News Briefs 3/22/22
Lewes resiliency group meets March 22
The Lewes Executive Committee on Resiliency will meet at 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 22, at city hall and via Zoom.
The group will discuss the framework for a resiliency fund.
A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.
Lewes bike and ped to meet March 22
The Lewes Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 22, at city hall and via Zoom.
The group will discuss the change to the New Road shared-use path for the Canary Creek bridge replacement project, the city’s low-stress bike route and other topics.
A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.
Lewes Board of Public Works meets March 23
The Lewes Board of Public Works will meet at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, at city hall and via Zoom. The group will discuss proposed rate changes to all utility services as part of the budget approval. They will also discuss American Rescue Plan Act funds, strategic planning and objectives, mitigation committee member selection, and an outside-the-city sewer-only rate. A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewesbpw.delaware.gov.
Lewes public art meeting March 23
The Lewes Public Art Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, at the Rollins Community Center and via Zoom. The group will discuss 2022 exhibitions from Vivian Collins, Letha Wilson and Rose DiSiano. A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.
Cape Henlopen school board meets March 24
The Cape Henlopen school board will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 24 at Milton Elementary School. Nominations for Legends induction will be presented. The board will take possible action on the 2022-23 district calendar, major capital project change orders and the financial statement for the month of February.
Public workshop on water project funding set March 24
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a State Revolving Loan Fund virtual public workshop at 10 a.m., Thursday, March 24, offering a detailed overview of programs that provide funding for clean water and drinking water projects in the state. Attendees will get guidance on requesting financial assistance for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project needs. Preregistration is required; go to tinyurl.com/5t2xefew.
Workshop attendees will learn how programs administered by DNREC Environmental Finance can provide a one-stop loan application process for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project assistance, including new funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; wastewater, drinking water and surface water matching planning grants; how and when to submit projects for funding consideration; and more.
Information on the loan and grant programs and applications can be found at de.gov/envfinance.
Sussex County unveils new spending portal
Sussex County is putting it all out there in terms of its finances.
County Finance Director Gina Jennings unveiled a new financial information portal on the county website March 8 that allows users to see how the county is spending taxpayer money.
Users can search information on the county’s annual budget, payroll expenses and its ‘checkbook’ of day-to-day transactions. The information can be searched, sorted and graphed, and even shared through social media channels.
The portal, which is tied into the county’s Munis financial software package, pulls real-time information and displays it for users through a series of tiles, charts and graphics in order to satisfy the public’s growing interest in how public dollars are spent. Costs to create it came from the county’s 2021-22 allocation of nearly $45.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The portal is available via the county website under Finance, or directly by visiting sussexco.finance.socrata.com/#!/dashboard.
Blunt Rochester to address Sussex Dems
The Eastern Sussex Democratic Club will host Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester as its guest speaker at 5:10 p.m., Thursday, March 24, at Big Oyster Brewery, 1007 Kings Hwy., Lewes. Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives and serves as assistant whip for House leadership. She sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and was previously a member of the House Committee on Agriculture.
Register online at easternsussexdemocrats.com. The fee to register is $35, which includes dinner at 5:45 p.m. Attendees will sign in and pay at the door beginning at 4:30 p.m.
