Why Should Delaware Care?
Delaware’s government has scores of elected bodies, commissions, working groups, agencies and legislative committees that are accountable to the public. Their decisions impact the operation of schools, the price of natural gas, regulation of short-term rentals, and more, for residents.
Delaware lawmakers ended their legislative session last week, but state and local governments will continue to make policies that impact people’s lives.
This week, government officials are holding meetings that could affect health care prices, Delmarva Power gas rates, and Airbnbs in Kent County, among other topics.
Christina schools future to be decided
Perhaps the most consequential of all is a meeting of the Christina Board of Education on Tuesday, when the embattled body will choose a new president through a vote that could shift the balance of power in the district – one of Delaware’s largest, serving more than 14,000 students.
It comes a week after state lawmakers passed a bill requiring school board members to live in the districts they represent – a measure that was targeted at one Christina board member who has not attended a district meeting in person in 16 months.
Over the past year, that board member, Naveed Baqir, also has been part of a four-member alliance on the seven-member board that largely voted as a bloc. Though Baqir is expected to resign later this month, it remains unclear whether he will participate in the Tuesday vote.
The school board will begin the meeting in a non-public executive session starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The public session is expected to start at 7 p.m. The meeting will occur at the Glasgow High School auditorium.
As is the case for all meetings of state and local governmental bodies, the public is free to attend. You can also watch the meeting virtually here.
Hospital review board meets
Also happening Tuesday is the first meeting of a hospital cost-cutting board to occur since lawmakers reinstated funding for the controversial entity last month.
The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at an office of the Delaware Division of Public Health Office of Performance Management. The office is located at the Edgehill Shopping Center in Dover at 43 S. DuPont Highway. A virtual attendance option also is available here.
Natural gas hike considered
On Wednesday, energy regulators at the Delaware Public Service Commission will hold a public comment session as part of their process of determining whether to approve a request from Delmarva Power to increase natural gas rates by a cumulative $42 million.
Last March, Democrats in the Delaware House of Representatives sent a letter to the regulators, calling the rate increase “unacceptable” and urging them to reject it.
The Public Service Commission meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the first floor hearing room within the Cannon Building, located at 861 Silver Lake Blvd in Dover. The meeting also is taking place virtually here.
Kent to consider Airbnbs, warehousing
Several pressing matters also will be addressed at various municipal meetings across the state this week.
The Kent County Regional Planning Commission will consider an measure that calls for removing certain restriction on Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, including one that requires them to be on owner-occupied properties.
The ordinance bucks a regulatory trend that has occurred elsewhere in the state seeking to more tightly control and limit short-term rentals.
The Kent County meeting will occur at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Kent County Levy Court Chambers, located at 555 Bay Road in Dover. The meeting will also have a virtual option found here.
Also in Kent County, the Dover Development Advisory Committee will hold a meeting Wednesday to review a project that would bring more than 200,000 square feet of new warehouse space to Delaware’s capital city.
The plans add to similar recent projects to show that Delaware’s warehousing boom has not yet abated.
The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Dover City Hall, located at 15 Loockerman Plaza. Virtual information can be found here.
Wilmington to review homelessness
Finally this week, Delaware’s largest city will hold a meeting of its committee tasked with recommending solutions for people who live without shelter. The Wilmington Homelessness Task Force will meet from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Opera Delaware Studios, located at 4 S. Poplar St. in Wilmington.
Editor’s Note: This column was delayed from its normal Monday publication due to technical disruptions with the state’s public calendar system.
