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Wilmington City Council approves PFAS bond, extends downtown BID, and adopts employee leave, contract and charter measures
Summary
On June 18, 2026 the Wilmington City Council adopted an ordinance authorizing up to $30 million in bonds to fund PFAS-treatment equipment, extended the Downtown Business Improvement District to 2039, clarified paid parental leave policy, approved a one-year insurance brokerage agreement, and created a Charter Advisory Board with amended membership rules.
Wilmington City Council on June 18 adopted a package of ordinances and resolutions covering water infrastructure, downtown business operations, employee leave and governance reforms.
The council approved ordinance 26-039, authorizing the issuance of a general obligation bond for the PFAS Phase Four project (series B) "in an amount not to exceed $30 million," to be sold to the Delaware Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance PFAS-removal equipment at the city’s Porter water plant. Councilmember Farley described the bond as financing the installation and construction of treatment equipment; the measure passed in roll call after a recorded vote (nine yays, one nay, three absent).
Council also adopted ordinance 26-040 to extend the Wilmington Downtown Business Improvement District through Oct. 1, 2039. Sponsors said Downtown Visions — funded by fees from participating businesses — provides cleaning, safety outreach, facade improvement support and small-business assistance downtown; councilmembers clarified that the organization is mainly funded by participating businesses, not a direct city appropriation.
On labor policy, council adopted ordinance 26-041 clarifying the city’s paid parental and birthing-parent medical leave. The amendment makes eligibility clear for births, adoptions or foster placements occurring prior to Jan. 1, 2026 if the leave is taken within one year of the event. The item passed by roll call.
Council approved ordinance 26-016 authorizing a one-year agreement with USI Insurance Services LLC for property and casualty insurance brokerage services (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027), with the possibility of one-year renewals; the council recorded the adoption.
Separately, council approved ordinance 26-036 to create a Charter Advisory Board. A floor amendment revised the board’s composition language — removing some demographic categories and replacing them with professional-expertise categories (legal, municipal government, education, business, community) and adding a decennial charter review requirement. Councilmembers discussed the difficulty of advancing charter amendments in Dover and the practical need for lobbyist support to carry changes at the state level.
The council also approved resolutions to name facilities at Eden Park after local leaders and accepted multiple Parks & Recreation grant applications to fund summer meals and youth programs.
All ordinances and resolutions adopted June 18 will take effect according to their enacting clauses and applicable charter or code provisions; council did not announce additional immediate implementation timelines for the PFAS project or charter-reform lobbying strategy.
Vote tallies and procedural records were read into the minutes during roll calls for each item.
