I write this letter out of disappointment and frustration in 2nd District County Councilwoman Cindy Green’s actions toward me after I was appointed to the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission.
On July 18, 2023, Sussex County Council granted me an appointment to the Planning & Zoning Commission. This is an opportunity that excites me with its ability to serve the residents of Sussex County. Additionally, as a father and small-business owner, it is an important opportunity to help craft a direction for the county that my children and all our future generations will continue to live in.
I felt confident that I could have a healthy working relationship with all members of Sussex County Council, including Councilwoman Green. We have known each other my whole life, and this presented an opportunity for us to work together to ensure that 2nd District residents’ concerns were heard and voiced in the county planning-and-zoning process. Unfortunately, a healthy working relationship with Councilwoman Green is quite the opposite of what I have experienced.
What has happened since my appointment is a continued barrage of harassment from Councilwoman Green in print media, on the radio and on social media. The councilwoman’s constant invoking of my name in frustration is undeserving, as I am doing the job that is expected of me as a Planning & Zoning commissioner. These unwarranted comments, incorrect in nature, not only reflect poorly upon me as a commissioner, but they also affect me as a small-business owner.
I continue to be shocked and disappointed, as every time I believe any animosity on her part is behind us, Councilwoman Green publicly states information that is not factual in nature. As a career politician, Ms. Green should have developed the necessary skills to represent the constituents in the 2nd County Council District, instead of engaging in continued abuse of an appointed county employee. It is obvious that Councilwoman Green is unfamiliar with the appointment process, as I was confirmed with a 4-1 vote, after being successfully vetted by the council. The councilwoman was the only no vote.
For the past six months, I have endured being defamed in public by the councilwoman, most recently during the Jan. 9 Sussex County Council meeting. As a Planning & Zoning Commission member, our task is important in crafting the landscape of this county. There is nothing more that I desire as a commissioner than a healthy dialogue and a good working relationship with all members of council, including the councilwoman. Contrary to her public accusations, I do not have any intentions of challenging her by seeking the 2nd District council seat, nor any of the other allegations she claims, I only want to serve my community and work as a member of the team.
I will continue to proudly serve this county in my appointed position and would hope the residents that hear Councilwoman Green’s politically motivated claims realize that these claims are being made without merit. This is Sussex County, and I urge Ms. Green to leave the swamp tactics in Washington, D.C.
I have been chosen by the Sussex County Council to serve in my capacity. If Councilwoman Green does not agree with the nature of my appointment, then it is incumbent upon her to initiate changes to the process. The continued personal and professional attacks by Councilwoman Green toward me must stop immediately. This is not behavior the public expects from their elected representatives. Further, this is not the behavior that any Sussex County employee, appointed or otherwise, should be forced to tolerate by any member of Sussex County Council.
Brian Butler
Bridgeville
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
