News Briefs 12/8/23

Buffers on Sussex agenda Dec. 12

Sussex County Council will hold its final regularly scheduled 2023 meeting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 12, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. Included on the agenda are a discussion on perimeter buffers and recognition of three high school state champion teams: Cape Henlopen High School, Division 1 field hockey; Delmar High School, Division II field hockey; and Sussex Academy, Division II boys' soccer.

A full agenda and meeting materials are available at sussexcountyde.gov/agendas-minutes/county-council. Meetings are held in person, livestreamed at sussexcountyde.gov/council-chamber-broadcast, and available by phone at 302-394-5036 using code 570176.

Lewes city council to meet Dec. 11

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11, at city hall.

The agenda includes discussion and possible action on a proposed ordinance that would bring the Donovan-Smith Manufactured Home Park up to code.

The panel will also discuss and possibly take action on regulation of marijuana-oriented businesses.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net.

Lewes holds hearing on proposed hotel

Lewes Mayor and City Council held a public hearing Dec. 4 on the proposed Beach House Hotel.

It would be located at 209 E. Savannah Road, the site of the former 2 Dips ice cream shop.

Owner Jim Owen told mayor and council he has reduced to number of rooms from 16 to 15 to accommodate more parking.

There was no public comment at the meeting. Mayor and council will accept public comments until noon, Friday, Dec. 8, and they added discussion and possible action on the proposal to their regular meeting agenda for Monday, Dec. 11.

Open government issues discussed 

The Delaware Coalition for Open Government held its annual meeting Dec. 6 featuring two experts on government transparency and accountability – Claire Snyder-Hall, Common Cause Delaware executive director, and Shannon Manigault, inspector general for the City of Atlanta, Ga. DelCOG President John Kowalko III moderated a Q&A at the end of the evening with questions from the audience.

"DelCOG’s biggest work this past year has been continuing to push for an inspector general to be created in Delaware," Kowalko said. "An inspector general would provide independent, nonpartisan oversight of state agencies and officials, and would be empowered to investigate waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement. Investigations and findings by the inspector general would be publicly reported, furthering transparency, accountability and trust in our government. Inspectors general are commonplace in most of the country, but Delaware lacks any system of this type of nonpartisan oversight of its government agencies."

The event recording will be posted to DelCOG's YouTube page for viewing in the next few days. Learn more about DelCOG at delcog.org.