Commissioner Director Desiderio's DRBA Statement - July 23, 2024

DRBA STATEMENT OF DIRECTOR

23 July, 2024

Last Tuesday, Commissioner Bobby Barr, County Administrator Kevin Lare, County Counsel Jeff Lindsay and I went to the DRBA Commissioners open public meeting in New Castle, Delaware. We went there for two reasons:

First, make it clear to the DRBA Commissioners that the County issued the Notice of Non-Renewal for the purpose of re-negotiating certain provisions of the lease agreement and that we've repeatedly tried to make that clear to them over the past two months - the County wants to continue our partnership with them under different terms. We further told them that despite our stated intent, that their response to the County to date has given the appearance that they were not interested in negotiating with the County. Yet, we were there in an effort to exhaust all efforts to do as we intended - to explore a renewal term with the DRBA upon different terms.

Second, we went there to ask them for a copy of the proposed lease agreement between the DRBA and the operator of the indoor sports complex since the County had no details about the terms of the lease, and to not approve the lease until the County had an opportunity to review it. We made clear that we supported the project in concept, but had no information about it. Once we started asking questions, we learned that none of the DRBA Commissioners had reviewed the proposed lease, had no knowledge of the project scope or lease terms, that a draft lease agreement was not even prepared yet, and that just the day before the facility had increased from 80,000sf to 120,000sf. One of the DRBA Commissioners agreed with the County's request, but the other 11 Commissioners voted to approve the lease at that meeting over the County's objection and despite no lease having been prepared yet.

In my view, the response we received from the DRBA Chairman, and their unwillingness to even let the County review a lease agreement for a project of this size and scope and that would extend beyond the term of the County's lease with the DRBA, was a clear indication that it has no desire continue a partnership with the County. I will be recommending to the Board that we begin exploring alternatives to a DRBA-operated airport.