Whether on local talk radio or through mailers (most funded by the developer-funded political action committee Preserve Sussex), Mark Schaeffer has offered up a fantastical revisionist history of his term as District 3 councilman.
Among his wishful accomplishments:
• “I have voted routinely against these sprawling large subdivisions.” (WGMD, Sept. 17)
• “He has voted no on the sprawling subdivisions in our district.” (campaign-funded mailer)
• “I have voted no on over two dozen development projects. I have voted for a number of new zoning ordinances that have been passed into law to stop development.” (letter to voters).
The truth is that Mark Schaeffer hasn’t voted no on dozens of development projects, nor has he voted for "a number" of new ordinances to stop overdevelopment – unless of course that number is zero. Most developments are approved by the planning & zoning commission, which is appointed by Sussex County Council and responsible to no one. P&Z operates under rules and ordinances created by county council. To stop the big developments, county council needs to pass new ordinances. It hasn't done so.
Mark Schaeffer claimed a big win for defeating the Royal Farms plan in a recent flyer and said, "I’m very proud of my work to get that application withdrawn." This came as news to the Angola residents and the Route 24 Alliance who actually did do the work required to get that plan withdrawn.
A recent flyer crowed that Schaeffer has “put controls in place in his first three-and-a-half years to rein in overdevelopment” and said that “his ordinance increasing the size of buffers is now law and his ordinance protecting our forests from clear-cutting is now in place.” A trifecta of untruths. The buffer ordinance was passed by council only after years of informed and dedicated advocacy by Sussex Preservation Coalition, which was headed by Jane Gruenebaum. In no way is it his ordinance. Nor is there any ordinance protecting forests from clear-cutting, much less his ordinance.
Schaeffer also claims to have been instrumental in bringing parties together to fund a study that could bring a medical school to Sussex County (letter to voters). Interestingly, a nearly 500-word article about the study (Cape Gazette, May 10) doesn’t even mention his name.
Even more imaginative is his claim that his opponent Jane Gruenebaum supports him: "I’m flattered she has endorsed my entire platform and everything I’ve been working on for three years.” (WGMD, Sept. 17). The next thing you know, he’ll be bragging about the size of his crowds.
And speaking of size, have you noticed that Schaeffer’s signs keep getting bigger? Kind of like Pinocchio’s nose?
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