News Briefs

Rehoboth streets committee to meet

The Rehoboth Beach Streets and Transportation Committee will discuss possible changes to the scooter parking permit program and the adequacy of scooter parking in the downtown and beach areas at its regular meeting, 9 a.m., Monday, Feb. 24, in the city commissioners’ room.

The committee will consider policies regarding skateboards and street marking and park­ing restrictions on Surf Avenue. There will also be discussion of snow removal from downtown sidewalks. Regarding bicycles, the committee will discuss bi­cycle parking in the downtown and beach areas, and additional bike racks in the beach and cen­tral business areas.

Rehoboth commissioners to meet

The Rehoboth Beach commis­sioners will meet at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, in the city commission­ers’ room to discuss expanding smoke-free areas to include the beach, Boardwalk, Bandstand and all city parks.

Discussion will also include creating designated areas where smoking would be permitted.

The commissioners will also consider authorizing the may­or to enact proposed charter changes that would modernize sections of the charter to bring them in line with practice.

Lewes BPW meeting canceled

The Lewes Board of Pub­lic Works meeting slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26, has been canceled due to a lack of action­able items. The board’s next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, March 26. For more information, contact the BPW office at 302-645-6228.

Lewes Parks & Rec meeting Feb. 24

The Lewes Parks and Rec­reation Commission will meet at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 24, at city hall. The only item on the agenda for commission is the presentation and consideration of a recommendation report for the planning commission regard­ing the Point Farm/Harbor Point subdivision preliminary plan. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Sussex council prepares for break

Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the county administration building. Agenda items include a presentation on the Freedom of Information Act by the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. See a complete agenda at sussexcoun­tyde. gov. Council will take its midwinter break and not meet Tuesday, March 4, and Tuesday, March 11.

Lewes flood awareness workshop set

The City of Lewes Mitigation Planning Team, in partnership with Delaware Sea Grant, will hold a public workshop from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, March 6, in Cannon Lab Room 104 at the University of Delaware’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lew­es. Deputy Mayor Ted Becker will present opening remarks, and Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant’s coastal hazard specialist, will share information on under­standing flood risk, including an overview of historic and current flood hazards in Lewes.

Cpl. Chatham Marsch of the Lewes Police Department and Darrin Gordon, executive direc­tor of the Lewes Board of Public Works, will discuss how resi­dents should prepare in advance of a flood emergency situation and how the City of Lewes prepares for a flood event. In commemoration of the 52nd an­niversary of the March ’62 storm, a screening of the film “The ’62 Storm – Delaware’s Shared Response” will follow the discus­sion session. Space is limited.

Lewes residents wishing to at­tend should contact Lisa Dorey at 302-645-4234 or via email at dorey@udel.edu by Monday, March 3.

Carper seeks applications for marshal

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) an­nounced recently that his office will begin to accept applications for consideration for the position of U.S. Marshal for Delaware.

Candidates are recommended to the president by the senior member of Congress from the president’s political party in a state where the vacancy exists. The president will formally nom­inate an individual to the Senate for its advice and consent.

Any individual interested in being considered should submit a letter of qualification, a detailed resume and the names of three references to the senator’s Dover office, 500 W. Loockerman Street, Suite 470, Dover, DE 19904, atten­tion: Lori James, state director or reach Lori James through that office at 302-674-3308.

All application materials must be received by Friday, Feb. 28.

For information on the posi­tion of U.S. Marshal, qualification guidelines and a job description, go to www.usmarshals.gov and click Congressional Affairs.

Delmarva Power to expand natural gas

The Delaware Public Service Commission approved changes Feb. 7 to the natural gas tariff gov­erning Delmarva Power’s ability to deliver natural gas to more than 120,000 customers.

The approved changes will make it more affordable for in­terested customers in Delmarva Power’s natural gas service ter­ritory to convert to natural gas service for their home-heating needs.

In response to DPSC’s approv­al, Delmarva Power will work to implement the tariff changes to provide natural gas service to more customers, including customer communications, public announcements, com­munity outreach and continued coordination with state and local partners. Implementing the tariff changes will be a multiphase, long-term project.

“We believe that more Del­aware residents should have choices in meeting their energy needs, and that those choices should be based upon the current state of energy markets in Dela­ware,” said Gary Stockbridge, president, Delmarva Power. “We are pleased to make these tariff changes, which will make natural gas available to more customers who may wish to convert to it as an alternate energy source.”

For more information, go to www.delmarva.com, and click the Natural Gas tab on the homepage. Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/delmarva­connect, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/delmarvaconnect. A mobile app is available at www.delmarva.com/mobileapp.

Milton tables car wash well request

Milton Mayor and Town Council voted to table a request seeking permission to drill a pri­vate water well for commercial use at Finish Line Car Wash on Broadkill Road.

The panel voted unanimously to forward the request to the water committee for review and recommendation. Town officials also asked for input from its en­gineering firm Pennoni, and from Dustan Russum, Milton Public Works director. Business owner Jim Parker told town officials the automatic car wash is open around the clock daily.

Parker said he wants to drill a private well because the town is experiencing a water shortage.

“Without water, I’m out of business,” he told mayor and council. Parker said he opened the car wash in 2004, and it is equipped with a unit that pro­cesses used water and recycles it for additional washes.

“You do know we are the own­er of the water under this town?” Councilman Emory West asked Parker, who said he does know.

The panel agreed recommen­dations it has asked for should be back in time for the request to be placed on its Monday, March 3 meeting agenda.

Sussex Dems plan March 1-2 events

The public is invited to attend the Sussex County Democrats Expo March 1 or March 2, from 3 to 5 p.m. The March 1 event will be held at the Democratic Party Headquarters at 10 West Pine St. just off The Circle in Georgetown. The March 2 event will take place at Fish On restau­rant in the Villages of Five Points outside Lewes.

Both venues will feature a Mardi Gras celebration, with complimentary appetizers, priz­es and games.

The expo will offer an op­portunity to learn about the following Democratic organiza­tions: Eastern Sussex Democrats, Progressive Democrats of Sus­sex County, Shore Democrats, Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats, Sussex County Women’s Democratic Club, Sussex County Black Cau­cus, Western Sussex Democrat Club, and Delaware Young Dem­ocrats. Guests will be able to learn about each group and how they can get involved as mem­bers or volunteers.

The Sussex County Democrat­ic Party is the primary sponsor for the expo program. For direc­tions or additional information, contact Dennis Steigerwalt at demexpo14@gmail.com.

Sussex council awards nonprofit grants

Sussex County Council presented the following coun­cilmanic grants during its Feb. 18 meeting: $550 to Delaware Com­munity Foundation for the Flags for Heroes program; $1,000 to Nanticoke River Arts Council for Gallery 107 operating expenses; and $1,000 to Town of Bridgeville police for its speed warning de­tection system. Council awards grants to nonprofit agencies and organizations providing services and sponsoring events for county residents.

Lewes council sells Burton Ave. land

Lewes Mayor and City Coun­cil voted unanimously to sell a parcel of land on Burton Avenue. The city accepted the offer of a $399,000 cash sale to a pri­vate owner. The parcel was the third of three 52-foot-by-150-foot pieces of land on Burton Avenue the city sold to pay for the land acquired for the new library.

An electrical substation the city owned occupied portions the site from 1967 until 2005.

In December 2012, Lewes Board of Public Works loaned the city $2.15 million to buy land for the new Lewes Public Library. The city agreed to use money from Burton Avenue lot sales as payments on the BPW loan.

The city had already fully re­paid the BPW prior to the most recent offer. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.