Rieley seeks re-election to Sussex council

Sussex County Councilman John Rieley is getting his campaign for the District 5 seat into full gear. He will face Keller Hopkins, a member of the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission, in the Sept. 13 Republican primary.

Because of redistricting, District 5 boundaries are essentially new. The old District 5 covered the bottom half of the county, from Delmar and Laurel to Frankford, Millsboro, Dagsboro, Selbyville, Fenwick Island and South Bethany.

The new district has been condensed and now includes Millsboro, Georgetown, Harbeson and east to Hopkins Road near Lewes.

“Millsboro is the same, but everyplace else is new,” he said.

Rieley said he has strong ties to Georgetown. He worked there and was chamber president for two terms, and his family has been attending church in Georgetown for 30 years.

A native of upstate New York, Rieley earned his degree in business and economics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. After graduating with honors, he eventually found his way to Sussex County, where he built careers in both food service management and financial planning.

He and his wife, Lou Ann, have raised 12 children on the family’s farm near Millsboro.

Council accomplishments

Rieley said passage of updated ordinances for wetland buffers and drainage and superior design, increased job opportunities at the Delaware Coastal Business Park, upgrades at the airport, and the updated Delaware Department of Transportation memorandum of understanding are important steps council has taken over the past four years. “But there is still a lot of work to do,” he added.

He said the relationship between the council and DelDOT is the best it's been. He said he understands residents' frustrations when it comes to traffic issues. “DelDOT is committed to spending $1.2 billion over the next five years in the county. It won't fix everything, but it will help maintain what we have and not make things worse,” he said.

Coming from a financial background, Rieley said he's been focused on county finances since he was first elected in 2018. He said the county has had four straight balanced budgets with no property tax increases during his term. “Our credit rating is AAA and we have no debt,” he said.

He said council has been able to increase funding for firefighters, state police and paramedics, and been able to set aside more money for preservation of open space and farmland – $3 million for open space and $1 million for farmland. “Twenty years from now, we'll be happy for every dollar we've spent to preserve open space,” he said.

He said the creation of the $6.3 million Housing Trust Fund has been a major accomplishment.

“The county is in a good place right now. It's financially strong, and we need to work for it to remain that way,” he said.

More workforce housing

Rieley has been an outspoken proponent of more workforce and affordable housing in the county.

“We also need to tackle the tiny homes issue. We need to talk about that as a possible way to increase workforce housing,” he said.

He said he's looking forward to passage of an updated affordable rental ordinance.

Rieley said property rights is one of the hot-button topics. “Our job is to provide a balance between property rights and the community's interests,” he said. “I believe people can choose to do what they want on their land. But I also get that many people move here and a lot of development begins to occur around them. I'm concerned about rapid development, but I still respect property rights. I'm a farmer, and I like the rural character of the area.”

Rieley is one of the few council members who has attended residents' development protests this past year in front of the county administration building on The Circle in Georgetown. “It's important to gain input and listen the the public,” he said.

“I'm retired and run a small farm,” he added. “I'm independent and I have no dog in the fight regarding development. I'm not a Realtor, developer or work in construction. I'm one of the more neutral voices in county government.”

Looking into the near future, Rieley said the county needs to continue to support local first responders. He said more money will be needed by county fire departments, and as the population continues to grow, additional paramedic stations and more money for Delaware State Police may be required.

The deadline to file is noon, Tuesday, July 12.