To my Delaware City Friends and fellow Delawareans, we need your help! Please click the link below to send automated letters to the governor and your legislators to let them know HB355 should NOT be passed. This bill decreases transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in the management of the Fort DuPont Redevelopment and Preservation project. It affects not only Delaware City, but ALL DELAWARE TAX PAYERS. Below is a synopsis from fightdecorruption.com and the link to send the letters is attached. Please do not delay, we need your immediate help to stop HB355 and demand that the sale of protected parkland be reversed! Please share, especially in Delaware groups that you belong to! As always, thank you so much for your support! ~erica
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The Fort DuPont Corporation is in the midst of a leadership imbroglio with the resignation of both the Executive Director and the Board Chair. Valerie Longhurst and Nicole Poore have introduced their fourth Fort Corporation restructuring bill (HB 355) since 2014 with two of these bills introduced this session. On line 26, House Bill 355 states:
“The Fort DuPont Complex will remain a public destination, with its historic, natural, and recreational resources maintained for public enjoyment.”
This language was in the original enabling legislation and has remained in all four Fort DuPont bills sponsored by Majority Leader Longhurst and Senator Poore. The word “public” is repeated presumably to emphasize legislative intent.
Sadly, this statement no longer reflects reality. At the end of 2019, the 133-acre Grassdale parcel, representing about 40% of the Fort DuPont Complex, was sold to a Michigan based LLC for $5 million.
This illegal sale of protected Open Space land makes a mockery of House Bill 355’s commitment to a “public destination” maintained for “public enjoyment”. The two legislators sponsoring this bill have done nothing to protest, prevent, or reverse the Grassdale sale.
Instead, HB 355 reduces the Board to 13 members, providing the Governor with eight Board appointments and the General Assembly with five. This bill is a big step backward for local community input with the Delaware City Mayor and Council losing four Board appointments. In lieu of appointment by Delaware City officials, “local” representatives will be appointed by the Governor and General Assembly leaders.
Even worse, the Co-Chairs of the General Assembly Capital Improvement Committee (currently Nicole Poore and Debra Heffernan) will become members of the Fort Board which receives multi-million capital appropriations annually.
As Fort Board members, these ladies will request and oversee the expenditure of capital funds. As legislators, they will also appropriate the money for Fort DuPont. This would be a conflict of interest based on the recent addition of Senate Rule 17.
FightDECorruption.com is calling for a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation of corruption at FDRPC.
Click the link below to send an email to your legislative representatives and the Governor asking them to vote “No” on HB 355 and to pass a Joint Resolution voiding the Grassdale sale.