The meeting will please come to order.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Trippie Congo, President of Wilmington City Council.

On behalf of all my colleagues here on council, we'd like to thank everyone for joining us this evening.

To those of you who are in Council Chambers and also to everyone who is with us virtually.

Today is Thursday, July the 11th, and we are going to begin with our opening prayer by Mary Alina Rivera.

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

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

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

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

Let respect be key in all our endeavors.

Amen.

Now move your site.

Underground individual limiting justice.

Present.

Councilwoman Darby.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Present.

Councilwoman Harley.

President.

Councilwoman Will Hour.

Present.

Councilwoman McCoy.

Councilman Johnson.

Here.

Councilman Field.

Present.

Councilwoman Bracie.

Present.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Councilman Hackett?

Here.

Councilman Spadola.

Here.

President Congo.

Here.

Ten present and three absent.

Thank you, Councilmember McCoy did ask to be excused this evening.

And also for public comment, there is a Google form.

Sign up link in the chat.

And public comment will take place after nine legislative business.

If there's anyone here in council who would like to get public comment, please make sure that you sign the signing sheet before 645.

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

Second.

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

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

Move the committee report be received, recorded, and filed.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

May 14th, 2026.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are community development and urban planning committee met by anchor location and remote remote participation to who is referred ordinance number 26-029 entitled An Ordnance to Amend Chapter 8 of the City Code to create a homeowner repair program.

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

Those members present.

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

Second.

It's been properly moved and seconded the report BBC recorded and filed on the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

May 14th, 2026.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are community development and urban planning committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who is referred.

Ordinance number 26-030 entitled an ordinance to amend chapter 8 of the city code to create a vacant property rehabilitation assistance program.

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

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

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

Move the committee report be received recorded and filed.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

June 8th, 2026, ladies and gentlemen, we are finance and economic development committee met by anchor location and remote participation to who was referred substitute number two to ordinance number 25-017, entitled an ordinance to amend chapter 45 to exempt elderly and disabled residents and residences with children under the age of five from water service disconnection for non-payment of utility charges.

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 Bracey, Councilwoman Darby, Councilwoman Oliver, Councilman Spidola, absent with leave, councilman Harley, Councilman Hackett, and President Congo.

Move Dr.

Committee report re recorder, recorded and filed.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

At this time, we will have our city treasurer's report.

July 9th, 2026.

Total investments 567,663, 775.43 cents.

Total cash on hand, 18 million six hundred and seventy-seven thousand five six hundred and fifty-six dollars and eighty-one cents.

Grant total 586 million three hundred and forty-one thousand four hundred and thirty-two dollars and twenty-four cents submitted city treasurer Dwayne Sims.

Motion to accept the treasurer's report.

Second.

It's been properly moved and second to accept.

Excuse me, it's been properly moved and second that the report be received, recorded, and filed on the question.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Motion carried.

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

So motion.

Second.

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

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

At this time, we will go to our recognition resolutions.

Councilmember Bracey.

Dr.

Durrell Green, come up, please.

Anybody that's here with I'm presenting this on behalf of President Congo on behalf of the entire city council.

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

Dr.

Darrell Green is one such individual.

And whereas Dr.

Durrell Green has devoted his career to public education, beginning as a teacher in the city of Wilmington, serving students at Bancroft and Stubbs Elementary School before going on to hold several leadership roles, including principal of Harling and Harlan Elementary, and whereas Dr.

Green continued his career as director of elementary education and title one services for the Brainy Wine School District before becoming assistant superintendent.

He accepted a position as the inaugural executive director, the Delaware Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, where he supported local and statewide turnaround initiatives and helped advance trauma informed practices in schools throughout Delaware.

And whereas in 2019, Dr.

Green was appointed superintendent of the Red Clay Consolidated School District, one of Delaware's largest and most diverse school districts.

Under his leadership, Red Clay expanded early childhood education, strengthened college and career pathways, increased access to advanced coursework, and celebrated multiple schools and programs that received national blue room status.

And whereas Dr.

Green has contributed to Delaware Chief School Officers Association as president and supported efforts advancing educational equity and improving student outcomes throughout his service with the writing consortium of equity, educational equity, the Wilmington Learning Collaborative and other educational and community organizations throughout Delaware in recognition, recognition of his outstanding leadership, commitment, and lasting contributions to public education.

Dr.

Green was named 2026 Delaware Superintendent of the Year.

And whereas, after more than 25 years of dedicated service to the students, families, and communities of Wilmington and beyond, Dr.

Green was selected as superintendent of the Norrestown Area School District, continuing his distinguished career in public education.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Wilmington that this council is pleased to recognize Dr.

Darrell Green for his outstanding service and lasting contributions to public education in Delaware and congratulates him on his selection as the next superintendent of the Northown Area School District.

Job well done.

And I just want to say personally, Norristown's gain is Wilmington's lost.

We are losing a giant in the education system, and you will be missed.

Thank you for your service.

President Congo, members of City Council, uh, Councilwoman Bracey.

Um, this this is a bittersweet um transition for me, but one obviously I I've had to deal with and do it with family and in mind.

Um, but this truly is also a full circle moment, you know, when I stand on the shoulders of giants, uh, such as the honorable, you know, Ted Blunt, Maurice Pritchett, Joseph E.

Johnson, B.B.

Coker, Joseph Brumskill, um, others who were pillars in the community that really allowed me to gleam off the wisdom and a rich history that's a part of Wilmington.

Um, I'm not a native Delawarean or Wilmingtonian, um, but I quickly learned that Wilmington became my home as a student at the University of Delaware.

Um, I grew up in the Washington, D.C.

area, DMV.

Um, and when I missed home, I needed a soul food spot.

And so I discovered Big Jones on 4th Street in the late 90s, early 2000s, and it became an immediate home.

And so from there, upon graduation, I moved on 804 West Ninth, uh, where I resided for a period of time, 20th in Washington, and actually had uh 15, 12 Coleman Street and Browntown uh was my latest uh last residence within the city of Wilmington.

Uh taught as my bio said at Bancroft Stubbs.

Um, and again, a full circle moment because Councilman Hackett was one of my former students.

Um, I had him in elementary school, and so when you can actually see um that legacy in action um where he's an active member not only in in government but within the community, um, it it shows that hard work and connection to to the city um was worthwhile.

Um, we're not moving.

There's just a different tone of work and advocacy to be done.

Um, but I'm a true believer in you know what the city stands for and the potential within each and every one of our young people throughout the city.

Um so I will be in service just in a different capacity.

So thank you to City Council uh for your ongoing efforts to not only improve the the living conditions for uh families and communities throughout the city of Wilmington, but for all you that you do to support education, um, and I appreciate this honor.

So thank you.

We do it.

We do have some council members who would like to make some comments.

Uh Councilmember Spadola.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh Dr.

Green, you know, it's you might remember I called you Dr.

Green years before you got your PhD because you just always exuded that PhD status.

Uh and you know, you've just done such great work for uh Wilmington and Delaware in general.

It's been great work on over the years, and you will certainly uh be sorely missed.

But uh best of luck to you and uh please don't become a stranger.

No, sir, and just know that you know within your respective area.

I know you're at large, but the phone still number won't change.

Um, I still have those contacts if if if the community definitely reaches out, um again, I'm still a service just in a different capacity.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I'd like to echo um sentiments of the resolution.

Uh, Mr.

Green, Dr.

Green, he will be missed um throughout the city of Wilmington.

Um, the phones were burned, phones was ringing off the hook.

Um, when we heard the news, um, a lot of people as emotional.

Um, I know two people were very emotional to hear that you was leaving.

Um, you've done so much um great work in our community, and especially with the youth.

I know my brother Rob, I uh I told him I said, I hope you're not gonna cry the way you just you kept calling me, calling me, told me the meeting.

I met him kept talking about you.

And he said, under your leadership, it was just um easy to work with you, easy to talk to you, and your leadership was just outstanding.

So I'm just echoing what everybody else said, and um congratulations on your new position, and you will be missed in the city of Wilmington.

You left uh you left a mark here.

Thank you for all your work.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

So, first of all, I want to thank Councilmember Bracey um for presenting this um well-deserved recognition on tonight.

And I want to say congratulations to Dr.

Green as well on your next chapter.

You are definitely um a proven leader, um, and your proven leadership, your expertise and your ability to be a educational and school change agent is very apparent and evident.

So I just want to say to the Norristown School District, if they are listening, they are getting a gem in you.

And I always say leaders are a dime a dozen, but great leaders as yourself is very hard to find.

You're gonna be missed, and thank you for your service.

Thank you for all that you um and put to input it into the children, the work, the teachers, your faculty, etc.

And um again, congratulations and all the best to you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, thank you, Councilmember Owens.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um first off, congratulations on the new role with the transition to the new position.

But also I just want to say thank you for everything you did, not only at Red Clay, but especially Brandon Wine School District at Harlan as well, too.

Um I still meet kids who was there when you was principal, and they talk about their experience there and how it should have been with a lot of schools.

Um it's very hard to find black men who are in leadership roles within our school, uh, especially for our young black boys.

So thank you for everything you've done through all the school districts you've been a part of here in Delaware.

Um, and I know Norristown's really gonna enjoy um your leadership.

Appreciate it.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Listen, you automatically start smiling.

Um, you know, when I one city council, first time uh uh seeing you, first thing you said, I can't believe this nine-nosed kid I guess the win's uh city council.

Don't think to myself like I'm a grown man now, you know.

I'm grown.

Um, but you know, this is uh one of those moments where you know I I I couldn't imagine you know, this moment to be like this, a third grader sitting in your classroom to now being able to see all the work you've done in the city of Wilmington, not being from here, but really pouring in here.

I mean, the city of Wilmington owes you a lot.

Um, but it's just it's just amazing, you know.

Uh, and I feel so sad for our families because like councilwoman Oliver said, when families seen the, you know, noticed that you were moving to Northtown, it was the upraise because a lot of families they depended on the leadership, but they depended on the person and the father figure you were to their kids, uh, like you were for me.

Um, so you know, like you said, you're not leaving us, and hopefully we find different roles for you to come in and be a part of.

Um, but you welcome me in so many different aspects as a young student and now as a business owner, continuously open the doors uh for me.

So, you know, I don't know where I would be, but thank you so much for everything.

I remember I graduated from college and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

I go in banking.

I come back, I said I want to go on education.

You said, listen, it's not enough black men in education, so this is perfect.

I think you'll do perfect.

And uh, we're here today.

So man, thank you so much for everything for being a mentor and everything else.

So I'll get emotional and everything.

Thank you.

You you can cry if you need.

Councilmember Johnson.

Um, I just want to again appreciate uh your your work.

And um, you probably didn't get your flowers enough.

I've had the um blessing to serve with you in many different capacities.

And for me, I know Norristown.

I have family up there, and I know the challenges that district faces, and I know you're the right person.

I don't think there's anyone in this nation that would be as equipped to turn Norristown around than you are.

Um it's a very high need area, a lot of bilingual speakers.

Um, so it's a perfect, you're the perfect person.

So we're uh sad to see you go, but I know you're gonna have a quick turnaround there, or hopefully quick turnaround there, and really get that uh struggling district back on the right track.

Thank you.

Councilmember Woolhour.

Yes, I just wanted to echo um everybody else on council and saying congratulations, and you know, thank you also for always having an open door.

Um, and and I've definitely learned a lot from working with you, even briefly in a different uh different role.

So I just think that Wilmington um has gained so much from your leadership, and I've learned so much from how you are always you do your the role that you're in, but you do so much more.

So I want to thank you and wish you congratulations and you know good luck on the next uh move.

Thank you, appreciate it.

I also want to congratulate you.

Um definitely won't be the same.

I know it wasn't easy, but you always led with professionalism and grace.

Sometimes I wondered how you did it.

Um I've seen you be a part of some fire storms, but it was always always just a man of a complete uh professionalism.

And when I was reading the story, I was thinking I read about the interview process, but I was like, he knew he knew he had that in the bag from from day one.

Because I just can't see anybody being in your presence and not saying that he he's our guy.

So I mean, I wish you well, wish your family well.

And you know, we have our office of education advocacy here, so we're still gonna lean on you.

We'll be calling you for some for some for some guidance, and I'm sure you'll be there for us like you've always been, like you always have been.

So again, man, congratulations and thank you.

Thank you.

And I and just for council uh president Congo, you know, I go back and remember the limousine rise.

Um, when you just pick students up, and I and I think you know, not to overshadow there.

There are a lot of needs, but those small wins for our students make a world of difference.

And so when you would bless them, and we would honor our students, particularly at Harlan, and and you would show up and and just give them a limousine ride, and we take them to lunch and give them that first experience.

And so I just leave you with this as Einstein said, learning is an experience, everything else is information.

So we have to be integral and just making sure that we provide experiences for our children for our communities and not just feed them information.

So again, I'm I'm humbled by the recognition and appreciate the work, and it would definitely be here as a thought partner and a collaborator as the the city council continues to move forward.

So I appreciate it.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

In the way of uh sympathy resolutions coming from Councilmember Oliver, a sympathy resolution for Khadir A.

Skinner from Councilmember Spadola, Sympathy Resolutions for James Matthews, Audrey, Kay O'Shag.

I'm sorry, I can't put I can't see what is it?

Oh, Shaughnessy, thank you.

Audrey O'Shaughnessy, uh Ted Calvin Williams, and for Cara Sage Feely.

At this time, we will move to public comment.

We do have people in count um, we have people in chambers and also uh members from the public who are with us virtually who have signed up for for comment.

So we are going to alternate.

We're gonna be we're going to begin with April Collins, who I believe is with us, Council Chambers.

And just as a reminder to everyone, you do have three minutes for your public comments.

Once you have around 30 seconds left, I will give you a reminder to to uh to wrap up your comments.

Please introduce yourself.

And if you do live in a district, if you're representing that district, you may say so, but if not, that's fine.

Thank you for joining us.

Good evening.

My name is April Collins.

I'm a resident of the 7th district.

Thank you to President Congo, City Council, and members of the community for being here tonight.

I am a community health nurse, and I am here tonight to talk about the importance or I'm here to talk about uh my support for the amendment to exempt the vulnerable in our community from water disconnection.

As a community health nurse, I my passion is to serve the underserved.

And when we shut off water, especially to the vulnerable members of our community, those who are elderly, young children, those with disabilities, it can have serious consequences, not only to the individual, but to the community as a whole.

We risk the outbreak of infectious disease when we cut off water and cut off access to hygiene and sanitation.

Access to clean water is a basic human right.

And I understand that finances are an issue, but I think we need to look at the bigger picture.

If we cut off water to those vulnerable members, it can have drastic consequences in the long run.

These members of our community are already suffering in a very challenging economy.

And if they're threatened with water shutoff, they may have to make a difficult decision.

Are they going to spend money for water, for food, for medications?

I really want to stress the importance of allowing an exception to water cutoff for those vulnerable members of our community.

Um we can't afford to take a risk for a public health infectious outbreak.

So I uh would love to see the city of Wilmington take a step in protecting the basic human rights of the most vulnerable in our community.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

We will now go to our virtual audience, Miguel Amante Almonte.

Okay, thank you.

Ladonna Graham.

We don't see that either.

Okay.

Emily Van Vleck.

I can hear me.

Yes, we can hear you.

Thank you for the first time.

Hi, this is Emily Van Vlack.

I'm uh a resident of the 8th district.

Um, some with Nathan Field, who, as I understand it, is with the committee for health and aging and disabilities, which is perfect for the topic of water.

Um, for folks who are vulnerable if they're disabled, if they're seniors, if they have family with children under five years old, they need sanitation, they need hygiene, and they need human dignity.

So I think it's very important to stop shutoffs for vulnerable people and exempt them from the water shutoffs.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, and council chambers, we have uh Miss Messic.

Mr.

Messic, I'm sorry.

Thank you for joining us.

Good evening, council.

My name is Gene Messick.

I work with the unhoused in District 4, District 6, and just out of district one.

Talking about an exemption for the elderly, the disabled, and for families that have children under the age of five from water shutoffs for non-payment of utility charges.

This is really important to me.

A lot of people out here are struggling to put food on the table.

They're struggling to put pay for their rent, they're struggling to pay for their utilities, and these harsh measures are not actually doing anything to get you the money that you're not receiving.

Um we had Black and Veach in here.

That's your uh what is it, a contractor that advises you on how to do your water rates or whatever?

And they were in here in April telling y'all about how when you raised water rates last year, your delinquency rates went up a proportional amount.

You ended up with about the same amount of revenue.

These bills are too high.

Residential accounts cannot pay for it.

What are you doing to figure out what accounts actually are delinquent?

How you can figure out how to get this revenue.

What are you doing for commercial groups, commercial accounts?

Please take the burden off of your residents.

I recognize that some of you in here vote according to your convictions, according to your constituents.

I appreciate for at the last second voting towards your conscience.

Thank you, Michelle Harley for the Housing Trust.

Another among you capitulate it to the last second.

If you're in here voting for your career and for your finances, we're watching.

We're watching your campaign funding.

Another thing I want to say.

The time for collaboration for a single mother with three jobs and the takes night classes is not 9 p.m.

the night before a vote.

It was six months ago after the first or second reading.

It was six years ago when the housing trust started.

We had 30 seconds.

Time for collaboration is every day.

Talk to each other, work together.

I'd also like to support ordinances 26-28 through 26-30.

Please pass all of them.

And please pass the resolution urging Delaware state government to address rising energy costs by investing in renewable energy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, virtually we have Christina Kelly.

Good evening, Mr.

President and City Council members.

My name's Christina Kelly.

I'm here tonight with a simple invitation.

Um, your press conference regarding Kadir Skinner's murder.

We heard your calls for transparency, accountability, and healing.

Those words mattered, and they gave many people hope that our elected leaders are willing to stand with the people they represent.

Now we have an opportunity to turn those words into action.

On Sunday, July 12th at 1 p.m.

Community members will gather in Rodney Square to peacefully demand the public release of the body warden camera footage and the killing of Kadir Skinner.

It's important to understand this call is being led by Kadir's family representatives.

They've publicly stated that the footage tells a different story than the narrative that has been presented so far.

They are asking for transparency so the public can see the truth for themselves, and we should honor that request.

This gathering isn't about politics, it isn't about the vision, it's about accountability, transparency, and rebuilding public trust.

I'm asking each member of this council to stand with us, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as elected officials, but as neighbors who believe that when a grieving family asks for the truth to be seen, our city should listen.

Your presence would send a powerful message that the commit commitment you expressed in your press conference extends beyond the podium and into the community.

We'll be there on Sunday at 1 p.m.

in Rodney Square, and we hope that you'll stand with us.

And before tonight's meeting ends, I also urge you to do the right thing by passing the water shutoff protection legislation.

Access to water is a basic necessity, and Wilmington families deserve that protection.

If we need money that badly, let's go after the hotel duPonts of the city, not our struggling neighbors.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have Betley.

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

After that, we will have Gillian Harleck.

Virtually.

Next, I just wanted to support uh the water resolution here tonight.

Um, this is a moral question.

Water is life.

It is essential.

Um, and as the the uh last commenter mentioned, uh, you know, let's go after the uh the bigger uh fish in the pond instead of our most vulnerable residents if we need more funding.

Uh I also would like to support the resolution to address the rising energy costs with the Delaware state government by investing in renewable energy.

Um, also to support the resolution um for neighborhood stabilization funds to be used to settle eviction proceedings and keep people housed as more and more people it seems are becoming on house every single day.

Uh, also I would like to support the resolution to establish a homeowner repair program and replace the lottery so we can keep our existing housing supply in good shape.

Also want to support the resolution to uh establish a vacant property rehabilitation program so we can bring more housing into the supply into productive use.

Um, as I already mentioned, there's people becoming homeless every single day.

Um, and tying back to the water resolution.

Uh, people are struggling just to survive, just for the basic fundamentals of food and water and a roof over their head.

Um, and I also just want to express my uh extreme disappointment at the moral failing of some of our council members for voting against the housing trust last week.

Um I I think councilmember Darby and also Councilmember Owens um said a lot of what they needed to say about kind of the misinformation that some of these city council members were putting out there in reference to that resolution.

Uh, it's been a long time coming.

You know, the as someone already mentioned, you know, the the time for the collaboration was not the last minute.

And additionally, Councilmember Darby mentioned she tried her best to work with the administration, and the administration did not want to work with her because frankly, they really don't care about the people of the city unless you're a rich person and you're in power.

Um anyway, uh, that's about it.

Uh, thank you, Mr.

President, City Council.

Thank you.

Next version of Gillian.

Last name begins with an H.

Hello.

Um, my name is Gillian Hulk, and I live in the first district.

Um, I'm also here tonight because I strongly support the ordinance to protect vulnerable residents from water shutoffs.

Um, I first learned about the city's policies last year, and I was completely shocked.

I wanted to better understand these policies so I could help educate other Wilmington residents.

Um, my goal was to write something, maybe an op-ed explaining the differences between how past due commercial and residential accounts are handled, as well as the scale of the outstanding debt in each category.

Um, I submitted two FOAI requests beginning in February, and as of today, I've received nothing beyond an automated acknowledgement of that with the receipt of those requests.

Um, so unfortunately, I've been unable to help spread the word about that.

Um, but I do believe that if more people knew about these policies, they would be just as concerned as I am.

Um, I understand that commercial collections can be complicated, but protecting seniors, people with disabilities, and children from water shutoff is not complicated.

So I am urging you to please vote yes to protect our most vulnerable residents.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next in council chambers is Sarah.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you, City Council President.

Um, my name is Sarah Ryan.

I'm the deputy director of community legal aid.

Uh, community legal aid is a legal services organization that provides free legal assistance to our friends and neighbors.

We achieve equal justice um through creative and persistent legal advocacy that protects Delawareans' most fundamental rights and secures access to basic needs.

We also run the right to representation program in the state with our partners, LSCD and DVLS.

The right to representation provides the right to a lawyer if you are under 200% of federal poverty and facing eviction.

As part of our implementation of right to representation, we used funds that were provided during COVID to provide very small amounts of money to households to see if we could stabilize those households and prevent eviction.

In the past year, there have been 10,495 evictions filed in the state.

7,141 of those eviction filings were in the city of Wilmington.

Um that is an outstanding number.

You carry the largest load of evictions in the state.

We utilized funds to stabilize households.

The average amount we capped every household at a one-time uh use of the funding.

You could get up to $1,500 to maintain your housing.

The average award was 1,214.

We've been working with researchers to track the households that were stabilized.

Over 76% of the households were able to negotiate a settlement agreement to allow them to stay in their housing.

Of the other households, the funds were used to provide time to move out and avoid an eviction record or time to negotiate to keep a housing subsidy.

I'm here today to support the resolution to allow neighborhood stabilization funds to be used for the purpose of stabilizing households.

We see this as a very low cost and very effective way of keeping families in their housing, avoiding the human cost and the cost to the city of homelessness.

And we see these people as our friends and our neighbors.

In my last 30 seconds, I'm gonna tell you about a client that I represented, a single mother with four children.

One of her children became very ill.

She had to take off work to be with the child in the hospital during that time.

Her employer terminated her employment and she missed two months of rent with a small amount of money, $1,000.

We could stabilize her household.

She regained employment and her children remained in their school district.

She was able to afford medications and all of the utilities that she needed.

This is funding that I know that you support because you support your communities, and I appreciate your support.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Please raise your hand.

Okay.

You can hear me now.

Yes, we can hear you.

Thank you for joining us.

Um good evening.

Um council President Congo and City Council members.

Thank you so much for this opportunity to speak.

I'm from the 10th district of Castle County.

I am in Council and Streets district, but um I also serve as a housing task force person on Sam's um housing task force.

I am here this evening regarding all that has been said actually, and um I just did not understand how the housing trust did not pass, nor do I understand why um it hasn't been voted on yet, but hoping that it is resolved in the for the people, the water shed offs.

I don't think that is that is a it is a human right.

I don't understand how council can recognize all the good things people do, bring them in, give them resolutions.

However, you cannot, you cannot agree on the plight of the people, the plight of the constituents, the plight of the everyone, the water, the homelessness, the police reform.

You just seem not to be able to agree on that.

And I know that you have seen role models uh on how you help someone that needs help, but you for some reason other some just cannot do that.

I do want to understand something that last and the on the um on the trust that there are some who say that they have an office across the hall from the mayor's office, and they can collaborate with these people to um fix everything to for the for the sake of the people.

And I would urge those who say that to please do that.

You say you can.

I hope that you do before 2029.

Thank you so much.

Uh actually, I hope you do that before this voting is on its way.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next is Jamila Davy.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you.

Um, good evening.

I'm Jamila Davy.

I live in the 5th district, and um I'll echo some of these sentiments as well, still feeling the disappointment from last week when the um affordable housing trust didn't pass, which would have allowed um greater uh a greater set of voices to set priorities for addressing some of the most urgent needs our community members are facing right now.

But I am, you know, happy and excited to see that there's more ways ahead.

You guys have legislation in front of you tonight that can actually address critical needs of our Wilmington community members.

So first I'll say that, you know, that this eviction prevention legislation was just so eloquently supported here.

I can't imagine how this council will not pass that needed targeted kind of relief for residents who face eviction.

And I've learned from various hearings around, you know, legislation that are at the state level and here in the city of Wilmington that advocates have tried to pass.

How important how and the comments just made clarify it, how um much of a ripple effect there is when people are affected by eviction, that it's not just a parent, but as a family, it's kids that are disrupted in their schooling.

Um and you know, we I hear at all the community member meetings I go to that, you know, what are we going to do for our youth to help them stabilize and um thrive.

And so I think that program's a no-brainer.

And um then coming over to water, it's you know, similarly a you know, uh highly disruptive um, you know, the idea that you know a family could experience a water shutoff, something that a child has no control over whatsoever, you know, and thinking about um our our vulnerable community members.

I want to echo um what other folks have said about um water being a human right, access to water for um drinking for domestic purposes and for um hygiene, um, and that you know I think there, you know, council member Darby, I you know, uh this has come up so many times this this vote, and I know I see that there's the um income threshold that's included this time that I hope will um address concerns that council members have had about the program.

Um research does not support the idea that people abuse um, you know, um programs such as these.

Um there's a lack of data about how water shutoffs impact community members.

Um, and um, you know, um something that I've learned from talking to community members out on you know, out in my district is that you know, a lot of times um it is an unexpected water bill that sends them over into arrears, you know, that it's something that a pipe or a leak that they didn't know, and it comes for them at a time when they are making tough choices about what bills to pay because of our economic situation.

So I hope you will support all the affordability measures that are on the the um docket tonight.

Um and that um you can find um it in your heart to um advance this simple legislation that would um affect you know uh be a big impact for a small group of people and that it's really that a lot of communities have like in Philly, it's called Raise Your Hand.

They got a bunch of programs, but the last one is raise your hand if you need to avoid that shutoff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have Cheyenne Miller.

Thank you for joining us.

Um Cheyenne Miller, live in the 7th district.

Um I'm gonna focus most of my comments on water billing tonight.

Uh I think this is maybe the third time or so, I don't know, that this water building legislation has come up specifically to restrict the city from shutting off access to water, um, specifically for seniors, disabled people, and families with young children.

Um and this legislation looks different.

This legislation at the request of elected officials that are sitting in front of me is specifically restricting that to people who are low income.

Um, because you know, that was a request.

And so I think that collaborative nature of making sure that policies are built in a way where everyone can have their input and there can be win-win situations.

I'm really glad to see that happened and um, you know, thank councilmember Darby for making those changes to her legislation.

I really hope that we don't sit here tonight and see another vote happen the way that we have in the past.

It has been extremely difficult for people who elect you to come out every single time you guys have a meeting and to see that you're unable to come to any form of a solution that actually helps the people.

They are really struggling.

I'm having people talk to me and saying, I don't see any reason why I should be coming to that city council meeting.

I don't see any reason why I should be voting.

I don't see any reason why I should participate in the primaries.

I don't see any reason.

And I don't know what to tell them.

I don't know what to say to them when I'm constantly asking them to come out to these meetings, and they can't see a housing trust get established.

They're watching you be okay with shutting off water access to small children.

And specifically, like they can't see you guys vote on a budget that would benefit them.

And so it is hard for people to continue to come out and to continue to vote for you guys when this is the situations that are before them.

And so I really hope that you guys will pass all of the legislation before you that is affordability affordability related, the eviction defense, the vacant properties, the homeowner repair, the water billing shutoffs.

Like please protect these people from water shutoffs.

If you have concerns about people not paying their bill, I think there are a lot of questions that we can ask around specifically commercial properties not paying their bill.

We know Brett Taylor said that commercial properties are treated differently when it comes to shutoffs.

Residential properties, they do not ask questions when it's time to shut off.

They will shut you off if you are a residential property.

If you are a commercial property, they are determining whether there will be an economic impact to shutting you off.

Our city should not be treating our seniors and our children and people with disabilities like that.

So I'm just begging y'all to do the right thing because I really think that it has a larger impact when we're constantly seeing individuals come out here begging you to do the right thing, and you can't come up with anything but a no, no, no, no, no.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Anne Aviles.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

Thank you for joining us.

Hi, thank you for allowing me to speak tonight.

Um, I want to start by just um echoing what some have already said in particular, um, recognition of Khadir Skinner and transparency around that police involved shooting.

I hope that people will continue to push for that transparency and provide the family the answers they deserve.

Um, I know many have already spoken, but I just um so I'll be brief.

I just want to also um provide my support.

Um, I should have said I'm from the 8th district.

And um, all of the legislation on here tonight, um, in particular the water shutoff, um, not you know, shutting it off for our most vulnerable residents.

And as others have said, we know that many people across the city are struggling financially because of the continued rise in housing costs in electric bills and gas and groceries and everything under the sun right now.

Um, I really hope that city council can work together to pass the legislation to not shut water off, um, especially for our most vulnerable residents to put more money to um help stabilize families so that they are not becoming evicted to also support homeowner repair programs.

Um, everyone says become a owner, homeowner, become a homeowner.

I've heard that a lot from city council, but then you don't really have money to make the repairs that are necessary.

And so providing support would allow people who want to be homeowners to maintain their homeownership and to really uh lift up their property so that they are not, you know, having any issues with mold or pests or anything like that.

Um, of course, we've talked a lot about vacant properties.

And so, again, if we want people to do the work, um, we also need to help them with those with that funding.

Um, so I really implore all of city council to please support legislation that will make the everyday lives of the people of Wilmington better and less stressful.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

That does include public comment for this evening.

We want to thank everyone who uh was a part of public comment.

We also want to encourage everyone to come in and give public comment at our official council meetings and also at our committee meetings at this time.

We will move to legislative business.

I'd like to recognize council member Darby.

Yeah, Mr.

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

Ordinance 25-017, agenda number 0037, an ordinance to amend chapter 45 to exempt elderly and disabled residents and residences with children under the age of five from water service disconnection for non-payment of utility charges.

Substitute to present in lieu of that ordinance.

Substitute number two to ordinance number 25-017, revision two, agenda number 0037.

An ordinance to amend chapter 45 to exempt elderly and disabled residents and residences with children under the age of five from water service disconnection for non-payment of utility charges.

Second.

Yes.

So today we have an opportunity to affirm a simple principle, right?

Access to water is essential to life.

And our most vulnerable residents should never lose it because they are struggling financially.

This ordinance provides targeted protections for households that includes a senior citizen, a person with a disability, a person with a disability or children under the age of five whose income is below 350 of the federal property level.

And a council person who last time says that I wasn't collaborative enough.

Um actually made that recommendation and we added it to the legislation.

So this legislation is not about debt forgiveness, it does not eliminate anyone's responsibility to pay their water bill.

It simply ensures that the city does not use water shutoffs as a collection tool against those who are who are at least able to withstand the consequences.

I want to acknowledge that this legislation did not happen overnight.

I have worked on this bill for six years.

During that time, I have held community meetings, met with multiple administrations.

All right, I met with the administration.

I researched best practices from around the country, and I met individually with my council colleagues.

Everyone got a text, an email over the last six years several times about this legislation.

I have amended this legislation numerous times based on feedback from members who are willing to engage in the process.

While every suggestion could not be incorporated, I have worked in good faith to craft legislation that is practical, compassionate, and we can implement it.

For six consecutive years, this council has increased water rates.

Yet for six consecutive years that I've been here, we have not adopted meaningful protections for residents who are most vulnerable to losing access to water.

Today we have the opportunity to change that.

So some will say, Oh, we have a water assistance program, right?

This water assistance program generally requires residents to already be behind on their bills before assistance is even available.

Families often have to fall into debt before they can receive receive help.

That is not prevention, that is crisis response.

We also have a senior water discount program, but it is voluntary and eligible seniors must know it exists, complete the proper work and opt in.

Many never enroll because the program is not proactively marketed or automatically apply.

This legislation fills those gaps by creating protections before a vulnerable household loses access to water.

So I want to say tonight that there's so many points that has been made by a lot of the public commenters, right?

Um may point out that Wilmington disconnection, um, disconnected water services to um there were 60 households in 2023, 57 in 2024, and I believe 48 in 2025.

Some may say, oh, those numbers are small, we don't need this.

But if this law protects even one senior, one person with a disability, or one family with a young child from losing access to water, then it has done exactly what it was intended to do.

And for a city this size, those are actually a lot of people.

Um, so the need is greater than those numbers suggested.

Um, we also know that as of March 2026, more than 10,000 residential customers owed over 12 million dollars in water sewer and storage charges.

If the city increases its collections efforts in the future, these protections should already be in place.

We should not wait for a crisis before we act.

So I just want to say, like one thank you to my co-sponsor, Christian Willower.

Councilmember Willower, she has been a big help on off council when before she was a council person and on council and helping me draft this legislation.

Um so I hope that tonight that I'm able to get yes votes.

Um, and I honestly tonight don't want to hear anything about no collaboration.

There was extensive collaboration, multiple revision, countless meetings.

I can't even believe to understand what the argument is going to be tonight.

Um, I just want to make sure that in the city of Wilmington, no senior, no person with a disability, and no family with a young child lose access to one of the life's most basic necessities, which is water.

So I guess we'll open up for comment, and then I have my closing, and I hope that I have support of council.

This has been a bill that we have worked on.

Like I can't imagine what it could be now.

All right, thank you.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor, Councilmember Johnson.

Um, I like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Um, this is a bill as finance chair.

Uh, I voted in favor of it before uh would continue to do it.

Um, I I think we we have to take a look at the big picture, and we have we implemented the water assistance program um during my term as as uh finance chair, we have the assistance programs out there, but there still is a small group that can't access them.

But what we're not saying is we're giving free water, because I'm certainly not for that.

But what we're saying is this method of collection is not acceptable.

So for me, uh those of you know I'm a very data-driven person.

I look at research, and there's major cities such as Philadelphia is noted noted by commoner.

City of Chicago doesn't even have water disconnection for anybody.

So it's really our method.

Um, and you know, there's there's data about what's the best way to collect, and and in terms of tax liens, um, pursuing those other methods, those have been shown to be more effective.

So I just think we need to uh it's only 40 families, but I think we need to give their protection to the 40 families.

This is something that uh has been pending for four or five years, it's too long.

Let's just do the right thing, move forward, protect families, and still pursue.

We're not saying we're writing the bills off, but still pursue a way of moving forward.

There's no one should have to live without water.

Uh it presents a safety issue.

And the last point is um, we adjust an emergency during COVID.

We had a water moratorium.

Um, for I believe two years, a little over that.

And I was served as finance chair, and I can tell you that the city did not cause a great bankruptcy with our water program.

So um, there were many fears about that, but it did not.

So, again, we have to look at facts that we did a shut-off moratorium a few years ago, and the city survived so we can survive again.

Um, we got to step up efforts about our water assistance program, get out flyers, continue to work to get the message out there that there is assistance and you can apply for the programs.

So we gotta do better.

Wilmington, this should be an easy vote for everyone.

If it's not, um, I'm really questioning why not, but we need to move forward.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

President, you can add me as a co-sponsor.

Uh, once again, um, we gotta continue to do the great work for the city of Wilmington.

I think uh when I talked to the sponsor before, and I think she's also working on this that you know uh this is some of the things that happened on the back end.

Uh, but for our residents, we need to figure out how we can help them at the beginning of their journey uh when they first start registering for will uh for water and different things that go on to the city.

So if there's an affordability for water program that starts at the beginning, um, you know, I would think we would look at something like that as well, um, so that we can continue to make sure that people start off strong.

Um, because right now and at the end, I think we have a lot of guardrails that's helping them at the end, uh, but we don't even want them to get to that point.

So all right, thank you.

Councilmember Owens.

Thank you.

First off, I would like to be at it as a co-sponsor again.

I don't know how my name got taken off, um, but I've been on this since the very beginning.

Uh, second, I just want to say we've had numerous committee meetings about this.

Um, our former finance director um either spoke to the fact that commercial properties are not treated in the same light um because they have attorneys.

I don't think it's fair that we cut off a grandmother or someone with a family uh of young children for owing a few thousand dollars when we know that there's businesses that owe hundreds of thousands of dollars, right?

And if you add it up what all those businesses owed, it the what the residents owe is is it's not even comparable, right?

So why are we using a tactic to harm our own residents and not hold everyone accountable?

If we don't have to do it for the businesses, let's not do it on our residents.

I will be supporting this tonight.

Thank you, Councilmember Kabara.

I'd like to recognize Councilmember Kabrera.

Thank you.

Thank you for recognizing me, Mr.

President.

First, I want to say thank you, Councilmember Darby.

I am not going to be one of those people who will say that Councilmember Darby does not share information, does not collaborate, does not meet, and as she often says, Councilmember Cabrera, you and I don't agree on a lot of things, but there's respect, we have dialogue, we discuss, and I do come to the table with questions, suggestions, and I give my reasons when I'm gonna support something or when I'm not.

So getting into that, uh Councilmember Owens said that the businesses don't get shut off.

The last uh shut off notice was 516, 2025.

Of those 21 customers, water service was shut that was shut off.

Six of them were non-owner occupied andor commercial properties.

So commercial properties do get their water disconnected, they may not get it disconnected because they get into a payment arrangement or do something to stop the shutoff.

As of 2026, no one has been shut off.

We increase the funding to help people to prevent the shutoffs.

What I have discussed with the led uh with the administration is to raise the eligibility, the eligibility so that more people in a higher income bracket that may be experiencing hardship can have access to those funds, so it's not just at the 200% level, but take it up to 250% as needed, and even 200% is still a decent salary, but people are struggling.

Things are tough out here.

So why support?

Why not support?

Because it does hurt the city's finances, it does hurt the bottom line when it comes to the water.

And I'm just thinking, how does it service someone if now the child is six or seven and now they got to pay the bill, and will they get disconnected because the bill has accumulated to the point that they weren't able to pay it, or were they on a payment arrangements, which they can do now anyway?

I don't think it's a bad idea.

I think that we should be doing everything we can to help people and especially during this turbulent times to not have them get their water disconnected.

But if right now it's not happening, and right now people are getting the help that they need, and if we see that it is an issue, we can raise that rate, which I still propose that we do, so more people can participate in the program.

Codifying this means that now this is what we're gonna do.

Are we gonna change the code if the the ordinance if we can't do this in the future?

It's gonna be hard to do that.

And can we add this later on if we see that it becomes a problem?

I think that the city and all of us have pushed to remediate the problem by making the services available, and the administration in good faith has worked with people to prevent the water disconnects.

So I will see what everyone else has to say, but I am still not in support of this.

I think that what we're doing right now is working.

I don't think that it's broke.

I understand what other cities might be doing, but we are a small city, a small budget.

We just put money in for housing.

We're doing all these extra things that aren't within our purview, number one, and number two, that we don't have the finances for.

Then we have to raise taxes and we have to continue to waste raise the water rates.

As it is now, we raise them by that 5%.

Why?

So we can stabilize the water fund.

I've been sitting here for three weeks now with construction in front of my house because one of the main water mains at four o'clock in the morning became a geyser and they're still out here working.

We have old infrastructure that we have to repair.

And in the region, we are still the lowest when it comes to water rates.

Those are my comments.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember Spadola.

Thank you, Council President.

Yeah, I think Councilmember Cabrera shared some great facts there.

Um, and of course, nobody here wants anybody getting disconnected, period, let alone if you have a kid under five, elderly disabled, etc.

And I think the city has essentially had an unofficial policy where they they bend over backwards uh to work with people.

And I think we the the numbers that council member just shared speak to that, but also, and this has been council member Darby has been working on this for years, it's gone to so many committee meetings, gone to the floor multiple times, um, so many articles about it.

Yet there's still an amazing lack of people actually affected by it.

It's people advocating for it, but it's if there's been two people that have actually said, hey, my water's about to be shut off, the city won't work with me.

I think that would be a surprise for everybody because we've all spoken about this at some point.

I think council member Harley said it at committee um months ago, that there's nobody reaching out about this that's actually affected.

And I think we create a bigger problem by memorializing this law.

And when we had Black and Beecher uh present for their budget um during the budget, one of the questions I asked them was how do we get out of these preordained rate hikes?

And they spoke to collections.

And I agree, we got to go after the commercial uh more so than anybody else.

But the more we incentivize people not to pay for whatever reason, um, we're just gonna be it's gonna force us to raise rates even higher for everybody else.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

I just want to echo a few of the comments that have already been made um as it relates to what has been done over um the last six years, being the finance chair and sitting in a number of these meetings talking about the city's finances with our expenditures outpacing our revenue.

It really is serious.

And the city of Wilmington, we're gonna have some serious decisions to make on our next budget.

But I first want to start off by um acknowledging the fact that yes, council member Darby has been working on this for the last six years.

So the first uh time this came around, we uh discussed uh uh individuals having to lose their homes as a result of water, in addition to property taxes.

We agreed, okay, no one, no residents should have to lose their home as a result of water being a part of the equation.

So, yes, we did do something.

We said that no homes should be put on the share share sale because of water.

Then, secondly, when it came up the second time, we decided that we would make sure that we could assist our residents to make sure that they don't have to get a water shut off by implementing $350,000 every budget year, will automatically go in to the budget to make sure if anyone is having an issue with their water that they can get up to $1,500 within a budget cycle.

And yes, they have to be behind because we do have to pay for water and within that period they can get up to $1,500.

And we know that the dollars are being utilized because we started off with 350,000 at the end of this budget cycle, which was June 30th, we had 19,000.

So we know that the dollars are being used.

Also, um, as my colleagues have already said, we have not so this time around, we have been talking with the finance department to make sure that if anyone has an issue and their uh water is due to be shut off, we have to make some arrangements, and that's exactly what we have been doing.

It's working with the finance department to make sure that no ones, no residential uh homeowners are getting shut off.

So there has not been any shutoff.

Why?

Because we're making sure that we can uh work with these residents to make sure whatever they can put down, we are accepting it.

It is no longer a policy that says if you get a 90-day delinquent notice that you have to put half of it down.

That is no longer a uh a quality, uh you no longer have to put down uh 50%.

You can put whatever you can afford.

So right now we have removed every barrier.

No shutoffs have taken place at all in 2026.

So, yes, I do believe that water is a human right, and this is why we are working diligently and very hard with the finance department to make sure that no one's water is shut off.

But if we put the policy in place, there are unintended consequences here.

Will everybody decide to just comply?

We don't know that, but what we do know right now is that no one's water is getting shut off.

We all agree that water is a human right, and at this point in time, I have never received any calls about uh residents needing assistance um because their water is getting shut off.

I go to the civic association meetings and make sure that my constituents know about the water bill utility assistance as well as our seniors and our those that are disabled.

We have programs for our seniors and those that are disabled, which includes water exemptions as well.

So I want to make it known that we have a lot on the table as it relates to the city of Wilmington's future in terms of expenditures.

I don't believe nobody's witness should get shut off, especially anyone's nobody's witness should get shut off.

Or seniors, those are disabled or children, et cetera.

So I'm not going to be able to support this legislation tonight for that reason, because no one's water is getting shut off.

And I want to say if someone feels as though they're in jeopardy of getting their water shut off, reach out to your council members.

Reach out to the council members.

And again, at the end of the day, the goal is that the water doesn't get shut off.

It hasn't been shut off this year, and we are going to continue to work with the finance department to make sure that it doesn't, while we also look at our future uh revenue streams, which are diminishing more and more.

So I just wanted to share why I will not be uh supporting it tonight, but I definitely do not support shutoffs.

So thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember War Lauer.

Thank you, Council President.

And I I really do um want to start by thanking Councilwoman Darby for uh working on this legislation um for bringing up the issue, but also for working with so many residents, because um I do hear that water is an issue.

And the reason I wanted to join in co-sponsoring this is because you know, not only in going door to door um during after COVID when the moratorium stopped to help people understand what their options were, um, but also just you know, walking around, talking to people, people bring up water issues to me all the time.

And uh they are not able to access the help that exists, and you know, people call 311, they get all different kinds of answers, and um the reason I really care about this legislation is because I like a lot of other people don't think people should lose their water because they can't pay the bill.

And I think that we have a water utility in Wilmington where we really need to dig in to figure out what's going on so we can make water affordable for everybody.

But that's the that's like the big issue.

But the small issue is is that when people are vulnerable, like when people are old, when people have a child under five, when people have a disability, they don't have um, you know, unless they have somebody there to advocate for them, they're helpless, and shutting off their water is cruel.

And I had this experience, you know, this last month where the city of Wilmington was doing some work and they shut off the water the Quaker um Hill Place apartments, and the manager of that building called me up like right away.

They were like, you know, the seniors in this building, the people with the disability in this building are calling me.

Like my phone is ringing off the hook, like they had their caretakers come in, they had their bath scheduled and they don't have access to water.

Like what's going on?

And I contacted directly the you know, Department of Public Works, and they were able to communicate with the Quaker Hill Place and get the situation resolved.

And the next time they had to turn off water because they were doing water repairs in that neighborhood, they communicated and they gave warning for the seniors.

But my point is if there's a building manager there who's on top of it protecting those seniors, that's great.

But there are seniors out here and people with a disability out here who do not have that level of support.

And this legislation is for them.

It's just to say, you know, if you are vulnerable, the city of Wilmington is gonna protect you.

And I know that there's only a few people, you know, or it seems like a small number, 40, 60, 80 that have experienced shutoffs in a year.

But there's a lot more people out there who are behind in their bills who could experience a shutoff, and we need to get ahead of this issue.

Um, so I really um I hope everybody on council will support this legislation because it's uh it's just the right thing to do.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Seeing no hands, Councilman Johnson.

Uh, just briefly kind of recap from the perspective again.

It is when OMB and the numbers and finance department talks about this over the past few years, they talk about revenue loss, but you have to look from just a simplistic standpoint that these people most likely aren't paying anyway.

They can't pay, or they're not accessing the water assistance program.

So in terms of fiscal revenue loss, we're we're not actually losing money because most of the people weren't aren't able to pay without water assistance.

So it's just kind of I know it seems crazy, but these people aren't the paying.

So the revenue loss is truly speculative.

If you actually look in the fiscal note, it says May, 500,000 to 1.86 million.

So it's not concrete because OMB does not know.

So this is something again.

You're assuming human behavior that if if the water can't be disconnected, they're not gonna pay if they can pay.

Most of these people can't pay anyway.

So again, as someone that uh that knows the city's finances in and out, it is simply speculative.

That's why OMB has that May language in there.

So it's not guaranteed, and we can always revisit this.

If we get through 2026 and people aren't paying that could pay, then we could always change it.

But I think we again need to give relief and need to be consistent with helping people.

Thank you.

Councilmember Willower for your second round.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you, Council President.

Second round, I appreciate it.

I just wanted to say that the reason why the city of Wilmington isn't doing any shutoffs right now is because it unrolled in Questa, which is a new billing system, and there have been uh a lot of problems with that rollout.

I know myself, I've gotten like more than one bill one month.

I've talked with my neighbor yesterday who said that they've been making payments and they had money has gone out of their bank account, but it hasn't showed up as a payment on their bill.

I mean, there are a lot of problems, and uh so yes, the city of Wilmington hasn't been doing any shutoffs, but it hasn't been, you know, it has been because the city of Wilmington has been trying to figure out its new billing system.

And uh so I just wanted to make sure that that was part of the record.

Thank you.

Second round for councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I'm just going to speak on the facts that I know and um there has been conversations going on with the finance department before this billing um issue that was just mentioned.

There has been very serious conversations going on with the finance department to make sure that there are no water shutoffs.

And I will just leave with this.

Do we need to do a better job with marketing?

Um, the fact that we have water bill utility assistance and that there are programs where the seniors and those that are disabled can uh sign up for, we probably do need to do more marketing.

But as of today, there are no shutoffs taking place, and we can make sure as council members, if we get out there in our communities and listen to those that are in the community, if they have an issue, just have them to call one of us.

But again, we have to make sure that our operations are stable as well as supporting our communities, and we, as the council, have been listening to those that are concerned about water.

As again, as I said, we took off water from homes being going to the share sale.

We decided to put money in the budget every year, and we are having conversations to make sure that there are no shutoffs.

So again, I believe that we are um in a time where we have to look at our entire fiscal picture because next year we are gonna have to make some very serious decisions.

And for those of you that have not been attending some of the finance uh uh boards and commissions, maybe you should join so you can be up to speed and updated on the city of Wilmington's financial picture because it does not look good.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Hackett for your second round.

Thank you so much, Mr.

President.

I just want to speak on uh a couple of things.

Uh Councilwoman Willower spoke on uh about the new uh financial system that we do have, and that's correct.

Uh, Director Brett Taylor did come into our committee and did tell us that because of the new system that they wouldn't be shutting off any uh any of the city of Wilmington's uh water uh because of there was some bill and discrepancies and different things to that nature.

I also want to speak on what councilman Johnson said.

He also talked about how basically 2% of that uh budget that they do have, they do write off in water.

So I mean, like councilman Johnson said, uh, these are people that are not gonna pay anyway, and it's already basically been being written off.

Uh it's not like we're looking to collect money, but once again, uh we could wait until next year to try to fix it.

We could wait until we can get everything perfect, but people today are struggling today.

We're trying to fix today so that we can make sure that people in our city continue to stay here.

Uh, once again, we cannot keep waiting until the next next fiscal year to try to make things happen.

We have an opportunity to do it today to and move forward.

So councilman Owens for your second round.

Yes, thank you, Council President.

Um, there was a lot of good points raised during this debate.

I uh want to thank Councilwoman Cabrera for correcting me about commercials uh receiving shutoff notices.

She is correct.

Um, all those uh commercial, those hits commercials um are all small businesses, not large corporations that owe hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it is still a commercial, so I will give her that.

Um, but let's talk about there's one entity of the city of Wilmington that if they paid their entire water bill right now, it would be equivalent to a 2% tax increase for the city of Wilmington.

But we're gonna continue to defend them, right?

Um we we want to hold individuals accountable.

That is right, that is good, right?

We want people to still pay their bills, but we should not be using a tactic that is outdated that takes away uh someone's ability to clean water just because they cannot pay.

Water is a quality of life issue, right?

Water is life.

Where when you have a baby, you need water so that they can grow in Norway.

We all love saying that the youth are our future.

Well, let's make sure that they have the resources they need to be able to grow here in the city of Wilmington.

Seniors who poured so much into this city.

Let's help them out, especially those who are on fixed incomes.

And I keep hearing the discussion, and councilwoman Harley's absolutely right that we have to be fiscally responsible, right?

We look at this unfair tax burden that is being placed on neighborhoods like in the first district and the eighth district to make up the difference from these unfair tax assessments that took place that again gave another tax break to commercial businesses.

And uh again, sorry, Councilman Fields, not to speak on your district, but we we both have R1 and R2 um housing.

That is what we're talking about here.

There is a system that has created a scale that weighs on the side of corporations and um uh commercials uh entities and not those one or the residents.

That's all this is about.

That is all this is about.

Councilman Johnson raised a great point as a former uh finance chair.

We can do this in a way that is not gonna uh cause the city to go bankrupt.

The individuals who cannot pay their bills right now, that's not what's causing this issue.

I promise you that.

That's it.

All right.

See no other hands values go back to the sponsor for final comment and then a roll call.

Yes, yes.

Um, thank you.

I wrote a few notes down on what people were saying, and I'm so glad that some people addressed it, so I won't be too long.

Um, but I want to make sure what we're saying is based on research and facts.

So I do want to talk about why there's no shutoffs in 2026.

And I think um uh councilmember Willower and I think Councilmember Hackett alluded to that.

It's not that the finance committee found it or finance department found it in their heart to say we're not gonna do shutoffs in 2026.

It was because of the system.

And I just want to say, did we go bankrupt?

Yeah.

But um, and then I also want to add that for the foreclosure um legislation, that was not a city council voted thing, and it's not codified.

That was an admin board policy that passed um that's um stopped um uh monitions from happening um for water debt.

So I just want to make that clear too.

Um, and it's and I also someone said anyone can qualify for their water assistance program, and that's not true.

There's a criteria, there is a threshold, there are only a certain group of people who qualify for that.

So I personally know of constituents who did not qualify for the water assistance program, right?

And then I know um I think councilmember Kabara brought up uh there's payment plans.

Um, Brett, before he left, he was a really um, he was a person I reached out to for a lot of data information.

He let me know that payment plans, 80% default rate.

I'm gonna pause on that for a second.

There's an 80% default rate on payment plans.

That doesn't sound like something that is working, right?

And as someone who's been on payment plans with the city, and even when I think of Del Marva, you get on the payment plan, the majority of people default, and what happens next?

Then they only give you one chance to be on the payment plan because it happened to me with Del Marvey with the city a long time ago.

They only give you a certain amount of chances to be on this payment plan.

And I didn't default because I didn't want to pay, I just didn't have the money at the time, right?

So I think we need to be honest that it's not working.

We have the data, we have the research that shows that it's not working.

Um, this the current system that we have for people.

Um, and we're not asking for people not to pay.

That's not we're asking.

There are a group of people who can't pay, but for the ones who who can, we're not saying we're gonna pause you from getting shut off, and we're not gonna ask you for any money.

There's other tools in the toolbox to help people pay, right?

And other cities do it.

So that's based on research, and that's not based on an opinion, a thought.

When you look up research that exists, it does not support anything that anyone is saying that a city that had does not have water shutoffs, people stop paying their bid.

There is not one piece of research that supports that.

So I want to make sure that we're talking and researching facts and data, right?

And one of my emails, I actually sent the research and information to everyone, all 12 council members.

Um, and I also want to talk about the 72-hour notices.

So, and we talked about being in a community.

City council used to get 72 hour notices before we stopped doing shutoff, not because the city found it in their heart not to do it because they felt sorry, it's because of the system change.

I would get those hour notice shut-offs, and I would then knock on people's doors and say, hey, here's resources.

I don't want your water to get shut off.

That was in my district, right?

The majority of the people who were answered a door were people who were on disability and who were seniors and they had children in a home.

That was the majority of people impacted, right?

That is from me actually using that list and going outside to talk to my constituents.

So I am in the community.

I'm I'm talking to constituents.

These are real issues.

And I'm recently, I've been knocking doors a lot, you know.

And one of the things people bring up is water.

Why is my water increasing every year?

What is going on with the water, right?

And then I have to explain to them six years I've been on council, not myself, but other council members have voted to increase your water every year with no real protections.

And right, and I say, Oh, I tried the water assistance program.

I didn't qualify.

I tried reaching the city.

My council person isn't answering.

Whatever that may be, those is what I'm hearing at the door currently today, within the last two to three weeks, right?

So this is not made up.

This is not something that's not impacting people.

It is happening right now.

And it's time that we protect seniors, we protect people who are disabled.

And I added an amendment in there to make sure that they were in a certain income threshold, so it made more people comfortable with the piece of legislation.

So this was something that was collaborative that was worked on for years, and it's unfortunate for the ones who won't support it.

Um, because what they're saying isn't based on research data or facts.

All right, thank you.

Clerk, please call for the roll.

Councilman Spadola.

No, Councilman Hackett, yes, councilwoman Cabrera Councilwoman Cabrera.

Councilwoman Bracey.

No, Councilman Field, no, Councilman Johnson?

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower?

Yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

No.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

I'm here.

I couldn't get to the microphone.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

No.

Seven years.

Six nays.

Declared a document.

I think it's I think it's five minutes.

Five next.

I'm sorry.

Yes, five.

Sorry.

Councilmember one hour.

Mr.

President, I have a resolution to present.

One second.

Resolution 26-058, agenda number 0234 revision one.

Whereas electricity is an essential resource upon which the health, safety, and economic well-being of Wilmington residents and businesses depend and access to affordable reliable energy is foundational to the quality of life for all residents of the state of Delaware.

And whereas Delmar Power and Light Company, Del Marva Power is the primary electric distribution utility serving the city of Wilmington and the surrounding region.

The company provides electricity to more than 300,000 residential and commercial customers.

I move this resolution to be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by a year or no vote.

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

Um thank you, Mr.

President.

So if there is anything when I uh am talking to residents, um distributing information about civic association meetings or talking to people at um meetings or people who call me.

If there's any one issue that I hear about more than any other, it is Del Marva bills.

And um the City of Warmington, we don't have direct control over this, but what this resolution does is it's a statement by this body that we uh stand with the residents that something needs to be done about the Del Marva bills, which you know have increased water bills have gone up, but Del Marva bills have gone up.

Nobody understands how or why how the Del Marva bills have gone up so much, and then I do you know see the research that Del Marva is making like good profits, and that you know, um we have to be really careful that people are not being um just driven underwater financially through Del Marvilles that are giving really great um returns to shareholders.

It's just not fair, it's not the way a utility has to work, and everybody needs electricity, everybody needs gas, and this utilities have to be regulated so that people can afford them.

And so what this resolution does is that we as a body, city council respectfully urge the governor of the state of Delaware, an honorable members of the Delaware General Assembly to develop a strategy to provide lasting relief from rising electricity costs for Del Marva Power customers and all Delaware residents.

And the reason why this um it matters now is that at this you know very month, very moment, the public service commission and um is is considering Del Marvas asked for another increase in rent rates.

So we need to send a message to the elected officials, you know, the governor can do something about this, the Delaware State Legislature, the public service commission.

We need like real solutions.

So that's what this resolution is.

Thank you, and seeing uh council member Harley.

Oh, yes, um thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh so I would like to be added as a co-sponsor, but I wanted to know from the sponsor of the legislation as she communicated with anyone down at the state um to make sure that this gets some attention.

Well, the the um what do you call it?

The session is over.

Um, but the public service commission is still in um, you know, is still doing its work.

So um I will be doing that communication.

You know, I've talked to people kind of offhand, but I haven't um I think there's more work to be done to talk to our legislative representatives, but I have definitely talked to um people about you know Del Marva something we need to do something.

Councilmember Johnson.

But we you know, with this resolution, I think I would you know follow up on that and and follow up with the governor and follow up with our uh elected officials, you know, to make sure that they hear this message that council is sending.

Oh, okay.

Thank you.

Only we Mr.

President, I just wanted to make one other statement statement.

Is that okay?

Yes.

Yeah, the reason why I asked that question to the sponsor is because it says that um that we urge the the governor of the state of Delaware um and the general assembly to develop a strategy um to provide it.

So that's why I um asked that question because I was just curious to know if they got started with this before they came out of session.

That that's all but you you answered my question, thank you.

And I would like to be added as a cruise sponsor.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Johnson.

Uh I would definitely like to be at it as a co-sponsor as a belief we should each be on this piece so that we can have a unified voice.

Um, besides uh this is probably honestly hits all our constituents the most, every single district.

So it's actually the most important thing.

I think it's important enough that the General Assembly should honestly be in special session through the rest of the year to figure this out.

We have to get some relief for residents.

Um we have to get relief for even businesses.

I I can say, for example, I'm a commercial, you know, I have a business, and the commercial uh bills are or the same as the residential ones, and and it is and it's a lot.

So I think we should press the General Assembly to go back in the special session, address this issue.

They can't wait till January.

This is something that needs to be addressed now.

Kind of like Councilman Hackett says, you gotta address things now.

We wait another six months.

Um it's gonna be too late for a lot of families.

Councilmember Owens.

Thank you, Council President.

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

Um I know I've had uh a few conversations with the chair of the public service um commission who's from he's the woman to representative on that commissioner, Harold Gray.

So I think um he would be willing to, you know, hear some communication from us all as a group as well, too.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, um, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I like to be added as a co-sponsor.

I'm glad Councilman Harley stated what she stated because they are at a session.

However, as Chris Johnson said, and all our all my colleagues, I've had probably about 10 or 15 of these um sessions with individuals throughout the city.

Um, as everybody knows, this is a major topic.

I've been down to the commission twice, and it's also something that all council members mailbox, if y'all look to get some people to sign to send to the commission where they just made an increase again.

And Kobe, I've been talking to uh Mr.

Hurl uh quite uh for some time for over a year now.

Um, so I have submitted over 500, uh maybe close to 800 names to the commission with Kendra sending the names on a constant basis.

So if y'all look in your mailbox, it's um petition when y'all have these events, uh any meetings, whatever, get your constituents to sign it, give it to Kendra so she can constantly send this to the commission so we can show that the residents in the city of Wilmington are against these increases, and it's nothing like getting it in writing.

So I urge y'all to look in your mailboxes and when you have your civic association meetings, et cetera, whatever.

If you're having various events, you're giving away stuff, whatever you're doing.

Um, as they sign in, we're getting them to sign this petition because this is a serious issue.

It's ridiculous how these um rates are going up, and a lot of people just can't afford it, especially me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Kaber.

Yes, thank you.

First, I want to thank the sponsor because I know that since um she has been working on this as well as councilmember Oliver with helping the community, but it's really about the state legislature, the governor working and representing all of us here in the city of Wilmington and saying, hey, no masks, we can't keep doing this.

I mean, we represent the city.

We know our people here are struggling.

We have a lot of private poverty in the city, but it's not just here, it's in Sussex County, it's everywhere, it's across the state.

Even people who maybe middle class to upper class are struggling.

I know I'm one of those people struggling.

And and councilman Councilwoman Oliver, thank you for the getting out there in the community of doing these sessions.

And I know that councilman Hackett's doing one.

I'm sponsoring one as well at the LATC, trying to educate people about the help that's out there, but we shouldn't be in that situation.

So I agree that we can't just be sending a resolution down there.

And I would say that the sponsor, um, council member Willow, if we need to take a road trip and go down there when they are in session or meet with these individuals during this time that they're out of session and advocate as well as the public commission.

You know, we have to do something because it's gonna keep happening.

And, you know, we're basically uh subsidizing for the big companies that are coming in or you know, these data centers that suck up all this, all this electric.

Let them pay the higher rates, not the not the residents, not the moms and pops, not the single moms, not the people who are out here struggling, not the seniors.

Um, so yeah, I definitely want to be added as a co-sponsor, and you know, thank you for pursuing these.

These things are important.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, I just want to say I want to be added as a co-sponsor.

Um, we partnered with Delmar uh yesterday at the library, probably had over about 400, 500 families come and as needed, you know, they got the assistance that they needed.

Um, but it was just eye-opening to see that like it wasn't just about seniors, it wasn't just about low income, it was just about everybody in our community is at this point where they're getting hit hard.

And um, you know, I I sit and I listen to everybody ask questions about you know the relationship with us in Dover.

And uh, did we contact them or did we, you know, this is just a statewide issue, you know.

And I think um we also need to sit back and we need to figure out how do we build this connection for all our stuff that we do send down to go down fluently and be addressed properly.

So that does look like right now, we don't have a lobby lobbyist.

If it, you know, we have to figure out a better system for a downstate.

Um so that's another topic for another day.

Uh just add me as a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

I do want to just echo with um council member Oliver had mentioned in terms of getting these signatures when we had our Del Marva event at Easy on Mount Carmel a couple months ago.

I want to say that um we did um make sure that we got names and petitions um to make sure that uh we had uh data to share um with uh Dover, and I want to also encourage uh my colleagues that you know, Senator Hanson, um, who is um the chair of the energy um committee, she constantly is sending us emails, and we can also um possibly try to set up something with her.

Um there is a um organization or committee, the Senate environmental energy um transportation is the email that all of us um received um from um Senator Hanson's uh admin.

So I'm just saying if we just um kind of work together and keep in mind that she is the chair of energy and we can possibly work together with her, and let's continue to get those petitions and sending them down to Dover.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Spadola.

Uh name is co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Bracey.

Thank you.

I just wanted to say a couple of things.

Um, one uh the general assembly is out of session, and they're not back until J January.

So I think um sending resolutions at this point is probably not as effective as uh doing some of the other things that have been suggested.

Also, on Tuesday, um, as they were leaving, um, they did pass three bills to address energy hikes, um, one specifically targeted at Del Marva Power.

So I do think that you know, instead of us constantly sending down resolutions with kind of like no um body that's you know sponsoring or taking up or making sure that it's actually something's actually happening besides us sending a resolution that there may be more effective ways for us to communicate with the General Assembly now that they're out.

Um it's a perfect time to really connect with our Wilmington delegation because they're back here in Wilmington.

Um, I mean, although they you know they commute, but I think it's a that's probably the most effective way for us to deal with this, um, is to let our voices be known by actually connecting with the legislators and like with uh councilman Harley said, uh Senator Hanson and some of those that actually serve on these committees and the sponsors of the legislation that just passed on uh July 1.

Um so that that I just wanted to put that out there because I think sometimes we send we we're constantly sending all of these resolutions to Dover and not really making sure that there's follow-up or that is actually an effective method.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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

Uh Councilmember Darby.

Yes, I would love to be added as a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Chris.

Um, Councilmember Willowar for um putting this up, and we gotta hold our general assembly accountable, and I think we all could do that um through various conversations that I believe most of us have already.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Field.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

We turn back to the sponsor.

Final comment.

I do want to acknowledge there's been a lot of great work by um different people at the Delaware legislature, and they did pass some very important regulation.

Um, but I just think that there's more to be done.

So this just adds to that uh that momentum, and we need to keep it going because um residents and small businesses need some relief.

So I'd like to call for the rule.

All right, thank you, Clerk.

Please call for the role.

Councilman Owens, yes, councilwoman Darby Councilwoman Darby.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Oh councilman Oliver, yes, Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes, Councilman Johnson, yes, Councilman Field, yes, Councilwoman Bracey, yes, councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes, Councilman Hackett, yes, councilman Spadola, yes, President Congo, yes, 12 years and one absent.

So, Mr.

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

Ordinance number 26-028, agenda number 0221, an ordinance to amend chapter two of the city code related to the functions of the department of real estate and housing, allowing the department.

President I would like to neighborhood stabilization funds as well as grant funds to assist in settling eviction proceedings.

Mr.

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

President I'd like to make a motion for a floor amendment at this time as such uh on page one the fourth whereas clause strike the fourth whereas clause in its entirety which begins with in fiscal year 2027 on page two section four add the words program and create a program so the first sentence reads as follows eviction prevention program the department shall create a program to make funds available to qualified individuals who are involved in rental eviction proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction and our clients of one of the state's three legal aid agencies on page two proposed section two-279b strike subsection b in its entirety subsection b begins with the department shall serve as the point of contact on page three proposed section two seven nine d4 after the word rent add the following utilities and late fees or filing fees on page three proposed section two seven nine section d5 strike three fifty and replace it with 200% on page three proposed section two-279 section D7 strike subsection seven in its entirety on page three following section D new subsection E as follows for each fiscal year the Department of Real Estate and Housing shall prepare an eviction prevention program report and present it to city council annually by March 1st the purpose of the report is to report funds allocated and spent report program impact analyze the overall effectiveness of the program and recommend any improvements like to take a second motion to accept the um floor amendment motion motion second all in favor signify by saying aye aye any opposed any comments on the floor amendment council member you may continue thank you mr president so this uh legislation is basically to enable or to enable or ask the department of real estate and housing to create a program um to spend neighborhood stabilization funds to assist in settling eviction proceedings I want to thank uh the representatives from the legal aid the representative from the legal aid agencies who came and talked about it and I also want to thank the administration for their support everybody should have gotten a letter uh earlier today that they are in support of this ordinance council member johnson uh I would like to be as a co-sponsor um this is very important um this protection because what it does is it saves everyone money so if you talk to any landlord uh anybody in the commercial space or or anybody having two attorneys or two representatives um makes uh not only the person the tenant protected but also allows things to get done quicker settlements can get done quicker less court time things get settled out of court so it just saves everyone time and resources so uh I'm looking forward to the city supporting these programs councilmember hackett i mean as a co-sponsor great work councilwoman willauer council member harley yes um i would like to be added as a co-sponsor and i would also like to um thank council member will our for working um listening and um being uh meanable and flexible um to some of the suggestions because i know that originally council members when we were talking about this program we were talking about it being outsourced in a way where um a organization that deals with these um types of uh services that are familiar you know with the community that we would have them to work with these programs and also for those that should came in and share public comment not just tonight but I do believe at one of the uh committee meetings to just help us to really understand and see the need for this type of support so I would like to be added as a co-sponsor and thank you for that council member will our thank you council member Darby yes I want to be added as a co-sponsor and I just want to say thank you to council member will hour I just want to say it's been a breath of fresh air being able to have you on city council with me to be able to push legislation like this and to be um like a part of this with you so I'm excited I know this is like kind of your first few bills and legislation that you're getting pushed through um so I just want to say thank you and I'm so glad to have you here to push legislation like this that's for the community um and that's going to provide people with relief and help in the right now so thank you um councilmember willow thank you council member council member oliver yeah um I too would like to be added as co-sponsor and I do appreciate you um making the adjustments and working with the administration um I know all this was in the budget but I'm glad you you know you was able to caliphate so we know just what we're doing so good work thank you thank you council member Owens

Um and that's gonna provide people with relief and help in the right now.

So thank you, um, Councilmember Willower.

Thank you.

Councilmember, Councilmember Oliver.

Yeah, um, I too would like to be added as co-sponsor, and I do appreciate you um making the adjustments and working with the administration.

Um, I know all this was in the budget, but I'm glad you you know you're able to kind of find so we know just what we're doing.

So good work.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens.

And I'll be added as a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'd also like to be added as a co-sponsor and seeing all their hands.

Turn back to the sponsor for any final comment.

I'm sorry.

We need yes, we do councilmember Willower.

Um, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I have no further comment.

I want to thank everybody for their support and um just call for the role.

Thank you, clerk.

Please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilman Field.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

12 years and one absent.

Declare adopted.

You may continue.

Mr.

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

Give me one second.

Ordinance number 26-029, agenda number 0222.

An ordinance to amend chapter 8 of the city code to create a homeowner repair program.

Mr.

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

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.

Mr.

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

Second.

As such.

It's been a good question.

I think I have to read through the first.

Okay.

Mr.

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

On page two in section one, instead of section D, add a final sentence.

The program must maintain a wait list on page two and section one insert a new subsection E that states as follows.

Second.

Anyone?

Any questions on the um on the amendments?

Yeah, my hand is not on amendment.

No, I yeah, my hand is up.

I'm sorry.

Do you want to speak to the amendment?

Council.

Yes.

Okay, yes.

Yeah.

Um, I'd like to thank Christian for going across the hall and working with the administration to get this amendment, and that's how you get your bills passed.

You know, it's called teamwork.

Thank you so much.

That part.

All right, we can take a vote on the amendment.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Amendment passed.

You may continue, council member.

So this legislation just continues on um work that council has been doing for a while, which is the council has been a real advocate for homeowners and for um helping homeowners who have repairs that they can't uh afford to get them done.

It's um it's really good for homeowners, but it's also really good for our neighborhoods because a lot of times these homeowners are pillars of the community who are active in their civic associations, who are um active on their block, and just real um real treasured members of our community.

So this legislation builds on the funds that city council has advocated to have be put in the budget towards homeowner repair for a number of years, and it's been implemented as a lottery.

Um, but this transforms that homeowner repair program from a lottery into something that um residents can apply for and can count on and plan for, and that's what the wait list does.

So it um that's basically just the change that this legislation had asked the department of real estate and housing to put together a homework owner repair program.

Um you know, it's just continuing to improve this important program.

So that's all I have.

Councilmember Johnson.

Uh one thing to add as co-sponsor, and again, I appreciate the work of Councilwoman Will Hour.

To put it simple, um, this is this is what we're supposed to be doing on council.

Uh, I can tell you uh this is one of the programs I'm most proud of when we start the lottery and doing this.

And you think these aren't winners, go to the community civic association because residents love this.

Residents love this program, residents love the opportunity and programs like this that touch citizens and don't just talk about big ideas.

This is what's a winner.

So uh and I look forward to a spending funding for this and spending funding for this program.

We really need some federal funds to come in.

So that's something we can work on as council, because I know there's not dollars coming from ARPA anymore.

So we got to figure out strategies to how to increase funding for this pot.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, one be added as a co-sponsor once again.

Thank you to Councilwoman Willow to some of her good legislation first and and second coming to board.

So I just want to say congratulations.

Um, but once again, thank you for also listening uh to all the us young council members as we brainstorm as we think about different things.

You know, I came on council saying the same thing, like, yo, we gotta do things differently, we gotta look at things differently.

And I'm just so happy that you know you kind of embraced this at this moment in time because when we looked at the home repair lottery, we had a lot of families uh that were getting selected for the lottery to get roofs done, but then when they got in the house, you know, they couldn't even get to the roof because you know some of their floors were you know intact.

It was just it was just couldn't get to the couldn't get to the roof, you know.

So they couldn't even get the work done.

Um to now we'll have a repair program where they'll be able to identify the problem and the root cause quicker.

They'll also be able to open it up so that some of our smaller minority developers and uh contractors will be able to do some of this smaller work.

Maybe it's something that they just needed some new paint, maybe they need a new stairs.

Um, so I think it'll also open up a new habitat for humanity was doing a lot of the work, but hopefully they get an opportunity to open it up so we can get some more work.

More people in our community can grow from this.

So once again, good win.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens.

Yes, uh, first of all, thank you, Councilwoman uh Will Aller for rolling over your sleeps and working hard on this.

Um, please add me as a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Bracey.

Thank you.

Uh like to be added as a co-sponsor, and I just wanted to say to Councilmember Will Hour, um, that these three pieces of legislation um are all continuations of things that we already passed in the budget.

So we're not creating, um, we're adding on to, and I think you've done a very good job of going across the hall, working with the administration and coming up with something that uh actually aligns with what we've passed in the budget um and what we were already doing.

So we already had the homeowner the lottery, and now we're kind of refining the process a little bit.

Um and so I I commend you for actually um taking the time to take the feedback, uh introduce the amendments and get this uh across the finish line.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you.

Uh Mr.

President, I just wanted to echo what has already been said.

I would like to be added as a co-sponsor, supported this from the time we first started talking about this in budget season.

Um I'm very uh very this is dear to my heart as it relates to home repair, uh, the home repair program period.

Um, for the last two sessions, we have been making sure that those in a community um that needed um to be safe, warm and dry.

Um, this has been an excellent uh program.

And as it has already been stated, those in the community that have gotten selected um have been very appreciative of the 10,000 um dollars uh worth of home repairs.

And what I like about this program that stands out, um, it's more targeted um with the needs of those that um need help.

So um congratulations, and again, um it's it's this is a good piece of legislation and the transformation is one I think that is going to be needed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I like to echo what everybody else is saying, especially Councilwoman Harley.

Uh, because this program is very dear to my heart.

Um, Harley and myself went and sat with Mike Prazicke and asked him, could he uh do this program?

And we were at the time really thinking about the seniors who who was having roof issues, who was having window issues, who was having uh electrical um issues, and he agreed and left from the west side and barted um a lot of attention to the east side and all over the city of Wilmington.

So this is um uh piece of legislation that I'm glad that you amended it, got some other things added into it and work with the administration because it's a lot of families out there who need this, and like I said, we were really focused on the seniors, but I'm glad they even lift that where you know you don't have to be 65 and all that now.

So you know, good job.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Darby.

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

I hope I said that.

I hope I'm added as co-pomps.

I'm sorry.

Yes, you are.

Uh I'd like to also be added as a co-sponsor.

Councilmember.

For final comments.

Yes.

Um, thank you, Mr.

President.

I what I wanted to add that the administration also um we had a conversation about this legislation.

I want to thank the um mayor's office for making their time available and for having sitting down and talking about this legislation and for um adding their support to this as well.

So I appreciate everybody on council support and uh appreciate the administration's um support, and I'd like to call for the roll call vote.

All right, thank you, clerk.

Please call for the rule.

Yes.

We took the vote on the amendment.

We are not having discussion on the legislation as amended.

No.

We're going straight through that.

We did.

We already did it.

I know.

I just wanted to make sure we weren't doing discussion.

Okay.

Councilman Owens.

Yes.

Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilman Field.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

12 years and one absent.

We clear adopted Mr.

President.

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

Ordinance number 26-030, agenda number 0223.

An ordinance to amend chapter two of the city code to create a vacant property rehabilitation assistance program.

Mr.

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

So good.

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

Mr.

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

On page two in section one and subsection A, insert the phrase or grant funds or capital budget funds or any other source of funds after the phrase, the Department of Real Estate and Housing is hereby authorized to undertake a program using funds from the neighborhood stabilization fund.

On page two in section one and subsection B.

Strike the word homeowners and insert the word owners on page three in section one.

Insert a new subsection E that states as follows.

Verification that the property is listed on the City of Wilmington vacant property registry.

On page three in section one, insert a new subsection F that states as follows.

For each fiscal year, the Department of Real Estate and Housing shall prepare a vacant property rehabilitation assistance program report and present it to the city council annually by March 1st.

The purpose of the report is to report funds allocated and spent, report program impact, analyze the overall effectiveness of the program, and recommend any improvements.

Thank you.

Are there any questions on the amendments?

I'd like to take a roll call on the voice vote on the uh amendments.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Any opposed?

Amendment passed on the question for the amendment.

I mean for the for the legislation.

So um this legislation is about creating um it asked the department of real estate and housing to create a program that would provide assistance to owners of vacant properties to bring them back into use.

And this legislation is something that I've worked on uh for a while, um, since January or since you know last fall and starting in January.

Because there are a bunch of vacant properties in the city of Wilmington.

Some of them are owned by speculators, but some of them are owned by families.

And sometimes, you know, I've had uh people who live in the fifth district come to me and say, you know, it's difficult for us.

We we get the fines for the vacant properties, but what we really need, we want to get our property back into use, but um we you know we lack some resources, and it can be difficult to get a loan on a vacant property.

And um so I also want to thank um my former boss, Joan Fultz at uh West End Neighborhood House, who always reminded me, you know, and you have to use carrots as well as sticks.

And so this program, I think the vacant property vacant property registration program is really a stick, it's fines, it's um, you know, it caught it's gonna cost you money if you own a vacant property.

But this is a carrot that if you have a vacant property, you make a commitment to fixing it up.

We the city of Wilmington is gonna have a program to help you.

So that's really the purpose of this legislation.

And again, I want to thank the administration for their support and for meeting to talk about it and for offering some good suggestions that are in the um the floor amendment.

And I also want to thank the law department for um assembling all these floor amendments, and I want to thank the staff of city council who has taught me about how to avoid floor amendments um in the future.

That's all I have.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Yeah, I just want to be added as a co-sponsor and uh councilwoman Willow, you're absolutely correct.

There's a lot of people uh when they have deaf in the family, sometimes they get a property and uh might not have the money to fix it up and it sits there and it's just vacant.

So we have situations that this occurs, and I think this program will do well.

So thank you, Councilmember Owens.

Yes, gonna be out as a co-sponsor as well.

Thank you.

I'd also like to be added as a co-sponsor, Councilmember Kabara.

Yes, I like to be added as a case sponsor, and I think this is great because first it prevents the properties from going to sheriff sale, where sometimes it's the process is so long that you have further damage on the property, and it really helps to circulate a property back into the community.

It provides housing.

Um, hopefully, you know, with stipulations that the the with the repairs if the family sells it, that they would sell it at an affordable um rate.

So it really does help bring it back without them having to lose a property that their family owns.

Some of these properties have been in their family for a long time.

Um a legacy home per se.

And it's uh it's just a good way to do the prevention up front instead of trying to put the band-aid on it afterwards.

So great work.

Thank you.

I would like to be at it as a sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Bracie.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Darby.

Councilmember Darby.

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

And thank you again, Chris, Councilmember Willow for putting up legislation like this, pushing for it, pushing us to be innovative to be able to help our community in a very direct way.

So add me as a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Yes, add me as a co-sponsor again.

Uh good job.

This was in the budget.

I'm good to codified it.

Have a good thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Harley.

Yes, thank you.

Uh Mr.

President, I want to be added as a co-sponsor.

Um, I just wanted to make sure that we don't have investors that are allowing vacant properties to sit and get funds to fix them up and then sell them.

So looking at um under B number two under D on the second page.

I guess it says the homeowner must agree to remain in the home as owner occupied for 10 years.

I guess that will avoid that.

That was my biggest angst um uh as it related to uh giving out money for vacant properties, just making sure that um they uh this money is for the families to to remain um in our city and to build their families and not investors to get the money to fix them up and flip them.

All right, thank you.

So can the sponsor um respond to that?

Yes, she will be able to have um closing comments.

Okay, thank you.

Welcome, Councilmember Darby.

Yes, I just want to say that I know we can say, oh, council member willauer is codifying it.

That's what she's definitely know, that's what she's just doing.

I want it to be known on the record that council member willower introduced this when after the mayor um in the budget, um, had his budget address.

Councilmember Willower reached out to everybody and said we have to have a counter offer.

And this was the work of council member willauer going across to everyone and then being able to strong arm city council and say, I'm gonna introduce a legislation that proposes something different.

And I want to say, Councilmember Willower, if you did not do that, we would not have any of this conversation today.

So I don't want to say like you're just codifying it.

No, you started the conversation, you pushed the conversation, and you put up the legislation.

You weren't even sure if you had the votes.

You was called around getting support.

You were asking people what they wanted in a counter offer to what the mayor was proposing in his budget address is not his budget, it was just his budget address, and you proposed something different.

So I want that to be on the record that it wasn't you're not just codifying anything.

This is something that you were working on and you had a strategy and you reached out to everybody and you pushed this on city council and forced a lot of people's hands to to have these programs.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Oliver.

Yeah, again, uh Councilman Um Willower.

I appreciate you all the work you've done, working with the administration and doing the extra work to codify with is already what the administration had put forth, and you know the work you did for that.

So kudos to you.

Nobody was taking up from you, just so that you know that.

Thank you.

Councilmember Willower.

Yeah, thank you, Council President.

I just want to um answer what Councilwoman Harley was asking about, and I I share your concern.

I don't think that we want to be we don't want to have a program where we're giving City Wilmington tax dollars to speculators.

Um, but that's not what this legislation is for, and the Department of Real Estate and Housing ha you know has to work with us, I hope, and involve us, but craft the um the criteria for this program so that that's not um possible, but there are some things in the legislation, and then they're gonna have to implement this program and and choose who you know have a application process and review who's applying and not give this funding to um that kind of owner who um you know this this legislation is really oriented towards um city of Wilmington owners who have a vacant property that they want to fix up and just lack the resources to get it done.

So there are a couple of things in the legislation that are protections, and one of them is is that you know the homeowner stays in the home, and then the other is is that the landlord um agrees if they get the funding, they agree to rent the home um and keep it affordable.

So, you know, the goal of this legislation is not to assist out of town flippers, it's to assist city of Wilmington residents, and it's intent is also to make sure that our our housing um stays affordable to city of Wilmington residents.

Thank you, thank you very much.

All right, thank you.

Clerk, please call for the role.

Councilwoman.

I'm sorry, are you finished?

Councilmember Willower.

Yes, keep going.

What do you think?

No, I'm finished.

Thank you.

Okay, okay, all right.

Council Council Clerk, please call for the role.

Yes.

Councilman Owens.

Yes, Councilwoman Darby.

Yes, Councilwoman Oliver, yes, Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilman Field.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

12 years and one absent.

Okay it adopted.

Councilmember Johnson.

Yes.

I have a Mr.

President.

I have a on behalf of Councilmember McCoy.

I have a resolution to present.

Resolution 26-059, agenda number 0260.

Whereas pursuant to section 2-363 of the city code, city council deemed it necessary and proper to specify the requirements.

I moved that this resolution be received, recorded, and filed and adopted by ENA vote.

Second.

Mr.

Poppy moved and seconded the resolution BBC, recorded, filed, and adopted by year and a vote on the question.

This is a resolution from the public safety committee.

Um presented.

Essentially, this is uh a matching grant funding for the offices of emergency management.

Is those if you have uh been around uh Wilmington recently, we've had a lot of events, especially a flooding many, many years ago on the east side.

So this is something that um we're looking to again um bossed our defenses in this realm.

Um there is a 200,000 dollar 50% local match.

Um, otherwise the rest is uh grant funded.

Thank you.

Thank you.

See you no councilmember Oliver.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

All right, thank you.

Clerk, please call for the role.

Councilman Owens.

Yes, Councilwoman Darby.

Yes.

Councilwoman Oliver.

Yes.

Councilwoman Harley.

Yes.

Councilwoman Willower.

Yes.

Councilman Johnson.

Yes.

Councilman Field.

Yes.

Councilwoman Bracey.

Yes.

Councilwoman Cabrera.

Yes.

Councilman Hackett.

Yes.

Councilman Spadola.

Yes.

President Congo.

Yes.

12 years and one absent.

You could adopt it.

Two petitions and communications, Councilmember Owens.

Yes, just real quick on July 22nd.

Council Men Hackett, Councilwoman Bracey and myself are hosting on youth night out to the uh Philadelphia Union game.

Also, uh, anyone impacted by flooding today, please feel free to reach out to me if you're in the first district.

I know a few areas uh flooded earlier today.

Thank you.

Councilmember Darby.

Nothing for tonight.

May I be excused?

Yes, you may.

Councilmember Oliver.

Yes.

Um, thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

Um, this Saturday, um, we will be hosting a fishing trip, our annual fishing trip that we uh have every year um with some males who rarely get out the city and especially go fishing.

So uh councilman um um Cobion's um helps me uh every year him and um Ken Livingston, and we're looking forward to it, and it's supposed to be a nice day.

So looking forward to taking some you from different sides of town from Wilmington fishing this Saturday, and it's a great thing.

As kids are always on their telephone, and the best thing about fishing, um, they have to use both hands, so it's very um interesting to see they're looking for their phones or and then after a while, they just don't even remember they have their phones.

So looking forward to taking a trip and thank you, Mr.

President, for always supporting it.

Thank you.

That'd be excuse.

Yes, you may be excused, council member Harley.

Oh, yes, thank you.

Uh, first of all, I wanted to announce that Play Streets is going to be over at the neighborhood house on B Street on Tuesday.

Um, it starts at 6 o'clock uh PM, I believe it is.

So for those that are listening um that live in the South Bridge area, uh, please come out and have some family time and just have some fun.

Also on Saturday, July the 18th, from 12 to 6.

There's going to be a East Side Stop the Violence uh Festival and Children's Fashion Show.

So that's going to take place at Kirkwood Street Park.

There's going to be music, there's going to be resources, activities, and again a fashion show.

So again, that is Saturday, July 18th from 12 to 6 at Kirkwood Park.

And um, for more information, um, anyone they can just reach out to me.

Thank you.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Councilmember Willower.

Nothing tonight, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilmember Johnson.

No matter tonight, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilmember Field.

Nothing tonight, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilmember Bracey.

Yes.

Um, I just wanted to um mention again um our summer block parties um powered by play streets.

We had a great time.

The first two um one with councilman Owens in Harlan, and then uh this Tuesday we're at we were at 22nd in Monroe, and as council member Harley said next Tuesday, we're at South Bridge, uh, the neighborhood house.

Then the 28th, we're at Helen Chambers Park.

We're also gonna have a movie night.

Um August 4th, we're at Eddie Michaels Playground Crown, August 11th, Mac Park, August 18th, Stapler Park in the 8th District, and then the grand finale, we're gonna have a big party for the entire community at Rodney Square.

Um, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Um last year we had the Chick-fil-A food truck out there, Mr.

Dixon on the grill.

Um, we're gonna have games um again, and we're also looking at adding additional food trucks this year.

Um, the other thing that I would like to say is that we've been I've been getting contacted from other community members that would love to see the block parties come to their neighborhood.

So please feel free to reach out to me if you have suggestions of locations that we can extend the block parties to other parts of the community, and I'll work with Parks and Rec um and Council to see what we can do.

Thanks.

Thank you, Councilmember Cabrera.

Yes, since we uh will now be on our the next four weeks, we'll not be meeting until the last two weeks in August.

Just wanted to remind people that there's a lot going on in our city for the summer.

First, with the heat, look in on your neighbors, especially the seniors.

Um, no one should um have to pass away or you know, die from a heat emergency.

So keep an eye out for those folks that are vulnerable.

Um pay attention, don't leave animals or children in the car.

Sounds like common sense stuff, or you see this in the news all the time.

Someone, something has happened.

Um, especially with the animals when you leave them in a in a hot car in the summertime.

Second, uh, there are a lot of events taking place, uh, some of them in August, as an example.

The Jazz Festival that got moved to the to August because of our 250 celebration.

So that's in the first week of August.

Um, Councilmember Oliver did not mention the Millie Cannon concert at Price Front Park.

That's going to be taking place in August.

And of course, the August quarterly.

I think this year, more importantly, um, we really want people to come out support uh the Mother Church, especially after the devastating fire.

Uh, we really want to show our support as a community, uh, sponsor if you can, participate as a vendor, uh, but most importantly, calm and partake of a historical event.

Um, so those are the things we're going to mention because then we'll be back in session and the Hispanic month will kick off in September.

But everyone have a safe, safe summer.

And again, uh look out for each other, look out for your neighbors.

If you see something going on, something suspicious, please report it before it becomes a problem.

And just enjoy everything that the city has to offer, the concerts in the park.

Oh, the Urban Artists Exchange.

Every Wednesday at the Urban Artists Exchange, you're gonna have free entertainment, music, and other activities that they plan.

So take advantage of everything that Wilmington has to offer and have a safe summer.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hackett.

Nothing for tonight.

Thank you, Councilmember Spadola.

Nothing tonight, Council President.

Thank you.

I would just like to uh to state that the floor amendment for ordinance 26-028 passed by voice vote.

Just for a matter of housekeeping.

And I want to thank everyone for joining us this evening.

Thank you for the public comment.

Thank you to everyone who came to Council Chambers.

Our next meeting won't be until August.

We'll be we'll have three meetings back to back, August 20th to 27th, and then September 3rd.

So we are technically on break, but we're always available.

So please call us if you need anything at 576 2140.

Again, our number here at Council is 302576 2140.

And with that, I'll accept the motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Move.

Second.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned.