‘A band-aid on a broken leg’: Residents speak out on Dover’s proposed anti-dawdling law – The News Journal
Headlines November 9, 2021
Here are some of the top stories we’re following for Tuesday, November 9, 2021.
Damian Giletto, Wochit
All that Dover resident David Wilson wanted to do was “tell (his) part.”
He waited for hours to speak publicly about an anti-dawdling ordinance that the death of his daughter, 27-year-old Uniqua Caldwell, was said to have inspired. Caldwell was shot and killed in a parking lot off of Loocke…….
Headlines November 9, 2021
Here are some of the top stories we’re following for Tuesday, November 9, 2021.
Damian Giletto, Wochit
All that Dover resident David Wilson wanted to do was “tell (his) part.”
He waited for hours to speak publicly about an anti-dawdling ordinance that the death of his daughter, 27-year-old Uniqua Caldwell, was said to have inspired. Caldwell was shot and killed in a parking lot off of Loockerman St. last year – an incident which, according to ordinance proposer David Anderson, an anti-dawdling law could have prevented.
Wilson disagrees, both with Anderson’s assessment and the ordinance proposed. He also denied the “personal” conversation that Anderson claims he and Wilson had about Caldwell’s death, saying that the two of them never exchanged more than a few words.
“If (Wilson) doesn’t remember one part of the conversation with the stress he was under at that time two years ago, I don’t fault him for that,” Anderson said. “I remember it because of how it affected me.”
Wilson was not the only one to criticize the proposed law, which would make it a civil violation to loiter in Dover. Other community members came to city hall Monday night to speak out against the ordinance, including Central Delaware NAACP President Fleur McKendell.
Despite the public turnout, Anderson opposed allowing public discussion of the ordinance during the meeting. He said he is waiting for legal advice from outside sources on how to improve the ordinance, and said that having a public discussion prior to receiving that advice would not be “appropriate.”
More about the ordinance: Dawdling in Dover? Not anymore, if this ordinance passes. Why city officials don’t agree
Andre Boggerty, councilman at-large, challenged Anderson, saying the council orders to hold off on public comment were “mere semantics.”
“We have our public here now,” Boggerty said. “If there’s nothing to hide, why can’t we hear it tonight?”
The council also proposed moving discussion of the ordinance up on the agenda so that attendees wouldn’t have to wait so long. Anderson voted against the schedule change, as well as the allowance of public comment.
“(Anderson) did not want to address it,” activist Lachelle Paul said. “You have …….
