Milton council adds two to ad hoc lights committee

Milton Town Council unanimously agreed to form an ad hoc committee to examine whether to install lights on the recently opened Rails to Trails extension.

The committee will hold its first meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 30, at the Cannery Village Clubhouse. 

The committee will be chaired by Councilman Sam Garde and will include Councilwoman Randi Meredith, Police Chief Derrick Harvey, board of adjustment member Walter Tydings, Historic Preservation Committee member Lee Revis-Plank and Public Works Supervisor Greg Wingo.

On Nov. 12, council added two more members: Miki Mathe, a resident of West Shore Drive in Wagamon’s West Shores, the neighborhood that abuts the trail, and either Steven or Regan Callahan, whichever accepts the offer to be on the committee, residents of Wagamon’s West Shores who support lights. 

Garde nominated Mathe because the committee did not have any representatives from West Shore Drive. One of the reasons for the committee is that residents of West Shore Drive have opposed lighting the trail, saying it would encourage 24/7 use of the trail and negatively affect their quality of life.

Mayor Ted Kanakos questioned whether to allow Mathe on the committee because he had been critical of the lighting.

“He’s going to help the town,” Garde said. “He is a reasonable person representing some of the constituents who have caused us to relook at this. We should listen to the citizens who have come out against the lighting.”

Kanakos still opposed Mathe’s appointment, and Garde briefly offered to resign as chairman, even though the committee had not been officially formed yet. Garde wanted the committee to be able to re-examine council’s June 2019 decision to install lighting along the trail. Council made that decision in part because the town is receiving half of the funding for the $195,000 project from the state, to the tune of $97,500. Garde wanted the committee to take a holistic look at the pros and cons of lighting in its advisory report to council. Kanakos relented and allowed Garde and the committee to work as they see fit.

The town’s original plan was to proceed with lights no higher than 14 feet. Council had discussed putting conduits in during construction of the trail, which runs between Federal Street and Lavinia Street, but those did not get built. However, Delmarva Power, which would have provided the lights, informed the town that they no longer have 14-foot-tall shoebox-style lights and that the shortest height is now 20 feet. 

The ad hoc committee’s report is due to Milton Town Council by Monday, Jan. 4. 

To watch the livestream of the committee’s meeting, visit milton.delaware.gov.