What is a Regional
Council?
A regional council is a multi-service
entity with state and locally-defined boundaries that delivers a variety of
federal, state, and local programs while continuing its function as a
planning organization, technical assistance provider and
“visionary” to its member local governments. As such, they
are accountable to local units of government and effective partners for
state and federal governments.
Conceived in the 1960s, regional
councils today are stable, broad-based organizations adept at
consensus-building, creating partnerships, providing services, problem
solving and fiscal management. The role of the regional council has
been shaped by the changing dynamics in federal, state, and local
government relations, and the growing recognition that the region is the
arena in which local governments must work together to resolve social and
environmental challenges. Regional councils have carved out a valuable
niche for themselves as reliable agents and many operate more independent
of federal funding. Comprehensive and transportation planning,
economic development, workforce development, the environment, services for
the elderly, and clearinghouse functions are among the types of programs
managed by regional councils. Some states, such as Georgia, have
passed legislation that creates a role for regional councils, relying
heavily on them to deliver or assist the state with a variety of programs.
Of the 39,000 local, general purpose governments in the United States (counties,
cities, townships, towns, villages, boroughs) a total of more than 35,000
are served by Regional Councils. (Source: National Association of
Regional Councils)
Michigan Association of Regions (MAR)
The Michigan Association of Regions is
a state association of the fourteen (14) regional councils in Michigan. MAR
consists of a policy board
of local elected and appointed officials that meets periodically to discuss
regional policy issues and programs, and adopts legislative positions. MAR
also has an Executive Directors
Committee that meets
monthly. Member services consists of advocacy of regional programs, training and education, research,
membership surveys, networking, as well as liaison to national
associations, including the National
Association of Regional Councils (NARC) and the National Association of Development
Organizations (NADO).
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