Sports
Fun
Lights
Indians reflect on championship
Bethany lights up the boardwalk
Ocean View offers holiday spirit
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DECEMBER 13, 2024
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 21, Issue 50
FREE
ACT members to vote on organization’s future By Mike Smith Staff Reporter After a ruling by Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings this year that the Association of Coastal Towns (ACT) had been acting as a governmental entity of its member town juris-
County council votes against lodging tax
dictions, and was thus subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and compliance, ACT is potentially planning to disband on Dec. 31 this year. ACT would return any unused funds or member dues to the member municipalities, and, in fact, representatives said
this week that the group will have reimbursed all local funds as of Dec. 13. ACT members are expected to vote on Friday, Dec. 13, to either disband and re-group as a 501 organization under the federal tax code, or to limit its work to informal coastal towns planning.
“The published ACT notice states that the members of ACT will ‘consider’ dissolving the current organization and re-forming as a more formal organization,” said former ACT chair and for-
See ACT page 4
Full steam ahead
By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter After hearing opposition from several residents during a public hearing, the Sussex County Council, 3-2, voted not to impose a 3 percent lodging tax on short-term rentals in unincorporated areas of the county. Proceeds from the county’s lodging tax are earmarked for beach renourishment, dredging and related projects. Councilman Mark Schaeffer moved to defer action on the issue at the Tuesday, Dec. 10, council meeting. His motion was not seconded. Council President Mike Vincent moved to pass the tax, which would have been in addition to a 4.5-percent state lodging tax, but the motion failed, with Schaeffer, Councilwoman Cynthia Green — who said it would have a detrimental impact on the county — and Councilman John Reiley opposed. Vincent and Councilman Doug Hudson voted in favor. “I am voting no for two reasons,” Reiley said. “We already charge tax on property, which I have always felt, there must be better way to raise funds for See COUNTY page 3
Coastal Point • Susan Lyons
The Trimper Rides ‘Polar Express’ float carried a familiar face at the helm during the Selbyville Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 6.
Millville approves final site plans for new Melissa’s By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter The Millville Town Council this week approved final site plans for a new restaurant building for Melissa’s on Route 26. The restaurant has been housed in an
80-year-old former gas station at 35507 Atlantic Avenue, and that building has already been torn down. Its brick exterior and the building’s roof were not in good shape prior to demolition, so the decision was made to tear it down rather than add on, according to Ray Blakeney of Plitko Engineering.
“What we are proposing to do is replace the restaurant with a larger restaurant that’s in better shape than what was there,” Blakeney said. The new restaurant will feature a larger outdoor seating area as well, he said. Blakeney also referred to a “concept
plan” the owners, Atlantic Holdings, had presented to the Town for the entire site, which includes a “small hotel building” on the 4.3-acre site. That plan, he said, “is ongoing,” but because the owner of the restaurant, Melissa Hekl, See MILLVILLE page 4