REGULAR MEETING

May 25, 1977

A Special Meeting of Council was held on May 25, 1977 at 7:30 P.M. for the purpose of allowing public input relating to revenue sharing allocations for fiscal year 1977-78, termed a Proposed Use Hearing. Vice-Mayor Muir was presiding with Councilmen McDonough, Weyandt, Hardcastle, Carey, Witt, Carson and Bewick in attendance. Mayor Legates was absent.

Vice-Mayor Muir declared the hearing open and requested Mr. James to outline the purpose and guidelines of the meeting to facilitate compliance with federal regulations.

Mr. James explained that this hearing is the first step in accordance with federal regulations, effective January 1, 1977, and is termed a Proposed Use Hearing. Applicants for Revenue Sharing Grants should be the only items discussed. According to the Office of Revenue Sharing, $794,380.00 will be available to the City of Dover for the Federal Fiscal Year of October 1, 1977 to September 30, 1978.

The following are the requests received, as submitted by the Office of the City Manager.

Dover Little League

A request by the Dover Little League did not include a specified amount of funds. There was no one present to speak for or against and no correspondence.

Modern Maturity Center

The Modern Maturity Center submitted a request in the amount of $10,000 plus $11,017 to fund their MANNA Program.

Mr. Robert Bonniwell, Executive Director, was present to explain the various aids to the elderly furnished by the Center. These include the MANNA Program which served 76,000 meals during the year, the Telephone Reassurance Program, the Twenty Four Hour Help Line, the Golden Eagle Craft Shop and social and recreational programs.

Geriatric Services

A request was received from Geriatric Services in the amount of $10,000.

Mr. John T. McDonough was present to answer any questions relative to the request as submitted. Mrs. McDonough explained that the request will supply needed funds for increased services and additional special diet meals to convalescents.

Kent Sussex Industries, Inc.

A request was received from Kent Sussex Industries, formerly the Golden Opportunity Center, for a grant of $17,500.

Mr. Joseph Shahan, Executive Direction, was present stating that it is the hope of his organization to become more and more self-supporting through government contracts now made available by the National Institute for the Severely Handicapped. It was his wish that the City will hold to the amount of $17,500 for the next four or five years.

Harvest Years Senior Center

The application submitted by the Harvest Years Senior Center did not include a grant amount.

Mr. Castrenze Bonanno, President of the Board of Directors, was present and requested a sum of $1,500. The organization is provided a portion of the First Baptist Church Education Building to meet and promote their projects which consists of twenty-three members. Mr. Bonanno stated that the purpose of the center is to provide hand crafted projects for its members. The requested funds will be used to purchase the necessary materials. It is the organization’s goal to become self-sustaining through sales of their hand crafted items.

Being a new organization, Mr. Bonanno explained that there is no past financial breakdown available. However, he will submit a statement of current expenses in accordance with Council policy.

YMCA

The YMCA submitted two requests for funds. Three thousand dollars ($3,000) will be used for the Day Camp Sackarackin Program and five thousand dollars ($5,000) will equip two tennis courts on an existing paved parking lot.

Mr. Ted Ressler, Executive Director, was present to explain the requests.

Day Camp Sackarackin provides outdoor activities for sixty children, five days a week for two weeks. Participants are transported to and from their homes each day.

Mr. Ressler stated that they were informed by the Capital School District that tennis court facilities used in the past would not be available in 1977. An exchange arrangement with Delaware Technical College, utilizing their courts, has also been terminated due to a change in Del Tech’s policy.

The $5,000, if granted, will enable the YMCA to run tennis seven or eight months out of the year and meet the needs of 450 individuals.

Mr. James noted the filing date deadline of May 15^th and stated that Mr. Ressler’s letter of request was received May 23^rd.

Delaware Disadvantaged Foundation

A request was received from the Delaware Disadvantaged Foundation in the amount of $24,280.

Mr. Wallace Waite, Chairman of the Board, addressed Council explaining that the funds requested will be used for their pre-GED Program and upholstery training.

Questioned by Mr. McDonough, Mr. Waite stated that a request for approximately $19,000 had been submitted to the County making DDF’s total budget $44,000. He further stated that he did not feel that the GED Program is a duplication of services but instead, fills a gap between other facilities offering this training. Replying to Mr. McDonough, Mr. Waite said that he does not presently receive a salary.

Delaware Tech - Kent Campus

Delaware Tech - Kent Campus, submitted a request for $15,000. There was no one present to speak for or against the request and no correspondence.

City of Dover - General Fund

City Manager James outlined the following request for the General Operating Budget of the City for 1977-78.

            Public Safety                                                                          $215,000

                  Dept. of Inspections                      80,000

                  Police Dept.                                  135,000

            Environmental Protection                                                        150,000

                  Trash Dept.                                   150,000

            Public Health                                                                           130,000

                  Dept. of Inspections - Health         10,000

                  Ambulance Services                     120,000

            Recreation                                                                               130,000

                  Parks & Recreation Dept.             130,000

            Social Services for Aged & Poor                                            75,000

                  Senior Surrey                                75,000

Mr. James stated that in his opinion, the primary purpose of the Revenue Sharing Act in its inception was to hold down the cost of the government to the public to prevent substantial tax increases, due to inflationary trends. In preparing the above breakdown, it was his intention to balance the budget of the City for 1977-78. Any appropriation deducted from monies granted to the General Operating Budget would reflect a deficit.

Vice-Mayor Muir declared the hearing closed at 8:35 P.M.

                                                                        WILLIAM H. WILLIS

                                                                        CITY CLERK

JAMES P. MUIR

                                                                        VICE-MAYOR

June 1, 1977

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