Washington, D.C., March 7, 2007: Members of the Sussex County administrative staff are in Washington today meeting with Delaware’s congressional delegation, urging lawmakers to continue their support of programs and funding that are vital to Sussex County.
Finance Director Susan M. Webb and Assistant to the Administrator Hal Godwin, along with representatives of Delaware’s other two counties, are attending a luncheon on Capitol Hill with Sens. Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Thomas R. Carper, as well as with Congressman Michael N. Castle.
The session caps a five-day legislative conference in Washington, sponsored by the National Association of Counties.
County Administrator David B. Baker, who was unable to attend today’s event, said the annual meeting with Delaware’s congressional lawmakers gives county officials the opportunity to be face to face with those who can be advocates for Sussex County in the nation’s capital.
“The staff always takes this opportunity to thank the delegation for its hard work on behalf of Sussex County in years past,” Mr. Baker said. “But we also use this time to remind our senators and congressman that we still need their help. This year, funding is needed for beach replenishment, for waste water grants and loans to improve our Inland Bays and for runway expansion at our airport. All of these are essential to the well-being and continued prosperity of Sussex County.”
The meeting with lawmakers marks the end of the annual NACo conference in Washington. During the five-day conference, Sussex officials have joined other attendees from the nation’s 3,000-plus counties in seminars, speeches and workshops that focused on an array of topics, from identifying underserved markets so government can stimulate new economic development to understanding federal wetland regulations and their effects on local communities.
Sussex officials said the NACo conference is an excellent educational and networking opportunity.
“This kind of seminar helps to broaden your view as to what issues other counties are facing, and how we might be able to address and solve them right here in Sussex County,” Mr. Godwin said. “Speaking to county officials from other parts of the country, it’s interesting to me to see how similar we all are and the challenges that we all must deal with, like land use, the environment, economic development, and ensuring public safety for our residents.”
Mr. Baker and Mr. Godwin said the information they and other County staffers glean from this conference will enhance their knowledge as it relates to managing local government, and that, in turn, will benefit the taxpayers and citizens of Sussex County.