Sussex County Council, joined by dozens of staff members, took time Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, to honor retiring County Engineer Michael A. Izzo for his 31 years of public service.

During its weekly meeting, Council presented Mr. Izzo with a plaque and tribute, and County Administrator Todd F. Lawson announced that Mr. Izzo's legacy to County government -- he has the distinction of being the longest-serving County Engineer at 19 years -- will be memorialized in the renaming of an Engineering Department conference room in his honor. 

Mr. Izzo received a standing ovation and thanked the many people who have served with him throughout his career, calling staff an extension of his family. As County Engineer, Mr. Izzo has overseen a staff of nearly 150 people in nine divisions that are responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining County projects, including public wastewater systems and various facilities. Engineering is the single largest department within County government, and one of its most critical, employing engineers, project managers, draftsmen, construction technicians, wastewater operators, electricians, and maintenance crews, among others.

During his tenure, Mr. Izzo has helped guide dozens of public projects, including construction of the County’s 911 center, three paramedic stations, three public libraries, a new airport terminal building and runway extension, the Nanticoke River dredging and park projects, not to mention hundreds of miles of public wastewater systems. Those sewer systems alone have brought about a tremendous environmental benefit to the county, eliminating more than 16,000 septic systems in the Inland Bays watershed.

Sussex County wishes Mr. Izzo all the best in his retirement.