Sussex County Issues
Town Councils
School Boards
Sussex Reporting Corps
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We are seeking Indivisible Sussex members to be reporters at Town Council and School Board meetings in every town in the county. Reporters will attend meetings and report back on topics discussed, proposals, and actions taken on issues of common interest and relative importance. No complex training is required, but a basic notes form and guidance will be provided. If you are interested in joining the Sussex Reporting Corps, please provide your name, municipality, email, and phone number.
Tips for Presenting at Public Meetings
Speaking at your Town Council, Board of Education, or County Commissioners' meeting is a significant act of civic participation in our representative democracy. Letting our elected officials know what is important to you helps them understand various points of view among the electorate and guides their decision-making. At the town and county level, our representatives' legislative and administrative roles are limited to local issues. However, they are influential in that they are a conduit to elected officials at higher levels of government, as well as fellow citizens around the county. When they discuss multifaceted issues with other members of the community and state officials, they can convey your concerns to a broader audience, so sharing your voice DOES make a difference.
County Board of Commissioners. The County Commissioners are elected by the residents of Sussex County. They develop and approve the County budget and establish policies for the operation of four main departments: Central & Shared Services; Engineering & Planning; Finance & Library Services; and Health & Human Services, plus twelve Divisions, and a number of boards, commissions, authorities, and committees. Members of the Board of Commissioners also serve on the Boards of School Estimate for the Sussex County Technical School and the Sussex County Community College. Actual day-to-day operation of the Departments is overseen by the County Administrator, who is appointed by, and reports to, the Board of Commissioners. The Board also addresses regional issues, such as Strategic Growth, solid waste disposal, water quality, the maintenance of County roads and bridges, Farmland Preservation and Open Space, and the County Library System.
Town/Borough Council. A Town or Borough Council (or Committee) is elected by the residents in the municipality and makes decisions about local laws, budgets, public services, and land use. The Council typically controls local zoning, parks, and police (if there is a local department), while the county government oversees other wider services. There are two main structures of town or borough councils. Council-Manager and Mayor-Council. In towns that use the Council-Manager structure, the Council is elected by the residents, who in turn hire (or appoint from among the Council members) a Town Manager. The Council approves the budget and establishes policy, where the Manager oversees the day-to-day operations of the town. In towns with a Mayor-Council structure, the Mayor is elected separately from the Council and oversees the daily management of the town. The Mayor may be "strong" or "weak" depending on whether the Mayor or Council is given more authority over the other. Each town may also have various Boards that make decisions about important issues in the town, such as Zoning, Land Use, Parks, Recreation, Health, Economic Development, Environment, Public Works, among others. Members of these Boards are typically appointed by the Town Council and they hold separate meetings from the Town Council.
Board of Education. Members of the School Board are elected by residents in the town where the school is located, with the exception of Sussex County Technical School, whose members are appointed by the County Commissioners. The members of the Board elect a President and Vice President at their annual Reorganization meeting held in January. The Board's role is not run the district, but to see that the district is well run. As the professional expert in the field of education, the Superintendent is a non-voting member of the School Board and advises the Board so they can make informed decisions about the budget, policy, and approving the hiring of personnel. For more information on the role of School Board in relation to the Superintendent and what to expect at a meeting, see the NJ School Board Association's pamphlets Who Does What in Public Schools and A Guide to Board of Education Meetings in New Jersey.
Robert's Rules of Order. Most Boards and Councils operate under the parliamentary procedure known as Robert's Rules. It is a manual that was developed by a US Army officer in the late 19th century to establish standard operating procedures at meetings that would ensure order and consistency. Each organization can adapt Robert's Rules as they see fit, but overall, the rules govern how the Board or Council proceeds through the meeting agenda and allow for fair participation of Board members and the public in an orderly manner.
When to speak. There are typically two Public Comments sessions at each meeting, as is the practice at the County Board of Commissioners' meetings. Some Towns and School Boards only permit one session. If your town allows for two sessions, the first session is usually dedicated to issues that are related to agenda items; the second session is open to any topic of interest. You may speak during both sessions. Public comments are often limited to 3 or 5 minutes per person (each session). Some towns do not currently have time restraints. Public comment at the County Commissioners' meetings is limited to 3 minutes.
What to say. Whatever you feel strongly about. Here are some examples of focal points:
- Share a personal story that explains how current events impact you, someone you know, or the community.
- Explain facts that educate the public about a topic that is misunderstood or unknown.
- Make a connection between history and the current situation to illustrate the significance of the moment.
- Read a poem/quote or share artwork/pictures to invoke an emotional response to the issue.
Structure your comments: Provide a logical train of thought with a beginning, middle, and end that outlines not only what you want the Commissioners to understand, but also what you expect them to do about the issue. Use repetition.
- Begin your remarks by stating your purpose for speaking.
- Clearly summarize a few main points about the topic.
- End by clarifying the action you want the Commissioners to take to address your concerns.
Draft your message and practice. Write your comments in advance and practice reading them aloud while timing yourself with a stopwatch. Edit your remarks to be able to finish them without having to rush. You must state your name and hometown before you begin your speech, so include that within the 3-5 minute limitation. Share your statement to get feedback.
Be serious. Conduct yourself in a way that is consistent with the seriousness of the issues at hand. Avoid sarcasm, snide remarks, and insults because they detract from our goal of promoting civility. Keep your comments courteous and direct.
Do not expect an immediate response. Commissioners typically do not ask or answer questions during the Public Comments session. You should consider emailing them after the meeting to request a response. You may provide the clerk with a hard copy of your comments and contact information also.
THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP AND SPEAKING OUT! YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
Ideas for speeches:
- Department Secretaries’ utter lack of knowledge and experience in their cabinet positions
- Immigration - ICE, HSI, Local Police
- Medical crisis - MAHA’s spread of misinformation, lack of access to health care, outbreaks
- DOGE - cuts to critical services in the US and costs to taxpayers
- Impact of DOGE cuts on international community
- Tariffs - stock market manipulation, affect on business owners and consumers
- The various lawsuits against the administration - cost to taxpayers, impact on individuals, businesses, and institutions
- Trump’s lies, and those of his administration
- Trumps’ unconstitutional actions
- Brain Drain in US and its effect on industries, universities, research, economy
- Trump’s insults to allies and affinity for dictators
- American History & Government
Additional ideas for sharing information:
- Follow up email to Committee/Board members
- Sharing speeches in other venues (e.g., social media)
- Sending speeches to State Senators and Assembly members
- Chain of Indivisible speakers stating examples of one of the topics above (e.g., one of Trump’s lies after the next)
- New faces in front of the Committees and Boards will show that our group is growing
Contact your State Representatives
Contact Governor Mikie Sherrill
Contact Congressman Gottheimer
Contact Assembly Member Fantsia
Contact Assembly Member Ingamort
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
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