This Friday, the people will have the floor, but they’ll be discussing beds.

The Fenwick Island Town Council will host a public hearing at Town Hall on Friday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 p.m., regarding room density in hotels and motels.

Room density is based on lot size. The town code currently allows hotels/motels to have one sleeping room per 1,000 square feet of overall land.

The proposed zoning amendment would add allow hotels/motels existing before 1988 (the existing three hotels) to have one room per 600 square feet. New businesses would still be required to follow the 1,000-square-foot rule. None could have more than 65 sleeping rooms.

Sands Motel owner Spiro Buas originally requested a code change earlier this year in hopes of upgrading and adding to his 39 rooms on 39,000 square feet of land.

Councilman Bill Weistling Jr. has guided the effort through the Charter & Ordinance Committee, saying it’s only fair for the Sands, or any town hotel, to have a density comparable to the others, which boast 61 and 62 rooms and lower density. Just after those were both completed in the mid-1980s, the town council created the density standards. But the Sands was built long before that, about 60 years ago.

Residents have weighed in loudly, some encouraging the change as a means for the Sands to improve, and others questioning whether the amendment is worded strongly enough to make the intent legally binding. (The council has already adjusted the amendment in an attempt to address people’s fear of uncontrolled growth.)

To become law, the amendment must pass two council readings and undergo a public hearing. The town council is expected to vote on the second reading (and potential passage) at the Friday, Dec. 12, meeting, at 2:30 p.m.

The council could approve or reject the amendment as written; or tweak the wording and vote on minor changes; or make significant changes and begin the reading/public hearing process again (which has already happened once).

Due to the high public interest, the public hearing was separated from the regular Town Council meeting, to provide ample time for individuals to comment and for the council to consider the comments before voting at least a week later.

Specifically, the amendment affects Town Code Chapter 160-2B (Definitions and word use) and Chapter 160-5C(5) (Area Regulations) for a hotel/motel in the commercial zone.

The code currently states: “Each motel/hotel permitted to be erected or altered hereafter shall occupy a lot(s) providing a minimum of 1,000 square feet of land area for each sleeping room therein, including sleeping rooms in any apartment included in the motel/hotel building.”

The amendment would add the following text: “Each motel/hotel existing prior to 1988 shall occupy a lot(s) providing a minimum of 600 square foot of land for each sleeping room, not to exceed a total of 65 sleeping rooms…”

Anyone unable to attend Dec. 4 may review the ordinance or submit comments beforehand at Town Hall during regular business hours, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 10 honored SoDel Concepts, a Rehoboth Beach-based hospitality company, at the 2015 Superstars in Business Award luncheon, held at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington.

Named for the late Marvin S. Gilman, a homebuilder in Delaware, the awards were established in 1998 to pay tribute to extraordinary businesses. SoDel Concepts, which has eight restaurants along the Delaware coast, received the award for a business with between 60 and 150 employees. Eleven people on the SoDel Concepts team traveled to Wilmington to attend the luncheon, which had more than 300 attendees.

“It was an overwhelming honor to receive this prestigious award from a statewide group of our business peers,” said Scott Kammerer, president and CEO of SoDel Concepts, which also owns Plate Catering, the food truck Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen and hospitality management and consulting divisions. “Our team has amazed me with their hard work and their dedication, and it’s very rewarding to see the business community acknowledge it.”

The award is part of the chamber’s Small Business Alliance group. Since the award program’s start, more than 70 businesses have been named Superstars. This year’s other honorees included the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Council, Back to Basics Learning Dynamics Inc. and Bernardon, an architecture firm. SoDel Concepts is the only southern Delaware-based company to receive an award this year.

State Sen. Robert Marshall (D-Wilmington West), has introduced an amendment to his minimum wage bill that calls on Delaware to increase its lowest wage to $15.05 per hour by the year 2023.

He said the legislation would ensure that all Delawareans are earning a living wage, so they can better provide for their families and fully engage in the state’s economy with newfound purchasing power.

Even as Delaware’s economy recovers from the recession, more and more Delawareans are working low-wage jobs, prompting the state’s poverty rate to spike to 12.5 percent in 2014.

“In total, nearly 29,000 more Delawareans are living in poverty today than they were a decade ago, and the biggest reason is that wages have not kept pace with the cost of living,” Marshall said. “After decades of stagnation, with only minimal minimum wage increases, it’s time we enact a plan to make Delaware’s low-wage workers whole. After all, they represent the base of the pyramid on which our entire economy is built.”

Marshall’s amendment would call for staged increases to the state’s minimum wage on June 1 of each year: 50-cent increments annually through 2019, and then $1.20 increments starting in 2020 and running through 2023. Delaware’s minimum wage is currently $8.25 per hour, a dollar more than the federal minimum wage. Delaware’s minimum wage increased by 50 cents twice in the last year as a result of previous legislation Marshall successfully worked through the General Assembly.

Marshall, who co-chaired the General Assembly’s Low Wage, Service Worker Task Force in 2014, said he’s amending Senate Bill 39, which he filed last year, because of new Census data that makes it increasingly clear that poverty continues to grow even as the unemployment rate stabilizes in Delaware and more people are heading back to work.

“More people are working, yet they’re still being left behind,” Marshall said. “We can’t grow our middle class without giving the 113,000 Delawareans living in poverty a real chance to join the American dream and reach the middle class.”

In Delaware, any individual earning under $11,770 is considered “living in poverty,” while that threshold is $24,250 for a family of four. That’s simply not enough to support a family, said state Sen. Bryan Townsend *(D-Newark, who is co-sponsoring the amendment.

“In all the ups and downs of our economy in the past decades, there’s been one constant truth: low-income Americans have been left out,” Townsend said. “Raising the minimum wage is an important part of rethinking our economic policy and addressing the deep and growing inequalities in our society.

“It will put more money into the local economy and Delaware small businesses. It also will put more money directly in the hands of workers, enabling them to rely more on the product of their own hard work and less on government programs and taxpayer support.”

More than 400 carolers gathered in downtown Georgetown for the 32nd annual Caroling on The Circle event Monday night, Dec. 7, singing traditional and Spanish carols to ring in the Christmas season, but also working in concert to collect more than 20,000 canned goods and non-perishable items for local food banks.

Each year, Caroling on The Circle kicks off the holiday season for Sussex County, while serving as a community food drive to benefit local pantries. Started in 1984 as part of the Delaware First initiative, Caroling on The Circle continues to help those in need three decades later. To date, the community has donated more than 670,000 canned goods through the Caroling on The Circle program during the course of its 32-year history.

“Once again, the Sussex County community has shown an endless outpouring of compassion and goodwill for their neighbors in need,” County Administrator Todd F. Lawson said. “So many of our citizens will enjoy a brighter holiday because of the support from those who helped make this year’s Caroling on The Circle food drive another tremendous success.”

As part of the Caroling event, Sussex County once again called on the public to “Pack the POD” by setting up a 14-foot-by-7-foot PODS storage trailer on The Circle. The unit served as a focal point for Caroling and to heighten awareness about the food drive.

Monday night’s Caroling event, along with collections from Sussex County Council, County employees, numerous schools, groups and businesses leading up to the event, helped this year’s preliminary total reach a little more than 20,000 items. With three weeks still left in the drive, the County hopes to take the final total even higher by the New Year.

The public can continue to drop off canned goods and non-perishable food items between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the County Administrative Offices building on The Circle or the West Complex offices on Route 113, both in Georgetown. The Caroling on The Circle food drive will continue until Dec. 31.

Lawson thanked the public and those in attendance at Monday night’s event, and acknowledged several participating groups. Those included County Council, County employees, All-Span Inc., Aloft AeroArchitects (formerly PATS Aircraft Systems), A.P. Croll & Son Inc., Steve Class/Colonial East, the Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association, First State Manufactured Housing Association, Fuqua, Yori & Willard, Little Einstein Preschool, Sussex County Association of Realtors, West Bay Homeowners Association, Georgetown Elementary, Georgetown Middle, H.O. Brittingham Elementary, Long Neck Elementary, Millsboro Middle and Milton Elementary schools, and Sussex Academy.

Items collected will be donated to approximately 15 area pantries, shelters and church organizations for distribution within Sussex County.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: The cast and crew of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is putting a new spin on an old classic at the Dickens Parlour Theatre in Millville this weekend.Chances are you’ve seen the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street” before. And between four different movie adaptations and a Broadway musical, chances are you’ve probably even seen it a number of different ways.

But unless you were in the audience at Lux Radio Theatre in 1947, you’ve never been able to see it like this — until now.

When the show made its debut at Dickens Parlour Theatre in Millville on Friday, Dec. 4, locals and theater-goers got to check out a new take on an old classic as the Bethany Area Repertory Theatre (BART) has set out to recreate the original 1947 radio show broadcast this holiday season.

“Expect something different,” said co-director Charlie Sorrentino. “‘Miracle on 34th Street’ has been done a million times since 1947 — we’re going about very differently. What we’ve done is we recreated what happened at the Lux Radio Theatre at Radio City Music Hall — our audience will get that same experience that radio audience did.”

Sorrentino is assisting his wife, director Sharon Sorrentino, as they aim to involve the audience in the production by letting them become part of the soundtrack, just like the Lux Radio Theatre did nearly 70 years ago.

“We’re not gonna just be standing there in front of a mic, reading a script. We’ve really mixed it up to make it a fun experience,” Sorrentino went on to explain. “Some of those scenes that people would have heard we’re actually gonna perform as scenes to lighten the moment for them.”

Throughout the course of the show, the audience will receive cues about when and how to participate in the show. But setting apart the BART production from the original will be that, unlike the show at Lux, the new version will actually get a chance to include a visual performance, rather than just an audio version.

“To do it as a radio show kind of doesn’t do justice to the story,” Sorrentino said of the original format. “There’s nothing to exhilarate an audience, so we decided to mix it up little bit and give the audience a full experience and a little bit of history.

“It’s basically what we call a hybrid — it’s never been done that I know of. We want them to feel as if they’re actually sitting in Radio City Music Hall and they’re watching that final reprisal when the audience becomes involved.”

So far, the new concept has been well received, which Sorrentino said could inspire similarly executed shows in the future.

“We’re hoping that it works and gives people a night of entrainment, because we would then be able to do other shows in a similar format,” he explained. “It makes the audience more involved, and it makes the experience more fun.”

You can experience the show yourself with three more showings coming up this weekend, on Friday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m.; and a matinee showing on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 2 p.m., all at the Dickens Parlour Theatre at 35715 Atlantic Avenue in Millville.

For tickets or more information, visit www.dptmagic.com.

Coastal Point • File photo: Detail of one of the nativities from from an earlier event.With all the holiday madness, many are unable to take a moment to breathe and remember the meaning behind the Christmas holiday.

Ocean View Presbyterian Church parishioner Elsie Young hopes to bring that meaning back to the community with the church’s annual Nativity Festival, which features more than 125 crèches.

“My sister was telling me about a church that she went to, and they had a nativity festival, and have had it for 20-some years. She said to me, ‘Els — you ought to start that in your church.’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t know. Then I thought about it a little bit, and we talked about it a little bit, and finally we decided, ‘Well, we’ll just try it and see what happens,’” recalled Young, who started the festival five years ago.

“We always have a Christmas dinner, and I asked everyone to bring their crèche that night to share with the congregation. Then I asked the question, ‘Do you think we could do this for the community as a gift to the community?’ It would be a nice way to start Advent — it’s sacred, it’s part of the religious season. We’re shopping and baking, and wrapping presents and going to parties. This sets silent time away from the business. “

The Nativity Festival will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each crèche will be displayed along with the story behind it.

“Last year, somebody donated to us a crèche that has 124 pieces on it. They didn’t want it back, and it took a big table to display it. That was the biggest one. The smallest one was in an eggshell. There was one that was 75 years old, and the gal said she could remember when she was a little girl and her daddy brought it home,” shared Young.

“One of mine is about 55 years old. That was the one where the man had the kids go out and collect the Christmas trees, and he paid kids a nickel for each tree they brought in and he carved them with a penknife. these barns, and sold them for $25. In those days, $25 was hard to come by. Each one of us in our family bought one at that time and still have them.

“I have one from Alaska. Someone went to Alaska and brought one back to me. They’re with Eskimos and the stable is an igloo. I have one from Mexico, and instead of three camels there’s a horse, a camel and an elephant. That was kind of a new concept to me.”

Young said the festival has grown over the years, especially by word of mouth.

“Some people haven’t heard about it, and then they’ll hear someone say something about it and ask, ‘Where’s that at?’ ‘At the Presbyterian church!’ and they’ll bring them along. I think that’s one of my hopes — that people tell the story and it grows.”

Twice during the festival, the Ocean View Presbyterian Church Choir will perform seasonal music and sing Christmas carols. Attendees will be invited to sit and enjoy the music along with free refreshments, or join along in singing.

“So they can have some punch and cookies and sit, and sing if they like. A lot of people sing,” she said. “It’s kind of different than any other experience you have during the season. There’s a lot of conversation. There’s a lot of awesomeness. You’ll hear a lot of people say that.”

For more information about the Nativity Festival, call (302) 539-8718. Ocean View Presbyterian Church is located at 67 Central Avenue in Ocean View.

Coastal Point • File photo: A Christmas tree at the Ocean View Historical Society from a prior year’s event.To celebrate the holiday season and pay homage to days of yore, the Ocean View Historical Society will be hosting its annual Victorian Christmas open house this weekend.

“It’s just a way to celebrate. It was a tradition to open your house at Christmas,” said OVHS President Carol Psaros. “The house we have — the Tunnell-West House — dates back to the Civil War period, 1860. It’s just an American tradition to have friends and family gather at Christmastime, especially when the house was decorated with the Christmas tree and there were presents and food.”

The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the historical complex adjacent to John West Park. The event is free and open to the public.

“At our open house, we’re going to have some refreshments that were typical of the time, some cookies and light refreshments, such as hot cider,” she added. “We’ll have a mandola player dressed in costume, and some of our members will be dressed in costume, too.”

Along with the main house, the Tunnell-West complex boasts an 1800s outhouse; the town’s first post office, built in 1889; and an exact replica of Cecile Steele’s first chicken house.

Along with the house being open during the day, the complex’s garage, which is not a historical building, will be featuring artifacts owned by the society.

“We have made a lot of improvements to the inside of the Tunnel-West House. For the first time this year we will have our garage open that will have a lot of historic artifacts in it that we don’t have room to put in the Tunnell-West House,” explained Psaros.

“There’s quite a variety of items. Some are on display in cases and some are actually artifacts, like a sausage-making machine. There’s a historic door. There’re some old photographs of Lord Baltimore School and churches. There’s just a variety of items big and small that we’ll have on display there.”

Eventually the society plans to raze the garage, and replace it with the Hall’s Store Visitor & Education Center.

“We kind of have the beginnings of a little village, and we’d like to finish it off with Hall’s Store Visitor & Education Center, which would give us room for community members or school kids to meet in to have a follow-up and have a pre-tour meeting place.

“It would be a place for society members to gather and also our education center, where we would have a classroom and do things for various things, and offer classes from time to time. A little bit different than our public lectures that we do.”

An adjacent home, known as the Evans-West House. built in 1900, has been donated to the society, and Psarsos said it will be the home of the future Coastal Towns Museum.

“We’re just looking forward to completing our vision and building Hall’s Store and acquiring the Brunner House in the spring or this coming summer. It’s an exciting time for the Ocean View Historical Society,” she said.

“We’ve made amazing progress in the seven years that community people have been working on this. The Tunnell-West House has only been open to the public for a few years, but it took us a while to restore it, to raise the funds to restore it, and to move in the first free-standing post office that dates to 1889. Then to build the replica of Cecile Steele’s chicken house, which dates to 1923.”

Throughout the year, the society hosts a number of events, including history talks, field trips for elementary students and, most recently, “history mixes.”

“We had our first history mix recently at the Café on 26. It was called ‘Chicken Chatter.’ Each of our history mixes are a time for our members and others to get together to socialize. We focus on a historical topic, and our first was on Cecile Steele and the Delmarva poultry industry, because the Café on 26 is the house that Cecile and Wilmer Steele lived in when he was a state senator.

“Cecile is the one who is credited with starting the international poultry industry. That’s perhaps Ocean View’s greatest story, historical piece — the beginnings of the poultry industry that so affected Delmarva and Delaware.”

The society also tries to coordinate with the Town of Ocean View, to ensure their complex is open during Town events, such as Holiday in the Park and Homecoming.

“It’s another historical piece, because Ocean View Homecoming started in the early 1800s, I believe. It was a time to come back home and celebrate strawberries and graduations… It’s just continued over the years,” said Psaros of Ocean View Homecoming, adding, “We try to coordinate our functions at the same time to celebrate together.”

While the majority of the events hosted by the society are free, Psaros said donations are always welcome and appreciated.

“We always welcome donations for our completed vision, which is to conclude building Hall’s Store, since the Ocean View area was originally called Hall’s Store before it was incorporated as the Town of Ocean View.”

According to its website, the mission of the Ocean View Historical Society is to “preserve, interpret and collect the history of Ocean View and the surrounding Baltimore Hundred area, sharing our past with all communities that comprise the Ocean View area, visitors and locals; thereby building an identity that will enable us to wisely approach the challenges the future will bring to Delaware’s coastal towns.”

“Our history has a lot to teach us,” said Psaros. “We can learn a lot of the mistakes that have been made in the past and the things that have brought people joy in the past. We can look back on the Civil War or the traumatic events of the 20th century — World War II and the Depression — and we can learn from those events, particularly if you see it recreated or look at artifacts that bring those messages back and teach us things that are good for us to know as we go forward.

“The past is very relevant for our future. It shouldn’t determine where we go, but it is a great guidepost to keep in mind of both the ups and the downs that humanity has been through. All of our members know history is a very good teacher.”

Psaros said she hopes community members will visit the complex this weekend to learn more about local history and enjoy some holiday cheer.

“We had a very good turnout last year, and the weather was great. We’re hoping for the same this year.”

For more information regarding the Ocean View Historical Society and upcoming events, visit www.facebook.com/oceanviewhistoricalsociety. For more information for those interested in donating to the society or becoming a member, visit www.ovhistoricalsociety.org.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: The Burnzy’s Bar & Grill crew with owners Jackie and Matt Burns and business partner Robbie Bedell front and center.Buffalo wings, brisket, cheesesteaks and sports headline at Burnzy’s Bar & Grill near Bethany Beach — the newest venture from owner and local restauranteur Matt Burns.

Taking over the space previously occupied by Turquoise in the Market Place at Sea Colony Burns and his team have completely renovated the space to turn it into what they’re hoping will become a staple of the area and hotspot for sports fans in Bethany Beach.

And with a completely revamped bar and dining area, bartenders and waitresses clad in a referee uniforms, and the walls lined with sports memorabilia, with an array of local teams represented, the atmosphere reflects that of the menu for locals and tourists alike.

“Everybody’s so excited for us to be here. They love the atmosphere,” Burns said of the renovations. “There was so much to do before we could even think about the theme, so it kind of happened as we were building it. I tried to do a classic sports theme throughout.”

Burns helped bring the Jetty Deli to the Bethany Beach boardwalk this summer, along with his wife, Jackie Burns, and Jetty business partner Robbie Bedell, who joins the team over at Burnzy’s as the head chef and brings along lifelong friend Russ Campbell as sous-chef.

“Robbie as a chef is amazing,” Burns said of the team. “He and Russ, as the sous-chef here — we three have grown up together, we’ve cooked with each other since we were teenagers, so we know each other’s cooking styles. It just works.”

So far, Burns and Bedell said, the most popular menu items have been the house-cooked and wood-block-carved Burnzy’s Texas Style Angus Brisket Sandwich served with house au ju, the hand-cut ribeye char-grilled cheesesteak and the Burnzy’s Par 3 Angus Burger. Burnzy’s Par 3 burgers are topped with Texas beef brisket and house pulled-pork and finished with Burnzy’s homemade slaw.

But like some of the dishes already becoming local favorites, there are a few others at Burnzy’s that you probably won’t find anywhere else — especially Burnsy’s Original Buffalo Wings.

“Our family’s originally from Buffalo. My great aunt was a bartender over at the Anchor Bar,” Jackie Burns explained of how they got the recipe for original buffalo wing. “It’s not just the sauce, it’s how the actual wing is prepared, too. Most wings are prepared one way. Ours are prepared a different way. When you come in and you taste the wings, you’ll taste the difference.”

“Everybody we’ve had have really enjoyed the wings,” added Bedell. “We’d like to tell you the process, but we can tell you that all the sauces are made in-house. Every single one we do, we follow the recipe from 65 years ago. We think it’s gonna be a mainstay.”

The menu also includes other options, including an assortment of house-made salads, fresh-made soups, a build-your-own Burnzy Burger to go along with Burnzy’s specialty burgers, sandwiches, entrees, appetizers and sides — but the most unique side option has to be the house-roasted Idaho baked potato toppers.

“Something nobody else does is we do a baked potato with any topping you want on it,” Burns explained. “If you want crab dip on it, you get crab dip. If you want chili on it, pulled pork, brisket, anything, and all of our options come as a side, too.”

At the bar, customers will find plenty of Burnzy’s specialty drinks, local brews on tap, in addition to all the domestic favorites, and even some of the newest brews on the market, including “The Best Damn Root Beer” on tap. But while Bedell and Campbell will take care of the menu, Burns put his focus on selecting his front-of-the-house staff, which is an area that he holds to a high standard.

“Staff means everything,” he explained. “I think, as far as any of this goes, we’re like a family here. We’re a real tight-knit group, and we like it that way. It’s nice to see everybody working together for the same goal. Everyone cares — it’s the difference.”

With an aim of being Bethany’s local “Sports Center,” if there’s a game playing, you can bet that Burnzy’s will be showing it. With 10 televisions, a 70-inch screen, the NFL Sunday Ticket, and individual sound speakers for each table, Burnzy’s is looking to have everyone represented — no matter what team they’re cheering for.

And anytime an NFL football game is playing, you can bet that it’s happy hour at the bar, which also gets under way from 1-6 p.m. daily, in additional to Friday- and Saturday-night drink specials.

“It’s kind of for everybody,” Burns said. “I don’t want people to feel like they have to dress up to come here by any means, but I want them to feel like they could.”

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. all winter long, as well, with big plans upcoming that include live music and entertainment, shuttles to the bar, car show weekends, pig roasts and much more.

“Living around here, born and raised here — I know it’s hard to find a place to go on a Monday or Tuesday when the wintertime comes, so I did that. I keep the food as top quality as I can keep it, prices as reasonable as I can keep them and provide a really nice atmosphere, and I think that’s all you can do,” said Burns.

“I want Burnzy’s to be something that people talk about when they go home. I want them to tell other people about the food, the staff, entertainment — everything.”

For more information about Burnzy’s or to see the full menu, check out www.burnzys.com, or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/burnzysbarandgrill.

Burnzy’s Bar & Grill

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Happy Hour: 1- 6 p.m., daily

Location: 33544 Market Place, Bethany Beach

Phone: 302-829-8412

Website:www.burnzys.com

The director of Delaware’s new Office of Animal Welfare checked in with the Sussex County Council on Tuesday, Dec. 8, to talk about plans for animal control services in Sussex County.

Hetti Brown explained to the council that the newly formed Delaware Animal Services will be the enforcement unit that answers calls for concerns about rabid animals, improperly sheltered animals and the like. The Sussex County unit will operate out of the Stockley Center in Georgetown. Brown said seven officers have been allocated for Sussex County, but that could change as the offices begin operation and staffing is fine-tuned. There will be 20 officers statewide, Brown said.

Also, a statewide lost and found pet registry will be available online in January.

There will be a state-run shelter in Sussex County, although the location has not been determined yet. The operation of the shelters — one in each county — will be contracted by the Chester County (Pa.) SPCA, according to Brown.

The county council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the State for the operation of the animal control services in the county. The services will cost the County $56,885 per month — the same amount it had paid a non-profit organization before the State Office of Animal Welfare took over the task.

County Councilwoman Joan Deaver asked Brown about barking dogs, which she said is a continuing complaint in her district. Brown said that there is currently no “barking dog ordinance” in Sussex County, and that such “nuisance dog” complaints would actually be handled by the state Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control.

The new state-run animal control services will begin operation in February.

At its regularly scheduled monthly meeting this week, the Ocean View Town Council had a moment of silence in honor of former councilman Tom Sheeran, who passed away on Nov. 22.

“For those who may not know, we lost a very good man recently,” said Mayor Walter Curran, before holding the moment of silence.

Sheeran joined the Ocean View council in April 2011 and was reelected last year to serve another three years as the District 3 councilperson.

The special election will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town Hall.

Those interested in filling the position must file a certification of intent to run and pay a $50 filing fee at the Town’s administrative offices in the Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building no later than 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 8.

Those residents who wish to run must live within the Town’s District 3, which includes Bridal Ridge, Hunter’s Run, Ocean Mist, Savannah’s Landing, Rosegate II, East, Ocean View Beach Club, Ocean Way Estates, Meyle Estates, Silverwoods, Southview and Westview.

Those filing must be at least 18; a U.S. citizen; a Town of Ocean View eligible registered voter; a resident for at least one year immediately preceding the date of election; and a resident of District 3 at the time of filing and during the full term of office.

The term is set to expire in April 2017.

Those who wish to vote in the election should make sure they are registered to vote. Registration to vote in state elections does not make one registered to vote in Ocean View Town elections.

Residents who wish to vote in the special election in February must register with the Town. Voters must be at least 18, a citizen of the United States and have maintained Ocean View residency for at least six months immediately preceding the election.

Town officials noted that “Any resident who has not voted in the Town of Ocean View’s election for the past two consecutive years in which there was an election must re-register in order to be eligible to vote in the Feb. 20, 2016, election.”

Those who wish to register may do so in person on the second floor of the Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building, located at 201 Central Avenue, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Residents may also download and mail in a Voter Registration Form from the Town’s website at www.oceanviewde.com. Identification is required when people register to vote. A Delaware driver’s license is the preferred form of identification.

As of Dec. 8, no candidates had filed to run in the special election.

For more information, contact the Town of Ocean View at (302) 539-9797.

For the fifth year, the Delaware Seaside Railroad Club is continuing to reach out to the community during the Christmas season to provide a free, traditional Christmas experience for those young and old.

Displaying five model trail layouts at the Georgetown Public Library, the club has invited local school children to take tours and enjoy the magic of trains.

“We do have a Thomas the Train display with two remote controls that the kids can operate themselves. We teach them how and let them operate it,” explained Bill Ziegler, publicity officer for the club. “It’s quite an adventure, especially when 60 school kids show up and they all want to do it!”

Part of the club’s mission is to promote and preserve the history of model railroading, which Ziegler said includes teaching kids about the hobby. This year, the club hosted 360 area kindergarten students at the library, in groups of 60, to allow them to experience the joy of model railroading.

“This is the biggest venture we’ve done with all the kindergartens,” he added.

The club has also worked to give private showings of the displays to area seniors and students at Howard T. Ennis School. But they’re also inviting the public in, as well.

The Seaside Railroad Club will have their displays open to the public at the Georgetown library this Saturday, Dec. 12, as well as Dec. 19 and Jan. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The library display features a large O-gauge layout, with 24 operating push-button displays and a Thomas the Tank Engine layout.

Community members may also visit the club’s headquarters, at Clayton Crossing in Dagsboro, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.

The clubhouse features five displays, with an O-gauge Polar Express, S-, HO- and G- gauge layouts.

“We have a large S-gauge display that has scenes from Sussex County that includes the new Indian River Inlet Bridge, Punkin Chunkin, the Cannonball House in Lewes, Ocean View Deli, Seaside Hobbies and about a dozen others,” said Ziegler, noting the layout runs three trains and has an elevated track.

The G-gauge layout features Department 56 villages and a snowscape.

“So it’s a winter scene now,” said Ziegler, explaining that the layout is up year-round but changes in detail. “If somebody saw it in September, they’d come and see something different now.”

The club moved into their new home in the summer, after having lost their original home in the Georgetown Train Station to a fire. But with help from the community and a lot of work, they were able to find a new home in Dagsboro.

“The new space is working great,” Ziegler said. “Opening the clubhouse, we sought sponsors for it, and over 40 businesses in Sussex County have supported us as a sponsor, and donated money to us. That’s what helped fund the Clayton Crossing new clubhouse. We also received a grant from the Sussex County Council. We want to thank all our sponsors and Sussex County Council again for their support.”

In the spring, the club will be displaying its O-gauge layout at train shows in Seaford on Feb. 27 and Hartley on April 16, and its own show in Roxana on April 30.

Although the club’s community outreach shows are free to the public, they are always accepting donations, monetary or trains.

“We want to get out to the public and share model railroading and teach model railroading because so many people have done it when they were young, and then get back into it. They find an old set in their closet or attic, and they want to learn about it or get them working, and we can help them do that.”

Ziegler said the club currently has around 75 members and is always looking for more.

“We welcome new members at any time. Just come and have fun and play with their trains, or our trains,” he said. “They can do as little or as much as they want in any of the gauges. Our motto is, ‘All gauges, all fun.’”

Those who join simply need to have a love for model railroading.

“There tends to be a common thread of either retired or near-to-retired people, men and woman, who have an interest in trains and time to donate their efforts. They work with us so we can build all these different layouts without any large investment.

“It’s because we’re having fun and enjoying something we like to do and helping to continue the hobby of model railroading. If it doesn’t have people who stay active in it and love it, it will just go away, and then we’d lose a piece of history… Preserving history, toy trains and railroading, current and past times.”

The Georgetown Public Library is located at 123 West Pine Street in Georgetown.

The Delaware Seaside Railroad Club at Clayton Crossing is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Route 26, 32442 Royal Boulevard, in Dagsboro. For more information about the Delaware Seaside Railroad Club, visit www.delawareseasiderailroadclub.com. The club can also be found on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/Delaware-Seaside-Railroad-Club-133660799984654.

Did you know that when you’re putting up decorations around your house this holiday season, there’s a way you can support law enforcement with the addition of a simple window light?

Ray Myers, president of Bethany Beach Lodge 16 of the Fraternal Order of Police, wants everyone to know that, by placing a blue bulb in a window candle, they can show support for those whose job it is to protect the public. “Any kind of light with a blue bulb in it” would do the job, Myers said.

“With all the things that have been going on across the country, and some of the bad press,” Myers said, it is a perfect time to support law enforcement with this one simple act. “Just in support of police officers and the work they do,” he said. “It’s just a small way to say they support them.”

Myers said the blue lights symbolize the “thin blue line” concept of law enforcement forming a barrier or “holding that line” between the public and the criminals.

Myers said the Bethany Beach FOP chapter’s 70 members are mostly retired law enforcement officers who served elsewhere, as well as current members of the Bethany Beach and Ocean View police departments.

Himself a retired United States Marshal, Myers said the chapter supports those in law enforcement, as well as their families, including that of slain Georgetown police officer Chad Spicer. The chapter has also raised funds to help with medical expenses of Coleton Lowe, infant son of Fenwick Island officer Steven Lowe, whose heart condition has required surgery and extensive medical treatment.

The chapter also donates to area organizations, such as the Special Olympics and the Home of the Brave organization in Milford, which serves homeless veterans.

Myers said he hopes the public picks up on the idea of the blue holiday lights, because it’s a small gesture that would mean a lot to law enforcement. As an organization, he said, “We’re kind of under the radar, and that’s fine,” but this special time of year would be a perfect one to “let your (blue) light shine,” to support law enforcement officers everywhere.

Special to the Coastal Point • Submitted: Local singer Melissa Alesi is getting ready to celebrate the launch of her new album, ‘Lie Again.’Local singer and songwriter Melissa Alesi has been hard at work this year, completing her third studio album, “Lie Again.”

To celebrate, Alesi will be hosting a release party on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Casa DiLeo on Rehoboth Avenue in Rehoboth Beach.

“I will be playing songs off of the new album, as well as from the first two. This is the first event that my new album, ‘Lie Again,’ will be available for sale.”

Alesi’s has always had a love for music and singing but began songwriting in 2007. She went on to release her first full-length album, “Alesi” in 2008. In 2012, she recorded her second album, “House of Stones.”

“This album, ‘Lie Again,’ is a little bit like my first album, ‘Alesi’ in that I am exploring my songwriting in other genres. My guitar playing and songwriting has developed over the past few years, and it’s allowed me to be more experimental with my ideas,” she explained.

“‘Shot Him Down’ is a song I was very unsure about when I was writing it, but it’s one of my favorite songs on the album. It has a fun African feel that Johnny and I really had fun working on. Then there is ‘Incredible,’ that has a Stevie Wonder vibe that develops at the end. I hope everyone can feel how much fun we had making this album when they listen to it!”

For this album, Alesi worked with Johnny Neel of the Allman Brothers, who received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

“Johnny and I first met at the Locals Under the Lights show at the Freeman Stage about a year and a half ago. We were talking backstage, and it was a really natural, fun vibe,” she recalled. “He offered that, if there was anything he could help me with, or if I ever wanted to go to Nashville, to call him up.

“Well, I thought he was just saying that to be courteous, and I never contacted him. A few months later, our mutual friend John DiLeo got us connected again, and Johnny started inviting me to sit in for a few at his shows up here in Delaware. We got together on our own time in March, and we played around with some old ideas and got started on some new ones.

“I was so inspired the few weeks after he left that, when I was working on some of the ideas we came up with, I would have several other ideas coming at me at one time. I hope we work on those ideas we came up with together some time soon. Maybe I got taken away from them to a new song for a reason. Maybe we were meant to finish them together.”

Alesi said she wrote a lot of the album in March, and then traveled to Nashville, Tenn., in May to work with Neel in the studio.

“I was drawing from a lot of the situations happening around me for inspiration, so the majority of the writing for this album was me putting myself in someone else’s shoes. The first two were more about what I was personally going through at the time. I watched a friend in a relationship that would be on-again, off-again for a long time.

“There’s a reoccurring theme of heartache and cheating, because I guess I was around that energy so much that it came out in my writing. I also wrote about empowering yourself to leave, in ‘Keep On Walkin’ Babe,’ and songs that are a celebration of love. Those were easily inspired by my current relationship.”

Alesi said that, in working on the album, she had her first experience working with a live, in-studio band.

“That was really amazing, because within a few moments, my songs went from the acoustic version in my head to a full band playing all the parts. The session musicians there are stellar, and it was exciting to watch them do their thing. This whole experience of working with Johnny and all the other guys that played on it was very refreshing. I hadn’t been in the studio for about three years and, for me, it’s one of the funnest places I could be.”

Alesi said working with Neel as her producer was a life-changing experience.

“Working with Johnny in Nashville was so much fun, and the entire process just flowed. We worked really hard the whole week, but it didn’t feel like we were working at all. I think the moment that summed up the entire week for me was when we finished on Tuesday night and we went upstairs, fell on the couches and I said, ‘Wow, what happened?!’ He laughed and agreed.

“I felt right at home in Nashville, and Johnny and I worked on some really cool harmonies and ideas at night for the following days. We would discuss and re-group for the next session and our ideas were very harmonious. It felt as though I was writing with my best friend, and we were just hanging out having fun.

“That whole week reminded me how much fun writing and creating music from scratch is. I look forward to working with him again. He was such a fun producer and to be working with a musician as amazing and accomplished as him was truly an honor that I am forever grateful for.”

Those who are unable to attend the Sunday release party can catch Alesi every Wednesday, when she hosts open-mic nights at Casa DiLeo in Rehoboth, from 8 to 11 p.m. She can also be found performing solo every Thursday at Harpoon Hanna’s near Fenwick Island, from 5 to 9 p.m., and every other Friday performing with Lauren Glick at the Crab Cake Factory Bayside, from 4 to 7 p.m. Information on additional performances can be found on her website and Facebook page.

Alesi said working on “Lie Again” was an incredible experience, and she hopes listeners will enjoy the album as much as she enjoyed creating it.

“I feel like every album has been a new turn or new beginning in my music career. Every time I finish the writing and recording process, I feel like I have grown not only as an artist, but as a person. And when I leave the studio, I have already started developing new ideas for the next one. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a full-time musician, and I would like to say a big ‘Thank you,’ to all of my supporters.”

Casa Dileo is located at 721 Rehoboth Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. For more information about Alesi and upcoming shows visit www.melissaalesi.com or www.facebook.com/mmalesi. Those interested in purchasing “Lie Again” may do so at the release party, or any of Alesi’s live performances in the future, as well being able to purchase digital downloads from her website.

Parishioners at one local Catholic church have a moral goal to “protect God’s creation.” When they realized the environmental mission of Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC) aligns with their own, they invited the department head to speak at St. Ann Catholic Church in Bethany Beach on Dec. 3.

“We are at an intersection of policy, politics and science,” said Secretary David Small, a 27-year DNREC employee.

The Worcester County, Md., native has lived in Delaware since the mid-1980s.

DNREC oversees everything from state parks to hazardous materials. Although he believes DNREC employees are especially invested in their jobs to protect the land, “I don’t think we can get away with” ignoring the economic impacts of a healthy environment. For instance, tourism is based upon people wanting to visit clean beaches. Outdoor recreation nets $1.1 billion in employee salaries and $304 million in tax revenue, Small said.

Small covered numerous topics, from energy to wastewater:

• Solar energy is approaching fossil fuels in terms of affordability, Small said. Energy companies are starting to lease solar equipment to consumers, an “attractive model to avoid out-of-pocket, up-front costs” for solar panels.

Electricity is still pricey on the Delmarva Peninsula, which imports more electric power than it produces.

• Air pollution is imported, too, unfortunately.

“We are downwind from the Midwest,” where most of Delaware’s air pollution originates, Small said. “Many states in the East may end up in litigation against the EPA to combat this.”

The EPA could enforce more control, targeting pollution sources, especially since science can pinpoint where the air particles originate, and “95-five percent of pollution comes from upwind sources,” Small said. “We believe that we have done just about everything we can do,” down to regulating leak-resistant gasoline containers in Delaware.

• Recycling has reduced the amount of garbage streaming into landfills annually. In 2013, about 42 percent of waste was diverted from the regular garbage stream. That’s an increase from 32 percent in 2009.

The more people recycle, the better.

“I don’t want to be Secretary” when Delaware has to choose a site for a new landfill, Small said.

• Sea-level rise is now part of all state agencies’ future planning, from transportation to social services.

Some people in the St. Ann’s audience were surprised to hear Delaware has lowest average land elevation of any state — lower even than Louisiana.

“I’m very encouraged to hear local communities discuss future land-use planning” regarding sea-level rise, Small said.

Markell’s executive order instructs state agencies to consider how they’ll work around sea-level rise. “I think it will be a roadmap to the future for agencies like ours.”

• Beach replenishment may need more money. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to a 50-year maintenance plan, footing 65 percent of the bill (pending Congressional budgets).

Delaware’s 35 percent share is mostly funded by a 1 percent tax on hotels, but Small is concerned Delaware won’t be able to meet its obligation. Because local governments have taxing power, he suggested that towns and counties be more involved in the discussion of protecting their shorelines. Meanwhile, reconstructed dunes have “protected millions of dollars of infrastructure along the Delaware coastline.”

The overall system needs some retooling to pay the $5 or $6 million share, which leaves nothing left to replenish bay beaches. (Although important to the state, bays don’t meet the cost-benefit requirements for Corps funding.)

• Waterway management has no dedicated funding source, so the state legislature must approve a budget appropriation for it each year. Many waterways need dredging and maintenance, but Small said the Army Corps only manages the most economically necessary, such as the Nanticoke River and Wilmington harbor.

Currently, a Clean Water Task Force is brainstorming ways to improve maintenance, such as an additional feel on boat licenses or a maritime gas tax.

• Private canals aren’t dredged by DNREC, but property owners can create “tax lagoon” associations to tax themselves and maintain the waterways. It is modeled after the tax ditch concept, one of Delaware’s oldest laws.

• Bacteria and pollution are bogging down state waterways. Southeastern Sussex County is in the red, as 100 percent of stream segments are impaired with excess nutrients.

• Rehoboth Beach’s ocean outfall was approved for a loan, but many permits are still required for the actual pipe and pump station designs. The City of Rehoboth Beach is required to eliminate the discharge of treated effluent from the Rehoboth Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.

“That was the best option for the inland bays. Any other option,” he said, would have released effluent into the groundwater, eventually seeping into bays.

Treated water is near-drinking-quality, Small said. Pipes will carry the water 6,000 feet offshore.

Small recalled when wastewater was treated within Delaware Seashore State Park: “We used to discharge [treated effluent] on an outgoing tide.”

“You’ll all have been living with one for more than 30 years,” he said of the Bethany Beach outfall, which connects to the South Coastal Regional Wastewater Facility.

• Real estate agents weren’t fond of an older rule requiring septic systems to be tested when a home is transferred, but Small said, “I think it was a good call. We found that 60 percent of [septics] either needed to be replaced or repaired.”

To be honest, he said, the State didn’t have the staff to test 90,000 septic systems, so it was put on the real estate community.

• Allen-Harim has decided not to use Millsboro’s former Vlasic/Pinnacle factory for processing chickens, which would have produced a lot of wastewater, although they may choose to process something else there. They never got to the point of presenting DNREC with plans for a new wastewater treatment facility there, although Small speculated that it would have been challenging for them to meet DelDOT’s permitting requirements.

Meanwhile, companies such as Dogfish Head Brewery can bring wastewater to treatment facilities like that because it provides the bacteria a continued food source. Dogfish has a permit to take waste to other facilities, but “it still doesn’t change the requirements Allen-Harim has to meet,” Small said.

Although Ron Wuslich said the nearby Indian River Bay still isn’t meeting TMDL requirements, Small said the factory is a small contributor.

• The Assawoman Canal Trail has proven to be popular. Currently, DNREC and DelDOT are brainstorming how to run the trail southward under Route 26.

“It’s been interesting to watch the evolution of the trails,” especially with adjacent residents who were leery of neighboring trails. “They were very concerned about creating access to their community,” but now Small sees real estate advertisements touting the nearby trails. “What was perceived as a liability is now an economic benefit.”

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry saw a 30 percent increase in bicycle traffic when it began advertising proximity to the Rehoboth bike trails.

• “No Child Left Inside” is a movement encouraging children to spend time outdoors. “We are very concerned” that the average Delaware child spends 44 hours weekly in front of electronic screens (not including school hours), Small said. “We’re just worried that if folks don’t get to enjoy nature early, they won’t appreciate it later.”

• Composting is encouraged on a small scale, but the bacteria need a constant and balanced diet to prevent bad odors. A Wilmington industrial compost center was too big for its own good, finally closing when the material and odors started backing up.

“I think dealing with our organic waste is kind of the last frontier,” Small said.

• DNREC employment is a concern, as 50 percent of staff are eligible for retirement, due to hours or age. The agency must prep some of those scientists for management positions, he said

People can learn more about DNREC’s projects and divisions at www.dnrec.delaware.gov or via the agency’s presences on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

In a move designed to help the State fund transportation projects by extracting impact fees from developers, rather than relying on taxpayer funding, Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Jennifer Cohan at the Dec. 8 Sussex County Council meeting announced plans for Sussex County’s first “transportation improvement district.”

The district will be in the Lewes-Rehoboth area, Cohan said, because that area has been identified as the area that would most benefit from the comprehensive land-use planning and transportation planning that is part of inclusion in a TID.

The Delaware Department of Transportation defines a TID as “a geographic area defined for the purpose of securing required improvements to transportation facilities in the area.” The stated purpose of a TID is to comprehensively coordinate land use and transportation within a specific geographical area.

Erosion of federal funding for transportation projects has forced states to seek alternate funding sources. Across the nation, state transportation departments face challenges in financing infrastructure improvements. In Delaware, the motor fuels tax — a primary source of transportation revenue — has not been increased since 1995. DelDOT is responsible for maintaining nearly 90 percent of more than 13,000 lane miles in Delaware, while the nationwide average for states is approximately 20 percent.

Cohan pointed to two upstate TIDs as proof that the concept works. In Middletown, 29 developers were instrumental in funding $43 million in road projects; in southern New Castle County, a similar cooperative agreement resulted in funding for $80 million worth of road work.

Concerning transportation issues in Sussex County, Cohan said, “We have to work together to make things better down here.”

Councilwoman Joan Deaver expressed concerns over whether the new agreements would bring land-use changes such as “down-zoning” or reducing the number of units allowed on certain parcels of land. Councilman George Cole asked whether market conditions would be a factor in determining how impact fees would be levied. Drew Boyce, DelDOT’s planning director, assured Cole that market conditions and land use would both be factors in the assessment of impact fees.

Councilman Robert Arlett said, “I think it is super-important that we have better communications” between county and state agencies where transportation projects are concerned. Arlett pointed to the Route 26 improvement project now under way and said, “Once the first shovel was in the ground, the project was already outdated.”

Cole did, however, express satisfaction with the progress of the work on Route 26. “It’s kind of coming together,” he said.

Deaver, in whose district the first TID will be located, said the Lewes-Rehoboth area is “a great place to start.” After her presentation, Cohan told the council she is looking for “marching orders” from them in order to proceed with the TID process in the county. Cole suggested that the council meet with Planning Director Lawrence Lank before entering into formal agreement with the State.

With some legal help, Fenwick Island residents have created a petition that could crush the proposed motel zoning ordinance.

A Dec. 4 public hearing was held on a zoning amendment that could allow existing hotels/motels to increase density to one sleeping room per 600 square feet of land. (Future hotels/motels would be limited to the current 1,000-square-foot limit.)

With a full house, two police officers were present to keep order, enforce a three-minute time limit per speaker and enforce the fire marshal’s capacity limits for the council chambers.

After the chairs were filled, additional attendees were instructed to stand in the lobby and listen through open doors. They were allowed inside to take the podium, or to take a seat vacated by a previous speaker.

At least 65 people attended, about 11 speaking for and 10 speaking against the proposed amendment. Letters to the town council will also be entered into the record.

“We just want to listen today,” Mayor Gene Langan said. The town council would not answer or ask any questions during the hearing.

With a court stenographer and strictly-enforced time limit, the formal atmosphere was only shaken by a humorously mistimed plug for the local historical society.

The public petition

Primarily, opponents of the ordinance questioned whether the amendment was clearly written so as to prevent unintended growth. Resident Richard Benn hired an attorney, Max Walton of Connolly Gallagher LLP, to state the opponents’ case.

Walton spoke first and submitted a document asserting that, as written, the proposed ordinance could violate Delaware State Code by treating old and new hotels differently, although they’re located in the same district.

“The uniformity requirement is not satisfied by the proposed amendment,” Walton wrote. He suggested that the Town instead create a new hotels zoning district, as Bethany Beach did in 2013.

“While we have no doubt that the Town is acting in good faith in attempting to change the zoning requirements applicable to certain hotels, the method chosen … does not comply with Delaware law,” the document concluded.

Therefore, Walton submitted a petition on behalf of Benn and other opponents.

“The petitions submitted represent approximately 50 percent of the 104,000 square feet of ‘adjacent property’ surrounding the three existing hotels,” Walton wrote. “As I did not gather these signatures personally, I also attach the certification of Mr. Richard Benn attesting to the validity of the petitions.”

The petition included about 19 unique names representing 17 Fenwick properties (there were also four repeat names, plus two apparently unintended duplicates).

Delaware Code states that town zoning amendments must pass by three-fourth majority of the town council when at least 20 percent of property owners (of lots immediately adjacent or directly across the street from the impacted area) sign a petition to oppose the amendment.

That would require six Fenwick council members’ votes in favor, although two of the seven (Roy Williams and Julie Lee) had already voted against the first readings of the ordinance.

While the petition was accepted, the council still needed to verify the information.

Attorney Tim Willard (of Fuqua, Yori & Willard P.A.) requested that the public hearing remain open for another week, so he can review and respond to the documents on behalf of his client, Spiro Buas, owner of the Sands.

But Langan said that decision had to be deferred until the town council could confer with the town solicitor, who was absent from the public hearing.

Against the amendment

Opponents of the amendment were invited to speak next.

No one present at the Dec. 4 hearing spoke against the remodeling of the Sands Motel, whose owners had requested the original zoning change in order to renovate with more rooms, in a number comparable to others in town. A few people specifically rejected increased density there.

“I don’t see why it should be quite so contentious. I don’t think there’s anybody in the town of Fenwick who wants to keep the Sands Motel as it is,” said Charles Farmer, who has owned property in Fenwick for at least 40 years. But he said he couldn’t support the zoning change as written, partially because of the potential legal challenges.

“The town council should do everything they can to get the wording correct. … I don’t think the council has done enough to check that out.”

“To me, if the Sands is going to be torn down and rebuilt, that is not an existing hotel,” Benn had said.

“I am not opposed to the redevelopment,” Benn said. She said she opposed the process of changing the code for one request, when individual houses pay fees to go through Board of Adjustment.

She also questioned whether the Charter & Ordinance Committee studied how the change would impacts the remaining commercial zone, beaches, neighbors, traffic and more.

Farmer said he also wished the process had begun with a public information session, since he was surprised to read newspaper reports of the related council and committee meetings.

Murmurs from the audience showed their displeasure at seeing Farmer cut off at the 3-minute mark, despite his having “20 seconds left” of comment.

While new ownership has already improved the Sands’ reputation, the overall zoning process has been flawed, said Bill Mould, whose family has owned property adjacent to the Sands for 50 years.

“I would like to see more interaction with residents,” said Jacque Napolitano. “I think the way you have gone about this is unfair, and I don’t feel [protected] by my government.”

Some people lamented to the “rancor” that’s arisen between the council and some citizens, especially disappointing during the holiday season.

“I hope you can reach a compromise that help the majority of the residents feel comfortable with,” said Dottie Lopez.

Five others echoed those comments, also demanding traffic safety and visual privacy be assured for the Sands’ neighbors.

For the amendment

“I think it makes sense,” said Scott Mumford. “I think if somebody is willing to tear down the Sands hotel and build what looks to be quite an upgrade, he or she [should be encouraged].”

“I worry about private sector dictating what goes on in the commercial sector,” Adkins said. “I think it would be nice to have a new structure there.”

Living near Seaside Inn Hotel, Pam Adkins said she hasn’t experienced any guest rowdiness, but she felt an upgraded Sands would fill the niche for a nicer hotel.

Bob Clark agreed, stating, “We have a lot of guests down at our house … and they were appalled at” Fenwick’s hotel options.

“There are a lot of people who come to Fenwick Island in the summertime who rent homes or motel rooms because they can’t afford to [buy here],” said Faye Horner. Allowing the Sands to rebuild would show Fenwick Island cares about visitors, she said.

The Town should take advantage of the Sands’ building permit fees, then reinvest, said Mark Tingle. “I think the Town should consider buying the PNC property. I’d rather have assets than money in the bank,” Tingle said, especially since the State of Delaware has been eyeing municipal real estate transfer taxes and could take advantage of Fenwick’s bank accounts.

“I think it provides necessary tax funds for the Town,” said Alex Daly. “I think it promotes a healthy commercial district. I think it opens up the beauty of Fenwick for people who do not own property here.”

“Approximately 25 years ago, if you owned a commercial property, you could not vote in this town,” noted Tim Collins, resident and business owner.

Those days are over, and business owners can participate. But now empty storefronts haunt the town.

“We have a serious problem in the commercial zone,” Collins said, but the Sands’ upgrade could bring more customers. “What we have today is a prudent effort by the town council to solve problems.”

Three more people spoke, some dismissing concerns of overcrowding, stating that 26 additional rooms ultimately isn’t a large number, and the beach has plenty of room for more.

Buas was the last to speak, joking that the public hearing was almost as big as his own wedding.

“I want to thank everyone,” Buas said, because even those against the amendment supported his desire to improve the motel.

The next step

The public hearing ended exactly one hour later, coincidently at the same time the council would normally have met. However, the hearing and meeting were separate, thus providing citizens with plenty of time to comment and the council with a week to consider comments before voting.

At their Dec. 11 meeting, at 2:30 p.m., the town council will consider and possibly vote on the second (and final) reading of Chapter 160-2B (Definitions) and Chapter 160-5C(5) — (Area Regulations).

They will also consider a possible moratorium on the issuing of permits or approvals for new motel/hotel uses in the Town of Fenwick Island.

Depending on the survey’s impact, the council could also return to the drawing board and re-hash the details.

The Ocean View Town Council continued discussions regarding traffic on Woodland Avenue when it met earlier this week.

Last month, the Town received a petition from residents in The Reserves and other surrounding residents, asking the Town to temporarily alter the traffic flow on Woodland, between Central and West Avenues, to mitigate heavy truck traffic.

“Essentially, it’s saying they would like to have the Town to give a directive to have the construction trucks going into the rejuvenated Reserves for construction, to divert it, so they don’t go into the north end of Woodland Avenue for a lot of good reasons,” explained Mayor Walter Curran.

Curran said the Town has a phone call scheduled with the construction manager for Dec. 9 to discuss the issue.

“We are taking steps and, hopefully, in the next couple of days we’ll have an answer there. We do believe that’s the right thing to do, is to try and keep those trucks down in the lower end, if you will… We’re certainly in agreement with the principle of it.”

Briarcliffe resident Kathy Vengazo spoke to the council in support of the petition, stating Woodland is in “deplorable condition.”

“When it rains or snows, the road becomes treacherous to navigate. The addition of multiple trucks using Woodland Avenue to transport construction materials and dirt, bricks, lumber, etc., to the Reserves and Ocean View Beach communities, where hundreds of homes are planned for development, will tax this roadway and lead to its ultimate destruction or some terrible calamity that could affect my family or the family of one of my neighbors.”

Vengazo said the Town has set aside money to repair drainage and road deterioration on Woodland but has been unable to secure easements. She recommended the Town work with the neighboring communities to assure neighbors that any damage to property from easements granted would be repaired.

“I think our talking to them neighbor-to-neighbor could bring about better results than contacts by Town officials have accomplished to date,” she said. “Please address this problem now. We beg you to not wait until it is an emergency. Let’s think ahead and be proactive, for a change, instead of cleaning up problems after the fact.”

She also recommended that council stay in touch with the Sussex County Council, as permits for some homes being constructed in those communities are with the County, not with the Town.

“Can the Town talk with their respective peers at the County level to see if they will assist the Town by requiring NV Homes to pay for the repairs to Woodland Avenue as a condition of approval of their building plans?” she asked. “It seems Ocean View is getting all of the burdens of this new community but none of the benefits and it’s time to do what is right for Ocean View.”

“Your points are valid, and we’re not disputing any of that,” said Curran.

He said the Town hopes that they can work with the developer to deal with the truck traffic voluntarily.

Curran said that the projects have been in the Town’s budget; however, easements are still required.

“This has been on the agenda for a number of years,” he said. “What we did decide, as you pointed out, the self-help program within the HOAs is very good, and those communities who stepped forward and tried to help, we put them at the top of the list to get the projects done.

“Those who are unwilling to help fall to the bottom simply because we simply want to keep something going. We want to fix as much as we can. Your points are certainly valid. I thank you very much for making them, and we’ll do what we can.”

Vengazo asked what the Town would do if the meeting with the developer was not successful.

“I tend to be somewhat optimistic in my outlook,” responded Curran.

At the meeting, the council also discussed its Emergency Services grant, which annually awards grant monies to the Millville Volunteer Fire Company.

“I personally think, in this particular case, at least for this year, Millville is looking for us to make donations to pay down debt. Everything in the past, as far as I’m aware of, anyway, always went to capital improvements.”

Curran said he would be willing to agree to help pay down the debt, as long as it would pay principal only, not interest payments.

The council said they would have no problem with that for this year; however, Councilman Bill Olsen noted the Town was waiting to hear back from the MVFC regarding complaints about their siren in Ocean View.

“It’s between two people’s houses,” said Councilman Geoff Christ. “I can’t imagine…”

“I’m hearing reports from people who live in Salt Pond,” added Olsen.

Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin said he has a meeting set with the company’s fire chief and will bring up the issue with him then.

The council unanimously agreed they would be willing to help with the company’s capital loans with their grant this year.

In other Town news:

• Olsen was voted in unanimously to assume the position of mayor pro-tem.

• A special election will be held on Feb. 20 to fill the vacant District 3 seat on the council, following Councilman Tom Sheeran’s passing. Those interested in running must fill out a certificate of intent to run and pay a $50 filing fee to the Town’s administrative offices no later than 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 8.

• The Town will host its annual Holiday in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 3 to 5 p.m. at John West Park. Santa Claus will arrive by MVFC truck, and kids can enjoy face painting and balloon animals. Punch and cookies will be served, and the St. Ann’s chorus will lead carols at 5 p.m., for the lighting of the Town tree.

• The Ocean View Police Department held a DOSE workshop in November for those dealing with addiction.

“The feedback from the participants and their families has been very positive,” said McLaughlin. “We continue to have a problem with heroin in our community.”

A nationally-known pet store is close to getting its final approvals to come to Millville.

The Millville Town Council has approved a preliminary site plan and final site plan for Petco, a retailer of pet supplies and services, with more than 1,500 stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Petco plans to expand a store unit to the west side of the Super Giant grocery store in Millville Town Center.

With Harry Kent and Steve Maneri absent on Dec. 8, the remaining three council members unanimously voted to approve the site plans.

“I know that Petco is very excited to be coming to the town of Millville,” said engineer Ring Lardner of Davis, Bowen & Friedel Inc. architecture and engineering services.

The rear of the building will be expanded by approximately 2,282-square-feet. The space will also be expanded by pushing the side wall into an empty neighboring unit.

But since the project is just an addition to the existing structure, Petco didn’t have to provide much information to get approval.

That being said, the drawings provided weren’t completely straightforward.

“From the drawing I have of how it is today … to me it looks as if the proposed addition is larger in scale than the one that’s already there,” Councilman Robert “Bob” Gordon said. “There’s no legend” to clarify that.

Although the drawing didn’t spell it out, the Petco unit will be widened and lengthened, Lardner confirmed.

The drawing showed only half of Millville Town Center as a series of large buildings, instead of individual units. There were no business or road names for reference.

Several people crowded around the map while Lardner explained the layout, including where Giant and the other shops were located.

The applicant met all requirements for site plan approval, with no objections from Sussex Conservation District or Delaware State Fire Marshal. The expansion won’t affect the fire lane.

Due to the disbanding of the Town Planning & Zoning Commission, the town council simultaneously conducted the preliminary review and final approval of the site plan.

Petco must still apply for building permits.

P&Z Committee made official

Due to the difficulty in filling seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission, the town council had disbanded the group in October, opting for a slightly more casual Planning & Zoning Committee.

This month, they changed the Town’s Zoning Code (Chapter 33) to reflect the changes and outline the duties of a P&Z Committee. Ordinance 16-04 passed with a majority of the quorum, 2-0-1, with Councilwoman Susan Brewer recusing herself.

Millville’s new committee will include the town manager, town code and building administrator (Eric Evans), town planner (Kyle Gulbronson of AECOM, formerly URS) and a town council member (Brewer).

The members will be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. There are no defined terms for the appointments, although the former commission had three-year terms. Unless removed by the mayor and town council, each member will serve until a replacement member is appointed and confirmed.

Meetings and records will be open to the public.

The town charter doesn’t require a planning commission or committee, noted Town Manager Debbie Botchie.

Fire company gets grants

The Millville Volunteer Fire Company received approval, 3-0, to collect its Town grant money.

In June, the town council had approved a new $500 impact fee for new commercial and residential construction, specifically to benefit MVFC.

In the first three months, $26,500 was collected. The MVFC’s annual application stated the money will reduce loan principals for two ambulances and one traffic-control unit.

The funds may be used to buy new equipment or replace outdated items. It is not meant to pay salaries or to replace operational expenses. It doesn’t affect the Town budget.

Officially, the MVFC will submit receipts to receive reimbursement.

Although the vote was unanimous, Gordon said he was surprised that the fire company had sent no representatives to the council meeting.

• Ordinance 16-03 passed with a 3-0 vote, cleaning up some language by removing special exceptions requirements from the Board of Adjustment ordinance. That was previously overlooked when those requirements were removed from the zoning code.

• In the absence of two council members, Resolution 16-02 was tabled, as Millville considers requesting a charter change from Delaware State Legislature.

• The Millville Town newsletter has been released this week.

• The council will vote to accept contractor bids for the new municipal building on Dec. 22.

The next meeting will be the council’s workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.

The Delmarva Whiskey Club will hold their second annual Whisky Winter Golf Outing & Scotch Dinner on Jan. 30 and 31, 2016. The Saturday-night dinner will feature a Scotch whisky pairing led by Jared Card of ImpEx Beverages. The sit-down pairing of fine food and high-end Scotch will be held at the Cove Bar & Grille located at Bayside Golf Resort in West Fenwick. The golf outing will feature a shotgun start at noon Sunday in a foursome team scramble format.

Proceeds from the events will go to Operation SEAs the Day, a beach week event for soldiers and veterans who are recovering from injuries sustained while serving the country, and their families. During this week, Bethany Beach hosts soldiers and their immediate families for a week of rest and relaxation.

The Delmarva Whiskey Club was established for whiskey fans. The club sponsors various whiskey tasting events during the year. They welcome those who have just begun to appreciate whiskey, as well as seasoned whiskey aficionados.

To register for the Whisky Winter Golf Tournament, or for more information, visit: http://www.delmarvawhiskey.com/#!golf/c1175. To become a tournament sponsor or join the Whiskey Club, contact Kevin Clover, president, at (215) 815-1706 or kevin@delmarvawhiskey.com.

Coastal Point • Bob Bertram: Above, CHEER Director Yolanda Gallego in front of her Wall of Inspiration.At the CHEER Center in Ocean View, the homey atmosphere is highlighted by the smiling faces of the CHEER members, ages 50 and older. Overseeing it all is CHEER Director Yolanda Gallego, who started working for the organization four years ago and coordinates recreational activities and entertainment for its members.

A native of the small town of Hinton, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley, Gallego moved to Ocean View seven years ago. She is a graduate of Bridgewater College, with a degree in health and physical education. She worked in rehabilitative therapy for five years, and she worked in an after-school program with children for 17 years prior to working with CHEER.

“It was time for a change,” she said.

The CHEER Center in Ocean View offers many services to members, such as the fitness center, Meals On Wheels, transportation, volunteer programs and classes, such as yoga and line dancing. When entertainment, such as music, is brought to CHEER, Gallego said members will get up and start dancing.

“I’ll be up dancing with them,” she added with a soft laugh.

Gallego said each day is a memorable experience, though one that stuck out for her was at a talent show held two years ago, when Flossie Vogel, now 72, tap-danced while sitting in a chair.

“It just blew you away,” she recalled.

Gallego said that after her brother passed from a rare disease, members at CHEER were very supportive of her. She added that she wanted to create a place where people could come and still have that support after they lose a loved one.

“It’s a home away from home,” she said.

Gallego said CHEER has two support groups for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. At the first meeting held for the Parkinson’s support group, 20 people attended, and it is in its second year.

“We want to meet a need in the community that someone else isn’t doing,” she added.

Coastal Point • Bob Bertram: Yolanda Gallego and CHEER members Shirley Lee, Mary Breckenridge and Maureen Thomas.Gallego said they plan trips Thursdays and Fridays to places such as the mall, and two experiences that stood out to her mind were a kayaking trip and beach cleanup. During such trips, two 80-year-old women rode a kayak for the first time, and a gentleman saw his first horseshoe crab.

“I love seeing the wonder come out,” she said.

Gallego said she has traveled to Cuba twice and to Australia, where she stayed for a month.

“I almost cried because I didn’t want to leave,” she added.

Gallego is currently taking on an international theme at CHEER that’s inspired by her travels. She hosted an event at which members of CHEER could try Thai food that their new chef from Thailand made. Gallego said that the members truly enjoyed the food and even asked if the event will happen next year.

“The folks loved it. It was so yummy,” she said.

Gallego said that, in the future, she wants to continue meeting the needs and interest of the members at CHEER, add more support groups and educational classes, and spruce up the outside with new landscaping.

Gallego said CHEER’s programs wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the “great group” of volunteers, including the drivers that help with transportation.

She said people should volunteer at CHEER because it’s a great way to give back. When it comes to CHEER, she said, they focus more on the community and their members, rather than themselves. Many drivers who volunteer help deliver meals to those 50 and older as part of the Meal On Wheels program. Not only do the people they deliver to get a meal, they also receive social interaction that may be the only contact with others they get that day.

“It’s more than just a meal,” she added.