Dear District 8 constituents, Here's an update on key neighborhood and local issues for May-June 2022.
As always, don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. I'm here to help. Sincerely,
Nathan Field
District 8 City Councilman
Facebook: @FieldDistrict8
Cellphone: 302-530-6626
(1) Proposed 7.5% property tax increase In the proposed City of Wilmington budget for next year, there is a 7.5% increase in property tax and a 5% increase in water fees. Read an article with more details here.
(2) Delaware Avenue (Trolley Square) Civic Association Spring Meeting
Led by Lisa Johnson and Stephanie Hanna, the group is prioritizing building back the social element to life in the neighborhood that has been lost during the pandemic. They want neighbors to meet neighbors (a big reason people move to cities) and plan their meetings accordingly, having them off hours at places like Brew Haha.
Anyone looking to get more involved in the neighborhood is encouraged to attend.
Speaking of neighborhood updates, Lisa Hemphill is providing frequent and very well written and informative updates regarding 40 Acres news via Facebook.
(3) 2022 Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony This year the Parade planning committee is taking extra steps to promote the parade especially to newer city residents who may be unfamiliar with this tradition:
Thousands of households along the parade route will be getting postcards and we will be putting up posters in stores around the area.
As has happened every year since 1868, the event concludes at 7pm with a ceremony at the iconic Soldiers and Sailors monument pictured above, perhaps the most beautiful of its kind in the entire State, if not the country.
(4) Continued Momentum on Mill Road Connector
Since my last newsletter in March, major momentum continues to be generated in making this concept a reality.
By modernizing the existing old factory worker's path to connect Brandywine Park directly to the new Falls condos, it will:
More details coming soon. I also am in close contact with all stakeholders, especially residents of the Brandywine Park and the Point condos, to make sure any concerns are fully addressed.
(5) Seeking Volunteers for Possible Trolley Square/40 Acres cleanup
On April 23rd, about 40 residents gathered to pick up trash in Trolley Square and to cleanup the intersection of Dupont St at Gilpin and I think it's fair to say that working together we really made a difference.
Are you interested in volunteering for a similar project in the near future? There are several key intersections in highly visible, public areas of Trolley Square and 40 Acres that need some work.
25 people in one hour on a Saturday morning can make a huge impact.
(6) Trolley Square Murals Project - Coming Very Soon
Starting very soon, a Delaware Avenue Community Association sponsored project to have artists paint murals on utility boxes around Trolley Square will kick off.
(7) What are your thoughts on Green Lawn Care?
As many residents have noted, gas powered lawn care equipment is bad for the environment and the loud noises create quality of life issues for residents. A group of neighbors continues to meet to study options for incentivizing Green Lawn care in Wilmington. Could you help us by taking this 3 minute survey on your lawn care experiences?
(8) 8th District Scholarship Contest
Each year City Council members have a small amount of money to distribute to students.
To be considered for an 8th District scholarship, the student must be an 8th District resident, and write a short essay (up to 250 words, more if desired) answering this question:
If you were Mayor of Wilmington, what is your best idea for improving the City? How would you make your idea works?
Email a resume and essay to me at Nrfield@wilmingtonde.gov no later than June 17th at 5pm.
Click here to read the essay by last year's winner, Padua senior Meredith Kuchma. (9) New Stapler Park Basketball Court Nears Completion
Construction is well under way.
(10) Congrats to "Miss O" for 50 Years at St. Ann's
The St Ann's community recently celebrated Julia O'Callaghan's 50th year at the school.
I am honored to have Miss O as a mentor and friend and to have had the opportunity to give her a special City of Wilmington award for her dedication to the community.
Here's a video produced by NBC News covering this milestone:
(11) Fighting for Improving Access to EV Chargers
More and more residents are getting electric vehicles and reaching out on this issue. I'm pushing behind the scenes to see the City set up a framework to have more chargers available throughout Wilmington. More updates on this soon. (12) Gibraltar Update
At the Highlands Community Association spring meeting on April 27th, potential developer Rob Snowberger spoke for a few minutes and the Mayor spoke about the project as well.
Here is a link to the plans that were presented on February 28th at a special meeting at the Art Museum.
No steps have been taken to obtain any permits with the City or initiate any city processes.
I will continue to be vigilant about making sure that concerned residents are kept highly informed and the interests of the neighborhood are adequately represented. If anything more specific is set to happen, all concerned neighbors will be informed by me well in advance. (13) When will the Bancroft footbridge reopen?
I'm as frustrated as anyone with the ongoing closure of the bridge since flooding in September.
That bridge is - and this isn't an exaggeration - THE REASON many people move to this section of the Highlands.
To recap my last newsletter, on February 10th, the State of Delaware Parks Agency gave a detailed presentation on their engineering investigations into the way forward. Read the report here or watch the presentation here .
The State of Delaware stated that the bridge is going to reopen, with the quickest option being to rebuild it. Below are the slides presented by the State on likely timeframe:
The State of Delaware Parks Management Agency will hold another meeting in September. I will be providing updates on any new developments. (14) Take Advantage of the 311 Call Center - An Incredible Resource
On simple municipal problems you may encounter, calling the Public Works Call Center is the fastest and most efficient way to resolve an issue. Here's the number: 302-576-3878 Click #8 on the menu to reach the Call center. Describe the problem, with a specific address, and ask for an ID number. 8 times out of 10, this will do the trick within one day.
To get regular updates on key City Council issues, follow @FieldDistrict8 on Facebook.