2020
Municipal and Provincial Affairs

Deann Spurrell is a Manager, Gas Tax Administration with the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs. She was instrumental in the planning, implementation and execution of two major programs built from the ground up in 2020 to provide financial support to municipalities across the province: the COVID-19 Stimulus Program and the COVID-19 Arenas and Pools Fund. Both of these were created and delivered at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating Deann’s creativity, unyielding work ethic and commitment to service excellence.

The COVID-19 Stimulus Program funded small-scale provincial community improvement projects with a goal to provide short-term employment to stimulate economic activity in municipalities across Newfoundland and Labrador. The COVID-19 Arenas and Pools Fund assisted municipalities and recreational organizations survive the financial impacts due to pandemic closures and restrictions. Ms. Spurrell took on a lead role in designing and delivering these two programs by building on her experience and working relationships with the municipalities and anticipating their needs to ensure the programs were effective and efficient. Her work has also provided a valuable template for municipal funding programs that may be used again in the future.

Ms. Spurrell built a positive relationship with her municipal clients and was invited to speak and present at the Professional Municipal Administrators annual convention. Her diligence, reputation, and positive attitude inspires others in her department.