Fenwick Island Town Council election Saturday: Candidate questions and answers
Fenwick Island, the tiny beach town in the southeasternmost corner of Sussex County, will hold an election Saturday.
There are four council seats available, each for a two-year term. Incumbent Mayor Natalie Magdeburger and Town Councilwomen Jacqueline Napolitano and Janice Bortner face challengers Kurt Zanelotti, Kristina Clark, Bernie Merritt and John Gary Burch. Councilman Paul Breger did not file for reelection.
Residents and nonresident property owners can vote at Town Hall, at 800 Coastal Highway, from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Fenwick Island, with its population of about 400, has made news recently due to the Town Council's decision not to renew Police Chief John Devlin's contract. Read more about it here.
We asked the candidates to share information about their background, why they are running and three top issues they plan to address if elected.
Natalie Magdeburger
Age: 60
What is your career/work background?
Attorney (semi-retired; of Counsel to PK Law, Towson, MD)
Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
Top 100 Women in Maryland, 2006 and 2014
Named Best Lawyers in America, Baltimore Area “Lawyer of the Year”, 2014 and 2019
Selected to Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice—Defendants 2009-2022
Selected for Super Lawyers, 2007-2022
Why are you running for town council?
As a second-generation Fenwick Islander, I ran for Town Council two years ago on the platform of “Vote to Protect Fenwick”. Since the campaign of 2021, I have had the honor to serve on Council and as Fenwick Island’s Mayor. For a list of what we accomplished in the last two years, please see: www.votetoprotectFenwick.com.
Developers and their investors have sought to change our community character by seeking outdoor bars, shuttles and changes in our ordinances that benefit them financially but jeopardize our uncrowded beaches and quiet family-centered atmosphere.
I promised two years ago and renew my pledge today that I will continue to safeguard and promote the quiet family-friendly community that makes Fenwick so unique and cherished. I will also continue to advocate FOR Fenwick to find solutions to issues that challenge our future including seeking a moratorium on windfarms, planning for resiliency to combat bayside flooding, enhancing Route 1 safety with engineering, education and enforcement strategies, obtaining sidewalks throughout the remainder of Town and completing the dredging of the Fenwick Island channels. I will also pledge to continue to try and encourage public participation in our Town’s government by encouraging residents to devote their time, energy and viewpoints on our Town’s committees, timely updates on Town actions such as the “Messages from the Mayor” and hosting community-wide “come together” events.
We got a lot done in the last two years and I hope to continue to serve Fenwick so that the next generation of Fenwick Islanders will have the ability to experience the same joy and peace that Fenwick has brought to me and my family.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
Coastal Highway safety and completing the dredging of the Fenwick Island channels are the biggest two issues in the near-term while bayside flooding and resiliency planning against sea level rise is our greatest risk over the long term.
As to Route 1 safety, the methods that I will seek to address the safety concerns include engineering, education and enforcement strategies. From the engineering side, we will seek to “re-imagine” our Route 1 corridor by collaborating with DelDOT to bring needed sidewalks to the rest of Fenwick, median changes that will highlight we are a neighborhood and not just a highway as well as safety enhancements for our crosswalks. On the education and enforcement side, we will seek strategies to educate drivers to slow down as well as to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalks as well as visible enforcement of our traffic laws to ensure that they do so.
Dredging the Fenwick Island channels has been a project that the Town has studied for many years. In the last two years, the Dredging Committee has undertaken the necessary testing and archeological surveys and has filed with the appropriate regulatory agencies to obtain the permits required. We have also secured $1 Million dollars in funding to pay for the project. With the blessing of the agencies responsible for approval, we hope to complete the dredging project by April 2024.
Bayside flooding has been worsening in our bayside community for a number of years. Since taking office, we have installed all the back-flow prevention valves and have purchased a camera to undertake scheduled surveillance as well as to respond to concerns as they occur. While these measures will not prevent coastal flooding, they will help, in the short term, to mitigate the effects. Long-term resiliency planning began with this Council when we commissioned a Resiliency Study by engineering firm, AECOM, paid for by grant. With the engineering study and recommendations in hand, we are educating the residents about the results of the study and seeking input on what strategies to deploy. We will also look at what funding options will be available to us through state and federal grants. We have a listening session on Resiliency Planning scheduled for August 31st and we will continue to have robust discussions to find the right solutions for Fenwick. Our goal is to ensure “managed retreat” is not an option and that our bayside homes and businesses are resilient against flooding and projected sea level rise.
For more information about issues facing Fenwick in the coming decade and our plans for addressing them, please review the 2023 Comprehensive Plan which we just completed.
More: Delaware beach replenishment complete, over 1 million cubic yards of sand dredged
Jacqueline Napolitano
Age: 62
What is your career/work background?
Commercial property owner and manager, leasing and maintaining the operations of a 10,000 square foot commercial building. In addition, I have been a licensed dental hygienist for over 40 years.
Background and Experience: Bowie High School, 1978.
Prince George’s Community College, General Studies, 1980
Baltimore Community College, School of Dental Hygiene, 1982
Business owner for over 20 years-Commercial Leasing and Property management
President of Commercial HOA for over 10 years-overseeing operations & management of commercial building
Registered Dental Hygienist
Community Involvement: Volunteer Photographer for Surfers Healing for Autistic Children; Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding for Disabled people
Why are you running for town council?
I am running for town council because I would like to continue to protect Fenwick and preserve the small, quaint town character that we all know and love.
I do not believe that outdoor bars and shuttles fit with the character of our town. As a business owner myself, I appreciate and support all our Fenwick businesses and would like to welcome new businesses into our town provided we can do so in a manner that fits with our small-town feel and ordinances.
In addition, much of my personal efforts while serving on Town Council have focused on organizing events that bring our Town together such as the Fenwick Freeze and the Town Bonfire as well as beach enhancements. I would like to continue that work to help foster the community spirit which makes Fenwick so special.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
The top three issues I would like to address in our town are safety concerns along Route 1, flooding and resiliency on our bayside and dredging of our Fenwick channels.
We have been working on making changes to enhance the safety of Route 1 with an emphasis on enforcing speed and crosswalk laws. We recently welcomed our new Chief of Police, Mike Morrissey, who has extensive background and experience in highway safety measures and I believe he will bring innovative ideas that will help support our goal to improve Route 1 safety. In addition, we approved a new Comprehensive Plan that highlights engineering changes to Route 1 that we will pursue to help make Fenwick safer for our residents and guests.
Flooding and resiliency to sea level rise is both an immediate and long-term process. To help mitigate the immediate issues, we have placed all the backflow preventer valves and have developed a maintenance/surveillance system to ensure that the pipes remain open. We also commissioned an engineering study with updated mapping of Fenwick Island to provide recommendations on how to manage flooding and sea level rise projected in the future. We will collaborate with the residents and appropriate agencies to develop a plan that works for all of us. No doubt, resiliency planning will be a process but we have extensive in-house expertise on our side and I believe that we will be able to develop a long-term solution that will help Fenwick be resilient to sea level rise changes expected in the future.
Dredging our Fenwick channels, like the sidewalks, has been a vision for Fenwick for a number of years. Our Dredging Committee has made great strides in making that vision a reality by completing all the testing and surveys necessary and filing for permit approval with the necessary agencies. If approved, this project is expected to be done in the 2024 dredging window and funding has been set aside to pay for the costs. I have no doubt that the boaters on our bayside will welcome deeper channels to operate their boats.
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Janice Bortner
Age: 71
What is your career/work background?
Owned a small business for 28 years
Organized a volunteer program in Baltimore City schools that created libraries, gardens, and enrichment programs for at risk students.
Led a grassroots effort that successfully stopped Orsted from using the wetlands of Fenwick State Park for an electrical interconnection facility for their proposed wind farm.
Elected to Town Council in 2021.
Served as Chairperson of the Residential Concerns Committee advocating for the ideas and concerns of the residents.
Member of the Budget and Finance Committee for two years and the Business Concerns Committee for one year.
Why are you running for town council?
I'm running for a second term for Fenwick Island Town Council to continue the work we have accomplished to protect the Quiet Family Oriented community we love.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
Just as it was a pressing issue two years ago, Fenwick needs to be vigilant about protecting and preserving our unique culture and character against developers and investors who want to have Fenwick as a venue for the rapidly expanding commercial and residential development along the Route 54 corridor. This will create a burden on the Fenwick community with increasing costs to taxpayers for the amenities, added police force for safety and more public works employees to maintain services and infrastructure, ultimately our taxes will have to increase to provide these services to nonresidents.
Another pressing priority for the Fenwick Island community is coastal flooding. I have faith in our dedicated volunteers and professional consultants who are actively addressing this problem. I will support their efforts.
Safety on the Route 1 corridor through the town is another priority. I know the current Council is taking measures to mitigate speeding and working with DELDOT to enhance safety measures for pedestrians. I will support their efforts with innovative suggestions and input from citizens.
I plan to continue to protect the Heritage and Values that make Fenwick Island a treasured Coastal Community.
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Kristina Clark
Age: 44
What is your career/work background?
Throughout the years, I have actively engaged in serving the community. As the former PTO President at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville and a member of an HOA committee during our time there, I gained valuable experience in addressing community needs and collaborating with diverse groups of people. In addition, I worked with the school board to pass a referendum in 2017. In 2020, I embarked on a new venture and founded my own appraisal firm, Clark Advisory Group LLC. This is after working in the appraisal industry for 16 years working with Valucentric/Trice Group LLC in Salisbury, MD. In addition, I have the highest designation one can obtain through the Appraisal Institute as an MAI appraiser. Moreover, I have been involved with the Delaware Chapter of the Appraisal Institute as a Board of Director and will soon be taking on the role of Secretary.
Why are you running for town council?
It saddens me to see the negative publicity our current Town Council has brought upon us. It seems that personal interests have overshadowed the best interests of the entire community. The excessive number of lawsuits stemming from the initiatives brought by the current Council, despite opposition expressed by residents in town meetings, has driven up our legal expenses. This is neither sustainable nor conducive to a productive and harmonious community.
I am driven by the desire to bring a fresh, new perspective to the challenges our town faces. If elected, I will advocate for the interests of residents and work tirelessly to represent them in decision-making processes.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
I would like to explore the perceived parking issues in Town, by surveying local residents and businesses directly affected by the parking situations. Document their concerns and any examples they provide. It may also be beneficial to observe parking patterns during different times of day and week. In addition, study any existing laws or policies on public parking.
I will look into Bayside flooding issues and contact any State, Federal or County departments that support this issue.
In addition, I would like there to be no more secretive, nighttime disturbances at the police station. This can be done by talking to the new Chief of Police about policies, ordinances and changing the secure locked areas to a code that no one else knows.
With your support, we can tackle the parking problems, curb unnecessary lawsuits, and restore Fenwick Island's positive reputation. Let us work together to create a brighter future for our town, where residents and businesses thrive side by side.
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Jim Simpson
Age: A young 71
What is your career/work background?
Owned a retail business for 20 years. Real estate sales and investment.
Why are you running for town council?
Create a positive atmosphere and a spirit of cooperation between the town council and the community. The present council has been adversarial in its approach to conducting town affairs and hides behind procedural maneuvers to keep their actions out of sight. Most importantly, bring a positive vision and image to the town instead of the current dysfunction and never-ending turmoil. The $500,000 budget deficit incurred by the current council is the elephant in the room that no one is talking about and is actively being glossed over by the council. We’re all in this together and we deserve better than what we have. Chaos and turmoil begets more chaos and turmoil.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
Bayside flooding.Bayside flooding.Bayside flooding.
Bayside flooding needs to be moved the top of the list of priorities. All stakeholders need to be engaged and fully informed of where we are as to remedies. Since the current council assumed the reins, there has been no progress and several setbacks all consequences as to their own actions. No information has been forthcoming to any viable solutions. The flooding is not just a Fenwick Island issue. Flooding is now occurring inland as well. The council should be constantly lobbying county, state, and federal offices. Build coalitions with other communities. There is strength in numbers, and we need to leverage that strength. No more emails and pronouncements about achievements when all we have is inaction.
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Bernie Merritt
Age: 64
What is your career/work background?
Founder/Partner of a National Public Affairs Company since 1994.
Why are you running for Town Council?
I decided to return to the council after serving from 2016-21 because the existing Council seems to have lost their way. Their continuous interest in pushing a punitive agenda and passing ordinances that are in the self-interest of a small minority has given the people of Fenwick concern about the direction of our town. The last two years there has been a Neighbor vs Neighbor mentality. People want our elected officials to make logical and reasonable decisions and not look for problems where there are none. It’s critical to build back a sense of Community in our town and have residents work together to bring real progress back to Fenwick. People are tired of the cloud of Turmoil sitting over Fenwick.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
Bayside Flooding: This is not just a Fenwick issue but an issue that needs to be worked on with all the Coastal Towns. When residents can’t get out of their driveway because of flooding it needs to become a serious priority. We need to continue to work with all the government stakeholders on the local, state, and federal level. We need to continue to work with the Association of Coastal Towns and have a loud voice in solving the problem. It’s critical this becomes a top priority.
Dredging: Prior to leaving Council I started and Chaired the Dredging Committee. We need to continue to move this on a fast track working with our local partner and DNREC. People have been waiting for this to start way too long. We need to prioritize and move it faster.
Town Aesthetics: Our commercial district needs a face lift. We need to work with the residents and our businesses to have the commercial district aesthetics improved. There are several things that can be done such as updating the fronts of the buildings, improving our medians, and providing a more user-friendly atmosphere.
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John Gary Burch
Age: 72
What is your career/work background?
Career/Background: SVP Mid-Atlantic Builder Division – 42 Years as a Mortgage Banker
Why are you running for town council?
I have been a property owner since Nov. 1993 and recently my wife Tracey and I became Full Time residents in Fenwick. It appears, that the current council is forgetting the importance of our businesses and what they bring to our town. No one wants another “Dewey” here in Fenwick! We just want to able to enjoy our restaurants and shops as well as our beaches. We want to be able to walk our streets safely. We need to look at all options in mitigating the Flooding from the Bay. We need to come together and get our job done without all the controversy and drama within the council, so we can keep Fenwick a place we can call home for our families.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
1) Pedestrian safety thru the crosswalks as well as Bicyclists safety. This is paramount and needs to be addressed much sooner than later. As well as Speed control on SR1 thru Fenwick – Action plan – I would collaborate with DelDot and listen to their recommendations for traffic calming measures at all cross walks and have each cross walk well identified with Striping and lights to slow down traffic for pedestrians to cross safely. This would be in line with the 2023 (Draft) Comprehensive Plan.
2) Tidal Flooding on our Bay Side – this is a major issue – we need to investigate every option to try to figure out this issue. It appears it will only get worse over time. We would need to bring in the Army Corp and have other experts to see what would be the best options to deal with the Flooding. We would explore all options to see what State and Federal funding opportunities are available to help fund what we would need to mitigate.
3) Bring Back the openness and willingness to work with All residents as well as our business partners and create a collective POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND POSITIVE VISION TO WORK TOGETHER for solutions. Action would be to sit down with everyone and listen to all opinions. Bottom line is to work together to get to a common solution that works for everyone.
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Kurt Zanelotti
Age: 65.
What is your career/work background?
I started my career working for a political media consulting company on Capital Hill and in 1986 transitioned into our family commercial flooring business that operated in the Washington-Baltimore corridor. In 1995 I became the President and CEO and built the business into one of the largest floor covering companies in the area with the help of some great employees. We sold the company in 2021 and I have been involved in several other business ventures in the ensuing years. As someone involved in successfully running business enterprises I am a fiscal conservative I know how to wisely utilize capital.
Why are you running for town council?
I am running for the Fenwick Town Council to continue the positive work that the current council has accomplished. One of the council members decided to move from Fenwick which created an opening. I was honored to be asked to consider running for his position on the incumbent's slate of Bortner, Magdeburger, and Napolitano.
What are the top three issues you hope to address as a town council member and how will you address them?
The top issues that will confront the new council will be the town's resiliency issue (flooding). The second issue we face is keeping and maintaining our character as a family friendly community through good zoning and land use. Every Fenwick resident chose to live here because we love the small town atmosphere and we need to maintain what we have while planning for the future. And last, but certainly not least, we need to focus on pedestrian and traffic safety. We accommodate many residents and guests in the summer months and crossing Coastal Highway has become harrowing. We need to actively engage our law enforcement efforts to protect our citizenry and we have a new chief of police to help us in this effort.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Council election Saturday in Fenwick Island. Here are the candidates.
