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Tony's Bethany Beach Newsletter
November 20, 2009
Town Council Regular Monthly Meeting
       
I.  OPENING OF REGULAR MEETING      
    A. Call to Order and Roll Call - All Council members, Town Manager & Town Clerk were present
    B. Pledge of Allegiance      
    C.  Approval of the Agenda   Approved  
    D. Approval of minutes of regular meeting held October 16, 2009 Approved  
    E. Approval of minutes of executive session held on October 16, 2009 Approved  
    F. Approval of minutes of special meeting/workshop held on October 19, 2009 Approved  
    G. Approval of Financial Report Approved  
  * Approval of Tax Adjustment List # 2 Approved  
    H. Announcements/Recognition of Visitors and Public Comment    
  On Wednesday, October 21st, I attended the “Mayoral Institute for WMD/Terrorism Incident Preparedness Workshop”, which was sponsored by DEMA.  The class began at 9 a.m. and continued until 3 p.m.   

The purpose of the course was to provide Mayors with a place and time to discuss the strategic and executive-level issues and challenges related to WMD/Terrorism preparedness and to share proven strategies and practices.  A copy of a FEMA “Executive Handbook” for local officials was placed in the reader room.  The time spent with mayors from other towns was interesting and informative as each has a different “take” on the issues discussed and each municipality will have unique requirements during an emergency.		  
         
  The Women's Civic Club of Bethany Beach presented the Town with a donation of $1,000.   
         
 

In a memorandum dated October 26, 2009 DelDOT and Skanska provided minutes of their most recent Indian River Inlet Bridge construction advisory group.  Some interesting points taken from the minutes follow:

1.      The Indian River Inlet Bridge is a design-build process, which provides for a 33% faster (both design and construction), less costly and should result in less claims than design-bid-construction projects.

2.     The project is approximately 22-25% complete.

3.     The foundation is the key to any structure.  Pile driving has followed the process of driving casings, excavating, setting the piles, driving the piles, cutting the piles and then removing the casings.  Only a few piles remain to be driven.

4.     There are 35,000 cubic yards of concrete in this project.

5.     The new bridge will have a 100 year life expectancy.

6.     In October, 2010, construction is expected to begin on the roadway approaches to the bridge from both north and south.  At that time, only one lane of travel in each direction will be available at that time.  This will NOT prohibit the use of bicycles on SR-1.

There will be tours available in the first half of December.		  
         
  Public comment was requested on any subject that was not on the agenda.  Comments regarding agenda items are requested during the discussion of old and/or new business.  
         
II.  REPORTS OF MEMBERS AND STANDING COMMITTEES      
    A. Report from Audit Committee (Doyle)   Did not meet
    B. Report from Budget and Finance Committee Meeting (Gordon)  
    C. Report from Charter and Ordinance Review Committee (Peterson)    
    D. Report from Communications Committee (Hardiman)    
    E. Report from Cultural and Historic Affairs Committee (Olmstead)    
    F. Report from Non-Residential Design Guideline Committee (Killmer)    
    G. Report from Planning Commission (Killmer)      
    H. Report from Ad Hoc Recycling Committee (Dorfman)      
    I. Report from Town Manager (Graviet)      
         
AGENDA PUBLIC DISCUSSION - Public Comment Regarding Agenda Items is heard after each agenda item is introduced.
         
III.  OLD BUSINESS      
  We had no old business this month      
       
IV.    NEW BUSINESS      
    A. Appointment to Audit Committee (McClenny)    
  Mr. Monte Wisbrock was appointed to the Audit Committee.  
     
    B.
 		 Discussion and Possible Vote Regarding Limiting Residential Parking Permits to Two Per Residence (Dorfman)  
  The purpose of this discussion and vote was to provide more of the available permit parking spaces for Bethany Beach residents.  The Charter and Ordinance Review Committee previously reviewed the Town Code and recommended limiting residential parking permits to two per residence.  The Town issues over 5,000 permits annually.  There are less than 600 available permit parking spaces.  Previously the Town has issued an average of 700 third permits each year.  By eliminating the third permit, the Town will lose approximately $35,000 in revenue per year.  Council previously discussed this issue during a workshop and this evening voted to accept the reduced revenue in order to provide better permit parking opportunities for our property owners.  
     
    C.

 		 Consider Amendment to the Town's Schedule of Fees Regarding Building Permits to reflect Actual Construction Costs, but in an Amount No Less than the Cost Computed by the International Code Council (Gordon)
  Rather than accepting "estimated" construction costs, it was decided to base our fees on the actual contract price or the International Code Council's (ICC) square foot construction cost standard (R-3 VB), whichever is greater.  This will be charged on all commercial, and residential primary buildings, accessory buildings, and improvements to an existing open deck, screen porch, or patio by adding walls and/or roof to become enclosed living space.  The fee for renovations and retrofits will be based on the actual contract price.  Reasons for this change are as follows: 
1.  The ICC figure is a nationwide standard.  It is a guide representing average valuations for most buildings and states that it is intended to be used as an aid for the building official to determine if the permit valuation is underestimated.  Construction costs in this area tend to be significantly higher per square foot than the current $98.95 value used in the ICC's standard.
2.  Charging based on applying this standard to square feet results in the same building permit fee for a basic house or a very elaborate house.
3.  The current fee schedule does not provide an appropriate fee for renovations.  Renovations should not be charged based on square feet, but should be charged a higher fee than what is charged for repairs.
   
    D.
 		 Consider Entering into a Partnership with the Delaware Center for Inland Bays to Provide Nature Experiences and Watershed Education at the Bethany Nature Center (Olmstead)
  The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) and the Town of Bethany Beach have worked together at what is now the Bethany Beach Nature Center since 2006 when the CIB awarded the Town a $5,000 grant to create the Natter Park Native Plant Demonstration Garden.  In 2007, we partnered to create the I-Wall exhibit to tell the story of the Inland Bays, from headwater streams to the Bays.  The CIB objective for the partnership is to have a point-of-contact for education and outreach in the southern resort area of the Inland Bays watershed and to be a resource and partner with the Town to educate and inform residents and visitors about the unique coastal habitats that have been preserved and protected at the Bethany Beach Nature Center.
   
    E. Review and Possible Vote of Town Council Procedure and Protocol Manual (Olmstead)
  A number of modifications were approved based on discussion during a previous Town Council workshop in an effort to have the written document reflect actual practices and to correct a number of items within the document.
   
    F. Consider a Motion to Cancel the December Town Council Meeting (Olmstead)
  The motion passed with the condition that a Town Council meeting could be called by the Mayor if circumstances warrant.
   
  ITEMS OF BUSINESS LISTED ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING MAY BE REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION.  THE AGENDA ITEMS LISTED MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED IN SEQUENCE.  THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL ITEMS
INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS OR THE DELETION OF ITEMS INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WHICH ARISE AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING.  ADDITIONAL ITEMS MAY BE REFERRED TO THE COUNCIL FROM THE COMMITTEES THAT MEET BETWEEN THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA AND THE COUNCIL MEETING.

Posted: 11/05/2009
Revised and Posted: 11/06/2009
Revised and Posted: 11/09/2009
Revised and Posted: 11/10/2009