Watching Mayor Williams Get Played By His Own “Take Credit for These Ideas” Strategy
I’ve been following the news from my Holiday Location and it is looking like Mayor Dennis Williams is being hung by his own “We’re Not Going to Let This Commission Take Credit for These Ideas” strategy in his effort to push back against having to live with the accountability (and potentially some consequences) that would come with a grant being provided by the Joint Finance Committee to help the City pay for foot patrols. You’ll recall that the Williams Administration’s response to the Wilmington Public Safety Strategies Commission report was to claim that they had already implemented most of the recommendations made — with the help of the VRN folks, not the Governor. There is wide skepticism about this claim that they’ve implemented most of those recommendations — especially from me — and the JFC looking to send the Police Foundation back into the WPD to check on progress is an excellent accountability measure. And if I am Mayor Dennis Williams with a re-election hanging in the balance because he is widely seen as utterly ineffective in managing the crime problem (in spite of campaign promises) — it would be Good News all the way around if one of the Commission’s consultants could say that progress is actually being made as promised.
Of course, the Williams Administration was more concerned about taking credit than in implementing any recommendations. Which is why Mayor Williams is now forced to push back on these accountability measures. He couches that in an argument about “home rule”, but that is remarkably weak tea from someone who not only has been ineffective at governing this city, but also ineffective at spinning any story that might help them. So now he finds himself smack in the middle of a bunch of spin that is being openly derided. Here’s the gist of the spin from his Facebook post today:
On December 2, 2015 a Joint Finance Committee meeting was held in Dover to discuss and approve a written request from AG Matt Denn to utilize $2 million dollars of settlement funds in order to provide additional policing patrols in the City of Wilmington and Dover. Roughly $1.5 million was said to be allocated for additional patrols for Wilmington. (Take note: I along with Chief Cummings were NEVER invited or made aware of this scheduled meeting until I was notified of it actually taking place. Immediately Chief Cummings traveled to Dover to attend.) The result of the meeting was the approved use of the funding along with JFC stipulations directing what Wilmington would need to do in order to receive the funding, as well as how funding would be allocated for use by State, County and Wilmington Police. The funding would be divided between the three agencies to pay for overtime for specific patrols. So out of the $1.5 million, Wilmington would be allocated roughly $450,000.00 which would be controlled by the DOJ. The JFC, utilizing info provided by the AG, then placed mandates that directed Wilmington to give total access to the public safety strategy Commision consultant, who was selected and paid for by the State. The consultant would provide reports to the JFC so that the JFC could then make recommendations to the General Assembly about amending code to restrict the City of Wilmington’s ability to operate its own Police Department. A department established in the City of Wilmington Charter and governed by the City Code.
As the Mayor of Wilmington and a past Representative of the State of Delaware, I recognize the multitude of issues involving the acceptance and use of this proposed funding and that is more than simply providing data. Funding that has already received criticism and faces litigation in reference to its original purpose and has caused an upset within State Government about its allocation outside of the budgetary process. These issues are also a cause of concern among government, community, business and religious leaders when considering the unfair demands placed on Wilmington in comparison to the City of Dover. As an elected official who has assumed the responsibility of maintaining our home rule and ability to govern, I have taken offense to the senseless and unfair stipulations placed on Wilmington. The City of Wilmington is not for sale! I am unwilling to accept the funding as currently proposed. I am open for continued discussions and as a City we are willing to accept assistance without the perceived threats against our independence.
We are also interested in proposals that would include assistance for organizations like Ceo Hope Academy which provides assistance to the children of our community or the enhancement of current Social Service programs for those in need. We are in need of assistance from the State to increase economic growth that helps us provide job opportunities in Wilmington. Careers that will provide families with stable incomes that will strengthen our communities. I need the State to address Education so that all of our children have an opportunity to be successful!
Got that? Apparently the State needs to provide money without strings (even though that money is under some litigation) and stop asking Wilmington to be accountable for the implementation of the WPSSC recommendations that Wilmington said they already did. And provide money for other stuff too. But in addition to the accountability that having the Police Foundation assess the WPD’s progress in implementing the report, there is this:
Lawmakers voted on a motion Wednesday that said budget lawmakers will later determine whether the committee “should recommend to the full General Assembly any changes to the City of Wilmington’s unilateral authority to oversee police operations within the City of Wilmington or such other measures as it deems appropriate.”
I haven’t told many people this, but shortly after the Commission delivered its report, I was visited at my home by about a dozen WPD officers — not one of them officers I know. They come to my house, ring the bell and then ask if I was the person on the WPSSC. When I confirmed who I was, every one of them asked me a version of this question:
“Do you think that the Governor could take over the Wilmington Police Department?”
A scary question from someone wearing the uniform. It is an even scarier question when asked by multiple officers. I told each of them that I did not know what the Governor’s authority in this case would be, but that I’d pass the question to his staff. Still, there seems to be some interest within the Department itself for much different leadership. Which means that there are those within the WPD who have joined much of the City’s business leadership, non-profit community and residents in wanting to see a change in the Mayor’s office.
Still, the best way to get new leadership is to vote for someone competent and with a great vision for what this city could be, rather than relying on the Governor or the GA to amend the City Charter.
Tags: Bamboozled!, Featured, Mayor Dennis Williams, WPSSC
So the city should give up its sovereignty for $450,000? Dover did not have these strings attached. Come on man!!!! Is $2 million worth giving up ones sovereignty? Should the State of Delaware give up its right to rule to the FEDS if the FEDS promised $30 Million? Questions deserve answers….Is that the American way or the Delaware Way?
They aren’t giving up any sovereignty. They do have to give up some data about claims they’ve already made. That’s called accountability. If the GA doesn’t like what it sees, they may try to change the Charter, but that’s pretty far down the road. Still, you can’t blame them — the GA has been getting alot of pressure about Wilmington’s crime issues. ALOT.
But then, why vote for someone who the GA doesn’t trust enough to run their own PD, much less spend taxpayer money effectively.
Cassandra = truth.
jahi–
The idiot mayor, who ran on a “law and order” platform, should get his police force in order and comply with the state’s requirements IF he wants state money. Otherwise, he can fuck off and deal with the city’s problems on his own. Is that clear enough, or do you need an interpreter?
Sorry for being a prick (not really) but Cassandra and I both attended many community meetings in WCC where Williams touted his “plans” and bragged about how he was going to lock up all the criminals, blah blah blah. This was during his campaign.
I attended only ONE meeting after Williams was elected. Cassandra was present at that meeting. I challenged Williams in front of his police command staff and a lot of WCC community people. He didn’t like that & attempted to belittle me. IMO, we both ended up looking bad, but he’s the guy getting paid by the taxpayers of Wilmington. I’m just a white guy from the suburbs who happened to give a shit about WCC at the time.
Mayor Dennis P. Williams is a fraud, and he’s been exposed as such. If I had my way, he and Tom Gordon would hang from the same rope.
The Mayor’s missive, shared in this blog, is clearly an attempt to bamboozle the citizens of Wilmington.
I have it on good authority that all of the police departments involved, including Wilmington signed off on the AG’s proposal for the use of funds ahead of the JFC meeting. And that Chief Cummings was in attendance and spoke at some length to the committee before it made its decision on the conditions for the money.
It is difficult to comprehend the Mayor stating that Wilmington will only get $450,000 of the $1.5 million. Um, hello all the money will be spent to cover overtime costs to patrol WILMINGTON. The staties aren’t using it to patrol Sussex County and NCCPD isn’t using it to patrol Middletown, it is all for WILMINGTON!
Let us hope that an extremely strong candidate for Mayor emerges in the crowded 2016 Democratic primary. Four more years of this Mayor is unacceptable.
Cassandra you are clearly wrong about the attempt of the State to take control of a municipality. This is a clear violation of the 9th, 10th and the 11th amendment of the Constitution. And just because other cities agreed to this doesn’t make it right…
http://perb.delaware.gov/pdfs/decisions/2015/985BIABdDecision-FOP1Wilm.pdf
The City is in violation of a Delaware PERB ruling in reference to a CBA arbitration ruling. The mayor’s relationship with his own PD is toxic.
Cassandra you are clearly wrong about the attempt of the State to take control of a municipality.
Uh, no. You are clearly drinking the Mayor’s bathwater. No one is trying to take control of the City. And if you would do some research on Delaware’s constitution, the GA is well within its rights to change a City Charter. They do that all of the time.
The Mayor needs to go and so does Bobby Cummings. I strongly think that some of the money needs to go towards training the officers we already have in Wilmington. Recently, a few pictures were taken of Wilmington police officers sleeping in their cars while suppose to be patrolling the areas. The Mayor can’t do his job because he is to comfortable and close to the WPD. IAnd Bobby Cummings definitely needs to go as well. Why? He has no idea what he is doing. The Mayor only shows his face when its election time. Bye bye to the Mayor and Chief Bobby Cummings.
Williams is another long list of democrat idiots who prey on minority needs yet do nothing but deliver failed policies
“Liberals don’t think” is another in a long line of conservative assholes who think they’re clever, proving that when they try to think it never works out well.
Wilmington has the second-largest police force per capita in the US yet can’t put more than 27 officers on the streets on the overnight shift.
Williams doesn’t want to release the data because it would show that the city has plenty of cops — on the day shift. This boils down to the cops, not the mayor, are running the police department. If it takes the state stepping in to fix this, I”m all for it.
When your kid is learning to drive, you forgive the first accident, but not the second or third. The only question becomes when do you take the car away?
Yes, Geezer. Exactly.
Interesting tidbit Geezer. Even with this administration’s track record of self-destructively going to the mat over stupid stuff (e.g. the mayor’s disastrous squandering of political capital coming out of the gate via his lawsuit against city council) I was beginning to suspect that they may be hiding something here and not just objecting on principle. One candidate in my mind had been the enormous cost of the Mayor’s personal security detail/chauffer and two vehicles for his personal use. With money being fungible, legislators probably want to know if they’re effectively funding that with state $$. But given the enormous power of the police union, your theory sounds equally plausible.
@LL: Every mayor of Wilmington has the same relationship. The police union is the problem, and that goes for the entire state, not just Wilmington. When’s the last time someone called for a review of the money shoveled at the state police?
Geezer, I don’t think you’re far off the mark on the power of police unions statewide–in fact I think it’s stronger in the GA than in Wilmington city government. But that raises the question of why the mayor wouldn’t want to share the data. If what you’re saying is true, who, exactly, do the police officers and putatively sympathetic mayor not want to see the deployment data? The WCC consultant?
It’s also interesting that Cassandra’s post suggests some in the WPD appear to want a state takeover, and/or the adoption of some of the WCC recommendations. Wouldn’t that necessarily come with sharing some of this deployment information with the governor?
Not dismissing what you’re saying, just asking questions cause I’ve never heard this before (i.e. about the day/night shift staffing numbers) and it would be striking if true (and a great place to start making some changes).
@Dan: I can’t figure it out myself. But then, I have never gotten over the shock of Williams admitting to the press, at the time of his first budget address, that he had no idea that the city’s annual budget was well under $200 million. He had thought it was more like $500 million — and had never bothered to actually look it up.
How can you hope to determine the motives of someone that clueless?
I scratch my head over why, exactly, the police union has any power in Wilmington. Not only did they embrace Williams (who proceeded to misbehave over contract negotiations), but they (in the main) don’t live in the city. They can’t vote for city government so why treat them as important to any coalition?