On Saturday the 15th I door knocked in the afternoon, attended the annual picnic for Madison/Lincoln Drive at Dickey Park, and I attended the annual Senator Ennis/Representative Carson crab feast in Leipsic. On Sunday the 16th through Wednesday the 19th I attended the regional conference of CSG, the Council of State Governments, which was hosted at the Riverfront in Wilmington. On Wednesday the 19th in the morning I attended the monthly breakfast meeting for Rep Mike Ramone, and later that day I attended a reception at the UD’s STAR Campus, at which the Michael J Fox Foundation provided an update on research into Parkinson’s Disease. After this I participated in a public meeting in Hockessin to discuss the current status on the property at the corner of Paper Mill and Corner Ketch Roads. On Thursday morning I attended a meeting at the Courtyard Marriott to discuss best approaches for Creek Road north of town, where the pavement is in jeopardy of falling into the creek. On Friday I met with a member of the state Department of Education, to learn of their plans for releasing data on and results of the Smarter Balanced assessment that public school students took a few months ago.
On Saturday the 22nd I drove to Wyoming (DE) for a special meeting of the Land Lease Housing Coalition, at which representatives of the national manufactured homeowners organization shared insights from their perspective. After this I attended an event for David Bentz, who is running to serve as State Representative in the 14th RD, in a special election on September 12th. After this I attended an annual celebration for the 3B (Brae’s Brown Bags) program to address hunger. Due to a stomach flu, I was unable to attend one of DelDOTs workshops, at the Newark Library, on Monday the 24th, on its six year capital funding proposal. On Thursday after work I door knocked in Abbottsford. On Friday I travelled to Lexington, Kentucky, for the Toll Fellow ‘leadership boot camp’ program with government leaders from across the country, held by CSG. I return this Wednesday the 2nd).
Email Update
I relayed a question regarding unclaimed property (a financial institution sending a customer a notice that they required an explicit call or else their account would be turned over to the state). I shared an article on a new approach to address drunk driving with two colleagues. I directed a resident to resources he could use to assist him in locating his elderly mother to Delaware.
I have reached out for further information from the office of animal welfare, regarding dangerous dogs, and feral cats.
There is a task force to explore the issues involved with expanding the Port of Wilmington. Through emails, calls, and meetings, the Governor has appointed a resident of the 23rd RD to serve on that task force. Congratulations, Peter!
I received assistance from the Department of Education to resolve questions regarding a summer school student, and another student’s scholarship. I have also asked the DOE to notify me of future meetings of the working group which will be finalizing the state’s new system of rating schools.
I am learning more about DAPI, which provides education to teens who are pregnant, to keep them on track for graduation, while also preparing them for parenthood. I worked with DelDOT to address questions regarding some intersections, a weekend closure of the DE Memorial Bridge (this isn’t a DelDOT issue, it is under the DE River Bay Authority). I continue to work to identify the repaving projects to fund in the district.
I have been working with residents interested in establishing one or two historical markers noting the background for the Black Community who lived and worshiped in the area around Cleveland Ave, New London Road, and Corbit Street.
I am troubled that the monthly General Assistance checks, provided to those in DE with NO other income, has been cut from $90 to $75, when we were told that they would be reduced only to $81. We are still awaiting an explanation.
I have reviewed and had conversations regarding the City of Newark’s proposal to privatize its trash collecting service. I have joined several of my legislative colleagues to request a meeting with members of the UD Presidential Search committee, to learn more about their remaining steps, and to share our thoughts.
http://www.csg.org/LeadershipCenter/TollFellows.aspx