The Sussex County Council Approves BBA Charter & Secures Some County Employee Parking in New Family Court Parking Garage
The Sussex County Council met Tuesday in Georgetown. The Council approved the Bay Beach Association Charter with a 5 to 0 vote. The Bay Beach Association is an organization representing the Delaware Bay coastal communities in Kent and Sussex counties. The BBA’s objective is to work to see the implementation of the newly passed WRDA legislation and the specific initiatives designed to assist the Delaware coastal regions. The BBA includes Kent and Sussex Counties along with the Towns of Bowers Beach, Lewes and Slaughter Beach which represent the voting members. The remaining six communities of Broadkill, Prime Hook, South Bowers, Kitts Hummock, Woodland and Pickering Beach, which are unincorporated, shall be officially represented by delegates from Kent County and Sussex County. Lewes and Kent County are expected to sign the Charter in the near future.
A topic that has been ongoing for quite a long time – the new Family Court in Georgetown – is under construction – including a multi-story parking garage. During Tuesday’s meeting the Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of Management and Budget pertaining to the parking garage. Several agreements have taken place dealing with various properties in Georgetown to prepare for the construction. Now the State has agreed to reserve 100 parking spaces in the new parking garage for the County’s contribution of a total of $2-million. Half will go to the State near the beginning of construction of the garage and the other half will be paid to the State upon substantial completion. Once the garage is in use, the County will agree to contribute 25% of the on-going overhead of the garage and towards the future capital improvement fund. The Council approved the MOU with a 5 to 0 vote.
Sussex County Council will be meeting with DelDOT soon – but they will also be submitting the County’s transportation needs for the upcoming 2025-2030 Capital Transportation Program. The County government also wants your ideas and input. Click on this link to give your feedback – submissions will be accepted through March 20th. All submissions will be reviewed and forwarded on to DelDOT as part of the County’s request for funding and prioritization of transportation projects in Sussex County. Your recommendations and ideas can be anything dealing with transportation – roads, sidewalks, public transportation and other infrastructure needs.
County Administrator Todd Lawson also told Council of the death of former Clerk of the Peace Thelma Monroe on Thursday, February 9th. Monroe was also a Mayor of Millsboro. As well as former County employee, Judy Dickerson passed on Sunday, February 12th. She worked 35 years for the County – last as a clerk in the Recorder of Deeds office.
The Human Resources office handed out the 1st Quarter Employee Recognition Awards. There were three – Don Edwards, a 9-1-1 Dispatcher for Sussex County EMS, Don Webber and Mackenzie Murphy, both Sussex County Paramedics.
The County Council revisited a Change of Zone No. 1969 and Conditional Use No. 2339 – both filed on behalf of Run Sutton. The Change of Zone would amend the zoning map for 14.45 acres from AR-1 to Medium Residential – for a multi-family dwelling of 57 units (reduced from 60). The Council voted 4 to 1 on the Change of Zone with Councilman John Rieley voting against the application. He said that while the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval, he doesn’t feel the location – near the intersection of Peppers Corner Road and Central Avenue in the Frankford area is appropriate for medium density residential. The vote on the Conditional Use application was approved 5 to 0.
During the afternoon session the Council heard from Turning Point Energy with three Conditional Use applications for solar farms near Seaford and two in the Georgetown area. The Council approved all three applications.
The Sussex County Council is expected to meet next Tuesday in the County Administration building on The Circle in Georgetown.
