In a call to the City Manager's office just now, I was told that Newark residents will be seated first tonight before anyone else and that there will be extra parking available at Clayton Hall across New London Road.
Here's what I sent along earlier today to reporters in response to the email
Media et. al.
I don't know who will be covering this tonight but the story may well evolve into whether or not residents can even get a seat at an informational meeting set up for them to get questions answered about plans for a power plant in their back yard.
I just spoke with one person involved with the meeting who said the quality of the questions will be fine because the unions won't have questions. I said that was my point, the unions won't be there to ask questions and get answers. Their minds are made up and they would only be coming to fill the seats of Newarkers who really do want to find answers.
This is not a rally for jobs. This is a meeting to raise concerns about public health, water, air pollution and civil rights over zoning and land use and whether the University of Delaware intends on exerting an eminent domain override to keep their promise to this company. President Harker evidently told TDC this size and scale of power plant is an allowable use under the zoning, points embraced for Newark city management via their solicitor's opinion.
I am going to request that Baumbach - who is moderating - makes sure that the 3X5 cards being used for questions are distributed among anyone left standing outside the doors, if that is necessary. This is a redo of the Title V Refinery meeting where the press made it sound like enviros vs labor but I know for a fact that many, many of DE City residents couldn't get into that meeting.
Some people have told me we can always hold a second meeting. But a second meeting won't be helpful if a crowd of Newark residents are too discouraged to attend if they are blocked from attending tonight. On the other hand, if questions from anyone who is stuck outside are taken and brought inside, they can expect to get answers. This meeting is supposed to be video'd and put online and posted to the city Comcast TV station. And I expect media to do its job.
No one can say whether or not the construction trade unions will in fact come early and take up all the seats. But - I mean - this did happen in NCC when Capano's Odessa National was up for a vote in the Council chambers and the unions were let in to take every seat and Dave Carter and Chuck Mulholland and all of the SNCCA bus loads of residents were told by the fire marshal tough luck, no room, go home.
Hope to see some media there tonight.
Nancy Willing
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Jen Wallace To: info@paulbaumbach.com; paul.baumbach@state.de.us Sent: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 12:01 PMSubject: Fwd: Fwd: FW: TUESDAY NIGHT COMMUNITY MEETING!
Dear Rep. Baumbach,
I received this disturbing email today in regard to tonight's Public Information Session in Newark.
Excerpted from the email below:
I will be very disappointed if there are actual residents of Newark who are not be able to get in due to union members from outside of the City of Newark attending this meeting.
Jen Wallace
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, Sep 3, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Subject: FW: TUESDAY NIGHT COMMUNITY MEETING!
To: Longacre Andy, Martin Wilson, Kimoko Harris, Joseph FRANK, AFL-CIO, AFM Local 21, Alena Bandy, Andrew Slipp, Council 81, CWA Local # 13101, Debbie Armstrong, DSEU LOCAL # 1029, Ed Osienski, Fran Lally, "Gerrity, Chip", Harris McDowell, Harry Gravell, IBEW Local # 126, Jimmy Bradley, Jimmy Hummel, John Bolden, John Kowalko, John Maloney, Karen Valentine, Ken Cooper, Larry Hanley, Mike Begatto, Mike Harrington, Patrice Mears-Swift, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local # 74, Richard McDonaugh, Sheet Metal Workers Local # 19, "Simon, Paul", Smith Mark, UAW Local # 435, White Clarence, Woods Kenneth, Castagno Al, Diana Markowski, Donna Smits, Faith Morris, "Gerald L. Brady", James Maravelias, Jeff Hendrickson, Melvin Phillips, Mike Fisher, Robert Carl , Sam Lathem, Sheila Littleton, Timothy Finucan, William Ashe, adriana Lula Bohm, Angela Walker, Charles Potter, Christopher Bullock, "Clarence P. N. Selby", Deneen Beck, Diane Edwards, Dinah Russ, Evonne Murray, Ezra Temko, Gene Johnson, Greg Dale, James Johnson, James Johnson, Jerry Northington, John Johnson, Karen Stewart-Weldon, Kathleen Mac Rae, Kevin Fraizer, Latonya Friason-Jones, Linda and Frank Perkings, May Jarman, Michele Roberts, Paul Wilson, Phillip Williams, Rehertha Carmona, Rick Williams, Robert Dixon, Steve Crockett, steven messick, Wilson Williams, "Bernadette Williams, Bgboyle13, Bill Wauner, Carl Bickling, "Charles King, Jr.", Curtis Linton, Dan Crown, Dawnaca Washington, Deardra Wilson, Dudlek Henry, Eugene Hanks, Gregory Boston, Hakim Warren, James Spencer, James Thomas, John Bland, Kia Bell, Kyle Spence, Mack Logemann, Michael Cooper, Michael Hackendorn, Michael J Impagliazzpo, Preston Smith, Richard Smith, Rochelle Mills, Rodney Watts, Sally Chapman, Sandy Richards, Shadoewarrior, Thomas Hubbard, Cc: Brian McGlinchey
VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE READ BELOW
Gwen Miller
State Political Director
698 Old Baltimore Pike
Newark, DE 19702
302-283-1330 Office
302-283-1335 Fax
From: Brian McGlinchey
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 1:50 PM
AFL-CIO Embraces Proposed Data Center Project
The AFL-CIO expresses its full support for the proposed Data Center project on the old Chrysler plant property in Newark. This project will create good paying jobs – both construction and permanent – in an environmentally sustainable manner. It will also position Delaware as a leader in the IT field.
For months now, the AFL-CIO has been leading the effort to establish a jobs agenda that will bring good paying, high-tech jobs to Delaware. The Data Center wants to be in Delaware,wants to hire local union workers and wants to invest a $1 billion to build and operate this facility. In these economic times, it is critical that we stand to support this project!
In addition, the County and School District will both experience significant increase in revenue as a direct result of the union jobs created by the company.
TONIGHT - Tuesday evening, there will be an information session regarding the proposed Data Center project in Newark. We ask that any of our union members who live in Newark or the immediately surrounding area to attend an information session on Tuesday, September 3, 7:00PM at the George Wilson Center, 303 New London Road, in Newark and support this vital project by getting to the facility at 6 PM in full force. Dress is business casual.
Please take time out of your schedule to attend and pass this information on to our members in the City of Newark.
In case the unions don't already know:
TDC was interviewed on WDEL yesterday and stated that they need a 108 MW facility to run their data center (even though they want to build a power plant with 248 MW capacity).
Their award-winning design will REUSE a brownfield, RECLAIM thermal heat and RECYCLE C02 (by selling it off). They say gas power is clean and green.
TDC expects 5,000 initial construction jobs and then 290 full-time and 50 part-time jobs to run the center and power plant - average wage of 60K per year.
There's more from (Newark Post)'s Josh Shannon today ~ Meeting on power plant, data center set for tonight
The so-called “Wolf I Project” would bring 290 jobs to the 272-acre site on South College Avenue.
According to a grant proposal the company filed earlier this year, the gas-fired power plant will produce more energy than the fiber-optic data center needs, leaving some available to flow into the grid to be sold to the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation, a wholesale utility that powers Newark, New Castle, Middletown, Clayton, Smyrna, Dover, Milford, Lewes and Seaford.
However, the 248-megawatt power plant has faced significant opposition from nearby residents who fear additional pollution and other ramifications. Several have addressed city council at recent meetings.
So, TDC wants to compete with the city of Newark in the sale of excess energy capacity? Vance Funk once told me the UD STAR campus and tenants would be purchasing city utilities. Not So Much, eh Mayor?
~*~
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