Newly elected Sussex County council member shares vision for areas future

SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. –  As campaign signs come down across Delmarva, newly elected officials are getting ready to take on their new roles. In Sussex County, newly elected town council member John Rieley is ready to help shape the future of the county.

“I want to make sure that the county is in good financial shape for the longer-term I mean looking at 10 to 20 years so that my children are able to enjoy the same quality of life we have,” said Rieley.

Rieley will represent the 5th district, and residents say they’re hopeful he’ll be able to address key issues in the area such as the lack of broadband service, and rapid growth.

“We’ve seen drastic changes just in the past five years And of course I’m going to have to think about how it’s going to affect me living here,” said Sussex County resident Margaret Strootnan.

“One of the most important thing is responsible growth, that we need to stay focused on,” said resident Rob Westbrook.

And Rieley says he’s ready to attack these issues head on.

“The roads and infrastructure are always going to be at the top of the list. If people are coming in and asking for large development we have to be very cautious about what we are approving and where we are approving it,” said Rieley.

And as for if residents believe Rieley can get the job done:

“Confidence goes up anytime new people come into offices that are available,” said Westbrook.

“He knows the whole history of the county so that’s a blessing he knows what to do and I trust him that he will do what he says he’s going to do,” said Strootnan.

Rieley adds that former council member Rob Arlett called him on Wednesday saying that he was very pleased that he won and feels comfortable handing off his seat to Rieley.