Ezra J. Temko

There will be a community yard sale on Saturday, October 4, from the morning on.

Participating neighborhoods include: Abbotsford, Christianstead, Covered Bridge Farms, Fairfield, Fairfield Crest, Nottingham, and West Branch.  Be sure to check it out!

The following is from a Delaware Department of Transportation press release:

Newark – The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that preliminary work has begun in preparation for a planned repaving of a portion of Elkton Road and Christina Parkway/Rt. 4 in Newark. The concrete portions of Elkton Road between the Maryland state line and Casho Mill Road will receive a new driving surface, as will Christiana Parkway between Elkton Road and College Avenue.

An ultra-thin pavement overlay will be applied to the deteriorated concrete. The special asphalt mix is not as porous and will not permit moisture to seep through to the concrete below it, thus preventing further deterioration. It is expected that the new surface will last five to six years, providing relief for motorists from potholes and crumbling road surfaces until a major Elkton Road improvement project begins in Fiscal Year 2011 and the roadway is removed and replaced.

Crews are currently working in selected areas of Christina Parkway to prepare shoulders and fill potholes. The overlay work will begin on Christina Parkway during the week of September 29th. Crews will then move to Elkton Road and overlay the concrete surfaces. The project is expected to be completed by the end of October.

Harmony Construction is the contractor for the resurfacing project, which is expected to cost $900,000.

For the latest in traffic and related information, visit DelDOT’s website at www.deldot.gov.

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City council announced last night that it has reached an agreement in principle with Kyle Sonnenberg to become the city’s next manager. Kyle will begin as Newark’s city manager on November 1.

I very much look forward to working with Kyle. The experience and perspective he will bring to the city, along with his commitment to infrastructure, team decision-making, civic engagement, and the environment will help move Newark forward. Kyle has been in Newark before - he received his Master in Public Administration from the University of Delaware. He is currently Assistant City Manager in Fayeteville, NC. I hope everyone will join me in warmly welcoming Kyle back to our community.

I want to again publicly thank Roy Lopata for the fantastic job he has done as interim city manager. I can say that I never felt the effects of having an interim city manager - I just knew we had competent responsive effective management that brought me up to speed and worked to move our city forward. Roy deserves credit for his good work including keeping our city moving smoothly and forward over the last half year and leading our city through the resolution of our reservoir lawsuit.

For the Newark Post article on Kyle Sonnenberg’s appointment, click here.

Click here for the article reporting on the public meeting with Kyle from the search.

If you are registered to vote as a Democrat or Republican, primary day is Tuesday, September 9. For information on where to vote and to see a sample ballot, visit http://pollingplace.delaware.gov/

If you are registered as a Democrat, I hope you will join me in voting for Jack Markell. If you are not a Democrat, hopefully you will get a chance to vote for Jack on November 4.

I believe Jack is the best candidate for governor both for our state and for Newark. He is a leader with integrity, empathy, and intellect. He has the vision and leadership style to move Delaware forward and make sure our communities are vibrant and healthy.

While some have begun to slew negative attacks, those who know Jack or know the work he has done as state treasurer recognize false old guard attacks on a new guard candidate when we see it. Jack has promoted financial literacy in his role as state treasurer and was the first statewide elected official to support the offshore wind farm.

Jack is someone who has stood up for his own convictions and is the type of person who will make sure he delivers on getting Delaware where we need to be. There is a clear choice today – between a candidate who will continue the do-nothing Minner administration and is tied to corporations and party bosses and a candidate whose networks are the environmental, civic, business, and progressive communities and will embrace and enact innovative change to progress our communities.

Jack Markell is stronger on issues like our state’s education, economy, environment, health care, and communities. He has detailed plans and proposals to effect change. He is also the stronger candidate in his leadership style – something he has exhibited during his terms as state treasurer. Please join me in voting for Jack Markell for governor.

8 Full Days ~ 30 Features ~ 112 Screenings

The three finalists to become Newark’s next city manager will be interviewed later this month, with one candidate each on August 26, 27, and 28.

There will be an hour for a public meeting from 6pm to 7pm each of these days. Please come talk with the candidates and then share your views with council.

The 203 New London Road project was tabled at the July 14 council meeting in order for the applicant to better respond to questions and concerns. There will be a community meeting on August 13 at 7:15 pm in the George Wilson Center to continue that process.

Since the meeting, I have met with the owners of the property and engineers and discussed my concerns with them. They explained to me the building code violation which has been fixed. They have also taken down the signs people did not like and are renaming the existing building from “New London Road Apartments” to “The Ice House,” in keeping with its historical nature. They have also ordered a small informational sign to be placed on the building. If they are able to proceed with the project it will be replaced with a more attractive permanent sign.

I hope you will come to this meeting to talk about what you would like to see regarding development in our community and more specifically this project. The owners will be there to discuss your concerns and work through the issues with you such as parking and student parties. They also will present some potential changes to the plan that I have asked them to put together. These include additional landscaping in the parking lot to further shield it from New London Road and a few facade alternatives for us to choose from to make the proposed building as attractive as possible as well as ensure it fits into the surrounding area. Additionally, the owners have agreed to have the building be LEED Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is THE standard for high-performance construction in the United States. If passed, this building would be the first in Newark to be LEED certified.

I hope to see you at the meeting. In the meantime, if you have any questions on this, please let me know. If you have any specific questions for the developer that may require research or thought beyond what can be provided in an immediate back-and-forth setting, please let me know and I can pass your question on to the developer so that it can be adequately addressed at the meeting.

Please consider coming to this meeting so that you can have your questions answered and offer constructive comments about what could make this proposal an asset for our community. I believe this is the process we should be using for development proposals but it can only work with your participation!

At the upcoming council meeting (Monday, July 28), I will be proposing The GREEN Resolution, Getting to Renewable and Efficient Energy for Newark.  Environmental sustainability is one of the key issues I campaigned on and is a top priority for many Newarkers. As you may have heard me say, the City of Newark owning its own electric utility gives us a terrific opportunity to encourage energy conservation and efficiency.  In times of peak oil, climate change, and relatively high fossil fuel costs, it is incredibly important for us to act on this issue, including on a local level.

This resolution gives city staff a sense of the direction council wants to proceed on this issue.  After that, relevant ordinances will be developed for council’s consideration by our first November meeting and fully implemented by next July.  The GREEN Resolution includes a multi-faceted approach to energy conservation.  It includes such proposals as an online bill receipt and payment option, adopting inclining block rates, creating a Green Fund for Newark with over $300,000 per year, and increasing our renewable energy portfolio.  It also includes a proposal to create a voluntary fund for issues such as homelessness and low-income weatherization assistance to be funded by Operation Round-Up, a voluntary program that rounds your utility bill to the nearest dollar ($136.62 would become $137).  You can download or open the PDF of the GREEN Resolution by clicking here.  I would be happy to discuss any of these items in more detail with you, either here on the blog or otherwise.

At the next city council meeting (July 14), there will be a vote on a rezoning of 203 New London Road from from RM (Residential Multi-Family Dwellings – Garden Apartments) to BLR (Business Limited Residential). This is on 896 just west of Terry Manor.

The owner is requesting the rezoning to add an additional three-unit apartment building to the currently existing four-unit apartment building.

This has gone through the Planning Commission and has been sent to council with a unanimous recommendation along with a few conditions.

You can view the bill and a map of where this specifically is by opening the following pdf: http://cityofnewarkde.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=778

The January 8 Planning Commission meeting minutes are here: http://cityofnewarkde.us/archives/36/Planning%20Comm%20Minutes%20-%20January%208,%202008.pdf

Originally a four-unit apartment building was proposed. There were many issues with this plan and it ended up tabled by the Planning Commission. You can read the September 4 Planning Commission meeting minutes here: http://cityofnewarkde.us/archives/36/Planning%20Comm.%20Minutes%20-%20September%204,%202007.pdf

I have heard from a few people with concerns regarding additional traffic and student partying that could result from this project. I found growth and development to be a big issue in our district during my listening tour canvass.

Please let me know your thoughts about this project. As a rezoning, the city has discretion to reject or approve this bill.

Thanks,
Ezra

Please join our Newark Area Legislators for the
2008 ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP

Tuesday, July 8, 2008
7:30 PM, Newark City Council Chambers (City Hall)

The following Newark area legislators will be there to discuss the 2008 Legislative Session and answer questions:
Senator Steve Amick, Senator Karen Peterson, Senator Liane Sorenson, Representative John Kowalko, Representative Pam Maier, Representative Joe Miro, Representative Terry Schooley