What is a Regional Council and what is its role?
A Regional Council is a voluntary association of local governments authorized by state law to make and implement joint regional decisions, provide management, planning and technical services to local governments, identify and solve short and long-term problems best addressed at the regional level, and bring together local elected officials on a regular basis, giving them an opportunity to form working relationships. Regional Councils are regarded as local governments without taxing or police authority.
Mission Statement
Promoting regionalism that provides opportunities for local governments to enhance and improve quality of life for our citizens through the effective delivery of services and programs.
Where are you located?
Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments (KTRCOG) is located at 1724 Graham Avenue, Henderson, NC 27536. Office is located off I-85 Exit 212. Click Here for directions and map.
NCWorks Career Center is located at 826 S. Garnett Street, Henderson, NC 27536. Click Here for contact information. Access Points for Employment Services are in Warrenton and Roxboro.
Who administers or oversees the KTCOG?
The Kerr Tar COG acts as a division of local government and is governed by a Board of Directors and an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee sets policy and appoints the Executive Director who manages the affairs of KTRCOG. There are 33 members on the KTCOG Board of Directors.
The Executive Committee is composed of fifteen members and the Executive Committee is empowered to act on all administrative functions and policies and take such actions make recommendations, formulate and adopt policies on those matters which will best carry out the purposes and responsibilities as provided for in the bylaws.
How long has the KTCOG been in existence?
The KTCOG began in 1971 as a partnership of five counties, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren and included 15 municipalities at the beginning (now consisting of 16) in the partnership. The Council and its member governments work with federal and state partners and other agencies to help fund regional hospitals, libraries, community colleges, water and sewer projects, industrial parks and sites, etc.
How are you funded?
KTCOG is primarily grant-funded, with additional support from dues from our local member governments. The COG receives grant funding as well as federal and state pass through funds to support current programs.
What types of programs does the COG administer?
KTCOG serves its members and the citizens of the region by administering programs related to aging, economic and community development, planning, transportation, and workforce development. The KTCOG is strongly service oriented and our programs are driven by membership needs.
What area do you serve?
We serve NC’s region K – Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren counties and the municipalities therein.
How many Regional Councils are there in NC or in the US?
North Carolina is served by 16 regional councils. Regional Councils (www.ncregions.org) have been operating in the state since 1972 to assist members in administration and planning and to proactively work on issues of regional interest.
Across the US, there are more than 500 regional councils, although naming conventions may differ by state. In some areas, they are known as Councils of Government (or COGs), Lead Regional Organizations (or LROs), or sometimes Planning Commissions or Planning Associations.
History of the Kerr-Tar Regional COG:
Councils of Governments were formed under the NC General Statutes 160-77.1 through 160-77.6 (current Statutes are: 160A-470 through 160A-478) which authorizes any two or more municipalities and counties to create a Regional Council of Local Officials. Under the leadership of Governor Bob Scott, seventeen (17) regions were designated throughout the State of NC. In late 1970, City and County officials banned together to explore forming a Council of Governments to serve Region K (counties of Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren and the 11 municipalities therein). Today the Kerr-Tar Region still consists of these 5 named counties and 16 municipalities; however, there are only 16 COGs across the state as some have combined.
Dr. W. M. Wester, Jr. served as the first Chairman of this Council during the organizational period. In May of 1971, the official name of the Council was selected: Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, with its purpose being to promote intergovernmental cooperation by developing and formalizing policy recommendations concerning matters having area wide significance. Areas of interest and concern to the members organizing the Council of Governments were: solid waste, health services, regional water system, family planning, programs for the elderly, and manpower. Today the COG has the following programs: Aging, Economic and Community Development, Economic Development Administration, Business Loans, Planning, Transportation, and Workforce Development. It also provides Administrative Services for the Region K CAC and Kerr-Tar Regional Economic Development Corporation.
On April 13, 1972, the Kerr-Tar Regional COG was designated the Lead Regional Organization of Region K, and received a $25,000 funding grant from the NC General Assembly.
The Council of Governments strived towards meeting criteria by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) in order to be eligible for federal grants. After completing an acceptable Overall Economic Development Plan (OEDP), Region K was designated by EDA as an Economic Development District (EDD) in March of 1975, under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.
The Kerr-Tar COG established a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) in 1986, with its counties that were designated as Long Term Economic Deterioration (LTED) counties by EDA. The purpose of the RLF was to assist in raising the standards of living through sound economic development policies, and use of innovative and creative business financing. Strict objectives were established to accomplish the goals; which included reducing unemployment, creating and retaining job opportunities, increase the area’s tax base, re-develop vacant land, stimulate private sector capital formation and aid in small business development, etc. Then in 1987, EDA sent a formal invitation to the Kerr-Tar COG to submit an application to EDA for a revolving loan fund grant under the Long Term Economic Deterioration (LTED) Section of Title IX. The proposed grant project was for $500,000 in EDA funds that would be matched with $167,000 in local funds. As of today, the COG still runs two successful loan programs: the RLF Program which provides funding from $25,000 to $200,000 or 75% of project cost, whichever is less and a Micro-Enterprise Loan Program that offers funding from $5,000 to $25,000 for small businesses.
Membership in the Council of Governments of Member Units is accomplished by the voluntary adoption of identical resolutions of the governing bodies of the participating governmental units.
What is the COG?
- Local agency, owned, controlled and operated by groups of cities and counties…but no more responsible to one participating local government than to another.
- Servant and advocate of Local Government.
The COG serves as an excellent linkage between local, state and federal governments.
The COG is not:
- A Federal Agency
- A State Agency
- A Third Level of Government
General Functions of the COG:
- Disseminate information of concern.
- Serve as forum for discussion of governmental problems of mutual interest and concern.
- Deal with regional problems in a manner mutually satisfactory to all local governments within the Region.
- Provide technical staff services as needed by member cities and counties.
- Serve as a common ground upon which local officials of an area can meet, evaluate common problems and opportunities for cooperative agreements, and coordinate mutual activities, plans and programs.
- Plan and coordinate as an extended arm of local member units.