Government of New Castle County

Del. Code tit. 9, ch. 15
in effect

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1501 Definitions.

As used in this part, unless the context requires a different meaning: (1) “County” means New Castle County. (2) The words “New Castle County government,” or words of similar import, mean the government of New Castle County as established in Chapter 11 of this title.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1502 Transactions, activities and conduct forbidden to county officers or employees.

No county officer or employee shall furnish labor or material, either directly or indirectly, for the making, erection or repair of any bridge, road, causeway, public building or public work of any kind or description which is or may be within the care, custody or control of any county officer or employee, nor shall be or become, directly or indirectly, either the contractor or subcontractor for the performance of any public work, duty or service of any nature or kind within the control of any county officer or employee, nor shall have, exact, receive, accept or enjoy any rebate, profit, gift, emolument, rake-off or any pecuniary benefit whatsoever either directly or indirectly, from or on account of the making, erection or repair of any bridge, road, causeway, public building or public work of any kind or description which is or may be within the care, custody or control of any county officer or employee in his or her official capacity, or from or on account of any contract or subcontract for the performance of any public work, duty or service of any nature or kind within the control of any county officer or employee.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1521 Enumeration of certain specific powers.

(a) (1) In addition to the powers elsewhere conferred upon the New Castle County Council and without limiting their generality, the New Castle County Council shall have general jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the County, its business, finances and general welfare, including the power to act upon all matters pertaining to sewers, sewerage disposal plants, trunk line sewers and sewerage systems generally, garbage, garbage disposal, removal and incineration of ashes, garbage, trash and rubbish, and the operation of plants therefor, drainage, engineering, construction of public buildings, fire protection, ambulance service, general supervision of county offices, public welfare institutions, fire companies and other matters of a public nature. (2) The County Council in accordance with the provisions of § 1162 of this title shall establish and fix the salaries of all employees except the elected officeholders employed in the several county offices in New Castle County, and the chief deputy appointed by certain of the elected officeholders, provided: a. All employees in the same classification shall be paid the same salary and b. All Chief Deputies of elected or appointed officeholders shall be paid a salary of not less than $6,000 per annum and c. All Assistant Chief Deputies of elected or appointed officeholders shall be paid a salary of not less than $5,500 per annum. (b) In the performance of its duties, the New Castle County government may employ such assistants, enter into contracts and generally take such action as in its opinion it deems necessary and proper and for the best interests of the County. (c) The New Castle County Council, in the general supervision of the county offices as enumerated in this section, shall have the power and authority to install, in such of the county offices as it shall consider necessary and desirable, modern and efficient business machines and machine record systems, to the end that all of the county offices shall be administered efficiently and economically. The New Castle County Council shall purchase or lease the necessary and appropriate business machine record systems and business machines to carry out the purposes of this section. (d) The New Castle County Council may employ technical or professional advisors and consultants that it deems necessary or proper to advise it on the efficient and economical administration of the affairs of New Castle County. The technical and professional consultants and advisors so employed shall have full authority to examine and study the operation, management and administration of all county offices or departments that receive any appropriation for salaries or operational expenses from the New Castle County Council, and shall render to the New Castle County Council a written report of the findings and recommendations as result of such examination and study. (e) County Council may determine that lands owned by New Castle County are surplus and no longer needed for County use and may authorize their disposal. The determination that lands are surplus shall be made after a public hearing not less than 30 days prior to the first published advertisement for bids or introduction of any ordinance or the execution of any contract for providing for the conveyance of such lands. Notice of the hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in New Castle County at least 10 days before the hearing. (f) Notwithstanding any provision in this title, any real property acquired by New Castle County as the result of a Sheriff’s Sale brought by the County to collect delinquent taxes, sewer service charges or other fees or charges due to the County shall be deemed surplus upon the execution by the Sheriff of a deed conveying the property to New Castle County. Lands acquired in this manner may be sold without further approval by County Council; provided that, prior to the completion of the sale, the conveyance of the property shall be approved by the County Executive of New Castle County in accordance with a written policy promulgated by the County Executive or Chief Administrative Officer. (g) In addition to those powers enumerated in this section, New Castle County Council may by ordinance transfer lands held by the County, including but not limited to, surplus lands, to the State after written notification from the Governor or the Governor’s designee that such lands are required by the State for public purposes.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1522 Borrowing money.

(a) The County Council may, from time to time, authorize the borrowing of money upon the faith and credit of the County by issuing bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness or any other evidence of debt, not to exceed the sum of $10,000,000 exclusive of indebtedness incurred for the purposes enumerated in subsection (d) of this section. (b) The evidences of such indebtedness shall be in the form and manner prescribed by the Office of Finance but no such obligation shall bear interest at a greater rate than 5 percent. Such obligations shall not be issued or sold at less than their face value, and shall be issued in series and all such obligations issued at any time within the fiscal year shall constitute a series. No such obligation shall run for more than 20 years. At least 5 percent of the total outstanding obligations issued hereunder shall be retired by lot or paid, in each fiscal year. The obligations shall be signed by the County Executive either in original or by authorized mechanical signature and sealed with the seal of the Clerk of the County Council. The obligations may be issued for general County purposes and the full faith and credit of the County shall be deemed to be pledged for the payment of the principal and interest of such obligations. The obligations shall be made payable at a state or national bank designated by the County. The obligations shall be exempt from all state, county or municipal taxes. (c) In case of the destruction by fire of any of the public buildings of the County, or of any emergency resulting in great loss to the County by destruction of property or threat thereof, the County Council, by a unanimous vote, may provide for such emergency by temporary loan or loans, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, until the next ensuing session of the General Assembly. (d) The debt limit stated in subsection (a) of this section shall not be interpreted to include any bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness issued for the purpose of securing funds for use at the New Castle County Airport or; for using financing sanitary districts, the construction or acquisition of sewers or sewerage systems, suburban improvements, or County roads or bridges; or any bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness that do not pledge the full faith and credit of the County.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1523 Sinking fund.

The Office of Finance may create a sinking fund for public buildings, public improvements, and public works generally, and for such purposes may open a special bank account in the name of the County and may deposit therein such sums at such times as the Office of Finance deems advisable. The money in such fund shall be paid out upon warrants as other county moneys are paid out according to law, at such times and in such amounts and for the above stated purposes or for any of such purposes, as the Office of Finance shall determine.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1524 Dumping of garbage, rubbish, ashes or other waste material; penalty for violation.

(a) The County Council may regulate or prohibit the dumping of rubbish, garbage, ashes or any other waste material in or upon land within the County outside of any incorporated municipality and, for that purpose, adopt and from time to time amend or rescind, suitable ordinances, rules or regulations; provided however, that this section shall not apply to the Appoquinimink Hundred and Blackbird Hundred of New Castle County. (b) The County Council shall have power to license public garbage collectors who comply with and meet the requirements of the rules, regulations and ordinances adopted by the County Council. The County Council shall charge each public garbage collector $100 per year for said license. (c) Whoever violates the regulations of the County Council established under this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $200, or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both. In the case of continuing violations, each day of such violation shall constitute a separate offense. (d) The County Council or any owner of real estate within New Castle County injured by a violation of any ordinance, rule or regulation adopted by the County Council pursuant to this section, may, in addition to other remedies provided by law, institute injunction, mandamus, abatement or any other appropriate action or actions, proceeding or proceedings, to prevent, enjoin, abate or remove any violations against regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1525 Creeks or small runs; widening, straightening.

(a) In case the County Council, upon the advice of the Department of Public Works deems it advisable to widen, straighten or alter the course of any part of any small run or creek in the County, such as Chestnut Run or Little Mill Creek at Forest Park, in Christiana Hundred, the County Council and the Department of Public Works may enter upon any land for the purpose of surveying and locating the changes necessary to widen, straighten or alter the course of any part of such run or creek. (b) Any person owning land which it will be necessary to procure for such purpose may dedicate the same for such purpose, and the County Council may enter into negotiations with the owner or owners for that purpose, and may secure the necessary conveyance or dedication of the land. The County Council may also purchase the land from the owner or owners thereof upon such terms as the County Council deems advisable. All conveyances and dedications shall be to this State, for the use of New Castle County, and all conveyances, dedications and other papers relating to the acquirement of such land for such purpose shall be and remain a part of the records of the office of the Department of Public Works. (c) In case the County Council cannot agree with the owner or owners of such lands, the County Council may acquire the same by condemnation in accordance with Chapter 61 of Title 10.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1561 New Castle County Workhouse [Repealed].

Repealed by 71 Del. Laws, c. 401, § 67, effective July 13, 1998.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1562 New Castle County libraries; Wilmington Institute.

(a) The County Council of New Castle County may appropriate public moneys toward the maintenance and support of free public libraries for the use of the residents of New Castle County and for all purposes incident thereto. (b) The Wilmington Institute, a corporation of the State, may administer a free library for the use of the residents of New Castle County outside of the City of Wilmington, and may perform all functions incident thereto, such functions to be in addition to those now devolving upon the Wilmington Institute under existing laws and to be paid for with other funds than those received from the City of Wilmington. (c) The County Council of New Castle County and the Wilmington Institute may enter into continuous contracts, pursuant to resolutions of their respective bodies, with each other and with other persons or corporations, whether public or private, respecting payments of money to be made toward the maintenance and support of a free library for the use of the residents of New Castle County outside the City of Wilmington. (d) The County Council of New Castle County may construct and equip free public libraries in New Castle County and for said purpose, may acquire land by purchase or gift and may enter into contracts for the construction and equipping of such public libraries in New Castle County outside of the City of Wilmington. The County Council may enter into contracts with the Wilmington Institute for the operation and maintenance and support of the said public library. (e) For the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition of land and construction and equipping of the public library provided in subsection (d) of this section, the County Council of New Castle County may borrow money upon the faith and credit of New Castle County by issuing bonds notwithstanding any limitation prescribed by this chapter or any other law. (1) The bonds shall bear interest at such rates, may be in 1 or more series, may bear such dates, may mature at such times not exceeding 20 years from their respective dates, may be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, may carry such registration privileges, may be subject to such terms of redemption, may be executed in such manner, may contain such terms, covenants and conditions, and may be in such form, either coupon or registered, as the resolution or subsequent resolutions provide. (2) The bonds shall be sold at public sale upon sealed proposals after at least 10 days notice published at least once in a newspaper published in the City of Wilmington. Any of the bonds may be sold at private sale to the United States of America or any agency, instrumentality or corporation thereof, at not less than par. (3) Pending the preparation of the definitive bonds, interim receipts or certificates in such form and with such provisions as the County Council determines may be issued to the purchasers of bonds sold pursuant to this subsection. (4) The rate of interest may be determined in advance of sale, or the bonds may be offered for sale at a rate of interest to be fixed by the successful bidder for such bonds. (5) Bonds bearing the signatures of officers in office on the date of the signing thereof shall be valid and binding obligations notwithstanding that before the delivery thereof and payment therefor any or all the persons whose signatures appear thereon have ceased to be officers of the County. (6) The validity of the bonds shall not be dependent on nor affected by the validity or regularity of any proceeding relating to the matters authorized by subsection (d) of this section. The resolution authorizing the bonds may provide that the bonds shall contain a recital that they are issued pursuant to this chapter, which recital shall be conclusive evidence of their validity and of the regularity of their issuance. (7) The faith and credit of the County are pledged to the payment of any bonds issued by the County under this section. The County Council shall annually appropriate to the payment of such bonds and the interest thereon the amounts required to pay such bonds and interest as the same become due and payable. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law the County Council may levy an ad valorem tax, with limitation as to rate or amount, upon all property taxable by the County to raise the moneys necessary to meet any such appropriation.

Del. Code tit. 9, § 1563 Private welfare agencies.

The County Council may make annual appropriations to the following charitable corporations of this State in aid of their respective objects: Children’s Home, Inc.; The Family Society; St. Michael’s School and Nursery; and The Prisoners Aid Society of Delaware.
Source: DE Code (Official Site)URL: https://delcode.delaware.gov/title9/c015/sc01/index.htmlFetched: 10/4/2026

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