Statements by Fred A. Neil
1,535 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
If she wishes to come and make the presentation, she's certainly welcome to do so, but we we're we're anxious to hear the presentation. So, the floor is yours.
Play from 06:54Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Questions from the council? Yes, uh, Councilwoman Pillsbury.
Play from 16:10Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any other questions? Yes, Councilman.
Play from 18:38Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Council, I yield. I yield. You yield? Council member Arndt.
Play from 26:06Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh let me ask. Any other questions? Let me ask several questions of you. Basically, you're looking to get it established here in Dover. Yes. Would you be able to bring people from elsewhere here on an immediate basis to get started, or would this you have to accumulate additional workers? Uh which the idea, I mean, is great.
Play from 28:07Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Being able to take someone who's uh going to be coming out of jail, who needs a job, who needs to fit in, understand all of that. But do you have a ready force that can be brought in to to Dover at this time?
Play from 28:36Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Economic development is one of our our our goals, and you're going to hear people here asking for money. There's no more important program that you described, and I say described because it isn't in effect now. If it was in effect now, basically, then it becomes a lot easier to be able to loosen up our economic development money for this purpose. Because it's now, it's cleanup, it's something we desperately need, uh not to take the place of of our police, not to take the place of of Public Works, but because there is a specific need that is needed now and fits in certainly to the master plan for the redevelopment of the downtown area. Without a question, it's perfect. The The question is the financing, if we had a promise to be able to give you and say, "There's financing if you get certain matches" and the like, because that's what you need. You need that additional push. That I would suggest that going back to make a form- formal application as others have done, to that you'll hear some tonight, uh that uh to make a formal application, and finite make a finite development in terms of what a finance financing that you're going to need as a hook that you may need for other development. And I think that's something that I could support because I think it's needed. I think it does two things: it helps people who need the help coming out of jail, and things get them back into society because they want to get back into society. They're capable of doing so. I think we need that.
Play from 29:19Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And I think we need that presence downtown showing that there's set eyes on that they really care about what's happening. But I don't know whether the finances work until you make the proposal going to through the the uh uh economic development program going back to uh the city manager with those figures, so that we can take a hard look on it, and use it as a hook to get the other monies because there's a promise that the city's going to put forward with this money. That's my thinking, because we certainly need the program. Anybody else have any questions? Yes.
Play from 30:07Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Dr. Sudler is on uh the or WebEx.
Play from 30:31Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Councilman. Any other questions at this time? I thank you, Mr. Johnson.
Play from 32:12Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Leave leave encouraged. Leave encouraged.
Play from 32:17Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, sir.
Play from 32:23Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
No action is required at this time. So we now have Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Delaware, Councilman Boggerty and Anya Lindsay-Jenkins, the chief executive officer. If you will come down, make your presentation.
Play from 32:27Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes, uh Councilman Boggerty.
Play from 40:36Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Questions, says Councilman Anderson.
Play from 43:17Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Councilman Rocha.
Play from 47:12Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any other questions? Then I have some. Um one, I couldn't agree with you more. I think basically to be able to get young minds to be able to reach out and touch different things in their lives and get them excited about it. The biggest problem, I think, is what Councilman Anderson has already uh talked about, is transportation. We have families who come here on open forum saying, 'My kids What are you doing for my kids? What are you doing for my kids?' The facilities are there. Getting them there to be able to participate is the biggest problem we have, whether it's in the Fourth District, or in the Third District, or any district. This is the problem when you have mothers or fathers who either are otherwise engaged, do not have the time, do not have the chance to get the kids there. If we got to get the kids there, and we got to get them back safe. That is the biggest problem that we have. And unfortunately, the City Charter does not provide for this. It's not in the charter. We do have our parks and recreation, but we still have the problem: how do we get those kids where they need to be? And so that's something that we have to figure out, because that's where our problem lies. And we wish you the best, and thank you for what you're doing. Are there any other questions? Thank you for your presentation. Yes.
Play from 50:13Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you for your presentation. Last word?
Play from 52:23Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Next on the agenda we have council reports, and we'll start with—
Play from 52:40Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Sorry about One more, Network Connect. Sorry about that Councilman Boggerty. Uh and Cierra Hall-Hipkins, the executive director.
Play from 52:47Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Questions? Councilman Rocha.
Play from 1:07:08Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Councilman Boggerty.
Play from 1:10:52Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any other Oh, yes. Councilman Anderson.
Play from 1:12:50Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Any additional questions? Seeing none, want to thank you very much for your presentation. We do appreciate you and do appreciate what you're doing. Thank you.
Play from 1:14:25Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Next on our agenda are council reports from the First District, Dr. Pillsbury.
Play from 1:14:39Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Now we have Councilman Rocha.
Play from 1:15:11Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Dr. Sudler.
Play from 1:15:47Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Councilman-at-large Boggerty.
Play from 1:18:36Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Um in December, I attended the Wreaths Across America event at the Speedway held indoors at Bally's. In January, attended Tracy Harvey's retirement at the Pitts Center. I served as a panelist with uh Chairman Andre Boggerty and Councilman Gerald Rocha at the Property and Construction Appeals. I received a deluge of emails from organization members opposed to the traffic safety ordinance. I responded to many of those with Dover addresses. I had multiple interactions with the group seeking to bring an ice rink and Civic Center to Schutte Park. Uh I informed the off- officials at the Speedway that the MPO turned down a traffic study of Leipsic Road corridor for possible expansion. Uh because the the apartments that are going up called The Edge are going up very rapidly. At the request of the Delaware State News, I provided a tribute to late member of the City Council and past president Bill Hare, and we have uh Mike Finney who did a terrific job on the article of a bio for um uh Councilman Hare because the uh funeral arrangements have not been made, and there'll be a ceremony sometime in the spring according to his daughter. Uh that's my report for uh as for uh uh Council, and now I recognize Councilwoman Trish Arndt to conduct the business of the Parks, Recreation, and Community Enhancement Committee. The floor is yours.
Play from 1:19:31Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Neil moves for approval.
Play from 1:29:24Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Aye.
Play from 1:29:29Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I now recognize Chairman David Anderson to conduct the business of the Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee. The floor is yours, Councilman Anderson.
Play from 1:29:37Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
So moved.
Play from 1:31:06Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Aye. Aye.
Play from 1:32:20Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes, Mr. Chair.
Play from 1:48:23Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
May I, one brief q- one brief question?
Play from 1:48:25Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh Mr. Legans, I've asked this from time after time after time: when are you going to show up here in lederhosen?
Play from 1:48:29Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I yield.
Play from 1:48:38Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 2:05:31Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
If repairs merely are cosmetic, as can be the case particularly with flipper houses, and the loan officer recommends his father as the realtor, and you, a mother with a disability and two young children can be in a world of health and financial hurt. And that's what brought this ordinance about, the Lemon House Ordinance. Referred to us by former council member Ralph Taylor, the lady in question, a former federal investigator, purchased the home, or rather a money pit, in 2022. She brought to us copious written documents and a cornucopia of photographs validating her complaints. Delaware has no protection for a homebuyer once the mortgage is a done deal. The matter is considered civil, meaning you need to be wealthy to fight it, but if you're wealthy, you do not get help from DSHA. While the victim In With the victim's input and help from my council colleagues and co-sponsor Gerald Rocha, and two icons of the real estate industry, this ordinance has been created. What it does in effect, it requires the homebuyer to initial everything that has been discovered wrong with the house and that gives them a chance to renegotiate the price of the home or walk away. A home can be sold as is or buyer beware at a lower price.
Play from 2:30:39