New Castle County subcommittee introduces three Housing Advisory Board nominees; votes set for next week

The New Castle County Boards and Commissions Subcommittee on June 17 introduced three nominees for seats on the county Housing Advisory Board and presented a reappointment to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board, but formal confirmation votes on the housing nominations were deferred to the council meeting next week.

The subcommittee opened by approving minutes from its May 27 meeting. After that, Councilmember Robert Tackett (introducing the first nominee) called attention to three new appointments on the agenda, beginning with the nomination of Arie Amy Saramone to represent Tackett’s district on the Housing Advisory Board.

Arie Amy Saramone, the nominee, told the subcommittee she has worked “in the housing realm here in Delaware for the last 13 years in different professional settings” and said she wanted to contribute expertise on financing and on connecting county staff with housing providers. The chair noted that the formal vote on Saramone’s nomination would take place at the next council meeting and that she would not need to be present for that vote.

The subcommittee’s second nominee was Mimi Veil. Councilmember Hollins’s sponsor remarks, read from the nomination packet, described Veil as having more than 20 years of experience in real estate development, including affordable housing and redevelopment in multiple states, and noted a degree in regional planning and a role as a housing initiative coordinator at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. Veil said she was “honored to be nominated” and said she hoped to add her experience and perspective to county housing work. The sponsor said the nomination packet lists Veil’s service on executive boards of national and regional housing organizations.

Councilman Dave Carter praised Veil’s experience and urged the advisory board to help coordinate county efforts with the state legislature. “We’re going to need the advisory council to kind of help work through that and figure out where the best roles are for each level of government,” Carter said.

A third nomination—Bishop George Gibson for a Toole-district seat on the Housing Advisory Board—was discussed but had not been formally introduced at this meeting. Councilmembers raised the question of dual appointments after noting that some individuals currently serve on more than one county board; the subcommittee agreed to place a discussion of dual appointments on a future agenda.

Separately, the subcommittee considered the reappointment of Michael Shaw to the Fire and Ambulance Advisory Board in Councilmember Smiley’s district. Shaw’s reappointment was presented on the consent portion of the agenda; no council members asked questions and no public comment was offered.

No formal confirmation votes for the two housing nominees were recorded at the June 17 meeting; the subcommittee chair said those votes would occur at the council meeting next week. Routine procedural motions recorded at the June 17 subcommittee meeting included approval of the May 27 minutes and a motion to adjourn.

The subcommittee noted attendance during roll call from Councilmembers Koneko, Smiley, Kilpatrick, Toole, Carter (Dave Carter), George, Tackett, President Pro Tem Hollins and Councilman Cartier (online); President Williams Johns and Councilman Sheldon joined later in the session. The subcommittee said it will return the housing nominations to the full council for final action at its next regular meeting.