The town of Blades has a new mayor, Nancy McAdams, elected by her peers on the town council at their meeting July 8 at the fire house. McAdams had been re-elected to her second term as council member in April 2024. It was noted she is the fourth woman to serve as mayor.
McAdams quickly appointed Sharon Alston to fill the remainder of her term. Alston, approved by unanimous vote of the council, will serve until April 2026 and will be Commissioner of Parks and Cemeteries.
Alston was a mayoral candidate in the 2023 election. She retired after 23 years at American University where she most recently was vice provost for undergraduate enrollment for 10 years. She and her husband moved to Blades three years ago. She will fill the remaining term of McAdams’ position.
With her husband, David, holding the Bible, Nancy McAdams is sworn in on July 8 as mayor of Blades by Town Administrator Lisa Marks. Photos by Carol Kinsley
The council first accepted the resignation of the former mayor, the Rev. Pierre Gaither Sr., who plans to move out of the area.
After the minutes of the June council meeting were approved, the council was asked why a presentation by Denise Redmond, provided to the council in writing, and a petition regarding the Cypress Landing project proposed by Insight Homes had not been included in the May minutes. Since those minutes had been approved a month ago, they cannot be changed, but the matter will be resolved by posting the documents on the web page containing the agenda and minutes. One hundred and one residents signed the petition, asking Planning and Zoning not to recommend to the council that the Cypress Landing project be approved “until additional impact studies are conducted.”
Police Chief Martin Willey is back to work and attended the meeting. He read a comment from a person who was allowed to ride along recently with Officer Emmitt Krager on patrol. That person wrote: “Professionalism, bravery and unwavering commitment to serving and protecting were evident in every interaction and situation we encountered…The insights shared and the willingness to answer my questions were invaluable and deepened my understanding of the important work that law enforcement officers undertake every day.”
He added that a Police Accountability Board mandated by the state in 2023 met for the first time with a goal of improving what the police department does for the town and its residents.
The department’s administrative assistant, Lori Lynch is resigning, as she is moving out of state.
Blades Night Out, part of National Night Out observed by many police departments, will be held Aug. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Blades Park, 100 East 7th Street. There will be free hot dogs, pizza, bounce house, face painting, games and a puppet show presented by Sussex County Master Gardeners.
Residents are invited to Cafe Milano on July 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to purchase lunch and sit down for discussions with the police chief and Police Commissioner Donald Trice.
In the water report, Commissioner Bill Stang reported the town’s three pumps had operated a total of 590 hours in June, providing 4.6 million gallons of water. There were three major leaks in the last month. All water samples meet state and federal standards, he said.
Hydrant flushing will continue in town through July 19. Once the fire hydrants are flushed, dirty water may be seen when first turning on faucets. To correct this, turn on the cold-water faucet and let water run until clear water appears. This may take two or three minutes.
Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Susan Seltzer, reported the commission recommended approval of the Cypress Landing townhouse project, pending results of water and traffic studies.
Under new business, a resolution adopting changed rates for building permits was introduced. Setting the amounts and sources of revenue for the town is at the discretion of the mayor and council. The new fee schedule increases the Public Safety Fee, instituted in August 2022, from a flat fee of $1,500 to 1.25 percent of the total project cost for each new housing unit. A new fee will be added, called an Emergency Service Fund, assessed at the rate of one percent of the total project cost for new construction, per unit. Although the change was to take effect July 8, the vote by council will be held in August.
Donald Trice made a motion to do away with requiring residents to give their addresses when making comments at a council meeting. It could become a potential problem, he said, particularly when the information is printed and made public in the minutes. The motion passed.
Jason Loar, senior engineer with Davis, Bowen and Friedel Inc., had been asked to clarify the status of water availability to the town. Based on updated reports received recently, Loar said the town would be able to provide the water requirements of the 92 townhomes proposed by Cypress Landing.
Loar said the town does not have enough water to provide water for existing uses plus expansion down River Road by the EPA plus Cypress Landing plus development across Route 13. Another well and tower would be required across the highway.
Loar was then peppered with questions about water pressure, pink water, odor and debris in the water, particularly in Little Meadows. At one point the audience shouted, almost in unison, “The water here is bad!”
More questions followed, about contamination by PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the condition of the Columbia aquifer from which the town’s water is drawn, and the age and condition of the town’s water tower.
The agenda included discussion of a traffic impact study. Town Administrator Lisa Marks said according to the town’s Land Development Ordinance of 2004, “there is nothing in our documentation that requires a traffic study.” She added later, “We can’t enforce something that’s not written (in our ordinances).”
Steven Fortunato, senior project manager for Bohler Engineering, representing Insight Homes, noted both entrances to the planned community are DelDOT roads, so a traffic study would be up to DelDOT.
Before making a decision, the council withdrew to the engine bay of the fire house for an executive session, inviting the audience to remain until the meeting resumed if they wished.
When the council returned, they voted to table the Cypress Landing project, pending more water study results from Loar, to be received by Aug. 1.
Trice said the town could do nothing about a traffic study because the town and DelDOT had already given approval without it. Insight Homes paid a fee in lieu of a study, as is permitted with the amount of traffic anticipated.
Discussion of both matters continued under “Good of the Community,” with a parting tidbit of information provided to Insight Homes from one resident: “The state says there are four underground fuel storage tanks on that property.”
