March 26th, 2020 7:00pm
Questions for Legislators:
1. Schedule Sewer 2020 Maintenance
Councilman Sheldon:
To touch on the Sewer Maintenance questions, all crews are still working, although some are more understaffed currently. Some workers are being utilized in different ways to help carry out the County Executive’s orders, as well as Governor Carney’s orders.
Sewer maintenance will not be cancelled, however, there is a good chance that it could be postponed across the board. We apologize for any inconvenience that this causes.
2. Verizon 2020 Updates: Emailed Bonnie Metz 3.25.2020
Time Line for Verizon FiOS being installed/Xfinity- Comcast - internet fiber on utility poles installed will it be installed homes?
Also Xfinity Wifi hotspots not working?
Other Resources:
Today we reinforced our pledge to Keep Americans Connected and announced new support for our customers including:
waiving overage charges and late fees to support customers who may be financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis
waive two months internet and voice service charges for current Lifeline customers
provide a new affordable FiOS internet option for low-income households - 200/200Mbps service for $19.99 a month
add 15GB of high speed data for wireless consumer and small business customers to be automatically applied with no customer action necessary
continuing to provide first responders with priority and preemption abilities for voice and data
continuing no data caps for consumer and small business Fios and DSL broadband internet plans
3. Day Care Guidance:
Lack of Guidance
Who should have access to day care services?
What happens if there is a case of COVID-19 at a Daycare?
Response from Office of Early Learning:
Because all child care providers are permitted to stay open, no centers have been designated as emergency providers that only provide care to essential workers. That designation will be invoked if/when the state moves to require child care providers to close.
With that said, the Office of Early Learning is reaching out to providers to compile a list of those interested in serving as an emergency provider in the case that the state moves to close child care generally.
I also know there are some centers allowing temporary enrollment if a child’s usual daycare has decided to close already, but there’s no database/list for those offering that service.
Executive Order 38:
March 19th, 2020: Governor Carney signed Executive Order 38 that will help make sure Delawareans have access to child care over the long run, especially Delaware’s health care workers who we need on the front lines of our state's response.
Exec. Order #38 gives the Secretary of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families (DSCYF) the ability to suspend or modify provisions of the state’s childcare rules, regulations and statutes – as long as changes will not endanger the safety or welfare of a child.
Under the Executive Order, DSCYF may work with existing providers to designate emergency childcare sites for children of health care workers, emergency medical staff, law enforcement, and other essential personnel.
This change in regulatory process will last only as long as Governor Carney’s State of Emergency declaration remains in place.
Resources to Childcare Information:
According to Governor John Carney’s recent order on March 22, 2020, child care providers are considered essential businesses and are allowed to remain open. Governor Carney has made several recommendations for child care providers based on the Delaware Division of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
4. Suspension of Moratorium Courts Late Payment Fines: Emailed Evelyn Nestlerode 3.26.20
Updated 30 March 2020
While payments can still be made online, the Courts have
- suspended the active collection of payment for fees and fines,
- including the suspension of capias returns for failure to pay during the Judicial Emergency.
- File and payment centers are closed.
- No new capiases are being issued for failure to pay at this time, and
- JP Court indicated that persons with existing capiases may contact the court for those capiases to be cleared.
- DELJIS made programmatic changes late last week to suspend late notices and late fees for Voluntary Assessment Center obligations during the Judicial Emergency.
- I do not believe there are any other late fees.
I will let you know if I learn of any updates on this. Please let us know if you hear of any issues or have any further questions. Thank you again!
Evelyn Nestlerode
Deputy State Court Administrator, Fiscal Policy
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Renaissance Centre
405 N. King Street, Suite 507
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: 302-255-0465
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Dear Ms. Lantz,
Thank you for reaching out. The Delaware State Courts in consultation with the Department of Justice and the Office of Defense Services and other justice partners stopped issuing capiases for failure to pay approximately ten days ago. We also have ceased all collection efforts during the course of this emergency. We understand the impact this virus is having across our society and are sensitive to its particularly deleterious effects on low income families in Delaware.
We greatly appreciate your advocacy on behalf of the citizens of Delaware.
Best personal regards,
Gayle P. Lafferty, Esquire
State Court Administrator
State of Delaware
Administrative Office of the Courts
405 N. King St., Ste. 507
Wilmington, DE 19801
302-255-0088
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