Share: 

Teds talk to Sussex County Democrats

Mayors of Lewes and Milton discuss their town's issues
March 21, 2019

It was a Ted Talk times two when the mayors of Lewes and Milton addressed the Sussex County 20th Representative District Democratic Club on Feb. 21.

Lewes Mayor Ted Becker and Milton Mayor Ted Kanakos agreed their small, historic towns face similar issues, including development pressures and increasing costs.

Becker has been mayor for five years and served on council for 10 years. Kanakos was on Milton council in 2015 and has served as mayor for the past three years.

Becker said when he first ran for office in 2004, he and others said Lewes could eventually become a community people can't get to because of traffic congestion. “Some days that's almost true,” he said.

He said Lewes is only four square miles and impacted by what occurs in the bordering lands of unincorporated Sussex County. He said at build out, there will be 2,000 homes along Gills Neck Road, which are not in Lewes city limits. “But we still face the impact of that growth,” he said.

Becker said Lewes is a progressive city with active volunteers and groups that provide many services. “We are fortunate to live in a wonderful area filled with history and great people,” Becker said. “But we can't sit idly by – we can be more proactive.”

Kanakos: Clean water a priority

Kanakos said more development is in the near future with 1,200 building lots available in three developments in Milton.

He said one of the top priorities of town officials has been to provide clean water. The town has put in 1,200 feet of new pipe and is in the process of digging a 560-foot well, which will be one of the deepest in the county, Kanakos said.

“We can't grow without good water,” the mayor said.

He said more emphasis should be placed on the Broadkill River, which has played a major role in the town's history. “The key is not to ruin it,” he said. “It's a treasure.”

He envisions a canoe and kayak club on the river.

Kanakos said when he moved to Milton, the population was 2,000; now it's 3,000. “We are talking for the first time about putting up a traffic light,” he said, as an indication of growth in the town.

Working with local legislators

Both mayors agreed that working with state and county officials is key to their town's success. “We can't live without our local legislators,” Kanakos said, adding state funds for infrastructure projects have played a major role in the town's recent water upgrades.

Becker said it's also paramount to make sure upstate legislators know what the issues are in Sussex County's small towns. “We can either bring them here or meet with them in Dover,” he said, adding 25 percent of the current General Assembly is new members.

The Lewes mayor said tourism is key to the town and is the second leading industry in the county. “We have a lot of education to do,” he said.

He said representatives of the seven Sussex coastal towns have formed the Association of Coastal Towns to discuss issues with state environmental officials as well as Delaware's federal delegation.

Affordable housing issue

When asked about affordable housing in Lewes, Becker acknowledged there is a problem. He said many in the workforce can't afford to live in Lewes, which also adds to the transportation problem when people commute to work. “We can't fix this without a more comprehensive look,” he said. “We recognize this as an issue in our comprehensive plan, and we are working with a developer that might be offering affordable housing, but we are not there yet.”

Parking problems in Lewes

When asked about the ongoing parking debate in Lewes, Becker said several options are being explored, including a parking structure, parking permits, a trolley from satellite lots and possibly changing Third Street to one way to add 10 parking spaces. Committees are addressing parking along the beach as well as the downtown area.

“We've not found the silver bullet,” he said.

Possible pond pollution

Kanakos was asked about possible nitrate pollution in Wagamons Pond due to surface water runoff.

The mayor said surface water has never been mentioned as an issue, but he would discuss it at a future meeting.

“The pond may not be as polluted as you think. It's a very shallow manmade pond that is tested by the state,” he said.

Kanakos said a bigger problem is the ongoing flooding in the town's parking lot across from the library. He said a recent study has not provided solutions that will guarantee no more flooding.

Question about budgets

Becker said added personnel costs with new employees and the addition of a city-run recycling pickup program are some of the contributing factors in the city's current deficit. Becker said he's confident a balanced budget is possible. Possible additional revenue sources include an increase in property taxes – the last increase was in 2011 – and parking and fines – the last increase was in 2009.

Kanakos said since he became mayor, the town's open police chief and town manager positions have been filled. In addition, the police force has gone from three officers to eight officers. “We have enormous overhead. There is 47 percent overhead in the police department alone,” he said.

Even so, he said, improved productivity has helped the town post a surplus.

 

 

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter