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National League of Cities member Chrelle Booker, Mayor Pro Tempore of the town of Tryon, participated in the White House’s rural and small community tour. The tour ran through April. The White House hosted virtual discussions in more than 30 rural communities across the country to highlight opportunities in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for small and rural communities. Local leaders from these communities were invited to participate in the virtual discussions. 

“Small towns and rural communities like Tryon need to rebuild and strengthen our infrastructure as  much as any big city. With investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will be able to  complete and or start work on some of our water and sewer projects. In the month of February, Tryon had 17 water breaks alone. According to the town’s Public Works Manager, Jody Morse, that has never happened in the many years he has been employed by the Town of Tryon,” said Booker. The  Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes historic funding opportunities to strengthen and build  infrastructure in small and rural communities across the nation. 

“We look forward to working closely with the Biden Administration to make sure small and rural  communities can maximize this opportunity to meet the needs of their residents,” said Mayor Dontario  Hardy from Kinston, North Carolina, NLC’s Small Cities Council chair. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) includes $1.2 trillion of investments in America’s crumbling infrastructure. Many of these investments will flow to cities, towns, and villages – including small and rural communities like Tryon. Specifically, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law  includes investments to provide high-speed internet to every rural home and business; deliver a historic investment in improving rural Americans’ transportation options; fix rural roads and bridges; ensure clean drinking water and basic sanitation; upgrade electricity and transmission infrastructure; create good-paying jobs that clean up pollution in rural communities; build communities resilient to all hazards including climate change. 

Chrelle Booker sits on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities where she is Chair of the Information Technology and Communications Committee and the only North Carolinian.

 

Submitted by Chrelle Booker