Tim Ritzert-Lewes City Council Member

Tim Ritzert's News Blast 10/12/20:
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City News and Meeting Schedule

Columbus Day is not a holiday for city employees and offices. City Hall and all government services will be provided on Monday, October 12, including adhering to household waste and recycling pick up schedules. The Board of Public Works office is open as well.

What: Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting
When: Monday, October 12 @ 6:30
Where: Zoom
Agenda Highlights: Elaine Bisbee Service Award for 2019; Possible action on an Ordinance to establish a wetland buffer requirement; Presentation and possible action to award a contract to dredge CanalFront Marina; Presentation and possible action on a resolution to set a public hearing on an Ordinance to amend Ch 197 Zoning, Section 197-73 Floodplain relating to fill in the floodplain.
Link to meeting and zoom access code: https://lewes.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=482

What: Lewes African American Heritage Commission
When: Thursday, October 15 @ 6:00
Where: Zoom
Agenda: Denise Clemmons, LHS Archivist, historical information gathering, research and access; discussion of workshop dates
Link to meeting and zoom access code: https://lewes.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=501

What: Mayor and City Council Public Hearing
When: Tuesday, October 20 @ 6:00
Where: Zoom
Agenda: Public hearing and discussion to consider an ordinance to amend Articles IV Use Regulations by adding wireless facilities (5G)
Link to meeting and zoom access code: https://lewes.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=498 Scribe expects to share some additional information about this subject later this week in a forthcoming "mini" Blast.

What: Lewes Planning Commission
When: Wednesday, October 21 @6:00
Where: Zoom
Agenda: Not posted at time this Blast is being prepared. Please make note of this meeting date. Plan to check the city's calendar of meetings anytime within one week of the meeting date o become familiar with the meeting agenda.

Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell has provided the attached September monthly Activity Report: https://lewes.civicweb.net/document/20647/September%202020%20MCC%20Report.pdf?handle=A6870A0A3FBC4B3DBF474F5E091BDCB1

Other local news:

Lewes Meter Season is coming to a close for 2020. The need to feed city meters will soon no longer be an excuse to not shop, enjoy a drink and a meal in the many retail and restaurants that call Lewes home. As the old expression goes, "shop 'til you drop" and plan to drop into a eatery for an enjoyable repast.

The Federal Workplace Giving Campaign the Combined Federal Campaign has started for 2020.

Many local Delmarva charities are part of this large workplace giving effort. As a federal employee, postal employee or retiree you represent a powerful, caring community through the CFC. You can make a difference in local communities, across the nation, and around the world. To give to the CFC during the solicitation period September 21, 2020 through January 15, 2021 one can go to the website CFC Donor Pledging System. This year’s theme is Show Some Love.

CFC Donor Pledging System

Milton Community Food Pantry

The Milton Community Food Pantry will distribute food on Monday October 19 from 10am to 12pm. Going forward distributions will resume on bi-monthly basis the 1st and 3rd Monday's of each month. Please check the pantry's website for information on these scheduled distributions. Milton Community Food Pantry – From Our Hands To Your Home.

Milton Community Food Pantry – From Our Hands To Your Home
The Milton Community Food Pantry was established in 2014. It is comprised entirely of volunteers. Each week appr...

A reminder that the Board of Public Works will hold a Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection on Saturday, October 24 from 10 am to 2pm. Collection will be held at the 227 Schley Avenue. For more details please refer to this link: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT COLLECTION OCTOBER 24, 2020 - Lewes BPW - Electric, Water, and Sewer Utility

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT COLLECTION OCTOBER 2...
Lewes BPW’s Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection Day and The City of Lewes Police Department Nat...

The Lewes Police Department will hold a National Drug Take-back event on the same day, time and location as the hazardous waste is collected. Don't flush. Bring your old, and no longer needed drugs, to this collection drive.

A regular reader of Blasts (and library employee) wrote in response to Scribe's description of his recent Lewes Public Library tour and offered some additional service details. In addition to the "by appointment curbside", " no contact" book delivery, the library is now offering lobby pick-up. Patrons are required to wear masks but are welcome into the lobby where they can pick up the materials that they have placed on-hold. Lobby hours are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 to 1pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 2 to 5pm.

Councilperson's Corner

Vigilance is the operative word of the season. A reminder to remain aware of the continued health risks we are living as our country continues to temper the effects of the coronavirus. Mask, practice recommended social distancing and lather up! Wash hands, frequently.

And as the cooler temps cause us to spend more time inside our homes, let's not forget our house-bound neighbors and friends by checking on them with regularity.

'Til next time. 6 feet apart is to be preferred to 6 feet under.

lewes.civicweb.net

Blood Drive Tomorrow 9/14 and Donors Needed!
Monday, September 14, 2020
12:00 pm - 06:00 pm
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
20276 Bay Vista Road
Hall
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Click for Details: https://donate.bbd.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/5135

As a self-titled neighborhood "Scribe", Tim distributes updates on neighborhood and city information.
We will also share these "News Blasts" via Facebook. Feel free to share and invite your friends to follow this page.
News Blast 9/1/20:
What: Mayor & City Council Public Hearing
When: Thursday, September 3 @ 6pm
Where: Zoom. Anywhere with a WIFI connection.
Purpose: Hearing Topics and discussion:
a. To amend the land use classification from Residential to Open Space, Parcel SCTM 335-4.15-83.00 on Milford Ave (beach side of town)
b. An ordinance to amend Articles I,III,IV,V and XIII of Chapter 197, Zoning, of the Lewes Municipal Code. Topics of discussion include; district purpose statements; permitted uses; dimensional regulations, lot standards, lot averaging and conditional uses. Please reference the R-4 and Lot averaging text amendment packet attached to the official city Public Hearing Notice for additional details.

For more meeting details, including the Zoom link, use this link: https://lewes.civicweb.net/document/18955

What: Sea Level Rise Subcommittee
When: Wednesday, September 9
Where: Zoom. Anywhere with a WIFI connection
Purpose: Discussion of Sea Level Rise Ordinance
The Sea Level Rise Subcommittee is an adjunct of the Lewes Planning Commission. As a coastal town located in the lowest state, Lewes is surrounded by water. Sea level rise is not inconsequential nor its threat theoretical for our continued safety and ability to reside on this coastal plain. Listen to this discussion and post your Q&A's by using that Zoom feature during the meeting.

A copy of the meeting agenda and zoom link is provided here: https://lewes.civicweb.net/document/18990

As evidence that life in Lewes is not only about city business and meetings, here are two suggestions for you to put on your "fun, get me out of the house" calendar.

What: Maritime Living History Festival and Antiques Fair
Where: Lewes Historical Campus, located between Second and Third Streets on Ship Carpenter St.
When: Saturday, September 5
Time: 9 to 4
Admission: $5
LHS reenactors will be on hand through out the day sporting the latest 1813 fashions. Scribe can hardly wait to see what the Kardasians of that era wore.

What: Lewes Public Art Installation
When: Starting any day
Where: Along the bike path, on the backside of a Schley Ave BPW-owned building that faces the bike path, Kyle Confehr, an artist, will paint a mural featuring Lewes iconography. The mural is scheduled to be completed by mid-September and will remain in-place for months to view. Plan to view it from the bike path. And it's FREE!!!

Councilperson's Corner

You may recall in Blast #16 I described a recent tour of the Lewes Waste Water Treatment Plant located on American Legion Rd. That tour was Part One of Two which I partook as a recently elected council member. Part Two was completed last Friday when councilperson Andrew Williams, BPW General Manager Darrin Gordon, BPW President Pres Lee and I met at the Alfred Water Treatment Plant located on Kings Highway and had a tour of the facilities the BPW operates at that location.

Although this tour did not offer the same odoriferous challenges that the previous tour presented, it was nonetheless interesting and well worth the time to learn how we receive safe, potable water in our homes from the well fields located on this parcel.

Darrin extended the same gracious offer made previously to provide tours of both BPW facilities to interested members of the public. Leave the rose-tinted glasses at home and learn how the BPW provides these critical services that make it possible for us to live safely in this ecologically sensitive coastal area. Call Darrin at 302-645-6228 to arrange your tour.

Quick Reminders:

Masks are required to be worn in the downtown business areas.

Meterless Morning Parking remains in practice in the downtown business area, now thorough October 15, from the hours of 9am to 12 noon each day. "Retail therapy" is available from your favorite retail establishment, daily. Enjoy getting together with friends at a local eatery for a bite to eat in the morning and the city council picks up the parking tab.

And finally, an example of cooperation and civic pride being practiced and applied. Monday evening Councilperson Williams and BPW General Manager Gordon met at the aforementioned BPW Schley Ave building and prepared the wall for the p***c art installation. They applied a base coat of paint to the block wall creating a fresh "canvas" for the artist.

lewes.civicweb.net

Lewes City Council Election Results July 18, 2020 Congratulations Tim Ritzert and Andrew Williams, our new Lewes City Council members! In true small town fashion, here are the election results being read to ...

https://www.capegazette.com/article/challengers-victorious-lewes-election/205473 #.XxOVZKayGoI.facebook

Challengers victorious in Lewes election There will be new faces joining Lewes Mayor and City Council, as challengers Andrew Williams and Tim Ritzert collected the most votes in the city’s July 18 election. Williams was the clear winner with 634 votes, 137 more than runner-up Ritzert with...