Two Del Mar commissioners described a series of local efforts to improve municipal services, boost economic activity and increase resident engagement during a Bridging the Gap interview.

They said one of their priorities has been to shift town operations from reactive maintenance to planned upgrades. "We had to start a new [whiteboard]" for projects after filling the first one, a commissioner (Speaker 2) said, listing improvements such as better employee health insurance and recruiting to maintain a fully staffed police department. The commissioners credited a collective approach across departments for recent gains.

The officials highlighted specific infrastructure projects. A commissioner (Speaker 3) said the town recently completed a nearly $500,000 project at the water treatment plant, including new pumps, well repairs and use of a rented bypass system "so everything stayed flowing while we were doing all this stuff." They also cited a streetscape project on Pennsylvania Avenue, ongoing work at a community center and renovated basketball courts at Gordy Park.

On economic development, one commissioner (Speaker 3) described steps to encourage reuse of vacant storefronts without heavy-handed intervention on private property: targeted outreach to owners, assistance locating grants and incentives. "We, as a group, decided to reduce the hookup fees by 50% and then extend a helping hand and say, okay...we're gonna give you a year to pay those back," the commissioner said, describing a deferred-payback arrangement tied to a building permit for a new restaurant.

The town has also promoted community events to bring people into downtown. Officials said a farmers market, developed with help from Town Manager Jeff Fleetwood, has grown over two years and was a campaign priority. They described routine door-to-door outreach in neighborhood-level decisions; a commissioner (Speaker 3) said he personally knocked on about 13 nearby doors to gather neighbors' views before weighing in on a contentious property matter.

Panelists emphasized the role of longstanding local institutions and relationships in Del Mar's small-town character. One commissioner (Speaker 2) pointed to the community's railroad heritage and the local historical society's preservation work. To close, they encouraged young people to get involved in municipal government, noting visits by Salisbury University student groups and saying local offices are where civic engagement often begins.

The interview ended with a sign-off from the Bridging the Gap host.