WILMINGTON — Wilmington City Council has taken the next step in addressing PFAS contamination in the city’s drinking water. During the Thursday, Aug. 21 council meeting, council advanced an ordinance authorizing bonds for the Phase Three PFAS Removal Project, which will fund the design and construction of a new PFAS system and a transfer pump station. The Finance and Economic …
Wilmington City Council is weighing whether to dismantle the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank, but supporters of the Land Bank say critics are ignoring key facts. The push to dissolve the Land Bank follows a 2024 audit that flagged weaknesses in financial controls and governance. Councilmember Shané Darby introduced legislation to dissolve the agency, calling the audit evidence of “severe mismanagement.” …
New Castle County Council members expressed concern this week over proposed changes by Wilmington City Council that could impact public access and security policies in the shared City-County Building. During Tuesday’s executive committee meeting, Kevin Caneco alerted colleagues to a developing ordinance being considered by Wilmington officials that would increase security protocols in the facility, including potential restrictions on bringing signs …
WILMINGTON — The future of the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank came under intense scrutiny Monday night as members of City Council’s Community Development & Urban Planning Committee clashed over whether to dissolve the entity, and whether one of their own is being removed from the committee for demanding accountability. The proposed ordinance, sponsored by Councilmember Shané Darby, would …
WILMINGTON — The Wilmington City Council on Thursday narrowly voted down a controversial rent stabilization ordinance after a tense debate and emotional public comment period, triggering outrage from residents and a brief disruption of the meeting. The ordinance, introduced by Council Member Shané Darby, would have capped annual rent increases at the greater of 5% or the Consumer Price Index …
WILMINGTON— Older homeowners in Wilmington are getting a chance to address critical home repairs through the city’s Senior Home Repair Lottery, which helps qualifying residents fix issues such as roofing, plumbing, and electrical problems. Mayor John Carney helped kick off the June 4 drawing, underscoring the importance of secure housing for the city’s aging population. “A safe and stable home …
WILMINGTON — A proposal to expand property tax exemptions for Wilmington’s elderly and disabled residents is moving forward following a vote by the City Council’s Finance and Economic Development Committee on Monday, June 2. Ordinance 25-024, which was voted out of committee and heads to the full council for consideration on June 5, updates income and property value thresholds for …
WILMINGTON — Mayor John Carney has signed the City of Wilmington’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget ordinance, finalizing a spending plan that channels significant funding toward public safety, affordable housing, and neighborhood development. READ: Wilmington Council approves budget despite concerns over spending, utility costs The budget includes targeted investments in several priority areas: Affordable Housing: $2 million in capital funds will …
WILMINGTON —On Thursday, Wilmington City Council voted to approve a new property tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year, as residents and lawmakers grappled with the fallout of a controversial reassessment conducted by Tyler Technologies. The approved ordinance establishes a bifurcated tax rate of 3.7413M for residential properties and 5.8276M for commercial properties for fiscal year 2025–2026. The city says …
Wilmington City Council passed the city’s $201.7 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026 on Thursday, approving investments in public safety, infrastructure, housing, and education, while avoiding an increase in property taxes. The adopted budget reflects a $7.6 million increase over the previous year and includes a $95.1 million water and sewer fund operating budget. Utility rates will …
Wilmington City Council is launching a real-time language translation service at its regular meeting on Thursday, in an effort to make local government more accessible to non-English-speaking residents. The new service, powered by the AI software Wordly, provides live translations in over 50 languages and will be available during council meetings both in-person and online. The rollout of the tool …
WILMINGTON — Mayor John Carney announced proposed changes to Wilmington’s property tax rates and senior tax exemptions in response to the citywide property reassessment conducted by New Castle County. The updated property tax rates, which will take effect July 1, 2025, pending City Council approval, are based on a revenue-neutral model and are intended to offset the impact of reassessment …
