News Briefs

Rehoboth to discuss reassessment proposals

The Rehoboth Beach commissioners will discuss two proposals for a citywide property reassessment and the process for selecting the preferred firm at the commissioners workshop meeting, 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 10, in the city commissioners’ room.

The city put out a request for bids to conduct the reassessment with two firms responding: Rehoboth-based PTA/DelVAL and CLT Appraisal Services, a branch of Connecticut-based firm Tyler Technologies. Rehoboth has not had a citywide reassessment since 1968.

The commissioners will hear a presentation by landscape architect Ray Zebrowski on the revised plans for a garden near Lake Gerar honoring sister city Greve in Chianti, Italy. Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association has proposed the garden and offered to pay for it as a gift to the city. There will be discussion on draft ordinances that would adopt 2012 versions of various building codes written by the International Code Council that would update the 2006 versions currently contained in the city code.

In new business, the commissioners will discuss acceptance of the city’s audit as prepared by the firm of Barbacane, Thornton and Co. for the fiscal year ending March 31. Commissioner Stan Mills will lead discussion on the city becoming a member of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association and sending a representative to one of the association’s annual conferences.

Dewey to discuss Ruddertowne

Dewey Beach Town Council will meet at 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, at Dewey Beach Life Saving Station on Dagsworthy Avenue. Council will recognize audit committee Chairman Don Ziegler for his volunteer work.

Council is also scheduled to discuss and possibly approve a contract for an engineering firm to oversee construction at Ruddertowne.  Council will also discuss business license fees and possibly vote to move the due date for license fees until March 2013.

Sussex council final meeting agenda packed

Sussex County Council’s final meeting of 2012 at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, has a full agenda with 16 items and four public hearings. Items include a proclamation honoring the Cape Henlopen High School field hockey state champions; a report on the Department of Justice and Department of Housing and Urban Development settlement agreement implementation; and discussion of an economic development loan to Tech World Medicals. See a complete agenda at sussexcountyde.gov. Council's next scheduled meeting will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013.

Resort communications committee to meet Dec. 10

The Rehoboth Beach Communications Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 10, in the city commissioners’ room to discuss the city’s audio policy and items related to the city website. The committee will review the status of a facelift to the city website including the use of a news section on the site and better use of the website to promote ongoing business and studies. Further discussion will be held on the accessibility of support documents related to city commissioners’ meetings as well as a review of the current policy for audio files of city meetings and consideration of extending the time audio files are available online.

There will also be discussion on a communications plan and steps to advance individual concepts such as including an outline of content and how and when to make presentations to the city commissioners. In new business, the committee will present its member handbook, discuss possible clarifications of the city commissioners’ agenda format and discuss a standardized form for submitting agenda items.

Lewes to consider rail-trail evaluation report Dec. 10

Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 10 in City Hall. Agenda items include: Presentation and consideration of a Delaware Department of Transportation report evaluating rail-trail sites in the city for potential trailhead use as referenced in the 2012-2013 bond bill; presentation and referral to Lewes Planning Commission of possible amendments to zoning code to provide residential use special exceptions in the Marine Commercial District; and presentation and referral of a petition to the Traffic Safety Management Advisory Committee requesting the city to implement 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily metered parking in the Third Street municipal parking lot, May 1 through October 14.

The panel will also consider: A license agreement with Joanne T. Greenspum and The Nature Conservancy for construction and encroachment of a retaining wall at the corner of Bay and Oregon avenues; Lewes Planning Commission recommendation of final approval of the minor subdivision into two lots, land located at 558 Pilottown Road owned by J. Madeline Lewis; and a request by the Overfalls Foundation to add museum display space to an existing building and to construct a shed to house the newly acquired Monomoy Surfboat.

Dewey committee to mull gross receipts tax

Dewey Beach Budget and Finance committee will meet at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, at Dewey Beach Life Saving Station on Dagsworthy Avenue.  The committee is scheduled to discuss imposing a gross receipts tax on business licenses as a way to raise revenue.

Budget volunteers will also discuss creation of a subcommittee to manage the town’s investments. To view a complete agenda, go to townofdeweybeach.com.

Mental health policy forum set Dec. 11

The Delaware Consumer Recovery Coalition, a statewide organization of individuals with mental health conditions, will host a People’s Policy Forum from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Meeting Room B, Dover. The forum will provide an opportunity for individuals in recovery from mental health conditions to offer their recommendations for creating an effective mental health policy agenda for Delaware.

“The foundation of our advocacy is the input we receive from the community,” said Bryce Hewlett, DCRC executive director, who himself is in recovery from a mental health condition. “The Delaware public mental health system drastically changed in 2012, and more changes are on their way in 2013. Over the next year, an expert panel will meet under House Joint Resolution 17 to recommend changes to the Delaware Code that specifically affect people with mental health needs. By speaking up now, we who have mental health conditions can have an impact on these changes.”

In addition to using the community input from this meeting to shape its positions on the expert panel, the DCRC will also use it to form its own agenda for the 2013 legislative session. “The agenda will reflect the needs and goals of people affected by the continuing changes to the public mental health system,” Hewlett said. DCRC is a statewide mental health advocacy organization devoted to individual transformation, systems transformation, and community inclusion for all Delawareans recovering from mental illnesses. Contact Hewlett at 302-689-3272 or bryce@delawarerecovery.org.