FENWICK ISLAND – A public hearing on proposed changes to Fenwick Island’s charter that would allow for properties held in trust to receive two votes and properties held in deed to receive four votes in municipal elections has been canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Councilwoman Julie Lee, chair of the town’s Ad Hoc Election Committee, said the decision to postpone the public hearing was a result of concerns the council voiced in a July town council meeting.
“We felt we needed to look at this because there were some questions and concerns the council expressed,” she said.
Officials voted 6-1 to approve a first reading on the proposed voting changes in the July council meeting, but not before a lengthy discussion on the council’s concerns.
While the proposed changes will not affect residents and artificial entities (LLCs, partnerships and corporations), the revisions would reinstate voting rights for trustees and their spouses.
Lee said trustees and their spouses were given the opportunity to vote in municipal elections prior to a 2008 charter change that has since classified trusts as an artificial entity, which is given one vote through a power of attorney.
The issue was not realized or debated until the town’s following contested election in 2015. Since then, the Ad Hoc Election Committee has worked to reach a compromise that would satisfy both residents and non-residents.
In addition to these revisions, the charter would also entitle no more than four property owners per property to vote.
Lee said council members expressed concerns about the proposed charter change in its current state and will take the time to review and discuss before moving forward.
Lee explained that the first reading could be amended before bringing it to a public hearing and second reading, or officials could rescind the first reading and begin again.
If the town council approves the charter change following a public hearing and second reading, the municipality must seek the support of its state representatives and approval from the Delaware State Assembly.
