Mayor and Council - Regular Meeting

Council meeting January 20th convene 7 p.m. All rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Please remain standing for a brief moment of silence and let us remember the families of Corporal Snook as well as Keith Porter and also Renee Good and others who have been affected by recent uh days of violence. Thank you very much. You may be seated. Roll call, please. Good evening, everyone. Good evening. Good evening. Councilman Drew. Mayor Got present. Councilman Johnson here. Councilman Miles present. Excuse me. Councilman Olsen here.

Councilman Pope here and Vice Mayor Dr. Upure present. Thank you all. Thank you. Are there any uh additions or deletions to the public excuse me publish agenda? Do we have a motion to accept the agenda? I make a motion to accept the agenda. Second. All in favor? I opposed. been moved and seconded to accept the minutes and consent agenda. Thank you. On agenda items, mayor and council members

like to thank everyone that came out to the town hall that we had last week. We've gotten a tremendous amount of feedback back and I appreciate that. Um we covered a lot of topics that were very open-ended until then. Uh hopefully the recording of it will be available soon or the minutes depending on whatever is available. I don't know that we came up with a firm answer to that. Um and I will keep it short and turn it over to Vice Mayor.

I would like to mirror what Mayor Got said as well. It was very well attended last week and I was able to see people I have not seen before and uh was very vocal and I appreciate that. I want to thank everybody that came out. That's all I have. Council Secretary Councilman Pope.

Thank you. Um I actually uh attended a virtual meeting with DMAC just on some legislative updates. Um we do have a few more of those coming up. Uh and the uh town hall was a very nice um for the first time. I thought I thought it was a very very well planned uh event. Looking forward to more on that. And that's all that I have at this time. Okay, council treasurer Councilman Johnson. Uh happy new year everybody. Um hope we have another good successful year with the town and to all the town employees that's going to be pushing snow this weekend. Good luck and be safe,

Councilman Olsson. Yeah, the Friends of Belmont Hall had a nice Christmas event last December and they highlighted the historic heritage of Smyrna.

Um, I get what Alvin Pope said, happy new year. Um it's been it's been a tough year last year, but we're going to have a great year and um yeah, look forward to what we're going to do. Town manager.

Um just a few things on my list. Um everybody should have a copy of the manager report um which kind of touches on December what you'll have. Hopefully by the next meeting um you will see an overview of what 25 looked like for us. Um there's a couple of changes that we're talking about making. Uh one of them is kind of the structure of the council meetings and and how they are are managed. So um I've been talking with Barrett about a few things and uh have spoke with the mayor. So might see a change in in kind of the structure of how the council meetings will go. Um then outside of that, you know, I'm appreciative of everything that's going on with all the staff. Um and again, I can tell you that we are absolutely waiting for whatever is happening this weekend.

Um we are monitoring it. So please keep your eyes out, your ears out, check your phones. We'll be putting some stuff out to keep everybody up to date on what's going on with the town. Chief,

I know I have you drowned in reports for this meeting. Uh that is not my intention. There's a lot to digest there, so I won't dive too deep into it until you guys get to look at all of it, but you have our annual report. You also have our annual response to resistance report. Um, I am happy to note that our uses of force are down. Uh, complaints overall are up, but it is mainly accidents and domestics, which are to be expected in a bedroom community that is growing. The good news is major crimes like burglaries, thefts, and robberies are all way down. Property checks are way up, so we're being more visible and we're solving crimes. Barrett, you have anything, sir? I don't have anything. Thank you.

And I would like to wrap our little comment section up with thank you to everyone that came out and participated in Red Sand. Um, it was very successful and we look forward to next year. I don't know that we've set a date yet, but as soon as we do, please put that on your calendar. It's really important. Oh, there is a um a red sand human trafficking town hall at the police department from 6 to 8 that is going to be thrown by day uh next week on the 28th as well. The followup to that. Um and I believe that is it on to old business. Uh before we do, I just want to make sure just for housekeeping um regarding the council meeting minutes from December 15th to make sure that we get a proper approval on that.

Okay. Um before you, you have the council meaning u meeting minutes from December 15th. Do we have a motion to approve those minutes? So move. Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? I opposed. Motion is carried. the council meeting minutes of December 15, 2025. Thank you. Apologies. Number seven, uh being as there's not nothing under old business, that will take us to item eight, new business, including discussion and possible action on the following items.

So, at this point, we need to make a motion for the next town of town election, which will be um Vice Mayor Dr. Rupture and Councilman Nick Miles not at large position and district 2 to take place on April 28th, 2026. And are we looking to do that here at town hall? All right. Discussion. Do we have a motion to approve uh the setting in place for the election in April on the 28th near a town hall? So move.

We have a second. Second. All in favor? I been moved and sec I'm sorry. It's been moved and seconded that we set the next election for April 28th, 2026 here at town hall for the two positions that were previously named. Um, can you please let me know what time you're doing that? I know it says please, but I also need a time. Is it 7 a.m. Do we start? Last year was 7 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Make a motion we use the same time, 7 to 8. Do we have a second for the second? All in favor? I opposed.

Motion is carried. The time will be set for 7 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Yeah, the election board members I have not heard back from two of them, but they the committee was going to remain the same when I set the committee in January. Okay, we'll have to reset this. Okay, we'll come back to the next meeting. Okay. um review and approval of downtown development district master plan and five years of renewal.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um this is you're up for our 10-year renewal um for our downtown development district plan. And I believe Councilman Pope, you were on here when when it was first designated when you were on the council before, but you were the only council member. Many of you knew this is a this is a new program to you even though the town has has had this in effect for almost 10 years now.

Okay. So this legislation this is uh this program uh is is for specific municipalities uh to support downtown redevelopment both in commercial districts and outlying residential neighborhoods. and it was signed into law by Governor Markell in 2014. Um, and there's been a series of communities that have been designated since 2014. So, in the first round in late 2014 and into 2015, uh, do Seafford and Wilmington were designated. Um, in 2016, uh, Smyrna was one of five communities that was designated. And then most recently in 2019, um you had an additional four communities um that were designated. Um as a requirement for applying, you had to do a downtown development district plan. And in 2014, the town had hired Rick Frell, who was our economic development third party consultant at the time, who developed a plan um and which was updated in 2016, which was submitted to the state and um and adopted. However, in 2019, the state um drastically updated the requirement for what has to be in a downtown development district plan, which essentially required us to rewrite the plan uh based upon the new requirements and all the new information that is required. So, the initial period for designation is for 10 years uh and the governor may renew um each downtown development district for 5-year periods. So, we are on our renewal for our first five-year renewal. Um, and we may uh reapply for another five-year renewal in um 2031. In November of last year, uh the council appointed five members um both business

uh business people and uh residents in the downtown area who um worked and met a series of times in the past couple of months to help assist me write this plan and to assist with identifying changes uh significant changes. So certain things that have to be done or supposed to be identified and done with our new downtown development district plan. We have to decide whether or not to do an expansion of our existing boundaries of our downtown development district. Um it can be you can leave the same or you can expand it um using a state criteria. Um you need to evaluate how the program has been utilized and how it can be improved within your district. Um, you have to update all of your demographic and uh tables and maps and everything of that nature. Um, you have to identify new goals or revise your goals and strategies for uh redevelopment of your downtown. Um, you every municipality which has a downtown development district is required by the state u and it's approved by the state cabinet committee for planning issues um has to be approved. You have to offer a series of local incentives to complement what the state offers to uh property owners and businesses. Uh and you have to evaluate and make revisions as necessary. And then lastly, you have to you have to identify what's called key priority projects which essentially are those projects which rise to the top which are uh more or less guaranteed uh to be able to get state funding for redevelopment. So, our our most current downtown development district plan um boundary, which is currently in effect, is the area shown in blue, essentially going from Bethl AM Church in the east, uh all the way to Harris Manufacturing in the west. Uh it does go up to Glenwood Avenue in the vicinity of uh North Main Street, but otherwise um North Street is

the northern boundary and then Frasier uh Fraser Street on the south. So the one of the things that the committee the five member steering committee um recommended for communities between 9,000 and 30,000 under state law you're you're allowed a maximum of 200 acres in your downtown development area. Um our current area is approximately 187 acres. Um committee identified approximately just under 11 acres in the vicinity uh along west uh Commerce Street going towards Scruent City. So your older neighborhoods in that vicinity in terms of what the zoning looks like. So in this you can't just identify any specific area for expansion. um your downtown development district area under state law has to essentially be your downtown commercial district and your downtown residential neighborhoods. Those are the two areas that are specifically allocated. And our central commercial district is going to uh and then the blue areas are your downtown residential areas. Those two districts are represent the predominant areas. The big red parcel was Harris manufacturing which has been vacant um for a little over 10 years now or 15 years actually. Um the um the area that is shown for addition down West Commerce Street um almost all that area is zoomed of downtown residential. And when we went through with the the steering committee, we identified a couple of different options for how the DDD can be expanded. The committee opted and recommended this expansion area along West Commerce Street. This map shows you how the DDD has expanded. So, the general assembly has gradually increased the acreage of what's permitted uh for the downtown development districts. Um it used to be

that towns of our size could only be 150 acres, but they've gradually upped it to 180 and then 200 acres. So, we've taken advantage of that and we have expanded our downtown development district um a series of times um in 2018, 2019, and 2024. Uh and then the area shown in in orange is the area that is proposed to this day. And Jeremy, if I read this correct, we're up to 198 acres only leaving two has not. That is correct. Thank you.

So we are at essentially the maximum. So and that was one of the things that I presented to the committee that you didn't have to recommend an expansion, but they did recommend approximately just under 11 acres. So, the way that the downtown development district works, it's it's a two-tiered program. You have what's called small projects and large projects. They all operate under the same basic mechanism where for every dollar of redevelopment that you do in qualified redevelopment expenses, and that could be new construction, that could be renovations. Um, the state will the Delaware State Housing Authority uh will reimburse you 20% of those costs, those hard costs. That's a check that's given to the property owner or the developer or the business depending upon who did the work. Um, small projects are accepted on a rolling basis uh all year long. So, as individual projects are done, as a new house is built, they apply to the state and they get funding. Large projects you have to apply um it's now only done once a year. They're in the application project application stage right now. And if you don't apply during this period and get a what's called a reservation, you will not get state funding essentially. So it's a two-tier um and they're given separate allocations of state funding under the state budget. Okay. So small projects, these are you have to to be able to qualify, you have to do at least $25,000 worth of QRPI is just a fancy word for qualified renovation for qualified work has to be done on the building or or the site. and it's for work up to $350,000, which is the vast majority of projects here in the town of Smyrna. Um, you're given 12 months to do it. Um, and you're technically not supposed to have any gaps in construction greater than 60 days. And under that, if you if you if you qualify of $350,000 worth of qualified renovations or work, the state will write you a check for $70,000. It

is a one-of-a-kind program. No other state in the country does this. It's a very generous program. Who is eligible? You could be the property owner. You could be a tenant. Um, somebody doing a tenant fit out like Bird Orthodontics in the Smyrna Health and Wellness building was is qualified. It could be an investor or a developer. Um, or it could be a residential property owner and actually we'll go into it. Most of the projects have been residential property owners or even churches. Okay? So, it could be new construction on a vacant lot. It could be the demolition and reconstruction of a new building. It could be a gut renovation of an existing building. Or it could be a tenant fit out of an existing building where you're putting a new office or um business in a particular space. All of those are all eligible activities under this program. There are a couple of types of businesses that are not permitted. um things like adult entertainment and firearms dealers. Um volunteer fire companies are are deemed to be ineligible. We we did try with Citizens Hose Company. They were deemed to be ineligible but so and essentially they will fund uh all of your hard costs. So everything that essentially is permanently affixed to the building. Uh ineligible things are all your soft costs, your engineering fees, your architectural fees, legal fees, um furniture, appliances, those things are ineligible when they come to calculate what your reimbursement is going to be. Large projects, as I explained, you have to apply beforehand. You cannot complete more than 15% of the work or else you will be deemed ineligible when you apply. Um, and it's a it's you apply once a year. Um, up until about 5 years

ago, they used to have two rounds, but right now they only have one round. Um, and it must be you're given a little bit more time. You're given three years. So, I I printed out for you uh a map of all the projects that have been done that have received state funding. We've had 43 projects that have received state um state funding from the Delver State Housing Authority. approximately just over $1.4 million of state funding has been allocated um to 43 different properties. Um and we do have one property that has received funding twice. What is the time frame that they've had that they've accepted these funds? Is it all within the last year, 24 months? Any

So these 43 projects have been since 2016. Thank you. Okay. So um Yep. So, the um I'm sorry, did you have a question? I'm sorry. Which one applied twice? Was Centerpoint Church. Okay. So, Centerpoint Church applied twice. Um it used to be that you could only apply once. Um they did change the rules and they changed it for the hotel Dupont actually because you had so many individual tenants inside of that building that they they allowed phasing. They allowed if you did work on one part of the building as long as you couldn't get funded for the same part of the building twice. Okay, does that make sense? Yes. Thank you.

Um so of those projects kind of broke them down for you. Um the biggest category are single family dwelling or duplex renovations, you know, somebody, you know, put a new roof, put new siding, new windows on their house, you if they spend at least $25,000, they can get 20% of that qualified cost back. Um however when it comes to the reimbursement of the total grant amounts it's relatively small. The biggest um specific category is new dwellings being constructed in the DDD. So you have nine different single family dwellings or two family dwellings or duplexes that were constructed since 2016 on vacant lots. Uh and that that was $400,000 worth of state funding. But you've also had churches you've had a couple churches that have received funding. Um, you have had one new mixeduse building, which I'll go over. Uh, and you've had some renovations and tenants for that. So, the biggest one is you've had nine new single family dwellings and two family. These are, you know, just a a compilation of some of the ones um different parts of town. Um, some of your larger projects. So on the top left um you Bayird Orthodontics who did a tenant fit out of one small section of the um of that the Smyrna Health and Wellness building. Um on the top right cobalt manner Elizabeth Esther Cafe um Lindseay Pal Connelly and Tim Connelly renovated um a house that had previously been condemned actually and brought it back to life and we now have a restaurant on the first floor. Um Mount Olive Pentecostal Church was actually condemned by the town. Um unfortunately was not permitted to have services. We were able to work with them. They were able to do all of their renovations and get DDP funding. There was um 4850 West Commerce Street. Um we had an arcade porch that was

condemned by the town um that um had to come down, but they were able to use DDD funding and facade grant fundings to be able to clean the facade up so that it looks better for the for the community from the street. um and they were able to get a much more attractive second floor porch um for that mixed juice building. We've had two large projects that have had to go through the large project process which is much more intense. Uh one is the dairy suite uh former dairy suite u where um Bob Johnson has his computer business on the first and second floor and Marmy's crearyy has their first shore first floor ice cream shop. Um that was actually the single largest project. They they received just under $200,000 in state funding. And then the Smile Place on North Main Street, they completely gut rehab the first floor of that commercial building. It was a former Dollar General um and then had been converted to medical office space. They did around $1.7 million worth of renovations to that space along with completely new exterior facade treatments. And um they received just under 150,000 state funds for smile place. So, we are required by the state to have offer a series of incentives, but we offer um every project in the DDD that requires a building permit that is greater than $25,000 cost of construction, they get a uh permit fee waiver. Um qualifying projects, um and I'll emphasize qualifying projects, only a handful received them, um do receive what's called a property tax reassessment waiver. So, properties that are retained or not resold, um they will not receive they will not be reassessed for the value of their improvements. So, um if your property was previously worth and assessed at $100,000 and afterwards was assessed at $200,000, you will only

be be um for municipal property tax purposes, you will be assessed for $100,000 for that 60 month period. The property tax abatement program um was installed in 2019, but it's never been utilized. That's if you convert a rental unit to an owner occupied unit, but that has not been utilized in the 10 years. Um impact fee waiverss are really only for new construction. So, when somebody builds a new house, water, sewer, um police, parks, impact fees are given a waiver for new construction. If you build a new house or a duplex or anything of that nature in the DDD, you you get a business license fee waiver for for firsttime businesses. It's actually only been used once. Uh and then you get a utility fee rebate based on the size of the building. So just to see for new construction, you get the if you if you build a new building, you get the greatest amount of local incentives. So, for a two family, this is a two family at 222 North Main Street. Um, they received just under $15,000 worth of building permit fee and impact fee waivers uh from the town for this two family dwelling. Um, that's the greatest amount of impact. Um, for renovation projects, it's typically much it's much smaller. You might get a $1,000 or $2,000 building permit fee waver, but you're not charged impact fees for renovations. So the total amount of incentives that the that the town has given out um has been 108,000 just over 108,000. Not every project gets something. Uh not every project in the DVD requires a building permit for instance. So if you're doing work, say you're getting a new roof on your house, you could get 25 or 30 or $40,000 worth of work on your house, but may not require a building permit. So you if you don't get a

building permit, you're not going to get certain incentives. Or if it's resold, so if you flip um if let's say you're a home builder or a developer, you buy a house, you you renovate it, and then you flip it, most of our incentives um you do not get to keep with the exception of the permit fee. We also are one of the biggest outside of the incentives itself, we offer what's called a facade improvement grant program. Um the um the the town will re this is through the redevelopment authority clearance of redevelopment authority. Um the town redevelopment authority will award 25% of the value of exterior improvements from the street. Uh up to $2,500 for residential buildings and up to $10,000 for commercial buildings. So, if you do $10,000 worth of exterior improvements to your house within the designated area, you can get up to a $2,500 facade grant from the town. For a commercial business or a mixed use building, you can if you do $40,000 worth of exterior work, you can get up to $10,000. This is funded in self-funded through municipal vacant building fees. Um, since 2015, the town has given out $45,000 worth of um facade improvement grants. It's the most of any municipality in the state. This is something that um that Dave Hug when he was town manager helped institute and this is certainly a great legacy um that the town council at the time and and he and the town leadership team and putting this together. Uh it's been a huge success in helping to spur redevelopment in the downtown. Total of 94 different facade grants, most of them in the DDD. The Clearance and Redevelopment Authority also has a revolving loan fund based upon $350,000 worth of USDA grant

funding that the town received in 2015. And the town has issued loans to five different businesses in the downtown. Most recently in 2024 for $150,000 to the Smuris the owner of the building for Smyrna Sporting Goods. not to the Smyrna sporting goods business but to the owner of building uh to fund exterior improvements which they are in the process of doing in 2022. Um, let me back up. In 2021, um, a couple of you were on council. The town received, as part of the American Rescue Act funding, the town received somewhere around $6.7 million. And the Treasury Department had 750 pages worth of restrictions in terms of how this and guidance in terms of how this monies can be used. One of the things on one of the clauses under that 750 pages was that they could be used for commercial facades and the town council in 2022 opted to be able to do an RFP to allow downtown businesses and businesses in the IRP, which is the two business parts to apply for funds for commercial facade grants. The town council approved $488,000 worth of commercial facade grants and we ended up funding $416,000 worth of commercial facade grants. uh Delaware Back Pain didn't opted not to even though they were approved opted not to do it and a couple of them didn't spend as much money as they were initially anticipating but again only only municipality in Delaware to use their ARPA funding this way which really spurred different property owners downtown to actually utilize Smartrus Sporting Goods would never have opted to do renovations if it wasn't for this program for instance the state also offers what's called an historic preservation tax credit for up to 20% of the value of renovations and it's what's called a transferable tax

credit. So both for-profit incomeroucing entities and nonprofits can apply. So churches, the fire company is actually the largest beneficiary of this when they did their renovations to the fire company uh back in 2021 2022. I helped them apply for and get um as an historic building uh get them um historic preservation tax credits to help pay for their renovations. But Mount Olive was also Pentecostal Church was also able to do that and that enabled them to be able to do those renovations to the church. Um and what they can do is because those are nonprofit entities, they can um sell those tax credits on the open market and the banks in Wilmington typically Discover Bank, uh Mnt U, Bank of America will will purchase these tax credits from them at 80 or 90 cents on the dollar. It's a great program that the state allows. Um again, Delaware is very unique in that. One of the things that we were required to do is update our vision, goals, and strategies. Um so the overall vision for downtown Smyrna, this was agreed upon. Town seeks to foster and facilitate revitalization of historic downtown commercial district, outlying residential neighborhoods, provide a place where people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds can work, shop, live, and play. I'm not going to go through all of the um goals and strategies. the goals are meant to be higher level, you know, the 10,000 foot level, whereas the strategies are supposed to be met more accountable, something that things that we can check the box and say that we did or did not do over the next 5 years. So, some of the things that um there's a couple zoning changes for instance that um um were recommended and discussed. You know, there's been a lot of discussion about things like vape shops, tobacco shops, whether or not they should be permitted in downtown from the central commercial district. And one of the things that the committee discussed and recommended was that the town consider amending the zoning ordinance to prohibit these new businesses in the

central commercial district. Um just as an example for instance u related to historic preservation um I don't need to go through all of these so just you have any questions by all means but um is this amendable? Should situations change, you can you can ask for an amendment. Okay. So, you can you're given a chance once a year to be able to amend your plan and that includes your incentives. If you want to amend your incentives package or if you want to amend your boundaries, you you have the ability to do that once a year. Okay. Thank you. Uh but generally, they want they want you to do the hard work during this during this.

No, and that makes sense. I thinking of should economic times change in opportunities to meet some of the goals and

Yep. Um, so some of these aren't terribly think controversial. Um, but some of the things that actually cost money that are already in our CAP, already in our CIP are things like um doing streetscape on on North Main Street. That's something that the town has discussed. We we funded a design for we haven't done yet, but that's something that, you know, everyone recognizes as a very good catalyst for being able to spark additional redevelopment the downtown areas to be able to do additional streetscaping um and utility replacements in a couple different areas. Okay. Parking has been Let me let me me stay with that. Sorry, let me go back to that. Parking has obviously been trying to go back. Sorry. Um, we discussed parking at a couple meetings ago. Uh, we did a parking survey, you know, found out where there's more parking challenges. And the one area that does have a challenge in their parking is in the vicinity of the Smyrna Health and Wellness building. Okay. Um, one of the things I'm not going to go through all of the um, things in the uh, the demographic changes and everything like that, but one of the things I printed off I did was I did a survey of all the businesses in the downtown uh, downtown um, development district. And uh, we have actually a lot of people work in our downtown u for a whole host of different employers. Uh, and if you look on the first page and second page, second page has the total numbers. We have over um 500 full-time employees that work in our downtown development district. 181 of those employees are in the Smyrna Health and Wellness building, but you have a couple of other large employers including the Smile Place, which has almost 30. Ducks Unlimited has 35 employees. The town of Sperna is a large employer here in here in town hall as a post office for instance. Um there's and

then you have a whole series of smaller businesses. But um 181 employees. So that's something good to keep in mind, especially when it comes to parking. One of the things that we're required to do is to identify key priority projects. And that was something we did not do in 2014 or 2016, excuse me. We were not required at that particular time. Um the reason for identifying key priority projects is really for the larger projects, the projects that are estimated to take more greater than $350,000 worth of work to be able to complete. Um this is a competitive process. So there the last couple years especially there has been more applicants for large projects than there has been state funding. So if something is identified as a key priority project in a municipality, it essentially rises to the top and automatically essentially goes to the top of that scoring criteria um for individual municipalities. So that's one of the the practical reasons for doing that. So we identified eight. The state does not have a hard and fast line, but the discretion I got was to keep it to six to eight. Harris Manufacturing is the largest uh vacant building in town and it's in the downtown development district, just under 170,000 square feet. Um 129 North Union Street is the former um uh electric um it was actually a former it was built as a canery in the 1930s, but it was formerly the um electric department was out of there. Was recently purchased by Ducks Unlimited is a metal fabrication company. they they plan on doing well over a million dollars worth of renovations. Um that was to the top of the list. Uh Smyrna Sporting Goods right at the um right at the crossroads at four uh at the uh four corners. Uh it's a building that's in need of upwards of a million dollars worth of renovations. Uh and it's actually three buildings. Um 6 South

Main Street is just adjacent to SPA uh sporting goods. also building that in need and the property owner is willing to consider doing at the four corners one North Main Street. Uh second and third floor is currently vacant. It's gutted. Um so there's formerly three apartments up there. Uh and the app the owner is looking at doing putting those apartments back. 19 West Commerce Street, that property has been vacant as former time and table Pistol Maverick Texas Barbecue. It's been a whole series of restaurants and bars over the years. um building with significant challenges to the building that's going to need a fair amount of work to be able to to get a good tenant in that building or a good owner. Uh the Howard's Amusements 15 North Main Street was identified. The only residential property uh is 10 North Delaware. This is the former carriage house for uh the mansion. I can't remember the name where Maria Null lives. Um but um this was had been converted to apartments um and it's been vacant um and it's had a lot of code enforcement actions against it. Um it's recently was purchased um and the property owner is looking at doing a fair amount of renovations. So wanted to be able to give them the opportunity. So that concludes everything. I'd be happy to um go over or answer any questions you might have.

Excuse me, Jeremy. demographic information um within the report like did any of it look at a breakdown as far as uh ages or how did because one of the I think one of the things that I don't recall seeing was um is anything actually categorized as far as age

um I think we did age we did household income income and net worth poverty and unemployment um we did populations, homeowner occupancy versus renown occupancy, we we compared that median home value, housing vacancy, educational attainment, uh growth month. So, comparing the the rental rates for both the rest of the town and in the DD. So, we were able to just so that everybody's aware in terms of how we count the data, um there are two census blocks which are essentially our downtown development district. are a little larger than our downtown development district, but we use those two census blocks to essentially separate that from the rest of the town and to be able to compare us to the rest of the town and then compare us to Kent County as a whole and then to the state as a whole. Okay.

And as a general rule um for most of your economic indicators, the um whether it's household income or unemployment rates generally are higher. your unemployment is higher, your your median household income is lower in your downtown development district compared to the town as a whole. Okay, we did compare the same thing would hold true for educational attainment. The educational attainment rates tend to be lower in these two census tracks than as the town as a whole. Well, um monthly rent was about the same. Um which actually that really surprised me. I was expecting rental rates in the downtown to be actually cheaper, but that wasn't the case actually. Um um housing data construction for instance, the housing stock is significantly older. So 50% of the houses in the downtown have been constructed prior to 194.

Okay. Any other questions? I'm sorry I can't give you the we didn't do an a breakdown. Yeah. No, I I because I I was just kind of curious because of uh looking at I think one of the concerns that's been voiced from time to time is how to get, you know, young people downtown and and more young families to actually live, work, and play here. We're actually known as bedroom community because most people work outside of the area as opposed to being here. So that's why I was asking about the demographic of age, whether or not that was something. No, that was not looked at then. Okay. Um Okay. All right. Okay. Thank you. Question. I think that's it. Thank you.

Thanks. We I'd like a uh motion to accept the resolution uh 00-126 approving the downtown development district master plan and the 5-year renewal. So move. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Those opposed? Motion is carried. All right. Presentation and public comments. And remember, we have three minutes. Yes, sir. Good yourself. Evening. Good evening. Thank you for your time. Don't forget to state your name, please.

Amen. Cory, I sincerely hope that since you promised to be here and devote time and effort into turning this town around, that your heartly position will not affect this purpose. Chief Donner, I want to commend the officers for spending time in the 25 mile area, watching for red light and stop sign runners and enforcing the street sweeping ordinance. I have seen them in action and personally thank them when observed. The fire lanes still need our attention. I also would like to extend my condolences to you and the force in the loss of Corporal Snook. Just like the fire service when we lose one of our own, be it state, county, or municipal, the endless pit is felt by everyone in the entire brotherhood. Please extend my sympathy to the rank and file. Tell them to be safe and our prayers are with them as they protect our community. Mayor and Council, I appeared here two months ago providing each of you with a copy of a letter I had sent eight months prior that got no reply. Other than a brief phone conversation with the mayor on other issues I brought up that night, I still haven't received any answers. You talk about open government and concern for citizens issues, but sadly I'm not seeing it. Could I at least have my two self-address stamped envelopes back? Since I they aren't postmarked, perhaps I can repurpose them.

Finally, are you paying attention to the virtual lumber yards being built off North High Street? To realize the potential problems, you have to see them going up, not after being closed in with a roof and siding. Sure hope the fire company knows what they're up against. Speaking of which, who is going to tell the residents they are living on top of a former hazardous waste super fund site? Surely not the one who rules the roost, the developer. They will do what they always do. Laugh all the way to the bank. Thanks again for your time and happy new year. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?

Good evening. Ruth Bower, own sixth Main Street. I was part of this project and on the steering committee and I wanted to commend Jeremy for the many hours of work and rework and patience and hand delivering of packets and inclusion of everyone's ideas and thoughts in preparing this. And I know it was a huge body of work for him to do that and I just wanted to recognize him for that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else that would like to make a public comment? We adjourn. Do we have a motion to adjourn the meeting?

All in favor? I seconded the meeting at 7:45. Thank you very much for joining us this evening, ladies and gentlemen.