REGULAR MEETING

March 12, 1962

The regular meeting of City Council was held Monday, March 12, 1962 at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Carroll presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs Hayes, Hill, Holpp, Hughes, Turner, Walls and Zartman.

The invocation was said by Rev. Raymond C. Best.

MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting of February 26, 1962 bore the written approval of Mayor Carroll and reading was dispensed with.

REPORTS

Report of the Chief of Police was accepted as read.

Report of Alderman Shockley for December was accepted as read. Checks in the amounts of $219.00 and $74.50 were remitted to the City. Report of Magistrate Cavanaugh was accepted as read. A check in the amount of $130.20 was remitted to the City. Report of Magistrate Knotts was accepted as read. A check in the amount of $162.00 was remitted to the City.

Report of the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector was accepted as read.

Report of the Executive Officer, Board of Health, was accepted as read.

Report of General Fund Cash Receipts for February was accepted as read.

Report of Budget for January was accepted as read.

Report of Electric Revenue and Improvement Fund Cash Receipts and expenditures for February was accepted as read.

Electric Department Operating Report for January was accepted as read.

AGENDA AND REPORTS

On motion of Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Hayes, Council directed that copies of a proposed agenda and monthly reports furnished members of Council be mailed to each member of Council so that they are received on the week-end prior to each regular meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Councilman Hill moved that a report be submitted to Council on the fourth Monday of each month listing authorizations and orders of Council not yet carried out. Mayor Carroll stated that monthly progress reports will soon be submitted to Council which should fill the same purpose. Councilman Hill withdrew his motion.

FIRE CHIEF

James B. Bice III submitted to Council his resignation as Assistant Fire Chief of the Robbins Hose Company because of his health. On motion of Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Hayes, the resignation was accepted.

The Robbins Hose Company nominated William T. James to fill the unexpired term of James Bice as Assistant Fire Chief. There being only one nomination, on motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Walls, Council elected William T. James as Assistant Fire Chief to fill the unexpired term of James B. Bice III.

DOVER DAYS

A letter from the Friends of Old Dover invited the Mayor and Council, with their wives, to receive Dover Day visitors in the rotunda of the Old State House, at 1:30 P.M., Sunday, May 6.

CHARTER ADVICE

Council discussed briefly the provisions of the Home Rule bill passed by a recent session of the State Legislature. City Solicitor Buckson suggested that members of Council meet in informal session in the near future and discuss provisions contained in the Dover Charter. In this way they may become more familiar with their powers and duties and with general administration of the City. It was decided to hold such a meeting when Councilman Mowlds recovers from his illness.

The Solicitor will prepare a general tow-away ordinance and an ordinance providing for use of voting machines in City elections.

NORTH STREET ORDINANCE

On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Walls, Council by unanimous vote passed the following ordinance:

AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE PARKING OF VEHICLES ON PORTIONS OF THE NORTH SIDE OF NORTH STREET IN THE CITY OF DOVER.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOVER IN COUNCIL MET:

Section 1. From and after the passage of the approval of this Ordinance it shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle on the north side of North Street within 19 feet of the west edge of the depressed area for the driveway to the parking lot of the Farmers Bank and within a distance of 14 feet from the easternmost point of the depressed area creating entrance to the parking lot for the Farmers Bank.

Section 2. The Police Department of The City of Dover, and any individuals, firms, or corporations acting at the request and on behalf of the said Police Department shall be vested with the authority to remove or toe away any vehicles which during the times and on the streets set forth in Section 1 shall be parked.

Section 3. All vehicles removed or towed away pursuant to this ordinance shall be taken to a storage area selected by the Police Department and shall remain there until such time as a release is obtained from the Police Department.

Section 4. The owner or owners and/or the operator of any vehicle impounded pursuant to this ordinance shall, before such vehicle is released, pay all expenses incurred by the removal or towing of such vehicle in addition to any fine and costs as hereinafter provided.

Section 5. Any person convicted of a violation of this ordinance shall be fined not less than One ($1.00) Dollar or more than Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars, and/or upon the failure to pay such fine as may be imposed shall be imprisoned not less than one (1) day or more than thirty (30) days, plus costs.

Passed March 12, 1962.

AMENDMENT TO ZONING ORDINANCE

An amendment to the zoning ordinance proposed by Councilman Zartman was presented by the City Solicitor. The proposal was fully discussed. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Zartman, the proposed amendment was referred tot he Planning Commission for a report before setting a date for public hearing. Mr. Hughes voted ‘No’. The proposal follows:

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE XI, SECTION 11.1 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF DOVER.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOVER IN COUNCIL MET:

That from and after the passage of this Ordinance, Section 11.1 of the Zoning Ordinance of The City of Dover shall be deleted and in lieu thereof shall appear the following:

Section 11.1 Amendments. This ordinance or any part thereof, may be amended, supplemented or repealed, from time to time, by the City Council on its own motion or on petition, as provided in Chapter 3 of Title 22, Municipalities of the Delaware Code of Annotated. Every such proposed amendment mat be referred by the City Council to the Planning Commission for a report before the public hearing. The City Council shall not take action on any such amendment referred to the Planning Commission without a report from the Planning Commission unless the Planning Commission fails to render such a report within sixty days after its next regularly scheduled meeting following such referral.

The proposal substitutes ‘May be referred’ for ‘shall be referred’.

UTILITY COMMITTEE REPORT

Written report of the Utility Committee was accepted as read.

WAGES & HOURS

Report of the Wages & Hours Committee was accepted by Council. Included in the report was a recommendation that all hourly and clerical employees of the City be granted a 7% wage increase and that supervisory personnel be paid for overtime worked in excess of 45 hours of work weekly at a rate equivalent to their straight time hourly earnings for a 40 hour week. Effective date would be the pay week beginning March 8. On motion of Mr. Hayes, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council approved the recommendation of the Wages & Hours Committee.

URBAN RENEWAL

Myron Lamb, Redevelopment Director, reported that a budget revision providing for additional planning work on the redevelopment project had been approved by the Federal agency. He also reported that the work should be completed in approximately six weeks.

CITY MANAGER REPORT

City Manager Ward stated that his monthly report would be completed and mailed to all Councilmen in the next several days.

ALBRIGHT & FRIEL

City Manager Ward reported that the Consulting firm of Albright & Friel were progressing with their survey of areas adjacent to the City which might be considered for annexation.

Council adjourned at 9:55 P.M.

F. Neylan

City Clerk

All ordinances, orders and resolutions adopted by City Council at its meeting of March 12, 1962 are hereby approved.

March 14, 1962                                                                                   Crawford J. Carroll Mayor