Build it up — Newcastle gears up to implement RCAP to boost economy

In August, Newcastle Mayor Tyrel Owens began to push the City Council to consider moving forward with the Rural Community Assistance Corporation to benefit from its program targeted at small towns needing economic development, and work is now underway to put the program into action. 

According to Amity Rembold, RCAC’s regional field manager, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant has paid for the RCAC team’s services. 

“The main purpose of the grant is to build Newcastle’s capacity,” she explained. 

RCAC focuses on building rural economies. The organization works with communities to help aspiring entrepreneurs and others to embrace
their surroundings and expand their business opportunities. 

“We help communities identify and implement,” she added. “We work to identify economic opportunities that can be pursued based on resources already available in the community.” 

Rembold explained that one of the primary
techniques used by RCAC when helping rural
communities is leveraging pre-existing resources to their fullest potential. 

RCAC and the city are still in the paperwork process of implementing the program in the community, including an application. Owens explained that in order to run the operation in Newcastle, he will need to hire a community coordinator to organize and promote the RCAP events. 

Outside of Owens’ political life, he also works with the Midwest Assistance Program as its Wyoming state field manager. MAP is a nonprofit organization that provides support to rural communities through “hands-on technical assistance in water, wastewater, and solid waste systems,” according to its website. 

Owens was initially introduced to the RCAC through his job at MAP, and he first requested the council consider enlisting RCAC’s services on Aug. 4, but they asked for more time to review the proposal.

During the council meeting held two weeks later, Owens again referred to the RCAC presentation from the previous meeting. He asked if the council was in favor of the cost, which required a $15,000 match, $3,000 per year, and after discussion, the council approved the expenditure by unanimous vote. 

Owens gave an overview of the RCAC project to the council on Sept. 2 and asked if any council members would sit on an economic development committee with him. Thomas Voss and John Butts volunteered to sit on the committee and will attend meetings with Owens to plan for the application. 

Still in his first year as mayor, Owens said he is realistic about the economic change that needs to take place. 

“I’ve seen the boom and bust cycle,” he said. “I am looking for any assistance to move forward in building our economy.” 

He mentioned the empty business and office buildings on Main Street, and the opportunities they harbor. Owens also acknowledged the downturn in community events and activities. 

“It is important for communities to be vibrant,” he said. 

Part of RCAC’s role is to recognize these issues and offer realistic solutions. While Rembold admits that some projects may take time and fall outside of available funding, RCAC works to provide “early wins” to the community to give it something to go on. 

“It is important to keep people engaged and excited,” she added. 

City Beats

Notes from the Nov. 3, 2025, meeting of the Newcastle City Council

The council approved a motion to designate the current Wyoming Community Gas Community Project Designation funds to the Veterans Memorial and Pocket Park projects.

Upon the recommendation of Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Haggerty, the council voted to discontinue the budget billing pilot program. Haggerty cited a lack of participation — only four customers had enrolled — as the reason for her recommendation. She noted that the customers’ bills were very similar to what they will be without the program.

Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff reported on several ongoing projects, including the Highway 16 Pathway Project, the 2025 Improvements Project Phase 1, the Duff Avenue sewer project, Tank 2 rehabilitation, and several other items. Details on those projects can be found in the Newcastle City Council minutes on page B3.

Engineer Steven Dietrich reported on building permits and commercial projects, including the demolition of the old Black Hills Plumbing building and construction of the new Dollar General location. He noted that new construction costs totaled $108,270.02, with $1,613.97 collected through permits and fees.

The council also discussed potential options regarding pedestrian crossings on the bypass near Stampede Street. One proposed solution was signage advising pedestrians to use the tunnel to cross in that area.

Owens sees the potential that Newcastle holds and said he wants to capitalize on this opportunity with the help of RCAC. 

He wants to take the city’s qualities and make Newcastle more of a tourist destination.

“We are in a beautiful location that is conveniently located,” he added.   

Rembold said that “people live in a community because they love it,” and she explained that this quality is why it should be easy to share that love and make the community blossom. 

“A lot of rural communities know that there are issues that exist that they would like to overcome,” she said. 

In her career, Rembold said, she has worked to help communities bring in tourists and housing.

“We put an effort towards downtown revitalization projects,” she said. 

One potential struggle that both Owens and Rembold identified is fostering an active audience and increasing engagement. 

Owens explained that Newcastle residents tend to have a “believe it when I see it” mentality. He hopes that once the trainings start, people get excited and work with the program. 

He explained that hiring a community coordinator would help people get motivated.
That person’s job will be to get word out about the workshops, get people excited and encourage the community to actually show up and participate. 

RCAC motivates communities to want the change for themselves, and they will help them enact that change. 

“Our desire is not to come in and say, ‘This is what you should do,’” Rembold said. “Our goal is to help communities recognize the goal that they have for themselves.”

“I am planting seeds and hoping they bloom,” Owens said.