Mayor and Council - Regular Meeting

Stormont Town Council meeting, June 1st, 1026. Councilor Miles, will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

I pledge allegiance 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 join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. Please be seated. Amanda, will you please call roll?

Yes. Good evening, everyone.

Good evening, Amanda.

Councilman Drew.

Here.

Mayor Gott. Present. Councilman Miles.

Here.

Councilman Olson.

Here.

Councilman Pope.

Here.

Councilman reams here. Vice mayor doctor up for.

Thank you. Thank you. Additions deletions to the published agenda are there any additions and or deletions to the public agenda.

I'd like to make a motion that we accept the agenda in this current form a second.

The discussion. All those in favor?

Aye.

Those opposed? Motion is carried. Presentation and public comment. At this time, we'd like to invite anybody to the podium that would like to speak. Please state your name and make your presentation. You have three minutes. Mr. Horsey?

My name is Rick Horsey, and I'm the president of the Gulf Creek Regional Library. Nelson's on the board. First of all, we want to thank the town for the continued support. It's amazing. We had no idea how successful this library would be for the community. Just to give you some ideas, our solar system is now in place and is helping us save some electricity, which is always great. Our total door count coming into the library In the month of April, it was 6,755 people entered the library. So far for the year, 58,639 people have gone through the doors of the library. Our average daily count is 241 people a day. The total new patron registration who became members of the library since July 1, 2025, 1,625 people are now members of the library. Those are just new registrations. Our total collection checkouts. These are the books, DVDs that people check out. From July 1 until April 30, 53,383 books and audio and CDs have been checked out. The total number of programs that the library has offered since it started, 606 programs we have started. The total program attendance, 10,051 people have been in the program since we started this. We're averaging over 1,000 people a month in our programming. Our summer reading program kicked off on May 23rd for this summer. We worked with the Smyrna School District to determine what curriculums that they would be offering next fall so that the kids could have a program curriculum through the summer to keep them on track so that they don't lose any of that knowledge. On the 23rd of May, We have 305 people come in that day to register for the summer reading program. We handed out on I Love Smyrna Day 1,200 free books. The boys and girls had their annual graduation there in March. We have seven school partnerships now. And all seven of our strategic goals that we set last April have been achieved already. Really, the library has far exceeded what any of us thought it was capable of. Our budget for 2025, which will be ending in June, our revenue is right on budget, what we have projected, and our expenses will come in slightly under budget.

That's nice.

Our budget for next year, for 26-27, will be voted on by the board on the 11th of June. and we're projecting a revenue of $666,668. New Castle County and Delaware Division of Libraries reduced our funding, as Nelson knows, for this fiscal year coming up. Both New Castle County and the Delaware Division of Libraries reduced our funding by $33,924, which we have since gone to work and started on some programs for fundraising. So we look forward to 27. We look forward to the great things that this library is doing for not only the Smyrna community, but Clayton and Kenton and Townsend. Last year, the Townsend Lady Auxiliary gave us a $5,000 donation They had a fundraiser for this there in September, and it was very successful. But they're very supportive of our library because Appaquinnimic's library is so busy and so full that they use the Smyrna library. Also, the Department of Education at the State of Delaware has had 11 conferences at this library so far this year. So it's exceeded all of our expectations. And I just wanted, again, I just wanted to thank the town council for the support that they've given us for our operations and also for all the wonderful things that they did. And I know you had a program there too. I think you had a luncheon or something there with the staff at this moment.

And Saturday there was a DHSS event there that was well-attended.

Well, we have some of the fundraising that we're going to do next year is we have a golf tournament that we have set up for next April. We have a 5K race that we're doing. So that's how we're making up the difference in the shortfall in our funding through fundraising.

Very nice.

Again, thank you all for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Is there anyone else? Sorry.

Hi, I'm Irene Strzeski. My question is, at the last meeting, they had the audit read. I'd like to know how much it costs to have that whole thing done by that company.

I'm sorry, Irene, can you say it again?

You had an audit person come in. The last meeting?

Yes. Okay. Our annual audit?

Yes, that's what it was, right?

So I may be wrong, and Kathleen, I'm going to turn to you, but I believe the price for the audit that was done, because it was accelerated, because we had gotten so far behind, is different than it will typically be, correct?

So it was higher because we did the water-sewer split. And then they also assisted me a little bit more than they would with the subcommitment one because it was accelerated. So it was 180. So we are expecting a reduced deposit for the 20.5.

It was $180,000. $180,000. $180,000. I understand the increase because we were really behind. Right. But I think the last time it was 125.

I think the last one that we had done at that rate was probably 22 because we accelerated 23, 24 and 25. All right. And the other thing is, I still feel very strongly that having the

people that need to make a comment have it at the end rather than in the beginning.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I will reconsider on that.

Thank you. Anyone else? Would you like to take the podium and please share your name with us? Please share your name and you have three minutes for comment, please.

My name is John Whitehead. I'm fairly new to Smyrna, and I came here because we have a major problem. I live in Willowwood Estates, and I'm a board member. So our major problem is Dell Dye and getting our streets paved. So it's been over 20 years we've been fighting to get our streets I know a person named Jeffrey from Delphi and we're trying to get our streets paid, but they come and they fix the concrete, but then they don't pay the streets. So by the time we get back to them a year or two later, they come and they fix whatever concrete broke again, Then they don't pay the streets. So this has been going on for 20 years. So I've just been running around different meetings trying to throw this out there so maybe we can get our streets paid finally because we have sewer caps that are sitting up and people are wrecking their cars. So we don't know where to go. I'm from New York, really. So I'm in politics there. So I said I'll run around to the politics and maybe they can help us because we've been screaming from the top of our lungs and we haven't been getting anything.

I don't believe Willowwood is in town. However, we can give you Willowwood is not in town limits. You don't have a say over that, but we can help put you in touch with someone, whether it's Senator Hoffner, Representative Carson, the people that are the boots on the ground for you that can help you find the right answers.

Okay, that's great. But I just need that information because like I said, we're getting a run around.

Has your department been turned over?

No, it hasn't. And it hasn't because the streets aren't paved. So it won't get turned over until all the concrete is done that the builder has to do. And then they turn it over to DelDoc. So DelDoc doesn't take it over until they actually pave the streets.

I am looking. We're going to give you their contact information.

Here's my card. Just shoot me an email and then I will send you all the contact information.

Thank you very much for joining us. Thank you. Is there anyone else? Okay, we will move on to non-agenda items. Chief, I see that you're on the phone. Do you have anything?

Can you guys hear me? We can. All right. Hello. Hello. I don't have much for you. You have my report. I apologize. The May statistics are not in there, and that is because we have one single license for Cognos, and I was out of the office prior to the end of May, so I was not able to run those and have those as part of the report, but it will be in the next council report for you. If you have any questions, let me know. Just a reminder, June 5th, Our next two recruits graduate the Dover Municipal Police Academy. The ceremony is at 6 p.m., and it is at the Dell State University Education and Humanities Building, and all are welcome.

Thank you. Thank you.

Update on our hiring process. We have one conditional offer out. He's got some more medical, psychological testing to do. We're excited about him, and I have a couple more interviews as soon as I get back, and I am excited. Very confident and hopeful that we will have two more heading to the 106th Wilmington Academy that begins in the middle of July. With that, we would be fully staffed for the first time in I don't even know how long.

That's wonderful. It is great news. And are they new officers or certified officers?

They will both be brand new officers that will be going through the four to six months of training and then field training and then coming out and joining Team Shmona.

OK. Perfect. Thank you so much. You're welcome. And thank you for calling in. Thank you. Of course. Thanks. There is no old business. New business. Like a motion to appoint Nick Miles to council treasurer. He filled the spot vacant by Councilman Dean Johnson, who was the council treasurer. Mission please second the motion.

You make you make the motion. Second the motion to point that miles councilman miles as the treasurer.

The discussion. All those in favor. Those opposed. Motion is carried to appoint council and miles as the council treasurer.

Review of skate park operations, including potential closure and removal of equipment.

Barrett, as our town solicitor, would you just like to give a brief scenario of what this is?

Yeah, so we've heard from our insurance company, and they basically told us that they're no longer going to insure the skate park. So we don't really have much of an option. I think the decision has pretty much been made administratively by town staff to remove the equipment at the skate park if we don't have insurance. It would not be wise to have that out there. So at this point, this is just kind of an FYI. If people have questions, you know, we can discuss it briefly. Whether or not we want to explore a new skate park in the future or upgrades to it, you know, that's a conversation that we can have in the coming weeks and months. But, you know, just as kind of an FYI, I just wanted to let you know. Okay.

Do we need to vote on this or?

I think that town staff can administratively have this accomplished.

Thank you. I appreciate it. Consideration of capital budget amendment, Kathleen.

Kathleen Acevedo, the finance director. So this is the first project I'm going to discuss is the electric project. We have a cable replacement up at Duck Creek. this was approved in our 2026 capital budget however it was without funding um i did discuss that i wanted to bring it back to the table for a bunch of amendment after the 2024 audit depending on the amount of um fund balance we have left over from 2024. um so i am asking to pretty much pay cash for the project as well as the parking lot project we are doing over on fisher street I would like to request $200,000 for that one to cover the engineer fees. We are trying to secure state funding for the construction work. If we don't get that, we will be coming back.

And what account is it moving to and from?

So it's in general fund right now. So it would be staying within general fund. I have seven general fund accounts that make up my general fund cash. They're broken up between PNC Bank with CIS and LPL right now.

Okay.

And would someone like to make a motion that we- I'd like to make a motion that we accept the capital budget amendment as proposed.

I second. Is there any discussion? All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye. Those opposed? Motion is carried for consideration of the capital budget amendment. Presentation of the April 2026 Financial Report. And Kathleen, thank you. This is the first time we have had this in many, many years. And this is a tool that will help all of us have a better understanding of where we are and how we got there when it comes time for us to look at the year-end budget. So thank you.

You're welcome.

You're doing a phenomenal job. Thank you.

Thanks. So this is April 2026. So it's year to date from January to April. I did want to explain that for our expenses and revenues for utilities, it's based off of three months, because we bill a month past. So the January, February, and March usage that we're billed for and paying our utilities for. However, the rest of the expenses would be year to date for four months. So I did miss a slide. I do apologize. Our general fund cash right now is at $4,393,000. We have the two investment accounts. We have Rainy Day that's at $3.2 million and their capital reserve is at $1.8 million. I will make sure that slides in there next time. Thank you. So our general fund revenues. We have the property tax, transfer tax, license fees and permits. Investment income are our major ones. For the month of April, our property tax is negative. It was discovered that KRM was not given the industrial tax waiver on the two new builds. So I had to go in and adjust their taxes back and give them a refund. So this was corrected prior to our tax bill run. And we have since collected $350,000 in payments for 26. And then everything else is bulked into our other revenue. which included $300,000 repayment from the library property.

Wow. Kudos to you. Kudos to you.

Our general fund expenses, we have administration, which includes finance, facilities, fleet, HR, managers, and council. They're sitting at 29% right now at $1.4 million. IT is at just over $500,000, which is 39%. Police, public works, planning, inspections part are all very good with where they are right now. And then our debt service, we are at 82%. That includes our bond payments, which is right on point because we pay one of our bond payments is higher principal and then the next one's smaller. For the water department, we have water revenue at 791,000, which is 22% of the year. Again, that's three months worth of billing. And then our water expenses are at 337,000 and our water debt service payments are at 350,000. So currently we're sitting up 109,000. Our sewer revenue is 1.1 million. We have Kent County sewer is at currently 370,000. I did make note that this is going to increase for July 1. They raised their rates 11%. This was anticipated in our 2026 budget with the rates. The other sewer expense for the department are at 175,000 and our debt services at 321. Our currently excess is 268,000. Electric revenue is 4.5 million. Our purchase power for DMACC, again, that's three months worth, is 2.8 million. We are anticipating higher bills for the summer. They go up to, I think 1.3 is our highest so far. Other expenses for the department are at a million. New development's $437,000. That is for our electrical agreements. We do receive money in advance for the work that we do with that. And once the work is complete, we apply the revenue. So any expenses there we've already received the revenue for, but it's not in our books. And then our debt service for the electric department is 280,000. We're currently over $124,000 in excess. For the taxes, we just billed out our 20 to 26 taxes. We billed for 6,337 accounts for just over $10 million. We are currently sitting at unpaid 9.6 million. We usually get about 75% paid by the discount date. It's July 1st. We currently have a few past due accounts for 25 and 24. We did just send 45 accounts to our attorney for the collection actions. Utilities, we currently have outstanding 299 accounts with any sort of balance from May 6. That could be a portion of their penalty. It's just a portion. It's not full accounts for 68,000. And then the ones from April, 41,000. Again, that could just be penalties, small amounts. It's not full accounts. I did miss trash. I'm sorry. I will make sure that's in there for next one. Any questions?

Is all this available online, Kathy?

It should have been sent to you in the board pack.

On board. On board. On board.

And then this is also all of the information in the April financial statement that you received last month. It's just broken down a little bit different.

Thank you. I appreciate the information. Thank you for breaking it down and explaining it.

And then I'll be back next meeting for May.

Thank you.

When you receive the financial statements, I'll do the presentation in the same meeting.

Perfect. Okay. Sounds good. Will they typically be in the first meeting or will they typically be?

Typically the second meeting because that gives us two weeks to wrap up all of our journal entries and reports.

Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Appreciate it. Do we need to do anything with that?

I'd like to make a motion that we adjourn.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. I'm sorry. Is there any discussion? All those in favor?

Aye. Those opposed?