UPDATED: Sussex County Council Approves Updated Sussex County Emergency Operations Plan

UPDATED – 02/10/26 – The Sussex County Council had a short agenda and began this week’s meeting at 1pm. County Administrator Todd Lawson recognized the groups that took part in this year’s Caroling on the Circle Food Drive, which includes schools and several area businesses. In actual food donations, Rehoboth Elementary School brought in the most – at 3000 food items! The law firm of Fuqua, Willard & Schab donated $2000 – which is estimated at 5000 food items and Allen Harim Foods donated 2413 pounds of chicken! Lawson says that over 26,000 food items were donated this year – including the two-month-long Pack the Pod effort on the Circle in Georgetown and during the annual Caroling on the Circle, tree lighting and Georgetown Christmas Parade in early December.

County Finance Director Gina Jennings told the Council that one of the members of the Board of Assessment Review has resigned due to work commitments. When the board was formed last year – it was made up of 5 members and 3 alternates. Jennings has appointed one of the alternates, Geoffrey Howard, to become a regular member of the Board. His term will end in December 2028.

Director of Public Safety, Robbie Murray, came to the Council with an updated Sussex County Emergency Operations Plan (SCEOP) – it was last updated in 2017. Murray told the Council that this plan provides a framework for response to any disaster. The SCEOP includes the Base Plan, four response phase-based annexes and 11 hazard specific annexes – including two that are new the County’s plan – regarding cyber attack and active assailant. The Department of Public Safety and Division of Emergency Management have been working over the last eight months with the Olson Group, LTD to update the Plan, which establishes the legal and organizational basis basis for operations in Sussex County to effectively respond to and recover from all-hazards disasters and/or emergency situations. The updated plan was approved by the Council with a unanimous vote.

The Council held six public hearings on five conditional use applications and one change of zone. Four of the applications were approved and two were deferred.

The Sussex County Council will not meet next week – the next meeting of the County Council is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th.

====================================================================

ORIGINAL STORY – 02/09/26 – The Sussex County Council meets on Tuesday – but the meeting will not begin until 1pm. County Administrator Todd Lawson will give an update on the Caroling on the Circle food Drive and County Finance Director, Gina Jennings will announce an appointment to the Board of Assessment Review. Director of Public Safety Robbie Murray will discuss, with possible adoption, a resolution in relation to the Emergency Operations Plan.

There are six public hearings scheduled for the afternoon – including a Conditional Use No 2607 filed on behalf of the State of Delaware Office of Management & Budget for over 839 acres on Patriots Way which has to do with the new Delaware State Police Troop 4 Barrack. The Council will meet at 1pm Tuesday in the County Administration Building on The Circle in Georgetown.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COUNCIL AGENDA

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL COUNCIL PACKET