Middletown Public Records

Middletown public records cover town council meeting minutes, permits and inspection files, ordinances, police reports, and municipal contracts for this fast-growing southern New Castle County town. The Town Clerk serves as the FOIA Coordinator and takes requests under 29 Del. C. Chapter 100. Middletown public records on property, deeds, and assessments live at the county level, since New Castle County handles those for the whole county. A written request at Town Hall is the go-to path for town-specific files. Middletown responds within 15 business days by state law.

Middletown Town Council Records

The Middletown Town Council is the main governing body. Regular meetings are on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 PM. The location is Middletown Town Hall at 19 W. Green Street. Six council members are elected from three wards, plus a mayor elected at-large. All serve three-year staggered terms. Municipal elections are held on the second Saturday in April in odd-numbered years.

Council records open to Middletown public records requests include meeting agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, budget documents, municipal contracts, planning and zoning records, building permits, and police records that aren't tied to an active case. See the town's main hub at middletown.delaware.gov.

The town website above is the launching point for most Middletown public records research. Department pages link directly to specific records, forms, and contact emails.

The town's annual budget has grown with the population. The FY2023 budget was roughly $14.5 million, split across administration, public safety, public works, planning and zoning, and permits and inspections.

Note: Your Middletown FOIA request may itself be treated as a public record under 29 Del. C. §§ 10001-10008, so keep sensitive data out of the description.

Middletown FOIA Request Process

Middletown processes FOIA requests under Delaware law. The Town Clerk is the FOIA Coordinator. Written requests go to Town Hall at 19 W. Green Street, Middletown, DE 19709. Phone (302) 378-1171 for general questions or to confirm the right email.

What is required in a FOIA request to Middletown:

• A written request describing the records
• Specific dates, types, and parties when possible
• Contact info for the requester
• Willingness to pay any applicable fees
• Patience for the 15 business day window

Fees may apply for copies and staff time. Fees follow the state schedule in 29 Del. C. § 10003. The first 20 pages are free. Standard copies cost $0.10 per sheet. Administrative fees kick in for staff time over one hour.

Middletown records typically available under FOIA include town council records, financial documents, contracts and agreements, planning and zoning records, and police records outside of active investigations. Personnel records stay partly closed under the state exemption.

Middletown Permits and Inspections

The Middletown Permits and Inspections Department manages building permits, zoning compliance, and code enforcement records. Contact the office at 19 West Green Street or email permits&inspections@middletown.delaware.gov. Phone is 302-378-1171.

Permits issued by Middletown include building permits, demolition permits, sign permits, fence permits, special event permits, and contractor registrations. The town's demolition permit application requires tax parcel number, street address, subdivision, applicant info, property owner info, contractor info with business license number, a description of what is being demolished, and a plot plan showing the location of any structures, underground tanks, or utilities.

Records kept by the department:

• Building plans and specifications
• Inspection reports
• Certificate of occupancy records
• Code violation records
• Zoning compliance letters

Note: Records on a specific parcel are usually easier to pull if you bring the tax parcel number or the street address to the first call.

Middletown Police Department Records

The Middletown Police Department keeps records of incidents, accidents, arrests, and crime statistics. Fingerprinting services are offered at the department for background checks tied to employment, licensing, volunteering, and some types of applications.

Some reports can be released directly by the department. Others need a FOIA request through the Town Clerk. Victims are entitled to copies of reports involving them. Bring valid government-issued photo ID when picking up a report.

The New Castle County Correctional Facility houses individuals awaiting trial or serving short sentences. An inmate lookup is available through the Delaware Department of Correction's online portal.

Historic Middletown records are at the Delaware Public Archives. The archives hold minutes of the Commissioners/Town Council (1861-1993), minutes of the Board of Light and Water (1893-1924), and maps and plots (1937-2007) for the town.

County and State Resources

Middletown is in New Castle County. Property records, deeds, and assessment data flow through county offices. Use the New Castle County public records page for the Recorder of Deeds, parcel search, and GIS tools.

Court cases involving Middletown residents run through the Delaware CourtConnect system. Criminal history checks go through the Delaware State Police SBI. Middletown has its own SBI fingerprint site. Book an appointment through uenroll.identogo.com.

Delaware business entities with Middletown addresses show up on the Division of Corporations search. The state FOIA portal is useful when a Middletown resident needs records from a state agency rather than the town.

Vital records for Middletown residents come from the Delaware Division of Public Health Office of Vital Statistics, not the town.

Middletown History and Record Context

Middletown has deep roots in Delaware history, which shapes the records available today. Settler Adam Peterson acquired several tracts of land in the 1690s. One tract surveyed in 1733 was given the name "Middletown" because of its location at the middle point of a road from the Bohemia River to Appoquinimink Creek. The town grew fast after the railroad arrived in 1855, and it became an important shipping point for agricultural products including peaches.

Middletown was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly on February 12, 1861. Town Council minutes go back more than 160 years and are archived in part at the Delaware Public Archives.

The Middletown Academy, at 216 North Broad Street, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Residents petitioned for a lottery in 1824 to erect the building. Construction started in 1826 and finished in 1827. It was the center of community activities for decades. The building became part of the public school system in 1876 and closed in 1929. It was deeded to the St. Georges Hundred Historical Society in 1945 and acquired by the Town of Middletown in 1960. Records tied to the Academy are part of the town's historical collections.

Middletown public records tied to historic buildings and landmarks may involve multiple agencies: the town, the county, and the state archives. A coordinated approach often produces better results than a single FOIA request.

Note: Historic Middletown archives at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North in Dover require advance arrangements for certain materials.

Nearby Cities and County

Middletown sits in the southern part of New Castle County. Nearby Delaware cities and the county office handle overlapping records when you are researching a parcel or case that straddles borders.