Of major concern is the balance of power currently tipped in favor of those who live on the western side of the county.

Of 15 officials serving on county council, the planning and zoning commission and the board of adjustment, 10 live west of Millsboro and eight live west of Georgetown.

“We don’t have a balance of power,” said Councilwoman Joan Deaver, D-Rehoboth Beach.

“Here’s where the votes are,” she said pointing to a map of the western side of the county.

“We see how it works,” said Betty Deacon, coordinator of the Thursday, Nov. 12 meeting at Lewes library, and a volunteer who assists Deaver. She said many decisions are made by officials who are not directly affected by their actions and do not have a clear picture of living in the Cape Region.

She said while decision makers live in the western part of the county, the majority of zoning, subdivision and conditional-use applications are for property in the Cape Region.

About 40 people, including members of the Citizens Coalition and Managing Growth Around Lewes, attended the coalition meeting.

Deacon said people in the 3rd councilmanic district should be concerned about redistricting that council will undertake in 2011, after the 2010 Census. She said the balance of power stands to tip even more to the western side.

There is no doubt the population base has shifted more toward the eastern side of the county over the past 10 years. Even so, Deacon is concerned Deaver’s district line will be shifted because of growth in District 4, represented by George Cole, R-Ocean View. Deaver lives on the line dividing the two districts.

Districts are redrawn every 10 years following the publication of U.S. Census data. All districts are required by law to contain about the same number of residents.

“And you have to live with it for 10 years,” Deacon said.

William Moyer, a retired state employee who has taken the county to task on several issues, said the public is shut out of most decisions.

“They put up a shield around them and keep the public way out,” he said.

Moyer, one of the invited speakers at the meeting, had strong words for the Sussex land-use system. “You have no planning and zoning in Sussex County,” he said. “It’s shameful and full of loopholes. They do whatever they want when they want.”

Moyer said staff and council should not allow submissions to the public record at the hearings and after the record is closed because the public has no time to react.

He also said planners and council should not rule on conceptual plans, which is current practice, but should rule on final plans during public hearings.

“They don’t have to tell what they are going to build,” he said.

He wondered how a decision could be made on a parcel of land without definite plans for what was going on the parcel. “How can you assess threats to the environment and health and welfare of residents?” he asked.

Moyer has outlined his issues in a 14-point report of problems with the county land-use process.

Deacon said she became involved in managing Deaver’s campaign because she was fed up with county government.

“I was furious about what is going on, and we voted for Joan because we want change,” she said.

Deaver said the county system is complicated and run without an elected county executive. Five people, the county council, are in complete control.

She said the council president could do whatever he wants if he has three votes.

The man in the middle is County Administrator David Baker, who is appointed by the council.

“I wouldn’t want that job for anything. He handles it beautifully,” Deaver said.

Deaver said some of the most important files in the county, those dealing with subdivisions, are not computerized. She said it’s very difficult to get information about outstanding projects dating back a few years.

One of the big problems, Deaver said, is the inaccessibility of members of planning and zoning and board of adjustment. “They make such important decisions, yet you can’t get in touch with them,” she said. “They are appointed, not elected.”

Although contact information is available for members of county council on the county’s website, there is no contact information for members of planning and zoning and the board of adjustment.

The group will meet again at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at the Lewes library.