Schwartzkopf names Cape Henlopen Senior Center a “Priority” Senior Center

Schwartzkopf names Cape Henlopen Senior Center a “Priority” Senior Center

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The Delaware Speaker of the House says that a low performing Senior Center in Lewes is failing, and the way to fix it is to make the board reapply for their jobs – and to replace the center's membership with seniors who are not such pains in the ass. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf says it’s necessary for board members to reapply for their jobs, and for the membership to turn over to ensure that every Senior Center member has the commitment to "not calling his office over this bullshit." "These Seniors are just a huge pains in the ass," Pete Schwartzkopf said. "I envision a Charter Senior Center that can select the best Seniors from this area to come here and play cards or do whatever it is they do." The center's board faces the cancellation of its liability insurance at the end of the month and a looming threat from the state to withhold the center’s quarterly grant-in-aid check unless significant changes are made. For more than two hours, Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, entertained questions from the 60 members in attendance and laid bare the severity of the situation facing the Rehoboth Beach center and the center’s board. The board’s actions haven’t yet driven the center off the cliff, but it’s getting close, Schwartzkopf said, pushing a piece of paper to the edge of a table as he spoke. While most of the information wasn’t new to the people in attendance, some found their complaints validated when the speaker of the House went through the center’s by-laws one by one, pointing out how, in his view, the board is violating the by-laws now or has violated them in the recent past. The by-laws are not there as a suggestion, said Schwartzkopf. They’re there to be followed, he said. [Note: this is tagged as satire, but whoever reads tags? Not me. When liability insurance is mentioned, it becomes a straight pickup from this Chris Flood story in the Cape Gazette.]
Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015

Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015

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The 148th General Assembly convenes today for its first regular session.  Six new legislators, R Rep. Richard Collins (41st),  R Rep. Kevin Hensley (9th), D Rep. Sean Lynn (31st), D Rep. Sean Matthews (10th), R Rep. Lyndon Yearick, and R Senator Bryant Richardson, respectively replace D Rep. John Atkins (defeated in general election), D Rep. Rebecca Walker (retired), D Rep. Darryl Scott (retired), D Rep. Dennis E. Williams (defeated in primary), R Rep. Don Blakey (defeated in primary), and Sen. Bob Venables (defeated in general election).  The Senate goes from 13 D's and 8 R's to 12 D's and 9 R's.  The House goes from 27 D's and 14 R's to 25 D's and 16 R's. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR NEWBIES The Delaware State Senate has 21 members. The President Pro-Tempore leads the Senate, although the Lieutenant Governor often, but not always, presides over the senate sessions as a non-voting member (That, of course, will not happen this session as there is no Lieutenant Governor now that Matt Denn has become the State's Attorney General). Here is a list of the Senate members.  Here is a list of Senate committee assignments. The House of Representatives has 41 members, currently 25 D’s, 16 R’s. The Speaker of the House presides over the body. You can find the House membership here.  Here is a list of House committee assignments. The General Assembly is in session from the second Tuesday in January through June 30 each year. Three days a week–Tuesday through Thursday. The Senate often returns for a special session in the fall to consider nominations. The General Assembly breaks for six weeks at the end of January for Joint Finance Committee (budget) hearings and meetings. There is another 2-week break around Easter, and an additional week’s break around Memorial Day.  The Memorial Day break often enables the ‘money’ committees to finish work on marking up the budget.The typical General Assembly meets in session about 50 days a year. Come inside for so much more....