Georgetown, Del., July 18, 2023: Sussex County’s Planning & Zoning Commission is getting a bit of a mid-summer makeover.

County Council, at its Tuesday, July 18, 2023, meeting, finalized the last of several changes to the five-member panel, a Council-appointed body that reviews and gives consideration toward subdivision applications and other land use requests. Commissioners serve three-year terms.

Among the new appointments, Council on Tuesday approved Brian Butler of Bridgeville to fill the seat formerly held by Commissioner R. Keller Hopkins. Meantime, in late June, Council appointed Scott Collins of Rehoboth Beach to replace Commissioner Kim Hoey Stevenson, who opted not to seek another term, while reappointing current Commissioner J. Bruce Mears of the Ocean View area, first seated in 2019, to another term.

Collins, a product manager in the pharmaceutical industry with past experience in the financial sector, and Butler, an auto body shop business owner, are new to the local government scene.

“Serving the public trust is one of the highest callings anyone can answer. It means countless hours away from family, friends, or other interests, for not much pay and even less thanks,” Council President Michael H. Vincent said. “The Council appreciates each appointee’s willingness to serve the community, to want to be a part of solutions that balance preservation and progress for a Sussex County we can all be proud of. We look forward to working with you.”

The new members’ terms run from now through June 2026.

###