Triangle Neighborhood Association Meeting

Monday, May 7, 2007

 

1.                  The meeting began at 7:02 AM.  There were 27 persons present at the start of the meeting.  Twelve additional persons joined the meeting in progress.

2.                  Howard Sholl, TNA President, made a few announcements:

·        How many are members of the e-group?  To join now, persons must be approved.   This will cut down on spam.

·        Recycling – Some still do not get it.   The majority are cooperative

·        There is a “Second District Group” to deal with area wide issues.   The Triangle Neighborhood Association is involved.  We will wait to see how things go.

3.                  Norm Griffiths, Councilman for the Second District, addressed the group:

·        The City Budget season is over.  Fourteen budget hearings were held.   The committee goes through a Proposed Budget review process.  The committee met with the Mayor today. 

·        The “dump truck” problem has been resolved for the Triangle Neighborhood, but the issue has reappeared in another section of the city.

·        A Memorial Day Parade will be held in the evening of May 30  at 5:15 PM  in  Trolley Square.

·        The Wilmington Games will be held on July 25 at 6 PM  at Baynard stadium

·        Instant ticketing for unkempt residences has gone into effect.

·        On May 9 at 7:00 PM, the Delaware Center for Horticulture will have a presentation on fish swimming upstream in the Brandywine River.

4.                  Three representatives from the Department of Licenses and Inspections were presented to the group: Commissioner Jeff Starkey, Chiffon Prince and Michael Dorsey.

·        There are three enforcement teams.

·        Instant tickets for unkempt properties started on Monday.

·        In January filers describing instant ticketing were distributed.  To date 10,000 fliers have been distributed.

·        Warning stickers will be given before violation tickets are issued.

·        The program is addressing obvious sanitation issues, junk, debris and overgrown lawns.

·        A picture of the violation is on the ticket, similar to a traffic ticket.

·        One can appeal the violation.

·        The fee doubles, if not paid in 30 days.

·        This is a civil penalty, not a criminal penalty.

·        Each one is a separate occurrence.

·        During this Saturday’s Operation Clean Sweep, the Licenses and Inspection teams will not be issuing tickets.

·        A special pick-up will require a 24 hours advance notice.

·        Website for city information is  www.ci.wilmington.de.us

·        The purpose of the policy is to promote a clean city.  The process will be monitored.

·        There is an appeal process, and the hearing officers are independent of the inspectors.  

·        We do not know the volume, yet.   Since last Monday, there were 150 violations.

·        The vacant property program has been successful, and it is reviewed every year.  Boston has adopted a similar program.

·        Channel 10 was doing a story on instant ticketing today.

·        John Rago interjected that the city is not doing it for the money, but to improve the city.

·        Question from the floor:  What is the situation with the vacant property at 1901 Franklin?  There is a car parked there.  Answer:  You can report vacant homes through a mail-back form.

·        Question from the floor: What is the situation with 2002 Franklin Street?  Answer:  No court date has been set.  The city is looking to assume ownership of the property.

·        L& I inspectors can come onto a property, if there is a visible violation.

 

5.                  Captain Maggitti, Wilmington Police Department,  spoke to the group:

·        Middle of the night burglaries have been reported, although there has been no violence associated.

·        Screens do not protect.  Do not leave windows open.  A porch roof can be used as an access point.

·        Thefts of bikes and lawnmowers have been reported.  Copper downspouts are targets, also.

·        A question from the floor: How does a “Reverse 911” system work?

o       Reverse 911 is a means of informing neighbors in a specified section of the city about an important issue or public concern.

o       Phone numbers in the specified area are called and a recorded message is left.

o       Unlisted numbers are not called, and call blocks can prevent the recording of the message.

o       Officer Steven Barnes at the office of public information can put your phone number on the list.  Call 576-3162.

·        Tom Baker will post the crime stats for the TNA egroup.

·        The Wilmington Flower Market will be held this week end: Thursday, Friday and Saturday

6.                  Norm Griffiths once more addressed the group:

·        Discretionary funds are available for scholarships.  The money gets sent to the college or university directly.   The amount is $500, and can help with the purchase of books.

·        Do not delay.  Some forms have been submitted.  The student must live in the Second District.   There is no age limit.

·        Neighborhood Watch signs are fading.  Tom Baker  is surveying the conditions and will report the results.

7.                  Harris B.  McDowell, State Senator, addressed the group:

·        There is a lot going on in Dover

·        Sustainable Energy Utility Task Force is at work in Dover.

·        When buying appliances, the lower priced machine is not necessarily the more efficient machine.    

·        Load reduction is important.

·        We seek a market based solution without any huge bureaucracy.   Other states have had success.

·        Critics state that one cannot get the volume to make renewable energy workable.

·        The supply side answer is to build; but, if it is built, it will be used.

·        Three main trends:

o       Conservation,

o       Efficiency,

o       Consumer action.

·        We must reduce global warning, because the earth is saturated with CO2,

·        Water based heat pumps use half as much energy.

·        Question from the floor:  Is there money for window replacement?   Answer: Not at the present time.

·        On the Senate floor tomorrow, there will be consideration given to a virtual energy utility.  

·        The Delmarva energy bids are being considered in Dover, also.

·        On another note, trash recycling is successful.

8.                  John Rago, representing the Mayor’s Office, addressed the group:

·        Yard waste disposal should not be an issue.

·        If yard waste is put out on regular trash collection, the collectors will radio another truck to come to pick up the material.

·        If the picked up does not occur, then call for special pickup.

·        At 12th and Governor Printz Blvd, the yard waste is composted for use in planting.   In time the compost may be offered to the citizens.

·        Do not mix yard waste with other materials.

·        It is possible to get $400 back per year in coupons through recycling.  Information is available on line.

·        Question from the floor: Is there a ticket available to identify yard waste?  Answer:  A ticket is not needed.   The collectors can determine the presence of yard waste during their pick-up rounds.

9.                  Elections for officers and directors of the Triangle Neighborhood Association were held:

·        The slate of nominees was announced in the May TNA Newsletter as:

o       President:                  Howard Sholl

o       Vice President:          Frank McKelvey

o       Secretary:                  Fr. James Dalton

o       Treasurer:                  Lee McKelvey

o       Directors:                  Tom Baker, Kathy Flynn, Meg Hudson,

Concetta LaMarca, Tim Sharpe, Suzanne Lynch and Suzanne Tuthill

·        Lee McKelvey asked if there were any other nominations from the floor for the position of TNA President.    There were no nominations from the floor.

·        Howard Sholl was elected TNA President.

·        Howard asked if there were any nominations from the floor for officers and directors.  There were no other nominations.

·        Those listed in the slate were elected.

 

10.              Howard Sholl addressed the group about some neighborhood business:

·        Street sweeping began in northern part today. One side will be swept one day, then the other side the next day.

·        On Saturday morning at 8 AM, a truck from Public Works will come to the Triangle Neighborhood for a special collection.  There is no size limit on the items to be discarded.

·        Question from the floor: Can yard waste be put out?  Answer:  Yard waste can be placed in a separate truck on Saturday.

·        Do not put out for the truck:

o       Tires,

o       Wall paint,

o       Building materials like wall board, since chalk-like dust will be generated.

·        These banned items can be taken to Frawley Stadium for disposal.

·        Reusable items can be passed on to others.  Perhaps, items can be posted through the egroup.

·        Volunteers are needed to place items into the truck.

·        The weeds in the TNA garden near the Augustine Cutoff will be removed on Saturday around 1 PM.

·        Loren Grober called this afternoon about the intersection of Route 202, Murphy Road and Powder Mill Road.  She suggested that a traffic study be conducted.   There was no consensus from the group.

·        Summer Happy Hours are being developed, but not as a TNA event.  Loren is the contact person.  Howard has her phone number, if anyone needs it.

·        Fliers are available: trash pick up, instant ticketing info, scholarships, recycling program.

11.              Frank McKelvey mentioned that there have been 20 new residents since November.

12.              Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 PM.

 

Respectively submitted by

 

Fr. J. Dalton

May 29, 2007