News Flash

NEW CASTLE – New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announced that the County’s Information System Department earned a #3 national rank among counties in the same population category based on the 20^th Annual Digital Counties Survey conducted by the Center for Digital Government (CDG) in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo).  The survey examines overall technology strategies and programs and commends top counties for technology practices that enable more efficient and responsive government.

New Castle County has been a top ten survey winner for the past four years and this year advances to #3 for outstanding work modernizing technology systems and making government services easier for constituents to do business with the County. Key multi-department accomplishments include modernizing the County website with AI-powered tools to improve accessibility, implementing an e-payment cloud compete with mobile and digital options, enabling self-service channels to check the status of projects and permits, and implementing strategies for managing American Rescue Plan (ARPA) awarded funds by developing digital grant application channels ensuring ARPA compliance requirements. Another noteworthy accomplishment called-out by CDG and NACo was executing an ARPA-funded program and strategy to expand mobile broadband infrastructure in targeted areas leveraging county-owned land, a leadership priority program. 

County Exec Meyer joins Vanessa Phillips, CAO, Mike Hojnicki, Chief of Technology and Administrative Services, and Jon Yearly, Deputy CTO, to receive this award at the annual NACo Conference in Travis County, TX on July 21^st.  In response to this prestigious 3^rd place award, CTO Hojnicki said, “this accomplishment demonstrates the success of the entire County to embrace technology and improve government services through innovation and creative problem solving.” County Exec Meyer added “I’m extremely proud of the entire IS staff for all that they do to keep our systems and data secure. We emerged from the pandemic with a modernized technology environment enabling County government to respond efficiently to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses.”

To read about this year’s 20^th anniversary top ten jurisdictions in the five population categories, click here. For highlights outlining the top contenders in New Castle County’s population category, click here. 

500,000 – 999,999 Population Category

1^st Prince George’s County, MD

2^nd DeKalb County, GA

2^nd Jefferson County, CO

3^rd New Castle County, DE

3^rd San Joaquin County, CA

4^th County of Chester, PA

5^th Snohomish County, WA

6^th County of Ventura, CA

7^th Gwinnett County, GA

8^th Polk County, FL

9^th Cobb County, GA

10^th County of San Mateo, CA

About the Center for Digital Government

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) is a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government. CDG is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education.

About National Association of Counties 

The National Association of Counties (NACo) strengthens America’s counties, including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees. Founded in 1935, NACo unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policymaking; promote exemplary county policies and practices; nurture leadership skills and expand knowledge networks; optimize county and taxpayer resources and cost savings; and enrich the public’s understanding of county government.