Technically a regional council, the model was established by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 391.
They are known as planning commissions, associations of governments, regional planning commissions, area councils, development councils or COGs, and all can be found at the state-level map published by the Texas Association of Regional Councils (TARC).
The state has 24 councils, mostly established between 1966 and 1970. Some include as few as three counties and others up to 19. Run by boards of directors, the memberships include multiple counties, cities and other public entities. These members can run into the dozens if not hundreds.
The councils distribute funding that includes federal, state and local, according to TARC. In 2019, this included about $957.8 million.
David Cleveland, East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) executive director, described the work as a “labor of love” in which officials and local leaders band together to address needs common to their municipalities.
They offer a “public forum to solve common problems,” bringing programs, services and solutions for all residents.
For ETCOG, programming includes four broad areas: workforce and economic development, aging division, public safety and 911 systems, and transportation. This council also assists with IT needs in smaller locales and provides a consortia-style purchasing program, Cleveland said.
They, along with the Deep East Texas COG, are advocating for broadband and actively work with the state broadband office, helping to facilitate regional plans.
The North Texas COG (NTCOG) serves 16 counties, and it includes a focus on alternative vehicles and regularly coordinates events focused on electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The council also manages EV data from various sources.
In essence, a look at regional council planning — usually available at their websites — can offer insights into procurement practices and local trends.
