News Briefs 03/29/19

Sussex council meeting on April 2
Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 2, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. Included on the agenda are an update on the wetlands and buffers working group, and a presentation by the Sussex County Police Chiefs Association. See a complete agenda at www.sussexcountyde.gov.

Route 9 will be closed in Harbeson
A section of Route 9 in Harbeson will be closed for crossroad bridge structure construction and water line installation as part of road improvements at the Route 9-Route 5 intersection from 6 a.m., Monday, April 8, until 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 1. Detour routes: Westbound – traffic on Route 9 approaching Harbeson will need to go north on Route 5 to Sand Hill Road westbound and on to Route 30/ Gravel Hill Road southbound. Eastbound – traffic approaching Harbeson on Route 9 will need to exit north on Route 30/Gravel Hill Road, turn eastbound onto Sand Hill Road and southbound on Route 5. Detour signage will be posted.

Rehoboth utility rate working group to meet April 1-2
The working group studying the city’s utility rate has scheduled meetings for 1 p.m., Monday, April 1, and Tuesday, April 2. Both meetings are scheduled to take place in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda for both meetings calls for continued discussion on a possible new rate structure for the city’s utility ratepayers. For more information, call 302-227-6181. A full copy of the agenda can be found at town hall or online at www.cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.

Rehoboth law oversight committee to meet April 3
The Rehoboth Beach Law Oversight Committee has scheduled a meeting for 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 3, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for a lengthy discussion on the tree ordinance. For more information, call 302-227-6181. A full copy of the agenda can be found at town hall or online at www.cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.

Rehoboth voting charter changes official
A bill changing Rehoboth’s charter to limit voting to individuals, while at the same time relaxing some voter registration and eligibility requirements to bring them in line with state law was signed into law March 28 by Gov. John Carney. The bill passed through the Senate March 19 and the House Jan. 22.

The bill clarifies the one person, one vote rule for all elections – annual municipal, annexation, and borrowing and bond issuance elections; reduces the residency requirement for voter eligibility from six months to 30 days; defines condominium and domicile; changes the voter registration deadline to 30 days prior to the annual municipal election; reduces the amount of time nonresident property owners have to own property in town before they can vote to three months; and changes the city’s process to purge individuals from the books of registered voters.

Lewes historic preservation to meet April 2
The Lewes Historic Preservation Commission will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 2, at the Rollins Community Center. The group will consider a request to demolish an accessory structure at 318 Mulberry St., a non-contributing property. They will also consider a request to build a 42-inch metal fence at 420 Kings Hwy., a contributing property. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Dewey to hold public hearing March 30
Dewey commissioners will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 30, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. for an application submitted by Gary’s Dewey Beach Grill for temporary expansion of premises for the Flight of the Phoenix 5K event Saturday, April 27. Commissioners will discuss and possibly vote to approve the temporary expansion.

Dewey commissioners set special meeting March 30
Dewey commissioners will hold a special meeting at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 30, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. Commissioners will possibly vote to approve the 2020 fiscal year budget, set FOIA copying fees and set a 1.5 percent hotel accommodations tax. Possible votes may take place to update the town’s emergency operations plan, to allow additional off-season expansion of premises and to set parking rates, including free parking. The military surplus inventory report, proposed draft changes to the town charter and possible safety improvements to Coastal Highway will be discussed.

Judge rules in favor of Cape in lawsuit
A judge has ruled in favor of the Cape Henlopen School District after a mother sued the district for gross negligence after her son lost a fingertip during a classroom project. In the Superior Court lawsuit, Robin Thompson, mother of a fourth-grade student at Rehoboth Beach Elementary in 2016, claimed the district and teacher were grossly negligent when her son was injured. Her son was doing a math project measuring a flag near the classroom door when the door closed on his finger, severing his fingertip, according to the court decision.

The district had sought a move for summary judgment earlier, but the court allowed plaintiffs to undertake discovery to determine whether any similar incidents with the door had happened prior to the accident. Hearing none, Judge Richard R. Cooch ruled March 20 that the district and teacher are immune from civil liability and he granted the district summary judgement.

Lewes welcomes new police officer Casey Crapps
The Lewes Police Department has announced the addition of Casey Crapps to its ranks as a patrolman. The Council on Police Training granted Patrolman Crapps his provisional certification after undergoing several hundreds of hours of training in-house and at the Delaware State Police Academy.  Patrolman Crapps comes to Lewes after a six-year career with the Charleston Police Department in South Carolina, where he worked in the Patrol Division and the Community Policing Unit.

Patrolman Crapps is a graduate of the East Tennessee State University, where he majored in criminal justice and minored in disaster relief management. Patrolman Crapps, a Tennessee native, and his wife Amanda, a Connecticut native, sought out Lewes to be closer to family and the beach. With the addition of Patrolman Crapps, the Lewes Police Department is now at full strength and ready to continue professionally serving the citizens and visitors of Lewes.