Mayor Mike Purzycki today announced the membership of a working group that will help guide Wilmington’s future approach to the use of electric vehicles and the need of owners to charge those vehicles. The Electric Vehicle Charging Station Working Group (EVCSWG) is a 13-member panel comprised of seven members selected by the Mayor and six members selected by City Council. The group of government, community, and business members will issue a report in January to help guide laws and policies needed for an efficient City permitting process to allow for the charging of electric vehicles.
The members of the EVCSWG selected by the Mayor are:
- Bob Goff, Wilmington City Solicitor
- Jeff Starkey, Director of the Department of Land Use and Planning
- Kelly Williams, Commissioner of the Department of Public Works
- Michael Boykin, Commissioner of the Department of Licenses and Inspections
- Stephanie Mergler, Deputy Chief of Staff
- Breanne Preisen, Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Manager of the State’s Clean Transportation Program, and an expert on EVs and EV charging.
- Scott Johnson, Founder and Partner at Johnson Commercial Real Estate (JCRE)
The members of the EVCSWG selected by City Council are:
- Jed Hatfield, President of Colonial Parking
- Anaya Harrison, Strategy and Policy Analyst
- Michael A. Lennon, P.E., Vice President of Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
- Joe Zilcosky, Wilmington resident and EV owner
- Pauletta Tinklepaugh, Wilmington resident and EV owner.
- Cora L. Castle, Wilmington resident and EV owner
The City has also contracted with Energetics, a national consulting firm that helps public and private entities integrate clean energy technologies and strategies into real-world applications, to serve as a consultant to the working group.
Earlier this summer, the Administration asked City Council to approve an Ordinance that would permit Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) in residential rights-of-way. The Administration needed to act prior to July 1 in order to comply with EVCS regulations approved by the Delaware General Assembly that required the City to establish a process for residents to obtain an EVCS. While the City Ordinance was approved, the Administration and Council agreed to create a working group to work through some parts of the legislation that were of concern to some members of Council and members of the public.
