News
Delaware City Manager to Retire in 2024 after 25 Years
Delaware City Manager Tom Homan, who has served as the city’s chief executive since 1999, has announced his intention to retire in July of 2024. Homan’s retirement will end a 25-year tenure as Delaware’s longest serving city manager.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as City Manager,” Homan said. “Delaware is a wonderful community with a strong sense of place, a rich history and citizens who take pride in living and working here. I am proud of the work our team has accomplished in partnership with our City Council, residents, businesses and community partners.”
Homan has worked with four Mayors, 24 Council members and numerous department leaders. As manager, he oversees a $70 million operating budget and approximately 400 employees responsible for the delivery of all City services, including development, human resources, public works, finance, public safety, water utilities and technology.
“I am very appreciative of the City staff for their diligence and dedication in the work they do every day to maintain and improve the quality of life for our community. I am also grateful to the many City Council members I have served over the years, for their support, leadership, and commitment to our city,” he said.
Homan’s quarter-century in Delaware is marked by transformational change, including revitalization of the historic downtown, new neighborhood development, numerous economic development initiatives, modernization of water treatment and sanitary sewer plants and construction of the Delaware Community Center/YMCA.
Delaware’s population, at almost 45,000, has increased more than 80-percent since Homan arrived at City Hall in February 1999. Along with the challenges of unprecedented growth, he has seen Delaware through a global pandemic and economic downturns. His financial stewardship has allowed the city to maintain core services, fiscally sound budgets, and high bond ratings.
“Tom has helped lead our City through many complex issues over the years while maintaining exceptional City services, ensuring our citizens enjoy a high quality of life now and in the future,” Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle said.
Homan, currently Central Ohio’s longest-serving manager, also built strategic relationships with community partners and placed an emphasis on community engagement. Under his leadership, the City has received many regional and national awards for its quality of services. Delaware is a two-time Ohio Magazine Best Hometown, a Money Magazine Top 50 Best Place to Live in America and boasts a national-honored downtown recognized by the American Planning Association.
“He is a highly respected municipal leader and has built collaborative partnerships in our region that have greatly benefited our City and will leave a lasting legacy,” Riggle said. “We wish Tom the best in his well-earned retirement. He will be dearly missed.”
Homan chose to announce his retirement a year in advance to allow time for a smooth transition of leadership. He will continue to oversee the operation of the City, as directed by City Council, through July 2024. City Council later this year or early in 2024 will begin a nationwide search and selection of the city’s next manager.
Need Help? Technical Assistance for Thriving Communities
by Tad McGalliard | Jul 01, 2023 | PM MAGAZINE – ARTICLE
With the expansion of existing federal funding initiatives and the development of new programs resulting from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and planned investments in clean energy and climate resiliency from the Inflation Reduction Act, many federal agencies have established technical assistance centers to support cities, counties, towns, and townships, especially those that have not traditionally received federal funding. Most of this assistance is available without a fee or requirements for a lengthy consulting contract or procurement process.
Typically, the programs identified in this article will follow a similar process of intake through an online form or referral from the federal agency; an onsite and/or virtual assessment of key challenges and needs; a longer-term engagement of activities targeting a priority need; and wraparound services and follow-up to help ensure that the targeted outcomes are achieved.
Environmental Finance Centers
The EFC program has been around for a number of years, but recent funding has led to an increased number of centers focused on supporting community projects in areas like drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. Other focal points include local infrastructure investments in solid waste, clean air, greenhouse gas reduction, and toxic substance management. In late 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 29 new EFCs that will be operated by universities and nonprofit organizations. ICMA is a partner with the Low Impact Development Center (LIDC), which will support communities in EPA’s Region 3, which includes the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Learn more at epa.gov/waterfinancecenter/efcn.
Technical Assistance for Brownfields
Since the mid-1990s, EPA has awarded grants to local governments and community organizations to assess and clean up brownfields, in addition to setting up revolving loan funds and conducting area wide planning. EPA funds several organizations (including ICMA, see icmatab.org) to provide support to communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations on their brownfield challenges.