As Sussex County Council begins the mandated process of redrawing the district lines based on the 2020 census results, now is the time to expand the council to include two countywide (at-large) districts. This can and should coincide with the November 2022 council election.
The structure of Sussex County Council has not changed since the councilmanic form of government was put in place 50 years ago. That is, the council is divided into council districts, each with its own council member. Under this arrangement, the primary focus of each council member is his or her district; no council member focuses solely on what is best for all county residents.
While the existing district-based system and the resulting ordinances served their purpose when Sussex County was primarily agrarian, they have not undergone a serious and comprehensive review to ensure they correspond to the dramatic transformation of the economy, the population and the increasing number of issues confronting the county. All these aspects of life in Sussex County have become more complex and should be looked at both from the district level and the macro — county — level. We have seen and heard some past district County Council members who have pointedly said, either directly or indirectly, that they only care about what happens in their district and not in another part of Sussex County. We need to ensure that someone watches out for the well-being of all of Sussex, not just a slice of it; therefore, it’s time for the council to add two at-large seats.
If there is any doubt that the county has changed dramatically, just look at the latest census results, the huge increase in residential developments, the tremendous growth in tourism and the retail sector, the increase in the number of schools, the explosion of traffic and choked roads, the considerable loss of forests, wetlands and agricultural land, and this list goes on.
These substantial changes have, in turn, led to newly redrawn state legislative (General Assembly) districts — both Senate and House of Representatives — the addition of a state House district and a major shift in the economic base, especially in the eastern/coastal areas. But despite this decades-long transformation, the key decision-making body — County Council — remains the same, a district-based system. On more than one occasion, that has resulted in serious debates that pitted one area against another and some decisions that many would agree were not in the overall interest of the county. Many of these have had to do with land use and development.
Despite these changes, there is a strong likelihood that greater population increases will continue and more pressure will be put on the land, infrastructure, wildlife and the environment. The five existing council districts that are about to be redrawn, as mandated by law, will surely result in very different-looking districts, so long as fair and equitable practices are followed. They should rightly reflect the major population changes that have occurred over the last 10 years. Despite these population and other changes, the fundamental structure of a district-focused council will not change.
Simply shape-shifting the districts is not going to change the district-based structure of the council. If anything, differences between districts will be even more pronounced, and arguments and decisions will be made that won’t always be in the best interests of all Sussex Countians. Without a fundamental restructuring of the council to include two at-large seats, decisions will continue to be made based on district-focused council members. Sussex County needs to have two council members whose focus is Sussex County as a whole, not parts of it. And the ever-growing and increasingly complex issues confronting Sussex County residents and government demand changing the existing model.
Finally, this change will require the support of the existing council and of Sussex Countians and should happen in November 2022. Because the new council district lines will assuredly be very different from the existing ones, there should be County Council elections in all five districts, not just the two already planned.
Under Delaware law, because all state legislative seats in both the Senate and House of the General Assembly have been redrawn, all legislative seats up and down the state will be up for election in November. So if redrawing state legislative districts leads to election of all General Assembly seats, shouldn’t the redrawing of all five Sussex County Council seats lead to elections in all five council districts?
As council redraws its district lines, it should commit to a countywide council election. Yes, council — and county residents — should request the General Assembly change state law if that’s necessary and also ask for the creation of two countywide at-large seats to the council and include them in the November election!
Keith Steck resides in Milton .
