News Briefs 12-09-16
Village Center, Arbor-Lyn on Sussex agenda
Sussex County Council will have its final regularly scheduled meeting of the year at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the county administration building at 2 The Circle, Georgetown. Included on the agenda are possible votes on rezonings for the proposed Gills Neck Village Center shopping center along Kings Highway, Lewes, and the Arbor-Lyn housing development along Warrington Road near Rehoboth Beach.
Also included on the agenda is possible action on a collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local Union 1926, representing about 65 county division of environmental service employees.
See a complete agenda at www.sussexcountyde.gov.
At the end of the Dec. 13 meeting, council will pay tribute to retiring Councilwoman Joan Deaver, who is stepping down from her District 3 seat after eight years. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.
Georgetown sets Open House Dec. 14
Local residents, business owners, and other interested parties are invited to attend an open presentation on revitalizing the downtown through leveraging broadband and WiFi technologies Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 39 The Circle, Georgetown.
In February the Town of Georgetown submitted an application for technical assistance from the federal Cool and Connected Communities Initiative. Georgetown was one of the five communities selected from nearly 300 applicants to receive this expert assistance.
The information being presented is the result of a workshop recently held to develop an action plan to better tie together the available resources, identify the major missing pieces, and bridge any gaps toward leveraging broadband technology in Georgetown.
The major outcome of this effort is to foster revitalizing the downtown through leveraging broadband and WiFi technologies; attracting new businesses to downtown; and leveraging broadband and WiFi to increase visitors and tourist traffic to Georgetown.
The Cool & Connected Program is an innovative initiative to help communities use broadband service for downtown revitalization and economic development. This is offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Anyone desiring additional information on the Open House should contact Gene Dvornick or Jocelyn Godwin at 302-856-7391.
Savannah Road project workshop Dec. 12
The Department of Transportation will hold a public workshop from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 12, on proposed improvements to Savannah Road from Anglers Road to the public beach parking at Bayview Avenue.
The workshop will be held at Lewes City Hall, 114 E. Third St. This is a concept plan that will depict pedestrian and bicycle improvements, an observation platform overlooking the marsh and other amenities for bicycles and pedestrians along Savannah Road.
The public is invited to attend anytime between 4 and 6 p.m. The public can learn about the project, share ideas and ask questions.
DelDOT welcomes input and encourages the public to identify and discuss project-related issues throughout the design process.
Lewes council meets Dec. 12
Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 12, at city hall. Council will discuss annual landscape expenses for the Lewes Public Library and the new trailhead.
They will also consider a recommendation from the planning commission to amend city code to state that all members of the planning commission shall be residents of the city, an increase to residential building fees, and another extension of a moratorium on special exceptions in the marine-commercial district, and set a public hearing.
To view the full agenda, go to www.ci.lewes.de.us. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.
Sussex council awards grants to nonprofits
Sussex County Council awarded the following councilmanic grants during its Nov. 29 meeting: $650 to Rehoboth Beach Concert Band for a fundraiser to support the Cape Henlopen Senior Center's building drive; $500 to Sussex County Foster Parent Cluster Association for its annual holiday party; $700 to Milton Historical Society for its Night at the Museum; and $1,000 to Good Samaritan Aid Organization in Laurel for its holiday outreach program.
Funds available for revitalization programs
Attorney General Matt Denn reminds community organizations that applications are currently being accepted for the grants from the Neighborhood Building Blocks Fund to support crime reduction, neighborhood revitalization and economic development programs statewide. Applications are due by Dec. 19.
Among the listed goals of the grants are to:
• Address unmet needs of high-crime areas statewide
• Improve resources and opportunities for at-risk juveniles and adolescents
• Increase the use of planning that incorporates crime-prevention strategies
• Enable projects by neighborhood-level organizations that may not traditionally receive grant funding.
The application with the full list of purposes and requirements is available at www.inde.delaware.gov/dedo_pdf/BusinessServices_pdf/mainstreets/NBBF_Application2016-Final.pdf.
The $3.7 million in grant funds were allocated to the NBBF by the Department of Justice, with the agreement of the General Assembly's Joint Finance Committee, from settlements with national banks for alleged misconduct in the national financial markets.
"The purpose of these funds is to provide some help to the hardest-hit neighborhoods in our state in terms of crime and the economy," said Denn, who proposed directing settlement money to the NBBF. "I know there are neighborhood groups that are working every day to make their communities safer and better, and that have innovative ideas that some funding could make happen."
Applications can be submitted to the Delaware Economic Development Office, which administers NBBF.
Milton police hosting clothing, food drive
The Milton Police Department is hosting a clothing and food drive through Friday, Dec. 16. Drop-off locations are at the Milton Police Department, at 101 Federal St., and Milton Town Hall at 115 Federal St. For more information, call 302-684-8547.
Hearing continued in animal cruelty case
A Millsboro man's hearing on animal cruelty charges was continued until Thursday, Dec. 15, in Sussex County Court of Common Pleas.
Atwood Timmons II, 61, faces 171 charges of animal cruelty and neglect after animal welfare officers found 14 emaciated and parasite-infested dogs at his Deep Branch Road property. Officials also found four dead dogs on the property.
Timmons was charged Nov. 25 and released on $42,500 unsecured bail. Court records state Timmons pleaded not guilty to nearly all of the charges.
He appeared in Sussex County Court of Common Pleas Dec. 1 for a preliminary hearing, and he requested a continuation from Judge Rosemary Beauregard so he could retain private counsel. Beauregard continued the preliminary hearing until Dec. 15.
Timmons declined to comment on the case or whether the dogs were his.
