Statements by Andre M. Boggerty
755 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Well, whatever info you information you have, because we we have individuals whom I know um, and again, we we are we are dealing with a staffing issue, but we have individuals who I know who are interested in and and um it's townhomes specifically, and and um and um we we don't want to lose those individuals because we're making it hard for them to invest in our city. So thank you for that.
Play from 19:19Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Council President, for recognizing me. Um do you all have a leasing opportunity where leasing the equipment will allow us to stay current, and the kind of ball is in your court to upkeep? And
Play from 51:35Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. So I will ask while while doing that if you can do um um if you're doing that, that you can send pros and cons about leasing verse outright purchasing. And I know you said earlier there'd be an RFP to go out to some degree, but um but you had to get someone to make an initial assessment. So I yield. Thank you.
Play from 52:09Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Um I call for the adoption of the agenda.
Play from 54:36Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's been properly moved and seconded. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor signify by saying aye. [Aye.] By consent, the motion carries.
Play from 54:47Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
One item um um we have one one item on the agenda. It's Request for Waiver, Appendix A- Subdivisions, Article 6, Subdivision General Requirements and Design Standards, Section E, Lots, Item 5, Site Development Master Plan for DuPont Plaza Master Plan. Waiver to allow creation of lots without public street frontage with the associated subdivision plan to subdivide the the proposed shopping center in multiple lots. I call for our our principal planner, Dawn Melson-Williams, and the owner is here as well if they will be joining you.
Play from 54:55Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. I have a couple questions. Um initially, um are there any safety concerns with this, such as entry for fire, police, etc., emergency, ambulance? Are there any safety concerns with with the with the current
Play from 1:00:40Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay, that was all the only question I had. Any other questions? Uh Councilman Dr. Sudler.
Play from 1:02:40Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. The chair recognizes Councilman uh Rocha.
Play from 1:06:13Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Councilman Rocha. The chair recognizes Councilwoman Arndt.
Play from 1:12:12Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's been properly moved and seconded. Um are are there any questions? The chair recognizes Council President.
Play from 1:12:41Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you.
Play from 1:14:14Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
There's been a motion on the floor, uh a discussion. Uh the chair recognizes Councilman Rocha.
Play from 1:14:22Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
This, this is, thank you, thank you. While this is not entirely a HR matter because it's not an employee matter, but I will say that it will be very close because you said you just resigned. And when is the 'just'? When did you resign?
Play from 1:16:55Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
So, it, so, so, so, if I, if I were to, if I were hearing this in my consulting role with my consulting company, I would, I would say the optics of resigning this week and then ask for money and then with the potential of being reappointed after this is approved could lend itself to increase public scrutiny. I think at this point, without knowing our, our laws, without knowing our rules right off hand, I think right now you have a moral... You, it's a moral decision to decide if you want to hear and hear something that you are that closely connected to, and you get to oversee because again, I think within our charter, I think when we signed that we're not supposed to give moneys to any area that we, we serve as board members, and this is to resign this week and then come and then they ask for money and you get to oversee it. That, that, that is a really, really close, that that's a really, really close time period, or lack thereof. So again, I yield to your moral compass to decide and the, and the Council President to decide if he wants to appoint somebody to hear this matter. That's my... That's my consulting position. Again, I'm not saying that that's something that by the bylaw...
Play from 1:17:34Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Thank you for recognizing me. I too have received and hear and personally I've witnessed People's Church when they do what they are doing as far as feeding and housing. Sometimes, you know, it's yeoman's work and sometimes a thankless job. Again, I personally have donated to, when things have come up short. However, my my, my challenge is, is this: People's Church has been there a long time. So if it's, if it was it supposed to be some type of programming already for the individuals that were housed there?
Play from 1:25:38Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I understand that. What current programs that that are there now? Was there already workforce development program? Like what programming are there besides, and again, I'm just going to be high level, besides feeding and a place to sleep and some level of, you know, counseling or what. What other programs were, were, were taking place there? I see Dr. Hodges is raising his hand, you may call him if you...
Play from 1:26:36Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
He can, please approach.
Play from 1:26:55Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I still had the floor. Thank you, Councilman, but I still had the floor. I would call that once we approve the agenda, agenda is and pull it now, I think it's just of a vote. But I I, um, there's there's there are individuals who who have Robert's Rules of Order, but once the agenda is approved, it's approved.
Play from 1:34:15Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
But I do want to go back to a couple questions regardless of the directions to be considered so they can be on record. My questions are, or would have been, what programs have been offered since the duration of of People's Church? Um, it it would have appeared that when you establish a program like this, especially for the years in operation, that you that there should have already been some type of of life develop- work-life skills being developed. So it concerns me that years later we're just crossing this.
Play from 1:34:39Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Then I I I read through some of the the, uh, took a brief 1-minute view of the budget. I see that again, you, you know, I don't know who you who all who all you are collecting rent there, but I saw a line item for rent for the organization that would do the program for $1,000. So are we, you know, are we, what space do you have there that somebody would be utilizing? Is a designated space that that somebody would be utilizing $1,000, or charging $1,000? Not a lot of money, but it is money that that that ends up to be $12,000 worth of of of rents.
Play from 1:35:57Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And then also, um, I have another question. There there are several opportunities for work-life, for the for these services to be offered elsewhere. There there's there's Polytech, um, that that if you, you know, I saw there was a transportation, if you were asking for transportation to commute individuals back and forth to Polytech or some of these other programs, I couldn't argue that. But there's Polytech, um, and they came and did a great presentation here, um, sometime ago. There's DelTech, um, and I I personally have worked with DelTech. I I looking forward to attend the graduations. They have all the programming you need, and to include, uh, on skills development, work-like. They take individuals for GED prep.
Play from 1:37:22Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I've sent, believe it or not, I paid and sent for, and I only say this because people have commented on what I don't do, um, I paid and sent, um, people to go get their GEDs, individuals from my church. I, if you go to my church, you don't have a GED, you're you're going to school. I have a member there who will attest. That you don't have to make yourself known, that I encouraged them. There's the Delaware State, um, um, um, program on the corner, CURE, uh, and and and Janine runs it, and all of those There's programming everywhere that that allows and provides these services.
Play from 1:38:45Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And sometimes individuals who've already have are already who have operated in this space, sometimes partnership and collaboration, uh, is is easier, more effective, and more efficient. I see, you know, I see some of my heroes, I won't point them out, my mentors are out there, and I know what they can add to individuals' lives. I'm here because of some of them. But at the same time, I have to think that this $47,000, and we've given People's Church a lot of money. We've given People's Church a lot of money, um, to the tunes of of of a couple hundred thousand dollars. I know during COVID, and I know I know things cost, and I know things, uh, have expenses, but we funded People's Church to the nth degree.
Play from 1:39:32Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And and I just can't see, again, especially with what we have just be um what we have just became aware of, I just can't see continue to provide money, and we haven't even seen the yielded results of individuals. I I I parked over there, and people around my car doing stuff, you know. So I I yield with that. Right now, especially given in light of what we we just heard, I I would I would say I'm not going to support this, especially until we hear, um, the the conclusion of the matter that's of the matters that's before us. I yield my time.
Play from 1:41:03Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Can I try to ask that, answer that question?
Play from 2:15:44Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Excuse me, I'm sorry. Excuse me for a second. Um, if, if, if, if I can be recognized. I think, um, our City Manager, I think, I don't think he heard, heard us. But, um, he can answer your question, he's a planner by, by, um, Mr. Cameron, the City Manager, he can answer your question, he's a planner.
Play from 2:16:17Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
The zoning, can you refer to the rezoning for the public again, the, the, the zoning you're referring to?
Play from 2:17:10Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank, thank you.
Play from 2:18:12Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, sir.
Play from 2:21:09Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Councilman Boggerty. Stand by. Um, as a matter of fairness, I thank you and I hear your heart. As a matter of fairness and consistency, we have enforced our three minutes. Stand by. Um, we have enforced our three minutes in other hearings, and while we allow time, there is a methodology where somebody want to take and yield their time. But, um, I want to make sure that we're firm, fair, consistent, and not just this hearing, but all hearings, um, for my public. So unless you're completely done or unless there's somebody who's willing to approach and yield time.
Play from 2:28:51Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Or or
Play from 2:29:20Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Or as, uh, the one of the most senior council members, Dr. Sudler said, we can suspend rules. But understand she understand you're done. And thank you for your, thank you for your service.
Play from 2:29:22Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Thank you.
Play from 2:29:32Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. President Neil, um, um, thank you for acknowledging me.
Play from 2:29:36Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Stand by, stand by 1 second. George, you, for the record, Council President, you yielded your, you yield your time to Ms. Paul? Thank you.
Play from 2:36:39Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's been It's been a long short night.
Play from 2:43:54Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I second. I second the call.
Play from 2:44:19Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
For clarity, yes, I vote to deny the the request.
Play from 2:45:38Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Let us pray. Eternal wise God, Creator of all people and source of all justice and mercy, we pause at the beginning of this meeting to acknowledge our dependence upon Your wisdom and guidance. We thank You for the privilege of public service and for the trust placed in those who lead this city. Remind us that leadership is not about power, but about stewardship; not about position, but about responsibility to the people we serve. During this sacred season, many in our community observe Lent, a time of reflection, sacrifice, and renewal, while others observe Ramadan, a season of fasting, prayer, generosity, and spiritual discipline. Though expressed through different traditions, both call us toward humility, compassion, and a deeper concern for our neighbors. May these holy seasons inspire all of us to lead with a renewed heart. Grant this Council wisdom to make decisions that are fair, thoughtful, and guided by the common good rather than personal interest. Grant us courage to do what is right even in difficult even if it's difficult or unpopular. Grant our hearts uh committed to service, grant us hearts committed to service, remembering those whose voices are unheard, those struggling in our neighborhoods, and those deep and depending on our on the outcomes of our work tonight. And grant our city peace, peace in our deliberations, peace among our residents, and peace that strengthen unity across every background, belief, and experience. Help us listen with respect, speak with integrity, and act with humility so that our decisions reflect justice, compassion, hope for the future of this community. May our work tonight contribute to a city where every person is valued, every family has opportunity, and every neighborhood can flourish. We offer this prayer in the spirit of unity and shared purpose, and we take a moment as we celebrate the life of public servants such as Jesse Jackson whose tenure has ended. Amen.
Play from 00:07