Representative Gregory Lavelle agreed to table pending state legislation redefining the role of the county auditor and work with New Castle officials to craft a revised version.

He said at the conclusion of a committee hearing on Mar. 23 that he would attempt "to come back ... with something we can all agree on." Most of the session was devoted to County Council president Paul Clark presenting Lavelle's committee with a draft of a version that he and Council attorney Carol Dulin had produced and Council agreed to in a resolution approved the evening before by an 11-to-two vote. Clark said his goal is to have the auditor be "a strong, independent but accountable official." He or she would work under the direction of a recently established audit committee.

While both Clark and Lavelle said they are interested in  the future role of the auditor position and not the controversy over the firing of former auditor Robert Hicks, they agreed that that history figures in. "When I took office one of the things I inherited was a very divided Council over auditing," Clark said. Lavelle noted that Hicks had uncovered a questionable professional relationship and violation of residency requirement during the Gordon administration. "He did a fantastic job but he was the first one to be let go," said John Flaherty of Common Cause of Delaware. (CLICK HERE to read previous Delaforum article.)

The General Assembly should be careful "if we go down the path of telling other governments how to operate," Representative Helene Keeley said. "What happens when the federal government starts telling us what to do?"

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TAKE IT AWAY: County Councilman John Cartier said he will sponsor a resolution to put Council on record opposing Du Pont Co.'s plan to cover, rather than remove, a large pile of toxic waste on a property near its Edgemoor plant. Richard Schneider, a Newark resident with interest in environmental affairs, told Council on Mar. 22 that the material poses a long-term threat to both groundwater and the nearby Delaware River. Several Council members said they will support the resolution. It is an historic rarity for a governmental body in Delaware to publicly oppose Du Pont interests.

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MONEY REQUESTED TO PAY FOR LAWSUITS: County Council has been asked to provide an additional $1 million to cover the costs of continuing litigation "dealing with employment and land use issues." A proposed ordinance which could be acted upon at Council's Apr. 12 session would transfer the money from the administration office and the police and special services departments. A fiscal note attached to the proposed legislation said the money is available "due to savings" by the units from which it will come. The note does not identify the lawsuits involved nor say to whom the money will be paid.

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RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES: Schools in the Brandywine district will not schedule "important happenings" on days that are recognized as major religious holidays. Presentation of a new procedure to the school board on Mar. 21 apparently ends a controversy touched off when district officials ordered the Mount Pleasant High band not to participate in an out-of-state competition which conflicted with the Jewish new year last September. The officials acted on a somewhat vague rule which had been long-standing, but was only sporadically enforced.

Assistant superintendent Tammy Davis told the board that only events arranged by entities outside the district which provide an opportunity that students would not have at another time during the academic year would be sanctioned.  She would have to approve participation at least a month in advance. In all cases, she said, teachers and administrators will be required to "exercise sensitivity and flexibility" in working around religious holidays. So far, only Jewish holydays are recognized observances, but appropriate authorities from other denominations can request similar status. (CLICK HERE to read previous Delaforum article.)

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POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS: Claymont Renaissance Development Corp. has identified the four development firms bidding to purchase the Brookview apartment complex. They are: Wilmington-based Commonwealth Group; Ingerman Group, of Cherry Hill, N.J.; Bozzuto Group, of Greenbelt, Md.; and Georgelas Group, of McLean, Va. Actual sale of the complex will be a private transaction decided upon by the Clark family, its present owner. Owners of commercial properties abutting the complex have also agreed to consider selling if the main deal pans out.

County Councilman Robert Weiner said the successful purchaser must agree to have the property included in the Claymont 'hometown' zoning area. It would be "encouraged" to assist first-time home buyers to purchase units, help relocate present residents who do not seek to buy a unit, and to include both 'affordable housing' and housing for seniors in the residential mix. Brookview is considered critical to successful redevelopment of the area. Weiner said also that county officials are working with state officials to keep the proposed $4.5 million Philadelphia Pike highway improvement project on schedule.

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BOARD CANDIDATE: Olivia Johnson-Harris, who is a part-time teacher in a church-run pre-school, agrees with the course the present Brandywine school board is taking. "I like what I'm seeing. It would be a privilege to work with these people," she said. Johnson-Harris, 47, of Dartmouth Woods, is a candidate to fill the board seat now held by Thomas Lapinski. who is not seeking re-election. Her two children, Chandra and Brandon, graduated from Concord High and she was president of both the Concord and Lancashire P.T.A.s. "I am an advocate for children," she said. (CLICK HERE to read previous Delaforum article.)

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GRADUATES WHO MADE GOOD: With the start of the Major League Baseball pre-season, fans are

	keeping their eyes on Johnny Damon of the champion Boston Red Sox and Carlos Beltran, recently acquired by the New York Mets. Those stars have something in common: They played for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. There are 75 former Rocks who made it to the majors since the minor league team was reborn in 1994. The Blue Rocks, now a Red Sox farm team, open the 2005 Carolina League season on Apr. 7.  (CLICK HERE to access a list of successful alumni provided by the Blue Rocks in response to a  request by Delaforum.)
Beltran		Damon

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