Georgetown, Del., June 20, 2006: The Sussex County Council today named David B. Baker as the next person to take the helm of county government.

Council voted 5-0 in public session to appoint Mr. Baker, 54, of Milton, as Sussex County Administrator. Mr. Baker, who is the county’s Finance Director, will succeed retiring County Administrator Robert L. Stickels as the chief executive officer of the county government. Stickels, who announced his retirement in March, will officially step down Nov. 1, 2006.

Mr. Baker will begin his tenure as County Administrator on that date, and is slated to serve through early 2009. However, the administrator-to-be will work under Mr. Stickels during the next few months of transition to train for the leadership post.

“I am honored to have been selected by the County Council to be the next County Administrator,” Mr. Baker said. “I look forward to working with Bob Stickels over the next few months to better prepare me for this job. My goal is to continue the progress that the county has made under Mr. Stickels and Council’s direction in improving services and providing additional infrastructure as our county grows.”

Mr. Baker’s appointment as the next County Administrator represents the first leadership change in Sussex County’s government in 18 years. Mr. Stickels, first appointed as Deputy County Administrator in January 1988, ascended to his current post in June of that same year. Mr. Baker will be the county’s fifth administrator since Sussex shifted from a Levy Court form of government to the current Council form in 1972.

Council members said they selected Mr. Baker for his leadership qualities, experience in local government and staff management, among other aspects of his professional experience. Councilman George B. Cole nominated Mr. Baker for the post, saying his familiarity with Council and the issues before it in the past and present were a plus.

“Mr. Baker will keep the ship afloat,” said County Council President Lynn J. Rogers. “… We look forward to working together to reach the next level.”

County Council conducted a local and nationwide search for the next administrator, advertising in local newspapers, as well as in the National Association of Counties’ weekly publication.

The search yielded 18 applicants for the position, which will pay $110,544 a year. The field was narrowed to a group of four candidates, all of whom interviewed in late May before the full council. Council since then has met in executive sessions to discuss each candidate’s qualifications. Council, however, made its decision publicly in open session on Tuesday, as is required by law.

Throughout the process, the council was guided by County Attorney James D. Griffin and County Personnel Director Dennis V. Cordrey.

Under Delaware law, the County Council is responsible for appointing an administrator to manage the day-to-day operations of the county government. The administrator oversees all 17 departments heads, attends all County Council meetings, and represents the county on various boards and associations.

The administrator also is responsible for leading the preparation of the county’s annual budget. Sussex County Council on Tuesday, moments before it named Mr. Baker the new administrator, adopted its Fiscal Year 2007 spending plan. The new budget, which begins July 1, tops $140 million, and is the largest ever for the growing county. It was the last budget prepared by County Administrator Stickels, and as others have in years past, it calls for property tax rates to remain unchanged.

Mr. Baker has been employed with Sussex County government since 1978. He began his career with the county as Director of Accounts and Grants, and became the county’s Finance Director – the chief financial officer for the county – in 1992. The Finance Director is often viewed as the second-in-command of county government, and reports directly to the County Administrator and the County Council.

Mr. Baker has a master’s of business administration degree from Wilmington College, and received two bachelor’s degrees, one in accounting and the other in sociology, from the University of Delaware. As Finance Director, he has been responsible for maintaining Sussex County’s finances, overseeing several departments and divisions, including Finance, Accounting, Assessment, Treasury and Utility Billing.

Among his professional affiliations are memberships in the Government Finance Officers Association, as well as a seat on the National Association of Counties’ Taxation and Finance Steering Committee. County officials have credited him over the years for keeping Sussex County in sound financial shape, from recommending full funding of the county’s pension fund to implementing improvements in the county’s financial reporting. That latter action has resulted in Sussex County the past three years winning national awards for its comprehensive financial reports.

County Administrator Stickels said Mr. Baker is an excellent, and logical, choice to succeed him.

“David is bringing with him 28 years of excellent public financial experience, and I see the transition going very smoothly,” Mr. Stickels said. “The county will be in very capable hands.”