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Seaford Federal Credit Union was founded in 1970 by the parishioners of St. Luke’s Church. The employees of Nanticoke Memorial Hospital and Seaford Head Start were among the first members. In 1985, we moved to High Street where we served our members for 12 years. In October 1997, we moved to the Seaford Professional Center on Route 13. In April 2008, we opened a full-service branch in Millsboro. This office is conveniently located on Route 113 South, beside Carey Insurance. We offer a wide range of financial services and competitive rates on savings and loans. If you live, work or worship in Sussex County, you can join today and discover the benefits. With Seaford Federal Credit Union, you can expect friendly, professional service where you are an owner and not just a customer.
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Contents 14
2013 Progress Seaford
6 25
6
Nanticoke Memorial
10
Blades
13
Greenwood
13
Laurel
14
Milford
17
Bayhealth
18
Delmar
19
Bridgeville
21
Georgetown
25
Woodland
26
Bethel
26
Published by
Morning Star Publications Inc. P.O. Box 1000 951 Normal Eskridge Hwy. Seaford, DE 19973 (302) 629-9788 (302) 629-9243 fax editor@mspublications.com About the Cover
17 4 Morning Star 2013 Progress
Photo shows the ferry, the Tina Fallon, crossing the Nanticoke River at Woodland, an active village west of Seaford. Photo by Bryant Paul Richardson
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SFC Sonja Robbins enjoys her strenuous exercise routine.
SFC Sonja RobbinS knowS why beebe haS been ReCognized: a beebe Spine SuRgeRy team gave heR a new liFe. SFC Sonja Robbins injured her back from improper lifting. The pain worsened until she could hardly do anything in comfort. She then had a minimally invasive lumbar fusion at Beebe, and thanks to the expertise of the surgeon and clinical staff, she went home the next day. It wasn’t long before she was doing exercises she never thought she would do. Beebe Medical Center received the Healthgrades® Spine Surgery Excellence Award™ for 4 Years in a Row (2010–2013), and is Ranked #1 in Delaware for Spine Surgery for 3 Years in a Row (2011–2013). beebe medical Center is the recipient of the healthgrades® distinguished hospital award for Clinical excellence 2013™, ranking the hospital among the top 5% of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Visit Beebe’s website to learn more about our Healthgrades awards. beebemed.org
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Morning Star 2013 Progress 5
New housing, business opportunity along the river in Seaford’s future By Lynn R. Parks 2013 could bring some big changes to downtown Seaford. Burton Bros. hardware, for more than a century a major part of the High Street landscape, will be torn down. And at its final meeting in February, the city council is set to discuss two issues that could mean new housing in downtown and the availability of a new riverfront commercial property. Burton Bros. was severely damaged in a November fire, caused by faulty wiring. Owners Ric and Ron Marvel announced last month that they will not be rebuilding. Their insurance company has estimated that getting the building in shape so that the store could open would cost $1.5 million. “It just isn’t feasible to put that kind of money into this building at this time,” Ron Marvel said. The brothers have no plans for
the empty lot that will be created by the demolition. But another empty lot could finally be seeing some construction. At their Feb. 26 meeting, council members will take a second look at a new ordinance that would allow construction of a 72-unit apartment complex and marina on Water Street. The Residences at River Place are being planned for a piece of property that runs between the street and the Nanticoke River, east of Gateway Park. As designed, the complex would not comply with the city’s current requirements for construction in downtown. The new ordinance that the city council will consider on Feb. 26 would create a mini-zone within the city’s Riverfront Enterprise Zone. That mini-zone would apply only to downtown properties that front the Nanticoke. Buildings in that zone could be taller than in the rest of the zone and lot coverage
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could be greater. Even with the passage of the new zoning ordinance, the apartment complex will still need preliminary and final approval of its plans from the city council. The city council is also scheduled to start a discussion about cleaning out the long-shuttered power plant to make it available for sale. The city’s power plant was built in 1939 to generate electricity for the city. But it has not done that since the mid-1970s, when the city started buying all of its power from Delmarva Power and Light. For a time in the first decade of this century, the plant generated power to sell on the grid. That ended in late 2005 when the price of diesel went so high that the plant couldn’t make a profit on what it generated. In 2007, the state put in place new air pollution regulations that pretty much spelled the end of the plant.
Now, the city is working toward making the attractive brick building, which sits on the Nanticoke River on the west side of the drawbridge, what city manager Dolores Slatcher calls a “vanilla box.” Fuel tanks that were there have already been sold. Slatcher said that it is probable that at the end of the decommissioning, only the building itself will remain. As for its future after that, “we are open to all ideas,” she said. As it works toward the decommissioning of its fossil fuel-burning power plant, the city of Seaford is moving ahead with plans to build a solar park at its utility building on Herring Run Road. The park would generate electricity for the Seaford wastewater treatment facility, saving the city nearly $200,000 a year. Whether the park ever gets out of the planning stage will ultimately be up to the city’s residents, said Slatcher. In January, the city council agreed to spend nearly $50,000, half from a state grant and the other half from the city’s wastewater reserve fund, to have Pennoni Associates Inc., an engineering firm in Milton, come up with a design for the park. After Pennoni has completed the preliminary design work, the city will hold a public hearing to describe the plan to the community. Following the hearing, a referendum will be held on the city’s plan to borrow money for the park. If the referendum passes, Pennoni will take up the second stage of design. If it fails, the design work will stop. The city already has a tentative $2.1 million loan from the State Revolving Fund to pay for the project. The city’s charter requires a referendum on borrowing anything over $2 million. According to Slatcher, the city budgeted $177,000 this fiscal year for electricity for the plant and an additional $9,000 for electricity at the plant’s associated
Seaford City Hall at High and Market streets. Photo by Ron MacArthur
Morning Star 2013 Progress 7
composting facility. This year, the city will expand its sanitary sewer lines to accommodate a planned carwash and strip mall on the northbound side of U.S. 13, just north of Clark’s Pools. The new lines will tie into the city’s sewer system near the Lowe’s store on the southbound side of the highway. Estimated cost of the project is $352,000. About a third of that, $108,000, will be paid by the property’s developer, B. G. Joseph. Slatcher said that the new sewer lines could make U.S. 13 property on the north edge of town more attractive to developers. “Sewer lines equal development,” she said. “We are positioning the sanitary sewer system for long-term.” In fact, the city is looking for federal and state grants that would allow it to extend the sewer line beyond the carwash. The city limits extend as far north as Old Furnace Road. “We’d like to go as far north as the money will take it,” Slatcher said. Bids are due in this month for a flooding alleviation project planned for Porter Street. The project, with an estimated cost of $540,000, will be paid for with money left over
from the flooding alleviation project that was completed last year along Washington Avenue and in east Seaford. With the citizens’ approval, the city borrowed $2.579 million for that project, which ended up costing only $1.882 million. Slatcher expects that the Porter Street project will be complete by the end of this year. Virginia Avenue also has a history of flooding after heavy rains. Engineering firm George, Miles and Buhr has designed improvements for three stormwater management ponds in that area, at the state service center, at the Boys and Girls Club and a city-owned pond in the Ross Business Park. The city has received a $60,000 Community Water Quality Incentive Grant from the state for the design and for the subsequent work. Anticipated cost of the entire project, including the design work, is $83,000. The city will pay the balance of the cost that the grant does not cover. Within a couple of months, the city will have its new process in place to allow residents to pay utility bills online. The program will allow residents to view their payment history 24 hours a day. Residents
who want to pay a bill will pay a service fee of 3 percent, if they use a credit or debit card, or $1.05, if they pay the bill directly from their checking account. The service fees will go to the company collecting the payment. The city will not receive any money from the service fees. Also expected to be completed within the next couple months is the new fence installment around half of Hoopers Landing, the city’s golf course, and around the city’s pool. City crews have torn out the hedge that used to surround the first nine holes of the course. Cost of the new wooden split rail fencing that will be put in is $27,840. Cost for the pool’s new PVC fence is $6,120. The city has several streets projects planned for this year, including paving of Locust Street and Nylon Boulevard. It will also extend Davis Drive in the industrial park, a project that will be paid for by the Delaware Development Office. Last year, the city was unable to take advantage of the state’s offer of a 20-year $1.9 million loan to pay for the installation of residential water meters. In a public referendum, voters turned down the plan
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87 to 45. If the plan had been approved, the city would have paid 1-percent interest on the loan and at the conclusion of the project, 35 percent of the principal would have been forgiven. In addition, the city would not have had to pay closing costs. Slatcher said that she believes that Seaford is the only large municipality in Delaware not to have metered water. “The day may come that we will be required to have meters,” she said. “We think that that will come.” At the same time, she said that she doesn’t believe that the opportunity for a loan with the kind of favorable terms the state was offering will come along again. Also last year, the city completed phase one of an engineering study of the feasibility of spraying treated wastewater on the lands of the Hooper’s Landing golf course. Treated wastewater currently is dumped into the Nanticoke River and new federal laws are expected to reduce the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus the city is allowed to put in the Nanticoke, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The bridge between Seaford and Blades opens for river traffic. Photo by Daniel Richardson
The irrigation project is on hold while state and federal regulations about discharge into the Nanticoke are developed, Slatcher said. Also affected by the new regulations will be the Invista nylon plant, which, like the city, discharges waste into the river, she added.
We would like to recognize and thank our many Commercial and Residential Customers, Municipalities, County, Federal & State Agencies for their continued patronage.
In 2012, Better Homes of Seaford completed construction of Hampton Circle, a three-story, 36,000-square foot apartment complex for low-income senior citizens at the east end of the city’s Ross Business Park. All of its 35 units are filled, Slatcher said.
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Nanticoke Health Services looks forward to major improvements By Lynn R. Parks At a retreat planned for next month, the board of directors for Nanticoke Health Services will hear proposals for two major capital improvement projects: construction of a medical office building and major renovation of the existing Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. Estimated cost of the office building is $6 million, said Nanticoke president and CEO, Steve Rose. Renovation of the hospital, which would include transforming all of its two-patient rooms into singles, would cost $7 million to $8 million, Rose said. He hopes that both projects, if given the go-ahead by the board, are completed by 2018. Both projects are being spurred at least in part by requirements
of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 and commonly known as Obamacare. The new medical office building, being planned for Nanticoke’s Mears Campus at the intersection of Bridgeville Road and Herring Run Road, will encourage the integration of medical services, something that the federal law encourages, Rose said. “We will get all of our specialists into one building and get them all talking to each other,” he recently told members of the Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce during a breakfast meeting. “What a great concept!” Rose said that a basic premise behind health care reform is changing the focus of medical care, currently acute care, to routine health care. “The federal govern-
ment wants to get people’s minds changed about health care and get them thinking about how to stay healthy and stay out of the hospital,” he said. Integration of medical services, with all of a patient’s doctors in one office building and sharing information, will help in that, he added. Nanticoke has already spent $25 million over the past 10 years to file patients’ records electronically. Now, when patients go from one doctor to another, “their records can follow them,” Rose said. “We think that we’ve built a great foundation for integration.” The hospital has also applied for certification of its Nanticoke Physician Network as a PatientCentered Medical Home through the National Committee for Quality Insurance. A “medical home” is
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designed to encourage integration of services by facilitating partnerships between patients and doctors. Rose hopes that that certification is complete by December. And to take that integration even further, Nanticoke recently installed new computer programs that will enable patients to have electronic access to their records. Through a “patient portal,” people will be able to review their records, look at test results, even make doctor’s appointments, using their home computers. Meeting standards Under the provisions of the health care act, the federal government cuts Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements by 1 percent if a hospital isn’t meeting certain standards. It also pays bonuses to hospitals that are meeting the standards. This is particularly effective in hospitals like Nanticoke, where 50 percent of the patients are on Medicare and another 27 percent are on Medicaid, Rose said. Judgment of whether a hospital is meeting the standards or not is based in part on patient satisfaction questionnaires. “Nanticoke has worked very hard
Nanticoke Memorial Hospital’s entrance at twilight. Submitted photo.
on getting its patient satisfaction scores up,” Rose said. The one area in which it suffers, he said, is noise
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plaint, Rose said. The hospital renovation will be done a couple of rooms at a time, Rose said. At the start of the project, workers will complete one room so that doctors and nurses can visit it and comment on what’s good about it and what needs improvement. The renovation project will also include all new heating and air conditioning systems, new ventilation and new bathrooms. “We will be going green, using energy-efficient systems wherever we can,” Rose said. The hospital will apply for state and federal grants to help pay for those systems. Whether the hospital receives bonuses or is punished when it comes to federal reimbursements is also based on the degree to which it has desired outcomes for certain “clinical core” illnesses, including pneumonia, heart attacks and surgery. The hospital does well in treating patients with those core illnesses, Rose said. “Some of our clinical core scores are the best in Delaware,” he said. “All of the
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12 Morning Star 2013 Progress
others are just as good as any in Delaware.” The federal government is also monitoring how well hospitals follow up with patients who are treated for certain illnesses and then discharged. If a patient with one of those diagnoses returns to the hospital within 30 days with the same diagnosis, the federal medical insurance programs won’t cover the cost of care. “We have to eat that cost,” Rose said. This new provision “really puts pressure on us to make sure that people are compliant,” he added. To help keep those patients from returning to the hospital, Nanticoke is working with other health care organizations to help make sure that patients follow discharge instructions. The patients get phone calls and even visits to make sure that they are eating and exercising as they should and that they are taking whatever medicines they were prescribed. Last year, Nanticoke opened its second heart catheterization lab. The hospital treats about 60 emergency patients a year in its two “cath labs” and about 600 people a year for non-emergency conditions. The labs are also used to treat patients who have blockages in places other than the heart and are where doctors put in pacemakers. To go with the new cath lab, Seaford has a new cardiac interventionalist. Gabriel Sardi joined Nanticoke Cardiology at the end of the summer. Rose said that the hospital plans to upgrade the equipment in the older catheterization lab. Included in Nanticoke’s five-year plan is the purchase of new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment for the Mears campus and the purchase of new, more sophisticated, computed tomography (CT) scan equipment for the hospital.
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Blades is part of Tree City U.S.A. By Lynn R. Parks
The town of Blades has been certified by the Arbor Day Foundation as part of Tree City USA. Representatives with the town received the certification from Gov. Jack Markell at Arbor Day ceremonies held last year at Delaware State University, said town administrator Vikki Prettyman. Currently, the town’s tree canopy covers a little more than 27 percent of the town. A resolution passed by the town council says that the town will work to increase that percentage to 30 percent over the next decade. Certification as part of Tree City USA requires that a town meet four standards. It must have a tree board — in the case of Blades, that is the town council — a tree care ordinance and a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per resident. The town must also observe Arbor Day every year. Also last year, the residents of Blades approved a referendum to allow the town to borrow money to put in a new well. Estimated cost of the well is $375,000, Prettyman said; it is possible, she added, that final cost will be less than that. How much the town has to borrow will be determined at the conclusion of the project.
Early photo of the marina at the Nanticoke River Marine Park. Photo by Phil Livingston
Prettyman said that the contract to put in the well was awarded to Uni-Tech, a well-drilling company based in Franklinville, N.J. The project is currently awaiting permits. Prettyman anticipates that the well will be up and running sometime this year. At the March 4 meeting of the town’s planning and zoning commission, plans will be presented for construction of a new business on commercial land on the south edge of town. Prettyman could not say who the developer is, or what the project will be. But she said that it is planned for alternate U.S. 13, across from the cemetery.
Prettyman said that she is optimistic about the future of residential construction in town. Property on Concord Road that was slated for a 60-townhouse complex and that ended up in the bank’s hands has recently been purchased by a developer, she said. No plans for development have been submitted to the town as of yet, but she finds reason for hope in the fact that a developer now owns it. She is also optimistic about the fate of Blades’ existing homes. While the town still has a number of rented homes, increasingly the homes are owner-occupied, she said.
Greenwood sees growth, hopes for more By Lynn R. Parks
In Greenwood, “things are pretty much status quo,” said town manager John McDonnell. Water and sewer rates remain unchanged from last year, as do town tax rates, he said. Last year, the town did see a small amount of development. Construction of a new Dollar General store was completed on U.S. 13, south of the Royal Farms convenience store and gas station. Residents are pleased to have someplace to shop without having to drive to Seaford, Harrington or Milford, McDonnell said. The town also saw the construction of three new homes on North First Street. One of those homes has already been sold, McDonnell said, and the other two are set to be sold this year.
In 2011, the town completed a project to install 451 water meters on homes throughout town. Residents started paying for water based on usage in September of that year; over 2012, that led to a 10- to 12-percent decrease in usage, McDonnell said. “We were hoping for a five-percent decrease, so to get a 10-percent decrease is great,” he added. The decreased usage doesn’t only mean less waste of a public resource McDonnell said. It also means that the town has less wastewater that it has to send to Bridgeville for treatment, which translates into lower cost. Last year, residents OK’d a referendum on a plan to borrow $232,500 from the state revolving fund to finance a project to mix water from its three wells. Water
from one of the wells comes close to exceeding allowable limits of certain chemicals, McDonnell said, and mixing the water meant that the town won’t have to shut down that problematic well. Upon completion of the project, the state forgave $45,000 of the loan. Payback is over 40 years; the loan’s interest rate is .5 percent. As for this year, McDonnell doesn’t foresee much development other than the construction of several more single-family homes in town. He is waiting for the new Dollar General to spur other developers to build on U.S. 13. But that hasn’t happened yet. “Things are still kind of slow,” he said. “But we are always hopeful.” Morning Star 2013 Progress 13
Laurel has waited patiently, and it seems economic growth is at hand By Tony E. Windsor Since 2008 the town of Laurel has shared the same economic frustration that the rest of the country has dealt with after the collapse of the housing market. Multiple major residential developments representing literally hundreds of new homes were approved by the town’s planning and zoning and slated for construction. Once the economy took a downturn everything went on standby. Loss of new housing developments resulted in stagnant growth in commercial development. Having little new housing or commercial developments spelled a freeze on the expanding of Laurel’s tax base and subsequently, growth in the town’s economy. Over the past five years the town’s Mayor, John Shwed, has taken any opportunity possible to find evidence that the town is on the rebound. Now, after almost five years,
there is a confidence in his voice as he announces that the sun may be breaking through over the bleak past economic landscape. Some of these bright forecasts come in the town’s operations. In the area of water fees the town is looking at a “double-edged sword” scenario. The town has apparently dealt itself a budgetary blow through a program that is helping its citizens save money. This past year the town completed the total installation of water meters both commercially and residentially. The water meters are helping encourage residents to be more conservative with water usage, thus decreasing the amount of money gained through water bills. Also, because the economy has left a larger number of homes vacant, this has contributed to a loss in water and sewer fees to the town. However, as the homes are sold and rented, water and sewer usage should bring an increase to town
revenue. Though the town has experienced a preliminary shortfall in water and sewer fees, town residents have the opportunity to control their own fate as it pertains to conserving water and thus saving money. In recent months building permits and transfer taxes, both fiscal areas that reflect home purchases and construction have met and excessively exceeded budget projections. In preparing last year’s budget the council did what it has done for the past few years, exercised extreme caution with conservative revenue projections. For the first time in recent years, budget projections for transfer taxes and building permits have far exceeded expectations. Both revenue streams came in at 200 percent over budget projections. The budget projected $8,000 in building permit fees and came in at over $15,800. Transfer taxes were projected at $20,000 and came at $43,689. While these figures are
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Scene of Laurel with Broad Creek and a row of park benches in the foreground. Photo by Cassie Kraemer
not extraordinary in terms of financial gain for the town Shwed sees more in it than money. “These are signs that we are doing good things here in Laurel,” he said. “These figures show that the economy is slowly starting to come around. We know how bad things have been across the country since 2008. It has been no surprise when we have not made budget. But, given the opportunity we are seeing with the expansion of water and sewer to the highway and these increases in transfer taxes and building permits, I think we will see good things for the town and the school district as well.” One of the most promising projects in the town’s history is still lying in wait, but is poised to break ground at any time. About two years ago the town was awarded $8 million in grant and low-interest loans to start the first leg of a two-phase project to take water and sewer lines out to US 13. The last town on the US 13 corridor from Greenwood to Delmar to extend municipal utilities out to the highway, Laurel has spent years trying to figure out how to accomplish this feat in a financially responsible manner and without putting the tax burden on existing town property owners. The expansion of municipal utility lines to US 13 was part of Laurel’s 2004 state-mandated Comprehensive Land Use Plan. In the plan Laurel was called the “Town of two doors.” The door to the town’s history was gained through ship access by Broad Creek. However, the “modern door” was defined as US 13, what the plan called Laurel’s connection to the modern world and future growth. Shwed said extending municipal water and sewer service out to US 13 has been a goal of his since being elected to office. “We have worked over the past few
years to extend water and sewer lines out to US 13, but the cost factor has always been the issue,” he said. “We thought we had worked out a plan when businesses on the highway agreed to kick in funds to help with the expansion. Unfortunately, the economy plummeted and the businesses were left trying to deal with the tough financial situation. We decided that if we didn’t make a move and try to tackle this issue as a town, Laurel would eventually shrivel up. So we started looking into our options.” The support of the USDA has provided a favorable opportunity for the town’s conquest of US 13. As much as one-quarter of the total cost of the estimated $6.2 million project will be given to the town in the form of a $1.5 million grant, which requires no payback by the town. The balance of the project costs will come through a low-interest loan spread out over 40 years. The rate of the loan is 3.37 percent. The town worked with the USDA to help cover some existing debt service in the low-interest loan. Two existing loans being paid back by the town to cover costs associated with the town’s waste water treatment facility have been rolled into the USDA loan in a refinance manner. By doing this, once the project to take water and sewer out to US 13 is completed the town will actually be able to pay less in debt service annually than it was paying before the project started. All of this will be accomplished without a tax increase, but will yield significant increases to the town’s tax base. For the two years the town of Laurel has taken the lead in making sure Laurel’s 4th of July event remains a community celebration. This after the Laurel Chamber of Commerce reluctantly gave up the sponsorship of the Morning Star 2013 Progress 15
Front view of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department with memorial markers in the front. Photo by Ron MacArthur
event in order to concentrate on growing the Chamber membership and providing support to the business community. In doing so, Mayor Shwed recognized that based on comments he had received from the public, the fireworks display, which is also the most expensive part of the event, had to be a part of the town’s celebration. The cost of the fireworks is in excess of $15,000. He understood that in order to secure a contract for the fireworks display, the town would need to have access to the funds necessary to make sure the money is available for having a contract signed in advance. At that time he asked the council to give approval to grant a “line of credit” of no more than $15,000 from the town budget to assure that the fireworks are a part of this year’s event.
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Shwed said it was his full intention to not have to actually use money from the budget, however, it takes time to raise the funds and money may be needed to cover the securing of the fireworks display through a contract. The Mayor’s plan worked and the most recent Fourth of July celebration like the one before that have been successful and received overwhelming support from the community’s citizens. In other good news, the town’s Public Works Department under the direction of Woody Vickers has been successful in securing funding necessary to replace as much as a mile of antiquated water mains that run through the center of Laurel. The project involves the replacement of water lines known as “transite” lines that run throughout the town and were produced using asbestos cement. Vickers said the transite lines that run through the town are at least 50 to 60 years old and in need for replacement. He said the fact that these are comprised of asbestos does not present a health risk to the water supply. He said it simply makes the pipes less sturdy and given their age they are not structurally sound; leaving the town open to possible water line leaks and breaks. In all, over one mile of pipe is transite and makes up the oldest portion of the town’s water supply system. The Delaware Office of Drinking Water is loaning the money to the town at zero percent interest and upon completion of the project, the entire loan will be forgiven. “Essentially, Laurel is getting this funding without having to pay it back,” Vickers said. “If all goes as planned, this will get a lot of needed water line work done at no cost to the town.”
TIM DUKES Working Hard For You in 2013! State Representative 40th District
Milford moving ahead on major infrastructure improvements By Carol Kinsley With expanding population putting pressure on utilities supplied by the town, the City of Milford is addressing its aging infrastructure before major problems develop. To make sure the need for electricity is met, the town is building a new electric substation near the new $50 million PSEG Solar Farm off Milford-Harrington Highway. PSEG Solar The ribbon cutting of TechWorld Medicals’ new facility in Milford was held Aug. 31, with Sen. Tom Carper in attendance. Founder Dr. James Z. Liu wields the scissors. Source purchased the 80-acre solar farm, the largest in the state, before An inflow and infiltration projconstruction was comect completed last year addressed pleted by the Colorado-based solar treatment of sewage. The old lines energy company Juwi Solar. The leaked, Carmean explained. There 62,000 solar panels supply up to 12 was inflow of groundwater or storm megawatts of AC power to Delaware water that should have been directed Municipal Electric Corporation’s away. Sewage is sent by forced main grid for use by nine municipalities, from Milford to Frederica to be including Milford. treated. City Manager Richard Carmean “There were many gallons of explained that all the power generwater every month being treated at ated will go into the new substation Frederica and we had to pay for it. once it is completed. The town had The cost of the total gallons treated to build a temporary line in order to is spread to all rate payers. It was get the solar farm up and running by very important to get problem areas Dec. 31, when federal and state tax identified or repaired. That was a big credits and other incentives were set Jo Schmeiser, executive director of project last year, but we’ve reached to expire. the Chamber of Commerce for Greatthe end of it now. We aren’t able “Our crews did a lot of hard er Milford, has been selected as an to see the real outcome, but it will work, but now that’s out of the way. honorary commander at the Dover Air make a big difference in cost. Why Next we will finish the new substaForce Base. treat rain water or groundwater?” tion and transfer power through it. Also in 2012, water supply infraThat will happen this year,” Carbut the pressure could be better. If structure was put under Route 1 to mean said. The construction, costing we lost a tower, we still have three annexed areas of Milford to the east. more than $8 million, is “just about others, but we could be in a shortage “There’s a lot of developable land done,” he added. problem quickly. Two big compathere that someday will have to be A lot of work goes into getting nies, Seawatch and Perdue, are water served,” Carmean said. “We had to projects into position. For example, dependent. We don’t want to have cross where the state is building a creating engineering plans for the to tell those companies they have new overpass at Route 30. We had complete rebuilding of the 60- or to shut down production for two or to get that out of the way.” 70-year-old water plant and reservoir three days. They’ve got to process In the works for 2013 is building downtown. their product. It’s important to keep another storage tower in the south“The reservoir had been lined the water system up and running.” east portion of town where there because it was cracked. Everything Approved in a referendum in has been an “explosion of growth,” was ‘toast,’” Carmean said. Bids are 2008 or 2009, the work began with Carmean said. Additional water coming in to tear everything down mains to be fed by the project. That treatment and wells are also needed and replace it. “We have put in a part is about wrapped up, he said. at that site. new well,” he said, “but it is capped “This year we will begin the work of “We are able to serve that area, for now.” Morning Star 2013 Progress 17
getting the tower and treatment moving along.” Milling overlay was on tap for Southeast Front Street last year, but someone realized, fortunately, that the infrastructure under the street should be checked before a new surface was applied. Heavy equipment could damage aging infrastructure, Carmean explained. “We’re doing engineering for upgrades under the street and will get construction under way in the next few months.” The new tower and water main work will cost about 5 million dollars. “Put all these millions together and it’s pretty big dollars,” Carmean said. “We got wonderful assistance from the state water group on the station downtown — great interest rates on loans and forgiveness of principal on some of the work. The other projects were mostly USDA funded; we were able to take advantage of a great interest rate opportunity that will help us a great deal.” People always want to hear about the big projects, Carmean said. Projects undertaken by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford are big in a different way.
According to Jo Schmeiser, executive director, 65 businesses joined the Milford chamber in 2012. The group hosted 12 After Hours Business Mixers, 12 Power Breakfasts, four quarterly luncheons, the Annual Chili Cook-off, the 2nd Annual Mixer/Expo, a “10 of the Best” Awards Dinner, the 19th Annual Golf Classic, the first-ever Girls Night Out and the Annual Riverwalk “Freedom” Festival — adding a 3K walk to the Smile for Freedom 5K Run/Walk. The chamber also hosted a Veteran’s Operation Giveback and a Patriotic Boat Parade and switched Milford’s only fireworks display from Saturday to Friday night. Holiday happenings included an auction and “Tastes of Milford,” the Annual Stocking Stuffer and the first ever CCGM, i.g.Burton Collision Center and Enterprise Rental Holiday Open House. All this was in addition to celebrating several grand openings and ribbon cuttings throughout the year. In September, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford moved to 411 N. Rehoboth Blvd. in the i.g. Burton Collision Center
Building, where a large conference room is available for meetings. The chamber also donated nearly $9,000 to non-profit organizations in 2012. The same events are scheduled for 2013 and a Business Forum slated in February was intended to identify the top 10 issues and concerns of the business community. The free Power Breakfasts are now called Sunrise Seminars, streamlined to one hour allowing attendees to get to work quicker. The Girls Night Out on May 3 at the Rookery North will add a Marvelous Men of Milford Fashion Show and will again be raising money for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. The 20th Anniversary Golf Classic on May 9 will be raising money for the Milford Can-Do Playground. The chamber will have a new website in 2013, and will continue to increase its social media efforts. Schmeiser has been selected as an honorary commander at the Dover Air Force Base and the chamber is looking to work with the military more in 2013.
Bayhealth focuses on growing neurosurgery capabilities in 2013 Just one year ago, patients with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries or other complex neurological conditions had to seek medical treatment out of the community. But the launch of Bayhealth’s Neurosurgery Program changed that. “Our primary goal was to offer comprehensive and personalized service to the residents of Kent and Sussex counties, and we have succeeded,” said Bayhealth Neurosurgeon James Mills, MD. Dr. Mills is assisted by Physician Assistant Catherine Kotalik, PA-C. Bayhealth’s neurosurgery team coordinates care for patients with highly trained experts in the Emergency Department, Operating Room, Intensive Care Unit, Medical-Surgical Units, Rehabilitation Services and Diagnostic Imaging. In addition to life-saving care provided to patients, the team also provides education and services to the community by offering concus18 Morning Star 2013 Progress
sion clinics and testing for high school athletes. In one year, more than 300 neurosurgeries have been performed and a broad range of neurological issues have been diagnosed and treated, including: • NeuroOncology (brain cancer) diagnoses including the removal of brain and endonasal pituitary tumors • Skull-base surgeries for deep tumor excision • Cerebrovascular conditions • Intracranial bleeds • Trigeminal Neuralgia (Facial Pain Syndrome) • Epilepsy and seizure disorders • Hydrocephalus (abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cavities of the brain) “When it comes to neurosurgical issues, it’s imperative that patients receive the best possible care in the shortest amount of time to ensure the best outcomes. By offering these services at Bayhealth, we hope to
facilitate the best outcomes,” said Dr. Mills. While the majority of Bayhealth’s Neurosurgical Program involves inpatient hospital services, outpatient services are also provided. Under the outpatient program, Dr. Mills can evaluate patients for elective surgery based on diagnostic tests and other outpatient services. “This is an exciting time for the community we serve. We can now treat patients locally for both emergent and non-emergent care of brain and spinal conditions along with other complex neurological conditions,” said Bayhealth Vice President of Ancillary and Clinical Services Line Brad Kirkes, MBA, MHA, OTR/L, CHT. “We intend to grow our neurological and neurosurgery capabilities to meet the demand of a growing community that deserves the best outcomes and best practice standards,” said Kirkes.
Town of Delmar is working to complete public safety building By Mike McClure The new year brings the completion of a project that has been in the works for a number of years as the town of Delmar looks forward to the completion of its new public safety building. Renovations to the former town hall began last year, with the future home of the police department scheduled to be completed this summer. The police department was in need of more space as well as upgrades for processing. When the town moved into the former Bank of Delmarva building, next to the former town hall, an opportunity presented itself for the construction/ renovation of a public safety building. The new building will be more secure for police officers, feature finger printing intake, and will allow the department to adequately house individuals that have been apprehended. The Delmar police department was located in the rear of the municipal building in the 1970’s and later shared space with public works in the 1980’s. This will be the first time that the department will have its own space. The town originally looked at constructing a new facility on town property located on Foskey Lane, then the opportunity came to move into the old town hall. This allowed the town to save money on construction by doing additions and renovations to the existing building. The project is slated to be completed by mid-August. The town also completed water main work at First Street and Delaware Avenue last year. The project included street restoration and water and sewer line upgrades with the water main line changed from four inch to eight inch. The change will allow for better fire protection for residents in the area. Another project that got under way in 2012 was the Walnut Street project (on Walnut Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Second Street), which also includes street
The construction/renovation of the new public safety building in Delmar began last year and is expected to be completed by August 2013. The police department, which is moving into the renovated former town hall building, will get its own space for the first time. Photo by Mike McClure Morning Star 2013 Progress 19
restoration. The project, which has been planned for a while and will be funded through local funds and highway user money, will continue in the new year but may not be completely finished in 2013 because it is being done in phases. Delmar also completed the construction of two new restrooms and a water fountain in Gordy Park last year. Things were slow on the development side in 2012, with no new residential developments coming forward. Heron Ponds, an existing development which came under new ownership, sold four to five existing homes and is moving forward with plans for an amphitheater and commercial components within the development. Last year the developers did a soft run, holding concerts onsite with a temporary amphitheater. Now plans are being designed for a permanent structure along with a restaurant and other amenities. The Wood Creek golf course and development also came under new ownership last March. A homeowner’s association was established for residents of the development. One of the new commercial additions to the town is the Aerosports Trampoline Park which is located in the former Diamond Dreams building. The indoor trampoline park opened in December. “We’re excited that there’s some life in that building and that there’s an activity for all age groups,” said Delmar Town Manager Sara Bynum-King. 3rd Wave Brewing Company also opened its doors in 2012. The brewery moved into the former site of the Evolution Craft Brewing Company, which relocated to Salisbury. The sale of the Lecates building, an abandoned building located on the corner of State Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, finally went through in 2012 after years of negotiating. New owner Chris Mills is in the process of cleaning the building out with plans to tear down the rear wall and reconstruct it. Once the building is made more secure, the developer will focus on finding tenants for it. In addition to the continuation of the Walnut Street project, the town plans to make water main upgrades and street restoration on Grove Street and handicap ramps will be installed on Lincoln Avenue. In keeping with the town’s streetscape project which was started on Pennsylvania Avenue (downtown), decorative lighting will be installed up Grove Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to First Street in the new year. Once the work on the public safety building is completed, the town will do some landscaping work along Pennsylvania Avenue to tie the public safety building and the new town hall together. Bynum-King is looking for residents to help in the town’s revitalization efforts, as staff members go around town assessing the streets, sidewalks, curbs, and other items that affect the town’s appearance. “To get the community members and business owners to buy into our efforts we will start this year and move forward,” Bynum-King said. The town plans to continue to hold Heritage Day in the Fall, which is held downtown in effort to commemorate the town’s history. The Delmarva Day in the Park, sponsored by the Greater Delmar Chamber of Commerce, is held annually. The chamber also sponsors the Delmar Citizen of the Year banquet and the Delmar Christmas parade each year. The Decorating Delmarva Festival of Lights debuted 20 Morning Star 2013 Progress
A train runs past the Delmar downtown on a weekday morning. The town completed a streetscape project in the area a few years ago, now it is looking to extend the project with the installation of decorative lighting down Grove Street. Photo by Mike McClure
in 2012 and looks to be another yearly event for the town. The event is held at the Delaware International Speedway, which is located right outside of town on Route 13. “I think that we could prove to be a destination for the area where people look to come for attractions. I think we are going to have a variety of things that people are going to enjoy,” said Bynum-King.
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Town of Bridgeville poised for commercial growth as population continues to increase By Mike McClure Like most Sussex County towns, Bridgeville saw little growth in terms of new commercial or residential development in 2012. But with the continued growth in population at Heritage Shores, town leaders anticipate new commercial and residential growth in the near future. “We’re looking forward to continued residential growth as well as new commercial growth,” said Town Manager Jesse Savage. Four hundred residential permits have been issued for Heritage Shores residents. With that growth comes a demand for more commercial development in town. One project that was introduced in 2012 and will continue to develop in the new year is the planned Wawa, which will be located on a combination of five parcels located on Route 13 (including the former Pep Up and Bridgeville Diner sites). Developers began the permitting
process in early 2013 with the construction phase expected to begin in early 2014. Last year, the town completed a number of projects including the updating of the master plan, energy projects aimed at saving the town money, and the water facilities plan. Bridgeville received a National Fish and Wildlife grant to complete its master plan, which looks at growth by outlining zoning guidelines and looking at density and land use. The program is being done in conjunction with the University of Delaware and the office of state planning. The plan is expected to be presented in MarchApril. The town also completed energy projects it had started in 2011. The projects, which included installing LED lighting in town buildings, replacing windows and doors at the wastewater plant, and putting in new pumps and motors to reduce the amount of electricity used at the plant, were done to save the town
money. With the project complete, Savage said the town is now seeing those savings. Bridgeville also completed its water facilities plan, thanks to a grant from the state office of drinking water. The goal of the plan is to look at the system and see how it is meeting existing needs as well as future needs. The town is looking to address three recommended projects in 2013. A similar facilities plan is being developed for the wastewater system. The police department received $50,000 in state grants for equipment purchases and street patrols for public safety. The town also instituted a K9 unit last year, thanks to monetary donations from residents and businesses. Corporal Robert James and K9 officer Flash completed training and are on duty. The town also hired three officers in February 2013. Those officers will be attending the state police academy in March. The town’s FY budget of
Morning Star 2013 Progress 21
The former Bridgeville Diner and Pep Up station sit empty along Route 13 in Bridgeville. Developers recently purchased the property and are in the permitting process. Construction on the future Wawa is expected to begin by early 2014. Photo by Mike McClure
$2,338,800 represented a five percent reduction from the previous year. The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) completed intersection modifications in town last year. The town also received $25,000 from the USDA for an
22 Morning Star 2013 Progress
infiltration and inflow study on the water conveyance system, which is expected to be completed in 2013. The Bridgeville Professional Center, a 19,000 square feet building, located on Antique Alley Road opened last year, with two tenants moving into the facility during the year and plans for another tenant in the works. Construction of a second building on the property is also anticipated. The town issued 31 new residential permits last year. The primary source for that growth, Heritage Shores, completed the second and final phase of bike and pedestrian path along Wilson Farm Road. The town is looking to secure funding to further extend the path to connect the development with the Little League park and library. Bridgeville leaders also want to continue to draw commercial interest in the downtown area. Repaving the town hall parking lot, replacing the entrance to the treatment plant and storm drains throughout town, and rezoning recently acquired property (103 South Main Street) to lease in the future are among the other town goals for the new year. “The goal of the town’s Commission and staff is to continue to provide the best service as possible to the residents and to make sure each dollar is spent as wisely as possible,” Savage said. One issue the town will have to address in the future is the wastewater system. Changes to the town’s National Pollutant Discharge Eliimation System (NPDES) permit will cause the town to look at switching to 100 percent spray irrigation and/or replacing its wastewater treatment plant. Bridgeville is the place to be for a number of annual events including the Apple-Scrapple Festival, Carrolling in the Park, and Christmas in Bridgeville. The Sixth Annual Bridgeville Charity Open took place at Heritage Shores last year, with the 70 participants. The town was able to donate $2,700 to the Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, and Senior Center through money raised during the annual golf tournament.
Site work is under way for a two-story medical arts building to be constructed in Georgetown in the new College Park development across from Delaware Technical & Community College and near Wal-Mart and La Red.
Beebe’s vision for Sussex County is to make it one of healthiest in nation Beebe Medical Center’s vision is for Sussex County to be one of the healthiest counties in the nation. One of the several actions Beebe is taking to accomplish this goal is to make sure that medical services are easily accessible to all who live and work in Sussex County. Beebe Medical Center is in the midst of expanding the outpatient healthcare services that it already offers in Georgetown, Millsboro, Millville and Milton. It is doing this by creating unique partnerships with local physicians, business owners, developers, and others to build new facilities and to expand the ones that are there. “Our strategy at Beebe Medical Center is to provide healthcare services that are convenient for the people who need them,” explains Alex Sydnor, vice president of external affairs for Beebe Medical Center and president and CEO of the Beebe Medical Foundation. “As the population grows throughout Sussex County, we are expanding
the outpatient services we offer that are so important to helping all of us maintain our health and prevent illness and disease.” Georgetown Site work is under way for a two-story medical arts building to be constructed in Georgetown in the new College Park development across from Delaware Technical & Community College and near Wal-Mart and La Red. The building will bring a broad range of health services under one roof, making it most convenient for patients. Beebe Medical Center will lease the first floor and offer the following: Beebe Lab Express; Beebe Imaging to include radiology, CT and MRI scans, ultrasound and mammography; and Beebe Rehab Services to include physical rehab, occupational rehab and speech/language therapies. A Beebe primary care physician’s office and a Beebe Walk-in Care Center also will be housed in the building. Physician offices will be
located on the second floor. The principal partner in the project is The Onix Group, a Pennsylvania-based company with strong roots in Sussex County and expertise in healthcare construction, development and management. Physicians will have the opportunity to either lease offices on the second floor, as they do at the Beebe Health Campus in Rehoboth Beach, or they will be able to become shareholders in the entire building. The building, expected to be open in the spring of 2014, will join the La Red healthcare clinic that opened in the center in 2012, and will offer complementary healthcare services that are not available at La Red. Millsboro Beebe Medical Center’s expansion in Millsboro is well under way and is expected to be completed this spring. This project represents a unique partnership with MidAtlantic Family Practice, which has Morning Star 2013 Progress 23
offices in Lewes and Millsboro. The independent practice, which has 10 family medicine physicians, is expanding its Millsboro office into another location on Route 113 in Millsboro near Food Lion. Beebe Medical Center will lease space in Mid-Atlantic’s expanded location where it will offer a Beebe Walk-in Care Center, Beebe Lab Express and Beebe Imaging to include radiology, CT and MRI scans, ultrasound and mammography. Beebe Rehab Services will remain in Beebe’s existing facility located nearby on Mitchell Street. Millville Beebe Medical Center continues to expand its health services in Millville, where it has had a presence for more than three decades. Two primary care doctors will be moving into the freestanding building in the Creekside Plaza on Route 26 near the Food Lion. There will continue to be a Beebe Walk-in Care Center, Beebe Lab Express, and Beebe Imaging that includes comprehensive imaging services such as CT and MRI scans, radiology, ultrasound and mammography,
24 Morning Star 2013 Progress
and Beebe Rehab services that include physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech/language therapies. Milton Beebe has offered services in Milton for several years, though they have been located at two different shopping centers. This year they will be expanded and brought together at the Clipper Square Shopping Center on Mulberry Street. The center now houses Beebe Lab Express but soon will add Beebe Imaging and a Beebe primary care physician’s office. “We are working hard to remove barriers to care by creating and expanding our locations throughout the community,” stated Jeffrey Fried, president and CEO of Beebe Medical Center. “This is an integral part of our commitment to the people of Sussex County.” Beebe Medical Center operates a 210-licensed bed hospital in Lewes that has a Level III Emergency Department that serves more than 50,000 patients a year. Comprehensive medical services at the hospital
include open heart surgery, cancer surgery, orthopaedic services that include joint replacement surgery, and a certified stroke center. Beebe Medical Center also offers comprehensive outpatient healthcare services at its Beebe Health Campus location on John J. Williams Highway in Rehoboth Beach. There are two buildings on the site. The three-story Medical Arts Building houses the Tunnell Cancer Center that offers comprehensive outpatient cancer services on the first floor. Physician’s offices, primary care, pediatrics and many specialties, occupy the second and third floors. The single-story Bookhammer Outpatient Center adjacent to the Medical Arts Building includes: Beebe Imaging, which offers comprehensive radiology services, mammography; CT, MRI and PET scans, bone density and ultrasound; Beebe Lab Express; Beebe Rehab Services, which offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy; and an outpatient surgery center. Beebe Medical Center also offers a full-service home health agency.
Georgetown works to improve water, revitalize and beautify downtown area By Carol Kinsley Clean water is important to everyone, and ongoing projects in the town of Georgetown will make sure its citizens have plenty of clean water. Georgetown town manager Eugene S. Dvornick Jr. outlined three major projects the town embarked on in 2012. The town began water service line replacements — from the water main to the meters — throughout the town. This project is ongoing. Second, design and planning for two new wells and water treatment facility on South Railroad Avenue was undertaken, and the town has recently been involved in pre-bid meetings. These projects were part of a referendum approved by voters in 2010, resulting in a bond sale to raise 5.5 million dollars. Finally, a major well upgrade and treatment upgrade to the King Street Water Plant was begun, made possible by $3.3 million awarded by the state. The funding, from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund of Delaware Division of Public Health, is technically an interest-free loan, but the principle will be forgiven when the project is completed. The upgrades will bring the plant into compliance with the state’s new water quality standards due to take effect in 2014. In 2013, the town will work on influent inflow and infiltration into its sanitary system — in other words, make sure groundwater and rain water are not getting into the wastewater system to be treated unnecessarily. Dvornick said the town also may “potentially look at a referendum to fix up town hall.” New businesses continue to locate in Georgetown. Among those opening in 2012 were a new Royal Farms and an Advanced Auto Parts. La Red Health Center opened a 25,000-square-foot facility across from Del Tech. The center offers prenatal services, adolescent and geriatric services, mental health and substance abuse counseling, cancer screening and more. LaRed, Spanish for “the network,” began as a hotline for non-English speaking
residents to facilitate access to medical care and now offers services for all, regardless of ability to pay. A new medical arts pavilion is expected to be completed in 2013 and construction work on Redner’s Warehouse Markets could begin, depending on signing of a lease. The grocery store would be part of a commercial development to be located off North DuPont Boulevard which would include retail shops and office space. Redner’s opened a store in Milford in August. Another change in store for 2013 involves a change in location for two schools. Delmarva Christian High School and Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences will swap campuses, allowing for expansion of the Academy. Dvornick said the town supports the move. Delmarva Christian High has a 44-acre campus with a high school building encompassing 126,000 square feet. “There is an awful lot going on in Georgetown,” said Executive Director of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Karen Duffield. “Most of it is still in the planning and early implementation stages, but positive change is coming!” The Georgetown Chamber has 444 members, representing a diverse array of retailers, service providers, restaurants, health care facilities and more. The business organization has always taken an active role in supporting efforts to improve a vibrant downtown, and participates as a principal planner in the Blueprint Communities Delaware initiative to develop a revitalization plan for Georgetown based on the needs and suggestions of its community stakeholders. Working in tandem with the town, specific goals and objectives have been identified, and beautification programs are in place to improve Georgetown’s downtown area, including new flower planters, trash receptacles, light posts and decorative trees. The chamber’s primary mission is to support and help grow its member businesses, Duffield said, “and a vibrant-looking and more appealing downtown in Georgetown will attract new business and storefront activity to our
main street. This will help improve and create economic vitality in Georgetown.” A hoped-for municipal playground, and a visitor center to serve the county are also high priorities for the town and the chamber. Recently, the Town of Georgetown has been named a Commercial Affiliate in the Downtown Delaware program, Duffield said, and the chamber is participating, along with downtown merchants in that initiative as well. “Working together now,” she continued, “is the key to Georgetown’s success in the future.” The chamber also takes an active role in coordinating community events, including the annual Christmas Parade and the Wings & Wheels Festival. Coming up March 30 is its annual Easter Egg Hunt to be held at the Nutter Marvel Museum on South Bedford Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to the search for 6,000 hidden eggs, children up to the age of 11 are invited to enjoy face painting, moon bounce, train rides, a clown and photos with the Eastern Bunny. The chamber is also looking forward to its 4th Farmers’ Market season, which will begin in May. “We continue to invest energies in developing a viable Farmers’ Market for Georgetown,” Duffield said. “Our North Bedford Street Park setting is perfect for an outdoor market, and we will work hard to attract more vendors and customers to it in the future.” Other events on the Georgetown calendar — promoted but not hosted by the chamber — include the Little Miss/Junior Miss Georgetown Pageant on March 10 and the 5th Annual Beef and Brew on March 15. The town of Georgetown is nationally known for its 200-year-old tradition of Return Day held two days after Election Day for the purpose of “burying the hatchet,” both figuratively and literally. Winner and loser of each race ride together in a horse-drawn carriage in a parade around The Circle, the center of town in the center of the county. Morning Star 2013 Progress 25
Woodland Ferry Festival to return By Lynn R. Parks It seems that things are hopping in the small Nanticoke River community of Woodland. The state recently held a public hearing on its plans to put in a canoe and kayak launch. Last week, the county held a public meeting on its plans to put a park at the former site of the Woodland Golf Park. Cannon Hall, built in 1812 and severely damaged by fire in October 2010, has been purchased by Don and Kathryn Martin of Seaford, who are working to renovate it, possibly for a bed and breakfast. The old house was visited last fall by a team of researchers from the University of Delaware, who documented the details of its construction. And the Woodland Ferry Festival, the last one of which was held in 2009, is coming back. The festival was first held in 1993 to celebrate the 200th year of the ferry’s operation. This year’s event is set for Saturday, Sept. 14. The state is planning to put the canoe launch on a half-acre of land near the Woodland Ferry that it bought in August. At the public hearing, representatives of the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife presented a preliminary concept plan, said Rich Phifer, land acquisition planner with the division. Based on comments received at the meeting, the division is working toward a more complete plan, which
will also be presented at a public meeting. “I can only say definitively right now that there will be a ramp for non-motorized canoe/kayak launching, limited parking and signs regarding the surrounding area and its history,” Phifer said. “The site will act as a key trail head along the Captain John Smith National Historic Trail – Nanticoke River Trail.” Phifer could not give an estimated completion date. The new county park was made possible when the county bought the abandoned golf course in May 2010 to be used as a deposit site for spoils from the Nanticoke River dredging project. Cost of the 40-acre parcel was $580,000. The Nanticoke dredging project got underway in mid-December and was completed in mid-February; 55,000 cubic yards of river silt was dredged up and deposited on 20 acres of the old golf course. The remaining 20 acres, at the front of the parcel, will be used for the park. Preliminary designs, based on public input received last summer, call for a low-impact park that would feature a natural wildlife setting and trails for biking and walking. County engineer Mike Izzo said that he expects the design of the park to be completed this spring. He plans to request funding in the county’s 2014 budget and, if his request is approved, for construction to start either in the upcoming fall or in next spring. “Depending upon the scope of work, a phased approach over a couple of fiscal budget years remains possible,” he said.
Bethel Historical Society looks forward to future By Lynn R. Parks Members of the Bethel Historical Society are looking forward to a good year in 2013. And they have good reason for that optimism: Hundreds of people visited the society’s recently remodeled museum in 2012 to enjoy the exhibits that were there. “We had more than 500 people here in September,” said society president Kevin Phillips. That was for the
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opening of an exhibit on the maritime history of the small town, located on Broad Creek southwest of Laurel. The opening included a visit to town by the Tugboat Delaware, one of the last boats to be built in Bethel. The museum also had a good turnout for its Christmas 2011 exhibit, which was held over through the first of the year. That exhibit was the first in the museum, which is housed in the former Bethel Elementary School, built around 1950. The building’s renovation was financed by a $30,000 grant from the state’s Division of Energy and Climate, to make the building more energy efficient. The historical society spent an additional $5,000 on the renovation. Most recently, the museum hosted a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, “The Way We Worked.” The display of photographs from the National Archives focused on the American workplace from 1857 to 1987. Phillips said that he doesn’t know what’s next for the museum. The historical society hopes to partner again with the Smithsonian or with the state’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs in bringing exhibits to town for the spring and summer. “We want to keep exhibits here and keep the museum open as much as we can,” he said. “We are here to preserve Bethel’s history and protect its heritage.”
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