August 16, 2007

Page 1

VOL. 12 NO. 3

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2007

50 cents

CELEBRATING COMMUNITY - AFRAM Festival shows off pride in history, heritage. Page 2

CELEBRATING 95 YEARS - Family and friends recently gathered at an old area store to honor a Bethel resident. See story page 4

BETTER DAYS AHEAD - Public works supervisor promises that inconvenience caused by road construction will be worth it. Page 14 PRESERVING HISTORY - County has new preservation planner, someone who is excited about Sussex County’s long history. Page 15 WAWA OPENS - Ribbon cutting ceremony include sub making contest. Page 16. STAR SUMMER SCRAPBOOK - The Laurel Star summer scrapbook continues on page 43 in this week’s edition. Next week the Star will feature a Senior League World Series scrapbook.

INSIDE THE STAR © Business . . . . . . . . .6 Bulletin Board . . . .20 Church . . . . . . . . . .24 Classifieds . . . . . . .32 Education . . . . . . . .10 Entertainment . . . .28 Frank Calio . . . . . .47 Gourmet . . . . . . . . .50 Health . . . . . . . . . . .30 Letters . . . . . . . . . .39 Looking Back . . . .17 Lynn Parks . . . . . . .17 Meet Volunteers . . .8

Mike Barton . . . . . .53 Movies . . . . . . . . . . .7 Obituaries . . . . . . .26 On the Record . . . .23 Opinion . . . . . . . . .54 Pat Murphy . . . . . .51 People . . . . . . . . . .18 Police . . . . . . . . . . .38 Socials . . . . . . . . . .53 Sports . . . . . . . . . . .41 Tides/Weather . . . .55 Todd Crofford . . . .25 Tommy Young . . . .44 Tony Windsor . . . .48

THIRD IN THE WORLD - Members of the Laurel Senior League softball team surround their third-place trophy following Saturday’s win over USA West. Front, from left - Melissa Trout and Brooke Evans. Second row - Jenna Allen, Courtney Evans, Ashlee Brittingham, Meagan Colston, Brittney Brittingham, Alyssa Martin and Jenna Cahall. Back - coach Robert Trout, Stephanie Wheatley, coach Rodney Hearne, Alexis and Kelsey Oliphant, Yasmin Davis, manager Jeff Evans and Taylor Oliphant. Photo submitted by the Laurel Little League. See story page 41

Second batch of applications could result in town manager By Tony E. Windsor The town of Laurel could be getting closer to hiring a new town manager. Mayor John Shwed said the town has 16 applications for the position and the council is working to narrow the field and start the interview process. Laurel has been without a town manager since Glenn Steckman left in early 2006 to take a job as town manager in Tiverton, R.I. At the time of his resignation, Steckman expressed concerns about what he called “micromanagement” by Shwed and by members of the town council. All of the people who were on the council when Steckman left in 2006 are still on the

council. In an interview in December 2005, Steckman expressed concern that some members of the town government did not necessarily subscribe to Laurel’s town manager form of government, something he said was developed as a way to isolate daily operations from the divisive influence of politics. “The charter of Laurel is developed with a strong town manager type of government and I think this was done to allow operations to rise above the influence of politics,” he said. Steckman added that some members of the Laurel government were “interested in micromanagement of town operations.”

“I think there are members of the mayor and council who would seek to see Laurel become a commissionertype of government where elected officials have an active role in day to day operations.,” he added. “However, that is not the way the charter of Laurel is established. I think sometimes the level of confidence that is shown me is at issue.” After Steckman’s resignation, Shwed developed a process by which all management divisions of the town work in tandem and report to him in what he calls a “progressive management” type of operation. Perhaps Shwed’s actions could be Continued on page 5


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