Reimagine New Castle County through ARPA

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021 by President Biden, provides funding to states, counties and municipalities across the country to spur recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a historic opportunity to reimagine the communities in which we live, an unprecedented opportunity to address problems that arose in recent months and divisions that have festered for decades,” New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said. “We thank President Biden, Senator Carper, Senator Coons and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester in ensuring every local government across our state has resources to build back better, and we look forward to our continued partnership with County Council to get these funds to the communities, families and individuals in most need.”

New Castle County will receive approximately $108 million from this fund to fight COVID-19 and its impacts in two tranches: $54m in 2021 (paid 60 days post certification); $54m in 2022 (paid within 12 months of first tranche). The resources must be expended by December 31, 2024.  The U.S. Department of Treasury issued details on usage of the Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

Building on the work of the CARES Act Task Force we engaged for guidance on investments of that federal funding, we will again look to advice from outside experts to provide recommendations. The currently planned ARPA Task Force Committees are:

1. Audit & Compliance (Co-Chairs County Auditor Bob Wasserbach and Chief Financial Officer Michael Smith)

2. Intergovernmental Collaboration (Co-Chairs: Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Erik Raser-Schramm and County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle) 

3. Economic and Community Development (Co-Chairs: Land Use General Manager Rich Hall, County Councilman Penrose Hollins and County Councilman John Cartier) 

4. Workforce Development (Co-Chairs CJ Bell and County Councilman Tim Sheldon)

5. Early Childhood Learning (Co-Chairs Economic Development Director Charuni Patibanda, County Councilwoman Lisa Diller and County Councilman Ken Woods)

 And we welcome your input at any time!  Please complete this form to share your ideas about ways we can Reimagine New Castle County -- and make our community stronger and more equitable.




Committee Names
Intergovernmental Collaboration Chair: Erik Raser-Schramm, Council Co-Chair: Council President Hartley Nagle, Mike Purzycki (Wilmington), Jerry Clifton (Newark), Wendy King (Newport), Eric Thompson (Elsmere), David Brenner (Bellefonte), Jeffery Politis (Arden), Alison Wakelin (Ardentown), Ken Morrison (Ardencroft), Paul Johnson Sr. (Delaware City), Kenneth Branner (Middletown), Harvey Smith (Odessa), Tom McDonald (Townsend) and Michael Quaranta (New Castle)
Economic & Community Development Chair: Rich Hall, Council Co-Chair: Penrose Hollins, Council Co-Chair: John Cartier, Jay Patel, Brett Sadler, Ray Rhodes, Bill Lower, Bob Chadwick, Pam Scott, Izuru Osegbu, Sarah Lester, Stewart Ramsey, Shelia Bravo, Denita Henderson
Early Childhood Learning Chair: Charuni Patibanda, Council Co-Chair: Lisa Diller, Council Co-Chair: Ken Woods, Aaron Bass, Madeleine Bayard, Pam Reuther, Dr. Rena Hallam, Rita Landgraf, Mari Viera-Gunn, Quinn Johnson, Kirsten Olson, Heidi Beck
Workforce Development Chair: CJ Bell, Council Co-Chair: Tim Sheldon, Brian McGlinchy, Markevis Gideon, Andrew Mcnight
Guillermina Gonzalez, Roxane Ferguson, Ayanna Khan, Dominique Truitt, Charles Madden, Jim Maravelias, Ed Capadanno

Audit & Compliance Chair: Bob Wasserbach, NCC Co-Chair: Michael Smith, Council Member: Janet Kilpatrick, Tarik Haskins, Martin Taylor, Nicole Waters, Karl Brockenbaugh