During Monday’s Delmar Commission (Md.) meeting, Delmar Police Chief Ivan Barkley reported on some recent incidents in town as well as the effort to find new officers. The Commission also approved five zoning requests and bid farewell to a commissioner who chose not to run in next Tuesday’s election.
Barkley said there were few incidents on Halloween this year. He also reported that the police department has been working with managers and owners to reduce incidents at local pubs.
The department is also working with Delaware protective services after an infant was found with a broken arm last weekend.
Barkley reported that he is processing candidates who are testing for the January police academy. He said that the police department has received some interest from sworn and unsworn officers but it hasn’t received an application from any of those potential candidates.
Chief Barkley also thanked everyone who made the new police contract possible. “That will certainly help as we work to rebuild,” he said. “We didn’t get here overnight, we’re not going to get out of that overnight.”
Mayor Karen Wells asked about the police department’s new website, which was discussed at the Commission’s meeting in September. Barkley said it will go online shortly. He also reported that the department is working on a video to showcase who they are and what they do.
Deputy Commissioner Lloyd Unsell reported that a chlorine booster pipe in the water treatment plant stopped working recently and was replaced on Nov. 3. Residents around Fifth Street were without water for 36 hours but it is now back online.
Commissioner Jack Lenox had six items from the Oct. 21 Planning and Zoning meeting for the Commission to vote on.
The Commission voted, 4-0, to approve a request for a new modular home at 702 S. Maryland Avenue. Planning and Zoning recommended approval of the request pending a conditional site plan, which was produced by the applicant.
Ryan Homes had a pair of new home build applications for Wood Creek. The first one was approved, 4-0. Prior to the vote on the second one, Unsell had some questions for the developer about three vacant lots nearby and also voiced some concerns about lighting in the development. He said he would not approve future requests if the lighting issue is not addressed. The Commission unanimously approved the second new home request.
The Commission voted, 4-0, to table a request for new home construction at 500 Maryland Avenue because the applicant was not present. Also, Planning and Zoning recommended approval contingent upon a revised site plan, which the town hadn’t received prior to the meeting.
Ryan Conaway from McCrone Engineering came before the Commission regarding an 83 single family home subdivision on Gordy Mill Road which has been pending for 16 years. Planning and Zoning gave a favorable recommendation for the project, which is on property that has already been annexed into the town, but Lenox had some questions/clarifications for Conaway regarding some of the language from what was approved in 2005.
Lenox said the town is now responsible for stormwater reviews. At the time this project was approved, Wicomico County did the reviews. Lenox also wanted more details on forest conservation plants and asked Conaway if the developer was prepared to have the projected recertified by the county.
Lenox also said the developer needs to follow up with a public works agreement with the town since the plan calls for sewer service to be provided by the town. He added that sewer service will be available in time, not necessarily right away.
The Commission voted, 4-0, to approve the project subject to the conditions outlined by Lenox.
The Commission also approved phase 2 of the residential part of Ponds Edge.
The Delmar Commission (Md.) election will take place next Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the town hall chambers, at 100 S. Pennsylvania Ave. The candidates for mayor are Wells and Benjamin Jorden and the candidates for two seats on the Commission are Jacob Boothe, Faith Higbee, and Cory Shaffer.
Town Hall will be closed on Nov. 25 and 26 for Thanksgiving. Town Manager Sara Bynum-King also reported that the Love Light Tree ceremony will take place in State Street Park on Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. The Delmar Chamber of Commerce is also accepting applications for the Christmas parade, which will take place Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. Applications must be received by the chamber by Dec. 1, no late entries will be allowed.
At the end of Monday’s meeting, Lenox thanked outgoing Commissioner Torlondo Tucker for his service.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Commission recognized two former Delmar Councilmen (Del.) who recently passed away: Lonnie Figgs and Alan Littleton. Figgs served on the Council from Nov. 2004 to Nov. 2007 and Littleton was on the Council from Nov. 2012 to Aug. 2016.
