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Citizens group asks for stronger ethics standards

Conflict of interest, impropriety questions surface during Sussex council primary campaign
September 16, 2022

Eul Lee, founder and spokesperson for the grassroots group Sussex 2030, is asking Sussex County Council to adopt superior ethics standards and install a mechanism to ensure transparency and integrity at all levels of Sussex government.

She has started an online petition, which she plans to submit to council during the Tuesday, Sept. 20 meeting.

“The public has expressed outrage in response to the appearance of conflicts of interest and the lack of ethical standards in the offices of Sussex County,” she said, adding the Republican primary election campaign for District 5 has brought to the surface what the residents of Sussex County have long suspected.

In the primary, incumbent Councilman John Rieley defeated challenger Keller Hopkins, who has served on the county planning & zoning commission for six years.

“It's time for the county to establish a code of ethics and disclosure requirements for officials who make land-use decisions. Rapid growth is a major problem and ever-expanding issue in itself without decisions being made by those with obvious conflicts of interest,” she said. “We demand Sussex County Council immediately implement policies to ensure transparency and trust in all those involved in land-use decision making.

“I am calling all Sussex Countians who have questions about conflict of interest in the council, planning & zoning commission and board of adjustment to sign the petition,” she said. The petition can be found at https://chng.it/CBBfZsCC6r.

 

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