Phillips says farewell after 16 years
It was a Sussex County homecoming for Vance Phillips during his last county council meeting.
The Laurel Republican, who served on council for 16 years, was defeated in the 2014 Republican primary by Rob Arlett of Frankford, who also won the general election and will take office on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015.
More than 100 people turned out to say farewell to Phillips during a luncheon and ceremony following the Dec. 16 council meeting. Phillips has represented the 5th Councilmanic District since 1998.
During his tenure, Phillips, 52, served with three county administrators, including Bob Stickels, Dave Baker and current administrator Todd Lawson. All three, plus former administrator Joe Conaway, attended the event.
At the end of the meeting, Phillips said it was great to see so many familiar faces sitting in the audience. Although Phillips appeared to get emotional, he said there was no way he could shed tears. “Looking around I see so many beautiful faces; the only emotion I have is joy,” he said.
Phillips also thanked those in attendance for praying for him when he was seriously injured Oct. 30, 2011, in an ultra-light aircraft crash near Lynchburg, Va. He's still recovering from the spinal cord injury and walks with the aid of a cane and walking stick. Recently he passed a driving test and got back his license.
“I was broke beyond repair, but you prayed me up in my hospital bed. It was a great blessing,” he said.
Phillips received praise from two retired councilmen – Dale Dukes and Lynn Rogers. “They helped me learn the process and even though we were from different parties we worked together,” Phillips said.
Phillips was presented with a Delaware House of Representatives tribute that read in part: “To an advocate for protecting property rights for individuals; a promoter of conservative budgeting; and a supporter of preserving Sussex County's rural way of life.”
Phillips' goals for near future
For the immediate future, Phillips said he has two goals – to continue his rehabilitation and find a job.
“My walking leaves a lot to be desired,” Phillips said in a Dec. 18 interview. Phillips has a spinal cord stimulator implanted in his back and still takes pain medication.
Phillips said taking the medication is a balancing act. “The medication dulls the central nervous system to a degree, and if you go too far with it, it also dulls the mind. I live with some of the pain to keep my mind sharp,” he said. “I will continue to try to heal and find a way to pay for it all.”
He has rental property and rents about 95 percent of the farmland he owns. “I'm putting a lot of energy into finding gainful employment,” he said.
“God still has a tremendous plan for me. I have the good book to turn to, and I'm not afraid to tell people there is a higher power to take care of us if we have faith,” he said.
True to form, Phillips made a statement in his last vote as a councilman. When it came his turn to vote on a conditional-use application for a Lewes-area distillery, he said he could not make his last vote in support of a distillery.
Technically, Phillips is still a council member until Arlett is sworn in. He said he had a call from a constituent Dec. 17. Phillips, who has been active in Republican politics for decades, said he has no plans in the near future to seek an elected office.
