This weekend, and again in June, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-01, part of the Fifth District, is offering Delaware Safe Boating Courses, to help boaters prepare for the upcoming season.

“Basically, it’s an introduction to boating course. It’s designed for those who are getting into boating. It also helps those who have been in boating that have never had any kind of training,” explained Bob Adams, a member of the auxiliary.

“In Delaware, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1978, must have a course like this in order to operate a boat in Delaware waters. Once they pass it successfully, they receive a certificate from the Department of Boating Safety.”

Classes will be offered on Saturdays, May 17, June 7 and June 14, at South Bethany Town Hall. The one-day course costs $10 per person, which covers the cost of the booklets given to those attending. They will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will have breaks throughout the day, including one for lunch.

The class covers six main areas, the first being knowing one’s boat.

“It’s basically an introduction to terminology. There’s a whole different world of words and phrases that you use in the boating world that you don’t use out on the street. Port starboard, bow, stern — those kinds of things you don’t hear on the street.”

The course will then cover how to get from “the house to the ramp.”

“This is even before you get into the water. Trailering is an important part of boating. A lot of people with smaller boats trailer them and need to get from one place to the launch site, get the boat launched and reverse the process once they’re done boating.”

Adams said the course will also cover how to operate a boat safely.

“This is the rules of the road, in terms of navigation. How do you navigate the waters? What do these buoys mean? Buoys are like road signs on the highway. You need to understand what they mean in order to stay safe.”

The course will also cover specific equipment and legal requirements of boating, and how to deal with boating emergencies, should they arise.

“No one expects to have them. No one wants them. But we teach how to mitigate situations that cause injuries. If they do happen, how to respond to them and treat them.”

And, finally, the course will talk about how to enjoy water sports.

“There are different ways to enjoy the waters in Delaware. We are blessed with some wonderful opportunities. It’s not just going out on the water in a boat. People want to fish. Paddle sports are becoming very popular in this area. So we talk about how to safely enjoy some of these aspects of boating.”

Following the class, students must take a 60-question exam, and they must get passing grade of 70 percent or better to receive their certification.

“It’s not a course designed for failure. We want people to learn and to be successful,” said Adams.

Adams said that, although many boaters believe they know all there is to know about boating, taking the course as a refresher every 10 years or so would be beneficial.

“In my own case, my dad got our first boat when I was 12 or 13 years old, and I have been boating ever since then. I joined the auxiliary 10 years ago,” he said. “I learned more in the first year in the auxiliary about boating than in the 50 years prior to that. I thought I knew about boating, and I knew a little, but I really didn’t, compared to the information that’s available out there.”

Adams said he joined the auxiliary after the U.S. Coast Guard offered him assistance while boating.

“I was boating down here, and I had a new 20-foot boat going fishing out in the ocean. A friend and I fished all day, got ready to leave and the engine wouldn’t start. It was foggy and had been all day,” he said. “We were kind of out there in a bit of a haze with no engine, and it was getting toward evening, and I started to think, ‘What in the heck am I going to do?’”

Adams said he got on the Channel 16 emergency channel, asking if anyone nearby could hear him.

“All of a sudden, I heard this voice come on, saying, ‘This is Coast Guard Cutter MAKO — what’s your situation?’” he recalled, adding that the cutter sent a crew to his boat to fix his battery. “After we got it going, then they followed me on the radio from that time until I got into the Indian River Inlet and was safe. I thought that was very, very helpful. I decided I wanted to be able to help, and since I was too old to join the military, the auxiliary was the next best thing.”

Adams said Flotilla 12-01 has more than 20 members and provides tremendous training opportunities to those in the auxiliary.

“We are an arm of the Coast Guard. We have no police or enforcement duties. We are there to help them promote safe boating,” he said, noting that they do much more, including conducting vessel inspections.

Adams said he most proud of his time in the auxiliary, having achieved coxswain, and teaching courses like the three coming up.

“Teaching these boating classes. I enjoy helping people learn about boating. You can see it in their faces, the light bulbs going off. ‘Oh, my gosh! I didn’t know that!’ Those are the two things that I really find appealing.”

For more information or to register, call Adams at (610) 507-7526. South Bethany Town Hall is located at 402 Evergreen Road.

Coastal Point • Submitted: Don’t let this photo fool you. Rather than sit at a desk, Neil Beahan prefers visiting classrooms or working with teachers at Southern Delaware School of the Arts. Beahan was recently recognized as Delaware’s Middle Level Principal of the Year for his efforts.Neil Beahan usually saves paperwork for afternoons or weekends. That’s because the principal of the Southern Delaware School of the Arts wants to be with students as much as he can.

“I try to stay out of the office as much as humanly possible,” said Beahan, visiting classrooms and teacher meetings to know what’s going on. Plus, with “three times as many concerts” as other schools, SDSA families see Beahan afterhours, too.

He doesn’t put in those long hours for an award, but that didn’t stop Beahan from being named Delaware’s Middle Level Principal of the Year for 2014 by the Delaware Association of School Administrators.

“Under Neil Beahan’s guidance, Southern Delaware School of the Arts has become one of the highest-performing schools in the state of Delaware,” wrote Indian River School District Superintendent Susan Bunting.

He has been part of district for 33 years, starting as a teacher.

“That’s just always what I wanted to do,” said Beahan, who used to help his classmates and younger kids in the neighborhood.

Becoming a music instructor at Selbyville Middle School in 1981 was a “great way to combine my love of teaching and music. … My father wanted me to be an engineer,” he quipped. But Beahan loved it, and still has student cards from over the years. Plus, his name (pronounced “BAY-an”) sounds similar to “band,” which seemed a perfect fit for his musical profession.

He moved to SDSA in 2005, then became an assistant principal at Sussex Central High School in 2007.

Beahan has been the principal of SDSA since 2009. He didn’t know what to expect, but now “Every day is so, so intense and unpredictable. I’ve grown to like the unpredictability,” he said.

“I like my job. I’m lucky I got a staff that works very hard, kids that come off the bus smiling,” Beahan said. “And every day they give you a new challenge. I like that.”

The big challenge is “keeping everybody on the same page,” including students, staff and parents.

SDSA’s mission is arts integration. Despite a strong performing and visual arts program, SDSA is not a performing arts academy. Instead, teachers use art in core academic subjects. That means science students might learn the periodic table by singing or integers in math class by dancing on a giant number line.

Beahan compared it to learning the ABCs with the “Alphabet Song” — it just becomes ingrained. Plus, project-oriented learning is the way of the future, he said.

“Neil’s extensive background as a music teacher made him uniquely qualified for the challenge of developing students’ artistic talents while also providing them with exemplary academic instruction,” Bunting added. “Hundreds of students have benefitted from his outstanding leadership. I congratulate Neil on this well-deserved honor. He has truly made the Indian River School District proud.”

“All the other administrators in this district — … everybody really helps each other,” Beahan said. If somebody gets a good idea, they’ll share. If Beahan has a question, he’s comfortable calling any of his colleagues.

“We all get such tremendous support from Dr. Bunting in the Central Office. That’s not true in every district,” he added.

He won the honor for the middle-school level, but SDSA actually has students from kindergarten to eighth grade. So the staff must be versatile and knowledgeable in everything from child development to academics to discipline.

“I love it. I like to watch the kids grow and change. And we get to see the high schools vie for them because they’re smart kids,” Beahan said. “They’re very good kids. They think out of the box.”

Music still calls to Beahan, who plays percussion in a community band. He also gets to play golf, though he misses coaching it.

As the state winner, Beahan is eligible for the National Principal of the Year Award. Sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and MetLife, it annually recognizes school leaders “who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students.”

Spring is here, which means Route 26 shouldn’t have any daytime lane closures again until Sept. 30. Two lanes of traffic must be maintained.

Roadwork may continue 24 hours a day, but on the weekends, from 6 a.m. Friday mornings until 6 p.m. Monday nights, there can be no lane closures, shoulder closures or lane shifts. However, such restrictions are all permitted during night work, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Monday night and Friday morning.

“Night work will, hopefully, minimize traffic disruption,” said Len Brooks of contractor George & Lynch. However, it may not be needed much at this point in the process, because most work doesn’t require lane closures.

During the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., lane shifts and shoulder closures are allowed, as long as two lanes of traffic are maintained.

However, Clarksville may have two more days of lane closures between Route 17 and Powell Farm Road as Delmarva Power finishes some utility relocations. Traffic will alternate, as directed by flaggers.

Currently, the shoulder is closed between Assawoman Canal and Town Road for sewer force main relocation. Excavation continues for a Clarksville stormwater management pond, and other utility relocations are ongoing.

Detours are not required for the work. But officials are advising motorists to drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a roadway that has been blocked with barriers or cones.

Although the project’s Central Avenue closure for pipe installation was much shorter than anticipated, Ocean View residents were concerned.

“Local communities were seeing a lot of cut-through traffic. I want to make it clear DelDOT did not post a detour route along local [roads],” said Ken Cimino, AECOM’s on-site public outreach coordinator.

DelDOT did post a longer detour on State-owned roads, but it’s “human nature: people are going to take the shortest distance between Point A and Point B,” Cimino said.

Emergency responders have met with the project team to write an operating procedure for summertime emergencies.

“So far, everything seems to be moving along, going well,” said Cimino. Fire companies and others will meet again after Memorial Day weekend to see how the plans worked.

In the future, George & Lynch is next looking to upgrade three intersections on Route 26: at Old Mill Road (by Food Lion), Cedar Drive (by Giant) and Central Avenue (by Fulton Bank).

Cimino will get out ahead of that project to contact businesses and residents affected by that work, to “just give them an update they may experience some minimal impact with those construction activities.”

Residents and businesses are being encouraged to contact Ken Cimino at any time with questions or concerns, at (302) 616-2621, or Kenneth.cimino@aecom.com or 17 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 2 in Ocean View.

As Delaware Department of Transportation performs the 901-day widening project, which began in January, Tidewater Utilities will simultaneously expand water service from Old School Lane in Ocean View to Windmill Drive in Millville.

About 10,000 feet of 16- and 12-inch water main will be laid under Route 26, approximately from bridge to bridge, making room for the stormwater management pipes required by DelDOT.

Tidewater also awarded that contract to low-bidder George & Lynch, which makes for easier coordination of road- and pipework.

Traffic signal

slow-downs

In a related occurrence, some traffic backups have recently occurred at the Route 26/Old Mill Road intersection because of new signal timing.

Typically, intersections have a loop detector, which senses when a vehicle is waiting. A car pulls forward to the red light, and the traffic signal knows it needs to turn green. However, DelDOT’s Traffic Management Center in late April switched the signal to a “fixed-time” system, which gives each cross-road a specific amount of time with a green signal, regardless of whether a vehicle is waiting there.

Cars may wait longer than before, “because nothing is sending a message to the controller to change the signal.” Meanwhile, a green light may be wasted on an empty lane.

The change was originally made in anticipation of excavation for stormwater drainage, so flaggers or police could direct traffic manually. But because George & Lynch may postpone summertime drainage work, Cimino said, DelDOT is actually working to return the signals to “a traffic-responsive” system.

The change has led to significant backups of traffic at the intersection — with the eastbound Route 26 traffic sometimes backing up from Old Mill to Whites Neck Road and forcing drivers to wait through four or more light changes just to clear the intersection.

Lord Baltimore Elementary School even allowed parents to drop their children off late one morning because traffic had backed up so severely for no apparent reason.

“This is the first time that has happened,” said Principal Ann Marie Logullo, adding that parents are aware of traffic and adjust their schedules accordingly. “Parents are very good about adjusting their times.”

“It shows the importance of work-zone safety. Situations change from day to day, hour to hour,” said Bob King, DelDOT community relations officer. “Expect the unexpected.”

The Ocean View Town Council voted unanimously this week to officially oppose Delaware House Bill 333, which would limit all municipalities’ use of their general or special powers in regard to taxation.

Town Solicitor Dennis Schrader told council that all municipalities in the state of Delaware, with the exception of Wilmington and Newark, are not home-rule municipalities.

“We are the benefactors of a municipal corporation charter granted by the General Assembly, and all of the powers that the Town of Ocean View has is delegated to these towns and to us by the General Assembly,” he explained. “We only have the power to zone because the General Assembly says we have the power to zone, and are limited by the statutes that grant that power to us.”

Section 11(a), Article VIII, of the Delaware Constitution provides that “No tax … may be imposed or levied except pursuant to an Act of the General Assembly adopted with the concurrence of three-fifths of all members of each House.”

A recent Chancery Court opinion has limited the State’s powers under this section of the Delaware Constitution by allowing a municipality to impose a tax through an “all powers” clause in a municipal charter, even if there is not specific authorization by an Act of the General Assembly to impose such a tax.

If passed, the bill would stipulate that a municipality may only impose a tax within its jurisdiction if such tax is expressly authorized by an act of the Delaware General Assembly.

“It’s going to be kind of a logjam,” said Schrader. “For example, if we have a hotel come into town and we want to impose a room tax, we would have to go to the General Assembly, have that Charter change approved by two-thirds of the majority of each House, signed by the governor and then returned to us for adoption of the enabling legislation in order to impose it. It would take a year by the time you made the decision to impose the tax until such time you were able to connect it.

“Multiply that by 26 municipalities and 57 statewide, and the whole month of June would be dealing with Charter provision.”

Schrader said he had been told that the Sussex County Association of Towns had opposed, as will the Delaware League of Local Governments, along with many other municipalities, including Bridgeville.

“I see this as a disaster for all small municipalities,” said Mayor Walter Curran.

“I absolutely agree,” added Councilman Bob Lawless. “Anyone who can reach anybody who might have a voice ought to do that. I have already spoken with Sen. [Gerald] Hocker, who agrees that this is an absolutely awful piece of legislation and should be killed.”

The bill was expected to be on the House floor for a vote on May 14, after the Coastal Point’s press deadline this week. If approved, it would also need to be approved in the state Senate and signed into law by the governor.

Council denies Blue Heron Landing

subdivision extension

The Ocean View Town Council this week also unanimously denied a request by Blue Heron Landing to introduce an ordinance that would exempt them from the sunsetting provision that requires a development to begin construction by a certain period after approval of a subdivision plan. The six-lot subdivision is located on Woodland Avenue.

In June 2005, the subdivision was granted preliminary approval. In June 2006, it received final plan approval. Under the Ocean View Town Code then in existence, the developer had five years in which to commence construction of the project.

Schrader said the zoning code was definitive in terms of four items that were to be looked for in terms of commencement of construction, and stated that none appeared to have been done during those five years.

“They include the right-of-way to be cleared, roadway to be rough-graded, drainage system and stormwater management facilities upgraded, and sediment and erosion control management were in place,” he said, adding that no permits were applied for or paid for, nor were connections made to any public utilities.

Schrader said that none of those requirements had transpired before the August 2011 sunsetting date, three years ago.

“I think the recommendation of staff to council is the matter is so stale that the land-use planning regulations of 2014 are so different from those that were in place in 2005, that if the gentlemen in question wish to reapply, they may do so and seek another subdivision.”

“It seems to me this thing couldn’t be deader,” agreed Lawless, opposing the request for an extension. “If these folks want to create a subdivision within the town, they know the process and have to comply with it.”

“I think it’s past life support. I think we want to be as consistent as possible. To keep it dead would be consistent. To do otherwise would set a very bad precedent,” added Curran.

Greg White, a partner in Blue Heron Landing, told council that he believes the extension should be granted.

“We continue to get tax bills for six lots. If the grass gets cut, we get billed for six lots. According to our attorney, Ray Tomasetti, he said it’s being treated as a subdivision, it looks like a subdivision, and it’s a subdivision by defacto,” he said. “How can we be paying taxes on six lots that we’ve been told that aren’t six lots?”

“I don’t think there is such a thing as a defacto subdivision. We’re here on the issue of whether or not an ordinance should or should not be introduced to extend the subdivision, not a matter of the taxation,” responded Schrader, adding that White could contact Town Finance Director Lee Brubaker to address the tax issue.

White also stated that the Town did not properly inform him and his partners of the sunsetting rule.

“We never got a heads-up… Never was there a word that this thing is going to sunset,” he said.

“If you were unaware that the ordinance provided for a sunset when you were approved, you were ill-advised by your counsel,” said Lawless. “The ordinance indicates approval is for a five-year period, after which it ends. The five-year period elapsed; it ended.”

“To say that we have to tell you you’ve expired is like saying we have to tell you it’s against the law to speed,” added Schrader. “I know of no jurisdiction in this county that approves subdivisions that allows them to last forever.”

The council unanimously voted to not introduce an ordinance to extend the sunset rule for Blue Heron Landing.

In other Town news:

• The Millville Volunteer Fire Company applied for another grant from the Town for $10,000 to fund additional training for their firefighters. Council approved the request, which is funded through the Town’s Emergency Services Enhancement Fund.

• Kercher Engineering prepared a pavement management report for the municipal streets within the town. The report includes street inventories, summary reports and road conditions. The draft is being reviewed by staff and will be submitted to council at a future date for consideration of adoption.

• Town Manager Dianne Vogel and Public Works Director McMullen have met with Sussex Correctional Institute Warden Bill Oetell regarding the use of prisoners to cut grass at Town facilities. The Town entered into a memo of understanding to have property at 201 Central Avenue and 1 Colt Lane cut on a weekly basis. The prisoners will also do a one-time cleanup of John West Park.

• June 2 will officially be Dunes Pink Classic Day in Ocean View. The council unanimously approved the observation recognizing the Women’s Gold Association of Bear Trap Dunes, which holds a yearly breast cancer fundraiser that, in its first seven years, raised more than $200,000 for research and treatment.

• Vogel said the Town’s annual Homecoming event last Saturday was very successful, and had a steady number of attendees throughout the day.

• The Town is currently advertising for a Public Works maintenance employee.

Voters kept the same lineup for Indian River School District’s Board of Education this year, as the incumbents in District 5 will retain their seats. The district, which includes the Selbyville area, will be represented by incumbents Doug Hudson (183 votes) and W. Scott Collins (151 votes), who beat challenger Bobbi Barends (40 votes) in the May 13 election.

Both of the incumbents have served a three-year term, but the Delaware state legislature has extended the district’s terms to match most other state boards. This is the second IRSD election with five-year terms, which begin July 1.

There was no contest for Nina R. Bunting in District 3 (Millsboro area) and Donald Hattier in District 4 (Millville, Bethany Beach and Fenwick), who will both also keep their seats.

“I’d like to thank all of the constituents for … voting for me, taking the time to come out and do that,” Hudson said. “I’d like to congratulate the candidates. Everyone ran an aboveboard race. They’re first-class people.”

Hudson said he will “continue on to try to give our students in the Indian River School District the best possible education we can give them,” and “to do that economically … keep property taxes low.”

Collins was not available for comment before the Coastal Point deadline this week, but in March he said, “I think the makeup of the board is good. I want to keep in the direction that we’ve put ourselves on,” he said of IRSD’s many new programs.

He said he hoped to continue leading the Policy Committee on a full revamp of the policy manual. For instance, the school board recently approved a new discipline policy that consolidated six policies into one, which clarified rules, removed duplicates, defined terms and more.

“As a parent, it makes it easier to read,” he said.

Both board members are available to their constituents by email, at scott.collins@irsd.k12.de.us and douglas.hudson@irsd.k12.de.us, respectively.

The end of the Civil War did not bring a complete halt to the massive loss of life that took place during four years of conflict. Animosity between the races frequently led to unbridled mob rule and lynching of African-Americans, as well as whites who sympathized with their plight.

The Tuskegee Institute in Macon County, Ala., compiled statistics by state from 1882 through 1968, showing 3,446 blacks and 1,297 whites died in this horrific manner. Mississippi and Texas led all other states, with the lynching of 539 blacks and 141 whites, respectively. Although lynching predominantly occurred in former Confederate states, they took place in those that had stayed loyal to the Union as well (see http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/shipp/lynchingsstate.html).

Among the loyal states, the Tuskegee report lists only one lynching in Delaware — that of a black man in Wilmington in 1903. In a more recent study in the Winter-Spring 2014 issue of Delaware History, however, Yohuru Williams identifies lynchings during an earlier period, including a black Union army veteran named William “Obie” Evans.

Evans, born in what is now West Virginia, served in the 30th United States Colored Troops during and immediately following the Civil War. He remained on garrison duty with his unit in North Carolina during Reconstruction, until December 1865.

Having as yet not received the $300 separation-from-service bounty promised him upon enlistment in the Union army, Evans — along with many other black veterans — scrambled to obtain employment to make ends meet. Evans, who evidently had come to the Baltimore area, decided in the spring of 1867 to seek work in the Leipsic community just north of Dover.

The racial climate in Delaware had not improved significantly since the U.S. Congress adopted the 13th Amendment on Dec. 6, 1865, officially ending slavery in this country. Delaware adamantly refused to ratify the amendment.

Harold Bell Hancock points out in “Delaware during the Civil War” that Gov. Gove Saulsbury denounced the end of slavery. He asserted “the true position of the Negro was as a subordinate race.” Yohuru Williams quoted the governor’s belief the amendment was “unnecessary, unwise, unjustifiable and dangerous … [because] sale of [blacks] into slavery, as a punishment for crime … was the surest preventive against the repetition.”

It was in this toxic political atmosphere that Obie Evans arrived in Delaware and contracted for work during the duration of the peach harvest with a white farmer named William Collins, himself a Union war veteran. Reluctantly, Evans agreed to put up his bounty payment papers as collateral for a loan from Collins to cover initial living expenses.

Soon thereafter, Evans received word from the government that his bounty had been approved for payment. He requested Collins to release him from the previously agreed contract and a return of his bounty papers. Desiring reliable work for the duration of the harvest, however, Collins declined Evans’ request, which led to bad feelings between the two men.

When one of the barns on the farm caught fire, Williams writes that “Collins suspected arson, and … rumors circulated that Evans was responsible.” Two days later, a small group of men with handkerchiefs covering their faces showed up at the farm, took Evans away and hung him at a nearby farm.

A Wilmington newspaper, the Delaware State Journal & Statesman — normally in tune with the Democratic political position about separation of the races — unexpectedly editorialized in opposition to this lynching: “It looks very much like an attempt on the part of bad men to inaugurate a system of murder against an unoffending class of people such as has disgraced several localities in the South.”

Nonetheless, the only person brought to trial was Ann Eliza Guy, a black girl and friend of Evans wrongly accused of assisting him in setting the Collins’ barn on fire. Fortunately for her, editorial outrage by newspaper editors and a lack of evidence led to her acquittal.

The nature of post-war politics in Delaware, including a system that barred blacks from testifying against whites, prevented justice from being done in the lynching of William Evans. Despite suspicion that the guilty parties could be identified by blacks on the scene at the time, no one was accused or brought to trial.

In Williams’ view, the silver lining is, in Delaware, “violence [against blacks] never equaled levels observed in the former states of the Confederacy.” Moreover, the unprecedented permission to allow testimony by a black person in the trial of Ann Eliza Guy was later cited to exonerate a black rape suspect in a landmark Supreme Court case.

Yet, Williams concludes, “it would be more than three quarters of a century before the Civil Rights movement guaranteed full legal equality for African Americans,” including in the State of Delaware.

Bethany Beach resident Thomas J. Ryan is the author of “Essays on Delaware during the Civil War: A Political, Military and Social Perspective” (available at Bethany Beach Books or from his website at www.tomryan-civilwar.com). Contact him at pennmardel@mchsi.com.

Festival Hispano will be held on Sunday, Aug. 10, from noon to 6 p.m., at the Millsboro Little League Complex on State Street in Millsboro. El Centro Cultural will be celebrating the 20th year of Festival Hispano in Sussex County.

Festival Hispano is free and open to anyone who wants to celebrate Hispanic cultural heritage. The day includes music, folkloric dances, Mexican and Latin American food, information and services targeting the Hispanic community, and a special area dedicated exclusively to children’s entertainment and activities.

Festival Hispano is one of the many activities sponsored by the local non-profit arts organization known as El Centro Cultural. Formed in 1995 to provide more artistic, cultural and social programs, El Centro Cultural works to discover and promote local Hispanic artists, support local arts education and coordinate local community events.

Festival Hispano is made possible by important grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, Bayhealth Medical Center, Beebe Medical Center, Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, Discover Bank, El Mercado Market, Harvard Business Services, La Tonalteca, Perdue Farms and Sussex County Council.

Anyone who would like to participate in Festival Hispano to promote their business, inform the community of their services and reach thousands of Hispanic residents from all over the Delmarva Peninsula should visit the website at www.elcentrocultural.org for applications and more information or contact them by email at festivalhispano@hotmail.com or by phone at (302) 745-6828.

This weekend, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to sample the talents of some of the area’s singers and songwriters at a unique free event, when the Big Chill Surf Cantina in Rehoboth Beach will host the second CoCHILLa event, on Sunday, May 25, at 4:30 p.m., organized by local musician Melissa Alesi.

Along with Alesi, other area artists, including Mike Givens, Jason Lee, Timothy Cooney, and Josh Pryor, will perform. Mike Anthenelli will also be performing at the event for the first time.

“I know most of them,” explained Alesi of the artists. “Others, I asked around and said, ‘Hey — who’s your favorite singer-songwriter?’ A lot of them from the area really enjoy doing benefits and fundraisers, so it really wasn’t hard to get people to sign on.”

Alesi said she approached the restaurant last year after wanting to create an event that allowed local artists to showcase their work.

“I had originally approached Big Chill. I wanted to do an event that featured singers and songwriters’ music, because some artists around here do play some original stuff, but most places want you to just do covers,” explained Alesi. “I wanted something special, where it was only about artists and their music.”

Alesi approached the Big Chill Cantina, which jumped at the change to host the event.

“I’ve been fortunate to know Melissa for a few years. Between Nage and Big Chill, we’ve really enjoyed her music and the energy she brings on a nightly basis,” said Mark Harrison, who manages both Big Chill and Nage.

Alesi noted that the event is being coupled with a fundraiser for the Georgetown SPCA, as 10 percent of sales will go to benefit the shelter.

“I am a big supporter of animals and animal rights. Big Chill had worked with the Georgetown SPCA in the past for fundraising events, so when Mark said, ‘Want to do it for them?’ it was kind of a no-brainer.”

The first CoCHILLa event was held last October and, Alesi said, was deemed a huge success by all those who attended.

“It was really successful and a fun day, and not only did the artists truly enjoy it, but the people who were there listening really enjoyed it also. It was definitely a win for everybody,” said Alesi. “There was definitely a great turnout.”

Harrison said that CoCHILLa was a perfect fit for the restaurant’s Memorial Day weekend. So, on Friday, they will host a summer cocktail contest, followed by a Dogs-n-Drafts happy hour from 1 to 7 p.m., with the music starting at 4:30 p.m.

Friendly dogs are welcome to the event and will be provided with water and treats, while their owners and music lovers can enjoy cold beverages and the original tunes.

“That was pretty fun, having all the owners bring their dogs,” added Alesi.

Alesi said that having a venue to perform original work is extremely important for artists.

“It’s important, because it’s a big part of why we do what we do. It’s self-expression, and when you don’t’ have a lot of outlets to do that in the community, it takes away some of the drive and reason that you actually do it,” she said.

“It’s a really good cause and a fun time to be able to showcase the original stuff that you spend time on, put effort into and don’t get to share with everybody on a regular basis.”

Big Chill Surf Cantina is located at 19406 Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach. For more information, call (302) 727-5568.

With the federal government backing away from waterway maintenance, state Sen. Gerald Hocker (R-20th) and state Rep. Ron Gray (R-38th) have recently received hundreds of calls and emails about related issues.

And, at a May 13 public meeting with Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) officials and hundreds of guests, they heard how badly people want dredging and good navigation markers. But Delaware will need a source of revenue to make that happen.

When the Coast Guard announced it would not maintain the navigational aids in Pepper and White’s creeks, “I got the most emails I had gotten out of any issue,” Gray said.

The Coast Guard subsequently announced it will at least continue navigational aids for this year, Gray said, but the future of the waterways is up in the air.

Now, Hocker said he believes a new tax is needed for local waters.

“There is no dedicated source of funding for waterway management,” said Frank Piorko, director of DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship.

Other states might have a dedicated fund, like a motor fuel tax, or they just “wait for the tide to come up,” Piorko said. “We don’t have anything in Delaware for waterway management, aside from what we gleaned from our bond bill appropriations, what get from the General Assembly” each year during budget time. “We don’t have an additional source of funding.”

The office creates a five-year plan, but it’s hard to follow that plan when funding changes year-to-year in the State budget. The division must serve all waterway users — anglers, vacationers, wildlife and more.

Projects now

and funding later

“What are we going to do today about the markers? What are we going to do tomorrow? And what is our long-range plan? I see people walking out … and I’d like to see some answers,” said resident John Mitchell at the end of a 1.5-hour meeting.

“It’s been an ad-hoc arrangement since I’ve been here … since 1975,” said Chuck Williams, a program manager in the Division of Watershed Stewardship. “We’re trying to develop a plan.”

The channel markers, especially, he said, caught them “flatfooted.”

Of 18 channel markers, half are fixed structures. Williams said, “We’re prepared to take over maintenance of the fixed structures if the Coast Guard will let us. They’re all in good shape,” he noted. The other half are buoys, which would cost $50,000 to replace if taken out tomorrow, he said. Some money could be pulled from the State’s dredging fund.

There were several future funding suggestions.

Hocker had once supported a fishing license tax and served on the management committee to ensure the money was well spent.

“We need a tax that is going to be just as well-spent on channel maintenance,” he said. He suggested offering an unblended gasoline (no ethanol) at marinas, which could be taxed.

According to Hocker, the governor’s signature could permit ethanol-free gasoline to be sold again in Delaware, which Hocker said would prevent boaters from buying gasoline in Maryland.

He said he’s even met a gas supplier from the Carolinas “willing to bring it here.”

“We haven’t done a thing, because I wanted your input,” Hocker said. “How do you want me to go about it? I need to sell it” to other legislators. “It’s got to have support.”

Gray said some Sussex County Council members considered “wrapping up some money for the inland bays,” but whatever happens, he said, “the real issue with me is whatever you put the funds for, they need to stay there.” If Delaware creates a special dredging fund, he said, he would drop it if the money was ever used for anything but dredging.

“I keep hearing revenue, revenue, revenue,” said Rep. John Atkins (D-41st). “We are leaving $25 million over on the other side of Bridgeville without a toll. Ninety-five percent of that will be paid by out-of-staters. You could put a toll over on 404, paid by out-of-staters.”

Atkins has already suggested making Route 404 a toll road in order to avoid a proposed 10-cent gas tax. This week he suggested that the funds from a Route 404 toll be split between road and waterway management.

“My wife and I pay $6 every time we go across the [Chesapeake] Bay Bridge. That’s not going to stop me from watching the Orioles,” he said. “People are not going to stop visiting Sussex County in their $350,000- or million-dollar houses.”

“We own rental property. We know people come to this area because of the inter-coastal waterways,” said Rose Walker. “They can throw a kayak down, watch the sunset. … That does bring a lot of the money” to Delaware.

Visitors come for the natural resources, and they are a monetary resource, as well, meeting attendees said.

Fowler noted that many out-of-state boaters register in tax-friendly Delaware, although their boats have “never seen Wilmington.”

Hocker also mentioned that he would like to keep money local. Of Delaware’s 27 navigable waterways, 10 branch from the inland bays.

Creating a public voice for waterways

“We have not had a collective voice in Delaware looking out for waterways … not had political pressure,” as has been the case with the beaches, for example, said Tony Pratt, head of DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section in the Division of Watershed Stewardship. “It’s time for a collective vision what we want waterways in this state to look like.”

The best way to overcome these dredging challenges is to look at the benefits for safe boating, water flow, keeping animals safe from propellers and vice-versa, he added.

He said the benefits will outweigh the costs, so everyone must put their voices forward.

“This is a statewide issue,” not just the Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay or Town of Millville, Pratt emphasize. Islands are already disappearing. DNREC is researching ways to rebuild them and vanishing marshes with soil from dredging sites, rather than putting it on increasingly-expensive real estate.

“Let’s not count on the federal government, because we can’t say that they’re going to be back,” Pratt said. “We need you. If we’re going to be heard representing your interests, we need you to have a loud, clear and intelligent voice.”

Part of Delaware’s challenge is the federal government’s evaluation of waterways. They’re all considered “underutilized,” except Port of Wilmington, C&D Canal and similar bodies, because they don’t have heavy boat activity.

However, Pratt said, there must be political pressure to get an evaluation based on national economic benefits, such as Delaware’s huge tourism industry based around its waterways. That is worth more than just how many cargo ships pass through.

Without the Army Corps of Engineers dredging, the Coast Guard cannot mark the silted-over waterways.

“What’s concerning is they do have a Corps mission to assist in wetland preservation,” said resident Janet Dubbert. “We might be overlooking an aspect of what they have responsibility for,” she added, suggesting the Army Corps might be sold on “wetland preservation as a result of dredging.”

Holts Landing

and Assawoman trail

Some people at this week’s meeting were concerned about how much money was available for different projects, but State staff said it all comes from different pots, some of which are tough to access — especially for federal money.

For instance, Holts Landing will get a temporary ramp by Memorial Day. Ray Bivens of Delaware State Parks apologized that it had taken so long to get the courtesy dock up but said FEMA only wanted to give $20,000 for Hurricane Sandy repairs, when Holts Landing suffered much more damage.

Eventually, a permanent (possibly dual) ramp will be installed, with extra lighting.

Hocker is personally interested in Holts Landing State Park. He noted that the softball diamond there is gone, the grills and pavilion are no longer used for family reunions, and he wouldn’t seat his family at the run-down picnic tables.

“Holts Landing has been run into the ground, and I’m determined” to fix it, he said, suggesting a public-private partnership.

Likewise, fees go specific places. Boat registration fees go to pay for marine safety and marine control officers. Fishing license fees maintain boat access points, including ramps, parking and nearby sediment dredging.

As for the Assawoman Canal Trail — a meeting was held last month with adjacent homeowners. The mile-long trail bordering the canal would be accessible from Route 26, Cedar Neck Road/Central Avenue and possibly Elliot Avenue near the marina. The trail is intended for pedestrians and bicyclists only and will be open from 8 a.m. to sunset, seven days a week.

Residents have expressed concern over the possible loss of privacy and safety on land that is basically in their back yards, although the strip of land is itself State-owned.

“It’s natural to see that initial reaction, but we’ve seen time and time again across the state and country, real estate values increase,” said Bivens, noting that he heard many people on the Delaware Greenways trail say they were originally against it, only to admit “But now I use all the time,” often with their grandchildren.

The Assawoman Canal Trail project is currently in the design phase.

Delaware State Police this week were investigating a suspected murder-suicide after the bodies of a Maryland couple were discovered in Bayview Estates, in an unincorporated area of Sussex County near Selbyville.

According to the DSP, about 5:50 a.m. on May 19, troopers responded to the community’s clubhouse on Sea Gull Road, after receiving a report of two people lying on the ground in the rear parking lot there.

“They were discovered by a witness,” said Cpl. John Day, public information officer for the Delaware State Police.

Troopers arrived to find Edward Watkins Sr., 63, and Robin Watkins, 53, of Bishopville, Md., lying unresponsive near two parked vehicles. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The married couple had resided together on the Maryland side of the community.

Delaware State Police said their preliminary investigation indicated the pair had driven separately to the clubhouse sometime late in the evening of May 18. There, Edward Watkins is believed by the DSP to have shot his wife, Robin, twice, before shooting himself. A handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.

“It probably won’t result in somebody being prosecuted, because the person — at least in this point of the investigation — who appears to have committed the crime is deceased,” explained Day. “But they still do a complete investigation. Even though there won’t be a prosecution, they still try to determine exactly what happened.”

Day said the police investigate such incidents using various methods to collect evidence.

“There’s physical evidence at the scene that can give an indication of what occurred. Then there’s testimonial evidence from witnesses and from people that knew the couple,” he said. “They try to provide a timeline of what occurred and also perhaps a motive.”

Both bodies were turned over to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an official determination of the cause and manner of their deaths.

The Indian River School District Board of Education this week dusted off a conversation it began two years ago: considering a new middle school.

Overcrowding in schools is a trend the district has watched warily for several years. When considering how to implement full-day kindergarten in 2012, the board suggested a new school, but the State of Delaware instead approved 38 new classrooms at existing schools.

For the last three years, the IRSD has graduated around 550 students annually. Meanwhile, kindergarten classes have swelled from the 700s to 896 this year. This large bubble will squeeze into middle and high school in the next decade.

Two new classrooms at Selbyville Middle School and eight at the Georgetown Elementary/Middle School complex may not hold them all.

To begin a major capital project, the district must submit a Certificate of Necessity to the State by July 1. They may submit multiple ideas, but they cannot add anything after July 1.

In 2012, the IRSD submitted three options: build 32 new classrooms at existing schools, at $10 million total — an option that passed public referendum in 2013; build a new elementary school; or build a new middle school.

The State of Delaware initially rejected the $26.3 million middle school, the local share of which would be $10.5 million.

“This is a very important decision. I don’t think the board … is ready to discuss it,” said Board President Charles Bireley, noting that some current board members weren’t around for the last referendum process.

“We spent some time looking at projected enrollment increases and recognize we need to be thinking at least five years ahead,” said Superintendent Susan Bunting. “We need to think about what our district will be in five years.”

Two years into the process, ground has not been broken on the 38 classrooms.

“Openly, I think we agreed there’s a need for a middle school,” Board Member Rodney Layfield said. “I’m committed to the six additions. We have to show the public we’re being frugal with their money. Taxpayers should know we completed this task before we ask for a new middle school. There is a need. … I want it to be a good experience.”

“Certainly I think a new middle school is needed, [but] Rodney took the words right out of my mouth,” said Board Member James Fritz. He suggested they get their statistics in order and really be ready — especially since surrounding districts “have not been receptive” to recent referendums and “the State has put up so many roadblocks” for the current construction, which has been slowed by the permitting process.

“We need to look into the sale of the Vlasic plant” in Millsboro, said Board Member Nina Lou Bunting. If the proposed chicken plant opens there, “then we’ll have big reason to be asking for another school.”

The board agreed to discuss the issue further at their next meeting.

Meanwhile, the board unanimously approved (with Donald Hattier absent) a Certificate of Necessity for the Howard T. Ennis School. The IRSD will submit a $1 million project to improve heating and air conditioning, conversion to natural gas and handicapped-accessible furniture and playground equipment, to be included in the state’s upcoming Bond Bill, with support from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens.

As a special-needs school, Ennis doesn’t have to follow the same regulations involving going to public referendum. If the State approves it, and depending on Delaware’s financial well-being, the State may pay the entire $1 million estimated project cost. Or, it may demand the usual 40 percent local share from IRSD residents. Past Ennis projects have been funded in both ways, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Miller said.

“The CN for Howard T. Ennis is basically semantics,” said Layfield. “It’s not preparing for a referendum. It’s a way to show the need.”

In other school board news:

• The district has officially received the first certificates of compliance for Comprehensive School Safety Plans. Randall “R.L.” Hughes was a familiar face at the board meeting, there to present the certification. Formerly on the IR board and now on the state school board, Hughes visited on official capacity with his day job, as principal deputy of Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS).

“All schools in the state will reach compliance, but Indian River is three months ahead,” he said, especially proud to have participated as an IRSD board member.

As a district, the IRSD was just months behind the individual pilot schools chosen to complete the state’s first comprehensive safety plans. Eventually, all 232 public schools will have specific plans for any emergency, from allergic reactions to bomb threats.

The certification notes that the IRSD created school safety teams and plans, as well as conducting tabletop exercises and drills. The State-mandated plans also line up with emergency response, so firefighters and police have a working relationship with the schools.

Hughes thanked the IRSD leaders who embraced and improved the early system, including administration and Delaware State Police.

All public school districts in the state are on target to complete their school safety plans and meet the September compliance deadline. Certificates will be awarded to each as they complete the requirements.

• There was discussion, but no action on changing the hours of parent-teacher conferences. Typically, different school levels host conferences on different nights, but this year, there was some overlap, due to snow days. Historically, conferences are always in the evening, and it’s bound to conflict with someone’s schedule, Fritz noted. Bunting said the issue was raised by concerned citizens.

• The district should reconsider proposed school hours, argued parent and teacher Theresa Luzier, during public comments. She expressed concerns about releasing elementary school students before middle school students each afternoon, citing many reasons. For instance, she said, parents often rely on older children to look after the younger ones until they leave work.

As a teacher, she said she sees athletes and coaches leaving school early, even for home games (with the extended schedule making up for this year’s snow days).

“Those athletes are losing a lot of valuable instruction time,” plus hours needed for more complex homework and, eventually, sleep, she added. Additoinally, Luzier said, finding someone to cover that teacher’s last class is “extremely difficult” between teachers’ own training and planning periods. Later classes also mean parking is an issue during home games.

If the IRSD wants to use the same bus for multiple schools, she said, she recommended sending middle-schoolers home first.

“They get on and off the buses quicker than the elementary school students, so you can reuse their buses much [faster],” Luzier added.

• Although the Policy Committee said they were very impressed with a presentation by Selbyville Middle School students arguing in favor of flip-flops, the board showed no movement to allow the footwear in schools.

• Despite concerns about moving Long Neck Elementary playground equipment to make room for building additions, it was reported that it looks like the equipment could just be unbolted and moved.

• The board unanimously approved a permanent easement for the Delaware Department of Transportation at Long Neck Elementary. It was a standard application, but if refused, could slow down the construction/permitting process.

• Fences have been erected at Lord Baltimore Elementary, and a roadway to improve parking is next.

• Sussex Central High School is discussing plans to add an academic pathway, so students get credit for academic classes over and above the regular course load and don’t have to try to squeeze in another traditional pathway, such as music, business, agriculture and so on.

• The board unanimously approved a furniture contingency request for Millsboro Middle School to receive an additional 60 desks and chairs.

• The board recognized Indian River High School students for Delaware FFA Convention first place, Jared Ryan, Neena Oli, Brianna McCloskey and Ciara Blaser; Academic All-Conference, Rachel Hudson, Callie McDowell, Anamaria Impastato, McKenzie Collins, Andrew White, Sarah Buchler, Maggie Ford, Paige Troublefield, Josh Kleinstuber, Brandon Galliher, Ashlyn Calhoun, Kylie Ucman and Hayden McWilliams; and Indian River Education Association scholar H.F. Wilgus.

• Southern Delaware School of the Arts’ Neil Beahan was also recognized as Delaware’s Middle Level Principal of the Year; Kevin and Jennifer Cordrey got the Outstanding Secondary School Award from the Delaware Association of Agriscience Educators; and Mike Williams and Georgetown Middle School got the Superstars in Education Award.

• The district’s retirees were also honored. “The legacy that you have left behind is yours. This district has been successful for many, many years, and it will continue to be successful for many years because of what you have done,” Hughes told them.

A special school board meeting will be held Monday, June 16, at the IRSD Educational Complex in Selbyville. The regular board meeting is June 23, at 7 p.m. at Sussex Central High School.

Earlier this week, more than half-dozen citizens spoke to the Sussex County Council, voicing their displeasure over the comments made last week by Councilmen Vance Phillips and Sam Wilson regarding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

At the May 13 meeting, the council had heard a grant request from the NAACP for financial support for their 2014 activities, which included a financial freedom workshop and a family physical fitness challenge. The grant did not request a specific amount of money; however, County staff noted that, in 2013, $500 had been awarded to the organization — $100 from each councilperson’s councilmanic account.

“Take my name off. I’m not going to give anything,” Councilman Sam Wilson had said on May 13. “Unless you describe what that says — what does NAACP stand for?”

Following the council being informed as to what “NAACP” stands for, Wilson appeared to be put off by the term “colored.” Councilman Vance Phillips, too, said that he would not support the grant request.

“I’m with Mr. Wilson,” he said. “This is an organization that obviously is directed at a certain race. It strikes me as inappropriate in this day of racial equality. I’ll pull mine from that, as well.”

Councilpersons George Cole, Michael Vincent and Joan Deaver then stated they would fund $500 to the organization, with an equal amount paid from each of their three accounts.

Following the meeting, the Delaware NAACP released a statement responding to the grant refusal, noting that the organization does “not tolerate racism and bigotry in any way, shape or form” and calling Wilson’s and Phillips’ comments “misguided.”

At the May 20 council meeting, many NAACP members and supporters sat in the audience, and some even spoke to the council.

Jane Hovington, president of the Lower Sussex Chapter of the NAACP, stated that the two councilmen had chosen “to make a mockery of one of the greatest organizations in the United States.”

“You thought your buffoonery would be laughed off,” she said. “You were elected to represent all of the people in your district… I feel these two councilmen owe an apology, not just to the NAACP, but to the people of Sussex County.”

Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware, stated that what Wilson and Phillips had done sent a bad message to their constituents.

“Not to fund a modest grant request sends a horribly exclusionary message to your constituents. They feel that you, their government, does not respect or value them. To them, I say, ‘You are worthy of equal treatment and respect…’

“Mr. Wilson, the last time you and I were together was on the floor of the Delaware State Senate during the debate of the civil-union bill. On that day, you told me that it was your opinion that I was certainly going to Hell.

“I’m pleased to say, ‘Not yet.’ Until and if that day comes, I will stand as the president of Equality Delaware, proudly, with organization like the NAACP and against inequality directed against any group of citizens, including those in Sussex County. There is no place for intolerance in public service… I feel sorry for you.”

Ellendale resident Harold Truxon said that he was very surprised by Phillips’ and Wilson’s refusals to fund the grant, as he knows the two men.

“It kind of hurt me. I hope these two gentlemen will apologize or come up with something… I didn’t ever think this would happen in this council.”

Richard Smith, president of the NAACP’s Delaware State Conference, told Phillips and Wilson their actions were wrong.

“If you want this fight, we can bring this fight to you. We can bring 100,000 people down here… We can do a lot. You have to realize you’re in the 21st century,” he said. “I’ve been in the civil rights movement since 1965 — I’m 65 years old. I remember your type. You hate us for no reason at all.”

During the May 20 meeting, the council remained quiet; however, later that day, Phillips released a statement noting that he wished to clarify his statement with regards to “apologies” regarding his comments on the NAACP.

“Just as I wouldn’t offer an apology for anything I said last week and most likely Mr. Richard Smith will not offer an apology for using hateful words to describe me, I believe this occasion offers us an opportunity,” he said. “I repeat my sincere offer to Mr. Smith to come to my farm to break bread and foster understanding. Equally, I will be happy to join Mr. Smith in the communities he represents, for my own edification.

“I love all people. It is the foundation of my Christian faith, and I believe it is of most of the people who spoke on the NAACP issue today. It saddens me when words are used to foster hate and division. I pray Mr. Smith will accept my offer and that we may transform this moment of racial friction into a starting point for understanding and, hopefully, racial harmony.”

The Sussex County Council this week reviewed the County’s proposed $117.3 million budget for the 2015 fiscal year. The proposed budget is down by $400,000, nearly .3 percent, from the current year’s $117.7 million budget.

According to administrative officials, the decrease is mostly the result of reduced expenses in both the general and sewer fund portions of the budget, as projects including the new Greenwood Library and the first phase of the Sussex County Airport Runway 4-22 extension were paid for and completed in the current budget year.

The proposed budget keeps in place the County’s property tax rate of 44.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The average County tax bill for a single-family home remains around $100 annually, not including school district taxes.

“We have to take a very conservative approach. We have developed budget with measured growth, because it must remain at a sustainable level. As a result, the budget revenues are increased by a modest level of 2 percent,” said County Administrator Todd Lawson.

“While the transfer tax trajectory is expected to continue to climb for the second year, we are only budgeting at $16 million. That revenue amount is $4 million below our forecasted amount but half of what it was in 2006.”

Lawson was joined by Finance Director Gina Jennings and Deputy Finance Director Kathy Roth in proposing the 2015 budget, for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Proposed in next year’s budget are new sewer connection and service fees. Following an effort over the past few years to establish consistent pricing for public wastewater service, the County will begin phasing in a unified, one-time sewer connection fee for new users. Quarterly sewer service rates for existing and new customers — the County currently serves approximately 58,872 users — will increase by $8 in most cases; in one district, Long Neck, they will increase by $15.

In the 2015 fiscal year, many increases in building- and real estate-related revenues are projected, including a 30 percent increase in projected in deeds, with building permits anticipated to increase by 24 percent.

Lawson noted that foreclosures within the county have leveled off, which is an “indication of what’s happening in the market,” with a 50 percent reduction.

Lawson noted that, since 2009, the County has reduced its workforce by 10 percent, or 56 positions.

“What does that mean? From a cost perspective, the cost for employees decreased by $1.5 million,” said Lawson. “Less employees, less cost.”

Lawson said, however, that the County continues to feel the pressure to provide a high level of service to its residents. With that in mind, the 2015 budget recommends hiring five new fulltime employees and six new part-time employees.

He noted that the part-time employees would be used “as a model to really determine if the need exists,” adding that legacy costs don’t exist with part-time employees.

A 2 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for employees was also included in the draft budget. Other benefits, including health insurance, vacation, sick leave and holidays, remain intact, while a new 3 percent salary contribution plan for new hires after Jan. 1, 2014, would go into effect. The zero-contribution pension plan for employees on staff prior to Jan. 1 will remain in place.

Councilman Vance Phillips said he was concerned that the County’s employees are due a raise “across the board.”

“We have asked more of our County employees… We are down 10 percent of our workforce from a peak,” he said. “The employees do excellent work. They are well paid on average. Our employees make good money. But when it comes to the COLA, I think it’s an unfair way to treat those on the lower scale of the salary level.”

Phillips said that he believes that employees making $20,000 probably need a raise more than those who have higher salaries.

“We need to think about this, maybe capping it at $1,000,” he said, “Reformulating, to give that money to those employees lower on the scale.”

While the overall budget is down, the general fund portion of the 2015 budget is expected to rise by 3.6 percent, or $1.8 million. That is due, in part, to an expected surplus later this year, as well as an expected increase in investment income, new assessments from new construction and a continued rise in building inspection fee collections.

The general fund portion of the budget pays for day-to-day operations and services offered by County government.

Other budgetary highlights include:

• Grants to fire companies, police departments, libraries and community groups are either maintained at current levels or increased in some cases. In the case of volunteer fire and ambulance companies, the County expects to distribute more than $3.4 million next year, up $100,000, thanks to an increase in building permit revenue;

• The inclusion of $230,000 in funding to continue the County’s efforts to digitize records, including a planned shift from paper to e-records for Planning & Zoning application cases and maps for online public inspection;

• Realty transfer taxes will continue to be the County’s largest source of income, with $16 million budgeted in the 2015 fiscal year, though the final collected amount — as it has been in 2014 — could run higher. Any revenue collected over that $16 million figure will be deposited directly into capital for future projects, officials said.

The Sussex County Council will hold a public hearing on the proposal during its 10 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, June 17. The public can comment in person on that date or submit comments through email at budget@sussexcountyde.gov. By law, the council must adopt a budget by June 30.

A copy of the proposed 2015 budget, as well as the accompanying budget presentation, can be downloaded from the County’s website at www.sussexcountyde.gov/county-budget.

Local drivers have gotten used to seeing orange traffic cones this winter, but the days are getting longer, so the lane closures are getting shorter.

In downtown Bethany Beach, “All our construction work will be done this Friday,” May 23, said Jeff Niezgoda, planning supervisor with the Delaware Department of Transportation, so both sides of Garfield Parkway should be open and completely passable in time for Memorial Day weekend.

“We can’t be out there past Memorial Day. That was the agreement. We reached out to the town leaders, and they polled the adjacent business community, resident community, and the majority vote was” to break for summer, he said.

In the Streetscape project — more than a dozen years in the making, and involving sidewalk and curb improvements, traffic calming elements, new lighting and parking reconfigurations — only one spot remains to be completed. DelDOT will return mid-October to finish the eastern tip of Garfield Parkway, the circle next to the bathhouse and lifeguard station.

Two major challenges affected the project, on and off the busy road.

First, DelDOT was “really trying not to interfere with the day-to-day business operations,” he said. “Even though you maintain access to their businesses, the implication is that the businesses are difficult to get to — that comes with any location.”

At the Town’s request, the construction start was delayed until October of 2013, but a cold, wet winter delayed roadwork statewide.

Adding to the time the work was the roadway itself, which had to be closed unexpectedly near Route 1. Though they were planning to just mill and overlay the top layer of pavement in the 200 block of Garfield Parkway, workers discovered cracks in the lower levels of concrete, and the asphalt showed cracks mirroring the decay underneath. If the road was just milled as planned, the cracks would reappear by next year.

“Rather than … just put a Band-Aid on top of it, the determination was made just get in there and re-do that base,” Niezgoda said. “We could have done the cheap route and the easy route.”

He said the Town made a good decision to fix the entire road.

“This project, in the long term, will have a tremendous long-term impact to the community. It’s made it a safer community for pedestrians, and it’s given it a visual attractiveness with the Streetscape.”

Anyone wanting more information on the project should contact the Town, Niezgoda recommended. “They’re the ones that are driving the projects. We’re here just to provide the professional and technical support,” he said.

An add-on project on N. Pennsylvania Avenue, from Garfield to Central Boulevard, was also expected to be completed by Memorial Day. Traffic still had access as crews relocated utilities underground, and improved sidewalks and lighting.

Leading up to the unofficial start of the summer season, parking meters and paystations have returned, accepting cash. Smartphone payments will soon be accepted through the ParkMobile.com app. Those wishing to use the new system must register with ParkMobile, online or through the app, and provide a description of their car and credit card information for payment. From there, they can pay directly through the app for that particular vehicle, even receiving notifications before their time expires.

Road to the beach

Just a mile away from where the Bethany Beach project ends, the rest of Route 26 has its own construction project.

Construction officially began on the Route 26 Mainline Improvements Project this January, although utilities companies have been flitting along the 4-mile stretch for more than a year to move pipes and poles away from the roadway.

The expansion of Route 26 from Clarksville to Ocean View will include a shared turn lane to help prevent traffic back-ups; shoulders for bicycle traffic; and sidewalks from Ocean View to Millville.

May 14 was supposed to see the last of the daytime lane closures, although some cleanup work was required beyond that. Nighttime lane closures will be permitted all summer, until mid-October, lasting from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning, Monday nights to Friday mornings. These are needed to begin installing new storm drainpipe and drainage inlets near the Millville Volunteer Fire Company fire hall.

Flaggers and law enforcement personnel will direct motorists through the intersection of Route 26 and Old Mill Road, near the Giant and Food Lion grocery stores. The existing curb will be removed between there and Cedar Drive.

During the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., lane shifts and shoulder closures are allowed, as long as two lanes of traffic are maintained.

Yet, from 6 a.m. Friday mornings until 6 p.m. Monday nights, there can be no lane closures, shoulder closures or lane shifts.

Also, in the coming week, excavation will continue for storm water management ponds in Clarksville. No lane closures are anticipated due to that work.

Prior to the start of the Mainline project, in an effort to improve travel during the work, DelDOT has upgraded an “alternate route” — a series of back roads intended to relieve pressure from Route 26 if needed. Although flaggers may direct alternating lanes of Route 26 traffic, detours will only ever be required in early 2015, when the project will replace two bridge culverts.

Residents and businesses with questions are being encouraged to contact Ken Cimino at any time at (302) 616-2621, or Kenneth.cimino@aecom.com or at 17 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 2, in Ocean View. He was hired specifically to handle public concerns.

Night work continues on the State Route 26 Mainline Improvement Project between Clarksville and Ocean View. There may be lane closures overnight from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Tuesday night to Friday morning:

• at the Old Mill Road intersection (by Food Lion).
• between Old Mill Road and Grants Avenue to install a new drainage system.
• between Route 17 and Whites Neck Road (near Dollar General) to install a new Sussex County sewer line.

Detours are not required for this. Motorists should drive with caution, slow down in work zones, and never enter a roadway that has been blocked with barriers or cones.

The following work will not require lane closures:

• excavation of storm water management ponds near Route 17 in Clarksville.

Public update meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. at Bethany Beach Town Hall.

Special to the Coastal Point • Mike McGown: Dunes Pink Classic participants pose for a photo during last year’s event at Bear Trap Dunes.The Dunes Pink Classic will return to Bear Trap Dunes next Monday, June 2, for the eighth annual golf tournament benefitting the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

This year’s tournament will kick off with a “Pink Party” on Saturday, May 31, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Bear Trap, where attendees will wear pink and enjoy a D.J., appetizers, shot bar, games, prizes and both silent and live auctions.

“We get support from all the local merchants and business giving products that we auction off,” explained co-chair Karen Sergison of the combined events that last year raised $50,000, which was donated to the organization designed to assist those with breast cancer.

After the party, which requires a $20 donation at the door for admittance, the golfers and supporters rest up on Sunday before breaking out their pink again for Monday’s 7:30 a.m. registration and 9:30 a.m. shotgun start.

“The ladies are all great about supporting the event, wearing their pink, having a good time,” said Sergison of the atmosphere. “People decorate their cars, just go over the top with a sea of pink.”

Before the shotgun start, there will be a kamikaze putting contest at 9 a.m., and then the tournament will feature 18 holes of golf in a four-person team scramble format. But Sergison emphasized that even though prizes and awards are given out for top finishers, it’s really just a fun event designed to support an important cause that impacts the community.

“It’s all skill levels,” she explained. “The day is really all about fun — coming together to support other women. It’s a whole community event. The people that live in Bear Trap are super-supportive.”

The event, which has grown from 80 participants in its first year to 152 signed up to play this year, will be capped off with a mid-day lunch at the Den at Bear Trap Dunes. After lunch, they’ll hear from DBCC Director Vicki Cook, who will say a few words before a symbolic ceremony in which pink balloons will be released up toward the ceiling.

“It kind of gives you the impact of all the people that have been touched by this horrible disease,” Sergison explained of the symbolic act.

This year’s tournament is already sold out, but anyone can attend Saturday’s Pink Party. To find out more about the Women’s Golf Association at Bear Trap Dunes and the event, head to www.btdladies.com and www.facebook.com/
TheDunesPinkClassic.

In the last decade, one local fundraiser has raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars to help fight prostate cancer. Progress for Prostate was created in 2004 by Bethany Beach resident Bob Davis after conquering his own battle with prostate cancer.

“Many of the committee members and strong supporters of this successful annual event are prostate cancer survivors and want to raise the awareness and need for men to get properly screened and screened often. Early screenings and detection saves lives,” said Thomas Protack, director of development at the Beebe Medical Foundation.

The main fundraising event is a golf tournament, hosted at Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, where individuals or foursomes can play18 holes to raise funds for a good cause. Since its creation, the event has raised $208,732 for the Beebe Medical Foundation, and organizers hope to raise $30,000 with this year’s tournament.

“Funds have been used to help purchase a community health van and provide free screenings for prostate cancer throughout Sussex County,” said Protack. “Just like raising the awareness for women getting regular mammograms, the same rings true for men. Often, men are reluctant, hesitant or maybe even unaware of the need to be screened regularly.

“It is critical, and the more we can do to raise awareness and provide the screenings for free and have them regularly and accessible to Sussex County residents is essential.”

This year, the tournament will be held on June 26, with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. It is open to men and women of all skill levels. Individuals may register for $125 or foursomes may register for $500. Those who play in the tournament will receive a light breakfast before the tournament begins, are provided snacks courtesy of Wawa and may attend the awards luncheon following the tournament’s end.

“The front nine is going to be straight golf, with Holly Kia offering a free car to anyone who makes a hole-in-one on the No. 7 hole,” said Drew Sunderlin, who chairs the fundraiser. “The back nine is a series of different types of fun holes, where we have multiple prizes that can be won by participants. Anyone, regardless of skill level, will have the opportunity to win a prize.”

A putting contest will also be held during the day, sponsored by Cellular Connection.

“We will have prizes for both men and women in the putting contest,” he said.

Sunderlin said early this week that nine foursomes were already signed up. He noted that Pebble Beach has donated embroidered shirts to those golfers who sign up for the tournament by May 30. But those who wish to participate in the event may still register after that.

Sunderlin took over the 2014 event from Davis, who stepped back from the tournament this year.

“Bob approached me last year. He had been doing it for 10 years and felt it needed some new blood, and asked if I would be willing to do it. Being a prostate survivor myself, I said I would.”

Sunderlin said this year’s Progress for Prostate will be bigger than ever, with wonderful live and silent auction items for people to bid on.

“We have just a phenomenal turnout this year. The community could not be more generous in their donations to us. We have over 100 vendors and individuals who have donated product or money, and we’re still a month away from the tournament.”

Silent auction items will be available for viewing from noon on June 25 to 2 p.m. on June 26.

The four live auction items, which will be auctioned off at 2 p.m. on June 26, are a golf cap signed by Arnold Palmer; dinner for four at Moshulu, the tall ship on Delaware River, one room for one night at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia, and one room for one night at the Sheraton Hotel in Philadelphia.

The package also includes a round of golf for four at Odessa National; a round trip for two vehicles on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, one round of golf for four at Atlantic City Country Club, dinner for four, plus two hotel rooms for an overnight stay at Daddy O on Long Beach Island, N.J., and lunch for four at The Plantation in Harvey Cedars, N.J.; and one week vacation for four in Hilton Head, S.C., at a condo, with a round of golf for four at Bear Creek and a round of golf for four at Crescent Pointe.

Bidding on silent auction items will also close that day. They will include items for men, women and children. Sunderlin said there will be gift certificates to area restaurants, beach baskets with bodyboards and fishing rods, tickets to the Philadelphia Wine Festival and a “basket of cheer.”

“We have an artist in New Jersey who is donating three charcoal-pencil drawings of golfers. You look at these, and you’d think they were photographs — it’s that good,” he added.

Those who wish to bid on the items do not need to purchase lunch on that day; however, the bidders do need to be present.

Sunerlin said that this year’s committee has been extremely instrumental in the fundraiser’s success.

“It’s just a matter of getting a good committee,” he said. “We have an excellent committee — 12 people all have shared in the challenges of approaching vendors and getting assistance. They’re really great.”

On Wednesday, June 25, the night before the tournament, there will be dinner and a magic show, featuring Rich Bloch of Millville’s Dickens Parlour Theatre. Anyone may attend the dinner, which costs $35 per person.

“We will also be having Macy’s jewelry being live-auctioned after the magic show, as well as a 50-50,” added Sunderlin.

The tournament-day sponsor is Devon Engineering, with Wells Fargo Advisors out of Collegeville, Pa., serving as the title sponsor. Along with event sponsors for the day, Sunderlin said that area Walgreens are teaming up with Progress for Prostate to help raise even more money.

“Five of the local Walgreens have partnered with Progress for Prostate and are collecting spare change that people have, at their counters, and making a one-time donation just prior to the tournament. Next year, plans are to expand that.”

Protack said that having community fundraising events like Progress for Prostate has allowed the Beebe Medical Foundation to work to keep Sussex County healthy.

“Thankfully, as a not-for-profit community healthcare system, Sussex County residents strongly support Beebe and its continued growth. Beebe’s vision is to make Sussex County the healthiest county in the nation, and it starts by being preemptive and trying to keep people healthy and out of the hospital.

“Our goal is to educate the population and help them grow in awareness. Community fundraisers contribute to our continued growth. It is hard to believe that, in 2016, Beebe will be 100 years old! We have grown from a four-bed hospital in 1916 to a healthcare system with seven locations countywide. The support of local fundraisers, businesses, donors helps us grow and meet the growing needs of Sussex County.”

Sunderlin said he believes this year’s efforts could raise in excess of $30,000, and he hopes many people in the community will take part in the event to raise awareness and help prevent a life-threatening illness.

“My hope is this will be the biggest and best year to date, as far as participation and donations to Progress for Prostate,” he said. “I hope people come out and have a good time.”

Those who are interested in registering for the event may call the Pro Shop at Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, at (302) 539-1446. Brochures are also available. Cripple Creek is located at 29494 Cripple Creek Drive in Dagsboro.

Coastal Kayak of Fenwick Island will host their fourth annual Paddle for a Purpose next month to benefit local charities. Paddle for a Purpose is a charitable giving program sponsored by Coastal Kayak owners Mitch and Jenifer Adams Mitchell. This year, every customer who comes in on Sunday, June 8, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., in lieu of rental payments, will be able to donate to their favorite among a list of three pre-selected charities.

“Each year we host our Paddle for a Purpose events so that customers will come out for some fun and help us raise money for great local causes,” said Jenifer Adams-Mitchell, owner of Coastal Kayak. “We believe in the work of these three terrific organizations, which are completely volunteer-driven, thereby keeping overhead very low, giving the charity lots of bang per buck. This year, in the spirit of friendly competition, we encourage our patrons to try something new, like paddleboarding, sailing or kayaking, and vacation for the afternoon with us!”

Contenders for the cash donation from Coastal Kayak are: the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation (MERR) Institute Inc., a non-profit stranding response and rehabilitation organization dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles (for more information about MERR, visit www.merrinstitute.org); the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Fund (ERDG), an endowment fund created by ERDG to support community-based horseshoe crab conservation initiatives (for more information, visit www.horseshoecrab.org); and the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation (QRCF), which provides scholarships for local students and grants to local organizations and has contributed more than $500,000 in its 10-year history (for more information, visit www.qrcf.org).

In the last four years, Coastal Kayak has donated thousands of dollars to organizations including MERR, Horseshoe Crab Conservation Fund and QRCF, and others, such as the American Cancer Society, SMAC! Sock Monkeys Against Cancer, Rebecca Adams Green Foundation, Justin’s Beach House and the Worcester County Humane Society.

Most recently, in April, they hosted Paddle with your Pooch, a dog- (and other pet-) friendly day of paddling that raised more than $300 for the Worcester County (Md.) Humane Society.

Worcester County Humane Society board member Sandra Mitchell said, “We are so grateful for this kind of support from Coastal Kayak. Not only do the dollars donated further our mission, we are also provided with a forum to promote our charity to the public. For example, we were able to tell people about our new membership-driven organizational model. Soon, every Worcester County Humane Society donor will be an investor and stakeholder for our no-kill shelter. We are very excited to be a transparent organization and serve our rescued animals better. Partnerships with local for-profit companies, such as Coastal Kayak, help our organization and the animals we save tremendously.”

Registration is not required for the event, and the public is invited. For more information, visit www.coastalkayak.com, call (302) 539-7999, email info@coastalkayak.com or stop by 36840 Coastal Highway (Route 1), Fenwick Island, across from the Fenwick Island State Park bathhouse).

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Indian River High School’s Diane Comolli recently earned Teacher of the?Year at IRHS. Comolli compared winning the honor to an Oscar of the teaching world.When Principal Bennett Murray tried to congratulate Diane Comolli for winning Teacher of the Year at Indian River High School, he couldn’t actually reach her. Students were eagerly swarming the English teacher’s classroom.

“I went down there to congratulate her after I had made the announcement via the PA system. I couldn’t get to her because her students were congratulating her and giving her hugs. Her kids were just as proud of her as we were,” Murray said. “I thought that spoke volumes that the students took time out of their schedules to congratulate her.”

“I was overwhelmed,” she said. “There are such fabulous teachers in this building. Just to be considered … is an honor. I guess, if you’re a teacher, that’s an Oscar!”

“I was so glad and honored to represent what is good about this building,” she said. “Indian River demonstrates each day what’s good about public schools.”

Teaching 10th-grade English, she sees students of all abilities, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have a passion for all kids. They all deserve to learn. They all can learn, no matter what circumstances they come from,” said Comolli, adding that she feels she can approach multiple needs and learning styles.

“I got that from advertising. I talk to my audience in a way they’ll listen. … In high school, that’s especially important,” she said.

“She gives all she’s got, every day,” Murray said.

“Her ability to connect her students to the lesson is mesmerizing,” one nomination said.

“This wonderful woman had no obligation to help me,” wrote another student, “and that is something I will never forget.”

Comolli said one challenge is the way students think about state testing. It’s important, she said, but “Sometimes kids confuse the measurement with the joy of learning itself. It has begun to affect the way kids think about education. … It’s an important measurement, but it’s just one [of many]. Integrity, sense of curiosity, character, motivation — that’s what’s going to define you.” That’s what her classes work toward every day.

Success isn’t fast and easy, she explained. The goal is “keeping kids really engaged in learning and focused on their future, when [the media] gives them messages that seem another way.

“It’s a challenge that we teachers willingly accept, to be good role models and motivators, to help them see there’s an incredible world out there, and only through education will they appreciate it.”

Comolli said she has grown at IR, supported by a “fabulous, caring administration,” even during a “seamless” transition.

She has served on various committees, from class advisor and helping plan prom with the juniors to representing the school on the administration’s advisory team.

“I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by a number of talented educators,” Murray said. “She has stood tall amongst our staff and … she’s one of the instructional leadership team, someone I can turn to, to feel the pulse of the school community as a whole.

This is Comolli’s fifth year at IR, ninth in the district and 14th teaching. She worked for 20 years in marketing and advertising production for a Fortune 500 company before her family moved to Vermont. Substitute teaching was the only quick work available, but her son was in elementary school, and it was a way to meet people. The temporary job became her passion.

“When I was there, I decided I wanted to teach as much as I wanted to breathe,” she said simply.

She earned her credentials and became a business teacher. The Comollis moved to Ocean View to be closer to family, and she dove into her community.

She said she believes living and working in the same town is good for the community. As a past president of the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation, she was proud to build a relationship between school and community, making both stronger. She helped institute a teaching grant, and the QRCF’s support of the Indian River School District is a point of personal pride.

When not in school, Comolli stays active. She reads, works out, cycles and is often found on the local 5K finisher lists.

Her energy comes through to the classroom, where kids say she has a “preacher style,” a powerful, impassioned way of speaking.

Murray described Comolli using the words of her own nominations: “She cares not only about her students’ education, but her students’ future. She’s enthusiastic when she’s teaching, and she shows a real passion for her students.” Plus she “always has a smile on her face.”

“My kids know I believe in them. They know I genuinely care. I don’t give up,” Comolli said. “And, consequently, I’ve found that most of the kids won’t give up either.”

Cathy Besden-Showell has more than 700 students at Long Neck Elementary School, but she aims to make a difference where it’s really needed.

“You have the opportunity to impact the students’ lives. I’m sure you don’t impact them all, but … some, you do make a difference,” she said.

Her efforts were rewarded with the 2014 Delaware Elementary School Counselor of the Year award. Sponsored by the Delaware School Counselor Association, the prize recognizes her personal dedication and service to the profession of school counseling.

“Cathy is a master of all the ingredients of successful teaching and counseling, especially the ability to inspire,” stated Long Neck Principal David Hudson. “Cathy’s success comes from her love and respect for her students. She has an outstanding rapport with people of all ages, especially the at-risk children she works with at Long Neck Elementary School.”

“If you want to be a school counselor, you have to love kids and want to help them deal with their problems and so forth,” Showell said.

She listens “to what the kids have to say and how they feel, reflecting back and talking to them with whatever they want to talk about.”

When Showell walks into a classroom, she said, she loves the energy and tries to use it as much as possible. “I like to do a lot of interactive things with them, because there’s so much [academic work]. They work so hard all day,” she said.

So they might sing songs or roleplay to learn about self-esteem, conflict resolution and more. With fifth-graders, she discusses middle school and careers, preparing them for the next step.

“Mrs. Showell truly has a special talent for working with the children who need more guidance and support,” Hudson said. “Cathy is an exceptional teacher, friend and person, who has received recognition not only for her occupational and academic achievements, but also for her service to the community.”

Whether she’s hosting a school-wide assembly on bullying prevention or counseling children one-on-one, Showell tries to reach the most children possible.

Trying to prevent tardiness, Showell began a program to encourage students to arrive on time. Every morning they arrived on time, children got a ticket that was entered into a daily prize drawing. With the help of fifth-graders, she read the winning names every day. For three months, students could win anything from “Excellent Attendance” pencils to gift certificates, courtesy of local businesses.

Now in her third year at Long Neck, Showell has been a counselor for the Indian River School District for the past 23 years. She has served at North Georgetown Elementary School, Sussex Central Middle School and East Millsboro Elementary School.

She also worked in the Laurel School District for four years and as a teacher’s aide before that.

It’s tough to manage over 700 students, but overall, Showell said, “I love it. I love the staff. I love the students.” She also enjoys the commute.

This is the first time Showell has actually worked in her own community, having lived in Long Neck but driven elsewhere to work for more than 36 years. “It’s really nice to be able to get to know the kids” in her own town, she said.

“It kind of shakes things up. I think change every once in a while is a good thing,” said Showell, “and it’s always been a positive thing for me. I’ve enjoyed [it].”

Showell also earned the 2002 Middle School Counselor of the Year award, making this year’s honor a real cap on her career.

“You don’t need the awards for anything in particular,” she said, but it’s nice to be recognized.