Dewey infrastructure funds approved for town resiliency plan

The Dewey Beach Infrastructure Committee during an April 2 meeting unanimously approved the use of $75,000 in town infrastructure funds to support a resiliency plan relating to climate change.

The plan lays out the framework for a study to evaluate the town’s vulnerabilities to flooding, sea-level rise and other climate change-related risks, thus allowing the town to better anticipate, withstand and recover from these hazards. It is estimated the study will take 10 months to complete and cost about $75,000.

The town’s resiliency & sustainability committee drafted the plan with the help of Brent Jett of George, Miles & Buhr, the engineering design firm the committee recommended for the project. Town council approved the plan March 20 and directed the infrastructure committee to review and decide whether to permit the use of town infrastructure funds to pay for it.

Committee member Marty Tarr was initially hesitant to support the use of funds for the study, urging the town to be prudent with its infrastructure funding. After discussion, though, she joined fellow members in approving the funds.

Currently, the town’s infrastructure account has a balance of about $750,000 and gets replenished every year by 20% of the town’s annual building permit profits.

“This is one of those funds that has grown much larger than we anticipated because of lack of usage,” Mayor Bill Stevens said.

Town Manager Bill Zolper said having the study done will help put the town in a better position for securing grant money in the future. 

Grants are often very competitive among towns seeking limited funds for various projects, said Commissioner David Jasinski, infrastructure committee liasion. In the past, Dewey has been very dependent on getting grants to fund many of its infrastructure projects and to supplement its infrastructure budget.

“I want to give our town manager all the ammunition he can possibly have to continue to get us these grant funds,” Jasinski said.

The study will also provide valuable insight to help inform the development of climate change preparation and protection strategies for the town, which it will be able to include in its updated comprehensive plan. Every municipality in Delaware is required by the state to adopt and maintain such a plan, which must be updated and recertified at least every 10 years. 

The next updated plan is due by 2028.

For a copy of the resiliency plan or to watch a recording of the April 2 meeting, visit townofdeweybeach.gov/events/43381/.