Bethany to float funding for new water clarifier
Posted by Leslie Kopp & Christi Arndt on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 at 1:15pm
Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora
By unanimous vote, the Bethany Beach Town Council this week passed a resolution to announce the Town’s desire to borrow funds for a new clarifier for the water treatment plant. They will hold a public hearing to hear comment about that resolution at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17.
After the public hearing, there will be a second resolution offered, to determine whether there will be a special election held on the funding, in April or May.
Town Manager Cliff Graviet, at the Friday, Jan. 17, town council meeting, said the new clarifier will cost $3.9 million, paid over 20 years.
A clarifier, he explained, is a significant part of the Town’s water treatment process. Bethany Beach has deep aquafers that are not subject to the infiltration of chemicals, as some others are, but the water contains natural minerals, including iron, “in extraordinary quantities,” he said.
“So, we have to treat the iron, then let the iron settle, then pump the clear water into our system, and pump it into our storage areas and deliver it to our homes. Removal of the iron is done by a clarifier,” he said, describing the current clarifier — 56 feet wide and contained in a concrete circle — as more than 30 years old and in need of replacement.
Town officials investigated various systems to remove iron and decided it will be best to place two 40-foot clarifiers in the same footprint. The new clarifiers will be closed and protected.
Praise for town crews during snow
Councilman Mickey Hinman credited the Town’s Public Works Department for “the outstanding job they did removing the snow” and also recognized the work of emergency responders during the event.
“This stuff doesn’t hit you until you have an experience,” he said explaining that, on the night of the Jan. 6 snowstorm, he and his wife had invited neighbors for dinner, and one of them became ill and passed out.
“The police department, EMS, were literally there within minutes. These things don’t touch you until it happens to you. So, to see their professionalism and compassion was outstanding, and showing up during a snowstorm was just outstanding,” he said.
Graviet also thanked town workers, saying they might be “a little out of practice, since we only have snow events every two or three years,” but that they had prepared before the snow started falling and plowed 19 miles of streets. It took them two or three days to clear every street, he said, adding that the process was made more difficult by visitors to town who wanted to see the beach and ocean under the snowfall.
“Bethany Beach is a victim of its own popularity. There are so many people while it’s snowing coming to the beach, they couldn’t plow the horseshoe or sidewalks near the boardwalk. Hundreds of visitors want to come to the ocean and see the snow,” he said.
Using snowblowers would have damaged the surface of the boardwalk, he said, “So we hope people would wait until conditions are better to walk, instead of possibly slipping, when just a couple days of waiting will make the trip more safe for them,” he said.
“Stay safe this winter with all our snow and cold and let’s hope that spring comes soon,” Mayor Ron Calef said.
New rental tax
Graviet told the council that Delaware lawmakers, in the waning hours of the 2024 Delaware General Assembly, added 4.5 percent to the short-term rental tax, increasing it to 11.5 percent.
He said letters will be sent to Realtors and those who rent short-term, “advising them of that new rate. … We’ve already begun to hear some issues with that, but that was something the beach towns lobbied against, but we were unsuccessful in doing that this year,” he said.
Replying to a question from the council, Graviet said the State is responsible for collecting short-term rental taxes and keeps all proceeds.
Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Committee update
Hinman, co-chairman of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Committee, while presenting the committee’s monthly report to the council, said he and co-chairwoman Councilwoman Theresa Keil are fortunate “to have a great team.”
“Folks are energized. They have a lot of compassion to prevent pain and suffering in our neighborhoods,” he said, reviewing the committee’s focus for 2025 and saying a workshop is planned for March to accept further ideas for the safety of cyclists and walkers.
About 25 people attended a workshop in October and shared their perspectives, he said.
Keil said committee members hosted a “learning and sharing” meeting last year, attended by officials from neighboring towns, and another is planned for 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, “to see what we can do to work together.”
Cultural & Historical Affairs Committee report
Carole Calef, chairwoman of the Cultural & Historical Affair Committee, while presenting her report to the council, said that January is the planning month for members, who have begun exploring the possibility of a pop-up library.
She reported that there were 591 visitors to the Dinker-Irvin Museum in 2024. The museum is currently open only on Saturdays, and also for scheduled tours, she said.
The museum was an early-1900s home, as well as serving briefly as its post office, and offers “a glimpse of what life was like during the early days of the town.”
“It is one of the few remaining original cottages in Bethany Beach and the oldest public building in town,” according to the website at www.visitsoutherndelaware.com.
Town manager’s report
Graviet thanked the town staff for “doing a great job for all the holiday events.”
“Public Works participates and [Events Director] Julie Malewski does an almost flawless job with the events, and it’s a tribute to the great team that she has,” he said.
Graviet said a new crosswalk is planned for the north side of the intersection of Routes 1 and 26, to improve pedestrian safety, and there will be a new entrance at the southeast corner of the town park there.
A new flashing pedestrian beacon is also set to be installed near DiFebo’s restaurant on Route 26 as well as a new crosswalk with a concrete island — “a little sanctuary while you’re trying to cross Route 26 and another flashing beacon in that little island,” Graviet said, adding that it should be finished before summer.
Concerning the boardwalk, he said an old bulkhead there is starting to deteriorate, “so the earth and clay that it holds in are failing.” Engineers have assessed it and been asked to also assess the entire boardwalk, he said.
“We know we have an issue with the support joist, and that might have to be taken care of in the off-season. We are waiting for a report from the engineers and waiting for a reassessment of the value of the boardwalk,” he said, adding that it was valued at $8 million two decades ago.
“It will be interesting to see the cost to replace the boardwalk,” he said.
Procedure and protocol manual discussion next month
The council approved a motion to discuss the council’s procedure and protocol manual at the Friday, Feb. 21, town council meeting.
It had been on the agenda for the Jan. 17 meeting, but Councilman Jerry Morris told fellow council members it wasn’t ready for discussion. It has been reformatted and is “in the process,” he said, adding that he will have a report ready next month.
Committee guidelines accepted
The council unanimously accepted proposed changes to, and the final draft of, the Town’s guidelines on committees and its standing committees.
Councilman Patrick Sheplee said he had standardized the document and made it consistent with Councilman Rich McHugh’s suggested changes. Two committees that are no longer active were removed. The Board of Adjustment and the new Police Accountability Committee, or PAC, were added.
Sheplee said he reordered committees and put them in alphabetical order.
Three are mandated by the State — Planning & Zoning, the Board of Adjustment and the PAC.
The Town also has eight standing committees but currently has no ad hoc or special committees, Sheplee said. He thanked McHugh for his suggestions and others who helped, including former mayor Rosemary Hardiman.
Calef clarified that the PAC is State-mandated, with a specific structure that requires membership, including someone from the state’s police association, business community and clergy, as well as a citizen.
“It is a mandated and dictated committee, and we have actually come up with some great members on that committee,” he said.
Chairman of Audit Committee gets OK
Frank Myers was approved by the council on Jan. 17 as the chairman of the Audit Committee.
Calef said he is currently a member of the committee and “has tremendous experience in the audit field.”
Sheplee said Myers owns the house next to his and that he has gotten to know him.
“He is highly qualified. He has been on the Audit Committee and is more than qualified to lead that committee,” Sheplee said.
“I had a great discussion with him, and his résumé is outstanding,” Calef said.
Board of Adjustment appointment made
The council appointed Jonathan Johnson to the Board of Adjustment.
Calef said Johnson is a full-time resident and comes highly recommended.
He said he interviewed Johnson, and “We all agree Jonathan would be a great addition to the board,” Calef said.
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