I am writing in response to the recent letter from Scott Christ. I attended the same Oct. 21 Sussex County Council meeting regarding the proposed Atlantic Fields shopping center. While I understand the writer's passion, I believe his frustration is misdirected, particularly his criticism of Councilman Matt Lloyd.
The writer found Lloyd's questions unprofessional, particularly his query, "If not here, then where?" Far from being irrelevant or unprofessional, this is the very question we should want our council members to ask. It is not a sign of bias; it is a sign of true leadership and strategic thinking.
A council member's job is not simply to vote yes or no on every proposal that comes before them. Their job is to engage in long-term, county-wide planning. Lloyd’s question demonstrates he is grappling with the larger reality: growth is happening, and the county must have a strategy for where to direct commercial development. Simply opposing a project without considering the alternative is short-sighted.
Furthermore, the writer dismisses old data or a modeled projection of the traffic in favor of his personal experience. While anecdotal evidence is relatable, it is not a basis for sound public policy. Council members are required to weigh the professional analysis of engineers and bodies like DelDOT against public testimony. To govern by anecdote alone would be irresponsible, ignoring the needs of the silent majority while manifesting the wants of the vocal minority.
As for continued growth in Sussex County, it is important to point out that controlled growth does not mean no growth. It means clustering development in areas with existing infrastructure; this project is located in an established commercial corridor.
Finally, the writer's complaint that a District 1 councilman is voting on a District 3 issue is a fundamental misunderstanding of our system of government. Council members are elected from districts, but they govern the entire county. The tax revenue, traffic impact and economic effects of a major project like Atlantic Fields are not isolated to a single district. Every council member has a duty to vote on matters of county-wide significance.
It's a perplexing complaint, really. The writer seems to be arguing against the American system of representative democracy, which is, after all, the entire point: to elect politicians who represent the views and needs of constituents in their district while working for the good of the whole.
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