Recently, mailers arrived in mailboxes in eastern Sussex County. The mailer, produced by a little-known political action committee formed within the past two years called Preserve Sussex, is engaging in misleading the public. Preserve Sussex is headed by former Sussex County Recorder of Deeds Scott Dailey, who is a Realtor and developer with frequent business before Sussex County Council. The mailer urges the recipient to “Call Councilman Schaeffer at [phone number] to say thanks for preserving Sussex.” The accompanying paragraph states: “Mark Schaeffer has successfully led numerous fights to stop urban sprawl in Sussex County. Preventing the Angola Royal Farms plan from development is his latest win, but, more importantly, a win for the residents.”
Considering Schaeffer was virtually AWOL during the battle conducted by Angola-area residents, led by local group Route 24 Alliance and aided by Sussex Preservation Coalition, the claim is laughable. During that period, Schaeffer made one appearance at a meeting. Prior to the meeting, he warned that under some arcane council rule, he was not allowed to comment on the matter, which (conveniently) absolved him of saying anything. He made some vague comments about council’s preservation efforts, answered a few questions, and was never heard from again (unlike our House District 4 Rep. Jeff Hilovsky, who attended several meetings and offered what help he could). So, how did Schaeffer stop the Angola ROFO station?
That PAC suddenly appeared prior to the primary elections, and now is going all out to influence voters with a claim about Schaeffer being responsible for defeating the ROFO station. That should alarm every voter who cares about the sprawl covering our county faster than wire grass. Preserve Sussex is financed entirely by several wealthy developers, and a recent article in the media shows Preserve Sussex is simply a front for the developer-council complex that has a stranglehold on the county: “Records show that all of the funding flowing into the PAC last year came from notable Sussex County developers, including tens of thousands of dollars from Milford’s Elmer Fannin, Milton’s Robert ‘Christian’ Hudson and LLCs linked to developments in Millsboro, Lewes and elsewhere in Delaware’s southernmost county. Only one of those LLCs, Maryland-based Stonemark Ventures, donated again to the PAC so far in 2024, according to the latest campaign finance reports.”
This PAC had accumulated $75,000 in its war chest, and Schaeffer is a beneficiary of that largesse. Folks, this is not a partisan issue. Every voter needs to examine Schaeffer’s claim, and read Shawn Barron’s excellent letter in the Cape Gazette’s Sept. 13 issue titled “Vote for county council candidates who want to preserve Sussex,” as well as Peggy Reilly’s equally excellent letter of Sept. 6 titled “Why do PACs support certain local candidates?” They should also contact Councilman Schaeffer and ask just how he alone defeated Royal Farms.
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