Council of Governments marks milestone

East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) celebrated its 35th anniversary Thursday with a party at the office on Stone Road.

ETCOG was established June 8, 1970 in Kilgore by 32 local governments representing the 14-county East Texas region. Although many changes have occurred over the past 35 years, the initial goal of “local governments working together to solve common problems,” still remains the same.

The 14 counties of Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood and 18 cities formed the initial membership of ETCOG. Since that time, an additional 55 cities, 31 independent school districts and 14 special purpose districts have joined the voluntary association making ETCOG the second largest council of gvernments in the State of Texas.

ETCOG is governed by a board of drectors made up of appointed officials representing each member government. An Executive Committee is chosen from this board and meets monthly to direct the work of the ETCOG staff which is headed by an executive eirector.

Tyler City Commissioner Ben Johnson was the first to serve as chairman of the board of directors in 1970 followed by Judge Henry Atkinson of Gregg County, 1970-71, and Judge F.R. Files of Rusk County, 1971-72. Thirty-three other dedicated men and women have served as chairperson since that time including the Chairman for 2005, Mayor Bobby McClenny of Lindale.

Don Edmonds, hired soon after the formation of ETCOG, was the first eecutive director, remaining in that position until mid 1980s. Glynn Knight replaced Edmonds in December , 1980 and has been the executive director for the past 25 years.

“Since that beginning, ETCOG has grown as an organization with a handful of staff and a budget of approximately $300,000 to an organization with 64 employees utilizing a budget of over $30,000,000 to serve more than three quarters of a million East Texas residents,” Knight said.

In 1980, ETCOG moved its offices from the former location in the Allied Citizens Bank Building in downtown Kilgore to its location at 3800 Stone Road.

Housed in these offices are the Department of Regional Development and Services, Area Agency on Aging, the Workforce Development Department and the Criminal Justice/9-1-1 and Homeland Security Department. These four departments serve the region in various ways such as providing elderly nutrition, economic development, job placement and Homeland Security planning.

ETCOG’s original programs and planning efforts included public works, housing planning, work with building codes, solid waste management, health planning, criminal justice, fire training, manpower planning, Communications and an information clearinghouse.

Many of these programs are still active and have grown in importance. Others have achieved their purpose but have been the basis for further development of the region’s people, infrastructure and resources.

ETCOG programs include Meals on Wheels, the Nursing Home Ombudsman Program, Air Quality Planning, Economic Development, 9-1-1, Homeland Security, Transportation, Workforce Development, Solid Waste Management, GIS Mapping services, and others.

In the years since 1970, thousands of local elected officials and interested citizens have voluntarily served on ETCOG’s boards and committees.

Over the past 35 years, ETCOG has succeeded in its mission of service to local governments by providing a forum in which regional problems can be studied and resolved.

“From its beginning with only 32 member governments, there are now 132 counties, cities, ISD’s and Special Districts that strive to work together for the East Texas region as a whole,” Knight said. “As an organization, ETCOG is looking forward to continue serving East Texas for another thirty-five years and beyond.”