Statements by David L. Anderson
833 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
And I I still have the floor, but I but I but I definitely agree with you you that you brought up the mobile police station, which is one way of doing it. And the police department said, well, that brings too many costs, but a dedicated downtown mobile unit is would be would be in their view was the better way to go. And that was their professional recommendation, and and it has yet to happen. Um and uh
Play from 2:41:28Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I definitely hope that in the next budget if before we be approving things that we we make that happen because that is a if because that that's just a a basic function. Uh we we do need uh encourage neighborhood watches and other neighborhoods uh and that's uh important. But I I think at at this particular time, um I I also do think that, yeah, looking at a program like this actually helps solve the problem, not create the problem.
Play from 2:42:00Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Um I I think that's important. I I think uh this program is already doing licenses and things and already exists because it it has other grant funding that covers most of the program. Um I I do um think that uh it would probably be wise um if um for the applicant to with uh draw the f- at this time while these issues are there, because it's a lot easier to um reapply if something isn't voted down. Um
Play from 2:42:52Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
but uh that's what I would hope would happen, but um
Play from 2:43:36Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And and um and uh and me still having the floor, an applicant can withdraw an application, which would make it moot, would and can withdraw an application at any time before a vote.
Play from 2:44:01Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's been moved by Councilman Rocha, second by Dr. Pillsbury, to accept the staff recommendation for the travel policy. Is there discussion?
Play from 2:45:46Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All those in favor?
Play from 2:46:05Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any opposed?
Play from 2:46:09Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Motion carries. Congratulations.
Play from 2:46:11Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you.
Play from 2:46:15Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Is there, um, any other business for the Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee?
Play from 2:46:16Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Hearing none, we stand adjourned.
Play from 2:46:28Feb 26, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Now then, over to Council President Neil.
Play from 2:46:31Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
No.
Play from 05:52Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the agenda as presented.
Play from 06:19Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Yes.
Play from 06:34Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, JustServe is an international clearinghouse of organizations and volunteers who wish to improve their community. Uh, service is the key element to any healthy community. When one uh lives by service before self, the whole is stronger and the individual is better for it. There are many people in the community just don't know where to engage or whom to contact in their area of interest, but JustServe solves this by providing an online clearinghouse based upon the community. Uh, JustServe is uh an international organization. Uh, it is endorsed by the National League of Cities and is uh, in fact, uh highly recommended by them. Uh JustServe dedicated staff in the state, which it has staff in Delaware, and many cities and towns have, including Smyrna, uh in, to, that are part of the network. It is uh very simple to be involved. We just need a resolution or proclamation to become a JustServe city. This will not only help to prioritize us, but we will get grants. The Town of Smyrna received food for their Christmas giveaway to citizens in need and the uh vice chair, Vice Mayor, uh Dr. Upshur uh highly recommend that we uh join. And uh it's also endorsed very strongly by the Mayor of Smyrna as well. The, it's, this is something that is uh rare because it, it is something good. It doesn't cost us anything. We don't have to dedicate staff time to it or, or, or money and it's uh, just enhances our community and, and then, and it even gets us re-
Play from 06:34Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Um, Mr. President, we haven't adopted the agenda yet.
Play from 06:37Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Mr. President, I move to accept the consent agenda as amended with item 14 removed.
Play from 07:24Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Uh thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to uh keep my re- remarks a little bit short so that uh Chief Johnson has time to uh give his point of view on it. The uh I think we we've discussed this ordinance uh many times and you pretty well know the items that it covers. It's a pedestrian safety ordinance that deals with the with basically keeping the intersections and the medians uh flowing and and free of uh those who um are not using them for their intended purposes, and also deals with uh the idea of of people who are walking out into the roads. Uh because you technically until you cross the road, you're not jaywalking, so so this just makes it a lot easier to enforce. It makes it a status offense instead of a uh having a hodgepodge of of rules, which makes it uh harder, particularly where one has to find a victim to complain, which is one reason why the laws are are almost uh unenforceable currently. Uh the city has uh authority to deal with uh this issue, the council and section 18 and uh charter which is state law talks about the authority council is vested to adopt ordinances of every kind relating to any subject within the powers and functions of the city or relating to city government, its peace, its order, sanitation, appearance, beauty, the health, safety, and convenience, and comfort of its population, and the protection, preservation of property, uh et cetera, and to um, and then in and one of those uh is uh streets, sidewalks, et cetera, and the control in section 29 of uh council, the streets, sidewalks, lanes, and alleys in the city shall be under supervision, management, control of the council and council may and and so on. And that that is uh So um this is uh something that we uh can do, we and something we should do. And we should do it because life is precious. This ordinance will potentially save lives, improve the orderly working of the city. It's designed not to hurt anyone. No one ever has to be fined under it uh because it has a warning provision first. It takes effect in July to give people a chance to adapt or transition uh to get help if that's uh what's their motivation. While the activists focus is on the effect of panhandling, it's not mentioned in the ordinance because it is a comprehensive approach to pedestrian safety. The Does the city have the power? Yes, we discussed that in the charter. Uh it is uh and if it weren't, the Attorney General would have uh graciously
Play from 39:34Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
...pointed that out. It's the, it is based upon a national model, upheld by the courts, and adopted in over 50 communities. It has been enforced by the - it's been endorsed by the business community, our citizens, five police chiefs of Dover, four former and the current, four, three former safety chairs, and a former Secretary of Transportation. It's about safety and the ability of our police to have a simple and understandable rule to enforce, instead of a patchwork that does, does not apply in many circumstances, and requires a victim to enforce. The people want it, the businesses want it, many medical professionals want it, our law enforcers want it. Let them have the tools they need. This is an easy step, let's not falter here. And uh Chief, I yield to you.
Play from 42:35Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
So moved. Uh we move that we open, Mr. President. I move that we open a public hearing for the people who have signed up, Mr. President.
Play from 51:46Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Now, Mr. President, I I will yield to the solicitor if I may.
Play from 1:35:48Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Did you violate Council rules? I I don't know what Council rules you're talking about.
Play from 1:37:16Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
I think the short answer is no.
Play from 1:37:27Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
No. Anything for you. Anything for you.
Play from 1:37:32Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. That, uh, we have heard over the last five months from many people. We know that the citizens of Dover, particularly the voters of Dover, are in support of this effort. We also know, we also know that that, we also know, very importantly, that, uh, this is not based upon, uh, unlike what somebody, uh, said, upon a, uh, law that is no longer in force, because that misses the whole point of having this. The number one, um, Mr. Solicitor, is this, uh, uh, with, it as you wrote it, and especially as amended, not reflecting the, the Seaford city ordinance, uh, as well as the model by the Attorney General?
Play from 2:06:22Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you. And if uh Thank you very much. Just Just wanted to clarify that, because uh when you drafted, you did not draft it based upon uh something that was no longer operational. Um and and uh while there's been
Play from 2:11:08Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
from both sides uh over the over many years, um there have been certain commonalities, um which have been which uh basically Sandy City and Louisville and other places have have found and based uh ordinances upon which uh look a lot like this one. Is that not correct?
Play from 2:11:32Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
That was the um other That was Grants Pass.
Play from 2:12:03Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Which is why we explicitly talked about sidewalks, etc., the yeah, and and just outlined several things to make sure people had adequate places to express their First Amendment rights.
Play from 2:13:18Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Which is uh why we wanted to
Play from 2:14:18Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank Thank you, Mr. President. Um look, you can do it, but negative motions are often confusing, and really it's just easier to um uh just do uh the regular way, which is a motion to approve, and then people vote yes or no. Um if uh so therefore, I would like to I'm going to make a motion to uh lay on the table the motion that was uh just made.
Play from 2:22:13Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
at least can lay it on the table so we can just do it the normal way.
Play from 2:23:01Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
All right. Thank you. I vote no because this is absolutely needed. We've we've addressed every issue first,
Play from 2:33:49Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Think of the number 3.4 million. That's how much the city of Dover has invested in helping to open up new shelters and transitional housing, which is beyond the scope of what we're expected to do in our charter. We've done the other work. Now we have to do this work.
Play from 2:34:00Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to uh first of all, thank the uh citizens of Dover for their support uh on the ordinance. And second, I I'd like to uh promote a something that's coming up on Saturday, the 28th. Uh Beginning and Seated Career Academy is sponsoring a clean up a Dover Community Cleanup Day. Uh the
Play from 2:50:37Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
[laughter] Uh probably if it rains uh that probably won't be an issue. Um, but the uh it is uh 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Uh, people can start gathering at 9:00 at the uh Zimmerman parking lot, corner of uh Division Street and Governors Avenue. Uh, and it's uh a Join Us to Beautify Our Community. It is uh posted on my Facebook page, as well as I'm sure other places. Uh, and uh people who are interested in participating can uh email uh bedford1369@gmail.com, and uh that's Bedford, b-e-d-f-o-r-d, 1 1369@gmail.com. Or, and there's other ways that are on the flyer that is posted. It It's important to keep the community um it it's clean and decent because uh we we know that's one of the big problems that's driving away investment uh downtown. It's uh just the appearance, and uh it we have to join together as a community to to do something about it. We've been doing that, of course, with different days, and and this is another opportunity. The The and then uh would want to uh people who've said they're interested in affordable housing uh need to keep on the next next couple Council Committee of the Wholes. Of course, we've dealt with this before, but there's uh some presentations that people are want to be interest that'll be interested in, including uh one from NCALL tomorrow, and also one from the the uh one from uh Little Living, um which is um the which will be on the uh 10th uh of March. So, uh I would encourage uh people who are interested to participate in that either in person or online. Thank you.
Play from 2:51:05Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Thank you. Uh I wanted- thank you for, uh, joining Team Dover. I have a question that's related to one of your slides, and it's is, um, as as we are in the, um, a nice cold winter, and of course, uh, nationally, uh, heating, electric rates, etc. have gone up, which happens usually when you have a cold winter, um, and, uh, and there's a lot more competition for, uh, for federal aid for, you know, for bill. Uh, have we seen any particular issues or problems, um, with, uh, that we need to be aware of regarding, uh, past dues, anything that's, uh, you know, that that could, uh, are people, uh, being able to adjust? Are are people having issues or or--
Play from 24:09Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Thank you. So, is there is it pretty much the the same as, uh, as normal, or has there been any particular increase?
Play from 27:01