind of like thrown around.

And it's funny because I I really laugh because most of the questions that they posed about what do you do if this was all posed at city council?

So I was like, oh, they really gunning for us.

I don't know whether that y'all noticed, but I did.

But um, I just wanted to make a comment.

Um, I do understand why council member Spadola may have chosen to lead the Republican Party, given what we have seen nationally and locally.

Uh, but I'm like I said, but it just wasn't really clear about how he was aligning himself now.

I was also surprised to see the executive committee chair support his decision while suggesting the elimination of the minority party set aside so that all candidates can compete freely.

I said that position is difficult to reconcile with the fact with the lack of support for open primaries when I raised that same concept.

So clarity and consistency matter.

Voters deserve to understand not just a change in affiliation, but also what the change actually means in practice.

My opinion was it needed to be addressed.

I felt as though enough questions came in that we had to address this issue, and this is how we're getting it done.

We needed to address it.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

So I want to start off by first of all welcoming council member Spadola to the Democratic Party.

So I want to start off by saying that, and then I really want to make it very clear that resolution 0217 to amend the city charter section 2-101 is definitely not about dismissing council member Spadola from his seat, is definitely not about council members' performance because we all know that council member Spadola is a good council member.

This is not judging anything about council member Spadola.

I don't know where that came from.

If you read this resolution 0217, it's just about amending the charter to close the loop regarding being compliant.

Currently, the charter, we all know what the charter says.

Three Democrats and one minority.

Currently, we have four Democrats, no minorities.

So the legislation is not about expelling the council member or black mark about him or his performance.

This is basically about us, I think, doing the integral thing regarding getting it right.

So this is not about any of the things that I heard tonight.

I was just wondering, are we voting on the same legislation?

But I'm speaking to 0217.

It's nothing about our council member Spadola.

It's about going forward.

We want the person that runs for the seat to be in that seat for the full term, because there could have been another person sitting on this council floor.

So we I think integrity is more important than loyalty.

And this is about integrity.

It's about this council body, I believe, doing the integral thing of asking the General Assembly to just consider closing the loop so there's no questions, and that we don't have to ever deal with this again.

Another council member doesn't have to deal with this again because it's it's separating us, and that's not how most of us feel.

I feel we all are council members, we support each other, and this is dividing us.

And I want to make it clear for the record this is not about the council member.

This is only about the charter, and it's not about you switching seats.

I'm happy that you're a Democrat.

And again, welcome to the Democratic Party.

That's all I have Councilmember Owens.

Yes.

Um, thank you, Council President.

I think uh this discussion has been long drawn out for months at this point.

Um, and I want to just state a few things.

Um, uh Councilman Spadola spoke about um his party leaving him, and that's why he switched.

Um, but I have also read in other articles that he has put out that he was thinking about doing this back in 2021.

Um, so I'm guessing this decision did not come spurter moment.

You put some thought into it.

Um my question is all of us here on council have the ability to put forth an ordinance, a resolution, a charter change amendment.

We do enough already this session, right?

Um, if you knew if you looked into this provision and what it said about whether it was just in regards to running for the seat, having that minority provision there or having to stay there long term, which I know you did do your research.

If you found that and and you thought it would be better to remove uh that minority provision there, um, my question is why didn't you put up legislation to do that in the proper way?

We heard earlier today from individuals who served on the Wilmington Housing Authority, and when they figured out a problem that said, hey, we can probably make this better, they put forth the proper actions, went to the General Assembly or whoever changed it for them and got it done, and then that's when the system changed.

They didn't change the system in the middle of it.

I do want to correct the record on two of my representatives, Ted Blunt and Margaret Rose Henry.

Yes, they were both Republicans.

Ted ran as a Republican in 1980, lost to Penrose Hollands, switched parties, came back four years later and won in the Democratic primary in 1984.

Um, when Margaret Rose Henry ran for the state senate, she was a Republican for that special election to replace my uncle.

She ran against my cousin um in that race and beat him and stayed for the remainder of her term as a Republican because that's who took her to the dance in her words, um, not mine.

She then, at the end of her term, that's when she flipped to Democrat, ran as a Democrat on the ballot.

No one is saying we don't want more Democrats right now.

We know how crazy the world is.

We know that Donald Trump has been like this not only in 2024, but in 2020 and 2020 uh 2016.

He's been the same guy.

They wrote a whole plan before the 2024 election and said exactly what they're gonna do, and point by point they're doing that, right?

They have raised our taxes, they have increased gas prices, they have made our lives miserable.

So I agree with you saying that you have to combat that, but I think also that there's a structure that we can work in as well, too, because when we lose rules, when we lose law and order, that's when we start acting just like MAGA.

That's what we're seeing from Donald Trump right now.

So we have a structure to change something, those are the steps that we should have taken.

Now, on this resolution, and I've seen things on social media, I've heard the public comments either here today.

Listen, I understand what everyone's saying.

The Republicans, Democrats, everyone, even the independent who came up here.

At the end of the day, this resolution is not removing you from your seat.

You are still going to be a Wilmington City Councilman until the end of your term.

And I can't speak for you, but I feel as though you don't intend on going back to Republicans.

So this provision wouldn't either.

This is going forward to make sure that we have some type of representation for everyone in the community.

But if you are willing to put up a resolution to remove that minority seat, this has been up and discussed for months now since October.

Is there a piece of legislation in the works now?

Or is something coming?

Councilman.

I'll talk about it and vote for it now anyway.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

So I'm gonna keep my comments really short because it's really late.

And you know, this is the last thing on the agenda.

Um so uh I have an extremely great working relationship with my colleague.

Um welcome to the Democratic Party as Councilwoman Harley said, um, I don't think um, I think a lot of us vote person over party.

Um we've heard that time and time again.

That's always been my philosophy.

Um I do think that um there's a loophole that we need to clarify as far as moving forward.

If the intent of the charter is to make sure there's minority representation, then we should get clarity on that.

I'm not sure if sending this resolution down, um, especially with the question mark about is there even an appetite in the General Assembly to take this up.

I think there might be uh a better way for us to handle this internally again, have some more conversations about is it uh once we do come up with a solution, is it maybe what we send to the General Assembly is the request for a charter change to make all four at large positions, you know, just neutral and you know, an open problem.

However, I don't know.

But I think that um there's a lot of questions.

Is it's a gray area, and it's it's not it has nothing to do with um my colleague.

It's it's just some people feel the intent of the charter is is one thing, some people say, but legally it's not.

So there's kind of like this murky gray area because we when we ran, you know, we ran as I ran on a Democratic primary, you ran on a Republican primary, and then the top vote getters went on to the general.

And so that's well, actually, I don't even think you had a I don't know, I can't remember, but you were on the general.

I was on the we had the Democratic primary in September.

Um you know what I'm getting at.

Um, but the point is that process is in place, that confusing at LR process is in place to ensure that there's minority representation.

So then I guess the questions all came up.

Well, what happens now?

Because now we're all Democrats.

I don't really, you know, that part doesn't matter because we all work well together and we're gonna continue to work well together.

I just think that this is a conversation the council needs to have to figure out what the solution is, because again, it is dividing us, and it's not helpful because we're spending a lot of time talking about something that when we've got a whole lot of other issues that we really need to be digging into.

Um, that are that I've I'm pretty sure we've all gotten more calls about the tents and about the gun violence than we've gotten about James Spadola becoming a Democrat.

So even huh?

So I just think that it's it's you know, maybe this is something that we table until we can come up with what is palatable for the General Assembly because again, we keep sending resolutions down to Dover and Dover is like putting them in the trash.

So, what is it that we're gonna actually get done?

Councilmember Darby.

Yes, I would like to just be added as a co-sponsor to just clear this up so that um in the future, um, this polic what our charter uh matches up with the intent of this legislation.

Um, but I actually when um when council member Spadola first um when the announcement was made um on social media, I actually got a lot of calls and emails from people about the situation, like what y'all gonna do?

Y'all can't allow this to happen.

There were a lot of people who were upset, like residents um about it.

I even got calls from people I uh had I'm friends with in the Republican Party, like what y'all gonna do?

I'm like, what y'all gonna do?

You know, like this that's supposed to be y'all person, and he left y'all.

So I think this legislation would just clear it up so it doesn't happen again, it doesn't do anything to council member Despadola right now, but it does clear it up for the future, and I'm all for it.

So add me as a co-sponsor.

All right, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Um, before we go to our second round, all people have their have their hands up.

I also want to chime in.

I guess first of all, to call me a king.

Right.

Is probably the most absurd thing that you have ever said on this council floor because he's talking over you.

Right.

I have bar none, I would that I have been the most inclusive president that anybody here has served under, and that the staff has served under.

I have said majority, whatever the majority wants, down to my chief of staff.

Whatever the majority wants, that's how we move forward.

I am the furthest thing from a king.

So for you to say that, and at the same time try to say it's not personal is disingenuous.

But that but that's okay.

Um second, secondly, let's I'm I'm gonna take us down a time to timeline too.

Because in October, when it happened, we went to our law department, our law department said that what you did was was okay.

So yes, we said based on having complete faith in our law department.

You say, yes, yes, I came back to my colleagues.

Uh I came back to people in the public.

I said, yes, what he did was okay.

Fast forward, we started getting different opinions because what our law department said is just their opinion.

So we got different opinions.

So that is when we started having the same another conversation.

And to think that our former city solicitor holds any weight with this council, and he is our former city solicitor for a reason, is also kind of absurd.

But nonetheless, and and then the the the case that our acting city solicitor gave as a reasons why their opinion was that what you did was okay, it doesn't match up because in that case, there was not a seat set aside specifically for a member of the minority party.

And for them to compare apples to oranges and then give us that opinion, I think was extremely misleading and unfair.

So when we add when we compare apples to apples and oranges or oranges, they did it didn't line up.

So that's why we're here.

We started getting different opinions.

Members of the Republican Party were extremely frustrated.

Members of the Democratic Party, some of them were extremely frustrated.

And for our Democratic Party to even chime in and to say that it should be held, it should be left up to the people when we try to have our special election process given back to the people, and they wanted their hands in it.

Again, it's so disingenuous.

But again, we're we're still here.

Um I think many lawyers think that intent matters.

I don't think that I think that it was the intent for the people who made the charter to make sure that there was inclusion from the minority party.

They didn't double back and say you can't switch parties because in their minds it was it was a given.

It was intent.

The intent the intent was there, the writing was there.

No, they didn't go back and say, okay, once you once you win, you can't go, you can't change your party.

I mean, there is a lot said, and again, I don't want to make this personal, but I'm not gonna sit up here and be attacked by you or any of your cohorts over something that has nothing to do with you.

Uh I've always said, whether it's in the radio, whether it's on TV, whether it's in person, that you are a great council person.

This is about the charter and what I believe, and what others believe is the intent of the charter.

I did not go on this by myself.

Yes, that later that letter came from me.

But I would not have done it if I didn't have the majority of counsel feeling the same exact way.

And I said that to them.

I said that to the staff.

I said, if if I'm the only one who feels this way, I'm gonna let it go.

Because that has always been my method of operation to go with what the majority of counsel wants.

And the majority of counsel said what that letter said.

Now, if they want to own up to that or not, that's up to them.

But I did not go in this alone, and I would not have gone in this alone because it wouldn't make sense because we're we're made up of 13.

If there are seven that want to move a certain way, we're moving that certain way.

So again, I I want to let people, I want to let more people give their second round, but the intent matters to me, and the intent matters to a lot of people on this floor.

The intent matters to a lot of people in our community.

And that's not saying anything bad about you, Councilmember Spadola.

It's not an attack on you uh an attack on you, on your character, on how you show up for people, because that that can't be questioned.

But what can be questioned is how you got what you did.

And that's what we're and we have the right to question that without being attacked, without being without misleading people from the public about what this, what council member hackett's resolution is about.

It has nothing to do with trying to get rid of you.

Nothing for people to show up and act like this resolution is gonna vacate your seat, is again disingenuous.

So at least be honest with the people who are coming to support you.

At least do that.

Don't have them come here and attack us on something on a false narrative, because that's that's not fair.

I know you I know you had your hand raised first, so I'll let you go first.

Thank you, Council President.

There were um, I don't know if you were you heard my conversations with them somehow, but there was no misleading them, of course.

Your letter threatened to vacate my seat unless I switch back to Republican.

Okay.

So don't try to twist it around.

You're the one who wanted to play king and failed.

Okay, this that is why we are here.

But let me continue.

We're talking about intent.

You know, there's a lot of legally gobbledygook going around.

Imagine if police officers went around and didn't enforce the law on the books, but they said to themselves, you know what?

Even though that doesn't quite say that, I think I'm gonna make this arrest anyway.

Or if there's no speed limit sign up there.

Like we're talking about intent.

Excuse me.

No, no, no, hold on.

You're not you're not gonna interrupt.

Let them speak to your own.

Let's take no that's stick to the next one.

No, let him let him have his but I'm not gonna be in the middle of the city.

So much of this focuses on intent, which is and you're talking about other attorneys that have provided opinions.

That letter came from you.

It came from not from an attorney.

We've had multiple city solicitors talk about you you can't just hide behind intent, but not actually talk about what it means.

And think about when we're applying the law.

And so the one re another reason I wanted to bring people out, whose support means the world to me, is this we are so close to getting this right.

Everybody's kind of touched on it.

What the charter says, to correct my dear colleague, council member Harley.

It doesn't say that three Democrats, one Republican will win.

All it simply says is there are four at-large seats, but political parties can only nominate three onto the general election ballot, and that voters can only vote for three.

That's all it says.

Okay.

If we amend it and we remove the nomination cap, and we let the political parties nominate four, we let voters vote for four.

The number four who won wound up in the Democratic primary, who I didn't realize this was about.

I don't know who that is.

But that would resolve that in the future.

And we'd have a free and fair election, and people could vote for every one of their representatives.

That is the path forward.

We're so close.

And why I oppose this is because this takes us, it takes us back.

And uh, Councilmember Owens, you were talking about the solution.

Yes, I have spoken with state senators very interested in running this.

What and removing the nomination cap and finally allowing Wilmingtonians to vote for all four of their four at-large members in either primary, and then let the voters decide what the political composition of council looks like.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Please have a question.

Hold on one second.

Everybody can get a second round.

Council member Harley.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Oh, thank you.

So again, um as it relates to the charter, the charter, we again our intent was to fix what appears to be uh a problem and an issue.

However, I also know that this happened, what happened sets a president.

And again, if everybody on this council began to just switch parties right now, that's right, it would be a mess.

It will be a debacle.

It would not be a good look.

So if one can do it, what stops anybody else on this council from doing it?

So this is about setting a president that this is not how the democratic process should work, that once you come in under one party, you should you can switch over to another party.

And again, like I said, we could all decide to do that.