Statements by Robin R. Christiansen
206 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
But I think it's important that the terms of the chief's hiring, terms of his accountability have been dropped in my lap, and I take responsibility for that. So any questions of ethics on his part or any concern about his ethics, he has acted ethically.
Play from 5:15:25Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
But I would caution council, and let me say this again, I've been here a long time. Tread lightly. Transparency is what's owed to the public.
Play from 5:16:28Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you.
Play from 5:40:10Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh, thank you very much, uh, Chairman. Now for the easy ones. The good news where people give us money. Uh, that brings us to item three, Community Riverwalk Assessment Grant, Mr. Jason Lyon, Assistant City Manager.
Play from 5:40:15Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
All right. Rec- Recognize Councilman Boggerty.
Play from 5:40:47Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Motion seconded? Sounded like Mr. Shevock seconded it, or Councilman Rocha? Actually I heard it over there first, but it doesn't matter. I'll let I'll let them figure it out in the minutes. All right, is there um, is there is there a discussion? Uh, Councilman Lewis.
Play from 5:41:05Sep 29, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. Any other discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion adopted. And is there any other business for the Legislative, Finance, and Administration Committee? Uh, there is none. It stands adjourned. Is there any other business for the Council Committee of the Whole? Seeing none, adjourned.
Play from 5:42:38Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
No, no, no. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can speak in a loud voice.
Play from 03:29Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
During my final year as council president, we had the unfortunate incident where a young man was shot in Dover. And there were many questions that went unanswered. So we established a quasi body to look into that incident, which morphed into the Dover Human Relations Commission. Over the period of time, the Human Relations Commission has functioned as an independent body with no interference from council, no liaison. Planning commission has functioned as a body with no liaison, and the other bodies and boards of this city have functioned without a liaison. You are an independent body set up to bring us concerns of our citizens or the Human Relations Commission to address, and then, if the tenacity warrants so, to bring before council.
Play from 03:34Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
Council's job, according to the charter, is to legislate and finance. And I believe that the success of our commissions, our boards, the Human Relations Commission, and other entities that are charged with the governance, the assistance in the governance of this city, need to be free and independent, transparent, and above reproach. Thank you.
Play from 04:49Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
No, that was prior to then.
Play from 07:54Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
Thank you, uh Dr. Sudler. And I don't want this this to be the Mayor's show because this is the uh Human Relations uh meeting with uh City Council. But my vision was that, you know, many people are uh inhibited from speaking to Mayor and Council on issues that are of great concern to this community. And I see the charge still uh at for the Human Relations Commission uh as a sounding board for those who have no voice. I've always believed that there should be a voice for those who have no voice. And the voice says as far as I'm concerned, Dr. Sudler, the mission today is still the same. Although, a lot of people don't take advantage of it, and some uh mistakenly believe that uh that they shouldn't, but the Human Relations Commission should be the voice of those who have no voice, and matters that concern them that uh they have no voice. The Human Relations Commission can be the voice to investigate uh on issues that brought before them, and then bring it to Council. And that's how I I have seen it, and that's how I see it now. Thank you, Dr. Sudler.
Play from 08:17Sep 14, 2026, Special Council Meeting
Thank you. Thank you.
Play from 13:28Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Is that the newest member of the IT team?
Play from 01:13Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
She's always plugged in.
Play from 01:23Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
You're recognized. Mr. uh Mr. Chair, before I speak, is there any other member of council that uh wants to speak to the subject? Uh so these funds are going to be encumbered for the uh police and fire department, and they will not go into general fund, or will they? How would they be allotted?
Play from 04:38Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Thank you, Ms. Duca. We have uh over the many years uh had a a fund drive. Has anybody spoken to the chief or the president of the fire company about uh the impact that this would have uh possibly on their fund drive? To date, we've raised $87,000. Uh and I I don't know, have we have we reached out to the chief or or the administrative officer or the president of the fire company to see if they have any concerns about this impacting uh their fund drive? Because the fund drive usually raises about $117,000 less expenses for the solicitation. That's that's my concern. I yield the floor.
Play from 05:34Apr 16, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
Thank you.
Play from 26:47Mar 9, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Time for a little bit picture taking and comments from both of our ladies.
Play from 06:41Mar 9, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you. We now have a certificate of recognition for Kay Sass, and I'm going to ask Mr. Lewis uh to bring Ms. Sass up to the podium. And I would suggest, by the very basis of what this certificate is, any member of council who wishes to join them in salute to Kay Sass, please feel free to come up and join them.
Play from 08:37Mar 9, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
active planning, careful coordination, and steadfast attention to critical safety concerns ensured that the city operations continued effectively and efficiently during challenging weather conditions. Your consistent communication and timely updates to City Council and the public provided clarity, reassurance, and transparency throughout each event. The City of Dover extends its deepest gratitude for your professionalism, dedication to public service, and tireless effort to keep our community informed, prepared, and safe. And this goes to you, Ms. Sass.
Play from 09:49Mar 9, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
And after Ms. Sass speaks, if she would like to, um, any council members are welcome up here.
Play from 10:17Mar 9, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Annual report, Downtown Dover Partnership, and I invite Ms. Diane Laird to join us at the pres- podium for the presentation.
Play from 12:06Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
I also have the solicitor alongside me who wishes to answer.
Play from 1:35:42Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
All right. Now, may I have your name and your address?
Play from 1:51:24Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you very much.
Play from 1:54:35Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Mr. Faust, you're up.
Play from 1:54:39Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
That was good. That was good. That was good. It took me a second, but I got it. Yeah, that's good.
Play from 52:27Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Quick question, yeah, meeting before it was still here tonight.
Play from 1:05:33Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
[laughter] Well, Brian, we'll keep we'll keep that one uh fiery Indian chili from you then. [laughter]
Play from 1:38:37Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Well, first, thank you for taking the time to be here today. I appreciate it. A couple of comments that I I want to make. I notice that the governor's budget has continuing money for the drinking water and and wastewater funds and some of the things that we rely on for for some of our capital projects. But the only comment I guess I have is that I did not see the word energy specifically in his budget. Even though there's 17 or 18 bills in the General Assembly that deal with that subject, so a little concerned about what the state's policy might be towards energy, which obviously affects the city of Dover.
Play from 2:42:12Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Does anybody have any comments they want to make while we have the Senator here before we let him loose? Mr. Fowles, would you like to?
Play from 2:42:51Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
I use the 8% as a as an example. I don't know about the other limitations that we have as well where certain amounts have got to be put aside. Uh and it may be that they we we convinced ourselves couple of years ago that it wasn't good to not be at 8%, so this year in the budget, '26 budget, we got to 8%. Um but I guess I ask myself, well, you know, are they are they will in fact the bond counsel care if we're at 7%?
Play from 3:51:14Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Oh, God.
Play from 3:51:42Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Who who set the uh those percentages initially? Was it I mean were they something that bond counsel said you got to do this or was it something we...
Play from 3:52:39Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Okay.
Play from 3:52:39Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Well, I mean that's that's the example of the kinds of things we need to we need to look at. It may not be, you know, we may not be able to do something with it, but we ought to at least ask ourselves those questions. And as- and as uh Tricia said, we have also looked at at, you know, the possibility of of uh taking on some debt uh to be able to post- and refinancing some of the existing debt and using using that new debt issuance as a way to fund some of the capital projects that right now come out of the general fund. So, I mean it's you know, and it's not bad fiscal policy to to carry some debt for major capital asset investment. Um I mean it it's it's just like your your home mortgage. I mean, you could pay for your mortgage, you know, outright, but you tend to finance long term because there's certain values there and um so those are things that we also need to do. But as I said once before, I've run out of rabbits, people. Uh I've I've pulled rabbits...
Play from 3:52:39Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
I call to order the City of Dover, Delaware, Code, uh, Board of Appeals, Thursday, uh, January 15, 2026, at approximately 3:45 p.m.
Play from 00:00Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
Um, you have before you uh, the agenda, uh, we'll welcome a uh, a motion to adopt the agenda.
Play from 00:13Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
And, uh, Mr. Rocha uh, has seconded the motion. Um, any discussion?
Play from 00:28