Henlopen Acres to honor David Lyons

Roughly 18 months after the death of former Henlopen Acres Mayor David Lyons, town commissioners are moving forward with a memorial in his honor at the town marina.

Lyons, 58, died in April 2018. He had been on the Henlopen Acres Board of Commissioners since 2007, serving the last three years as mayor.

Appointed in May 2018, Mayor Joni Reich introduced the sitting park and memorial Sept. 6, during the annual board of commissioners organizational meeting. Reich said when entering the marina, there is land to the left of the driveway, where a picnic table already sits. Reich proposed landscaping the area with flagstone pavers, raised flower beds and benches. She said it will be park-like, with marina and sunset views. 

Tearing up, Reich said, “I think somebody would like it.”

Tim Lyons, Lyons’ son, was at the meeting. He fully supported the plan, saying it was one of his dad’s favorite spots in Henlopen Acres. He said he could imagine his dad sitting there, because that was the spot from which they watched one of their boats sink. “There’s a lot of fond memories there,” said Tim, garnering a good-natured laugh from the other dozen people in the room.

Drawings shown at the meeting were the work of a private contractor, but cost estimates were not discussed.

In an email following the meeting, Town Manager Tom Roth said the town charter requires contracts over $30,000 to be competitively bid. He said he will solicit another quote; if he gets the quote in time, it will be presented to commissioners during a quarterly meeting Friday, Oct. 11.

Roth said this project was not part of the town’s $866,000 budget approved in June. He said project funding will come from reserves.

Commissioners sworn in, officers approved

The first order of business for the recent Henlopen Acres meeting was to swear in commissioners and make commissioner appointments.

After being the only two candidates to file for office, Commissioners Frank Jamison and Richard Thompson were both re-elected this year. Absent from the meeting, Thompson’s swearomg-in will be in October.

Reich, on the board of commissioners since 2014, was re-appointed as mayor. She is the town’s 11th mayor since incorporation in 1970. Reich said she appreciated the vote of confidence. “It’s been a real pleasure to work with the residents,” she said.

Other commissioner appointments include Jamison as president pro tempore, Commissioner Tim Hidell as treasurer, Commissioner Beatrix Richards as secretary and Roth as assistant secretary.