Brandywine Village Civic Association

December 2008 Minutes

Jan 14, 2009

7pm. Shortlidge School, 100 W 18th Street, Brandywine Village.

The meeting came to order at 7:05pm.
Neighborhood blocks represented:
1800 block Washington Street
1800 block West Street
100 block W 18th Street
200 block W 18th Street
200 W 19th Street

Elected Officials Present:
Mr. Norman Griffiths, Councilman 2nd District & City Council President-Elect
Mr. Trippi Congo Councilman 2nd District-Elect

Wilmington Police Department Officer Present:
None Present

Guest Speakers:
Mr. Craig Rhodes, DNREC/Division of Fish & Wildlife
Mr. Steve Kuzmicki, Executive Director Greater Brandywine Village Revitalization

Before we were able to address the AGENDA items under Old Business, Mr. Duane Brown raised a recent instant ticketing issue affecting the residents of 200 block of W. 18th Street. The Mayor had announced that there would be a city-wide garbage pick up on the Friday following Thanksgiving. Trucks never arrived on W 18th Street on Friday. Residents of the 200 block kept their cans on the street until the following Thursday. Apparently, each day the residents anticipated that "today would be the day that the garbage truck arrived". So, they allowed their cans to remain at the curb all week. Well, these residents were issued 'instant tickets' for $50 apeice. Norman Oliver suggested that we dispute the tickets as the City failed to show up on Friday 11/28/08 as promised. Trippi Congo promised to assist residents in the effort. Kathleen will visit the residents in the 200 block of W 18th Street to get this organized.

OLD BUSINESS:
1) LITTER
Recommended Solutions:
?• Enforce litter laws. Representative Williams stated that the Wilmington Police are able to issue tickets to individuals and the parents' of minor who choose to litter.
?• Petition the Red Clay School District. Has Pricipal Thomas notified students and parents about littering problems? Has Principal Thomas reported littering problems to the District?
?• Principal Thomas has invited members of the Civic Association and elected officials to attend a PTA meeting to express litter concerns to this group.
?• Educate teachers, students, parents, neighbors. Contact DE State Parks AmeriCorps program, DSWA, etc. at Shortlidge School. Kathleen will pursue this option.
?• Designate specific areas for flowering perennials. Designate specific areas for large planters for flowers. Look into Audubon grants and other available grants. Ask Representative Williams for a small grant.

2) PARKING
Recommended Solutions:
?• Flyers on Brandywine Village Civic Association letterhead courteously placed on the windshield of the offending vehicles requesting that these visitors utilize one of Shorlidge?’s five (5) exclusive parking areas.

4) HOUSING/TENANT ISSUES
Recommended Solutions:
?• Enforcement of City Ordinances. Ensure that City Councilman has facts to pursue these properties.

5) CRIME AND PERSONAL SAFETY
Recommended Solutions:
?• All residents need to turn on porch lights after dark. Can Blueprint Communities provide bulbs?
?• Place lighting in shadowed common areas (esp. 1700 block W 17th Street). Can Blueprint Communities assist in this effort?
?• Tracy will contact Blueprint Communities.
?• Trim Trees and shrubs so that ?‘bad guys?’ can?’t hide to assault pedestrians, break into homes, or sell drugs. Enforce shrub and tree height ordinances. Can DE Horticulture Center (DCH) Tree Stewards help?
?• Establish a ?“Neighborhood Watch?”. Neighbors will patrol blocks represented within the civic association by car. We will try to get magnetic signs for car. Kathleen will contact Triangle Neighborhood Association about their Watch program.
?• Representative Williams encouraged residents to document all 911 calls. Who was the Dispatcher? Who showed up? How long? Was a report filed? What else?

NEW BUSINESS
1) DNREC - 30 minute presentation regarding WILD ANIMALS AND FERAL ANIMALS in the Village
Craig provided a tremendous amount of interesting and frightening information about racoons. In addition to rabies, racoons have been identified as carriers of a parasite that is FATAL to humans, dogs, cats, and other mammals. This parasite is excreted in the racoons feces. The parasite hatches in the warm, moist waste and becomes airbone where it can be inhaled by a person or dog, etc. This "worm" may lodge in the host's lung, spine, brain, or elsewhere. It will feed on the host's soft tissue leading to death of the host.

Delaware is one of just a few states with no law prohibiting the feeding of wild animals. Craig suggests in leui of a State Law, residents of the city should consider petitioning the City to pass an Ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wild animals.

There is no State or non profit agency that can control our racoon problem. Only a private company, paid by the homeowner, can be contracted to remove racoons on the homeowner's property. Craig states that racoons are extremely territorial. They will traverse miles to return to their territory. Also, if a racoon or group of racoons is permanantly removed from an area, another group will simply move in! Craig also will look into the trapping of racoons by hunters who will use the pelts and most likely, the meat, too. This could be an annual event and a news opportunity.

2) Greater Brandywine Village Revitalization, Inc ?– 30 minute presentation regarding overview of the organization and revitalization projects.
Steve Kuxmicki provided a comprehensive overview of the actvities and plans of the Greater Brandywine Revitalization. Although the boundaries of this small non profit focus on the Market Street corridor, Concord Ave to the river (Market Street Bridge), its boundaries include several civic groups and cross over Councilmanic Districts, it is apparent that we have shared community goals and we can coordinate initiatives. Please see their website http://www.brandywinevillage.org/

3) Election of Officers for 2009, President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer
Kathleen Perkins was named BCVA President. WE still need additional Officers. Any volunteers?

4) Refreshments & Mitten Tree
Mittens will be donated to Ministry of Caring's shelters. Mittens, gloves, and scarves are still being accepted for donation.


NEXT MEETING JANUARY 14, 2009, 7PM SHORTLIDGE SCHOOL.