On the 2^nd I attended an annual meeting of the Delaware food industry council.  I was out of town from the 4^th to the 9^th.  My aide David Meluskey attended some of the December 9^th Newark city council meeting in my stead.  On the 10^th I hosted a conference call with a teacher and a school board member to discuss the Delaware education system, and the Component V portion of the teacher assessment system.  On the 11^th I hosted the monthly morning coffee at Panera, where we had a nice turnout and some great conversations.  On Friday I met with Mayor Sierer, to discuss Newark issues, city government and state government, and how we can work together.

I was quite active with emails over the past two weeks.  I worked on getting the pedestrian tunnel on Casho Mill cleaned of broken glass by DelDOT.  I learned more about an elderly resident whose basement has both water and sewage in it, and who was been prohibited from occupying her home by the city’s code enforcement department.  The appropriate city council person is working with her to identify next steps.  I have worked with a resident to explore the radon implications of the proposed data center and power plant project.  I worked with management of the Main Towers to address a report that a resident has no heat.  I have worked with several interested parties regarding an imminent arbitration case tied to this year’s Manufactured Housing Rent Justification law.

I explored a drainage issue on Scotch Pine Road, and explored a future plan to establish a pedestrian/cyclist tunnel under Paper Mill Road north of Possum Park.  I explored the issue of Maryland in-state tuition for a Delaware Astra-Zeneca employee who is being moved to Maryland, who has a high-school-aged daughter.  I reviewed DelDOT’s review of the need for a traffic light at Chapel Hill and Possum Park.

I have explored some legislative initiatives, on conditional drivers licenses, on midwifery, on the cash management policy board, on the Delaware (and surrounding states’) minimum wage, on how injured parties can college payments due them (‘unsatisfied court judgments’), the Delaware Earned Income Tax Credit system.