Sussex County is governed by a five-member elected council. There are five geographic districts within the county and each Council member is elected from their respective district to serve a four-year term. Candidates for the County Council must be at least 18 years old and residents of Sussex County. Among the responsibilities of the County Council are: * Establishing policies for the health, safety, and welfare of County residents; * Adopting an annual budget for county government operations; * Enacting plans for county growth, development, and employment.
Salary: $43,580/year
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Party: Republican
Campaign Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MattLloydDE
Campaign Email: lloydmatthewr68@gmail.com
Campaign Phone: (864) 706-6721
Neighborhood/area of residence: West Laurel
Education: Community College of Air Force – Associates Level
Community Involvement: 40th Rep District Chairman, President of Southern Delaware Toastmasters (Public Speaking, Leadership)
Work Experience: 7 Years Air Force Special Operations, Air Traffic Controller, Small Business Owner, Property Owner, Farm Owner
Q: What are your qualifications for office, and (if challenged) what differentiates you from the other candidate(s)?
A: I served for 7 years in the Air Force, Special Operations as a Combat Controller (CCT) on Active Duty, highlighting my leadership, discipline, and teamwork. My time on a Crisis Response Force gave me a deep understanding of the aspects of Public Safety, including fire, EMS, and paramedics, and their need for funding, training, and equipment. For the past 10 years, I’ve bought and maintained my portfolio of residential rental properties like a small business, providing me extensive land use experience. As a farming family member and owner of a 60+ acre farm in Laurel, I understand farmers’ challenges. I am active in my Political Party as Election District Chairman for the 40th RD and serve as President of Southern Delaware Toastmasters.
Q: What do you see as the most urgent issues in your County at this time?
A: It is evident there is a workforce and affordable housing crisis in Sussex County, while runaway development of high-end homes consumes farmland and natural resources without meeting residents’ needs. Infrastructure is inadequate for the growth we’re experiencing, affecting roads, hospitals, and public safety. My priority will be providing adequate zoning for workforce and affordable housing while ensuring infrastructure supports this growth. I’ll focus on higher-paying jobs by proposing shovel-ready commercial sites for major employers. I am committed to better jobs, affordable housing, and stopping sprawling development into farmland. I have heard the people’s voice and will deliver on their concerns.
Q: Do you think any strategic changes are needed in the county’s approach to growth & development, land use or transportation planning for the coming decade? (Yes or No). Please explain.
A: Yes. Roads, schools, hospitals, and senior care facilities are all at capacity. Fire companies need salaried staff to maintain low emergency response times, and police forces need quality recruits. This highlights the failure of the current Comprehensive Plan to meet all residents’ land use needs. Gathering critical data, such as an inventory of undeveloped lands in each zoning district, paired with other relevant data, will be essential. This information will help guide us as we prepare for the rapidly approaching 2028 Comprehensive Land Use plan update. My goal is to achieve the necessary changes as fast as reasonably possible, because residents and the environment cannot take 4 more years of this.
Q: How will you ensure that your county has land use measures that allow for the development of affordable housing?
A: Currently, we cater to wealthy out-of-staters while pushing out our workforce, which feels immoral and wrong. I have a deep understanding of affordable housing and what constitutes true affordability. Government-subsidized programs are often ineffective in helping people achieve homeownership. I will advocate for additional GR, MR and HR zoning. These zoning districts exist to accommodate the workforce and affordable housing needs of the County, and it is obvious there is a lack of undeveloped inventory for each. This will enable people to buy starter homes and find affordable rentals instead of renting at unsustainable rates. Ensuring workforce and affordable housing is one of my highest priorities once in office.
Q: How will you engage with residents, especially minorities, to ensure their voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes?
A: While improvement is always possible, I think the county does well in making public hearings accessible. These hearings are broadcast live online and recorded for posterity, allowing all citizens to review them on the county web site. Access is easy via personal cell phones, which are commonly held among high school-aged individuals and the elderly. I propose holding budget meetings in a similar public manner online and welcome other ideas to ensure county business remains as transparent and accessible as possible. Of note, residents on the campaign trail have suggested enhancing notifications for upcoming major projects through mailed notices. I am keen on reviewing and improving this process.
Republican Party Candidate: Steve McCarron
Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire.
For more information visit website: https://steveforsussex.com/
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Party: Democrat
Campaign Email: janeforsussex2024@gmail.com
Education: BA – Earlham College. MSc – London School of Economics. PhD – Columbia University
Work Experience: Leadership in advocacy organizations including Senior Staff at the Brookings Institution, Executive Director at the national League of Women Voters; and Legislative Director at the Center for Policy Alternatives. Served as consultant for non-profits looking for new leadership.
Community Involvement: Volunteer at Cinema Arts Society, Literary Education Assistance Pups (taking my dog to classrooms for children to read to them), Humane Animal Partnership (animal adoption agency) and served on my HOA ARC committee. Co-founded and served as president of the Sussex Preservation Coalition – working to protect and conserve the natural environment in Sussex County.
Neighborhood/area of residence: Rehoboth
Campaign Website: janeforsussex.com
Q: What are your qualifications for office, and (if challenged) what differentiates you from the other candidate(s)?
A: I have spend my entire career focused on advocacy work to make our world a better place for all. But it is my involvement in the Sussex Preservation Coalition that most directly prepares me for this position. I helped found the Coalition and, until resigning to run for County Council, served as its president. The Coalition has advocated for the County Council to develop better ordinances and codes to protect our environment and to match infrastructure improvements with the pace of growth. Our roads, schools, health care practitioners and facilities are over-burdened, creating unsafe and unhealthy circumstances. As a member of County Council, I will be a voice and a vote for improving the quality of life for all.
Q: What do you see as the most urgent issues in your County at this time?
A: Overburdened infrastructure – roads, schools, health facilities, fire, police, emergency services. Loss of forests, wetlands and open spaces. Contamination of water ways. Lack of affordable workforce housing. Inadequate public transportation.
Q: Do you think any strategic changes are needed in the county’s approach to growth & development, land use or transportation planning for the coming decade? (Yes or No). Please explain.
A: Yes, absolutely. Growth has vastly outpaced improvements in infrastructure: roads, schools, safety and health systems. The approach has been one of minimal restrictions on new developments and nearly non-existent enforcement of the policies that are in place. We need to rethink land-use codes, prioritizing quality of life for all residents. That means matching the pace of growth with infrastructure improvements, creating a conservation plan to protect valuable nature resources, and ensuring that those who work here can afford to live here. We can and should look to successful development strategies used in other counties and in other states.
Q: How will you ensure that your county has land use measures that allow for the development of affordable housing?
A: This is an important but complicated issue that involves creativity and commitment. We must find ways to greatly imcrease affordable housing. It involves working with the state, with developers, and with non-profit advocates like the Del. Affordable Housing Coalition. Federal legislation newly sponsored by Lisa Blunt Rochester would enable HUD to generate technical advice on best practices for local government. Incentives for new affordable housing, protection of tenants’ rights, and assistance to enable people to stay in their homes are all important elements of a comprehensive approach.
Q: How will you engage with residents, especially minorities, to ensure their voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes?
A: One of my campaign planks is making government more open and accessible. County Council meets during the day when most people are at work. Pubic comments are limited to a time period little understood by the public. The Planning and Zoning Commission has closed the call-in option for public comment. Change starts with a commitment to openness, to engagement with the public and I make that commitment without reservation.
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Party: Republican
Campaign Phone: (302) 423-4801
Campaign Email: mgs1777@comcast.net
Education: Journeyman Millwright
Work Experience: Public Servant, Millwright, Mayor, Sussex County Councilman
Community Involvement: Forty Five year public servant, Mayor, Sussex County Councilman, Rotarian, West Rehoboth Community Land Trust, Sussex County Land Trust
Campaign Facebook Page: www.SchaefferforSussex.com
Neighborhood/area of residence: Dewey, Rehoboth, Henlopen Acers, LongNeck,Slaugher
Campaign Website: Schaefferforsussex.com
Q: What are your qualifications for office, and (if challenged) what differentiates you from the other candidate(s)?
A: I have over forty years of successful land development management. I have served as a Mayor of two Delaware municipalities for a decade. As a first term councilman I have offered a number of ordinances and instituted them to control sprawl onto our back country roads. The ordinance changes I have instituted have protected our old growth forests and our streams, wetlands and inland bays. We have much work to do to protect the way of life we all expect and deserve. My ability to build consensus and deliver change is proven. I walk the walk. I have been here my entire life and care and love our home. My opponent just showed up and has no experience or solutions. My constituents no that they can call me day or night.
Q: What do you see as the most urgent issues in your County at this time?
A: Uncontrolled development is the most serious issue facing the 3rd District of Sussex County. I have over forty years of experience in successfully managing growth. I have worked aggressively to promote smart efficient growth and develop walkable communities with amenities in those neighborhoods. I would like to continue those efforts; I am proud of the positive changes I have installed and feel strongly that during my second term we can adopted the ideas and initiatives I have proposed. I am proud that I have had success and would like to continue my work on these issues. We can and will stop uncontrolled development with my leadership. We must strengthen our zoning ordinances to protect the way of life we all deserve.
Q: Do you think any strategic changes are needed in the county’s approach to growth & development, land use or transportation planning for the coming decade? (Yes or No). Please explain.
A: Uncontrolled development is the primary reason I ran to be your councilman. I have made significant change and will continue to aggressively promote sensible growth and economic development. I my first three and a half years we have accomplished much, and we have much more work to do. My opponent has no experience in managing land use. I have a forty-year proven track record to stand behind. Many do not realize that our State Senator and State Representative fully control our roads and their management and development. My relationship with them gives us the ability to have them focus on fixing our roads. Investment in our road systems needs to occur here, not in the northern parts of our state. I believe in proactive governance.
Q: How will you ensure that your county has land use measures that allow for the development of affordable housing?
A: I ran for office as County Councilman because we had no plan to control development sprawl, protect our environment or our quality of life. Prior to my election Sussex County reacted to challenges. This was unacceptable to me and during my three and a half years of public service to Sussex County we have started to plan and stop uncontrolled development sprawl, plan to meet the needs of our citizens by providing sufficient roads, services and affordable housing opportunities. We need to add affordable housing opportunities to our Comprehensive Land Use Map and encourage developers to meet these needs. By providing areas on our map where this type of housing can be developed will encourage developers to provide affordable housing.
Q: How will you engage with residents, especially minorities, to ensure their voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes?
A: No one can dispute my lifelong service to our state and county. I return and answer every phone call and email. I meet with my constituents seven days a week: day and night. I have lifelong service to our minority citizens. I proudly serve on the West Rehoboth Community Land Trust which provides housing opportunities to minority families in West Rehoboth. I am and have served the homeless and less fortunate. I have a lifelong record of building shelters for battered women and disenfranchised men. I work with Code Purple, the Food Bank, and many other organizations which serve the underserved families of our county. I didn’t just show up yesterday and decide to run for office. I have always been here and involved.
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