New Castle DIGEST: Early Autumn 2022

City of New Castle News, Information, Interviews & Events

I. September News Round-Up

MSC Announces Rate Increase, EPA ‘Superfund’ Proposal for Basin Road

As previewed in last month’s Digest, due to fees associated with keeping part of the Indian River Coal Plant operational, electric ratepayers throughout Delaware will start paying more this month. Customers of New Castle’s Municipal Services Commission (MSC) will see increases of approx. $36/year on average, keeping electric rates here the lowest in the state.

MSC also sent notice to residents this month that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to add the East Basin Road groundwater cleanup area to its list of national ‘Superfund’ sites, fast-tracking it for federal dollars and assistance with remediation. Residents can learn more about this from MSC, or from the EPA website.

Path Forward for Economic Development Coordinator Remains Unclear, Continues to Roil City Council

Sharp disagreements - and a few verbal jabs between members - have been on display at City Council in recent months during discussions around consummating Resolution 2022-08. That resolution, passed in March, set aside $50K for the city to hire a Tourism & Economic Development Coordinator and provide for the creation of promotional materials.

Curt exchanges between council president Mike Platt and members Russ Smith and Joe Day have ended with mild threats and chairs hastily scuffing back from the council table as hackles raise. These and other moments have unveiled a continuing lack of cohesion around what exactly the new hire is to do, to whom they should be answering, and to what extent - if any - the position should be folded into the workings of New Castle Historical Society.

At the end of the regular meeting discussion, it was unclear what the next steps would be, beyond further tinkering around the details of a potential agreement with NCHS. A brief mention of the issue during a special session on 9/29 saw Russ Smith call for a return to “Plan A:” directly hiring someone specific to the resolution’s purpose. That will likely be on the agenda for October.

For fuller coverage of Council and local civic meetings, check out The Weekly.

Trustees Hold Quarterly Public Meeting ahead of October Election,
Will Consider Return of Battery Park Upkeep to City

In a consequential first meeting back from their traditional summer break, the Trustees of the New Castle Common (TNCC) welcomed members of the public to attend. Among them were nearly a dozen representatives of organizations receiving TNCC grant funding, invited to help familiarize the full board with their work.

Next week, TNCC will hold a new election to fill one of two vacancies on the board. Candidates Francis DeAscanis and Karen Igou have filed. The election will be held from 10/3-10/8, with varying hours. Get the full details of how and when to vote in the election on the Trustees’ website. (City Topics will post our own Q&A with the two candidates this Sunday - subscribe below not to miss it!)

Toward the end of the meeting, following a run-down of various new challenges facing Battery Park, Trustee Mike Alfree made a request of the board: that care of the park be returned to the city by March 2023. Receiving verbal support from other members, he asked that the appropriate committees study the matter. Trustee Tommy Wilson asked TNCC attorney Andy Taylor to look into any legal issues involved.

The Trust purchased the land on which Battery Park sits in the 1940’s, paying a group of previous owners on behalf of New Castle (which now owns the land) and further agreeing to maintain the park for the city. At City Council this month, Valarie Leary questioned whether that arrangement had been codified at the state level, potentially requiring state involvement in any change. City attorney Dan Losco was also directed to investigate the issue.

Battery Park, New Castle, Delaware.

While those representing other bodies before the Trust had only praise for its work, there were two dissenting voices at the 9/5 meeting. Former trustee Beverly Ross expressed appreciation at the return of public meetings but questioned whether quarterly was frequent enough. “I do not like this organization to have doubt cast on it as to why meetings are not open,” she said, urging monthly open meetings.

Regular critic Phil Gross echoed this sentiment. He also questioned the body’s process of counting election votes. During the last election, while the outer envelopes containing ballots cast were opened in public view, the actual count was completed privately. “There’s no reason to be counting votes outside the vision of the public,” Gross asserted.

As the pandemic wanes, the Trustees have gradually moved back toward greater engagement with the public, starting with an Open House in June and including the partial return to public meetings, website improvements and updates, and the creation of a new informational brochure available to residents visiting Trustee offices.

Please see the Trustees’ website for more information about the organization, including the details for registering to vote on that body’s special voter list (separate from government elections) and participating in this week’s election.

---

II. ‘ICYMI:’ September Media Highlights…

With apologies, we ran out of time for a ‘Glance Back’ this month - check out our Social Media directly on Facebook or Instagram: @CityTopicsNCDE!

---

III. Remembering Carlo ‘Corky’ Viola

Carlo Viola - known affectionately by many as ‘Corky’ - passed away on September 21. As detailed in his obituary, he was a beloved husband, brother, father and grandfather, and a pillar of the New Castle community for decades.

As a board member of the Trustees and the Library, he was instrumental in several big projects that have improved the city for years to come. As a gifted photographer, a trustee of NCHS and a devoted preservationist, he helped to safeguard New Castle’s unique history.

I didn’t know any of that when I first met Mr. Viola and his kind and witty wife, Jo. Nonetheless, the ‘sweet older couple’ in the pretty, yellow house left a very lasting impression.

Governor Carney honored Mr. Viola with a Commendation for his years of public service. Viola also received the Delaware Library Association's 2020 Trustee Citation Award in recognition of his library advocacy. Following pandemic delays, he received them at a May 2021 ceremony in the library garden.

In 2019, just a few months after moving to town and before I knew anyone, I attended A Day In Old New Castle with friends. It was all of our first big ONC event and we didn’t know much of anything. After wandering around a bit on the Green and the grounds of IEC, we headed toward Battery Park but found ourselves admiring the Violas’ garden past the white picket fence.

Before we knew it, we were welcomed into the backyard and deep in discussion with the charming pair. Corky’s love of the town and enjoyment at sharing its stories was evident, especially as he related the details of their own property’s storied connection to the New Castle-Frenchtown Railroad. Beyond the history, they told us about the best places around town and spoke of the happy family they’d raised here.

After an hour that passed faster than any of us noticed, feeling better informed about New Castle and more welcome than ever, we finally continued on our way…

Only later would I learn more about the outsized role Corky played in town, and how he and Jo had been close to its heart for a very long time. It saddens me that by the time I knew more of Mr. Viola’s impressive photographic talent and even-more-impressive civic contributions, he had lost the ability to converse about them. There is a lesson here in making the most of our time with our elders, and the importance of listening to their stories.

In his photos and in his stories, Corky reflected New Castle. In his generosity of time and spirit back in 2019, he inspired at least one person’s continuing interest in the place and community he loved. Carlo Viola will definitely be remembered warmly, by very many people, and for a very long time.

---

IV. Editorial: Ditching the Telecom Duopoly

We learned this month - obliquely, through council discussion of a seemingly pro-forma set of Resolutions - that New Castle’s plan to move utility lines underground may be stymied because Verizon refuses to go along. Due to its designation as a “utility,” the private, for-profit telecom giant has more say over its local infrastructure than rival Comcast (which is willing to work with the city)… or apparently the city itself.

It is unacceptable for a single company to stand in the way of a sensible project that has broad, democratic support throughout the city and is part of our carefully-crafted Comprehensive Plan. Burying utility lines offers numerous benefits over suspended wires, including insulation from weather events (“hardening” our infrastructure), increased public safety, and long-term savings on maintenance. There is also real human value in de-cluttering our beautiful, historic streets and the views of them.

Because we already have our own, trusted city utility in MSC, which is accountable to us, New Castle is in a unique position to do something about this. Simply put, we do not need Verizon.

Towns throughout the U.S. have already blazed a trail that we - thanks to MSC - are uniquely prepared to follow: Municipal Phone and Internet. And thankfully, unlike 18 states (see map below), Delaware has no restrictions on communities’ ability to arrange these services for themselves.

Osage, Iowa, is the ‘seat’ (capital) of a county smaller than our city. It has a unified municipal utility like MSC, which offers power, water and - since 2001 - broadband based telecom services. Osage has been a trailblazer in democratizing access to essential services and has a decades-long history of protecting citizens from the caprices of an increasingly consolidated and consumer-unfriendly telecom industry. The utility’s rates are more than competitive with private providers (which still operate in the county) and its customer service is excellent (as I experienced first-hand when I called to learn more about their programs).

Without getting into the customer service nightmare that a call to either Verizon or Comcast generally represents, a glance at MSC shows why it could be a better provider. It is highly respected and valued by most residents, routinely getting good marks on responsiveness to our issues and needs. Most importantly, MSC is democratically accountable to us through the process by which its commissioners are chosen. We have meaningful oversight, for we are not ‘just’ customers, but constituents and neighbors.

In 2022, telecommunications access - especially high-speed internet - is an essential service, if not yet recognized by all as a “utility.” Students, workers and citizens all increasingly require it to participate fully in each of their respective roles. As reported in American City & Country, Municipal internet can offer numerous advantages to those it serves:

Municipal broadband offers many other benefits… apart from giving everyone an equal opportunity to internet access that’s fast and affordable. It also helps to: 

• Keep taxpayer money local; 

• Future-proof your infrastructure by creating the flexibility to deliver additional services and keep up with customer demand; 

• Reduce the cost of internet to residents and businesses; 

• Create faster internet speeds with greater bandwidth and simultaneous upload and download speeds. 

But those are just the broad strokes. Individuals, businesses and government entities have a lot more to gain.

While the up-front costs of building such a system can be high, grants and other sources of public and private funding are available for projects like this. There are also non-profits that exist to promote and aid with such transitions. So even small cities considering the switch have support and resources they can turn to.

In five years, when the agreement just re-authorized with Verizon sunsets again, renewal should not be a foregone conclusion. If Verizon will not at least be a partner in our long-term municipal planning, New Castle should join the hundreds of U.S. municipalities and counties that have ‘cut the cord.’ Or at least offer a public alternative to these monopolistic companies that do not care about the New Castle community beyond extracting dollars from it.

---

V. Community Event Calendar

OCTOBER

• 10/1 - New Castle Beach Clean-Up, from 9am to 12pm.
  Organized by the Sailing Club in partnership with numerous other local organizations.

• 10/1 - Blessing of the Animals, 10am.
  New Castle Presbyterian Church. “Creatures of all shapes and sizes are welcome.”

• 10/3-8 - Election for the Trustees of the New Castle Common.
  Voting times vary each day - details on the Trustees’ website.

• 10/11 - New Castle City Council Meeting, 7pm.
  At the New Castle Senior Center.

• 10/11 - Colonial School District Board of Education Meeting, from 7-9pm.
  At William Penn High School.

• 10/12 - School Choice Information Night, 6pm.
  CSD hosts a session on school choice options, at William Penn HS.

• 10/15 - NC Senior Center’s Harvest Bazaar, from 9am to 2pm.
  Annual fundraiser held at the Senior Center to benefit its facilities and programs.

  

• 10/15 - Fall Native Plant Exchange, 10am.
  At the Hermitage Natural Area, next to New Castle Elementary.

• 10/18 - Hollywood History: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 6:30pm.
  Film screening and discussion with illustrator Felix Darley presented by New Castle Court House Museum.

• 10/18 - Sea Level Rise Task Force Meeting, 7pm.
  In the New Castle Police Department Community Room, 1 Municipal Drive.

• 10/22 - St. Anthony’s Society Halloween Beef & Beer.
  $25 per person. “Please respond in some way to let us know interest so we can get a head count or call Bob 3023884565 or Dom 3026505240, pass the word, tell your friends. Cash prizes for costumes. 6pm to 11pm at St Peter's gym.” - (CANCELLED)

• 10/22 - WP Colonials Homecoming Parade & Fall Festival!

  

• 10/22 - River Towns Fall Ride & Festival, 9am / 12pm.
  Annual ride between Wilmington, New Castle and Delaware City starts at 9am; post-ride party in NC Battery Park around 12pm. (New date confirmed with organizer.)

  

• 10/24 - New Castle Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30pm.
  In the NCPD Community Room.

• 10/27 - Municipal Services Commission Meeting, 8am.
  At the MSC Offices, 216 Chestnut Street.

• 10/27 - NC Lions’ Annual Halloween Parade, 6-8pm.
  Parade participants to be at St. Peter’s for 6pm start; Judging in front of Court House starting by around 6:30pm. All New Castle kids and families welcome to participate!

• 10/28 - Fourth Friday Art Loop Events, starting 5pm:

  • ‘Nightmare on Delaware Street’ with Trick-or-Treating at Mo’zArt, the Mercury Cafe and Zollie’s Jazz Cucina (plus perhaps other stops), and

  • Meanwhile, at Opera House Arts & Antiques, artist Demetrius Bullock and his son Bryce will share works featuring New York urban culture with a touch of fantasy and futuristic elements.

• 10/28 - A Little Night Movie: Halloween, 6:30pm at New Castle Public Library.
  BYOB event for adults 21+ featuring the 1978 horror classic, plus popcorn, hot cider and prizes for the best costumes. Guests are invited to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.

• 10/29 - Fall Bazaar and Flea Market, 9am-2pm at NC United Methodist.
  The previously annual event returns after a two year hiatus… with a bake sale!

• 10/29 - Good Will Fire Company Open House, 12-3pm.
  Check out Good Will's equipment, gear, and tools as well as interactive displays.

• 10/29 - William Penn Day, various events starting 1pm.
  New Castle Court House Museum celebrates the 340th Anniversary of Penn’s arrival.

  • 1pm: The Recipes and Cookery of Guliema Penn (with Kim Elisee)

  • 3pm: Tea with Hanna Penn (portrayed by Jean Norvell)

  • 5pm: Music in the Time of William Penn (with the Music School of DE)

• 10/29-30 - Immanuel on the Green Bicentennial Celebration.
  A two-day event with various activities planned throughout the weekend.

• 10/30 - FBCDE Trunk or Treat Halloween Party, 1-3pm.
  Bouncy houses, candy and lots of fun - hosted by the First Baptist Church of Delaware.

NOVEMBER

• 11/4 - Designer Bag Bingo, 6pm registration, 7pm game-on.
  Hosted by the Good Will Fire Co. Ladies’ Auxiliary, at the Fire House on South St.

• 11/5 - Trail Maintenance Party, 9am-12pm at the Hermitage Natural Area.
  Help improve the trails while learning about local ecology and enjoying free pizza.

  

• 11/8 - Starting in November, on Second Tuesdays, mix and mingle with your neighbors at Zollies! Chef & Q will be offering a variety of tasting events with representatives on site from the brewery, wine and spirits providers, from 4pm to 7pm. Each tasting will include a tapas style food buffet.

• 11/12 - Veterans Walking Tours, 11am and 2pm, from IEC on the Green.
  Presented by NC Court House Museum, the tour will highlight New Castle soldiers’ graves from the Revolutionary War through Vietnam and tell their stories.

• 11/16 - Hollywood History: Dragonwyck, 6:30pm at NC Court House Museum.

On-Going Events

• Hauntings in History from NCHS are back!
  Friday & Saturday Nights from October 7-29.

  

• Regular Historic Tours at:

  • New Castle Court House Museum (Weds-Sunday)

  • New Castle Historical Society (Weds-Sunday)

  • Read House & Gardens (Thurs-Sunday)

• Check out the Fourth Friday Art Loop each month at participating shops and galleries around town square, including the Opera House, Mo’Zart Gallery, Cobblestones Antiques, Landmark Antiques, and many more!

Remember, you can always check our Facebook Events Tab for an up-to-date ‘master calendar’ of what’s going on in town (that’s listed on that site, anyway)…

---

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this digest and want to see more from New Castle City Topics, please subscribe!

And please consider helping others find City Topics by sharing… thanks!