As county administrator for Cheshire County, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your tireless leadership, thoughtful advocacy, and timely guidance confronting the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Your considered outreach and calm reassurance when the pandemic began assuaged many fears that Congress would abandon counties and municipalities–but for your efforts, such might have been the case. Local governments provide many of the services relied on by communities throughout the country. Your focus on targeting relief toward those areas will undoubtedly yield effective and lasting results as we transition to a new normal.

It is promising to see the speed and scope Congress’s response to the pandemic. Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is evidence to counties nationwide that help is, indeed, on the way.

Finally, in the face of so much uncertainty, I want to encourage you to continue your efforts in Washington. ARPA represents a significant opportunity for counties everywhere, but there is still work to be done. We hope that Congress will use this moment to also address the many other challenges faced by our communities, such as long-overdue improvements and maintenance to our Nation’s infrastructure.

Thank you for your advocacy – you are making a difference for everyone living in Cheshire County and the state of New Hampshire.