OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

New Castle County Boards and Commission Subcommittee Meeting – July 21, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodyNew Castle County, Delaware
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
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0:03

I do.

0:04

Search for it.

0:06

All right.

0:06

Welcome to the July twenty-first boards and commission subcommittee meeting.

0:12

We'll call the meeting to order and do roll call.

0:17

Mr.

0:17

Smiley is in chamber.

0:21

Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilman Toole, Councilwoman George, and Council President Monique Johns, Williams Johns are in chamber and online.

0:33

I can't see anyone.

0:36

I don't know if anyone's online.

0:37

Yes.

0:38

We have Mr.

0:38

Cartier, Mr.

0:40

Keneco, Mr.

0:41

Street, Mr.

0:42

Carter, Mr.

0:44

Tackett.

0:44

Okay, thank you.

0:50

First, uh is there a motion to approve the minutes from June 16th?

0:55

Motion to approve is provided.

0:57

Second.

0:57

And we got you, George, in the on the roll call.

1:02

Second.

1:03

And all in favor.

1:04

Aye.

1:05

Aye.

1:06

Any opposed?

1:08

Okay, thank you.

1:10

Minutes are approved.

1:12

As submitted, my assistant Ken Hempel will take the minutes for today.

1:17

And which should be short.

1:19

We only have one new appointment of Mr.

1:21

Andrew Harper to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board in District 5 under Councilwoman George.

1:27

And I think he's online.

1:29

He is.

1:29

If somebody could bring him over, that would be wonderful.

1:31

I think it's Mr.

1:32

Happer, actually.

1:33

Oh, sorry.

1:34

Okay.

1:34

Mr.

1:35

Happer and I had an opportunity to have a conversation this past week.

1:40

You all have uh access to his resume.

1:42

I was very impressed and very excited that he wants to serve in this way.

1:46

Uh clearly he has the experience necessary for this.

1:50

Uh and I was very excited to talk about the goals that he has, and I'd be happy if he'd like to share them at this time.

1:59

Andrew, you are muted.

2:20

Is he over on this side?

2:21

I can't on my screen I can't see him.

2:25

There you go.

2:25

There you go.

2:26

There you are.

2:26

Thank you.

2:27

Welcome.

2:27

Would you like to say a few words?

2:29

It boo it booted me out for a few moments, so I'm sorry there.

2:34

All right.

2:35

The floor, the floor is yours.

2:38

I'm sorry, say it again.

2:40

The floor is yours to say a few words about your uh desire to serve on this board or your um your commitment to first off I want to apologize.

2:51

I'm I'm actually in Wisconsin at Air Show, so I tried to find the uh quietest spot I could.

2:57

Um but yeah, no, I'm I've been in Newcastle County since uh went to University of Delaware in 2010, graduated there in 14.

3:06

During my time there, I joined the uh Aetna Fire Company.

3:10

And I've been there since 2012.

3:13

So serving for as a firefighter's always been my passion, but I've also taken on numerous leadership roles there, from captain all the way up to deputy chief and served as a director for uh uh a year as well.

3:29

Um I I talked to some people about this board and you know uh I always have passion for moving fire service board and integrating better with the county and all the other players.

3:42

Um and this is something that would be very interesting to me, something I would want to devote a lot of time to seeing how we can work together better, especially in this time when you know fire companies are out here asking for more money, changes, all that.

3:56

Yeah, I just want to be a part of trying to improve everything with that.

4:04

Thank you.

4:07

Thank you so much.

4:08

I it looks like you would be a perfect fit for the committee, and we really appreciate your willingness to um be considered and um take an interest in the board.

4:18

Are there any other comments or questions from council?

4:22

In chamber?

4:23

Mrs.

4:23

Kilpatrick.

4:25

Thank you.

4:25

I just want to thank you for being on the board, and I know that you are a wonderful person since you're at the Oshkosh air show.

4:33

Yeah, I got here.

4:34

I got here over the weekend, and uh it's been great so far, and luckily I have enough internet to to jump on this because uh how crowded it is.

4:42

It's it's a it's a fun time out here.

4:43

So thank you.

4:46

Any other comments in chamber?

4:47

How about online?

4:51

Uh Councilwoman, there's no public comment online.

4:54

Okay, thank you.

4:55

Uh seeing none, um Andrew, we're this will be actually voted on next Tuesday.

5:01

You don't need to be present.

5:03

Um you won't be required to appear again.

5:07

You're obviously welcome to tune in if you'd like, and um some someone will be in touch with you afterwards.

5:13

Okay, very good.

5:14

I appreciate it.

5:15

Okay, thank you so much for uh taking the time out to be with us today.

5:19

Of course, you guys have a good day, all right.

5:21

Thank you.

5:24

Yeah.

5:24

And uh just recognizing that um Councilman Hollins is has joined us in chamber.

5:30

Um Mr.

5:31

Sheldon is online.

5:32

Oh, and Mr.

5:33

Sheldon as well online.

5:35

Um we have no reappointments today.

5:38

Is there anything under other comment?

5:48

All right.

5:48

Motion adjourned.

5:50

Second, all in favor.

5:51

Uh personnel in four minutes at three o'clock.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Public Safety███████████████████████34%
Summary of Proceedings

New Castle County Boards and Commission Subcommittee Meeting – July 21, 2026

This meeting of the Boards and Commission Subcommittee was called to order at 3:00 PM (approximate) on July 21, 2026, in Council Chambers and via online participation. Members present in chamber included Councilman Smiley, Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilman Toole, Councilwoman George, and Council President Monique Johns‑Williams. Several members joined online, including Mr. Cartier, Mr. Keneco, Mr. Street, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Tackett. The sole substantive business was the consideration of a new appointment to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of June 16, 2026 Minutes: A motion to approve the minutes from the June 16 meeting was made and seconded. Roll call was conducted, and the motion passed unanimously (all in favor, none opposed). The minutes were approved as submitted.

Discussion Items

  • Appointment of Andrew Harper to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board (District 5): Councilwoman George introduced Mr. Harper, who joined the meeting online from the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh air show in Wisconsin. Mr. Harper apologized for his remote location but expressed enthusiasm for serving. He shared his background: he joined the Aetna Fire Company in 2012 after attending the University of Delaware (2010–2014), and has held leadership roles including captain, deputy chief, and a one‑year term as a director. He stated his passion for improving integration between the fire service and the county, especially as fire companies face funding and operational changes. Councilwoman George praised his qualifications and interest. Councilwoman Kilpatrick also thanked him for his willingness to serve and noted he was at the Oshkosh air show. No other comments were made in chamber or online. The appointment will be voted on at the next full Council meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Mr. Harper was not required to be present and was told someone would follow up with him.

Key Outcomes

  • The minutes of June 16, 2026, were approved unanimously.
  • Andrew Harper’s nomination to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board was discussed and will be formally voted on at the Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Council meeting.
  • No reappointments or other business were conducted. The meeting adjourned shortly after 3:00 PM following a motion, with a noted personnel meeting scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

I do. Search for it. All right. Welcome to the July twenty-first boards and commission subcommittee meeting. We'll call the meeting to order and do roll call. Mr. Smiley is in chamber. Councilwoman Kilpatrick, Councilman Toole, Councilwoman George, and Council President Monique Johns, Williams Johns are in chamber and online. I can't see anyone. I don't know if anyone's online. Yes. We have Mr. Cartier, Mr. Keneco, Mr. Street, Mr. Carter, Mr. Tackett. Okay, thank you. First, uh is there a motion to approve the minutes from June 16th? Motion to approve is provided. Second. And we got you, George, in the on the roll call. Second. And all in favor. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay, thank you. Minutes are approved. As submitted, my assistant Ken Hempel will take the minutes for today. And which should be short. We only have one new appointment of Mr. Andrew Harper to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board in District 5 under Councilwoman George. And I think he's online. He is. If somebody could bring him over, that would be wonderful. I think it's Mr. Happer, actually. Oh, sorry. Okay. Mr. Happer and I had an opportunity to have a conversation this past week. You all have uh access to his resume. I was very impressed and very excited that he wants to serve in this way. Uh clearly he has the experience necessary for this. Uh and I was very excited to talk about the goals that he has, and I'd be happy if he'd like to share them at this time. Andrew, you are muted. Is he over on this side? I can't on my screen I can't see him. There you go.

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