Rieley, Hopkins face off in District 5 primary debate

During an Aug. 18 Republican primary forum, District 5 Sussex County Councilman John Rieley said he was discouraged by the tone of the campaign so far and vowed to go to a higher level.

But during the two-hour forum, he and his opponent Keller Hopkins traded jabs and questioned each other's record on land-use issues. Hopkins has served on the county planning & zoning commission for the past six years.

The issues debated covered a wide spectrum, including campaign finances, sprawl, county finances and economic development. The forum was sponsored by the Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce. The two are running in the Sept. 13 District 5 Republican primary.

Rieley, who has served one term, is a retired financial advisor who helps run a family farm near Millsboro.

Rieley said a lot has been accomplished, but more work needs to be done by county council. He said the main reason he is running is to work to maintain the quality of life in the county for his family and the community.

Hopkins, who lives in Georgetown and owns Hopkins Construction, said his longtime family business does underground utility work and cleans sewer lines for towns.

He said he has been preparing to serve on county council his entire life. “I have the insight on how to conduct business as a county councilman,” he said, adding the major issue facing the county is sprawl, with development in areas without services and infrastructure. “Land use needs careful and immediate attention, and we can't wait another four years.”

District 5 includes the area in and around Georgetown and Millsboro in central Sussex County.

Dealing with sprawl

Hopkins said it's paramount to focus development around town centers where jobs and services are, and to increase density in those areas. He advocated for housing development along the Route 1 corridor from the Nassau Bridge to Milford. “It's all AR-1 land with infrastructure in place,” he said.

“We have to get our arms around sprawl,” Hopkins said. “We've been building in corn fields and soybean fields for 20 years. If you’re satisfied with that, I'm not your man. If you want change, then I'm your man.”

He said the traffic issues everyone complains about can be tied to sprawl.

Rieley said sprawl is Hopkins’ buzzword, but as a member of the planning & zoning commission, he voted for the most recent comprehensive plan that dictates where growth zones will be. “And now there are complaints about what's happening in growth areas?” he asked.

Rieley said while Hopkins has served on planning & zoning, more than 9,000 lots have been approved. “If he really feels growth is out of control, why didn't he vote no? This is politics. His rhetoric doesn't match up with his record,” Rieley said.

Rieley said promoting the Route 1 corridor as a high-density growth zone is ludicrous. “It's pristine farmland. There are no town centers and no infrastructure, and it's an evacuation route and will only exacerbate traffic. The people who are supporting him own land out there,” he said.

Rieley said dealing with sprawl by stripping away the rights of farmers to sell their land could crush the farming industry and devalue farmland from $40,000 an acre to $8,000 an acre.

Hopkins responded that water and sewer service is currently available from the Nassau Bridge to Route 16. “We need changes in the land-use code. Development has to go where there are jobs, services and infrastructure,” Hopkins said, adding he's not promoting no development in other AR-1 zoned areas outside the Route 1 corridor.

County finances

Hopkins repeated several times that Rieley had voted to raise taxes during the latest budget process, and he discounted Rieley's claim that county finances are in a strong position.

Rieley said the county budget is sound and balanced, the county carries no debt and the pension fund is fully funded. “We haven't had a property tax increase in more than 40 years because there has been no need to,” he said.

He added that the county has a AAA rating, which is not easy to attain.

Hopkins said there are tax increases in the budget and $32 million from the county's reserve account is being used in this year's budget. “That's one-third of what the county has in reserves,” he said. “I don't understand how John can say there has been no tax increase. I think we have a crisis and don't have a surplus,” he added.

Rieley said that to say the county budget and surplus are in crisis is ludicrous. “We will see millions more in realty transfer taxes for the surplus. We are not a bank and shouldn't be piling up taxpayers' money.” He added that money from the surplus this year has been used to assist first responders and towns to help with infrastructure projects.

Coral Lakes vote

One of the key issues being pushed by Hopkins is that he voted against the Coral Lakes subdivision while his opponent voted for it. He said the application includes the removal of more than 100 acres of woodland.

“The facts are getting twisted and lies are being spread,” Rieley said. “I didn't vote for Coral Lakes. I'm very disappointed in this. It's not how we do it. He'll say whatever and spend whatever to win.”

He noted that Hopkins voted for other subdivisions totaling 1,266 lots on Robinsonville Road.

Coral Lakes, a proposed 304-unit housing project along Robinsonville Road near Lewes, has been a flashpoint in the campaign. The application was originally denied by the planning & zoning commission and then appealed by the developer to county council, which voted to send the application back to the commission for another vote.

With a 3-1-1 vote, the commission then approved the subdivision. That decision is the subject of two lawsuits filed by residents.

Economic development

Rieley said the county economic development office is doing a credible job and he supports adding another employee. “We are making improvements at the county industrial park, expanded the airport runway and we are attracting businesses there,” he said.

Hopkins said surplus funds should be used for economic development in areas beyond eastern Sussex County. “We need to put more money in economic development to attract investors who need predictability, or they will go somewhere else. The message out there is don't come to Sussex County, because there is no predictability.”

He pointed to Rieley's vote against a proposed industrial park along Route 30 just west of Milton. He said the parcel was along a major truck route and had rail service. He said that area should be an industrial overlay zone with by-right industrial development.

Rieley said the applicant had applied for heavy industrial zoning, which he said, was like writing a blank check for any type of development, with a housing project across the road. “The applicant can come back and ask for a conditional use so we know what the plans are or apply for light industrial,” he said.

Campaign money

Hopkins disputed information he claims is being spread by Rieley that he has raised $500,000 in campaign funds from his supporters. “If you check the campaign finance report, you'll see that John has raised more money than I have from my contributors,” Hopkins said. “I'm running a self-funded campaign and will spend as much as I need to win. We have to make changes. We are not dealing with sprawl. We have train wrecks and crises. If you want someone to stand up and push back and try something different, I'm your man.”

Hopkins said Rieley is spreading inaccurate information about his attendance record on planning & zoning commission. “He said I have the poorest record, but since Nov. 3, 2016, I have the second-best attendance record,” he said.

“The last two years he has had the poorest attendance record,” Rieley stated.

In summary, Rieley said, “My opponent has spent $100,000 on his campaign for a job that pays $33,000. I can't get my head around it. He wants a new administration and wants to replace me. That will drive us into chaos.”

Hopkins said Rieley's comments are incorrect and unsubstantiated but admitted spending his money is the right thing to do to get elected to make changes on county council.

“County council makes the laws and we have to enforce the rules on the commission,” Hopkins said. “We need those rules changed and that's why I’m running for county council.”