UPDATED: Sussex County Council Hearing Comment on Special Events Ordinance
UPDATED – 1-16-18 – 5:30pm – The public comment on the proposed Special Events ordinance before the Sussex County Council followed in the same path throughout today’s meeting. Of the 24 people who spoke to the council, no one thought the updated version of the ordinance was better than the original and told the council that it should be denied. The council has left the record open for another 30 days so that anyone who would still like to make comment on the proposed Special Events ordinance can do so – in writing only.
Mail: Sussex County Council
2 The Circle, P.O. Box 589
Georgetown, DE 19947
or email through the county’s website – https://sussexcountyde.gov/county-council
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UPDATED 1-16-18: The Sussex County Council is hearing public comment today on a proposed special events ordinance update. Assistant County Attorney Vince Robertson told the council several months ago that the current ordinance would not stand up in court if challenged. Since then county officials have been working to update the ordinance for special events. However, the over a dozen people who have commented on the proposed ordinance so far are all against it. Attorney Stephen Spence, speaking for the Hudson Family and Highway One, says the existing ordinance is not well-drafted, but the proposed ordinance makes a bad ordinance worse. Many of the speakers are from veterans and service organizations, who lost a significant amount of fundraising money when video slot machines were made illegal outside of the state’s casino operations. Realtor and singer, Judy Mangini reminded the council that they were elected by and work for the residents of the county who are tired of over-regulation.
The public hearing is back in session after a half hour recess.
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The Sussex County Council has been working to update its special events ordinance. A public hearing in December was not held when a transformer explosion knocked out power to half of Georgetown – including the Council Chambers on the Circle. That public hearing has been rescheduled for Tuesday morning at 10:15.
