News Briefs 11/12/19

Beebe to perform emergency exercise

Beebe Healthcare and its emergency response partners will participate in an exercise Wednesday, Nov. 13, that simulates a helicopter crash on the medical center’s roof. The exercise will run approximately one hour, beginning at 7 p.m. 

As part of the training exercise, onlookers will see and hear helicopters hovering, fire trucks, paramedic vehicles and ambulances. During the drill, Beebe Healthcare will continue to operate normally and patient care will not be affected.

These types of drills allow Beebe teams and partners to prepare for a real-life scenario. The scenario provides practice for Beebe and regional teams in dealing with:

• Influx of patients post-crash and transfer of patients to other hospitals

• Possible evacuation of hospital wing and other areas due to fire

• A life-threatening incident where Beebe becomes the scene

• Leadership who will gain experience in a different command center.  

LifeNet will also be able to exercise its missing aircraft and post-accident incident plan, while local emergency responders will ensure all apparatuses that respond reach the area of the helipad, along with securing the scene. 

Rehoboth commissioner meeting Nov. 15

Rehoboth Beach commissioners have scheduled a meeting for 3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for a permit of compliance hearing for the property at 10 N. First St. The hearing was requested by Darryl and Joseph Ciarlante-Zuber, of Uncles Inc., who would like to open a new restaurant called Square One Grill.

The agenda calls for two public hearings related to zoning code changes. The first is related to the allowance of administrative variances. The second is related to a change to the city’s wireless technology ordinance to change the approval process from special exception to conditional use.

The agenda calls for possible votes on the adoption of 2018 International Building Code, the setting of a fee schedule for wireless telecommunication facilities and the institution of stormwater protection measures during construction. For more information call 302-227-6181. A full copy of the agenda can be found at town hall or online at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.

Lewes, DelDOT to discuss canal bridge

Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, at city hall to discuss with the Department of Transportation the disposition of the railroad swing bridge over the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. The bridge is no longer in operation, as the railroad was decommissioned in 2017. For more information, call 302-645-7777.

Lewes police committee meets Nov. 12

The Lewes Police Department Review Ad Hoc Committee will meet at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, at city hall. The group will discuss police scheduling and duties, public information, community policing, and enforcement policies. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Lewes to discuss capital projects Nov. 13

Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, at city hall to discuss capital projects. They will discuss the status of the current year’s capital projects, planned projects for next fiscal year, upgrades to city parking lots, solar energy opportunities, Canalfront Park maintenance and an update of street inventory. For more information, call 302-645-7777.

Lewes Beach dune fencing to be discussed

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a public meeting at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, at Lewes City Hall to discuss upcoming efforts to add dune fencing along Lewes Beach. In August, the Shoreline & Waterway Management Section within DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship distributed flyers by mail to area residents asking them to remove any items such as bikes, boats, kayaks and other water sports equipment from the dune before the fencing project began. For more information on dune protection, contact DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section at 302-739-9921 or the City of Lewes at 302-645-7777.

Lewes planners to discuss Fishers Cove

The Lewes Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Rollins Community Center. Commissioners will consider granting preliminary consent for the Fishers Cove major subdivision. The plan calls for 18 single-family lots on about 11 acres off Rodney Avenue. Commissioners will also consider a minor subdivision request related to the lot line of the adjacent Fisher House. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Vo-Tech education forums set Nov. 14, 21

The University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration is hosting community discussions regarding vocational-technical education in Sussex County with a goal to better understand education needs and successes. Discussions are being held as part of a study being conducted in collaboration with the State of Delaware and Sussex Technical School District. Events will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, at Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., and from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, at Georgetown Public Library, 123 West Pine St. RSVP to Chris Kelly, cgkelly@udel.edu.

Cape Henlopen school board meets Nov. 14

The Cape Henlopen school board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, at H.O. Brittingham Elementary. Several board policies will be discussed, and presentations on the class size waiver and strategic planning will be heard. Action may be taken on major capital projects at Cape High, Milton and Shields elementaries.

Rehoboth board to rehear case Nov. 25

During a meeting Oct. 28, the Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment voted unanimously in favor of rehearing an appeal of the building inspector’s decision regarding 240 Rehoboth Ave.

In August, the board voted to affirm the building inspector’s decision that a second-floor deck increased the property’s gross floor area, which triggered the need for an additional parking space. The board then denied the property owner a variance request for that parking spot.

Citing the second of three criteria, the board agreed new evidence had come to light since their previous decision was made. The new evidence was a Sept. 24 notice from the city’s building and licensing department saying that enclosed spaces of decks, balconies and porches will be counted toward the floor-to-area ratio. The notice said all applications submitted prior to that date would be reviewed under the previous code interpretation.

The case will be reheard Monday, Nov. 25.